Liam chuckled, clearly entertained by Mize's reaction. "Alright… biting games sound fun."
Mize, ever the unpredictable menace, didn't even give him time to prepare.
His small hands shot out, grabbing Liam by the collar, and before anyone in the room could process what was happening.
Chomp!
"Ark—!"
Liam visibly flinched, his entire body tensing as sharp little teeth sank mercilessly into the bridge of his nose.
It wasn't enough to break skin, but it was enough to sting, his grip instinctively loosening as he gently placed Mize down onto the throne.
Mize dusted off his hoodie as if he'd just finished some grueling work. "Yeah, serves you right."
Liam exhaled through his nose, rubbing the now-reddened bite mark. "Aahah, I guess our small talk is over. I'll be handling territory matters for a couple of hours, then I'll come back to you"
"Make sure to get used to your strength, you now share the same territory as me. And also, some of the Lord's features on your part are quite different than mine, explore them for now to slowly learn"
"Yeah, and also rub the red mark off your face before you leave." Mize flicked a glance at him, unimpressed, before twisting his fingers idly between his nails.
Liam's eye twitched. "Of course…"
With that, he strode toward the door and vanished beyond it, leaving Mize with something he hadn't had in what felt like an eternity.
Silence.
Or, well, what should have been silence.
Mize barely had time to enjoy his victory before he realized that despite Liam's departure, he was still very much not alone.
The butler stood attentively a few steps away.
Behind him, a line of maids waited with polite smiles and lowered heads.
Further back, twenty armored guards stood at perfect attention, their presence almost blending into the room.
And that wasn't even counting the hidden shadow guards stationed directly beneath his feet.
Mize slowly turned his head, scanning the crowd with a ridiculously unamused expression.
The butler cleared his throat.
"C-cough!"
The maids subtly straightened, and the guards remained stiff as ever.
Mize exhaled through his nose. "…Hello, everyone."
"Greetings, your highness!" The entire group spoke in unison, bowing slightly.
…
Mize plastered on an awkward smile, waving his hand dismissively. "Uh. You may rise."
"Thank you" They echoed again, standing in one synchronized motion.
The scene was so formal that it nearly made Mize burst out laughing. He quickly swallowed the urge, slowly sliding off the throne.
And by "sliding," he meant jumping.
He landed neatly on the floor, though he muttered under his breath, "I'm asking Liam to shorten this damn thing later."
He needed to think. To process everything.
The awakening. The territory merging. The game-like reality of the Warp.
And most importantly, the fact that his entire apartment had been forcibly moved into a freaking castle overnight.
'So I don't have to pay the rent anymore huh'
But the thought was only for a moment.
"To the garden," he decided, turning his gaze to the butler expectantly.
The man, ever attentive, took a respectful step forward, bowing slightly. "I will guide the way, my Lady."
Mize gave a soft hum of acknowledgment, observing him for a second.
This was a different butler than the one he'd met earlier.
He wasn't particularly tall nor short, and his appearance was plain, average, even. But his uniform was immaculate, and he carried himself with practiced precision.
"My Lady?" The butler shifted slightly under Mize's gaze, his cheeks darkening faintly.
Mize blinked. "Ah. Right. Let's go."
"As you wish."
The walk through the castle was surprisingly smooth, though that didn't stop Mize from stealing quick glances at the maids following behind.
Just a casual check, really.
It wasn't that he was suspicious or anything.
But it would be an issue if there were any ambitious women lurking around Liam, wouldn't it?
...He'd keep an eye on them.
The path twisted and turned, and after a few minutes, they arrived at a grand entrance.
The garden's gate was similar to the ones he'd seen before, tall, elegant, intricately designed, but beyond it, a soft white marble path stretched into a sprawling backyard.
Mize stepped under the arch, but before the sun could properly touch his skin.
Swoosh.
A maid scooted in immediately, umbrella in hand, shielding him from the sunlight.
Mize quirked a brow but didn't complain. He simply resumed walking, taking in the sight before him.
And what a sight it was.
A sea of flowers spread across the landscape, colors blooming in waves of blues, pinks, purples, and whites.
Everything was intricately arranged, though there was something… off about the way they were designed.
Not in a bad way, just in a way that made Mize tilt his head in curiosity.
A medium-sized pond rested at the heart of the garden, surrounded by maze-like shrubbery, leading directly toward a small circular abode nestled amongst the flowers.
"Let's go there."
He strode toward it without hesitation, stepping onto the lush green flooring of the structure.
