Ren stood before a massive iron gate, his expression frozen somewhere between disbelief and awe.

He blinked once. Twice.

"So when I said I wanted to meet Anna," he muttered under his breath, "this isn't exactly what I expected."

The gate loomed like a relic from a different era — intricate vines carved into black metal, the initials M.M. etched elegantly at its center. Beyond it stretched a path lined with white roses and marble statues that led toward a sprawling European-style mansion.

It looked like the kind of place only nobles or old money would live in.

And in this case, it was exactly that

The Morgenstern family — one of the founding lineages of Norbata. Old wealth. Old power. A name people only whispered with a strange mix of envy and respect. They'd moved from the continent generations ago and still competed on equal ground with giants like the Lans and Asashis, not in the guild business but rather dealing with market and monster raw materials.

Ren ran a hand through his hair, feeling completely out of place. "When she said her family's house was a bit big, I thought she meant, like, two floors… not an entire estate."

The gate creaked open with a deep metallic groan.

And then he saw her.

A blur of silver pigtails and fluttering skirt came running down the path toward him.

"Anna?"

Before he could take another breath, she was sprinting at full speed — her voice echoing, "Ren!"

Several maids trailed behind her, trying desperately to catch up.

"Milady, please wait!" one of them shouted. "We can bring him to your room, don't—!"

But Anna didn't listen.

She ran like someone who hadn't seen sunlight in years and had just spotted her first glimpse of warmth. Her slippers clacked against the stone, her hair bounced wildly, and she didn't even stop when the maids started to wheeze from exhaustion.

By the time she reached Ren, she bent over with her hands on her knees, gasping for air. "Ren… welcome… to my home."

Ren blinked. "Home? This can barely be called a home. It's a palace."

Anna straightened up with a small, sheepish smile. "Yeah, well… I'm somewhat rich."

Ren squinted. "Somewhat?"

She laughed nervously, brushing hair from her face as the maids finally caught up, looking ready to collapse.

"Young Lady," one panted, "you shouldn't have run like that! We could have escorted your guest properly!"

"It's fine," Anna said quickly, waving them off. "I'll do it myself. You can all return to your duties."

The maids exchanged worried glances but bowed reluctantly. "As you wish, Milady."

Ren raised an eyebrow. "You're awfully bossy today."

"I have to be, otherwise they won't leave us alone." she replied, grabbing his hand with surprising force. "Come on."

Before he could protest, she was already dragging him past the fountain and through the massive oak doors.

Ren let himself be pulled along, still looking around in disbelief.

The garden they passed through was ridiculously elegant — trimmed hedges, carefully arranged marble statues, and a small pond filled with exotic fishes.

"This is insane," he murmured, his eyes darting from one extravagant detail to another. "Why are all the girls I meet like this? The Lan family's castle and now this? Do rich girls have a secret club I don't know about that is dedicated to meet me?"

Anna gave him a playful glance, as she was reminded what Ren is here for. "Would you like to have some food, Ren?"

"Depends. I don't really want to eat anything heavy right now."

She giggled and tightened her hold on his hand. "Got it. I will ask them to make something light and deliver it to my room."

Ren genuinely felt that it must be nice to have maids cooking home-cooked food, instead of a family that always ordered slightly processed meals from outside.

Inside, the mansion was even more impressive.

Crystal chandeliers. Velvet carpets. Oil paintings that looked centuries old. Every inch screamed luxury, but Anna didn't stop for him to admire any of it.

Ren barely had time to take off his shoes before she pulled him up a grand staircase and down a long hallway lined with portraits of solemn-faced ancestors.

"Anna," he said between steps, "you're acting like we're running from something."

She didn't answer, only quickened her pace.

When they reached a door near the end of the corridor, she opened it hurriedly, pushed him inside, and closed it behind them with a soft click.

Her shoulders slumped as she leaned against the door. "Finally."

Ren sat on the edge of her bed, glancing around the spacious room — pastel walls, curtains of royal blue, and shelves lined with books and glass figurines. "You know, I didn't realize I'd need a map just to visit you."

