The person who had given the information about Luzella to Alaric arrived at the mansion, the sound of his approach echoing through the quiet halls. As he entered, Halley, who was still awake, greeted him "Rowan," Halley said softly, acknowledging the visitor's presence.
Rowan's voice was low and inquiring as he greeted Halley and asked him, "Hello, Halley. What is he doing?" His eyes were fixed on Halley, awaiting a response about Alaric.
Halley's gaze lingered on Rowan for a moment before he evaded the question about Alaric and instead asked, "Why did you come again late at night?" His tone was neutral, but his eyes seemed to hold a hint of curiosity or perhaps a subtle warning.
Rowan's expression turned slightly grim as he huffed, "He's the one who ordered us to inform him immediately after finding even a small trace of Deneb. Some sources tracked him, but we're not sure if the information is reliable. So we need to go and check it out. That's why I'm here again, to take him."
Halley's lips curled into a faint, teasing smile as he mocked Rowan, "You just say you're unable to find him, don't you?"
Rowan's eyes narrowed, his voice taking on a slightly sharp tone as he replied, "He's kept you cooped up in this mansion, so you don't know how hard it is to track him down outside. So stop with the sarcastic comments. Or I have to make a comment about how you ended up as a butler here."
Before Halley could muster a retort, Rowan cut him off, his voice firm. "I don't have time to bicker with you. Where is he? Tell him I'm here."
"You should call him and tell him yourself," Butler Halley smirked.
Rowan's frustration simmered just below the surface as he snapped to Halley, "If he picked up my call, why should I come all the way here to the mansion? What's he doing that he can't even answer the phone?"
Butler Halley's eyes seemed to gleam with a knowing glint as he gestured toward the room, his tone laced with subtle malice. "He's in there. Go check on him yourself." With that, he allowed Rowan to enter the room where Alaric and luzella were, aware that any disturbance or sound would likely seal Rowan's fate.
With a flicker of annoyance, Rowan turned away from Butler Halley and headed toward the room he had indicated, too frustrated to argue further about the butler's blatant lack of cooperation and duty-bound responsibilities.
It's not that Butler Halley was neglecting his duties, but rather he was well aware of the precarious situation. Earlier, when he had entered Alaric's room to check on him and Luzella, he was taken aback to find Luzella sleeping in Alaric's arms. As he tried to mention the luzella's untouched dinner, Alaric's piercing glare had silenced him instantly. Having witnessed Alaric's intense reaction firsthand, Butler Halley sensibly chose to let Rowan enter, rather than announcing Rowan arrival himself, lest he suffer the consequences of disturbing Luzella's slumber and triggering Alaric's wrath.
Rowan pushed the door open with a bit too much force, the hinges creaking softly in protest, his irritation with Butler Halley's evasive behavior still simmering just below the surface. His gaze swept the room, and his eyes landed on Luzella nestled in Alaric's arms, her gentle form a stark contrast to Alaric's intense, brooding expression. For a moment, Rowan's face froze, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise, his mouth hanging slightly open. His eyes bulged, as if struggling to take in the unexpected scene, his mind racing to process the intimate sight before him. Time seemed to slow as Rowan's shock deepened, his entire focus fixed on the tender way Alaric held Luzella, a sight that seemed almost...impossible.
Rowan stood frozen, his gaze locked on the shocking scene before him. The intimacy between Alaric and Luzella was palpable, and Rowan's mind struggled to process the unexpected sight. Oblivious to the danger lurking nearby, he was jolted back to reality by the piercing intensity of Alaric's stare. As he snapped out of his trance-like state, he felt a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead, and his heart began to pound in his chest.
His eyes met Alaric's, and the air seemed to thicken with tension. The room, once filled with the soft hum of quiet conversation, had become a volatile situation, charged with unspoken conflict. Rowan's instincts screamed warning, and he sensed the storm brewing on the horizon. He knew that lingering here another moment would be a grave mistake.
With a sudden jolt of self-preservation, Rowan swiftly turned to make a hasty exit. He knew that the longer he stayed, the greater the risk of confrontation. His movements were swift and calculated, designed to minimize attention. Rowan pushed forward, his eyes fixed on the door. With a quiet determination, he slipped out of the room, leaving the tense scene behind.
Rowan felt a sigh of relief wash over him as he stepped out of the room. His clothes were already drenched in sweat, a testament to the intense tension he'd just escaped. The heat emanating from Alaric's gaze had been palpable, and Rowan knew he wasn't just reacting to the temperature, Alaric's anger was a living, breathing thing.
Butler Halley leaned against a wall, his eyes fixed on the door as he waited for Rowan to emerge. His sly smile grew wider as he took in Rowan's disheveled appearance, his clothes drenched in sweat. He struggled to stifle a laugh, however he still chuckled, clearly amused by Rowan's predicament.
