The Logress knights said their farewells and left the Quintins' estate. Right after the huge gates were closed, the place suddenly went very quiet. Without the presence of the knights to serve as a distraction, Emery realized he hadn't seen Luna's brother, Silas, along with her father. Curious as to their whereabouts, he asked Luna about them.
"Ah, are you concerned for me as well, Merlin? I am so happy."
Now that her father was better, Luna explained, he had been taking her younger brother along on work-related trips, so he could learn how to operate the family business. They were both currently traveling across the sea to supervise the distribution of goods in another continent and to visit some of their contacts, in order to maintain a good professional relationship across borders.
"I suppose my life story is not as exciting as someone who won the Divine Order tournament… Please, do tell me more about it, Merlin! Ahh, no! Actually, I'd prefer it if you gave me all the details about how the princess came to wait for you here for seven days! I can't miss a story like that!"
Luna spoke in an elated voice, she was so excited she could barely stick to one topic before jumping to another. Meanwhile, Morgana, who was standing just behind her, simply stared at Emery blankly. The two of them were waiting for his explanation.
During moments like these, Emery wished he could use his [Spatial Gate] to run and maybe stay in the Khaos space for several days. But, considering the many things Luna had done for his sake, Emery figured it was about time to come clean with her…
He revealed his real identity as Emery Ambrose and his relation to the princess. His explanation included some information about Fantumar, as the cruel noble's plans had taken the Quintins' family to the edge of ruin several times over.
Lastly, he talked about the recent incident in the Logress Kingdom and Maeve's sudden attack.
Luna was a prominent figure in Venta and, as a merchant, she would naturally have come across a variety of information. Emery hoped she would let him know if Maeve ever showed herself in this town.
They talked about important matters, but surprisingly, Luna was not interested in any of them. In fact, Luna's response was,
"So, are you close with the princess? A friend, or perhaps more than that?" She smiled innocently.
"A friend," Emery gave her a firm answer with a straight face. Knowing her, any show of emotion on his face would have implied something more.
"Emery, I am not a fool, I can see how concerned she was while she waited that whole week for you… Definitely more than friends, right?"
Emery kept his mouth shut. He refused to answer, he would not be lured to elaborate any further.
"Alright, alright," Luna teased and glanced at Morgana instead. "What about your relationship with this one, then?"
He looked at Morgana's shocked expression and hurriedly responded.
"She's more than friends, actually… She is family." He then looks toward Morgana and said "We are related, aren't we? So, we're like cousins."
Upon hearing that answer, Morgana nodded quickly and quietly left the room.
He stared at the closed door and sighed. "What is it this time? Did I say something wrong…? I'm -"
"Oh, Merlin, apparently even a scholar like you can also be a moron." Luna flashed a knowing smile. "I am no seer, but even I can see many problems with women in your future."
"… So, does that mean I am the third in line? Good enough, I'll take that."
After talking some more, Luna suggested they went for a walk, talking animatedly as she stood up from her seat. Something about a surprise for him.
Right as the mansion's main door closed behind the two of them, Morgana appeared next to Emery as if by magic. Huh, he didn't know she had such an ability…
Under the light of the setting sun, the three walked together towards the town's outskirts. People had started to light their torches in preparation for the night and, along the roadside, Emery could see street vendors packing their goods to end the day and go back home.
Even though the day had almost ended, the streets of the city were still bustling with activity. They enjoyed the view and exchanged a few words here and there, until they finally arrived at their destination. The place was merely a few minutes' walk from the Quintins' estate and it was close to the edge of town.
The structure that emerged before them was an average-sized building, with two floors and a modest yard. It was painted in sleek, eggshell white with accents of sophisticated beige. The walls that surrounded the area were tall and painted in the same white as the mansion.
"Merlin, this is what I promised you before," Luna said, while gesturing towards the gate. "It's almost ready and when it's done, I hope you can feel more at home here. Treat it as your own place."
Emery was stunned beyond words. Luna had mentioned something about giving him an estate of his own before, but he didn't expect it being this large or built this quickly.
"How I wish I could keep you in my estate, as long as possible," Luna added. "But with each passing day, you keep getting more famous, so you will need your own place as soon as possible."
Not only did the Quintins' give him a mansion, but it was also accompanied with a dozen assistants to take care of the estate.
Emery really appreciated their kindness. He was reluctant to accept it at first, but he believed that soon enough, he could return the favor. For now, he would accept the gift with gratitude.
The inside of the estate was far more spacious than it looked from its moderate exterior. Rows and rows of rooms were scattered throughout the grounds and some parts were already furnished with chairs, shelves and wardrobes.
Luna guided Emery around the property for a simple tour. As she talked cheerfully she began to tease him once more. Smiling at Morgana mischievously, she said,
"I guess from now on, you are the lady of the house… Take care of him well, okay?"
Morgana nodded with a serious expression, right as Emery glanced at them. It was clear she hadn't taken Luna's words as a joke at all.
"See, Merlin? This is why I am more worried about you!"