Anna smiled faintly, still catching her breath. "Sorry. I just didn't want anyone to make a scene."

"Scene?" Ren tilted his head. "Am I not supposed to be here?"

Her eyes widened, and she shook her head quickly. "No! It's not that. You're welcome here. I just… didn't want my family to make things awkward. You know how families can be."

Ren studied her expression for a moment. "So they don't know I'm here?"

"They'll know soon enough," she sighed. "But I wanted to talk to you first."

He leaned back slightly. "Talk, huh? That's new."

She gave him a pout. "You make it sound like I never talk."

"You usually don't talk much."

Anna folded her arms, pretending to be offended, but a smile tugged at her lips. "That's because I don't enjoy small talks with people I don't care about. I do care about you so I want to talk lots and lots with you/"

Ren chuckled. "Fair enough."

For a moment, they just looked at each other — the tension from before fading into something lighter, softer.

Anna tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I… might have been too excited to see you."

"Excited enough to run through your garden like a wild animal?"

"Exactly like that." She laughed, though her cheeks flushed slightly. "I couldn't sleep last night. I kept thinking about you coming here."

Ren raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Really," she said, meeting his eyes. "I wanted everything to be perfect."

He smirked. "You succeeded. I almost passed out from the shock."

She gave him a playful push. "Don't tease me."

"I'm serious," he said softly. "It's nice… seeing you like this."

Her smile softened. "And you. You look tired, though. Have you been overworking yourself again?"

Ren shrugged. "You could say that. I am little tired because of what happened to my sister."

Anna frowned. "Awww~ Ren, I hope everything gets better. You need to rest."

"Maybe I rest better when I'm with you."

Her expression froze for a second, then turned shy. "You can't just say things like that so casually."

"Why not?"

"Because…" She hesitated. "You'll make my heart race even more. I am supposed to be the one making you feel all warm."

The mood was just getting better when suddenly, a knock came from the other side of the door.

Both of them froze.

The sound came again — three gentle but firm knocks.

Anna's expression shifted instantly.

She forced a smile. "Ignore it."

Ren glanced at the door. "Should you—"

"Shh." She pressed a finger to her lips, eyes narrowing in annoyance. "They'll go away."

But the knocking continued.

This time, it was followed by a voice.

"Lady Anna," a maid called softly, "Lady Morgenstern wishes to see your guest."

Anna's jaw tightened.

"She what?"

"It is not a request, Milady," the maid continued. "Lady Morgenstern has ordered—"

Anna opened the door a few inches, glaring through the gap. "Tell her he's here to see me. That's all she needs to know."

The maid lowered her gaze. "My apologies, but Lady Morgenstern insists. She would like to meet the young man personally."

Anna exhaled sharply, shutting the door again — perhaps a little too firmly.

When she turned back, her face was calm, her usual cheerful smile returning as if nothing had happened.

"Sorry about that," she said lightly, walking back toward Ren. "My mother's a bit… nosy. Don't mind them."

Ren looked amused. "A bit?"

She ignored the comment, sitting beside him on the bed. "Don't mind her. Let's just continue our talk, okay?"

"Sure," he said, still watching her. "But are you sure? I don't mind meeting your mother if it helps you."

Anna met his gaze and tried to laugh it off. "Maybe. But for now, can't we just pretend it's only us?"

Ren leaned back slightly, studying her for a long moment. "It's only us here. So what would you do now, my dear Anna?"

Anna's whole expression changed at those words. Her usual cheerful face turned into something more daring, as if she knew exactly where this was leading. She leaned dangerously close to Ren, only to realize she was sweating from all the running.

"Ren… give me five minutes. I'll take a quick shower," she said.

She got up to leave, but Ren quickly reached out to grab her—at least he tried. With how strong she was, all he managed to do was let her know he didn't want her to leave just yet.

"No… this is better. Come here. Let's do what we came here to do."

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