The epically spun tale of Merlin's heroism bore fruit exactly as expected by the nobles in the room. Aeliana stared at the bard with sparkling eyes, praising the tale of the [ArchMage] she had just heard for the first time with pure admiration.
Her innocence and interest in that legend became the opening the wolves at the dinner table had been waiting for.
Zareth Caldris did not waste time. The Tower Master leaned forward, staring at Aeliana with a charismatic smile radiating authority and security.
"An inspiring tale, is it not?" Zareth spoke with a warm, persuasive tone of voice. "Do you wish to become like Merlin, Lady Aeliana? Someone capable of protecting and guiding the world in a better direction?"
Before Aeliana could answer, Zareth immediately dropped his biggest bait.
"If you are willing to forsake the dangerous life of an adventurer and join the Magic Tower, I myself will step in to take you as my disciple," Zareth promised, ignoring the glaring looks from the other nobles.
"You will gain unlimited access to the tower's secret vaults. An endless supply of high-grade Mana Stones, ancient spell literature, and various rare Magic Items... I will provide all of it to ensure your aptitude blooms perfectly and is kept safe from the reach of those with malicious intent."
In the seat beside her, Lorien's face darkened. His jaw hardened. He glared sharply at Zareth, fully realizing that the Tower Master was attempting to poach his party member openly, right in front of his own eyes.
Sensing the thick aura of hostility beginning to waft from Lorien's body, Thorne, the Adventurer Guild Master, mustered the courage to interject. He had to save the Guild's reputation while fulfilling his oath to Lorien.
Wiping the cold sweat off his forehead with a napkin, Thorne forced a stiff smile toward Zareth.
"An incredibly noble offer, Master Zareth," Thorne said in a slightly trembling tone. "However, it is a great pity. Lady Aeliana is currently bound by an official, exclusive contract with The Gilded Falcons adventurer party and is under the protection of House Caldwell."
Earl Astora, sitting across the table, chuckled softly. A laugh that utterly demeaned the Guild Master's authority.
"An adventurer's contract is merely a piece of paper," Earl Astora sneered. "Name the penalty fee for terminating that contract. House Astora will pay it in cash tonight."
Completely ignoring Lorien as if the man did not exist at the table, Earl Astora turned to Aeliana. He began throwing out his second offer, promoting his own flesh and blood.
"Lady Aeliana," Earl Astora spoke with the tone of a master negotiator. "My son Caspian may not possess a Hero-tier Aptitude, but his aptitude as a Sorcerer has been officially recognized by the Magic Tower. It is certain that he will inherit my position as the next Earl."
The Earl leaned forward. "Join House Astora as my son's wife. As a magic-oriented noble family, you will one day become a Countess possessing full control over all the wealth, secret literature, and military connections of House Astora."
Beside his father, Caspian Astora smirked. The young man's gaze slowly and lecherously traced the contours of Aeliana's face and figure.
Being stared at with a gaze that sharp and filthy, Aeliana's neck hairs stood up without her fully understanding why. She merely felt incredibly uncomfortable and wanted to pull her body away.
Feeling he had the upper hand with his father's full support, Caspian spat his venom.
"Rather than wasting your time as a lowly pawn in The Gilded Falcons..." Caspian mocked with a dismissive smile toward Lorien. "Just so you know, My Lady, this Lorien Caldwell beside you is merely an outcast of his family."
The hall instantly fell silent. The servants halted their steps.
Caspian continued his attack with a mocking tone echoing throughout the room. "He is merely the fifth son of Duke Caldwell. He does not possess the slightest hope of inheriting the Duke's position in the capital."
"Bringing you into his faction is merely his dirty tactic to utilize you as a weapon, to win the succession war and eliminate his siblings," Caspian accused.
Screeeech!
The meat knife in Lorien's hand scratched against his porcelain plate with an incredibly sharp, piercing sound, shattering the silence.
