"Waa!~ Davis, you dummy....."
Ellia yelled and then mumbled with a tearful expression on her face.
"Well, I’m sorry, I won’t do it next time. So? Did anything happen while I was away?" Davis chuckled and asked. He was not at all feeling sorry but enjoyed bullying her.
"Other than the fact that you scared the life out of me, nothing important happened..." Ellia glared at him as she pouted.
"Hoho... You are taking care of yourself. Keep up the good work." Davis patted her head.
Ellia evaded his gaze while still pouting.
"Right, don’t forget to practice those battle techniques now and whenever you have the time."
"Mhhmm..." Ellia gave him a noise of acceptance.
======
The following three days, Davis stayed at the Imperial Castle to avoid suspicion during the day and went to the South Gate to spot Harman at night. Unfortunately, Harman still didn’t appear.
Davis guessed that he was probably on his way, so he wasn’t impatient.
Today was the fourth day.
He planned to visit Evelynn a few days ago, so he sent word to the Cauldon Family Manor two days ago to them be prepared, although that wasn’t his intent but done for imperial reasons.
This time, he was accompanied by Ellia and the same elite royal guards who accompanied him last time.
Davis arrived at the Cauldon Family Manor, which he tried to infiltrate four days ago. His goal was to make contact with Evelynn and somehow tell her to meet him at night. He knew that he and Evelynn would not be able to talk to their heart’s content when surrounded by people, so he wanted her to meet him alone.
He got off the carriage only to be greeted by a whole crowd of people who shouted.
"We warmly welcome and pay our respects to the First Prince!"
The whole crowd then systematically bowed.
Davis was flabbergasted as he surveyed the scene. He was again reminded that he was a person of high status.
Being cooped up in the Imperial Castle all day long, reading and learning about cultivation while cultivating left him a bit out of reality.
"Raise your heads," Davis said with a calm face, and although he felt a little awkward, he didn’t let it show on his face.
"Such bearings...."
"Truly a son of heaven..."
"So cute..."
Various murmurs echoed around, but it only made Davis want to hide in a hole.
’I only just acted....’ He thought ruefully.
There was a limit to how much people could bootlick, right?
"Welcome, Crown Prince Davis. My name is Henry Cauldon, an Elder of the Cauldon Family. If you will, please let me show you around the Cauldon Family Manor."
"Alright." Hands behind his back, holding his head straight, Davis replied.
He then followed Henry Cauldon while Ellia and Renard followed him.
They arrived at a hall where many people were gathered. Many had looks of excitement while some were gazing at him calmly.
Davis didn’t take heed to any of the reactions as he quickly got bored but looked around to admire the architecture of the manor. He just sat down on a chair without greeting anybody here while Ellia and Renard stood behind him.
Some people who didn’t like his arrogance narrowed their eyes, yet they couldn’t possibly question the Crown Prince, could they?
"Let me get to the point, I announced two days ago that I would personally visit Cauldon Family, but my purpose here was to meet Miss Evelynn. So, where is she?" Davis scanned around and adopted an arrogant young master’s attitude.
Hearing that, some people were overjoyed while some others frowned.
The people who were happy were all Elders. They thought that the Crown Prince was finally smitten with the beauty of their Young Mistress. They were afraid since a year ago when the prince said it was fine for her to back out of the marriage, especially after a year passed with no news of the Imperial Family saying anything about it.
But, it now looked like there was no need to think like that.
All who frowned were young, young enough to make many mistakes. They didn’t seem to like the tone of the haughty prince. Even though their family was using Evelynn like a tradable item, she was still immensely beautiful in their eyes.
So some of them were jealous of giving her to him as a concubine even though they don’t have a chance to be with the Young Mistress of their family in the first place.
Although most of them were Cauldon Family members, some of them were not directly related, meaning they could marry each other as long as the elders accepted.
"Haha, the Prince is sure eager to meet our Young Mistress." A random elder shook his head.
"She will be here soon. No need to fret, Crown Prince Davis." An old woman added, and her robe indicated that she was also an elder.
Davis nodded his head as he inwardly tried to measure their strengths.
’One or two of the elders definitely have a big presence... They must be at the Fourth Stage, maybe at the Peak-Level...’
He thought while he felt the pressing need to appear forceful and arrogant. Otherwise, people wouldn’t seriously consider his words, especially looking at his age and his childish yet attractive face that perfectly suited a future silk pants image.
A group of young people suddenly clamored. Everyone turned around their head to see a beautiful woman walking towards them, followed by a maidservant.
Davis’s jaw almost dropped, but his mouth was slightly agape, ’Damn! What a vixen!’
If a mosquito was present beside him, perhaps it would have a chance of going into his mouth.
Evelynn looked like an enchantress with her seductive figure. She wore a bright purple sleeveless cheongsam which accentuated her curves. Her cleavage was slightly visible as a triangular-shaped cut was present on her dress. Her long green hair reached her waist, and her side hair had been tied up in a small bun behind her head.
Davis automatically stood up like a man who has been smitten and arrived in front of her to greet.
"I hope you’ve been well, Miss Evelynn." He clasped his hands.
"Prince Davis is too caring. I’ve been well from the time you left after seeing me last time." Bowing her head slightly, Evelynn responded with an indifferent voice.
"Haha, I see." Davis chuckled awkwardly.
’Mhm? The way she said it, there seems to be a hidden meaning behind it...’ He slightly thought though he couldn’t tell if her meaning was positive or negative.
After that, everyone took their seats on the dining tables, respectively, leaving the two who were engaged to their devices.
Davis and Evelynn were seated opposite each other on the same table. There was a huge feast prepared for everyone to munch on, so they more or less only had their eyes on them while their mouths to the front.
"Miss Evelynn, today I came especially here to see you."
Seeing that it was abnormally silent at their table, he started the conversation.
"See me? You flatter me, Prince Davis."
Miss Evelynn still replied indifferently. However, when her luscious lips moved, it was as if a spell was cast on him.
"Yes, truth be told. I thought of you many times after that day we last met..."
Davis told the truth in all honesty as he did think about her from time to time.
’Those peaks... cough, that beautiful lazy eyes, and her seductive voice....’
"Haha, the prince sure can joke around." Evelynn rolled her eyes as she said nonchalantly.
Davis made a wry expression on his face.
His ’compliments’ probing was done, and he now knew that he somehow made this woman angry.
Time passed as the two finished eating in this awkward atmosphere. No one disturbed them, but they were just listening to their conversation silently.
The two of them exchanged a few pleasantries from time to time, but the conversation didn’t seem to be progressing anywhere, especially with Evelynn taking a defensive stance.
’Mhm... Even an idiot can tell that she is angry with something. Did I offend her? When did I do that?’ Davis ruefully thought as he contemplated.
He already thought of the matter where he left her alone for a year without giving any word, but surely, she would not expect word from a child less than ten years old, right?
In fact, with all the work piled on him, he expected her to send him a letter or something, saying that she wants to decline the marriage or something, but nothing came to him.
To him right now, she was not a priority. But to the future him where he wished for a family, she was a priority. That’s why until he stacked and built a certain amount of cultivation, he didn’t go see her.