In a beam of light, both were teleported.

  Sophie adapted well to the trip, unlike Aidan, who had blurry vision and felt completely nauseated.

  — "Hnnng..." — Aidan was swaying side to side —

  — "First teleport?" — asked Ver?nica, watching the boy —

  — "Yeah... I’m fine..."

  — "Hmph, now you understand what I go through almost every day." — Sophie criticized him as she supported him with her arm —

  Aidan took a while to regain his senses while Sophie looked around. Even though she was used to occasional teleportation, the view still surprised her.

  An imposing mansion stood tall, with symmetrical towers, high windows, and decorated stained glass that reflected the sunlight.

  Behind the iron fence, a beautiful, immaculate garden could be seen, alongside glowing magical crystals and shimmering fountains. The gates, inscribed with radiant runes, could blind anyone who stared at them for too long.

  — "What kind of place is this?" — asked Sophie, hiding her expression of surprise —

  — "Looks like some kind of lab?" — Aidan questioned the place's unusual design —

  — "Admit it, you've never seen anything like this, have you? My darling may be careless, but when he lets his genius flow, he builds incredible things. As for the runes and crystals, I enchanted those myself, of course." — Ver?nica praised her own role in the mansion's creation —

  Together with the woman, both of them approached the mansion.

  I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, but I guess I was wrong!

  That’s what Aidan thought. He quickly deduced they were in the highest tier of Eswain—the nobles' district. Just a glance at the surroundings and the absence of other buildings was enough to confirm it.

  It’s a bit over the top, but now that I know she’s important, she must be rich too.

  Sophie, on the other hand, saw things differently. From Ver?nica’s brief introduction and her show of power, all Sophie could think was that the woman merely wanted to flaunt her noble status to the two of them.

  The gates then opened as they approached. The lights glowed in Ver?nica’s presence, and a gentle sound emanated from the crystals, signaling her return.

  A middle-aged man tending the garden noticed his mistress’s arrival. He set his tools aside and approached the woman, bowing respectfully.

  — "It’s good to see you again, Miss. A bit late, I’d say." — he commented, seeing her at an unusual hour —

  — "Don’t worry, Jas, I just extended my errand a bit." — she replied, greeting him — "I suppose he hasn’t shown his face outside today."

  — "You know how the master is when he’s wrapped up in a project—he won’t rest until it’s done. I take it these two are part of that 'errand'?" — the butler glanced at the two young ones, smiling —

  — "Kids, this is Jasper. He’s family. Takes care of things around here and makes a great blueberry pie."

  Briefly introduced, he greeted them by placing a hand on his chest and bowing slightly.

  — "It’s a pleasure to meet you, young ones." — he greeted — "To what do we owe the honor of your visit to our home?"

  — "Well..."

  Aidan didn’t know what to say, while Sophie remained silent.

  — "Let’s just say they’re our 'guests'. I’ll explain the situation better once we’re inside. Prepare the usual arrangements—we’re going to speak with my darling." — she ordered her butler —

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  — "As you wish." — he nodded — "He’s in his lab. If possible, knock some sense into him so he balances rest with work."

  — "Leave that to me. You two, follow me."

  As Ver?nica summoned both young people, Jasper opened the door for them.

  The moment they stepped inside, they were astonished by the details. As expected, given Ver?nica’s status, it was clear she wouldn’t live in a modest home.

  — "It’s such a big house!" — Sophie said in awe —

  — "House? You dummy, this is clearly a mansion!" — Aidan corrected her —

  The entrance hall was covered in polished marble flooring, with a floating chandelier overhead. Beneath their feet lay a massive rug embroidered with rune patterns. The walls were decorated with beautiful hand-painted artworks, and synthetic plants were displayed atop small pedestals.

  Beside a large staircase leading to the second floor, there was a door that gave access to the mansion’s basement—an unusual feature for such a noble residence.

  Its entrance was sealed with a runic inscription, easily deciphered by Ver?nica.

  — "Come on, don’t worry. This place will make your old hideout look... organized, let’s say." — she said as she led the way —

  As soon as she escorted them inside, the door closed behind them, and what was once darkness became fully illuminated.

  The solid oak staircase led to a single area below the mansion.

  They were lit by enchanted crystals that brightened as people approached.

  Once they reached the bottom and set foot on the floor, they immediately noticed the mess.

  Workbenches were overflowing with metal parts and rune fragments. Many assorted items were strewn across the floor or stacked haphazardly.

