Arrangements For The Future
Jien sighed in relief upon entering his room again. He had made it through the day's events in one piece and even found some moments to read, though not as many as he would like. As he made his way into his room, he put the stack of books on his desk and started to remove his suit. It was only when he heard a slight rustle of cloth and a short giggle that he turned around to find Anuva, his summoned demon, or perhaps demoness would be a better term.
She was sitting on his bed with her legs crossed elegantly while watching Jien with a smile. It wasn't apparent what she was giggling about but she cleared up that question with her first words. "It sounded like the adults were planning something interesting. I couldn't comprehend what the words they spoke actually meant but I smelled the mischief on them, those that were in the room when you awoke included."
Her eyes seemed to blaze with a certain mirth when she thought back on it. She noticed that the adults made it so that none of the children would notice but she wasn't one of the children. She noticed their slightly devious smiles and the glint in their eyes. She looked forward to seeing what it is that they had been discussing so seriously. Just her excitement regarding the topic had made Jien feel a bit concerned.
From as far back as he could remember his father was never a schemer. Even in his business relationships he treated his morals and rules as if they were a knight's code of honor. He couldn't even seem to imagine his father with a devious smirk on his lips. Runa was always sweet, almost like a doting older sister to the greatest extent. The only smile he could envision on her lips was a genuine smile of happiness and love that she gave both him and his father. He could to an extent see a business smile but for Lord Losler that was fairly par for the course, for Runa even her business smile was pretty genuine.
At the end of the day, he didn't know whether to take Anuva's words seriously, but he decided to keep it in the back of his mind and wait for the answer. More importantly he had to focus on how his arrangements would have to change. Anuva was here currently not because she couldn't be elsewhere but because it was her duty to watch over him. He hadn't negotiated this with her and he wasn't sure how he would be handling this point.
He sighed in a slightly exhausted tone. "Thank you for the warning. I will keep my eyes and ears open but first we need to figure out a living arrangement. Since you wish to stay in such a form rather than something more compact or in line with the other demon's standards, I can provide a room next to mine for you to stay in." This was his first offer. He felt that a room next to his would allow her to act quickly enough and not need to be in his space but was quickly rebutted.
"I won't need a room to myself. I can't abandon my duty due to how our contract was written. As such I will remain by your side to ensure your safety and be at your service at any time." With that said she stood from his bed and sat in the reading chair in the corner of the room before waving a finger lightly. One of the books atop the pile that Jien had brought in flew over to her hand and she flipped it to the first page. Though she did not know the language she didn't even furrow her brows, only paying half attention to the book for a moment. "You needn't worry. I won't disturb your sleep and I need no light to be able to see."
Jien, feeling a headache forming decided to let this pass for the night. He was exhausted and still had to see to his guests in the morning before they would be heading out. He undressed before putting on some simple pajamas and then crawled into bed. Once he was comfortable Anuva raised her hand once again and the lights faded from the lamps and the heavy curtains closed silently to block out the morning light. Only her glowing flame like eyes remained dimly lit as she focused on the book sitting on her lap.
Jien woke bright and early the next morning according to what his usual training schedule directed. Today he wouldn't train until after the guests had left and he wasn't even sure what Mark and Emily had planned for him after yesterday. Honestly, he was more than a little scared of what kind of training they would think of given his struggle in the long-range fight with Lesley. He hoped that it wouldn't be too drastic.
What he didn't expect was that after washing and dressing for breakfast with the guests, despite the early hour he was the last one to arrive. Everyone was seated in the seats previously assigned yesterday and were chatting while drinking morning coffee or tea. When Jien entered, they all turned toward him and said their greetings which he returned politely while seeking his seat. Anuva stood to the back of his seat like a personal attendant, her expression neutral.
Once Jien was seated properly Lord Losler stood up and addressed everyone present. "Thank you all for joining Jien and I on this wondrous occasion. Before we eat myself and your parents would like to announce an arrangement we have come to in the hopes of bettering all of your futures."