The Traitor and The Genius

Chapter 16

Eric's POV

"Greeting to Earl Linux. I'm Xylia E. Haldane. It's nice to see you who is famed through this Empire" she gave an energetic smile yet she extrudes a mysterious aura around her.

Xylia, an energetic and a prankster. She will do anything on what she wants and see people as her toys.

If she is just a daughter of a noble or a royalty, I can at least fight her. But she is a Haldane, whom all countries' fear and dependent on.

"Eh, you know me? Don't tell me you are in love with me? I have a fiancee already" I jokingly said as I know she wants to get on my bad side.

"Hehehe... I'm sorry for teasing so please stop teasing me"

Eh? Why does she acts different on what Jeanne sent to me?

"Please excuse me for my rudeness. I'm just trying to lighten our conversation"

"Hehehe... I know"

This woman acts really different. She's too calm that she extrudes a mysterious aura.

Is she like this when she is outside the academy?

"May I ask where are you going?"

"Loquin Academy" I answered without a care.

From the looks of it, she also wanted to come.

"Really?! Then can I also go with you? I ran all the way from there to here by foot last night. I'm too tired since I didn't sleep this past three days..."

"By your will"

This woman says too many impolite things that any nobles wouldn't say so easily. If I have to say it must be the fact that she is a Haldane.

She acts like a nice yet spoiled daughter of a royalty and sees us, nobles as a commoner.

For her, it must be only royalties deserve her respect.

I let her ride in the carriage until there. From here, I guess we will talk about on what I shouldn't see.

She looks at the window and smile nostalgically.

I take it back that I said she resembles Miki. This girl does everything that Miki will never do and protect her life with it.

"Please stop being formal with me when alone. I'm not used with it"

She hates it? I see... She only acts because there is other people and they might misunderstand it.

I can go stop being formal with you but that doesn't stop me from treating you as a normal.

You are still a Haldane. I can only nod against as someone as powerful as her.

"I wanted to discuss about what happened earlier" she keeps her energetic smile like as if it's natural.

As I thought, she'll threaten me like I never saw it.

"I know. You want me to treat it as if I never saw it"

Her smile grew wider saying it is natural to turn blind on whatever she does outside.

"If you did tell someone, you'll lose memory and receive a sever punishment from us. We will also cut our relationship with Empire"

That is expected. No one knows what is happening right now so they want to keep our mouths tight.

"Then why didn't you replace our memories now?"

It's kinda mysterious if she didn't erased our memories.

"I wanted to go there as soon as possible. Also I wanted to rest myself"

"Then you'll erase our memories after this?"

"No. I will only erase the memories of that coachman, not yours. You gave me a ride, so I will not"

Why do I feel like her actions is similar to someone?

"I'm quite surprised that you didn't even brought one guard with you. As if you needed someone who is weaker than you to guard you. I guess with that stone, you are able to surround yourself with a barrier preventing anyone with murderous intent."

"This stone is given to me by Luke"

"So you also called him Luke and not Lucas?"

"Please stop it. I know you investigated our history, family and background. There's no need for you to ask questions like that"

"Of course, everyone who has connection to our academy has to be investigated. If we cannot do as simple as that, how can we be feared and trusted by all countries?"

It quite surprise that not even once has she dropped that smile of hers. Her tone is always half serious and half joking that I couldn't tell which part of her words are serious.

The atmosphere is so quiet yet she retained that smile of hers. Her smile is full of energy yet for some reasons, it made her even more mysterious.

"Looks like I'm right to take a ride with you. The snow is getting stronger and stronger"

"Do you need a blanket, I have two"

She shakes her head as her answer. It's getting colder and colder that not even with a thick clothing of hers can warm her.

"I don't need it. I'm warm enough. For me, cold is nothing for me. It's quite comforting that it is so cold in this border. I wonder why it can be this cold when spring is coming?"

"I don't know. It's a natural phenomenon that not even magic can control it"

How could I know? I study politics not natural phenomenons.

"I think it's because of me. Everyone always wonders that whenever I visit a country that is in winter, the hail is always stronger than normal"

Then can you get out of this carriage and stop it?

"Hehehe... I think you noticed that I am not as energetic and a prankster as you imagined?"

"So you know"

She knows that Jeanne sent me a letter today. This woman has discerning eyes.

"I'm a Haldane, please remember it. Back to our topic, I'm in a good mood today since I killed twelve demons today"

Kill? Does she knows she will scare a person if says that in a nonchalant attitude?

"I'm always in a good mood if I kill someone. I will not mess with you unless you are someone I hate"

Again with the word 'kill'. For a woman like her to say it like that is disturbing. Even if she always does this 'killing business' of hers, as a Haldane she shouldn't those kinds of words.

"And since I'm in a good mood I will tell you something"

Her voice suddenly turned serious yet her energetic smile remains there.

"I will only say this once. After this, I will pretend as if I never say such thing and will rest. So make sure you prepare your ears are properly working"

Her eyes like she saw an interesting thing will happen. Her lips curled and shows a sadistic smile.

"I will shorten it with three words so make sure you heard it clearly"

She definitely making sure to take it long to suspense me. She clearly playing it to her heart's desire.

She's clearly see everything as her toy. I am sure of it.

She's curious of my reaction.

Yet I wonder what will she say.

"Miki is alive"