CHAPTER 51: CUSTOMS, VILLAGE BOY... CUSTOMS..

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"Hey! Are you alright, mister?"

The noblewoman walked up to the strange man day dreaming in the middle of the strange place as she waved her hands in front of his face.

Noctis initially did not show any reaction as if he didn’t even realise someone had come up to him, talking to his face up close.

His mind was still captured in the illusion of the strange forest and its events.

Soon his irises widened and shrunk successively as he gasped, out of breath and even sweating.

His eyes finally showed some movement as he took a deep breath, his eyes falling into his hands and then touching his face with it.

Noticing no change, he heaved a sigh of relief as he hurriedly jumped away from the edge of the forest.

The noblewoman gasped as Noctis suddenly jumped away from her, giving her and the knight running towards her a brief fright.

"Hey, rude!"

She protested to which she earned a glare from the deep blue eyes that scared her like not even her father’s or the ghosts had done before.

"Your highness, are you okay? Please stay away from him!"

The knight soon caught up to them and stood between the white haired man and the noblewoman.

She drew out both her swords, crossing it in front of her, shielding her young lady with her body.

As she faced the assessing glare of the man, she realised they had encountered a qi user.

"We mean no harm sir. My young lady was merely checking upon you as she was worried for your safety."

Meanwhile Noctis too realised that among the two women, the little one quite harmless, the knight presenting some challenge, weren’t actually threatening him.

He could definitely feel the presence of energy coursing through his body into her.

But he didn’t feel any will from them and soon stopped glaring at them.

"Please give me a moment to gather my thoughts. I’ll apologize properly for my unintended actions."

As Noctis said so he went back to the strange vision he had just seen.

The scene of the hounds tearing into the body of the turned hunter remained vivid in his mind.

For a moment he felt he was the strange being, the hunger and the hounds, all at the same time, witnessing the events from three different perspectives.

Feeling the ordeal for every pain and passion, fury and humiliation.

After inspecting his body and his surroundings thoroughly, as well as making sure Minerva in his mental plane was safe and sound, Noctis finally laid it to rest, unable to figure its purpose or making as he finally turned towards the women.

Just as he had gathered, although the knight was trained and experienced, cautious too as she still hadn’t met go of her stance, ready to strike at a moment’s notice, it was nothing much to worry about.

The girl behind even more so. It was just that the sudden view of the girl, no matter how pleasing, unnerved him for a second as he had just come back from the vision.

But he didn’t intend to make unnecessary enemies, that too of the first people he had met in such a long time.

"Hello. Sorry for the misunderstanding earlier. I was a bit perturbed before. I didn’t intend to scare you."

Noctis offered a slight bow towards the women as he said with a feigned soft demeanor.

"Hello? That’s a peculiar greeting. Also who’s scared. I was.. also just a bit perturbed."

Noctis heard the soft whisper of the noblewoman but didn’t show any reaction, as if he hadn’t heard it all. He took note of her behaviour nonetheless.

But it seemed to have worked as the noblewoman walked a little closer towards him with a graceful smile. The knight also relaxed her stance, sheathing her swords, although still on guard.

"All fine, all fine good sir. Very pleased to be meeting you. We didn’t expect to see a noble so far out here."

The noblewoman offered.

"It’s very pleasing to make your acquaintance as well. Your beauty honours the hardships of my perilous journey."

Noctis noticed their rather courtly persona and replied in kind.

"Surely it is us who are honoured to witness your presence."

The noble girl said with her own practised smile, her hand locked and hanging gracefully, devoid of her earlier mischief.

Just as the silence was building up the girl once again said, moving one of her legs a little back as she squatted an inch lower, holding her skirt hem as she gave a formal bow,

"I’m Cora de’bevouir Bourdain, daughter of viscount Bourdain of the Antatslimio, baroness of stoexty. Can I have your title and your good name sir."

As pleasing it was to witness the action, being the recipient left Noctis a little awkward. He could practice all he wanted in private but even in most posh parties, this level of formality was seldom required.

But he had to get familiar with it, if their actions were any indications of the society they lived in.

Thus without showing any awkward expression, Noctis returned the bow as he said,

"Your high esteem bothers me, my lady. My status could not hold your attention. I’m honoured to have made your acquaintance."

"You jest good sir. Your demeanor speaks of your prestige. Please be at ease that I’ll speak about none of your actions anywhere whatsoever."

The noble girl tilted her head at Noctis’ remark but offered again with a smile, interpreting his denial as hesitation.

"It is none of that indeed my lady. I’m Noctis. A lowly village boy, your esteem is wasted upon me."

Noctis said as he said again with a little nod towards her, in a measured voice, neither zealous nor brooding.

At this Cora was a little lost as she eyed her knight.

The knight came close to her as she said in her ears,

"I think he is too cautious of your highness. His white hair is a dead giveaway if nothing else. He has to be connected to ’them’."

"That’s what I was thinking Regina, but, strangely, he doesn’t resemble any of the members in the least. Nobody comes to mind that could have birthed him, unless the... umhmm let us not. It seems we have no choice in this matter."

As she said to Regina discreetly, she tutned to Noctis once again, saying,

"Are you really a village boy?"