Bloodbound Codex: I Grow Stronger in Secret

How did Atlas come to this situation?

Well, to know that it had to go back an hour ago when Atlas was on his way to Seraphiel’s house.

After leaving the Lumivale Guild with the small slip in his hand, Atlas walked toward the Eastern District where the noble estates were located. The receptionist had said that Rosaria Household was the biggest one there, so he would not have a hard time finding it.

And she was right.

The closer Atlas got to the Eastern District, the more the surroundings changed.

The roads became wider, cleaner, and quieter. The number of ordinary shops decreased, and the buildings around him started looking more expensive. Tall white walls, silver railings, clean gardens, guarded gates, and private roads appeared one after another.

Atlas walked through the area with his hood over his head and his mask still covering the lower half of his face.

He did not look around too much.

The nobles here were different from Ormolio nobles in behavior, but the distance between them and normal people still existed. Their houses were too large, their guards were too well-equipped, and their servants moved with a kind of training ordinary commoners would never receive.

Atlas’s fingers touched the slip inside his coat.

’This is exactly why I did not want to come here.’

Entering a noble estate meant entering someone else’s territory.

Inside the Guild, rules were clearer. There were witnesses, staff, and public procedures. But in a noble household, everything depended on the household’s attitude. If the Rosaria Household wanted to pressure him, it would be difficult to leave cleanly.

Of course, Atlas did not believe Seraphiel would do that.

But not believing she would do it and trusting her completely were two different things.

After walking for some time, Atlas saw the Rosaria estate.

It was not hard to find.

The outer gate alone was taller than some buildings in Ormolio. White stone walls surrounded the estate, and silver-blue patterns ran along the surface like thin vines. Behind the gate, Atlas could see a wide path leading toward a massive mansion with tall windows, angelic carvings, and a roof structure that looked more like a noble palace than a house.

Several guards stood near the entrance.

All of them were Angels.

Their armor was white and silver, clean but practical, and each guard held themselves with enough discipline that Atlas could tell they were not decorative. They were trained.

When Atlas approached, two guards stepped forward.

One of them spoke.

”State your purpose.”

Atlas stopped a few steps away and took out the slip.

”Lady Seraphiel told the Guild receptionist to give me this if I came looking for her.”

The guard looked at the slip first.

Then his expression changed slightly.

He accepted it with both hands, checked the mark on the paper, and then looked at Atlas again.

”Please wait here for a moment.”

Atlas nodded.

The guard turned and entered through the side gate while the other remained near Atlas. The remaining guard did not speak, but his gaze kept checking Atlas from head to toe.

Atlas ignored it.

He understood the reaction.

A masked human explorer appearing at the Rosaria Household with a slip from Seraphiel was not something normal. If he was the guard, he would be suspicious too.

After a few minutes, the guard returned.

Beside him was Flora.

The moment Flora saw Atlas, she gave a small bow.

”Mr. Atlas Crosswood. Lady Seraphiel has been informed. Please follow me.”

Atlas looked at her.

”Is Lady Seraphiel present?”

Flora answered as she smiled.

”Lady Seraphiel is currently inside the main reception room. The Household Head is not present, and there is no formal council around her.”

Atlas narrowed his eyes slightly.

”Hmm, you spoke like there is someone else inside?”

Flora’s expression remained professional, but her eyes moved slightly away for a second.

”Lady Seraphiel’s mother is present.”

Atlas stayed silent.

Then he sighed quietly.

’I knew it.’

This was exactly what he wanted to avoid.

The moment he stepped into the Rosaria estate, the situation had already moved beyond only Seraphiel. Her mother being present meant another noble family member was involved.

Atlas thought for a moment.

He could leave now, he had not entered yet.

But if he left after reaching the gate, it would make future discussion Awkward and troublesome. He needed the craftsman introduction, and he needed a weapon made from the Whirlstone.

So he followed Flora.

The path inside the estate was wide and clean. Flowers lined both sides, and the garden looked carefully maintained. Several servants stopped and bowed when Flora passed by with Atlas, but Atlas noticed their eyes moving toward him briefly.

