Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight

Rune put his mask back on, revealing a gentle expression, placed his right hand on his chest, and bowed slightly.

Princess Lana.

Rune's voice was calm and respectful, as if the person who had just shown disgust towards Balbro's back was not him at all.

"Princess Lana is joking. Prince Balbro is a generous and forthright man, and he is also your elder brother. How could he be a fool?"

Lana chuckled softly, like a wind chime being twirled in a gentle breeze, clear and melodious.

She took a step forward, getting closer to Rune.

“It’s alright, Rune,” Lana said gently. “You don’t need to put on an act in front of me. I want to make things easier for Rune.”

As she spoke, she stood on tiptoe, reached out, and touched Rune's cheek.

That hand was fair and slender, with a faint pink tinge at the fingertips.

Rune dodged to the side.

The movement was small, yet swift and decisive. Lana's hand hovered in mid-air, her fingertips less than an inch from his face.

Lana withdrew her hand. Her eyelashes drooped, casting a small shadow on her eyelids, and her lips were slightly pursed.

Anyone who saw that appearance would feel pity.

"Didn't Rune say that he would grant me one request if I helped him?" She raised her eyelids, her deep blue eyes filled with a hint of grievance.

Rune's expression remained unchanged.

“Your Highness, I will naturally fulfill my promise.” His tone was businesslike. “But is Your Highness sure you intend to use it in this kind of place?”

Lana blinked, and her initial hurt slowly transformed into something deeper.

"Does Rune not even agree to this small request of mine?"

She looked even more pitiful. Her eyelashes trembled slightly, as if she were holding back something, and her fingers gently twisted the hem of her skirt, her knuckles turning slightly white.

Rune sighed inwardly.

He knew, of course, that this woman was a master actress, but if the stalemate continued, and some passing servant saw them, who knew what outrageous rumors would spread.

Moreover, Lana was actually willing to use that promise for such a small matter.

Makes a killing.

“In that case,” Rune said, bowing slightly. “Your Highness, please proceed.”

Lana's eyes lit up. She stood on tiptoe again and reached out her hand.

The moment my fingertips touched Rune's cheek, it felt cool and soft, like a snowflake falling on his skin.

Then, Rune saw Lana's crumbling smile.

'West... West Mata.'

Rune's back instantly broke out in a cold sweat.

Just then, a calm voice came from the other end of the corridor.

"Brother, what are you doing?"

Rune's body stiffened. The pressure was even greater than when he faced Sebastian, surging up from the base of his spine and straight to the top of his head.

He mechanically turned his head little by little.

Silk stood at the end of the corridor.

She smiled and looked this way.

He had a kind face.

Chapter 74 Tina

The Francia Palace can be roughly divided into three buildings, the largest of which is the residence of the royal family.

Si was standing at the end of a corridor on one side of the building.

The pale red dress accentuated her slender waistline, and her long golden hair was carefully gathered to one side, falling over her shoulder and revealing a section of her fair neck.

Judging by appearance alone, you would never guess that this is the captain of a steel-level adventurer squad.

She looked exactly like a noble lady.

But at this moment, a smile graced that delicate face.

The curve of her lips was perfect, and her eyes even held a hint of gentleness. But as Rune looked at that smile, cold sweat soaked through his inner shirt.

Although it wasn't true, Rune felt that he looked a bit like a brother who was secretly dating his sister's best friend.

"Silk, no... it's not what you think."

Rune spoke, his voice drier than he had expected.

"That's not how it works."

Lana's voice rang out first.

Rune turned to look at her.

Lana's lower lip trembled slightly, but she quickly pursed it. She lowered her head, her gaze falling on the floor in front of her, looking utterly endearing.

"It's because..." Her voice trailed off, "...because...I helped out...that's why I did it..."

She raised her eyes, her deep blue eyes filled with a hint of grievance, as if she had been misunderstood, yet dared not speak out in defense.

Yes, that's it... no, that's not right.

Rune stared at Lana in shock.

Is that how you explain it?

Although it was indeed the truth, this kind of euphemistic writing, coupled with Lana's timid and aggrieved expression, made the situation seem very different.

Doesn't that make him sound even more like the scumbag who threatened his sister's best friend?

Before Rune could even defend himself, the silk had already moved.

Her steps were slow, even elegant, with her skirt drawing a smooth arc in the air.

Then, a seemingly powerful and heavy iron fist of justice landed precisely on Rune.

Hey.

It doesn't seem to hurt.

The thought flashed through Rune's mind.

But in just a moment, his body reacted correctly.

He bent over, clutching the spot where he had been hit, his face contorted into a mask of pain.

'She was my brother's darling when we were little, is this how you treat him now?'

He silently condemned it in his heart.

Si didn't look at him again. She reached out and naturally took Lana's arm, her smile returning to its gentle and graceful state, as if the punch had never happened.

"Your Highness, let's go inside."

"Ah."

Lana responded softly, letting Silk hold her arm, and turned to walk towards the tea room, but before turning around, she gave Rune a meaningful smile.

Rune, bent over and still in that badly injured position, watched the two girls' figures disappear behind the door of the room.

A pale red skirt and long golden hair flashed by the door.

He straightened up.

A faint, elegant voice drifted from the room, responding with the same gentle tone as Lana. The atmosphere was as if nothing had happened.

Rune stood still for a moment.

Then he started walking towards the room.

Rune pushed open the door.

The moment the door opened, the entire scene inside the tea room was revealed to him.

Sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting large, bright patches of light on the terrazzo floor.

Two blonde women sat at a round table by the window; Sis wore a pale red dress, and Lana wore a light blue gown. The aroma of tea wafted through the air, the sunlight was perfect, and the scene was as elegant as an oil painting.

But the atmosphere was somewhat awkward.

Lana sat opposite Si, her face bearing that standard innocent smile. Si also smiled, but the fingers holding her teacup tightened slightly, her knuckles turning a barely perceptible white.

Clearly, the conversation between the two before Rune came in wasn't as harmonious as Rune had overheard from outside.

Upon seeing Rune enter,

Lana's voice was just the right amount of gentleness, and her deep blue eyes curved into a beautiful arc.

She pointed to the chair to her right, "Rune, please sit here."

Rune's gaze fell on the chair.

There are five chairs around the round table.

There is a teacup in front of Lana, there is a teacup in front of Si, and there is also an empty teacup in front of the seat to Lana's right.

But besides that, there was also a teacup on the seat next to Si.

There are four in total.

There is one more person.

Rune's senses had already detected it the moment the door opened.

In the shadows of the corner of the room, there was a faint presence, deliberately suppressed, like a lurking cat.

'This must be Tina.'

Why is it that my senses fail me when I'm with my own younger sister?

Rune was somewhat frustrated.