Chapter 283 - Romance Novels?

Walking in Misses Wood's house for a cup of tea, the first thing Stefan was able to notice is how warm it is here. I mean, the fifth month just started and although still muddy due to the intense cold, it still is warm here.

Yet, the Fireplace is lit and providing so much heat that it felt like a pan hit his face as he entered. Apart from the heat, he took a glance at misses Wood and she did quite an introduction.

"Aldo? Is that you?" She asked, once getting a slight view at Stefan. Perhaps the fact that both her son and Stefan have black hair, has made her think so?

"No Misses Wood, he is one of the newcomers." Walking towards her and giving a couple of light kisses on the cheek, she added. "He will be joining us for tea today. And he loves books, so maybe you two will get along."

Afterwards, Dea turned her attention towards Stefan and gestured him to come closer. But already noticed the displeased look on his face, he keeps waving the bottom of his long sleeved shirt.

Understanding the problem, Dea decided to clear it out. "I'm sorry if it gets too hot for you, misses Wood doesn't have much Tolerance towards cold weather."

"Oh don't worry about that, I can get used to it." Stefan refused to complain and summoned a smile back on his face.

Feeling a bit heart warmed that she is showing this much extensive care to someone she has absolutely no relation too, but being neighbours. Stefan felt touched and he would grab his heart too, but causing a little scene is the last thing he wants to do in front of people he just met.

It yet takes time for him to open up completely, by opening up he mostly complains but stoll. Taking that point in to consideration, Stefan who used to run his mouth up and down Lan Zhe complaining, isn't complaining here for the sake of two reasons which don't need description. I think we should see this act as tremendously sweet, fighting one's nature is hard.

"I thought you were my son, my apologies. You look a lot more handsome than he does, isn't that right Dea?" Well of course that's where the topic would have led. Undoubtedly she doesn't hate her sons, but she is cooking up something new here.

Trying not to panic, and pinning back the banter to these two ladies after with a little sentence. "Oh I'm sure they are a lot more handsome." And to cause a bit of atmosphere with followed smiles and small laughter, he asked. "Right Dea?"

"Well at least we know that he is smart." Dea thought to herself as she felt satisfaction to know a man who isn't an absolute buffon.

However, by word she expressed. "They are alright, but they are dumb as a board." She added with a little smirk, not just because she partially won this conversation but also because she indirectly stated what she values.

But yet again to make sure that no one gets offended here, she directed the conversation towards Misses Wood by asking. "No offense too you Misses Wood."

To grand a lot more humour to this conversation, she replied with. "I should have let a Horse kick me when I had the chance."

Dea started giggling and Stefan started pushing his tongue against the roof of his teeth to hold in his laughter, unlike Dea if he starts laughing a lot more people will hear it. Last thing he wants to do is laugh like a mad man here.

But at the same time it is also sad, she has so much love for her sons yet she is regretting not getting them aborted. Of course, dependable abortion tools aren't common here but a kick by a Horse would do the trick. She is of course basing it on a couple of past events that ladies older than her had the displeasure of experiencing.

"You're a funny person Misses Wood." Stefan couldn't help complimenting, and indirectly quoted her sons next. "Why wouldn't anyone not want to spend more time with you?"

"Oh I suppose it is a long story." Misses Wood answered, able to catch up with what this young man had to say. "My sons have different priorities now. They are married and have kids, they live in Pameres Kingdom too."

"Oh that's tough, I was told by King Michael that it takes about a week to get there on foot." Now that the conversation has been told towards royalty, the conversation shifted a bit even though Stefan just intended to make her feel better. But is it something that Misses Wood hasn't heard before? Well no quite.

"So you know King Michael?" She asked in curiosity as the light in her eyes started shinning, stereotypically older generations like connecting their younger generations with people containing some sort of power.

But odd enough the conversation and goals here turned a lot more different than expected, Misses Wood wasn't trying for Dea anymore. Even with her tone becoming more life like, she immediately added. "Can you help me meet him?"

"I can try for you Misses Wood but is it important?" Asked Stefan feeling bewildered and at some point weirded out, but mostly he tried to figure out where she wants to go with this conversation.

"I wanted to ask you about it, but I intend to ask him for some books." She finally cleared it out, giving Dea's first few words once she entered here a lot more sense.

Feeling a bit shocked at the result and in some ways expecting the worse, he went towards the topic that interested him the most. "You can read and Write?"

"Well... no, my sons can but I don't know how to do either of them." Understanding where the next question might possibly lead, she of course depends on the most valued person for her in this room. "But Dea will read them for me."

"Oh so Dea can read and write?" Now he just faced internal satisfaction, and showed it with a smile too. Its one thing that she is kind, but educated too? At this rate it sounds too good to be true.

"Yes. Dea is the smartest girl in all of Ignis." Misses Wood clearly exaggerated once she remembered what her first goal was.

"Well, in that case. Why don't you two stay here and I'll go ask King Michael what books I can borrow from him for you." Afterwards he stood up with a smile, turned towards Dea and requested. "Please keep the tea warm, it smells delicious."

Naturally he would use this opportunity to tag Dea along and show her how much he has read, to come out as smart. But King Michael portrays himself as quite strict when his unique extensive Library is a topic. The last thing Chan wants to do is bring someone he just met to that Library.

...

"Common!! She is an old lady and she wants to read... Well listen." Starting to argue with himself in nothing but a blink, he added. "Well I don't think she could see those little letters."

"Stefan!" King Michael snapped his fingers after to grab his attention, after he swallowed the chunk of Barramundi fish meat on his plate. "I can't just give my hand written books to anyone, I still have second thoughts about giving them to you!" King Michael carries a point, why wouldn't someone be protective about books?

Stefan rushed in while they were eating, luckily they've just started and there are no maids around. Well I don't think that would be a problem, they do clean the shelves after all.

Seeing that there is a little bit of a misunderstanding here, he decided to clear it out. "No no no, I don't mean the ones you wrote. I mean the other ones that just have romance stories, I'm sure she would love them."

"You've touched my Romance section?" He asked in a bit of rage, but then remembered that there is a lady in here too. Well he has bonded a nice friendship with her so far but last thing he wanted anyone in general to know is that he is attached to love stories. It would feel weird, because outside he doesn't really show affection towards any woman. "I mean, how did those get in there?"

"Well common, they will return these Romance books... I still don't know how you got them in the first place since they aren't based on ill.u.s.tratios but..." Stefan started arguing with himself again, trying to part things together obviously at the wrong time.

Until, King Michael interrupted again. "Just take them, but they better not be damaged a month later."

"Don't worry about it, no one would be careless with Royal property." Answered Stefan and tip toed his way out of here and said. "Thank you." Before he left through the door.

"So... Romance novels ha?" Asked Alama, avoiding eye contact and keeping a smirk on her face as she used her knife to cut a piece of meat.

"Haha... well...."