"Huh?"
Hearing Ariel's words, Shirou and Derrick both looked confused.
Especially Shirou, he never expected Ariel would want to win him over. The question was, what about him seemed worth winning over?
He just looked like a plain, ordinary person.
And what exactly was Ariel's identity?
Did she really need to win over talented people?
Did a normal noble need to go to such lengths?
Shirou thought this, and noticed that Ariel's gaze never left him. He became more alert and quickly said:
"No, no, I'm just a normal blacksmith, with nothing special."
"Is that so? If you're nothing special, why do all the blacksmiths in the workshop respect you so much?"
Ariel said with a smile, "And the blacksmith workshop isn't the only thing that gives me this feeling. Shirou, you've been able to talk to me normally the whole time, without being affected by my charm. That's the main reason I'm paying attention to you."
"That..."
Shirou was quite surprised by Ariel's words.
Derrick, who was beside Ariel, also showed a look of agreement after hearing Ariel's words, and looked at Shirou with a slightly serious expression.
As someone close to Ariel, Derrick knew very well how hard it was to resist Ariel's charm.
She could attract someone's attention just by talking to them normally, and slowly influence their mind with her beautiful appearance and graceful movements, making them a prisoner of her beauty.
This had been proven by facts countless times.
Ariel had a magic that could attract the people around her, and even make ordinary people have unusually strong feelings for her from the bottom of their hearts.
These feelings were not divided by gender, and even surpassed racial beauty standards, affecting people of any status.
Even Derrick himself sometimes couldn't resist this strange charm, and had to keep himself rational and alert at all times to avoid being captivated by Ariel's beauty.
Therefore, when he realized that Shirou was not affected by Ariel's charm, and still showed relative reason and calmness during the process, Derrick immediately felt a great deal of respect for Shirou.
At least he was sure that, like Ariel said, Shirou must be someone extraordinary in some field.
"However, we're not sure about this Mr. Shirou's background yet, so we can't just offer him a helping hand."
Derrick remained calm and rational. Although he also recognized Shirou and thought that this young man was unusual, he knew better that Ariel's identity could not be revealed to ordinary people so easily.
Even real talent needed to be screened before being accepted.
Ariel obviously didn't have Derrick's thoughts. She just moved closer to Shirou and said softly, "Hey, Shirou, you just took me to the blacksmith workshop, right? You really helped me a lot with that. If possible, I should thank you in person."
"No, I don't need any thanks."
Shirou quickly refused, "I only help people around me for my own sake, not to get thanks. And, I just showed you the way. Even without me, you could have found the blacksmith workshop."
Ariel smiled after hearing this, "In that case, I just want to thank you for my own sake. What do you want, Shirou? Money? Status? Or are you interested in my body?"
"..."
What was wrong with this girl?
Would a normal person say something like that?
Shirou was speechless. He had completely realized that Ariel was a force to be reckoned with, but he couldn't drive her away, so he could only silently endure it and replied, "No, thank you, I'm not interested in anything. If you really insist, a verbal thank you is enough."
"Oh my, you actually want me to give you head? Shirou is so horny."
"What the hell are you talking about!!!"
Shirou's face was full of shock. He didn't expect such a beautiful girl to make such dirty jokes so inappropriately.
Ariel chuckled and said, "Hahaha, just kidding. But even so, I'm actually a little interested in you, Shirou. But don't think I'm some loose woman. Although I am loose, I'm usually only interested in women. Being interested in a man is a first for me."
Ariel's words were agreed upon by Derrick beside her.
Derrick was constantly nodding, as if he knew Ariel's preferences very well.
Shirou obviously had no interest in Ariel's preferences.
He just wanted to end this torturous conversation as soon as possible.
Shirou even felt that teaching Eris swordsmanship was much better than talking to Ariel now.
Just as Shirou was suffering and didn't know how to respond, Derrick suddenly said, "Your Highness Ariel, time is short. There's an early meeting at noon that requires your presence to meet with the Boreas family in advance."
"Alright."
Hearing Derrick's words, Ariel nodded slightly.
