The old man gave a weak smile. "That's because I am Prince Adrien."
Ravel stared at him.
"Ha-ha…" she laughed awkwardly, though her voice shook a little. "What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
Her cheeks flushed red as she quickly looked away. "W-What kind of stupid joke is that?!"
"It's not a joke," Adrien said.
Then, in the next moment, his voice changed from the gentle voice of an elderly scholar to the calm voice of a young man. "I really am Adrien Agares."
The old man was still sitting there with white hair, a mustache, and a monocle, but the voice coming from his mouth was no longer old at all which sounded incredibly weird and unsettling.
Ravel slowly pointed at him.
"Y-you…"
After days of searching, Adrien had come to the conclusion that he was not going to find anything useful here.
The information he wanted was not in the public or even semi-private sections of the library. The real records were most likely hidden somewhere deeper inside the castle, in a place only the Phenex family could access.
He needed a way to reach those books.
Adrien had been watching Ravel for a while now, and it was very clear that she was attracted to him in some way or another. So he decided to use that fact and have her help him get the books he needed. He was confident he could convince her.
"W-What are you doing here?!" Ravel snapped, staring at him with wide eyes.
"Me?" Adrien asked, still wearing the appearance of an old man. "Well, I'm searching for a certain book. But no matter how much I look, I can't seem to find it."
"A book?" she repeated. "You disguised yourself as an old librarian and snuck into House Phenex just to find a book?"
"Pretty much."
Ravel then quickly lowered her voice and glanced toward the library doors. "Do you have any idea what would happen if someone found out?"
"That depends. Are you going to tell them?"
Ravel froze for a second. She did not know what to say.
She knew she should report him to the clan. That was the proper thing to do. Adrien had disguised himself, entered Phenex Castle under a false identity, and spent days searching through their library.
But at the same time, reporting him would put him in real danger.
If it had been anyone else, she would have immediately told her family. But this was Adrien Agares.
Ever since the Rating Game against Rias Gremory a few months ago, Ravel had not been able to forget him. She had watched him destroy her unbeatable brother in front of everyone.
At first, she had been shocked. Then, as the days passed, she found herself thinking about him again and again. Before she realized it, that feeling had developed into something like a celebrity crush.
Suddenly, Adrien's face began to change.
His white hair grew longer and turned blond, tying itself behind his neck as if moved by invisible strings. His dark eyes shifted into a sharp green, and the wrinkles on his skin slowly faded until his face became smooth and young again.
He removed the monocle from his eye and leaned slightly toward Ravel.
Ravel immediately jolted back, her face turning completely red, even redder than before.
"If you help me," Adrien whispered in her ear, "I'll grant you one wish. Anything you want."
"A-any wish…?" she repeated, her voice much smaller than usual.
"Within reason of course, but the possibilities are endless."
Ravel crossed her arms and tried to look firm, but her face was still bright red. "First, tell me what book you're looking for."
"I want you to get me old Phenex records, anything related to your bloodline." Adrien said directly.
"That's… not something outsiders are allowed to read."
"Obviously, that's why I'm asking you to sneak some of them."
"W-Why do you want records of our bloodline anyways."
"You see," Adrien said, his tone calm, "I'm trying to work on something that I believe your grandfather did before. That's why I need the records. I need to see exactly what he did in detail. So, will you help me or not?"
Ravel narrowed her eyes slightly. "Aren't you worried that I might tell on you?"
Adrien smiled. "I don't think you would snitch on me."
"Snitch?" Ravel repeated, her eyebrow twitching. "How crude. I would be reporting you."
Adrien ignored her protest and continued, "Besides, I think we would make a pretty good team in the future."
Ravel blinked. "A team…?"
"Yeah. You're smart, careful, and good at studying details. I think you'd be useful in management. So, in addition to the wish, I can offer you something else. You could work by my side in the future. Move into my household, handle some of my affairs, and act as my secretary."
That was the other reason Adrien had revealed himself to Ravel. He could see her potential as a sort of agent, someone who could attend events and deal with political problems in his place. If she could attend social gatherings and youth meetings as his representative, she would be a lifesaver.
"Y-you want me to live in your household?"
"Wouldn't you like that?" He said with a smirk
Ravel's mouth opened, but no words came out at first. Then she quickly looked away.
"H-hmph! You are getting far too full of yourself, Prince Adrien. Just because I asked a few questions about you does not mean I would happily become your secretary."
Adrien didn't respond he just smiled as he looked at her.
After a small pause, she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "And… this offer. You are serious?"
'Yeah, I thought this would work'
"I am."
--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>
Two days later Ravel returned with an old book that had no title. She had hidden it inside her clothes and brought it to Adrien in the library.
It had been one week since Adrien took the job as Mordain. He was still in disguise, doing his work, when Ravel entered the library again.
She let out a sigh and walked toward him. Adrien's eyes shifted to the book in her hands, interest flashing across his face.
Adrien took the old book from Ravel's hands and placed it carefully on the table.
The cover was cracked and dry, with no title written on it. There was no family crest either, only faded black leather and old golden lines that had almost disappeared with time.
Ravel crossed her arms and looked away. "I almost got caught bringing that here," she muttered.
Adrien didn't answer immediately. His fingers moved over the first few pages, careful not to tear them. The paper was old, yellow, and rough, and the handwriting looked like it belonged to another age.
The section was written in formal, ancient language, but Adrien read through it slowly, translating it in his head.
In the earliest days of the Phenex Clan, before their name became known across the Underworld, their lands were not as prosperous as they are now. The territory was harsh, filled with burning valleys, unstable flames, and wild magical beasts drawn to the heat of the land.
It was during this age that the first lord of Phenex discovered a creature unlike any other. Deep within the heart of the family's territory, beyond the burning cliffs and the old volcanic caves, he found a true phoenix, the mythical bird of legends.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Yo when we reach 300 power stones I'll drop a bonus chapter.