Julian walked through the rear garden of the main residence to get to the training ground. It was a shortcut he frequently used to avoid eyes.
It was also the way Lady Ashford used whenever she felt like sneaking out. Julian was on his way to his office when he heard chattering among the knights.
"Did you see that? I'm telling you there is something going on between them" said a knight with enthusiastic spirits.
"I don't think so. They've known each other since they were kids" replied another knight with a shrug as if he was skeptical.
"That's precisely my point. They understand each other"
"I just don't see it. Besides, she's scary"
Julian came to a halt and started listening to their conversation. He could guess who they were gossipping about.
"I know right. Beauty on the outside and a maniac beast on the inside. Did you hear her laughing at the bandits last night?" said a knight feeling goosebumps.
"Honestly I felt creeped out" shivered another one, thinking back to the previous day's events.
"I'm telling you they have chemistry. Chemistry I say" continued the Knight who started the conversation.
Julian let out a heavy sigh on hearing their conversation. The pillar he was standing behind completely concealed him from the front. It felt ridiculous for him to hear such gossips.
Right when he was about to cut in, Riven came striding towards them with an annoyed face.
"You guys have so much free time in your hands to be discussing Chemistry, eh?" he said with a grin.
"Sir Riven!"
The knights flinched at the sound of Riven's voice.
They slowly turned around to find him walking in their direction with a wooden sword in his hands.
Riven stopped three steps away from them. He stood with his sword leaning on his shoulder and looked at the Knights with cold eyes.
The Knights felt a chill go down their spine. Nevertheless, they tried to pull him into their gossip talk.
"Sir Riven, what do you think about Lady Angelica and Sir Julian. Don't they have good chemistry?" A brave Knight said with an excited voice.
"That's right! They make a wonderful pair" said another Knight. The other Knights nodded in agreement.
'Are they crazy?' Riven's face distorted from hearing such absurd things from the apprentice knights.
"So from what I can see, the four of you ditched training to be here standing by the shade and gossip about the Lady?"
The Knights gulped at hearing his words.
"Did you say Chemistry? If you are interested in chemistry shouldn't you be studying alchemy or perhaps........" he dragged and continued with an evil grin,
".....necromancy"
"Maybe I should introduce you lot to Master Gilbert. He would be delighted to have volunteers for test subjects"
The Knights felt their blood run cold from hearing their words.
Axel Gilbert, also known as Master Gilbert or the Conjurer is a well-acclaimed alchemist in his late seventies. He was well known across the continent for his love for alchemy and the lengths he would go for it.
Gilbert works in a laboratory in the capital which allows no entry to any human beings. His interactions are restricted to his assistants, a dwarf, and a cat beastmen. He was a colleague of the late Count Ashford and also the primary tutor of the Ashford siblings. This meant that he frequented the Ashford residence on a timely basis.
In recent years, there were rumors going around stating his interest in necromancy and skinning people alive.
"We're sorry Sir!" the Knights pleaded in unison. They clung to Riven with teary faces.
"Let go of me" Riven slapped their hands away.
"We would never repeat this"
"Run twenty laps around the field for wasting time"
"Twenty?!"
"Stop talking and start running"
'Anything other than being skinned alive' The Knight's throttled away as they whined.
Julian came out of the shadows and put a hand on Riven's shoulders. The knights he had just chased away were the apprentice Knights under his mentorship. They were a part of yesterday's mission to simply observe and gain field experience. Instead of training, they were busy gossiping. He felt like he was mentoring a bunch of five-year-olds than actual Knights.
"You have it rough too Riven" Julian gave Riven a friendly pat.
"Ha! Tell me about it. I now know how you feel babysitting Lady Angelica" Riven sighed. He had noticed Julian standing behind the pillar and listening in right from the start.
"By the way, what do you think about it?" He asked in a playful tone.
"Chemistry between the future Captain of the Ashford Knights and the Lady of the house. Such a scandal....ho ho ho"
"No" replied Julian in a definite voice.
"I value my life"
Julian remembered the scene of the four-year-old Angelica kicking down a statue ten times her size. He had witnessed it when he was on her way to answer the Count's summon.
Julian was walking along the pathway near the pond when he saw her searching for something. He remembered watching her wave at him with a snake in her hands.
'That has been forever imprinted in my memory' Julian massaged his throbbing head.
That day he was assigned as Angelica's escort knight even though he was just an apprentice at the time.
"Agreed" smirked Riven, understanding the turmoil within Julian's mind.
The duo left the training ground and went to their respective stations.