Chapter 79: No Time to Rest
The rhythmic clatter of the train wheels accompanied our journey to Blackmore Mansion. I was seated with Marius, Julius, Milly, and Aisha. The air was lively, but as always, Marius couldn’t help but crack joke after joke.
"Haha! And then the goblin said—" Marius burst into laughter at his own punchline.
I chuckled politely, though his humor didn’t quite resonate with me. Beside him, Milly was laughing just as loudly, seemingly enjoying his jokes far more than I did.
"You two seem to be on the same wavelength," I remarked with a grin, glancing at Milly.
Meanwhile, Aisha, ever the calm presence, tried to soothe Milly as she clutched her sides from laughing too hard. Julius, on the other hand, looked like he was still acclimating to the group’s dynamic, offering a small, hesitant smile.
Hours later, the imposing gates of Blackmore Mansion loomed before us. As they creaked open, Milly and I were the first to disembark. A row of maids awaited us with perfect postures, their uniforms pristine against the afternoon light.
Among them, I spotted my personal maids—Elan, Vivin, and Mia. Their faces lit up when they saw me.
"Naoki-sama, you’ve grown so strong!" Elan exclaimed warmly.
"Yes, look at your aura! It’s more commanding than ever," Mia added, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
I smiled at Mia. "And you’ve grown taller! You’ve clearly been thriving under Elan and Vivin’s training."
"Hehe, thank you, Naoki-sama. I can’t wait to show you how much I’ve improved!" Mia’s enthusiasm was infectious.