Alistair raised his wrist and sent a vocal message, asking his men to find the two teenagers. He folded the picture and hesitated to give it back before finally tucking it into one of his jacket pockets. Amadeus glared at him in disgust; it wasn't hard to guess why the man wanted to keep a photo that had been hidden in "Medea's" clothes.
"My lady, what about looking at the festival together? After that, I would like to take you to a noble banquet." He hesitated before asking. It would be a shame to go home already, even if he wanted to be alone with her. Judging by the look in her eyes, she would probably just lock herself in a room if they went to his house; he needed to take this time for them to get closer.
"A banquet? But I'm not good with etiquette or even dancing. I'll only be a laughingstock there." Amadeus snatched a cupcake from the table and ate it whole. "And you'll be the dumbass who brought such an idiot to a noble banquet."
He glanced at the man with pink eyes to see his reaction. Even Amadeus himself wouldn't like such an unmannered girl, but all he saw was a fool who had fallen madly in love.
"And for your information, I will never be ladylike." He truly wouldn't, though he knew he had to be careful around others. He could use the banquet as a place to observe how other noble women behaved... it wasn't like he could change his gender back. And he couldn't just die; he had finally found the planet where he could get his answers.
"There are no worries, my lady." Alistair took her soft hand and leaned down to kiss it. "I am one of the most powerful men on this planet, second only to the King and the Saint. No one would dare to insult the woman the Grand Duke bring to the banquet."
Amadeus yanked his hand back and glared at the man. A Duke? Of the very planet that was after his life?
"You're a fucking Duke?"
The anger in "her" voice was obvious to Alistair. He had only mentioned his rank to make a good impression, but he had clearly gotten the opposite reaction.
"Is there something wrong, my lady?" Alistair asked, pulling back her hand, dejected by her reaction.
"Yes."
Amadeus knew it was probably better if they had never met, but he needed time to weigh the pros and cons of this situation. Having one of the most powerful men on the planet fall for him? It was dangerous, but it could also provide a wealth of information. He glared at the man until Alistair let go of his hand, then walked out of the coffee shop with the fool following close behind.
As they walked, Amadeus noticed many curious things he hadn't seen before. The street vendors were selling advanced devices and strange metallic objects that didn't fit a place where the houses were made of colorful stones, like something out of the 1800s.
This damned planet, he thought. Look how far ahead they are, while Earth is treated like a prison just because they're afraid of us surpassing them. How could we? We don't have power like theirs.
"Disgusting." She muttered in a low voice.
Alistair's ears were sensitive, and he caught the word. He was suddenly saddened, assuming Medea was upset that everyone here looked so happy while the people in the slums suffered. He had never really cared about the slums or its people; he was numbed by war and the endless duties that occupied his days. Today was a special day where he had some time alone, so he wanted to go for a quick walk to the nearest garden only to find the goddess he never imagined to run upon
"If there is something bothering your ladyship, please tell me. Maybe there is something I could do to help lighten your worries." Alistair stepped up to walk beside her, finally catching a glimpse of her lovely face. Her eyes were fixed on the ground, though she looked around cautiously from time to time.
"There is nothing you can do, my dear 'Duke'."
But it would be great if you could help me make a mess of this planet of yours, Amadeus added silently.
His eyes glimmered darkly as he grinned ironically. "Life must be pretty easy for all of you here."
His hatred grew steadily as he remembered how much he had suffered because of them... all because he was labeled an Anomaly for his mixed blood. He looked at the man beside him. "What is your name?" he finally asked. He would use this man well in this life.
Finally, the lady had asked for his name. Without hesitation, Alistair stepped before her and knelt. He took her hand to give it the longest kiss he had ever given anyone, lost in thought about whether or not he should savor her fair skin. He refrained, scared of frightening the maiden, as such thoughts were not like him at all. He was becoming aware that he was acting strange.
"My name is Alistair Vane, the only Grand Duke and one of the Grand Marshals of Astralys. It is an honor to serve you, my lady." He had never been so proud of himself or so grateful for the trials he had endured to earn his titles.
Not only a Duke but also a Marshal?! Are you kidding me? Amadeus sighed and patted the man on the shoulder. "Get up, you damn fool. This is embarrassing."
Alistair chuckled, no one had ever called him a "damn fool" before but he stood up and offered his arm again for support. Amadeus didn't refuse, walking in high heels was proving to be incredibly difficult.
After walking through the streets all day and sampling strange but delicious foods, it was finally time for the banquet. Alistair called for a horse-drawn carriage. Once it arrived, Amadeus collapsed onto the cushions, melting into them tiredly. "Ahh, I'm so exhausted." He kicked off his heels and began massaging his toes.
"My lady... are you doing this on purpose?" The Grand Duke looked like he was about to lose his mind.
"Of course not. Why are you being so freaking sensitive? Never seen a foot before?"
"Are all people in the slums like my lady?" Alistair asked curiously. He had met people from the slums before, and they were nothing like this maiden.
"Mmh... I dunno. It's just funny seeing your reaction." It would be even funnier if you found out I was actually a man, Amadeus thought. He extended his legs and rested them right on Alistair's thigh. "Please, massage them."
