Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Chapter 1500: Chapter 78: My Quiet and Fastidious Neighbor

Alexis glanced at Lucimar and followed his lead: ”How do you know this?”

”Ah, my sources are always reliable~” Lucimar said flippantly, ”There’s no maid I can’t handle~”

Alexis looked Lucimar up and down, sizing up this rather handsome middle-aged man, and considering his Ismael surname, it didn’t seem impossible.

”I thought the Stelter Family kept their real secrets well-guarded.” He frowned slightly, then chuckled softly, ”Is it the lady’s personal maid?”

”Hey hey~” Lucimar quickly waved his empty hand, his head shaking along, ”I’m just amorous, not low or immoral!

Even though our relationship with the Stelter Family is lukewarm, we would never harm the younger generation.

Besides, I’d prefer a maid responsible for making beds and arranging curtains over a personal maid~

You know what I mean?

Personal maids are always neat and clean, adhering to the lady’s disposition, be it gentle and approachable or aggressive.

On the other hand, those constantly moving around the castle and meeting guests are the truly standout maids and don’t need to stick to just one style.

Tsk~

By the way, in the Royal Palace, you don’t need to worry about the lady’s image, so the maids are all quite pretty.”

”The truly beautiful ones are the ladies-in-waiting, and they’re not the kind of people you can just approach.” Alexis exhaled slightly, now interested in conversing with Lucimar.

”Hmm?” Lucimar turned to look at him twice, ”Do you have a cleanliness obsession?”

”What do you mean?” Alexis asked puzzledly.

”If the King has been with someone, others can be with them too!” Lucimar said, shamelessly uttering something that made Alexis blink rapidly, ”After all, he favors newness and forgets those he’s been with at once. The strange thing is, he remembers the ones he hasn’t touched.”

”Although the King is... that way, he’s quite generous.” Alexis hesitated for a few seconds, then quickly gathered himself... though his father was indeed disgraceful, outside, he must protect the Royal Family’s image, at least not let people think it’s a den of sin, ”Those ladies-in-waiting can marry with riches later if they wish, and no one can force them.”

”But once they fall, they want to earn more before leaving the palace.” Lucimar shrugged, ”Your father only lets the Queen have children, but it’s after most of you Princes have grown.

After all, a child born of outsiders won’t be recorded in the palace’s Bloodline Magic Circle but~ hey~”

Alexis’s expression turned slightly cold, but he still smiled: ”Ah, I’m not interested in any of this, and I don’t know anything.

Anyway, when the next King ascends, all the ladies-in-waiting and maids in the palace will be replaced, so why fuss over those poor souls?”

Then he quickly shifted the topic back: ”So, Ellie liking the Great Sage Belfran, is it true?

What about the other party...”

”Ah, you see, even my father, who has lovers everywhere, lost much of his flair after becoming a Great Sage.” Lucimar said lightly, ”Otherwise, I wouldn’t be the youngest son, right?

Even the ones who offer themselves, he now chooses carefully! He won’t even glance at those who need coaxing.

If even he’s like that, someone as serious as Mr. Belfran certainly wouldn’t be interested in a little girl.

Heh~ Ellie’s immaturity is written all over her face.”

Alexis didn’t speak again, instead pondering Lucimar’s words... Regardless of whether this mage was truly mad or feigning it, the information revealed was enough for him to consider for a while.

Then he abruptly turned to look at where they had just been.

The constant rumbling sounds explained why Lucimar had suddenly appeared before them.

He couldn’t help but blink, discarding any suspicions that Lucimar might have any intentions toward Ellie.

He looked up at Lucimar with a dazed expression and suddenly recalled his selfish and foolish father’s drunken slip... the Ismael Family is the Danboro Royal Family’s most steadfast ally, as long as they didn’t threaten his life and safety.

Though he didn’t understand how such a bond was forged, Alexis felt slightly relieved... knowing the Stelter Family wasn’t fond of him, he still tried hard to make himself noticed by the Earl, driven by fears for his safety?

With the traditional nobles and the Royal Family officially at odds now, even though he, as a Prince, was the greatest victim, he was still a Danboro.

Who knows if a family might suddenly want to target this Prince alone outside?

The Stelter Family’s neutrality meant at most they wouldn’t cover his retreat.

If someone really wanted to assassinate him, Count Stelter certainly wouldn’t go out of his way to save him.

Fortunately, his probe into Lind was brief, and he provided the Stelter Family with important information, otherwise... he really didn’t know where else he could go!