  On top of the tables, there were vials with glowing liquids, crystals stored in small wooden boxes, and scribbled blueprints and manuscripts scattered among samples.

  Complete chaos—though both were used to such scenes, the bigger surprise was that Ver?nica wasn’t bothered at all. She clearly dealt with this kind of mess often.

  At a marble bench, a man wearing safety goggles was focused on his task. In his hand was a lit blowtorch, sending off sparks as he continued welding.

  — "Darling! I’m back!"

  That’s how she announced her arrival to the man, but he ignored her.

  He continued working for a while longer. After finishing, he set the tool aside and started inspecting his work.

  Noticing how distracted he was, Ver?nica approached him from behind and gently hugged him.

  — "Oh? Ver?nica? How long have you been here?" — the man asked absentmindedly —

  — "I said I was back just now! Are you really going to ignore me? Is that how you treat your beloved after she’s been out all day?" — she whispered —

  She leaned closer to the man in an attempt to get more of his attention—a posture the two young ones didn’t expect from someone like her.

  — "I missed you! You probably didn’t even notice I left!" — she murmured, sounding needy —

  — "Of course I noticed. The house was way too quiet without your sweet voice." — he said teasingly as he removed his goggles —

  — "Hmm... Now you're just teasing me." — she replied, lightly pinching his cheek —

  — "Sorry, I couldn’t help it..."

  He slowly turned and noticed the two young strangers.

  — "I don’t remember having two assistants... Wait, who are you?" — he asked, confused —

  — "It’s a long story, but in short, I offered them my help." — Ver?nica answered vaguely —

  — "I expected you to come back with a surprise, but looks like you brought a double dose."

  — "Oh please, like you haven’t brought strange things home after your meetings!" — she jabbed, pulling his ear —

  — "Usually just machines or parts—not people. So, who are they?"

  — "I’m Aidan, and this is Sophie. Don’t mind her judgmental look—she’s just not much of a talker." — he introduced himself and his partner provocatively —

  — "Seriously?! You’re teasing me now?" — she gave him a light punch with her prosthetic arm —

  The move caught the man’s attention. He immediately leaned in to examine her left arm.

  — "Is that a runic prosthetic? Interesting... Looks worn out. Not to mention it's a bit misaligned due to your other arm and its age. Have you thought about replacing it?" — he asked bluntly —

  Unsure what to say, Sophie just looked in Ver?nica’s direction.

  — "Once he sees something that piques his interest, he doesn’t stop staring." — Ver?nica warned — "Hey, darling, you’re scaring the girl. Knock it off."

  — "Oh? Sorry—it’s just the first time I’ve seen a prosthetic like that, especially on someone so young. But where are my manners? I believe my dear wife hasn’t introduced me. I’m Jacob Merynthal. I share the house with her." — he said formally, teasing his wife —

  — "Share? We live together! How long are you going to keep making that joke when meeting strangers?" — Ver?nica complained —

  Again, Aidan was surprised to hear such a significant name.

  — "Jacob Merynthal?!"

  Sophie, however, remained indifferent.

  — "Is he important too?" — she asked, unfazed —

  — "Important?! The Merynthal family pioneered the creation of magical and runic objects. They invested in the innovation of the first self-sustaining magic cores—they don’t break easily and can be reused in lower-tier machines. They also developed the communication devices used by the guards through runes!" — Aidan explained, eyes shining —

  — "Not just the guards—almost every family in Eswain uses them. Look at that, seems my name hasn’t been entirely overshadowed by your brilliance, dear." — Jacob said, placing a hand on both their shoulders —

  — "Don’t sell yourself short, dear. Everyone in high society knows of your contributions to this place." — she complimented him kindly —

  — "But still, could you at least explain why you brought these two along? As far as I know, you don’t usually bring little admirers home for no reason." — he asked, expecting an explanation —

  — "Let’s talk elsewhere. Jasper wants you to get some sun every now and then, and of course, eat at the right time." — Ver?nica insisted, speaking for her trusted butler —

  — "Pfft, he worries too much. I could go without eating and still feel great!"

  Right after making his bold claim, he collapsed onto his back, completely dizzy from hunger.

  — "Hey! Mr. Merynthal!" — Aidan cried out, alarmed —

  — "Is he okay?" — Sophie asked, surprised —

  — "Don’t worry, this is pretty normal around here. I’d say it’s a small punishment for his recklessness." — Ver?nica remarked, clearly used to the situation —

  — "I doubt Jas will mind if we skip dinner—just for today." — the man muttered from the floor —

  Double Trouble)