Evening fell over the capital of Erzel. The suns floating above the sky dimmed, replaced by the warm, gentle glow of magical streetlamps.
Inside the luxurious guest bedroom of the Imperial Palace, Rias was in a deep, dreamless sleep. His breathing was slow and steady.
*Knock* *Knock*
He ignored it. He was floating in a sea of peaceful exhaustion, completely unwilling to wake up.
*Knock* Knock*
*Knock* Knock*
His eyes snapped open. He let out a heavy sigh, his peaceful rest completely shattered.
'Who is it now?!' Rias thought, rubbing his temples in extreme annoyance.
'First the maid, then Princess Eliza, and now who? The Emperor himself? Or just another servant bringing me a fresh cup of poison?'
He sat up and forced his expression into a calm, blank mask.
"Come in," he called out.
The heavy white door pushed open. A young girl in a crisp maid's uniform stepped inside. Her head was bowed so low she was practically looking at her own shoes.
Rias blinked in genuine surprise.
He recognized those freckles. He had seen her just a few days ago in the Duke's estate.
"Lily?" Rias asked, a slow, dangerous smile spreading across his face.
"What are you doing here? Did my dear brother Lucien send you all this way just to feed me another bowl of your delicious poisoned stew? Or are you here to teach the Velmer maids which toxins work best on me?"
He spoke sarcastically, but honestly, he felt a tiny bit of relief seeing a familiar face in this enemy kingdom. If nothing else, she was a very entertaining toy to mess with.
Lily flinched as if she had been struck by lightning. She clutched her skirt, her hands trembling violently.
"Y-Young Master Rias!"
she stammered.
Tears instantly welled up in her bright green eyes. She dropped to her knees right there on the plush carpet.
"I am so sorry! Please forgive me!"
she sobbed, finally looking up at him with a terrified, teary face.
"Young Master Lucien manipulated me! He tempted me with gold..."
*Hic-cup* *Sob—*
Rias sighed. The ruthless Overlord persona slipped just a fraction.
"Stop crying," Rias said flatly.
"I am not going to kill you. Here, take this."
He grabbed a white silk handkerchief from the bedside table and tossed it onto her lap. He was ruthless to his enemies, but he couldn't stand watching a terrified girl cry a puddle onto his floor.
Lily clutched the handkerchief with her small fists. She wiped her tear-stained cheeks, letting out a few quiet sniffles until she finally managed to calm down.
"So," Rias said, leaning back against the headboard.
"How did you even get here? My father wouldn't waste an elite cavalry escort on a maid."
Lily took a shaky breath before answering.
"I didn't travel with your carriage, Young Master. Right after you left, the Duke call me in his office and ordered me to follow you and act as your personal servant. I traveled safely through the trade routes with a merchant's guild."
'Of course,' Rias thought.
'She wasn't the target of the assassins. If she had been in my carriage, she would have died in the explosion.'
A dark chuckle escaped his lips.
"So," Rias grinned.
"The gods punished you for poisoning me by trapping you in the enemy empire as my personal servant. How poetic."
Lily bit her lip. She clutched the handkerchief so tightly her knuckles turned white.
"Please stop bullying me, Young Master," she whispered adorably, wiping away a fresh tear.
"Don't act so dramatic," Rias teased.
"I'm not in the mood to handle a crying child."
"I am not a child!"
she pouted, her fear momentarily giving way to embarrassment.
"You definitely act like one," Rias shot back.
"Now, why did you wake me up?"
Lily quickly stood up, remembering her duties.
"You have been invited to dinner, Young Master. The entire Velmer Royal Family will be attending. From the Emperor to all the Princes and Princesses."
Rias's expression instantly sharpened.
"What?" Rias raised an eyebrow.
"Why would they invite their hostage to a cozy family dinner? Did they run out of poison for my breakfast and want to try again?"
"I don't know the exact reason," Lily said quietly.
"But the maids were gossiping. I heard the Emperor wants to discuss the upcoming Imperial Tournament with you."
Rias nodded slowly.
The Tournament. The first major arc of his novel was already beginning to move.
He stood up and walked into the marble bathroom to wash his face. When he came back out, Lily was waiting with a fresh towel and a new set of clothes.
The garments here were incredibly high quality, completely different from the simple tunics he used to wear at the Leonhart estate. It was a dark, tailored suit perfectly suited for a royal dinner.
Lily stepped forward to help him dress. She tied his cravat and expertly styled his messy blonde hair. Even if she acted like a frightened child, she was still a professional maid trained by the Duke's estate.
When she finished, Rias turned to look at himself in the tall mirror.
His face had lost its sickly pale color, replaced by a healthy, vibrant glow. His jawline was sharp, his shoulders looked broader, and his crimson eyes held a quiet, terrifying confidence. He truly looked like a high-ranking noble.
He caught Lily staring at his reflection. A sudden, deep shade of red crept across her cheeks.
Rias smirked, unable to resist the urge to tease her.
"Lily, are you feeling alright?" Rias asked smoothly.
"Your face is completely red. Do you want to take a nap on my bed?"
Lily's eyes went wide. She looked at him with a deadpan expression for exactly one second before her entire face flushed like a ripe tomato. She spun around, staring hard at the floor as if she wanted to dig a hole and bury herself.
"I-It is time, Young Master!" she squeaked defensively.
"You need to join them for dinner!"
Rias gave his reflection one last look. He adjusted his dark cuffs, his playful mood vanishing in an instant.
"Right," Rias said, his voice dropping to a cold, calculating calm.
"Let's see how this little family meeting goes."