David slowly folded the new clothes Liam had gifted him upon becoming his advisor.
It was a dark velvet color with an illusionary sheen. As he rubbed his palm across the fabric, the color shifted, becoming slightly brighter. But when he rubbed it again, it felt as though he was brushing his hand through an animal's coat.
He lifted it carefully and placed it atop his other folded clothes in his traveling bag.
"You ready?" Liam asked, picking up a shrimp from the flower-carved crystal bowl set on his maroon wooden table.
"Yeah." David nodded. "I'll discuss with my wife where we should live next."
"There's no need to worry about the price. I'll take care of it. Just make sure it's close to this area, okay?"
"O…kay." David smiled. "I was planning on doing that."
His gaze drifted toward his room. Due to Liam's short budget, he had to stay in one of Liam's rooms. Despite that, it was probably the most expensive place he had ever lived in.
"I appreciate everything you've done," he said.
Any other noble in this House would have simply had their servants live in a regular servant's quarters—barely better than a peasant's home.
Liam smiled, raising another shrimp and biting into it with a fresh crunch. He was in a good mood.
For the past few days, he had been trying to limit his food intake. But every time he put a fork to a steak, something inside him changed. He ceased to be himself. For a brief moment, he reverted back to whatever he had once been and devoured everything in sight.
And he wouldn't even remember doing it.
However, when the food was in small portions, he could enjoy it as himself—without the blackouts.
"What's your plan after this?" Liam asked.
Being a patient all his life, it felt strange for Liam to have doctors constantly tending to him without speaking much. Instead of waiting for them to start a conversation, he made a habit of hitting them up with small talk first.
"Uhm…" David hesitated, deep in thought. He had always set his sights on working for a noble House. Now that he had achieved that, he realized he hadn't planned beyond it.
"I guess I'll just continue working here."
Liam nodded. But he knew there was more.
If you asked the right questions, even a natural introvert could talk for hours and enjoy it. If you asked the right questions, they would abandon all shame.
Liam took a quick breath, about to ask another question, when David continued.
"I guess I've always wanted to be acknowledged. Ever since school, I enjoyed being respected by my peers. But due to my status, I was never able to get that respect in the workplace." He pressed his lips together, holding something in.
"I will never stop being thankful for the opportunity you've given me, and you'll probably get tired of me saying it. But once again, thank you."
"I'm already tired of it." Liam smirked.
David chuckled, then stood up, grabbing his bag. Before he could reach the door, Sera entered, carrying drinks on a metal tray.
Curiously, there was a letter alongside them.
She placed the tray on the table, picked up the letter, and handed it to David. Then she passed him a glass before walking over to Liam.
David set the glass down and unfolded the letter.
"Tsk." His jaw tightened as he exhaled sharply, shaking his head toward the ceiling light.
Before Sera could leave, closing the door behind her, he stopped her. "Send a quick letter to my wife. I won't be able to visit her."
She nodded before shutting the door.
Liam noticed the shift in his advisor's expression. His gaze lingered on the letter, which David now gripped tightly.
"David? What's wrong?" Liam asked, noticing an unexpected reaction plastered on his face.
David glanced at Liam, lifting the letter slightly. "They…" He let out a bitter, anger-fueled chuckle before shaking his head. "They changed your opponent."
His grip tightened on the paper as he carried his bag back into the room. He sat down in front of Liam once more, handing him the letter.
Liam raised a hand, declining to read it. "I'd rather you just tell me what's the problem."
If they were changing his opponent, it meant there were deeper issues at play.
"Your opponent… is Valen," David said. He clenched his jaw before standing up. "I'll get the House Calculator to overturn this decision."
He turned and exited the room.
Liam's expression brightened.
A fight always brought drama. A fight told a story.
But the only fight he had been in so far was against Jorvik, and that had lasted mere seconds.
He rose from his chair, removing his coat and placing it on the backrest.
In his experience watching MMA matches, the best fights were the close ones. The ones where both men traded blows, where they had to outthink each other at every turn.
Jorvik couldn't give him that fight.
He raised his hand and slammed it down in the air.
That was all it took to beat Jorvik.
But if the records were right, and that Valen is who everyone says he is.
'Perhaps Valen will.' He went in a proper fighting position, not leaving any spots to take advantage of.