The Eldest Young Lady of the Montelli Family
The next day, on a street in Ragunna City.
Kexi walked ahead, with Aemeath following behind.
After a night's rest, she looked much better than she had the night before, though the wariness in her golden eyes hadn't diminished one bit.
"Hey, where are you taking me? You're not going to sell me, are you?" Aemeath watched Kexi navigate the streets with practiced ease, and the more she watched, the more suspicious he seemed.
"Of course not. How could I bear to? I'd sooner sell myself than sell you."
"Tch." Aemeath turned her head away.
"I'm taking you to meet the family."
Aemeath's steps faltered, and a flicker of confusion crossed her golden eyes.
Family? What family? Whose family? Before she could ask, Kexi had stopped in front of an imposing gate.
The Montelli Family's gate in this world was far grander than he had imagined. The two black-lacquered wooden doors stood twice a man's height, and a gilded plaque bearing the word "Montelli" hung above them.
Two guards in matching uniforms stood at the entrance, long sabers at their waists and their eyes fixed straight ahead.
Kexi straightened his clothes and strode toward the entrance.
"Stop." Both guards raised their hands at once, blocking his way. "Who are you? This is the Montelli Family. No outsiders allowed."
Kexi's mouth twitched, and he silently stepped back.
"I'm Kexi. You've heard of me, haven't you?"
The two guards shook their heads in perfect unison and answered as one, like a pair of recordings: "Never heard of you."
Kexi took a deep breath and let it out before continuing.
"Kexi Montelli. I'm your young master."
The guards looked him up and down. He wore gray cloth clothes, with an unremarkable long sword at his waist, and a girl in a white leather outfit followed behind him.
He looked nothing like the young master they had imagined.
One guard snorted and folded his arms. "You say you're the young master? Our young master went off to study under an immortal more than ten years ago. Stop lying. We can't even count how many people like you have pretended to be our young master, trying to sneak into the Montelli Family and swindle food and drink."
The other guard jerked his chin to the side. "See that guy lying over there? That's what happens."
Kexi followed his gaze. At the foot of the wall beside the gate, a young man lay sprawled out, his face bruised and swollen. He was still muttering things like "I really am your young master" and "Why don't you believe me?"
"What the hell?" Kexi felt a vein throbbing at his temple.
He had imagined countless ways his return to the Montelli Family might go-a touching reunion, a joyous embrace, perhaps even a lavish family feast.
He had never expected that the hardest hurdle would be proving who he was.
"How dare you impersonate our young master? You really have a death wish. Men, get him." At the guard's call, another four or five saber-wielding guards poured out from inside.
Kexi stepped half a pace back, shielding Aemeath behind him with one hand while the other settled on the hilt of his sword.
His voice was calm as his gaze swept over the guards. "I advise you not to make a move. I really am your young master."
"What's going on?"
A voice came from inside the gate. The crisp, rhythmic click of high heels on the stone paving drew closer.
A girl less than 1.5 meters tall emerged from behind the gate. She wore a lavish Western-style dress with layers of skirts and patent-leather high heels. Standing beneath the portico, she gave the gathering at the gate a cool look.
"Second young lady." The guard immediately bowed. "Another person pretending to be our young master has shown up. We're dealing with him."
"Oh." Carlotta nodded and turned to leave, her skirts sweeping in a graceful arc. "Make sure you clean up properly. Don't dirty the ground in front of the gate."
"Yes."
Kexi's eyes lit up at the sight of the familiar figure. He hadn't expected Carlotta to exist in this world too.
"Second Sister!" Kexi called after the girl, who was less than 1.5 meters tall. "It's me! Me, Kexi!"
Carlotta stopped.
She slowly turned around, lifted her skirts, and walked down the steps. Stopping in front of Kexi, she tilted her head up and studied his face.
Her gaze was composed, as if she were inspecting merchandise.
"What proof do you have that you're Kexi?"
"I'll give you one sentence." She held up one finger, her tone haughty.
Kexi froze for a moment. His brain raced, and then his eyes lit up. He spoke excitedly:
"I know, I know-
The sexiest part of your whole body is right above your butt-"
Carlotta's expression changed instantly, her haughtiness turning to alarm.
She rose on tiptoe and clapped a hand over Kexi's mouth, nearly pushing his head into the doorframe with the force of it.
"All right, don't say it! I believe you're him."
Kexi looked down at her with a beaming smile, a trace of joy at their long-awaited reunion in his voice. "Hehe, Second Sister, I didn't expect to see you here."
Carlotta let go and stepped back twice. She straightened her skirts and regained her dignified, haughty bearing.
She glanced at the guards by the gate, who still had their sabers raised and didn't know whether to put them away. "Put them all away," she said evenly.
The guards exchanged looks, but obediently sheathed their sabers and returned to their posts.
Carlotta's gaze passed over Kexi's shoulder and landed on the girl with long pink hair behind him. One eyebrow rose slightly.
"Why did you only come back now? Who's that behind you, your junior sister?"
"Her? She's my wife."
"Like hell I'm your wife! He's my enemy!" Aemeath immediately retorted.
"Your wife?" Carlotta looked at Aemeath, then at Kexi, a somewhat strange look in her eyes.
"I think I'd better take you to see Eldest Sister first." Carlotta gave Kexi a look that said, I'll deal with your mess later.
Kexi came to an abrupt halt.
His grin gave way to pure confusion.
"Eldest Sister? Since when did I have an eldest sister?"
He had only one elder brother, and Carlotta herself had sent that brother away not long ago.
He didn't remember ever having an eldest sister in this world, or in any world, for that matter.
"I think you really have gone stupid, forgetting even Eldest Sister." Carlotta continued ahead without looking back, a trace of disdain in her voice. "You'll see her in a moment."
"Oh." Kexi asked no more questions, but he was still puzzled.
As they walked, he quietly took Aemeath's hand.
Mmm. So soft.
Aemeath tried to shake him off, but couldn't. She snorted and turned her face away.
Carlotta pushed open the door to the sitting room.
Beneath a magnificent chandelier, a woman in a splendid long dress stood with her back to the door.
She slowly turned around, and her gaze met Kexi's.
Kexi's jaw dropped.