Feeling Pleased with Yourself, Aren't You?

No one spoke in the dining room; only the clink of silverware against porcelain broke the silence. The noise on Veronica's side was particularly loud. Gripping her fork in a reverse hold, she impaled her steak, sawing back and forth with her serrated knife while fixing Wayne with a lethal stare. In utter silence, she attacked the beef on her plate as though it were the man across from her. Wayne: *What a coincidence, you came to eat too!* Veronica: *This is my house!* Wayne: *The food's fantastic, Dad!* Veronica: *You bastard, just you wait.* Upon learning out of the blue that her mother had taken a student—and was bringing him home for a family banquet—Veronica had been thoroughly stunned. Why had a student suddenly materialized out of nowhere, and why did her mother seem to value him so highly? Veronica had felt a pang of jealousy, as if the maternal affection that belonged solely to her was being partitioned away. She had asked Mr. Landau if he knew anything about it. With a darkened expression, Mr. Landau had delivered his verdict on this student: scum of society. For someone to earn such an evaluation from Mr. Landau meant he had to be extraordinary, which immediately piqued Veronica's curiosity. And then she saw the scum of society in question. She had to admit, the appraisal was spot-on! Veronica narrowed her eyes at Wayne, feeling like an utter fool who had been kept in the dark from start to finish. She thought she had learned her lesson after being fooled once and would never again be duped by this societal scum. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine this scum would have so many tricks up his sleeve, deceiving her yet again. At this moment, Veronica completely forgot that Xifei had kept her in the dark for just as long. Convinced that Wayne was the mastermind, she maintained her oppressive glare throughout the meal, attempting to slash him into mashed potatoes with her gaze alone. Wayne narrowed his eyes in response. *Nice necklace, very fair skin, but your chest shouldn't be that impressive—did you stuff pads in there?* Their eyes locked. In the end, Wayne's gaze flickered away as he lost ground, daring only to look straight ahead through narrowed slits, not daring to meet her glare head-on. "Hmph!" Auston couldn't bear to watch any longer. A pretty boy had the gall to make eyes at his precious cabbage right under his own roof? Did the kid really think he wouldn't tell the butler to haul in a barrel of cement? And another thing—if you're eating, just eat! Where the hell are you looking?! "Heh." With her student being scoffed at, the teacher naturally had to step up and defend him. Xifei set down her knife and fork, smiling as she said to Wayne, "Why sit so far away? Megan, move the young master's seat next to mine." "Right away, Madam." "Megan, move the young lady's seat next to mine!" "Right away, Master." "I don't want to!" "..." The family dinner, which had begun in tense silence, drew to a close with Auston thoroughly deflated. After dinner, Auston led Xifei away with a scowling face. Reluctant though she was, she followed him out nonetheless. Veronica crooked a finger at Wayne with an expressionless face before turning to leave the dining room. Wayne looked around, assuming she wasn't talking to him, and stayed put. A moment later, Veronica returned, her face icy as she dragged him out. Megan the housekeeper followed close behind. The master had given strict orders to keep a close watch on this societal scum and never let him get away with anything. As for whether the master would take a beating facing the dragon-blooded High Priest alone, the master had advised the housekeeper not to poke her nose into other people's business. How many times did he have to say it? That wasn't a beating—it was marital passion! "Megan, don't follow me." With that order, Veronica slammed the study door shut and locked it from the inside. Gathering her skirt, she gestured for Wayne to jump out the window with her, heading straight for her private detached villa. Behind them, Megan trailed like a shadow, only stopping once she reached the entrance of the young lady's villa. Veronica disliked having people enter her room. Even Auston, the head of the household, had to request permission in advance—and his requests were almost always rejected. Veronica hadn't called Auston "Father" in a long time, usually referring to him simply as Mr. Landau. If he wanted her to change her tune, her mother would have to come home, and the two would have to live in harmony without fighting ever again. *Bang!* The moment they entered the house, Veronica seized Wayne by the collar and pinned him against the wall. The dragon-blooded girl possessed terrifying arm strength. To his shock, Wayne found that even with his life essence fully saturated, he could barely put up any resistance. "Impressive!" "Impressive indeed. Feeling quite pleased with yourself, aren't you?" Recalling everything that had happened over this period, Veronica felt a surge of humiliated fury. "You knew all along and didn't say a word! You even made me apologize at the top of my lungs! You were deliberately making a fool of me!" "I'm sorry." Shameless as ever, Wayne apologized loudly on the spot. Veronica rolled her eyes and gritted her teeth. "So quiet—not a shred of sincerity." "I'M! SO! RR—Y!" "Why are you yelling so loud?!" Only then was Veronica satisfied. Realizing her face was far too close to Wayne's, she let go and stepped back