Sona

When Jia Ruo entered Lady Lesthara's Mansion in a tuxedo and top hat, with Neeko on his arm, he really did look like a gentleman.

It was just getting dark, and Lady Lesthara's dinner party had yet to begin. The guests were all sitting in the reception room, chatting.

Jia Ruo and Neeko found a spot in the reception room and sat down.

"Aw, this is so good."

Neeko made no effort to hide what she was doing. She picked up one of the delicate pastries on the table and popped it into her mouth.

"Neeko, please try to act like a lady."

Neeko's antics drew sidelong glances from quite a few guests, and Jia Ruo hurriedly reminded her.

"Mm, you people are such a hassle. You love talking in circles, and you have so many rules."

Neeko puffed out her cheeks, but obediently lowered her voice.

Jia Ruo reached out and wiped the corner of Neeko's mouth. "Can't be helped. That's just the cultural traditions of different races. Humans may have lots of rules, but they make delicious food, too."

Nearby, Lyle picked up a wineglass from the table and took a sip of the wine.

After calming Neeko down, Jia Ruo perked up his ears and eavesdropped on the guests around them.

"Have you heard? Lady Lesthara was kidnapped by a band of brigands this time because one of her own servants betrayed her. Apparently, it was a retainer she had taken in."

"That's right. The man was Ionian, too. Fortunately, nothing too serious happened, and Lady Lesthara made it back safely. Otherwise, how would our council explain it to Demacia? You know how much they care about their nobles."

The council members are here, too? Lady Lesthara must have quite a lot of influence. Jia Ruo pretended to sip his wine as he thought to himself.

As time passed, Jia Ruo gradually figured out who the guests in the reception room were. Most were influential figures from Placidium, while a few were compatriots of Lady Lesthara—Demacians who had come to Ionia for business or travel.

Lady Lesthara certainly had a wide circle of connections.

It made sense. She was a noble, she was wealthy, and she loved doing good deeds. Of course she was popular.

"Ding, ding, ding."

A clear, crisp sound rang through the reception room.

The host of the banquet had tapped a spoon against a wineglass.

Lady Lesthara wore a splendid dark-purple gown, and her makeup was elegant.

When she saw the guests turn toward her, she cleared her throat. "Honored guests, thank you all for attending my dinner party. It is an honor for me, Lestara Buvelle, to have you here."

Lady Lesthara bowed slightly.

"As I'm sure you've heard, I encountered a bit of trouble a few days ago. It was thanks to the timely arrival of several peacekeepers from the Hall of Tranquility that I was rescued. Tonight's dinner is my chance to introduce the three heroes who came to my aid."

Lady Lesthara had already spotted Jia Ruo, Neeko, and Lyle. She beckoned them over.

He hadn't expected this.

Jia Ruo gave a wry smile. He'd never been in the spotlight like this before.

But he couldn't go against Lady Lesthara's wishes, so he took Neeko by the hand and walked over with Lyle.

"These are the three heroes."

Lady Lesthara introduced them to the guests with a smile.

The old butler stood behind Jia Ruo and lightly nudged him with an elbow, indicating that it was his turn to say a few words.

"Uh... This is simply part of our duties at the Hall of Tranquility. Lady Lesthara gives us too much credit. We'll continue working hard to protect the peace and safety of Ionia."

Put on the spot, Jia Ruo managed to squeeze out a few perfunctory words.

But the guests seemed to appreciate his speech, and they applauded enthusiastically.

"All right, let the dinner party begin."

At Lady Lesthara's signal, everyone entered the banquet hall, which had been decorated for the occasion.

The banquet offered a wide variety of food, from desserts and meat to fruit, vegetables, and drinks.

Everything was neatly arranged on plates for the guests to serve themselves.

As the person Lady Lesthara had singled out for an introduction, Jia Ruo attracted plenty of attention once the banquet began.

Quite a few guests came over to talk to him, but most offered polite praise about his promise at such a young age, mainly to show consideration for Lady Lesthara.

Suddenly, Lady Lesthara walked over with a glass in her hand. A flash of blue followed the hem of her dark-purple gown: her daughter.

"Jia Ruo, allow me to introduce myself properly. I'm Lestara Buvelle, a member of the Buvelle Family of Demacia. This is my daughter, Sona Buvelle."

Jia Ruo's pupils contracted. The Virtuoso—Sona?

"You might think I'm being overly formal, but in Demacian noble society, a detailed introduction is expected at a formal first meeting."

Jia Ruo came back to his senses and hurriedly held out his hand, shaking hands gently with Lady Lesthara and then Sona.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both. I'm Jia Ruo, a newly appointed peacekeeper at the Hall of Tranquility."

"You've adapted to this kind of social setting rather quickly."

Lady Lesthara smiled.

"Let's not stand around here. We can find a place to sit and talk."

The four of them sat down at a small round table.

"Jia Ruo, would you be interested in becoming my bodyguard? Salary won't be an issue. To be honest, I admire you."

Lady Lesthara set down her glass. "I saw how you handled yourself that day. You were quick and decisive. And you're young, which means you have plenty of energy and potential."

"But it also means I lack experience and polish."

"There's no need to be modest. That incident really did remind me to pay more attention to my safety. Don't worry about Master Percy. If you agree, I'll take care of the rest."

"Thank you, Lady Lesthara, but I'd rather stay at the Hall of Tranquility."

His master had specifically arranged for him to train there.

"That's a shame, but I can't force you."

Lady Lesthara looked disappointed.

"Then let's talk about something more pleasant. Let me tell you a little about my daughter. You've been sneaking glances at her since earlier. That's not very gentlemanly of you."

"Ahem, Lady Lesthara, I was just..."

"There's no need to explain. I was young once, too."

Lady Lesthara's smile turned mischievous.

No, you really have it wrong this time.

Jia Ruo thought to himself. Although Sona's faint blush was certainly captivating, and Neeko had even stepped on his foot when no one was looking, he really was only curious about Sona's background.

The Virtuoso—where was her instrument?