'Have it your way then!'
Lensa thought and cast her ability. In the next moment, a distinct mana pulse was felt in the surroundings as a series of ice lens systems was created over Lensa's head in the air. The lenses started making sharp creaking noises as they were charged with light element mana all at once.
"This is…"
Regan gulped empty air and looked at the source of the threatening mana pulse that was floating above Lensa's head. He cursed Sienna for messing with someone like this elf. Someone who had the power to take care of him and all the others he was with while still being an Ace rank.
"Wait!"
Regan finally decided to interfere directly. He looked at Lensa carefully while keeping tabs on the ticking time bomb she had created before asking her.
"Who are you?"
Sienna wanted to say something to Lensa and all her other companions. But Regan shushed her by putting pressure on her. His job was to keep Sienna safe. And Lensa's ability was too dangerous to consider her as someone ordinary.
Lensa stared at Regan with a frown on her face. She then glanced at Sienna, who looked a bit troubled at the time. The elf prodigy then glanced around and narrowed her eyes while replying.
"Oh? Now, do you want to know about me? After finding out that I am not so easy to deal with?
I'm guessing that this miss of yours is used to causing trouble. That's why so many retainers have been assigned to her.
Sienna Slughorn, huh? Hm? Wait a minute!"
Lensa suddenly had a surprised look on her face as she looked at Sienna with newfound curiosity. Although she hadn't watched the clip, she was aware of the conspiracy that surrounded her.
It was later established through multiple whitewashes from Hour Slughorn that the clip with Sienna in it was fake. But that didn't help Sienna from getting forgotten in people's minds.
"You mean the Sienna Slughorn that was rumored to be part of…"
Regan's stress lines increased when he realized that Lensa had connected the dots and recognized Sienna for the scandal she was part of. It was his responsibility not to mess with the illusion spell that was cast on her. He had to make sure she wasn't explicitly reminded of the events that had happened to her.
So he coughed before cutting Lensa's speech.
"Um… yeah. The keyword is "rumored" to be, young miss. Can we talk about your identity now?"
Sienna was very puzzled when she heard the talks between Regan and Lensa. She didn't know what they were talking about. But by this point, she had regained her cool. She had also come to realize that Lensa had a superior ability in her arsenal that made even her guard Regan nervous. So she decided to heed Regan's advice and stopped trying to spew venom toward Lensa with her mouth. At least for now.
Lensa canceled the activation of her ability when she saw that Regan had backed away. She still was not pacified. But she wasn't a conflict-seeking person either. So she decided to give her name.
"I am Lensa Carren from the city of Silvermoon."
Lensa said simply. However, her words were loud in Regan's ears. He looked at Lensa incredulously before looking at the young girl from his own house who needed his assistance in almost everything.
'This… this fucking brat is always trying to create trouble for the entire Slughorn house. It's like someone has assigned her with a sacrilegious mission to dig the graves of herself and those who support her with her own hands.'
Regan cursed Sienna when he heard the word Carren from Lensa's statement. He then cursed his luck for having to take care of such a pampered child in an adult's body.
Regan felt like an elephant was sitting on his chest. However, he was glad that things hadn't gotten worse yet.
'Lensa Carren… Lensa Carren… Lensa Carren… where have I heard this name?'
Sienna mumbled Lensa's name to herself before getting puzzled by it. It took her a while to remember a particular conversation she had way back with Ken and his "friend" at the time.
Ken's friend, who she didn't bother to remember the name of, told her about this name. He had told her that Ken was now engaged to this elf girl, making her drop the idea of having Ken to herself.
"You… so you are that bitch who slept with Ken and trapped him!"
Sienna couldn't help feeling a sudden burst of anger when she realized Lensa's identity. Ken was going to be her prized possession. His family's status would have helped her strengthen her own position in both the Houses, giving her even more power to do whatever she wanted to do.
Unlike Lensa who was running away from political marriages, Sienna was all for it. But all her plans to bring these two Houses together were ruined by the elf girl who was in front of her.
Lensa looked extremely angry. Regan was stunned by Sienna's words, which made him tongue-tied more than ever. The rankers surrounding them were just as confused by the developments.
It was Sienna who decided to speak up.
"Ken still belongs to me, you bitch. You better forget all about him and look for someone else to satisfy your kinks. I'm all that he needs when he finishes his on-field assignment."
Lensa was taken aback by Sienna's words before a smile appeared on her face. This bratty girl had given her the reason she had been looking for a very long time.
"Hehehe! Take him. I don't want him anyway. Hehehe! Just take him."
Lensa couldn't help chuckling while replying to Sienna. With this, she had the perfect excuse to turn down her political marriage– blatant claims of this kind from another renowned House in the kingdom.
Sienna suddenly felt something was off. She wasn't expecting Lensa to come on board with her wishes so easily. It was as if Lensa had been running away from Ken all along. Even she was beginning to question claiming him for her own ends.
Then she heard Lensa chuckle and assumed that she was mocking her. She couldn't help but throw another challenge at her.
"You are laughing now. But let me assure you that you and your clan need to pay the price of your arrogance. House Slughorn would never…"
"Enough…"
Regan finally yelled at Sienna with his crazy eyes. The latter could see that they were turning bloodshot while feeling overwhelmed by his aura. The old man was finally angry at her. Alas, it was too late.
"Oh yeah? Now that it has come to that, I don't want your apology, Sienna. Not anymore. House Carren will deal with House Slughorn in its own way. Consider Ken as my parting gift for what you and your clan are about to face."
Lensa spoke calmly. Then she started walking toward the teleportation array without any fear of the rankers who were surrounding her. Regan watched Lensa walk away from them and couldn't help laughing bitterly. A strained relationship between the two Houses was inevitable with today's events.