two paces, grabbing a coat to drape over her shoulders to cover her lavish evening gown. If she had known beforehand that her mother's student was Wayne, she never would have dressed up so nicely. "Speak. How did you meet my mother? Are you up to no good, harboring some ulterior motive?" "Come on. Last time, you said my teacher had ulterior motives, and now you're claiming I'm up to no good?" Wayne looked deeply wronged. They were friends, and now their relationship was even closer, yet Veronica still doubted his moral character. "Did you bring the diary?" "No, but I've updated it right up to today. I guarantee you'll be satisfied." "That's more like it..." Veronica muttered under her breath, though her anger flared right back up. "How did you meet my mother? When did you become her student? Did you show her the diary?" "How could I? My teacher came up to me on her own. She used threats and bribes, insisting that I become her student, and even said she'd introduce her daughter to—" "Hm?!" Veronica's brow arched. That was definitely not the answer she wanted. "All right, I'll tell the truth. I shamelessly begged her to take me as her student." "That's more like it." Veronica pointed to the opposite sofa, waiting until Wayne sat down before resuming her interrogation. "No making things up. What really happened? If I recall, you fled Londan to escape being hunted by that big shot. How did you suddenly turn around and become my mother's student?" "Is it possible that the big shot was your father?" "Huh?" Veronica froze for a second. As the realization settled in, she saw that it was entirely plausible. No wonder Mr. Landau had never succeeded, always replying that it would be handled soon, right away, almost there whenever she asked. If he was unwilling to settle matters with himself, this was the inevitable outcome. "When did you offend Mr. Landau?" "That goes back more than three months ago. I was at home enjoying a feast of potatoes when a magical girl in a black robe barged into the detective agency," Wayne said with a sigh of nostalgia. Veronica understood everything. Furious, she leaped up from the sofa. "Outrageous! What on earth is he thinking? Does he really believe I'd fall for a piece of societal scum?" "Hard to say. When you see too many refined noble gentlemen, it's only natural to crave something with a stronger flavor," Wayne quipped. "Shut up. I won't allow you to speak of my mother's student like that." Veronica sat back down on the sofa. "Continue. How did you meet my mother?" "The night I left Londan, my teacher and I ended up on the same train..." Wayne shrugged. "Remember when you saw me off at the station? Hate to break it to you, but she mistook me for your boyfriend, and that's how we met." "Outrageous! Are they both blind?!" Veronica was incensed, infuriated, downright livid. People always said parents understood their children best, so why did hers understand her least of all? Fuming, she glared at Wayne, who obligingly slouched into the sofa, striking the perfect pose of a useless kept man. "You're infuriating!" Veronica ruffled her hair in frustration. Seeing Wayne's punchable expression, she whipped off the coat and flung it straight at his face. "Damn it, why are you inhaling so loudly? Give me back my coat!" *** *Bang!* In the main manor on the other side of the grounds, Auston had just closed the bedroom door when Xifei grabbed him by the collar and hoisted him against the wall. The dragon-blooded lady possessed frightening arm strength. Long accustomed to this, Auston didn't even consider fighting back. He knew all too well that resisting at a time like this was the worst thing he could do. The more he resisted, the more excited she would get, and then he'd end up flat on the floor. "Xifei, calm down." "Calm down? Feeling quite pleased with yourself, aren't you?" Xifei said coldly. "What was with that look on your face during dinner? Did the bank go bankrupt? Do you have any idea how much face that cost me in front of my student?" "I'm sorry." "What's the point of apologizing now? I really don't understand why you have to oppose me at every turn. Putting the past aside, what's wrong with Wayne?" Xifei fumed. He had no idea how sought-after the boy was. "He's decent enough, but..." Auston's expression soured slightly. "Don't you get the feeling he's a bit like me?" "Don't flatter yourself. Which part of you has ever been associated with excellence?" Xifei scoffed in amused disbelief. "My wife is perfect, and my daughter is exceptional." "..." That, at least, was the truth! Xifei blinked, realizing she was standing far too close to the scoundrel, who was shamelessly leaning his face in toward hers. With a swift shoulder throw, she tossed him onto the bed. *Wait! Why is there a bed here?* Xifei flared with anger. "Why did you bring me to the bedroom?" *If you weren't willing, could I have dragged you here?