She then looked at Shirou and said with regret, "That's a pity, I can't continue talking. But I'll remember your kindness today, Shirou. I'll definitely repay it."
"No need, really no need!"
Shirou tried his best to refuse, but it was clear that he couldn't change Ariel's mind.
Watching Ariel leave, Shirou couldn't help but let out a long breath.
He always felt that this girl gave him a feeling of unfathomable depth. Although it wasn't in terms of strength, the schemes and calculations were still hard to guard against.
Shirou was a relatively straightforward person who didn't like to use tricks.
So he naturally wouldn't like to have too much contact with this type of person.
If possible, it would be best if he never encountered this girl named Ariel again in his life.
Just as Shirou was thinking this, a Boreas family maid suddenly came over and said that Sauros had something to ask him.
Faced with the summons of Sauros, the head of the Boreas family, Shirou naturally wouldn't be negligent. He went to find him as soon as possible.
But when he arrived at Sauros's room, he immediately saw a familiar blond figure.
That was undoubtedly Ariel.
And beside Ariel stood Derrick, whom he had just met, and another tall, heroic young man.
The young man had brown hair and a handsome face, giving people a capable aura, and was looking at everyone present with an arrogant attitude.
"Haha, I didn't expect Her Highness the Princess to come and celebrate my granddaughter's birthday."
Sauros was straightforward and didn't beat around the bush.
"Second Princess...?!"
Sauros's words immediately made Shirou stare in disbelief.
"Oh my, I didn't expect us to meet again so soon, Mr. Shirou."
Ariel smiled and lifted her skirt with both hands in front of Sauros, performing a noble's etiquette, "Although this isn't our first meeting, please allow me to formally introduce myself. I'm Ariel Anemoi Asura, the Second Princess of the Asura Kingdom."
"Y-You... hello, I'm Shirou Greyrat."
"Greyrat? Are you a member of the Boreas family?"
A look of curiosity appeared on Ariel's face. Her interest in Shirou had undoubtedly reached its peak at this moment.
Shirou, on the other hand, was suffering from Ariel's attitude.
Sauros, on the other hand, had expected all of this and said calmly, "He's not a member of the Boreas family."
"Oh? Is he a branch of Boreas? From another family line?"
"Sort of."
Sauros spoke in ambiguous words, and immediately explained in the next second, "Shirou is the son of my old friend, Paul Greyrat's eldest son. He's currently in our family, working as my granddaughter's sword instructor."
"Paul Greyrat?!"
Hearing this name, Ariel and Derrick had no immediate reaction.
Another young man beside them suddenly jumped up, looking at Shirou with a strong reaction and said, "You're Paul Greyrat's son?"
"I-I guess..."
Shirou didn't understand what the other party's reaction meant, so he could only respond hesitantly.
He had long considered Paul to be his father in this world, so he wouldn't deny that relationship.
His attitude only made the brown-haired young man even more excited, or rather, indignant.
Amidst Sauros's confusion, the brown-haired young man finally calmed himself down and slowly said, "I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Luke Notos Greyrat, the second son of the head of the Notos family. By the way, my father is Pilemon Notos Greyrat, who is Paul Greyrat's younger brother."
"His father is Paul's brother?"
Hearing Luke's words, Shirou and Sauros were shocked.
Sauros clearly only realized Luke's identity now, and realized that he had accidentally said something he shouldn't have just now due to carelessness.
After all, even someone as rough as Sauros knew the complex relationships between nobles.
Although Paul had fled the family, he was still the eldest son of the Notos Greyrat family, and had the legitimate right to inherit the family.
Shirou, as Paul's son, could naturally inherit the title of the Notos family as well.
This meant that Shirou and the peers of the Notos family would inevitably have complex conflicts.
Luke's reaction just now was clearly due to this.
"..."
Looking at Luke in the distance staring at him with a predatory gaze, as if he was looking at a distant relative who had suddenly appeared to compete with him for the family property.
Shirou really couldn't help but feel tired.
After all, this was completely undeserved for him.
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