Lorien's hand gripping the knife handle appeared white-knuckled. His normally calm eyes now turned as cold as blocks of ice, radiating a dense killing intent straight at Caspian.
If this had not been in the middle of a formal dinner banquet, Caspian's head might already have been separated from his neck.
Amidst that tension, Aeliana looked at Lorien with wide eyes. The barrage of heavy information, the sudden marriage proposal, and Caspian's cunning accusation were too much for her innocent mind to digest all at once.
"Sir Lorien..." Aeliana asked with a trembling voice, her innocence beginning to be torn by seeds of doubt. "Is... is what he said true?"
Seeing his target beginning to waver, Thorne hurriedly stood up from his chair, mediating the tension that was nearly exploding into a battle.
"Lady Aeliana, please do not listen to that provocation!" Thorne exclaimed defensively. "Sir Lorien is a highly honorable and kind noble. He risks his life on the front lines. He could not possibly stoop so low as to use you as a mere pawn!"
Lorien drew a slow breath. He extinguished the killing intent that had leaked out. Within seconds, he donned his aristocratic mask once more, replacing his anger with a faint, lethal smile.
He leaned back in his chair, casually twirling the stem of his wine glass, and began launching his counterattack.
"Lord Caspian's reputation sounds truly beautiful, echoing all the way to the corners of the capital," Lorien stated in a calm tone that commanded attention. "He is highly famous for his charm and handsomeness."
Lorien continued, "So captivating, that many rumors say dozens of noblewomen fall into his embrace with every changing season."
Lorien tilted his head slightly, staring at Caspian with a feigned innocent expression. "I am curious, Caspian... how many children do you have now?"
Caspian's face instantly flushed crimson, turning red from the base of his neck to the tips of his ears.
Bang!
The young man slammed the dining table so hard that the porcelain plates and wine glasses before him shook, spilling their contents. He stood up, pointing directly at Lorien's face with a violently trembling index finger.
"Mind your words, you lowly adventurer!" Caspian shouted, his voice cracking with anger, losing all remaining traces of his noble etiquette. "I have never even been close to any woman!"
Earl Astora narrowed his eyes. He grabbed his son's robe sleeve forcefully to make him sit back down. The Earl stared at Lorien with a freezing gaze.
"Speaking demeaningly without proof is a highly unwise action, Lorien Caldwell," Earl Astora warned sharply.
Lorien merely shrugged lightly, offering an apology that sounded entirely unapologetic.
"Oh, forgive me if those rumors are false," Lorien said casually. "But, doesn't Lord Caspian currently have an official fiancée? I heard that woman loves and adores your son very much."
Before anyone could argue, Lorien immediately turned to Aeliana, ensuring the Elf girl listened to every detail of his words.
"Look closely, Aeliana," Lorien said. "Even while this man has a fiancée who loves him, he still dares to chase another woman openly in public."
"Last month in the capital, Caspian was even caught co-writing a mass love letter alongside other playboy nobles to Princess Aurel at the palace."
Hearing that track record, Aeliana glanced at Caspian with a highly uncomfortable look. Her eyebrows knit together.
Reflexively, the Elf girl shifted her chair slightly away, creating a safe distance to avoid the gaze of the young man who was now holding back anger and embarrassment.
Instead of refuting the scandalous accusation, Earl Astora actually sought a disgusting justification.
"That is merely a normal form of admiration from a youth his age toward the beauty of a royal princess," the Earl excused calmly.
He then looked at Aeliana, offering another promise. "Of course, if Lady Aeliana is willing to accept our proposal and join the Astora family, we will immediately cancel Caspian's engagement contract tonight."
Hearing that promise, Lorien laughed. A laugh highly dismissive and laden with insult.
"Did you hear that, Aeliana?" Lorien asked, pointing toward the Earl. "They so easily throw away a woman who sincerely loves their family for the sake of a new 'asset' deemed more profitable."