* Auston grumbled inwardly, but a warm smile spread across his face as he pointed to the wall opposite them. "I don't know either. Perhaps it's because I haven't looked at that photograph with you in a long time, and I couldn't help longing for the past." Hanging on the wall was an enormous wedding portrait: suit and wedding gown snuggled close together. On the long table beneath it sat several small frames capturing precious moments—photos of the two of them, the mother holding her daughter, and the family of three together. The emotional impact was devastating. Xifei's overbearing aura instantly deflated by half. Pressing his advantage, Auston drew closer to his wife and murmured softly, "You haven't been home in so long. Last time you only stopped by briefly and had dinner with Veronica. You have no idea how happy she was that night." "Don't say such things. I know what you're trying to do. I'll make it up to Veronica and love her twice as much from now on. It was my fault, and I will fix it myself." Xifei turned her head aside; playing the emotional card now was too late. "Of course. But if I'm there too, Veronica will surely be even happier." Auston took his wife's hand. She gave a faint tug of resistance, so gentle that it did no justice to her monstrous dragon blood strength. *This is in the bag!* Auston slipped an arm around her delicate shoulders. "I'm overjoyed that you're back, and so is Veronica. I swear I'll treat you both properly from now on. Don't leave. At the very least, come home for dinner every night so Veronica can see you every day." Xifei's fierce demeanor vanished completely. Wasn't the picture Auston painted the very thing she yearned for in her heart? However... "I am now the Church's High Priest. Are you willing to accept that?" "I've thought it through. I shouldn't keep restricting you, nor should I bind you to this house." Auston spoke with deep, heartfelt sincerity. "If my beloved is a wild mare, I will build her a prairie; if my beloved is a bird yearning for freedom, I will plant her a forest." *Is this real? Are you really my husband?* Xifei looked at Auston in astonishment. Seeing his shameless face leaning close once again, she raised a hand and slapped him away. Yep, definitely her husband! "Auston, do you really not care that I work late every night, and you won't nag me endlessly about my faith?" "Never again. I've changed." Auston fished a pendant of the Church of Nature from his breast pocket. "Look, a few years ago I even sponsored the construction of a new stronghold for the Londan branch of the Church of Nature. This is a token gifted to me by the previous High Priest." *I'll believe you one more time!* Xifei nodded. It was genuine—the pendant was real, and his sponsorship was verifiable. Unfortunately, those well-situated strongholds had all been eradicated by the Dark Knight, and due to a lack of manpower, the Church had never rebuilt them. Seeing that her husband truly intended to mend his ways, Xifei decided to show him some favor. Holding hands and the like—she wouldn't hold that against him. *Smack!* "Keep your face away from mine. I only agreed to come back every day no matter how busy I am to spend time with Veronica; I never said I've forgiven you." Xifei shoved the shameless man back. "It doesn't matter, as long as Veronica is happy. She has waited for this day for far too long. I often see her standing by the window, gazing in the direction of Paris." "Stop talking. I'll come home every day." Xifei let out a sigh. Every time her husband brought up Veronica, a pang of guilt inevitably washed over her, leaving her utterly helpless even though she knew he was doing it on purpose. She continued, "Also, things are different now. You must promise me one thing as well." "No problem at all! No matter how harsh the punishment, I'll accept it!" "Spare me your routine." Xifei looked at him with disdain. She used to think it was punishment too, only to realize later that it was a reward to him—the scoundrel was clearly enjoying every second of it. "Then, mistress of the Landau family, do you have any other instructions?" Auston dropped to one knee, taking his wife's hand and planting a gentle kiss on the back of it. "Add another frame over there. We're taking a photo right now." "Certainly. I'll go bring Veronica over right away." Auston gladly agreed. He had been thinking the same thing; it was time for a new family portrait. "And Wayne, too." "..." "Say something!" "I... I suppose... that's not impossible." Auston managed a strained smile, desperately wanting to ask if he could stuff Wayne into a barrel of cement before snapping the picture. Xifei said, "I know you misunderstand Wayne. I did at first too, thinking he approached Veronica out of lust and greed, and that you drove him out of Londan to protect her." *Exactly! Your first impression was spot on! Why did you change your mind?!* "Only later did I realize he isn't that kind of person. He's an exceptional mage who will definitely change the Church of Nature in the future." Xifei believed this wholeheartedly. Recalling the hideous face of Dean Schrödinger, she thought of another possibility: Wayne might change far more than just the Church of Nature. "Understood. I'll go call him over right away." Auston couldn't bear to hear another word. Every praise Xifei heaped upon Wayne made him squirm with discomfort from head to toe. He rose to his feet, closing his eyes to contact Megan the housekeeper while flipping an ancient silver coin deftly between his fingers. "Invite the young lady over. Madam wants to take a family portrait. And the cement barrel—where is he? Bring him along too." "He is in the young lady's house." "..." *Clink!* The ancient silver coin fell to the floor. Auston: (╬ಠ益ಠ) *Good, good! What an 'exceptional mage'! First thing tomorrow morning, I'll have Planck issue a critical condition notice for you! If you don't want to live at the bottom of the river, fine—you can spend the rest of your days rotting peacefully in an asylum!* *And Lily Hayworth—she hasn't called back in so long. Does she not want to make a living in Londan anymore?!*