Rowan's eyes narrowed as he glared at Butler Halley, his mind racing with the realization that the butler might have deliberately sent him into the room to provoke a reaction. The thought only fueled his annoyance.
Rowan's glare only seemed to amuse Butler Halley further, his chuckles growing louder. "Looks like someone had a...lively time in there," Butler Halley said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Rowan's face reddened with rage as he clenched his fists. "What were you thinking, sending me in there?" he snarled, his eyes blazing with anger.
Butler Halley eyes sparkled with amusement as he nonchalantly snapped back, his voice laced with sarcasm "What would you think before sending me into such a predicament if you were me, hmm?"
Rowan's fist lashed out towards Butler Halley, but with lightning-quick reflexes, Halley sidestepped the blow, his movements almost dance-like. Rowan's punch whiffed wildly, leaving him off balance. Rowan's face twisting in a mixture of anger and frustration, before he spun back around, his eyes locking onto Halley's.
As Rowan regained his footing, his anger seemed to intensify, his eyes narrowing into slits. "You think you're clever, don't you?" he growled, his voice low and menacing.
Halley's expression remained nonchalant, but a hint of a smile played on his lips. "Merely observant, sir." he replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Rowan's anger boiled over, his fists clenched and ready to strike, but Butler Halley grasped his arm just in time, his voice low and urge, "I'm saying this for our own good. Don't make any sound, If you act now, he'll show us no mercy."
"Then, you should stop your provocation with me," Rowan snapped back, his voice low and irritated.
Butler Halley rolled his eyes and let out a soft sigh and said, "Alright man, chill now."
Rowan's eyes narrowed, and a low, disgruntled "Hmph" was his only response.
Butler Halley's gaze drifted thoughtfully towards the room where Alaric and Luzella were, his eyes lingering for a moment before returning to Rowan's face. His expression turned thoughtful as he weighed the situation. "What now?" he asked, his voice low and measured. "I doubt Alaric will be able to accompany you to handle this lead. If you'd prefer, I could come with you instead. Perhaps my presence would be of some use in confirming the lead and, if necessary, my assistance could be beneficial in capturing him."
"That's fine," Rowan said, "But we should definitely let him know before heading out. What if he finds out we went to find Deneb without informing him the news? It'll be...bad. He'll be furious, and we might not make it out alive tomorrow. I don't want to be on the receiving end of his anger."
Butler Halley's lips curled into a knowing smirk as he caught the thread of Rowan's unease. "Scaredy cat," he said, slipping out with a light, teasing tone, a deliberate attempt to poke fun at Rowa.
"Oh, yeah, I'm a scaredy cat, but you're the great man who can enter the Den fearlessly." Rowan shot back with a proactive smirk. "So, why don't you go and tell him about the information yourself?" Rowan suggested with a question.
Butler Halley's expression remained serene as he replied with a casual shrug, "Fine, then I'll go and inform him myself," his voice dripping with nonchalance, implying that the task was nothing out of ordinary.
Rowan's eyebrow arched in skepticism as he watched Butler Halley's nonchalant demeanor, a flicker of surprise crossing his face as he said "Then hurry up, we need to get going," his voice tinged with a mix of exasperation and urgency, as if telling Butler Halley to take the situation more seriously.
Butler Halley nodded his head and headed towards the room where Alaric was there. Unlike Rowan, he gently opened the door without making a sound, careful not to disturb Luzella's slumber. However, as he entered, Alaric's piercing gaze met him, his eyes narrowing in irritation as if Butler Halley's presence itself was a disruption.
Butler Halley raised his hand upwards in a gesture of surrender, holding up one finger to indicate he'd only take a minute, and his eyes conveyed that he wouldn't speak. Alaric narrowed his eyes but remained silent. Taking this as a sign of reluctant acceptance, Butler Halley swiftly pulled out his phone from his pocket, typed something quickly, and then walked silently over to Alaric, standing in front of him to show him the screen.
Alaric's eyes scanned the information on the phone screen, and a mysterious glint sparked in his gaze as he read the details. His gaze lingered for a moment, weighing the importance of the message before Alaric face turned to look at Luzella. The little chick, lay peacefully in his arms, her gentle breathing a soothing contrast to the intensity of the moment. Alaric's eyes softened as he gazed down at her serene face. He didn't have the heart to disturb her rest, so he nodded his head in agreement, silently giving Butler Halley permission to handle the situation, all while being careful not to jostle Luzella.
Meanwhile, Rowan watched the scene unfold from the doorway, hesitant to enter the room again. Rowan thought Halley was clever after seeing how he handled Alaric.