Chapter 495: A Quick Moment Hallway

The library’s door clicked shut with a muted thud, sealing in the warm glow of the room and the low, murmurous voices of Zarius and Cherion inside.

Reiner stepped back, smoothing down the front of his crisp butler’s coat with meticulous, practiced precision. He let out a quiet exhale, adjusting his posture as he turned toward the corridor.

Standing a few paces away, leaning his broad back against the cold stone wall with his arms crossed over his leather chest-piece, was Ezek. His eyes flicked toward Reiner the moment the door closed, his posture relaxing just a fraction.

"Who sent the letter?" Ezek asked, his deep voice carrying a low, gravelly quietness that barely traveled down the hallway.

Reiner didn’t look directly at him. He adjusted the cuff of his glove, keeping his gaze fixed on the polished runner rug beneath his boots. "Apparently, the letter was from Derrick Avery."

Ezek raised an eyebrow, a faint hum pulling through his chest. "Avery? The one who choked on a piece of cake during the tea party? The one Lord Cherion helped?"

"Yes," Reiner replied softly, his voice even and professional. "That is him."

A faint smile touched his lips as the memory returned to him. It had been quite the incident, the poor man had nearly choked himself senseless over a piece of cake, or biscuit, only for Cherion to come to his rescue without so much as a second thought.

Avery was, in a rather literal sense, indebted to Cherion for his life.

A quiet silence settled between them again. Ezek shifted his weight, his heavy boots making a faint scrape against the floor as he straightened up from the wall.

"Hmm," Ezek grunted, tilting his head slightly. "I wonder what he wants with Lord Cherion now."

"He was writing to express his gratitude," Reiner answered, keeping his eyes fixed straight ahead. "And it seems he invited Lord Cherion to go out for a private tea, or something along those lines. Who knows the exact details."

Ezek scratched the back of his neck, letting out a short, quiet breath. "Hmm. Well, whatever it is, we’ll go with Lord Cherion. Together."

Reiner’s expression remained stiff, though the subtle muscle in his jaw twitched once. "Yes. Together."

Silence stretched out once more, heavy and thick. Reiner stubbornly refused to turn his head. He looked straight past Ezek’s shoulder, his eyes tracing the line of the wooden wall paneling, down toward the floor, anywhere except into Ezeki, persistent gaze.

Ezek watched him for a long moment, taking in the rigid posture, the tight, tidy hair, and the quiet stubbornness of the attendant. A soft, almost silent sigh escaped Ezek’s lips. He stepped an inch closer, his broad shadow falling over Reiner.

"Reiner," Ezek spoke up quietly.

"Yes?" Reiner replied, still looking straight ahead at the wall.

"One day..." Ezek paused, choosing his words carefully. "...if it’s possible... if we aren’t too busy with our work and actually have some time for ourselves... do you want to go out somewhere? Spend some time outside the estate?"

Reiner blinked, his posture stiffening just a fraction before he gave a small, polite nod. "Yes, of course. Lord Cherion has mentioned wanting to visit the central markets before we leave for the South. I am sure he would like it if we all went..."

"No," Ezek interrupted softly, stopping him mid-sentence.

Reiner paused, his lips remaining slightly parted.

"Not with Lord Cherion," Ezek clarified, his tone dropping into a lower, gentler register. "It’s not that I don’t like being around him, but... that’s not what I meant." Ezek stepped closer, catching Reiner’s eye and forcing the butler to stop looking at the floor. "I want to go with you. Only the two of us."

Reiner froze. His breath hitched in his throat, his eyes widening slightly in genuine surprise. He turned his head slowly, finally looking straight at Ezek.

Ezek stood right before him, his dark eyes holding Reiner’s gaze with absolute honesty. Neither of them spoke. Neither of them moved. In the quiet, shadowy hallway outside the library, they simply stood there, looking directly at each other as the grandfather clock ticked on.

Reiner cleared his throat softly, though the sound lacked its usual sharp authority. "Ezek... we have duties to attend to. Lord Cherion and the Duke will be departing for the north soon, and everything..."

"I know," Ezek murmured, his gaze softening just a fraction, though he didn’t pull back an inch. "I’m not asking for today, Reiner. I’m just asking if the answer is yes when the day comes. What do you think about it?"

Reiner swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. He looked up at Ezek’s broad frame, seeing no jest, no teasing, and no casual diversion in the gaurd’s eyes. The stiff wall Reiner usually maintained as guard felt remarkably thin in the corridor.

"I..." Reiner began, his voice barely a breath. He shifted his stance, his gloved fingers tightening slightly around the trim of his sleeve. "I suppose... if the estate affairs are settled and Lord Cherion does not require us... it would not be impossible."

A slow, genuine smile tugged at the corner of Ezek’s lips, warming his rugged features. "That’s enough for me."

Before Reiner could find a way to retreat back into his professional facade, the heavy wooden doors of the library groaned softly as they began to open from the inside.

Instantly, Reiner snapped back into his spotless, straight-backed posture, smoothing his coat with a single, seamless motion. Ezek smoothly took half a step back, folding his arms across his chest with practiced ease, as if the two of them had been standing at absolute attention the entire time.

Cherion was the first to step out into the hallway, holding a folded piece of parchment in his hand. Zarius followed closely behind, his towering presence filling the doorway with quiet authority.

Cherion looked up, his light eyes scanning the hallway before landing on Reiner and Ezek. A faint, knowing smile played on Cherion’s lips as he noticed the slight, lingering stillness between his attendant and the guard.

Of course, Cherion said nothing. Not yet.