Engagement

Damian was busy in his room reading the latest interesting book that he found in the library after his daily 'education' when he heard someone knocking on his door.

"Yes, Come in."

Damian replied and a middle-aged man with a white beard entered the room.

"Young master Damian, is your new home to your liking?"

"Yes, Thomas. it is the same as the last one, I guess."

There was a slight twitch on his face with amusement hidden in his eyes after hearing my unorthodox answer.

"I am here to remind you about the ceremony for your betrothal tomorrow morning."

"Ahh yes. I will be there."

He nodded and left after bowing a little. "So they are doing it huh?" Damian assumed that the marriage thing was going to happen after he lived here for at least 10 or so years and proved himself to be a suitable candidate. But for some reason, they wanted to do some engagement-type ceremony as soon as possible.

He was still hated by the Genius Lady Lucian Goldilocks, though after 2 months she just treated him like an invisible air just like all the teachers, which suited him the best specially after her glaring anger and hidden frustrations. She just like every other person, thought that he was a dimwit so her anger and frustration were rather fair to be honest. Surprisingly though she never even once said anything against it or even shouted at him for just magically appearing from the sky to be her eyesore. She accepted it rather quietly despite her higher than mountains attitude. He had to give it to her she was surprisingly mature for her age.

The next morning a bunch of maids rushed into his room and pushed him around until he was ready, dressed in the silkiest garments one could find. In the main hall, a lot of nobles and their proxies were gathered where the maids guided him. Everyone stopped and looked at him as if scanning him from ankle to head. Thankfully Thomas immediately stood beside him and led him to one side of the hall where he waited for his soon-to-be fiancé.

he hated even the thought of being considered together with such a young girl, he was 22 for heaven's sake. But then again he had no control over his life ever since he came to this world. He was just going along as the currents were leading him, waiting for that perfect chance to jump out of this sinking boat.

Soon the Lady came with clothes that matched his in ridiculousness and stood beside him. The Baron which he assumed the speech-giving golden-haired man was, looked rather jovial at the occasion and looked at him with a smile in between his speech.

The speech ended and the two of them gave each other the golden rings. Lucian Goldilocks could win the Oscar with all her lady acting. She looked so innocent with that smiling face but only he knew that she was, a wooden sword-wielding devil. Tomorrow's sword training was going to be extra tough if this goes on any longer.

At last we were left on our own after all the congratulations from the guests. Seeing this as his chance, Damian took a glass of some colorful looking juice and headed straight outside to get some privacy which he was robbed of since he opened his eyes this morning. Lucian eyed him while being surrounded by her fellow lady friends but didn't say anything.

After reaching the outside garden Damian sat down on a nice place which was hard to find even if someone came to take a stroll outside. The juice was nice, not something that existed back on earth. To feel a bit more relaxed he loosened the clothes around his neck since he was alone anyway.

While stargazing Damian's mind started thinking about the recent discovery he made about various solutions, which get their mana absorbed into the mana stone. It was simple actually if one thought about it, only the weak ionic solutions get their mana particles absorbed by the mana stone. Solid things or even strong atomic bonds such as water would not be affected by the larger mana source such as mana stone. Maybe if there was a big enough mana stone but even the fiercest monsters had only a fist-sized mana stone inside them so that possibility was very low. Well, the good thing was that Truthseeker got levelled up twice while Damian was checking all these solutions and came up with this theory.

Just as Damian was trying to think of other possibilities for stronger mana attraction methods, he heard a lot of people talking at once in the distance and it was just getting louder and louder as if people coming closer to him.

"There he is, Fiona you were right, he was indeed hiding outside."

A high-pitched girl's voice came from the middle of a group of kids around Lucian's age. Of course Lucian was also in there, two girls were holding each of her hand and guiding her towards him. The voice belonged to one of these girls.

"Damian Sunblade, we finally meet!"

Another kid spoke up, this time it was from a group of boys which was beside the five girls.

"Do it Adrian, you said you were going to challenge him didn't you?"

The boy Adrian, Damian assumed nodded and looked at him with fire in his eyes.

"Damian Sunblade, Your family might have schemed your marriage but I won't stand for it. The beautiful and Genius Lady Lucian deserves a much better match. That's why I will ask Lady Lucian's hand when she comes of age and challenge your right of hers."

Everyone nodded and looked at Damian as if expecting some kind of rebuttal against the 'bold' claim of Young master Adrian.

On the other hand, Damian just wanted to dig a hole and hide in it. Why didn't he loose his eyes before he had to see this day? A bunch of 8-year-olds were bullying him!!

Yet outwardly he controlled himself, this brats were sons and daughters of influential nobles in the north. If he made them cry, his head would be rolling on the ground before daybreak.

"Ah.. Sure.."

Damian said.

"That's all? He is declaring that he will ask for your finance's hand and that's all you have to say?"

"What do you expect from this fool? Look even his clothes are not right."

One of the girl's at the side of Lucian who seems to be the root of the problem asked or rather demanded an answer. Another chimed in for well timed insult.

"Does my lady favors Master Adrian?"

Damian ignored the troublemaker and asked Lucian herself. She seemed a bit shocked as he asked this, before that she was just trying to remove the hands of her two followers and failing miserably.

"Uhm.. Yes.."

She seemed a bit out of it but answered correctly, she was smart enough to know that she couldn't say no since it would be a dishonor towards Adrian's family, so there was only one answer. She probably even preferred this rather good-looking Young Master than him who was 3 years younger than her.

"Well, then what can I say? I wish you good luck, Master Adrian!"

Damian spoke as the silence enveloped in this one corner of the garden. Everyone had shocked faces, they were probably looking forward to the Young Master showing the looser his place.

Since everyone was busy thinking what just happened, Damian the genius saw an exit and grabbed on it. He left the place and started heading towards the back of the villa where there was very dim lighting and rarely anyone would go.

But just as he reached his another place to sit in solitude, he heard a rustling behind him. He turned around and found Lucian Goldilocks standing there. Just as usual, he ignored her and headed towards the large rock on which he could sit at last.

"Why? Why did you do that?"