In the end, Ray agreed.
What else could he do?
But as for the Second Young Miss...
he'd probably have to explain things a bit.
For now, though, he had to head to Porto-Veno castle to discuss about Cartethyia with Cantarella.
"Fine, suit yourself. If you don't mind, that is."
Ray looked at the young woman before him. No matter how reluctant he felt, he was bound by invisible threads, unable to break free.
After all, he had indeed made that promise.
And since he had made it, it was like pressing his fingerprint onto a contract, he had to see it through.
Seeing him agree, the smile at the corner of Phrolova's mouth grew even deeper. "Then I look forward to our future together. Will we once again play the same melody as before?"
"..."
She's at it again.
Anyway, the past was the past. Whether Phrolova was just using him as a substitute or not, since he had promised to help her move on from the shadows of yesterday, he had to do it.
Ray let out a soft sigh, as if exhaling all his helplessness with that breath.
He reached for his jacket and slowly put it on, his movements a bit languid. "I have something important to do now, so I need to go out. As for you… ah, do whatever you want. Oh, there's some food in the fridge. If you get hungry, just heat it up."
"If you don't like that, there's a list of nearby restaurants on the table. Order whatever you like, put it on my tab."
He spoke as he walked toward the door.
"So thoughtful." Phrolova chuckled softly, waving at his retreating figure. "See you later, then."
...
...
Light filtered through the colorful stained glass, like tiny shards of colored crystal, scattering dappled patches of light across the dim room.
A few small, dim lamps were lit around the room. Cantarella stood alone before a cauldron, holding a long-handled stirring spoon, constantly stirring the bubbling liquid within.
Occasionally, she would pause, pick up some prepared herbs from the side, gently drop them into the pot, then resume her focused brewing.
She wasn't brewing poison though, in a sense, this concoction could also be considered poison.
After all, even pure water, if consumed in excess within a short time, could poison a person.
"The taste is very close to what I remember."
"But I feel like something's still missing."
Cantarella murmured softly, her pale purple eyes veiled in a hazy mist, giving her a dreamlike, ethereal quality.
A moment later, a soft knock came from the door.
Without looking up, Cantarella responded in a languid, casual tone, "Come in."
The door slowly opened, and a figure stepped into view.
"Sebas, what—" Cantarella started to say the butler's name, but as the figure drew closer and stood before her, she realized with a start that it wasn't the butler at all, it was Ray.
Her eyes widened slightly in surprise.
But the surprise didn't linger on her face for long. Soon, the corner of Cantarella's mouth lifted into a faint, misty smile.
"I never expected our little guest to willingly set foot in the castle again. Isn't your Second Young Miss furious about that?"
Cantarella tilted her head, a mischievous glint in her eyes, deliberately drawing out her words.
Ray: "..."
If Cantarella hadn't brought it up, Ray had almost forgotten about that whole incident.
Sending such a message to the Second Young Miss while he was asleep.
"Miss Cantarella, you're a grown woman, and the head of the Fisalia family at that." Ray's tone was helpless. "How could you play such a prank?"
"Oh my, it seems our little guest has discovered my little scheme?" Cantarella quickly covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes crinkling with laughter, like a cat that had gotten away with stealing some cream. "So, have you come all this way to hold me accountable?"
"No, not really. That incident didn't cause me much trouble." Ray waved his hand, his expression calm.
On the contrary, that message had actually stirred up the Second Young Miss's sense of crisis.
If it hadn't been for Cantarella's unexpected move, maybe he wouldn't have been able to claim the Second Young Miss's first time so easily.
"Oh?" Cantarella raised an eyebrow slightly, a flicker of feigned disappointment in her eyes. "I thought you'd be getting an earful from Carlotta by now."
The corner of Ray's mouth twitched involuntarily, as if tugged by an invisible hand. "…Miss Cantarella, you didn't do that on purpose, did you?"
"What if I said I did?" Her fingertip lightly touched her lips, her gaze growing deep and meaningful. "Want to know why?"
"Well, there must be a reason, right?"
Cantarella suddenly leaned forward, her pink tongue lightly tracing the corner of her lips. Her purple eyeshadow and teardrop-shaped adornment made her look both dangerous and alluring in this moment.
Her long purple hair cascaded down like a waterfall, shimmering faintly in the light.
She drew closer, whispering softly into Ray's ear. Her warm breath brushed against his face, making him feel as if his bones were melting.
"Because the Fisalia family has always valued bloodline."
"And your bloodline, a strong one capable of resisting the Leviathan's whispers and devouring the Dark Tide is naturally someone I would consider."
Cantarella reached out, her fingers grazing his chest lightly, teasingly. "So, do you understand now?"
This woman definitely had designs on his body!
Sigh, such were the burdens of being handsome.
First, Phrolova clinging to him, and now Cantarella setting her sights on him. What a tedious, uneventful life.
Seeing Ray's face turn red as he struggled to get a word out, Cantarella suddenly covered her mouth with a light laugh. "Oh, I'm just teasing you. The way you look, it's as if I really were about to devour you."
She stepped back gracefully, putting some distance between them again, and twirled a strand of hair around her fingertip. "So, tell me, what brings you here to see me today?"
"..."
As expected, in front of Cantarella, he was the prey.
This was probably the poise of a mature woman.
That wouldn't do. He needed to slowly get used to and figure out Cantarella's rhythm of attack, so he wouldn't always be led around by the nose.
But for now, he should just talk to her about Cartethyia.
"It's about Cartethyia."
Ray said.