Chapter 12: Two Mature Bullies

"Welcome home, Lady Amber."

When Amber stepped out of the carriage, she was greeted by a beautiful maid at the bottom of the stairs leading to the keep's entrance. 

Her name was Aveline and she was the personal maid of Lady Salina, the current head of the Redwood Family. Seeing her, Amber's serious face broke into a small smile.

"Thank you, Aveline. It was a long trip, but we resolved the trouble there and made it back without any problems."

Aveline stood as a tall and mature beauty, adorned with captivating green eyes, a curvaceous figure hidden by her dress and an enigmatic, indifferent expression. Despite the experienced air conveyed by her glasses, her unblemished complexion radiated a youthful glow. Her full bosom enhanced the natural curves of her silhouette, giving her figure a noticeable and appealing form.

Aveline's dark green locks were arranged in a graceful long rope braid, lending a touch of refinement to her appearance. Her plain maid outfit, featuring a long skirt, showcased an understated elegance and grace. Whit her hands naturally placed in front of her, Aveline was standing before Amber in an refined stance. 

After Amber's words, looking at her with an indifferent expression, the green-haired maid began to speak in a calm and flat voice.

"It is indeed a pleasure to see you again, Lady Amber." 

After her words, Aveline glanced behind her. Realizing what she was implying, the attendants on the steps immediately started to move towards the carriage and the soldiers around it. The green-haired maid then turned her focus back to Amber.

"The servants will take care of your belongings, Lady Amber. In the meantime, you'd better come with me. Lady Salina is waiting for you in her room." Aveline turned her gaze to Edwin after her words. 

The cloak Edwin wore to hide his face was actually a magical cloak that had the ability to hide the wearer's face.

When Amber was out and about, she often drew more attention than she wanted because of her striking beauty and noble identity. So she started carrying custom-made magical cloaks like this one to keep herself away from such situations. The cloak Edwin was wearing was one of Amber's spare cloaks.

"Who is this gentleman with you?" Aveline asked in an indifferent voice.

Amber smiled brightly and gestured to Edwin. "His name is Edwin and he's my friend."

"Friends?" Aveline, her expression unchanged, tilted her head slightly to the side as if to show she didn't quite understand.

Amber nodded her head with a happy expression. "Yes! But now is not the time to talk about that." she said as she turned to Olivia. "Olivia, you show Edwin where he's staying and take care of his needs. During this period, I will go to my mother's side and tell her all about our journey."

"Yes, Lady Amber!"

Nodding her head, Amber turned to look at Aveline again. "Then let's go. I don't want to keep my mother waiting."

Aveline shot Edwin a quick glance with her expressionless eyes without anyone noticing. Then she gave Amber a small nod and began to speak.

"Then please follow me, Lady Amber." 

With those words, the two of them started up the stairs together and soon disappeared through the Keep's grand entrance door. At this point Olivia turned to Edwin and began to speak in her cheerful voice and lovely expression.

"Let's go inside slowly then, Edwin! I'll show you where you'll be staying."

"All right, I'm in your care, Olivia." Edwin said. He wore a small smile behind his hood that Olivia couldn't see.

"Hehehe, then please follow me." 

The two of them climbed the stairs together and made their way to the section reserved for guests. 

...

Meanwhile, Amber was walking with Aveline towards Lady Salina's room. Aveline occasionally gave Amber long glances with her indifferent eyes as they walked side by side. Unable to endure the intense stares any longer, Amber looked at Aveline with her cheeks puffed out in an endearing way, taking advantage of the fact that there were no other servants around. 

"What is it Aunt Aveline, you've been staring at me since-, Ugghhh!"

Before Amber could finish her words, she felt a small pain in her forehead and held it with one hand with a pained expression. Then she looked with resentment at the green-haired maid next to her. Aveline ignored her glare and lowered the hand she had just flicked Amber's forehead with. Looking ahead of her as she walked, she began to speak in her indifferent voice.

"Just Aveline, Lady Amber. I honestly never thought you'd make a friend. For someone who is asocial, boorish, fight-crazy, and unfriendly to everyone she doesn't know, I must say you've taken a good step towards maturity."

"..." 

Amber turned her head away from Aveline and decided not to say anything. Her face was flushed with shame at the truth of these words. She was as easy to read as an open book in front of this woman who had known her since she was a baby.

Aveline had been working in the house since before Amber was born, and so she had been with Amber all her life and had taken care of her as she grew up. Their relationship was like a true niece-aunt relationship and Aveline was like a second mother to Amber.

"So, is that young man your boyfriend?" Aveline asked in a indifferent voice as they walked.

Amber blushed with embarrassment and immediately became defensive. "W-W-W-What are you talking about, Aveline? O-Of course not! We're just friends!" Then she added in a low voice. "For now..."

"Hmm..." Aveline looked at Amber for a while and finally her lips curled up slightly for a brief moment.

Neither of them said anything the whole way and they finally reached Salina's study. Aveline stopped in front of the door and knocked gently.

"Come in!"

A stern female voice was heard from behind the door. After a moment, Aveline opened the door and she and Amber both entered.

