Chapter 53: Calling Names

"They aren't dear, never look at dark sorcerers the same way you look as humans. They were the one who was ready to cast away their humanity for the exchange for their power." His scarlet eyes glistened for a moment before it darkened when he added. "A person who is ready to cast away their humanity for the sake of power are never a human anymore. The opposite way could also be said, that's why they never look at other humans with any mercy."

Elise said nothing, her blue eyes stared again at the portrait of the happy family who had once lived in the house. Like her who had lost her family to dark sorcerers, she knew best than any others how painful it is to lose her family and felt sympathy to all the people who lived in the house.

Ian brushed his scarlet gaze toward Elise. He knew that the girl was a gentle one, seeing this must have pulled some horrible memory that she buried deep down with her smile. He didn't meant to do so, but he knew better how her work in the Church later would be far dangerous than this. He would rather teach the girl what she needed to know than having her harmed by some unnamed creatures. He placed his hand over the wall, searching for the tiniest clues that could easily be passed by the humans and bent to see the wooden floors of the house. With Elise by his side who had been walking around to find if there was something odd, they stayed at the house for a while.

Finding nothing Ian flapped his palms to brush off the dusts that stayed on his black leathered gloves and stated. "Since there are nothing out of place here, let's go to a different place."

Seeing there wasn't any place they missed Elise agreed with his thought and nodded. She ascended her chin seeing the footsteps made by them and walked out when suddenly two men stopped by the entrance, wanting to enter and passed by them face to face.

"What a coincidence, out of all the houses in this town, we met again Lord Ian." Edward said as he entered the house, his figure was taller than what Elise thought at first, perhaps it was because at their first meeting she hadn't take a better look at the man. Beside him, a different man appeared and like Edward, he was a vampire with a brighter red eyes. "Good evening Lord Ian." Ian bowed to his greetings slightly. Frankly Ian wasn't a person who want to entertain the vampire who had his eyes on Elise.

"It seems so." Ian replied, having his grin mocking on the young vampire. "Have you finished scouting the rest of the house? Very capable aren't you?" In his words, the sarcasm was clear as the sky in Runalia.

"No, no, not as much as you, my lord." Edward spoke lightly. "Lady Elise, I see that you were here too. Did you perhaps found any clue?"

Elise wondered why he would ask her when he should have asked Ian who was far more keener than her but thought it in a positive way. "No we were about to move on to the forest." Elise spoke out and excuse herself.

"I will not dwell any longer to block your ways then, please." Edward said, extending his hand in a matter of politeness. The young vampire reeked of a womanizer, Ian thought. Judging from his way of talking and cutting off distance with women made it an evident prove of how he is used to talking or perhaps escorting woman. Not that he cared about how much women he had seduced but what he found displeased was the fact that the vampire had laid his target on Elise.

Placing a hand over Elise's shoulder, Ian smirked to inclined his head and spoke. "Be careful of your steps, dear. Due to how close this town is to the forest, there are too many tedious pest that would bother you." Elise felt his hand and had her heartstring pulled by his light gesture.

Edward smiled back but only both of the men knew how they found each other as an eyesore. Ian's face had the same smirk that didn't fade but he looked somewhat displeased to Elise. Exiting the house, he heard him speaking again. "That Young man." He started.

"Mr. Harland?" Elise named and saw Ian nodding faintly. He reached out his hand brushing Elise's burning red hair and tuck a few strands of hair behind her ears. At first she though Ian to be a person who isn't not fond of psychical contact due to Mila's words but it seemed that rule was wrong as Ian had always rubbed her head and hair gently. The small gesture made her heart leap and bounced but the same couldn't be said to Ian. It made her wondered what Ian saw her as. The same child that he saved from the slavery building? Or just as a new maid? Or as a woman?

To her, She had seen him different like her childhood. She saw him as a man, a kind man who was also charming on his own way and she wished him to look at her the same way as how she gazed at him.

"That was what he named." He hummed, "What did you two talked about? You looked happy before, it's a pity that I've never seen such a smile from you." He spoke with a little disappointment visible.

"That wasn't it!" Elise quickly retorted before she realized what she had just denied aloud. She didn't want Ian to misunderstand her and whispered. "We didn't talk too much. I was smiling because- because Master Ian called me by my name earlier in the mansion." Realizing what she said aloud, she didn't dare to look back directly at Ian's gaze who had been waiting for her to continue her words. Their steps grew deeper to the forest, Elise who hadn't been looking at the path that they took finally be are conscious of the fact that they were alone together in the forest with only trees and wild flowers to surround the spot where they stood at.

"That's true." He whispered with a very faint chuckle. The displeasing feeling that lingered in his heart a moment ago flew away from the adorable reaction that Elise gave. He didn't expected just by calling her name, she would gave her wide smile that simply. "Would you like it better for me to call you by your name directly?"

Elise turned her face, placing a hand indirectly to feel her heart hammering aloud from his words. She stepped a little further from him, looking down on her boots and sheepishly replied in a low tone. "I would like it better if you do so, master Ian."

She knew that for the Lord to pay attention to her or look at her as a woman would be asking for the moon. But she had fallen for him, deeper than she ever thought. Although calling names may not be that much of a deal but for her it felt as though Ian finally looking and her and she hoped that he will looked at her as a woman.

Ian unexpectedly let out a chuckle, he grinned and when Elise looked up her blue eyes fluttered over the delighted chuckle that painted over his charming face. "Elise." He called her name with the deep tone that felt warm and ticklish to her ears.