Tarquin didn''t respond, simply opening the car door and stepping out.


    Lowell couldn''t help but ask the local driver again, "Doesn''t he look just like a girl to you?"


    The driver chuckled and joked, "I wouldn''t say that out loud. Diana hates when people say he looks like a girl. He might just punch you if he heard that."


    Lowellughed along. "It''s just that he''s so good-looking."


    "He takes after his mother," the driver said with a smile. "His mother was very beautiful. Look at his younger brother-he''s a handsome kid, too."


    Lowell nced at the little boy and saw that it was true. Just like Diana, he had delicate features.


    The old man was introducing them to Tarquin. "Mr. Bradford, let me introduce you. This is Diana, and this is his brother, Diaz. They are mountain locals."


    "He''s the little boy I told you about yesterday, the one who studies martial arts with me."


    Tarquin took the initiative. "Hello."


    The two brothers looked at Tarquin-one with a wary gaze, the other with a face full of curiosity.


    Diana''s eagle stood on his shoulder, its sharp eyes just as cautious as its owner''s.


    Diana was handsome, but he was far from approachable. His expression was cold. "Hello."


    Lowell walked over. "That eagle is so cool!"


    Diana nced at him but offered no response. He turned to the old man. "Mr. Sutton, thank you for your trouble. I''lle back to pick him up tonight." After instructing his brother to behave, he mounted his horse and rode off.


    His eagle once again soared into the sky, following him home.


    The old man exined on his behalf, "Don''t mind him. Diana''s just a bit of a loner, but he''s a good person at heart."


    Tarquin shot Lowell a look. Lowell understood instantly and said with a smile, "We don''t mind at all. Tarquin, looks like I''m not needed here today. I think I''ll go have a chat with Diana about his eagle. It''s my first time seeing a real falconer, and I''m fascinated."


    "...Go ahead."


    Lowell turned back to the car and told the driver to follow Diana.


    Noticing he was being followed, Diana stopped by the side of the road, watching Lowell with a wary expression is eagle swooped down tond on his shoulder, its gaze menacing.


    Lowell grinned. "Hey, don''t be nervous. I don''t mean any harm. I''m just really impressed, since it''s my first time seeing a falconer up close. Can I... pet him?" Diana frowned and tly refused. "No."


    Feeling awkward, Lowell pressed on shamelessly. "Can I take a picture then?"


    Diana: "No!"


    Seeing how unapproachable he was, Lowell decided to y his trump card: Evan.


    "My kid, Evan, he''s a couple of years younger than your brother, and he absolutely loves eagles. I''ll just take one quick picture to make him happy, how about it?"


    Diana''s brow furrowed in hesitation for a moment. "Only of the eagle. Not me." Lowell''s face lit up. "No problem!" He quickly pulled out his phone, snapped a picture, and sent it to Evan.


    As expected, Evan didn''t disappoint. A video call came through almost immediately. The first words out of his mouth were, "Mr. Lowell, you met a falconer?"


    Lowell, who had been waiting for this chance to use the kid to break the ice, aimed the camera at Diana and his eagle. "I sure did! Look, how cool is this?"


    "So cool! How does she do that?"


    Diana''s brow tightened, and Lowell''s smile twitched awkwardly. "Whoa, you can''t just say that. This isn''t a ''she,'' it''s a ''he.'' A man."


    Evan was confused. "A man? But he''s so pretty!"


    "He really is a man," Lowell insisted.


    Evan grumbled to himself, *But he looks just like a pretty girl.* Seeing Diana''s displeased expression,


    however, he had the sense to apologize immediately I''m sorry, Diana. You''re just so good-looking, I thought you were an older sister."


    Diana''s lips moved. Looking at the camera, he said, "It''s okay." Perhaps because Evan was so charming, and just a child, his tone was a little gentler when he spoke to him