Inside the room, Salina, a mature woman of extraordinary beauty, possesses fiery red hair elegantly gathered into a ponytail was sitting on a chair in front of her desk with her very serious expression.

 Her attire, featuring tight black pants and a simple white top, not only emphasized her curvaceous body and long legs but also highlighted her very huge breasts, even bigger than Amber's. Despite the passage of time, Salina hadn't lost any of her beauty; quite the opposite, the mature air surrounding her only heightened her charm, making her even more captivating. 

From her seat, she exudes a sharp and commanding aura, a presence that demands attention and conveys a sense of authority. Anyone catching a glimpse of her would instantly know that the Redwood Family was in capable hands.

When Amber and Aveline walked through the door, Salina had her hands clasped on the table and was looking at them with a serious expression.

"Thank you, Aveline. You can go back to your work while I listen to Amber's report." Salina said in her usual stern voice.

But Aveline, at her words, just looked at Salina with expressionless eyes.

"Lady Salina, if you allow me, I would like to be with you when Amber gives her report." a strange light shone in her calm eyes. "This time her journey seems to have been more interesting than usual."

At these words Salina raised an eyebrow and looked at Amber, whose cheeks were flushed. Seeing her like this, Salina was a little puzzled and blinked her beautiful eyes a few times quickly. She was really starting to wonder what had happened on Amber's journey.

"Hmm, well you can stand beside me."

Aveline nodded slightly at Salina's words and walked gracefully behind her. When she reached her destination Aveline began to look at Amber with her indifferent eyes.

"Okay Amber, you can tell me what happened." Salina's serious expression softened and a small smile formed on her face as she spoke to Amber.

"..."

Crushed under the intense gaze of two grown women, Amber's thin eyebrow began to twitch. In her own mind she screamed, 'What is this!? You two old women wanna gang up and bully me!!!' 

After a while, Amber took a deep breath and collected herself. Then she organized her thoughts and began to recount the events of her journey.

...

While Amber was talking to Salina and Aveline, Edwin and Olivia had come together to the section where the guests were staying in the keep. Olivia stopped in front of one of the rooms along the hallway, opened the door and stepped inside.

In the guest room, a big bed with fancy curtains stood out. Wooden furniture and tapestries adorned the space. There were large windows offered scenic views, and a balcony extended for a better look. The high ceilings, soft lights, and fireplace made the room cozy and inviting. There was also a door next to the left side of the room.

"You can stay here, Edwin. The sheets are clean as they are changed often, and the door you see there leads to the private bathroom. Also, the lights are powered by magic and you can control them with the switch here." At the end, she pointed to the switches next to the door.

Edwin removed his hood as Olivia spoke in her lively voice and nodded his head in understanding. 

"Thanks for the explanation"

Seeing Edwin's handsome face, Olivia smiled brightly. "Not at all! It's my duty as a maid. Ohh! By the way, if you're going to take a shower, there are some extra clothes in the bathroom so feel free to use them!"

"Okay, I'll take care of the rest."

Olivia turned her body to Edwin's side and spoke with an endearingly serious expression.

"Edwin, if you need anything, just let me know. I'll be downstairs in the servants' quarters, so don't hesitate, okay?"

Seeing her like this, Edwin couldn't help smiling. He reflexively raised his hand, but stopped halfway, realizing what he was doing. Seeing him like this, Olivia looked at Edwin's raised hand and lowered her head with a disappointed expression.

"Excuse me Olivia..." with a sorry expression Edwin was about to withdraw his raised arm when two soft hands restricted his movements. Edwin looked at Olivia with a puzzled expression, and Olivia, her face flushed with embarrassment yet determined, brought Edwin's hand to her head.

"I-It doesn't matter, Edwin! I-I don't mind you stroking my hair. I-In fact, I'd like it if you did it more often..." Towards the end of the last sentence, her voice grew fainter and faded away.

'H-How cute!!!' Edwin felt as if he had been shot through the heart with an arrow.

Shaken out of his daze, Edwin began to stroke Olivia's hair in slow strokes. He was a little embarrassed by the strangeness of the situation, but he tried not to show it off and make the situation even more awkward. Olivia closed her eyes, shaking off her embarrassment as Edwin stroked her hair, and began to enjoy the gentle caress on her head.

After a few seconds had passed, Edwin withdrew his hand. Olivia felt a little uncomfortable but said nothing and opened her eyes. When she saw Edwin looking at her with gentle eyes, she nearly fell on her knees. Too embarrassed to look him in the eye, Olivia turned around and ran out of the room. As she left the room, she didn't forget to close the door gently behind her.

Olivia's sudden escape was so unexpected for Edwin that for a moment he didn't know what to do. He recovered at the sound of the door closing slightly and ruffled his hair in confusion. Then, his gaze shifted to his hand and he began to visualize the feeling he had just experienced. 

"How interesting..." As Edwin stroked Olivia's hair, he sensed a subtle acceleration in his own heartbeat, and a soothing calm enveloped his mind. It was a strange emotion and he couldn't quite make sense of it.

He took a deep breath and let go of this mixed feeling. Then he turned around and headed for the bathroom. He had not had many opportunities to take a nice bath during the trip and he wanted to take advantage of this opportunity.