Chapter 31: Ore Plans and Mischief ( 31 )
"Lianaaaaaaaaaaa… I'm boredddddd…"
Javier's voice echoed in their study room as he lazily rested on Liana lap. His eyes stared at the ceiling, clearly uninterested in the stack of books nearby.
Liana, calm and collected, smiled and kept reading her book while gently brushing his slightly messy black hair. "Young Master, if you're bored, why not go back to your studies?"
"Ugh, noooo! I wanna go outside!" Javier complained, tilting his head to look up at her.
Without missing a beat, Liana replied, "No, you can't. Do you want Madam Francesca to cook your Pekko?"
Javier sat up straight, panic in his eyes. "Ugh… no way! She might really do it…" He shivered at the thought of his mother sharpening a knife while smiling sweetly.
"Then behave," Liana said smoothly, her emerald eyes sparkling with amusement as she turned the page of her book.
"But what should I do now? Reading is so boring!" Javier groaned, falling back onto her lap.
Liana didn't answer right away, knowing his tricks.
"Liana?"
"Yes, Young Master?"
"Do you know how we can get ore?"
Liana stopped reading and looked at him seriously. "Not again, Young Master… You're not planning trouble, are you?"
Javier sat up, grinning widely. "No, no, I just want some ore. Ehehehe."
Liana sighed. "Why not ask the merchant who supplies the estate? He might be able to get some for you."
"Really?" Javier's eyes shone with excitement.
"But," Liana added firmly, "that will cost money. The estate's budget doesn't allow for things like this. You'll have to pay for it yourself."
"No problem!" Javier declared, sitting up straight. He opened his magic storage and pulled out a big bag of gold coins that made a lot of noise when it landed on the table. He counted out three coins and handed them to Liana with a proud grin.
"Help me buy enough with this, okay? Ehehehe…"
Liana pinched her nose and sighed again. "Very well, Young Master. I'll see what I can do."
"Yay!" Javier cheered, throwing his arms up in happiness before collapsing back onto her lap, humming joyfully.
She shook her head, smiling. "Young Master Javier… if only you this excited on your lessons…"
Javier sat up, his mischievous grin shining bright. "How fast can we get the ore, Liana?"
Liana thought for a moment. "The merchant should arrive tomorrow. So, maybe the day after tomorrow at the earliest?"
"Yes!" Javier cheered, imagining all the things he could do.
"But, Young Master," Liana warned, "with those three gold coins, you'll be getting a lot of iron ore. Not just a little."
"Really?" Javier's grin grew wider as he thought of all the possibilities.
Liana's emerald eyes sparkled with curiosity. "What do you need so much ore for, Young Master?"
Javier tilted his head, giving her an innocent look, but his smirk showed he was up to something. "Just want to try something… kekeke!"
Liana sighed deeply, already sensing trouble ahead. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that, Young Master."
Javier's laughter filled the room as he lay back on her lap, dreaming of the exciting—or mischievous—things he could do with a mountain of iron ore.
After a while, as Liana quietly read her book, someone knocked at the door.
The new head maid entered calmly and bowed slightly. "Liana, the Madam is calling for you."
Liana nodded politely. "Alright, I'll be there shortly."
She stood up gracefully, smoothing her dress. Before leaving, she turned to Javier, who was lazily sprawled out on the couch.
"Young Master, I have to go now. Behave yourself,"
"Okay, Liana." Javier waved her off with a casual grin.
Once Liana left, Javier walked to his room.He closed and locked the door behind him. His playful smirk turned into a mischievous grin.
He activated his magic storage and pulled out a big pile of Mana Stones, each shimmering faintly with energy.
"Ehehehehe… soon, I'll be able to craft what I want!"
Javier eyes shone with excitement as he arranged the polished Mana Crystals, each the same size and fully charged with his mana. The stones sparkled under the room's light, showing how carefully he had prepared.
"Kekekeke!" His sinister laugh echoed in the room as his ambitious plans began to take shape.
Liana followed the head maid to Lady Francesca's room, her mind buzzing with curiosity about why she had been called. The head maid knocked politely on the door.
"Madam, we've arrived," the head maid announced.