"Medea" smiled sweetly, as if her feet weren't resting on the lap of the most powerful man on the planet. Alistair hesitated, but he did it anyway, focusing intently on her feet.
Amadeus laughed but then looked out of the carriage window, lost in thought. He was nervous about this new planet; of all the worlds he had visited, he felt this one was the most dangerous. He had to be careful not to be exposed, and he desperately needed to find out what happened to the Anomalies who were caught.
Ugh... why a woman? At least I found a fool who fell for me... but I'm not into guys at all.
Amadeus knew he had to be careful around this man; Alistair clearly knew every high-ranking official here.
"Hey, Alistair." he murmured, still looking out the window. "I don't want to talk. Could you just tell them I have some kind of trauma so I can't speak to other people easily?"
"Your every wish is my command." Alistair was actually quite happy about this arrangement; it meant other men would never get to hear her angelic voice.
"Stop being so cringy." Amadeus pulled his feet back and was about to put his heels on when the Duke helped him. "This is only the basic way of speaking, my lady."
"Mmh." Amadeus was not convinced at all. 'Your every wish' my ass.
After a short while, they arrived. Alistair was the first to step out, quickly offering his hand to help Medea down. She was surprised by the beautiful castle before her. She whistled and grabbed Alistair's arm again, finding it a comfortable and much easier way to walk.
They had to walk through a small garden before reaching the castle doors. Everyone they passed was taken aback by Medea's beauty. When they finally entered and a steward announced the Grand Duke's arrival, the entire room turned to greet him only to fall into an immediate, shocked silence. It was the first time he had ever brought a woman to a function.
The guests soon regained their composure, and several people began to strike out toward them, curious about the Grand Duke's companion.
"It is good to see you here, Grand Duke. Could we please know the name of this beautiful maiden?" one man asked, peering curiously at Medea.
"You may not." Alistair's voice was firm and blunt. Even though failing to introduce a companion was considered rude and made it seem like he had brought a girl just for "fun", Alistair had spent all day just to gain a sliver of her trust. He wasn't about to let others learn her name just because they asked.
The man looked at Alistair strangely and then turned to the maiden, hoping to hear it from her instead, but she remained silent with a graceful, distant smile.
He wasn't the only one; several noblewomen, burning with jealousy, tried to find out her name and origins, only to be rejected.
Amadeus was confused about why Alistair wasn't sharing his name. Maybe he's worried others will snatch me away. Oh god, it's a sin to be this beautiful. But in reality, Alistair was being cautious. He still knew nothing about Medea. He knew he needed to create a formal ID for her if she didn't have one and verify if that was actually her real name. Even in the slums, everyone was supposed to have an ID.
Something about Medea made Alistair doubt she even had an ID. She was just... so out of this world.
While Medea enjoyed the moment by sipping some wine, after carefully observing how the other women drank, he grabbed a glass of white wine and stayed close to Alistair. Amadeus listened intently to the nearby conversations. The nobles were gossiping about how the trials had just begun and how the Crown Prince had been sent to Mythara to survive and gain the blessing of the Great Saint Karina.
Hearing Karina's name made Amadeus's eyebrow twitch. He insulted her in his head, yet he felt a flicker of grim gratitude. He was on this planet, right under their noses, and yet no one had found him.
"My lady, may I please have the honor of a dance with you?" A handsome man walked toward them and extended his hand, only for Alistair to step firmly between them.
"Little Count, my lady is quite shy. She only speaks freely with her close friends; large crowds frighten her. So, could you please find another lady to enjoy the dancing with?"
Amadeus couldn't restrain a laugh. The way these men spoke was incredibly cringy and creepy, like something out of a cheap fantasy novel. They looked so manly, and yet they were absolutely hilarious.
Her laughter filled the air, and everyone was captured by the melodic sound. Alistair could tell exactly why she was laughing, and he blushed, unable to do anything about the formal way they spoke.
Amadeus finished his wine and gestured for Alistair to lean down. He whispered into the Duke's ear "I've seen enough. Another hour here and I think I'll lose my composure."
Alistair nodded, and they soon departed for his villa. It wasn't far from the castle; it was not his main estate, but still it was grand and beautiful. The servants had already been informed of a maiden's arrival, but they were still shocked by the news that their master had fallen for a woman. They had assumed he was asexual and would never fall for anyone; now, here he was, showing her off around a banquet.
Aside from ordering a room for her to stay, Alistair had already arranged for dresses to be brought and appointed female knights to serve as her maids. He also ordered an immediate investigation into her identity.
After sending the maiden to her room for a warm bath, Alistair went to his office to receive the report. One of his men handed him a single sheet of paper. Alistair sat down, confused.
Real Name: Unknown
Date of Birth: Unknown
Place of Birth: Unknown
Current Residence: Unknown
First Point of Appearance: The Garden
There was no trace of her in any corner of the world. After a moment of being dumbfounded, Alistair felt a surge of exaltation. It felt as if she had appeared out of nowhere just for him, to be found and to be kept.