"If you join their cage, it is entirely possible that you too will be thrown away and discarded when they find a woman more talented than you in the future."
Checkmate. Earl Astora froze stiffly. His mouth shut tight, glaring at Lorien with hostility that was no longer concealed. His arguments had been destroyed, and his family's image now looked like nothing more than a bunch of greedy leeches in Aeliana's eyes.
Seeing the Astora noble family humiliated and losing their footing, Zareth Caldris smiled behind his glass. The Tower Master utilized the chaos to once again take over the stage and highlight his offer.
"Sir Lorien is correct, Lady Aeliana. The noble environment is indeed incredibly filthy, full of intrigues, and complicated," Zareth said wisely. "A life like that is highly unsupportive of the magical training process. You need a peaceful place."
Zareth set down his glass, preparing to play his biggest trump card.
"Have you ever heard of The Merlinian Zenith?" Zareth asked softly.
Hearing that legendary name mentioned, Aeliana's discomfort instantly evaporated. Her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm once more, radiating interest. She nodded quickly.
"I heard it is a giant floating island that flies freely across the skies of this world!" Aeliana answered enthusiastically. "I want to see it very much someday."
Zareth chuckled softly and nodded in confirmation. "Very true. It is Merlin's greatest masterpiece. The central headquarters of all Magic Towers in the world, the pinnacle of knowledge heavily guarded by the 12 Grand Magus."
"If you join the Magic Tower... you will have the privilege to ascend to the Zenith once you successfully reach the rank of a [Tier 7] Mage. You will even have the opportunity to replace the position of a Grand Magus in the future."
That offer was the ultimate temptation for any mage in the world of Orion. However, Lorien had anticipated it.
Lorien bowed his head respectfully toward Zareth, yet the words that slipped from his lips were as sharp as daggers slicing through the Tower Master's illusion.
"The offer from the Magic Tower is truly unparalleled, Master Zareth," Lorien stated calmly. "However, everyone knows that reaching [Tier 7] requires years of meditation, dedication, and research inside closed tower rooms."
"If she dedicates herself to that... will Aeliana still have the time to travel and enjoy the outside world?"
"I will guide her personally day and night so her progress is far faster than an ordinary mage," Zareth replied quickly, trying to cover up the fact of that prison disguised as guidance.
Hearing that, Lorien immediately turned to Aeliana. "Did you hear that, Aeliana? You will be locked up with books and parchments. You will not be able to travel freely if you join the Magic Tower. Tell them, what is your primary reason for leaving the forest."
All eyes at the dining table were now directed at the blonde Elf girl.
Aeliana lowered her gaze for a moment, pondering everything she had just heard. The hustle of power, marriage intrigues, battles for influence—it all felt incredibly suffocating to her soul born from the wild nature.
She raised her face. Her gaze traced the faces of Zareth Caldris and Earl Astora in turn. With a tone that sounded shy yet possessed an unshakable firmness, Aeliana delivered her decision.
"Forgive me, honorable Lords," Aeliana said, her clear voice breaking the tension. "I must decline all of those offers."
Silence struck the dining table, before Aeliana continued with a sincere smile.
"I left the Silverleaf Forest because I want to see the world with my own two eyes," Aeliana declared, her eyes staring blankly, imagining the beauty of the continent.
"I want to see dragons cleaving the clouds in the sky, see the form of the legendary Leviathan in the depths of the ocean, and explore the various natural wonders at the ends of this world without the bonds of castle walls or towers."
Aeliana then turned and smiled warmly toward Lorien.
"Sir Lorien is the only person who managed to convince my incredibly stubborn Mother to permit me to go adventuring with him."
"Besides..." Aeliana chuckled softly. "I already promised my Mother to return to the forest exactly at the age of one hundred to celebrate my coming-of-age ceremony at home. I chose the path of a free adventurer, and I will remain with The Gilded Falcons."