"Come in," a voice replied from inside.
Liana entered the room, bowing respectfully as she stood before her mistress, waiting for instructions.
Lady Francesca looked up from her desk with a kind and gentle smile. "Liana…"
"Yes, Madam?" Liana answered, standing straight and attentive.
"I will be heading out with Lord Garius to visit the town and oversee our business affairs," Francesca began. "The whole family will come, except for Javier. Since he's still a child, he'll stay here."
Liana nodded, keeping her face calm, though she had a sinking feeling about what was coming next.
"I want to make sure you keep an eye on that young master of yours," Francesca said with a knowing smile. "He's clever and can get into trouble if left alone."
"Yes, Madam," Liana replied dutifully.
"Make sure he doesn't sneak out. Make sure he eats properly—no skipping meals. If he insists on going out, go with him. And if needed, bring two or three maids skilled in combat to protect him."
"As you wish, Madam," Liana said with a slight bow.
"Good. Oh, and one more thing," Francesca added, her smile turning a bit sly. "Make sure you sleep in the same room as him. That way, you can be sure he doesn't sneak out at night."
Liana froze for a moment but quickly regained her composure. "Yes, Madam," she said, though she sighed inside. She knew this would not be an easy task.
"Excellent," Francesca said, obviously pleased. "I trust you will handle it well."
With a final bow, Liana left the room, her mind already racing with ideas on how to manage her mischievous young master.
Liana let out a long, weary sigh as she walked down the corridor, recalling the last time she had to sleep in the same room as her young master. The memory made her cheeks flush with mild embarrassment.
It was because young Master wanted to sleep together, and she agreed to it. The rumors started one morning when she woke up to find her young master, Javier, topless—caught by another maid. Of course, nothing had really happened, but the teasing continued.
They whispered and giggled behind her back, and some even teased her to her face. "Oh, Miss Liana, what exactly happened last night? The young master looked very refreshed this morning."
The worst part was when someone pointed out that Young Master Javier had been topless. It wasn't her fault he took off his shirt—it was all him! But the rumor spread quickly through the manor, and no matter how much she tried to explain, it didn't help.
But the other maids just laughed and interrupted her. "Oh, come on, Liana! Are we supposed to believe that?" one of them teased with a smile. "You woke up next to a shirtless young master and didn't do anything at all?"
Liana pressed her palm to her forehead, trying to fend off a rising headache. "Haahh… such a troublesome young master…" she muttered.
As much as she adored Javier, keeping him out of trouble was starting to feel like a full-time job. And now, with Lady Francesca new order, she braced herself for yet another round of teasing from the other maids.
Still, she couldn't help but smile faintly as she pictured Javier's mischievous grin. "Well, at least he keeps things interesting,"
When Liana reached her young master's room, she paused. From outside, she could hear faint laughter—soft, mischievous, and unmistakably from Javier.
She sighed, already dreading what kind of trouble he was in this time. As she reached for the door handle, she found it locked.
A faint smile crept onto her lips. "Unlock," she whispered, casting a simple spell with the ease of someone skilled in instant casting. Her young master had taught her that trick—though not without a smirk and the teasing words, "See? Even you can do it, Liana."
The lock clicked open, and Liana quickly pushed the door ajar.
Inside, Javier sat at his desk, surrounded by a chaotic spread of gleaming mana stones. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he muttered to himself, completely unaware of her presence.
Liana shook her head, feeling a mix of exasperation and amusement. "Young master!" she called out sharply, though she kept her voice low.
"Eh?" Javier's head shot up, his expression shifting from shock to panic as he scrambled to shove the pile of mana stones into his magic storage. But it was too late—Liana had already seen everything.
"Ehehe…" Javier let out an awkward laugh, scratching the back of his head as if that would deflect her impending scolding.
Liana sighed deeply, stepping into the room and quietly closing the door behind her. With a click, she locked it again. Turning to her young master, she crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.
"Care to explain why you're hoarding enough mana stones to supply a royal mage's workshop?"
Javier grinned, a sly sparkle in his eyes. "I have a plan, Liana. A brilliant plan."
Liana pinched the bridge of her nose. "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"
( End of Chapter )