394 Carrying A Conversation
“Shall we go now, Young Lord Asher?” Viscount Felldan asked.
“Let’s go.” Lucius nodded in an agreement. The two of them made their way to the five minor nobilities while Lucius thought about Viscount Felldan’s reaction to what he said.
‘How much of his words are a genuine concern and how much is him only being intrigued with what I’m presenting to him? No doubt that he finds this conversation with me interesting, but he may find reasons to find it useful in future instances. It’s hard to find him genuine, even after everything.’
Lucius’s experience in the Great Barrom Clan and his old world found it hard for him to relax around presences like Viscount Felldan because of how they could easily portray themselves in one particular manner and then actually do something else entirely.
‘Compared to these five minor nobles who are blatantly grumbling about the Inanis Family or even Earl Aisse and Duke Wilda who have shown their disapproval of Count Inanis due to his actions as Rancor in the past, it’s a bit alarming to deal with someone who acts like a friend openly in front of you and then becomes a backstabbing enemy when you are not around.’ Lucius thought.
Along the way to the five minor nobles, it became a little hard to go directly there when Viscount Felldan found himself getting greeted by others along his circle and him engaging with them briefly before excusing himself.
“A pleasure to see you once again, Baroness, but I’m afraid that I may have to excuse myself briefly. I am helping Young Lord Asher, ahem, accompanying him tonight,” Viscount Felldan said.
Lucius knew all too well that it was unnecessary to mention such things, but Viscount Felldan played it off like it was some kind of common joke or mistake.
“Excuse me!” a group of young ladies suddenly encircled Viscount Felldan and Lucius before they could take a step forward.
This group of women did not include Baron Hugh’s daughter Lily and neither did it include the associates of Baron Harmund and Lord Benjamin either. These young women seemed to have formed a clique of their own and mustered up the courage to approach the two handsome young men.
“Ah, it would be impolite to simply leave without speaking a little first, Young Lord Asher. How may we help you?” Viscount Felldan smiled at the young ladies.
Lucius didn’t wish to involve himself with this group and already found it a nuisance, especially as they could barely control their decorum, but he stood for a moment and glanced at them with a polite nod.
“Is… it true that you are quite older than us? My father said that you are around his age, but you have been mingling with us earlier and found it difficult to believe.” One of the young ladies looked at Viscount Felldan with a blush across her cheeks.
“Your father seems to have spoken well, Miss. I’m afraid that he has said the truth. I am by far much older than you think I am,” Viscount Felldan said. “I hope you do not take my actions earlier while joining your circle as some form of deceit as I was merely enjoying my time being surrounded by the youth and learning from you and others.”
“None at all, Viscount Felldan!”
‘I do take it that some men in their later ages would like to go for younger women, but it seems like Viscount Felldan also enjoys messing around with them from time to time.’ Lucius thought to himself.
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“Your speech from earlier was quite amazing, Young Lord Asher. I… I like the way you speak.”
“Is that so?” Lucius asked as he did his best to hold himself back from sighing. “What in particular did you like from my speech? Did anything catch your eye? I am quite interested to hear what you have to say, my lady.”
The young lady’s bright smile froze a little slightly and she turned to her friends for help.
“Well… the thing that stood out to me the most was…”
It was clear from the set go that these young women were only interested in the looks, prestige and power associated with being the son of the Count and also with Viscount Felldan’s manner of dealing with them.
Lucius really didn’t want to deal with this headache as he eyed the five nobility across.
Luckily for him, they did not seem to have any notice of what was happening around their surroundings and were mostly content staying put and drowning themselves in Humble Blaze.
“Young Lord Asher has places to go, unfortunately, and though it saddens me that we cannot talk with all of you ladies any longer, I’m afraid that we must go now,” Viscount Felldan suddenly said with an apologetic smile.
“O-oh, is that so?” the women found themselves nearly tripping themselves over in front of the two handsome men.
“Indeed. Perhaps another time, ladies. Please do not drink too much Humble Blaze tonight, it is quite a strong alcohol,” Viscount Felldan said before he and Asher moved away from the circle of women and went for the nobility again.
“Ah, it’s always a bit of a hassle dealing with them, doesn’t it, Young Lord Asher?” Viscount Felldan smiled.
“You did not seem like you were having any difficulty engaging with them whatsoever,” Lucius said.
“Oh? Does that appear that way? You learn how to deal with the people in the most genial way possible, Young Lord Asher. If it did not appear that I was bothered with them, then I have fulfilled my role as a noble quite well. It’s something that you’ll have to put in mind when we finally engage with our five friends soon,” Viscount Felldan said, nodding to the five minor nobilities ahead of him. “I’m quite eager to see how you deal with it, quite frankly.”
“Of course, I’ll do my best,” Lucius said. While he barely exerted any effort in dealing with the group of young ladies, he was prepared to do so in front of these nobles.