Please get me out of this BL novel...I'm straight! novel Chapter 605

"My… what… what an honor!"

Florian had finally arrived.

As he stepped down from the carriage, the cold greeted him immediately, sharp against his skin. Behind him, the carriage door remained closed. Elara and Eleonor did not follow.

For whatever reason, Elara was estranged from her older brother. Or rather, her brother had chosen to be estranged from her. He had refused to see her at all.

Because of that, Elara had only been able to speak to Florian briefly before he left the carriage. One of the last things she told him was simple and firm.

She was not allowed to get down.

Florian straightened as he approached the manor gates.

"It is nice to meet you, Lord Eldrick," he said, keeping his head high and his posture composed.

Eldrick looked stunned.

His eyes darted around the gathering, lingering on each face as if he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing. Important guests. Royal guests.

"This is the first time my manor has ever hosted such… such distinguished visitors!" Eldrick exclaimed, voice full of awe. "Prince Florian. Prince Hendrix. And of course, the lovely Princesses Athena and Scarlett."

Athena and Scarlett stood slightly off to the side, bundled warmly, already whispering to each other. Hendrix stood behind Florian, silent and unreadable as ever.

Then Lancelot stepped forward, positioning himself just ahead of Florian.

"Lord Eldrick," Lancelot said.

His tone was flat. Controlled. Devoid of his usual warmth.

Florian blinked.

'Woah… who is this guy?' he thought dryly.

This wasn't the Lancelot he knew. The loud, flirty, endlessly cheerful knight. This version felt sharper. Guarded.

Lucius usually carried that kind of presence. Not Lancelot.

"Ah, young Lancelot," Eldrick said pleasantly. "I heard about your mother. Quite tragic. I hope you are doing well."

"She's fine," Lancelot replied.

Nothing more.

Florian frowned slightly.

'With everything that's been happening…' he thought. 'I still haven't helped him see his mother.' Guilt pricked at him. 'I really should.'

Before Florian could dwell on it, Lancelot spoke again.

"May we know where we'll be staying?" Lancelot asked, voice calm but firm. "His Highness is tired from the journey, and we would like to settle in. He isn't used to the cold."

Eldrick's eyes widened.

"Oh! Right, of course. My apologies," Eldrick said quickly. "I've lived here so long I forget how harsh it can be for others." He gestured to himself with a chuckle.

Indeed, Eldrick wore far less than everyone else, seemingly unbothered by the chill, while the rest of them were bundled in layers.

Florian resisted the urge to rub his arms.

Eldrick clapped his hands lightly, the sound sharp in the cold air. "Ah, right—one moment," he said, turning back toward the open doors of his manor. "Juno, come here, please."

Florian blinked.

'Did he just say please?'

It was a small thing. Insignificant, even. But it stood out enough to catch his attention.

A maid stepped forward at the call.

She moved without a sound, posture straight, head slightly lowered. There was no hesitation in her steps, no rush either. Just quiet certainty.

Eldrick gestured toward her with obvious pride. "This is my head maid," he announced. "Her name is Juno."

Florian's attention sharpened immediately.

'Juno…'

The name clicked into place almost at once.

The head maid of Eldrick's manor. The one Dahlia and Rene had described to him in hushed voices. The woman who had delivered Farah's letter.

The mute one.

Juno bowed deeply, her movements precise and practiced, as if she had done this thousands of times before.

Up close, Florian could tell she was old. Perhaps as old as Eldrick himself. Maybe even older. Time sat heavily in the lines of her face, but her back remained straight, her presence unwavering.

"She is mute," Eldrick continued casually, as if it were nothing more than a passing detail. "But she is extremely capable. She will assist you during your stay and guide you to your rooms."

Juno lifted her head just enough to acknowledge them, her expression calm, unreadable.

'So it's really her,' Florian thought. 'The one who delivered Farah's letter.'

And Eldrick clearly held her in high regard. That much was undeniable.

"I'll see you all during lunch," Eldrick said cheerfully. "I've already had my staff prepare everything. Please, rest well."

"Thank you, Lord Eldrick," Florian replied, offering a polite nod.

With that, Juno turned and began to walk inside. Florian and the others followed, Lancelot moving ahead of him, positioned just behind Juno with the quiet vigilance of someone on duty.

The moment they crossed the threshold, Florian's eyes widened.

'Woah.'

The manor was immaculate.

Clean in a way that felt deliberate. Almost excessive. Not a speck of dust. Not a single misplaced object.

White stone walls reflected the light, softened by pale silvers and icy blues. Everything followed the same theme. Light colors. Frosted glass. Polished floors that gleamed like frozen water beneath their feet.

It was beautiful.

'Not that Diamond Palace isn't wonderful,' Florian thought, taking it all in, 'but this… this is such a refreshing change of scenery.'

Athena let out a quiet gasp. "This place is amazing," she said, eyes sparkling. "It feels like stepping into winter itself."

Scarlett nodded, wrapping her coat tighter around herself. "It's so bright," she added, then frowned slightly. "But… isn't it still too cold? Or is that just me?"

"No," Florian said, exhaling softly. "I still feel cold too." Despite the layers he wore, the chill clung stubbornly to his skin.

"I'm assuming it's because we aren't used to the cold," Hendrix said from behind him, voice even. "And this is their idea of warmth."

"Oh," Scarlett muttered.

Florian glanced around again, taking in the silent halls, the pale elegance, the distant footsteps of unseen staff.

'If this is warmth,' he thought, a faint chill settling deeper in his chest, 'I can't imagine what they consider cold.'

And somewhere beneath the beauty, beneath the pristine order, Florian felt it again.

That quiet, unsettling sense that this place was hiding something.

'They haven't given me a reason to suspect them…' Florian thought. 'But the story about Farah alone is already reason enough.'

Scarlett glanced around once more, her brow furrowing. "Also—are there always this many maids?"

Right.

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