The design was… different. The chairs were crafted from interwoven plants, sturdy yet soft to the touch.
The table was covered in blooming flowers, and a canopy of vines arched overhead, holding delicate blue blossoms that dripped cool vapors into the air.
Mize leaned back in his chair, eyes following the gentle mist rising from the petals.
"Was this place Liam's doing?" He asked absently.
The butler, who had been busy ordering maids to prepare tea, quickly stepped forward.
"Ah, yes. The Lord envisioned this space, but the one who constructed it was General Halb."
Mize blinked.
… Halb?
The same Halb?
The broad-framed, red-haired, muscle-bound warrior who looked like he could crush bricks with his bare hands?
Mize pointed at the most delicate features of the garden. The intricate floral arrangements. The softly curving archways.
The way everything felt so… precise, fragile, and delicate.
He narrowed his eyes. "You're telling me Halb did all this?"
"Yes, my Lady." The butler nodded with a polite smile. "General Halb has quite the hobby for tending to gardens. Everything here was his personal craftsmanship."
Mize slowly leaned back in his seat, processing that information.
"Huh."
Well, you really do learn something new every day.
Mize took a careful sip of the tea, letting the floral aroma swirl around his senses before swallowing.
It was light, fragrant, and slightly sweet, definitely something Liam had arranged.
'System, any changes to the panel?'
The familiar mechanical chime echoed in his mind.
[Yes, host. There have been several adjustments following your awakening. Now that the host has entered the Warp dimension, additional modifications have been made.]
[This is the result of the Warp and this system working together to create a revised panel]
A translucent screen flickered into existence before him.
[Personal Status Panel]
[Name]: Mize
[Race]: Human
[Title]: The Path of the Goddess [Beauty Divinity]
[Awakening Status]: Awakened
[Profession]: Path of the Goddess
[Realm]: tier 3
[Beauty System]
Beauty: 70 points.
Cute: 60 points.
Charm: 64 points.
[Inventory]
Storage Ring (Mid-Stage Blue Grade) – Holds various high-end fashion items, accessories, and four 5-star summoning cards.
[Current Points]: 54, 000
[Note: The exchange rate for appearance is 1,000 points per increase. For physical attributes, it is 10,000 points per increase.]
Mize's ruby-red eyes hovered over the panel, scanning the changes with interest.
Some of the details had shifted, his title now reflected his path, and he had new skills related to his awakening.
But something was missing.
'Where's the Lord Features panel?' He frowned slightly, tapping his nails against the ceramic teacup.
[Due to the territory merging, your Lord Panel is currently undergoing integration with the main Lord's system. Once synchronization is complete, the host will receive the full Lord Authority Panel.]
Mize hummed thoughtfully, tilting his head.
'So I can't see my full capabilities yet, huh?'
It wasn't that big of a deal, but it would've been nice to know exactly what he could do now.
His profession was still vague, and his so-called divinity hadn't been fully explained.
Still, 54, 000 points was a nice sight.
At least he was rich in something.
Though it still wasn't enough to even increase his beauty points even by one. He was planning to save it for later, and perform a massive rush for every other appearance attributes later.
The subtle chime echoed in Mize's mind, a crisp [Ding] that sent a shiver down his spine.
His fingers, still delicately curled around the teacup's handle, paused midair.
His crimson eyes flickered slightly, losing focus for a fraction of a second.
To the maid standing nearby, this single moment of hesitation sent a wave of panic through her chest.
Her hands clenched the hem of her apron, knuckles turning white. "M-My lady… is there something wrong with the tea?"
Her voice was small, cautious, ordering on fearful.
She had brewed the tea herself, meticulously following the process to ensure it was perfect.
After all, serving the First Lady was not just an honor, it was a test of survival.
The lord had made it painfully clear.
"If you fail to meet expectations, you will be removed"
The people of the town whispered about Liam with admiration, treating him as a benevolent ruler.
But the castle staff knew better.
They had seen things.
He was no ordinary Lord.
The weight of her own thoughts nearly crushed her, but Mize's voice pulled her back.
"Nothing's wrong with the tea."
His tone was smooth, but there was something else there.
Something unreadable.
"I was just lost in my thoughts for a moment," he continued, his fingers finally moving again as he took a delicate sip. "Nothing much."
The maid exhaled silently, pressing her lips together to stop herself from trembling.
Her lady might be gentle in demeanor, but she wasn't fooled.
The one who truly owned this castle was the terrifying lord upstairs. But the one who held his leash?
It was this delicate beauty sitting right in front of her.