The room settled down after the earlier excitement of the heroes'' introduction, but Javier''s annoyance was just starting. One of the summoned heroes, a tall man with an overly confident air, swaggered over to Liana, a charming smile on his face.


    "Well, hello there," the hero began, his tone dripping with arrogance. "I couldn''t help but notice you from across the room. Surely, someone as beautiful as you deserves more than being a mere maid."


    Liana kept herposure, offering only a polite smile. "I appreciate your words, but I have no interest in rtionships or anything of the sort. If you''ll excuse me, I must attend to my duties."


    Instead of taking the hint, the hero leaned in closer. "Aw,e on now. Don''t be like that. Surely you can spare a moment for a guy like me? I''m one of the summoned heroes, after all."


    Liana''s smile faded, and her difort grew more apparent. Javier eyes narrowed, irritation shing across his face. He mmed his book shut with a sharp sound, catching the attention of his brothers, Marcellus and Cedric, who were chatting near the front.


    They exchanged nces, immediately sensing the tension.@@novelbin@@


    "Oi," Marcellus called out, his voice sharp as he and Cedric moved toward the hero. Without hesitation, they each grabbed the man by the shoulders, their grips firm.


    "What the—?" the hero began to protest, but Cedric cut him off with a tight-lipped smile that didn''t reach his eyes.


    "Our maid," Cedric said, his voice deceptively calm, "is busy."


    "And she works for the Armand Household," Marcellus added, his tone carrying a warning. "You should respect her position. And while you''re at it, maybe focus on leveling up instead of flirting."


    They didn''t wait for a response, dragging the hero away from Liana with ease.


    Javier watched the scene unfold with a satisfied smirk. "Good riddance," he muttered under his breath.


    Outside the ssroom, Marcellus and Cedric dragged the hero into the corridor, their typicallyid-back expressions reced by grim intensity. The summoned hero, clearly confused and reeling from their sudden intervention, attempted to defend himself.


    "Hey, what''s your problem?" he snapped, trying to wriggle free from their iron grips. "I was just being friendly!"


    Marcellus shot him a sharp re, his usual smile nowhere in sight. "Friendly? Don''t give me that nonsense." His voice was cold and unwavering. "You were pestering someone who clearly wasn''t interested. You should know your ce."


    Cedric chimed in, his tone biting. "If you try that kind of stunt again, we won''t hesitate to leave this so-called hero party. And when that happens, you can go crying to ''your'' king and beg him to appoint someone else to babysit you."


    The hero''s defiance faltered under theirbined re. "It wasn''t that serious! She''s just a maid—"


    Before he could finish, Marcellus leaned in, his voice low and dangerous. "She''s a member of our household, and that alone makes her more important than you''ll ever be. Don''t forget it."


    Cedric stepped closer, his expression deadly serious. "Don''t try to take advantage of our household, you little punk. We''ve been protecting your sorry ass this entire mission, and don''t think for a second we can''t stop."


    The hero gulped, the weight of their words finally sinking in.


    Marcellus released him with a shove, dusting off his hands as if the mere act of holding onto him had sullied his gloves. "Get your act together and focus on what you were summoned to do. Next time, there won''t be a warning."


    Cedric smirked, his tone mockingly light. "And if you''re smart, you''ll keep your distance from anyone connected to the Armand household."


    With that, the two brothers turned on their heels, leaving the hero standing there, pale and shaken.


    As they walked back toward the ssroom, Cedric let out a low chuckle. "Honestly, why do we always end up babysitting idiots like them?"


    Marcellus grinned, his mood lightening. "Think of it as training for dealing with political pests. Besides, it''s kinda fun putting them in their ce."


    As the two brothers strolled back into the ssroom, Cedric let out an exasperated groan, running a hand through his hair.


    "Ugh! Brother, I hate this job," he muttered, irritation palpable.


    Marcellus sighed, rolling his shoulders as if trying to shrug off the weight of their responsibility. "Do you think I like it?" he shot back, his voiceced with equal frustration. "If it weren''t for Father insisting we ''help'' because it was ''requested'' by the king, do you think I''d be here?"


    Cedric snorted, crossing his arms. "Right? The king can ask all he wants, but honestly, I''d rather be back home. Rxing. Maybe enjoying a nice ss of wine while feeling the breeze on the terrace."


    Marcellus grinned slightly at the thought, his usual charm creeping back into his expression. "Oh, absolutely. Home is so much better. No clueless heroes. No annoying pests trying to impress us. Just peace and quiet."


    Cedric chuckled. "And our wine selection? So much better than this watered-down life on the road."


    The two exchanged a knowing look, their brotherly bond evident in their shared disdain for their current task. Despite their grumbling, there was an unspoken understanding—they were here because they were needed, and their father, Lord Garius, trusted them to handle it.


    "Well, let''s just get through this, and maybe we can convince Father to let us stay home next time," Marcellus said, his voice carrying a hint of hope.


    "Hah, good luck with that," Cedric replied, smirking. "You know how he is. Strict, serious, and always nning something. We''re stuck until this ''mission'' is over."


    Marcellus let out a resigned sigh. "Yeah, you''re probably right. Let''s just make sure these so-called heroes don''t embarrass us any more than they already have."


    "Agreed," Cedric said, his voice dry. "But if they step out of line again, I''m not holding back."


    Marcellus chuckled. "I''ll be right there with you."


    "Achooooo!!"


    Lord Garius rubbed his nose irritably, ncing around his study as if searching for an unseen culprit. "Ugh! Someone''s talking about me behind my back again."


    Francesca, seated gracefully on a nearby chaise, looked up from her embroidery. "Are you alright, dear?" she asked, her warm brown eyes filled with gentle concern.


    "I''m fine," Garius grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "But for the past week, I swear someone has been gossiping about me nonstop. I can feel it!"


    Francesca stifled a chuckle, setting her embroidery aside. "By the way, dear..."


    "Hmm?" Garius hummed, raising an eyebrow at her change in tone. Read exclusive adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Why did you force Marcellus and Cedric to take on that job for your ''friend''?" she asked, emphasizing the word with an arched brow.


    Garius smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Ah, you mean the king?"


    Francesca gave a knowing nod. "Yes, the king. Was it really necessary? They were already busy enough."


    "It''s for their growth," Garius replied with a casual shrug. "They need the experience to level up more. Babysitting those summoned heroes is a perfect excuse to test their patience and skills."


    Francesca sighed, shaking her head. "Haaa... dear, really? You could have just sent Hesbeirn or Alf."


    A sly grin spread across Garius''s face. "Well... there''s more to it, but it''s not something I n to reveal just yet."


    Before Francesca could press him further, the door opened, and Alf stepped inside with his usualposed demeanor. "My lord, the demon territory representative has arrived and wishes to meet with you to discuss the peace agreement."


    Garius groaned, slumping back in his chair. "Again? Haaa... why is it always me handling these things?"


    Francesca let out a softugh, standing up and cing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Because you''re the only one who can, dear. Now go and be the responsible lord you always are."


    "Tch. Responsible, my foot," Garius muttered under his breath as he stood, straightening his coat. Alf raised an eyebrow but said nothing, holding the door open as Garius trudged out, mutteringints about diplomacy and demon politics.


    ( End of Chapter )