As they strolled through the courtyard, voices echoed faintly off the stone walls. Then, from across the path, a figure approached with a radiant smile.
"Viscount Liraeth."
The man's voice was warm and confident. He was young, strikingly handsome, his golden hair gleaming under the sunlight like a crown, and his blue eyes sharp yet inviting. His steps carried the ease of one born to nobility.
Liraeth's expression shifted into one of polite acknowledgment. "Ah, isn't this the empire's most famous young hero, Lord Lucian Arden, heir of House Arden."
Lucian chuckled, lifting a hand in mock protest. "You speak too highly of me, my lady. Fame clings to me only because of my grandfather's shadow. Without him, I'd be just another knight swinging a sword."
Liraeth shook her head, her tone light yet firm. "You are too modest, young Heir Arden. No one can deny the weight of your own deeds. Your victories at the border have already become songs sung by soldiers."
