"But before that, what do you think about that girl?" Maria stared at Alaric.

    Alaric thought about Hershey as he answered. "She is a beautiful and talented young lady. If it''s her, then I''m not against the proposal."

    "That''s good to hear." Maria was satisfied with his response.

    "Now, here''s what we need to do..."

    Maria told them about her plan. From who they would bring to Ryvaad and to how they should act once they were there. She didn''t miss any detail, even going as far as thinking of several countermeasures in case something fell through.

    "That''s the gist of it. Don''t forget anything since we still need to discuss this with the warriors."

    "Speaking of which..." She turned her gaze to Alaric and said with a smile.

    "Sir Henry has successfully become an Elite Knight yesterday. You should go and look for him later. You were the first person he wanted to see when he made his breakthrough."

    Hearing this, Alaric was pleasantly surprised.

    He thought that the old Knight would need a few months to advance, but it seemed like he had underestimated Henry.

    "I will visit him after cleaning myself up." Alaric couldn''t wait to visit the old man and congratulate him.

    "Then you should go. I will discuss the details with your mother. Just listen carefully once we talk about this with the Knights." Lucas dismissed him with a light smile.

    "Alright. Then I''ll excuse myself first." Alaric stood up, bowed to them, and left the study.

    "Look at him go. He looks even more excited now than when he became a Knight." Maria chuckled while shaking her head.

    "Just leave him be. Sir Henry is like a grandfather to him. It''s only natural for Alaric to feel happy about his advancement."

    "That''s true..."

    ***

    Outside the study, Alaric saw Elena standing by the door with a bored look.

    "Elena? Why are you still here? You should have returned to your room."

    He was inside the study for over an hour so she must be tired.

    "It''s okay, my lord. I want to wait for you." Elena fidgeted as she lowered her head

    Elena felt shy, but she didn''t reject him.

    This was Alaric''s first time doing this for someone else so he was a bit clumsy.

    Seeing his serious face through the mirror, Elena giggled.

    Alaric stopped what he was doing and looked at her. "Did you just laugh?"

    "No, I didn''t." Elena shook her head while holding back her laughter.

    Alaric smiled wryly.

    After patting her hair dry, he grabbed a comb and started combing her hair.

    Elena didn''t say anything and just watched his face through the mirror.

    At this moment, Alaric''s voice echoed in her ears.

    "Elena, my parents want me to marry Hershey to solidify the alliance between both our households."

    Elena remained silent at his words. She already knew that this would happen after she saw Hershey.

    She was the most beautiful woman Elena had ever seen. She was also talented in painting, and tea making, and she was also a smart woman.

    Elena felt that Hershey was a perfect match for her lord. That was her honest thought after meeting her.

    "I agreed with their decision," Alaric added.

    "Why are you telling me this?" Elena asked.

    Alaric continued combing her hair as he replied. "I just felt that I should inform you."

    Elena turned around and lifted her head to look at him. "You don''t need to feel guilty, my lord. I understand your difficulties and I know that this is also for the best of the town."

    "But please... don''t forget me, my lord. I will always be here for you."

    Alaric grabbed her shoulders and embraced her tightly. "I know, Elena. Thank you for always taking care of me. You will always have a special place in my heart."

    His words made her feel a mixture of emotions.

    After some time, Elena broke free from his embrace and smiled at him. "We should get going, my lord."

    "You''re right." Alaric chuckled as he nodded his head.