Lochlan Knight was at a loss for words. 'Ask the master? No, I'd better forget it.'
When Lochlan Knight fell silent, Spencer Knight and the others chuckled. Nightfrost Knight slung an arm around his neck. "Locke, don't be so down. Come on, I'll buy you a drink."
"Get off me," Lochlan Knight grunted, jabbing him with an elbow in disgust.
'My trip to Aethelburg, ruined. And it's all his fault.'
"HAHAHA!" Nightfrost Knight dodged aside, roaring with unsympathetic laughter.
The five of them walked on, playfully roughhousing. Lochlan Knight's indignant protests frequently punctuated the air, drawing secret smiles from the servants who passed by.
...
Winter flew by, and soon enough, Maurice Ashworth and the others returned from school, making the Ashworth family home even livelier. From early morning, the Ashworth Residence was filled with laughter.
In the dining room,
