3 3. What has the world come to?

"Shickly, my good friend, it has been a while."

"Same to you, Liron. I haven't seen you since the war." The two old friends shook hands before pulling each other closer to give a hug to one another.

The two separated and Liron began grumbling.

"I wished to visit more often but someone pushed the duties of a General to me so I don't think that is possible, why don't you become a General too? The King has been bugging me about it!"

"Haha if I do that then I'll be losing my time to create the wine I send you so often. I can stop making wine if you wish."

"Forget about it, my personal winemaker cannot be disturbed."

"Bastard."

Like Count Shickly, Marquis Liron had a good built, and even without focusing one can see the thick calluses on his hands from practicing the spear. He was a Tier-7 Martial Master just like the Count.

Marquis Liron Vera and Count Shickly Edgeworth. The two were old comrades both out and in of war. The two went to the same War and Military Academy, fought in the same war, and rumors said that when the position of General was being decided, the two played rock-paper-scissors in order to decide between the two of them.

'From the novel, it is said that Count Shickly is working for him as his right-hand man. He was supposed to be another General for the Kingdom but the Count declined because it was too much problem and left all the work to his friend then he focused on doing wine business. It makes one wonder, did these two played that fabled rock-paper-scissors'

In the story Sword of Heaven, a lot of characters have a lot of mysterious background and stories. These characters can have a story of their own just from the depths of their background alone.

'I stopped reading the book because I found it tedious to read their stories and I didn't even touch the side-stories for that matter. Ugh, I wish I read it all if I knew I would end up in this place.'

But he couldn't because he was too lazy and ended up reading another book instead. Now, he is stuck with this situation without knowledge about the past.

"Young master Colt, my name is Mina Vera, it is a pleasure to meet you."

While Colt was thinking too deep into the useless idea of being too lazy, Mina approached him a smile. Colt was awakened from his daze and he too introduced himself befitting that of someone with manners.

"The pleasure is all mine, Young Miss Mina."

Holding a pleasant smile in order not to make Mina uncomfortable or irritated by him, Colt tried his best to act.

Liron finally noticed the upright man adjacent to the Countess and smiled widely.

"So, this is my nephew Colt? You have the same eyes as your father, piercing and strong. She may have already introduced herself, but this is my one and only daughter, Mina, she is my beloved child given to us by the Goddess herself."

"I can see that she had indeed blessed by the Goddess as her hair and beauty is as pleasing to the eyes as the Spring Breeze that soothes the soul."

Like a poet wonderful and pleasing to the ears of many. However, his emotion was bordering fear, but he never crossed over and controlled himself as he bit his vestibule to control any emotion from showing.

This resulted in his smile looking frail that it would collapse at any moment, making his seem flustered at the presence of the beautiful Mina Vera. When in all truthfulness Colt was simply hanging on for dear life in order to make sure he will get to see another day.

Countess Faerith saw this and smiled mysteriously to herself. Before clapping her hands to get everyone's attention.

"Alright that is enough of that, dear husband why don't you show the Marquis the wine you have been brewing?"

"That is a good idea. Liron let us go, hehe, I got the ingredients from the South this time and I made it...nearly fatal in terms of its alcohol level. It is currently my masterpiece"

"Truly!? Ehem, then, lead the way Shickly!"

Like two teens, the Marquis and the Counts two men who hold great power and status in the Kingdom walked away like idiots in order to drink alcohol.

"Colt."

"...Yes, mother?"

"I will need to tend with the Count and the Marquis, you are to show the Manor to Young Lady Mina with Risa. Take Lyra with you, I don't want the drunkards to influence her."

"I will do as you say, mother."

The Countess followed the two bumbling idiots inside to tend to their needs, she could almost see the headache that is about to unfold, yet she bravely entered the house, ready to beat anyone who will cause trouble.

By the time she entered, Colt looked over to Risa and smiled, his meaning was clear "please deal with it", or so his smile says.

Risa did not know what their parents want to do by asking the wastrel to guide the Young Miss but seeing that smile already made her aware that whatever it is he wishes to do, it will not be so pretty.

"Young Miss Mina, please, follow me."

"Young Miss Risa, calling me Mina will do, it makes me feel distance when our family is so close. I wish to form a bond with you and the rest."

"If that is the case, please, refer to me as Risa as well..."

Their conversation entered one of Colt's ears and exited the other.

'The two were close friends until Risa was sadly forced to cut her down.'

While Colt was busy contemplating over matters of life and death, others not his.

He was instinctively inching away, trying to find a path of escape. But alas, every time he sneaks out, Risa will throw him a glare making him stop dead on his tracks.

He tried multiple times but failed, in the end, he gave up and let things be.

Colt is not stupid nor was he an idiot, he is not doing this to just be an asshole, he merely wishes to leave and have little to no interaction with the she-devil. They got to a canopy prepared by Risa earlier today.

There, lunch was already set and as Risa invited the beautiful Mina, she accepted with a smile. The four youths began to eat with much delight, Colt was the most delighted as he gobbled up the food thrown into him without concern to how he looked.

It was just like this morning.

Mina observed his actions with interest in the unrestrained Colt. But against everyone's knowledge, this was a part of the plan, by being his usual unrestrained wastrel ways, he showed the parts a nobleman should not have.

'Good she's laughing at me, hehe, a little more and it will become ridicule.'

"Older brother, please, mind yourself, we have a guest present."

"I am merely acting the way I usually am, please, do not mind me and enjoy yourselves."

A mannerless man that is who he is. And he has no intention of changing that.

'Avoid me, come on, avoid me!'

Lunch soon came to past and with the passage of time, it was already time for tea. Colt was planning to do the same as before, he will let Risa do all the talking and him acting like a bumbling idiot.

'Leaving a bad impression and having so little interaction is the key to being forgotten. She will forget me like the passing wind thus, I will get to see the light at the end of the tunnel after I die of old age.'

That is the plan.

But fate would have it, one thing led to another and soon enough Colt was alone with Mina, Lyra was there but she didn't count for much.

Around the second floor of the mansion, in a room where the back garden can be overlooked, Countess Faerith watched over the scene of Colt and Mina alone with nothing but a child to create a soothing atmosphere.

With her in that room was Risa who was having a headache after being called by her mother. She held her head, a headache, and right now, she is thinking...

'What the hell is happening right now?'