Chapter 67
Adrian munched on a small fruit, a book borrowed from the library of Lord Winthrope resting on his lap. The sunlight poured through the window along with a gentle breeze, creating a relaxing atmosphere, one that left Adrian feeling deeply satisfied.
Though, that satisfaction could also be attributed to what had happened last night. Adrian cleared his throat and took a sip of wine, willing those thoughts away lest his calm morning be interrupted by the fire below his belly.
-
The room was hot, almost steaming though he didn’t care about it as he brought himself forward and settled himself on top of her neck, he guided his cock to Lady Theas flush lips, the tip kissed her lips and Lady Thea slightly recovered from being dazed with pleasure.
Her eyes focused to him and then to his cock before opening her mouth wide. The sight of such refined lady opening her mouth to him after he had thoroughly pounded her aroused him even more.
And soon he pushed his cock deeper inside, her tongue squeezed against his shaft and even the feeling of her teeth aroused him, until the tip of his cock hit her throat.
Adrian didn’t know how long he was fucking her in the face before he poured it all down inside her throat.
-
He blinked, the scenes from last night still appeared in his mind, how he had been grinding against Lady Thea, trying all sorts of positions.
In fact, Lady Thea truly seemed to match his own fire, so much so that Adrian started to worry if something had slipped inside and she might get pregnant. Though Lady Thea had reassured him with a satisfied chuckle, he still couldn't help but worry.
Just because he had a child now didn't mean he wanted more children so soon, especially with someone he had no real relationship with. He could only imagine how complicated matters would become if Lady Thea got pregnant.
Would he have to act like a desperate young man, begging her parents for her hand to take responsibility for the child?
He set those matters aside for now. He was past thinking about whether his actions would come back to bite him, right now, he just wanted to enjoy his rest before he had to interact with a bunch of lords and ladies again.
A knock sounded on the door just before it clicked open. Adrian became wary, ensuring he was sitting out of direct view from the doorway as Dexton entered.
"Milord, people from Lord Winthrope have invited you to lunch, if you are able enough. Some servants are here as well to help you if you're not..."
Adrian put down his cup and massaged his temples. "I have to accept this, don't I?"
He knew for a fact they were just being polite. He couldn't deny what was practically an order, especially with the explicit mention of servants. Adrian's lips pursed, and his attention turned toward the closed chest beside the bed, which contained thousands of pounds. He sighed. As the earl was practically the reason he had thousands of gold pounds, he had to show the man respect.
So, with an indignant groan, Adrian stood up and changed his clothes. He made sure to wrap some bandages around his chest, mostly for show, and grabbed a cane to support himself.
"Let's get to it then..."
--
Adrian, with Dexton following closely behind, arrived at a unique garden. It was entirely different from the ones he had seen before, in fact, it resembled a temple of sorts. Inside a pavilion-like structure, he spotted Lord Winthrope seated at a large table overflowing with food.
Surrounding him were multiple lords and ladies. Some were familiar, like Lord Oscar Attareus,
Prince Bennet, and Princess Skyla. Others included Lord Jayson, Lord Corvus Night, and a woman who appeared to be Lord Winthrope’s wife.
Behind his back, Adrian’s hands trembled. He had not expected such a lineup of high-ranking nobility.
He had assumed this would just be a private chat with the earl, perhaps with one or two companions, not this.
But what quickly caught his eye was the only odd person among them. This individual sat to the side, emitting a natural elegance that far outshone the rest. He had long, pale, greenish-blonde hair, and a face that seemed sculpted by the finest hands. It was the most handsome face Adrian had ever seen, and it took him a moment to realize the person was male. He possessed clear, grayish-blue eyes, and protruding from the side of his head were a pair of sharp, elongated ears.
An elf!
A real-life elf!
‘The other races truly exist!’ Adrian thought. It was as if his mind had just opened to a whole new world.
Possibilities he had previously deemed impossible now felt within reach, leaving him to wonder what other secrets this world held.
He must have been gaping and staring too hard, because a chuckle from Lord Jayson broke the silence, prompting Adrian to snap his mouth shut with an audible click.
"Greetings, Lords. Your Grace.." Adrian said, hastily bowing and offering a special greeting to Lord Oscar.
"Lord Harrow, welcome. My apologies for surprising you and bothering you during your rest." Lord Winthrope said.
"With the earl and so many dignitaries before me, it is my honor to be here." Adrian replied. He kept his expression neutral but respectful, keeping his gaze slightly cast downward.
"How is your body, Lord Harrow?" the earl asked.
