"Please, come in first."
Bellemere's words eased the awkwardness between Ace and Sabo.
Under Bellemere's guidance, they filed into the house.
Bellemere's home was quite large, with a footprint of nearly two hundred square meters. It was a two-story detached house. The first floor combined the living room, kitchen, and study, separated only by simple bookshelves filled with all kinds of books.
There was even a long rifle and a nicked saber hanging from a display rack. They appeared to be weapons Belmer had once used during her time in the Marines.
Although the house occupied a large area, its furnishings were not extravagant. The furniture in the living room was all made of unfinished wood, with rough craftsmanship and only a layer of clear varnish to protect it from rot.
Gentle sunlight streamed in from outside, giving the wood-toned living room a warm feeling. Freshly picked oranges sat on the small square table in the room, their colors vivid, while a faint scent of firewood lingered in the air.
Ace gave the living room a quick once-over and had already formed a basic impression of Belmer's financial situation.
In Cocoyasi Village, Belmer definitely could not be considered poor.
But she was far from wealthy, too.
In a small village like this, land was actually the cheapest kind of property. Back on Mount Colubo, where Ace and Sabo had once lived, they could have claimed as much land as they wanted for a house, and no one would have cared.
"What would you two like to drink?"
"Why not try some of our tea?"
"It tastes pretty good."
Bellemere led Ace and Sabo into the living room and seated them around the square table. She was quite polite, which only made Ace and Sabo feel more restrained.
"Then we'll trouble