Chapter 165: VOL 3 - 3: Long time no see, Desmond.
In the middle of the main hall of Sigrún's mansion, Erik was sitting on one of the beautiful sofas, calmly drinking tea and occasionally eating cookies at a leisurely pace as he read a book. Seraphina stood behind him with a beautiful smile on her face and an elegant bearing, almost like his loyal shadow.
Soon after, guided by one of the mansion's employees, a young man entered the hall with a firm, upright stride, giving off an impression of strict rectitude and discipline. The young man wore the university's uniform, which contrasted with his smooth, black skin, highlighting his well-defined features—especially his pronounced jaw and his thick, well-shaped eyebrows over his large, grayish eyes.
"Long time no see, Desmond."
Upon seeing Desmond arrive, Erik put his book away into his storage ring and stood up from his chair, then walked up to him and extended his right hand for a handshake. Desmond responded by firmly shaking Erik's hand, then greeted him with a serious expression and his characteristic dignified, elegant tone.
"It's a pleasure to meet you again, fellow disciple Erik. I apologize for my prolonged absence; I've had to deal with several pressing matters."
"Don't worry about that. I heard it was family business, so there's nothing to apologize for. Come in and have something to drink."
Speaking cordially, Erik let go of Desmond's hand and pointed to the sofa across from the one he had been sitting on, then walked back to his own sofa and sat down while Desmond took the seat Erik had indicated. This initiated a somewhat informal conversation about current events and minor topics, almost like an extended greeting.
Meanwhile, Seraphina moved quickly with a refined and measured style, serving them tea and placing delicious pastries on the table. Both Erik and Desmond took one while they chatted about random things. But shortly afterward, Erik suddenly commented with a calm smile while looking Desmond in the eyes.
"But I have to say it truly was a surprise when my master told me you wanted to meet with me. It inevitably makes me wonder: why the sudden interest? What could have attracted my distant 'older brother'?"
Erik's remark brought a small, almost imperceptible ironic smile to Desmond's face, but he quickly concealed it and prepared to speak about the main matter at hand in a serious tone, also finding the pointless small talk a bit tedious.
"Although I really did want to see how you were doing, given that I haven't been at the university much these past years, the main reason I came to see you so urgently is because of an errand my family entrusted to me. They want to know if you'd be willing to make a deal regarding your patents."