"Healing, Lord Winthrope," Adrian responded.
It was then that Lord Corvus smiled, lounging casually in his seat. "As expected of the man who beat me." he chuckled. "Lord Adrian Harrow, I would like to take some of your time after this..."
Adrian stiffened slightly. ‘I don’t want to’ he thought, trying to conjure up excuses regarding his injuries. In the end, however, he could only nod.
"Good, then. Do you think you will be able to participate in the final challenge, Lord Harrow?" the earl inquired, while the rest of the table simply watched or remained lost in their own thoughts.
Adrian hesitated. "I would first like to see what my condition is like tomorrow, Lord Winthrope."
The earl laughed. "You are as tough as they say, Lord Harrow. In your own words, you don't go down that easily, right? The kingdom is lucky to have such a ferocious young lord."
Adrian felt a flush of embarrassment at the praise, especially in front of this audience.
He could feel Lord Oscar, the highest-ranking man in the room looking at him up and down. But what he keenly noticed were the elf's glances.
This being was looking at him with narrowed eyes. Adrian wondered what it meant, because the elf definitely weren’t as curious about him as Adrian was about the elf.
"I only did my best." Adrian managed to respond.
The earl exchanged a look with Lord Oscar before finally steering the conversation to the heart of the matter.
"If you are able, Lord Harrow, we plan to form a team to explore an underground area around Creviceton. It will be formed from elite soldiers and, of course, will feature the company of the elves." the earl explained.
"You are not a lord of this region, so we are not forcing you, and this matter does carry some risk... but the group could really use a man of your tenacity."
Adrian was taken aback by the information. His gaze inadvertently flitted back to the elf, who now wore a faint frown as he stared at him.
A small realization dawned on Adrian, this was likely the reason the elves had come here in the first place, to seek help from the nearby lords. But why? What were they looking for in a den of monsters?
"That is... may I ask, what is the purpose of going underground?" Adrian asked hesitantly.
The earl shook his head. "I'm afraid I cannot tell you until you agree to join. You will be greatly rewarded, of course, and we will remember your choice."
The earl's final words carried an ominous undertone, heavily implying that they would remember it if Adrian dared to refuse. Adrian's lip twitched.
"I will take it into great consideration. It is an honor to even be considered for such a group, but I must first make sure my physical condition won't hinder the group instead of helping it..." Adrian managed to give a neutral, diplomatic answer.
"Of course." The earl nodded, the same unreadable smile remaining on his face.
Just as Adrian thought the ordeal was over and that he would have to deal with Lord Corvus next, someone stood up. The sudden movement immediately caught everyone's attention.
It was the elf. Adrian couldn’t begin to guess his age, then again, the elf might be hundreds of years old, making it a guessing game Adrian would never win.
The elf walked around the table and approached him. Adrian tensed, noting that everyone else at the table looked equally puzzled by this sudden action.
Sniff...
Adrian saw the elf’s nose twitch as if catching a scent in the air, as if he were smelling him.
Adrian stood completely still, spine straight, as the elf stopped right at his side, scanning him up and down with a faint frown. Adrian’s gaze swept across the room. The other lords and ladies now wore serious, confused expressions, their eyes darting between the elf and him.
"Are you..." the elf spoke for the first time. Adrian had to admit, even the creature's voice was remarkably clear and smooth but with a strange accent. "Are you human?"
Adrian was so taken aback by the question that his mouth gaped as he stared at the elf. From the corner of his eye, he saw that the others were just as surprised, though they managed to control their expressions much better than he did.
"Of course I am." Adrian responded immediately after recovering his wits. ‘What made you think otherwise?’ he almost blurted out, but he held back, unsure of the proper etiquette when dealing with an elf.
"Friend Sylwen, what do you mean by that? Is... Lord Harrow not human?" Lord Oscar spoke for the first time. His deep voice commanded the room, and through his words, Adrian finally learned the elf's name.
But the prince's question made Adrian tense in more ways than one.
"No... it's..." The elf, Sylwen, tilted his head slightly, looking genuinely confused. "I've never smelled a human so full of... life."
Hearing that, Adrian's heart skipped a beat. ‘No way. Can he actually sense or smell my gift?’
All this time, Adrian had only occasionally wondered how he had come to possess the ability to mend his own body, concluding he would never get real answers.
But was it actually possible to get some answers? He was simultaneously shocked and terrified.
His gift, along with the strange dreams he sometimes had, was his greatest secret, and he absolutely did not want others to discover it. Yet, a deep curiosity stirred within him about the origin of his power, and why he has those strange dreams.