Atlas kept walking as he ignored the stares.

Flora led him through the front entrance and into the main mansion. The inside was even more expensive than the outside. The floor was polished white stone, the pillars had silver patterns, and the walls carried paintings of Angels, ruins, old battles, and Rosaria ancestors.

Atlas glanced at them once.

Then looked forward again.

He did not care about noble history.

Flora eventually stopped in front of a large door.

”Lady Seraphiel is inside.”

Atlas looked at the door.

”Before I enter, tell me one thing.”

Flora turned toward him.

”Yes?”

”Is this a business conversation or a noble family conversation?”

Flora blinked once.

Then she understood what he meant.

”It is supposed to be a business conversation, Mr. Atlas.”

’Hmm...We’ll see how this supposed-Business conversation goes then.’ Atlas thought briefly as he narrowed his eyes.

He looked at her for a few seconds.

Then he spoke.

”Alright, let’s go in...”

She opened the door and stepped aside.

Atlas entered.

Inside the room, Seraphiel Rosaria sat on a couch with her usual calm posture. She wore a neat silver-white dress today, and her wings were folded behind her. Her expression softened slightly when she saw Atlas enter, but before she could speak, the woman sitting beside her leaned forward with clear interest.

That woman was beautiful in a mature way.

She had silver-white hair like Seraphiel, but her eyes carried more playfulness. Her dress was also elegant, but unlike Seraphiel’s controlled presence, this woman looked like she enjoyed watching situations become slightly messy.

Atlas understood immediately.

This was Seraphiel’s mother.

Seraphiel stood up slightly.

”Mr. Atlas, thank you for coming.”

Atlas nodded.

”Lady Seraphiel.”

Then his eyes moved toward the woman beside her.

Seraphiel seemed to realize she had to introduce her quickly.

”This is my mother, Maristella Rosaria.”

Maristella smiled brightly.

”My, so you are Atlas Crosswood?”

Atlas gave a small nod.

”Yes.”

Maristella looked at him from head to toe without hiding it.

”A masked human explorer who cleared several Hollow-Rank Ruins alone, found a Whirlstone, refused to sell it, and made my daughter personally prepare a meeting path for him. Hm, interesting.”

Atlas did not react much.

”I came for a business matter.”

Seraphiel quickly spoke.

”Mother, could you please stop now? Mr. Atlas might feel uncomfortable and...the proposal might get rejected and its fault will be you.”

Maristella turned her head away as she pouted slightly.

Seraphiel spoke as she turned to Atlas ”Mr. Atlas please sit, we have tea prepared for you...Flora.”

Flora entered the chamber with elegant steps and placed the teacup which was already placed on the table in front of Atlas and poured the tea with a rune embedded small jug.

Atlas only sat without even touching it, while Flora left the chamber again and Seraphiel spoke.

”Don’t worry Mr. Atlas, we are not so low to mix some poison in our guest’s tea, If you still have suspicion...” Seraphiel took a teacup herself from the table between the opposite couches, then poured the same tea in it and slowly took a sip from it.

”See, i am still fine right?” Seraphiel spoke with a soft smile, beside her, Maristella looked at Atlas, trying to read his expression but because of the Mask, she couldn’t clearly see it.

Meanwhile Atlas thought internally ’Hmm, If i have to gain her trust to make me that weapon i can at least do that and...i have the Spirit Poison trait so i can expel other poison even if it’s present, well she proved that there is no poison but...better to be careful than regret later.’

And so internally he activated his spirit poison trait, which he has trained so much that he could now be called ’Impossible to Poison Man’.

As Atlas lifted the teacup and slightly lifted the mask and took a sip-

Maristella spoke as she turned toward Seraphiel.

”So, you won’t introduce me to your future husband, my baby girl?”

Atlas coughed into his tea.

”Kh—!”

He turned his mouth hurriedly to the side so he would not spill it forward.

Seraphiel’s expression froze for a moment.

Then her eyes slowly moved toward her mother.

”Mother...”

- - -

[A/N: Where is my Gift? Please provide me my first Gift...

This poor Author wants to experience receiving his first ever gift!]