”We’re here!” Lucimar led him into a small building on Mage’s Avenue.

”Here?” Alexis turned to look at the indistinct white villa nearby, ”Is that... the residence of the Great Sage Belfran?

Are you really this close to him?”

”There’s always someone who doesn’t want a neighbor so powerful that no one can stop them,” Lucimar said, brushing aside a pile of books on the coffee table in the middle of the living room and pointing to the simple blue cloth sofa across him. ”Have a seat~ Don’t worry, although there’s wood in the base, I made it myself, so it’s definitely safe.

Want something to drink? Forget alcohol; these past few days, any mage who sees it might want to puke.”

”You made it yourself?” Alexis smiled as he sat down. ”Ice water will do.”

Lucimar snapped his fingers, and a tray floated over from the room next to the living room with two glasses of ice water on it. ”Then I’ll have ice water too.

The tradition of the Ismael Family is that the furniture you have in your place must be made by yourself, and you can’t buy alchemy products made by others.

Trade is allowed, but only for things you truly can’t make yourself.”

”Didn’t expect Great Sage Ismael to be so strict?” Alexis took a big sip of the ice water on the table.

Lucimar raised an eyebrow as he watched Alexis’ defenseless demeanor. ”Ah, he likes for kids to be self-reliant so that they won’t need his support when they grow older.

We only have inheritance to divide.

But before that, we still get an annuity every year, although without other income, that annuity is simply enough for life.

Mages in alchemy, well~ no amount of money is ever enough, so the kids in the Ismael family are generally quite industrious.”

Just mentioning industriousness, not talents, and only talking about the family’s kids, not the older siblings?

Alexis lowered his eyes slightly and then gave a light-hearted laugh. ”I really think Ellie is quite a good marriage prospect.”

”I thought you’d given up?” Lucimar paused with the cup in his hand.

”Different person, different time,” Alexis said with a bitter smile. ”Back then, Ellie was just one of the many options among my choices, not even the best fit.

But now, she’s the best potential partner I can reach.”

Lucimar frowned, resting his head on the high back of the sofa as he thought for a while before saying, ”Honestly, I don’t think it’s suitable.”

Looking at the surprised Alexis, he continued, ”You’re not wrong that if Ellie takes a liking to you, the Stelter Family wouldn’t stop it. After all, even if you’re not like the legend, marrying you is no longer as dangerous as it used to be... You don’t plan to return to the Royal Capital to meddle in those affairs, right?

But Ellie’s not likely to take a liking to you.”

Alexis asked confusedly, ”Didn’t you say that Great Sage wouldn’t take interest in Ellie?”

”How should I put this...” Lucimar scratched his head. ”Setting aside the matter of power... though Ellie can be a bit scheming, she’s not about to aim so high.

Appearance, demeanor, and charisma are the most crucial things.

Getting her to suddenly lower her standards to your level after being around that face for so long is too much.”

Being referred to as ”your level,” Alexis couldn’t help touching his own face. ”Is that right... I haven’t seen him up close!

Is the difference that big?”

”So, maybe just wait a few years before considering this!” Lucimar kindly suggested.

”Will she really forget in a few years?” Alexis asked with a bitter smile.

”Ah, no!” Lucimar looked at him, surprised. ”I don’t see you being head-over-heels for Ellie at first sight or growing an immense passion later on.

Why do you keep circling around her?

What I meant was that in a few more years, the nobles will have taken their stances, and you can seize the chance to find a suitable family for an arranged marriage.”

”Ah!” Alexis couldn’t help but slump on the sofa, covering half his face with his right hand... How could that be the same?

The information that the wind elemental creature delivered, what exactly did it mean?

The time was too short for him to hear all the messages.

”I’ll try to spend more time with that young lady!” he said softly. ”Even if it still doesn’t work out, at least I tried.

It’s really hard to find a suitable marriage prospect!”

”You people are really strange,” Lucimar shrugged. ”Life is long; why bind yourself with reins?”

Then suddenly, he laughed, ”Of course, if you want to live like your father or mine, then just consider my words as nothing.”

Alexis also couldn’t help laughing, ”Those two are extraordinary individuals with great spirits, not something an ordinary person like me can compare to.”

Lucimar looked at him, ”Are you still planning to stay neighbors with Prince Scaret? Why don’t you move over here?

You can have everything above the third floor to yourself.

This is, after all, the safest place in Basia City... The neighbor next door likes peace and has a bit of a cleanliness obsession.”