"It's been a few days since your school started, how has it been for you, Ian?"
"Everything is going well, brother."
"I assume all the teachers and your classmates are not bullying you?"
"Haha, who could bully me?" Ian laughed at the ridiculous idea.
Angus also chuckled. "My mistake. But if anyone dares to even utter a single bad word about you, tell me, I'll have the school expel them."
Ian smiled. "Of course. Don't worry, brother, I know how to take care of myself now. Plus, I'm really popular for some reason at school."
"Popular, eh? It's no wonder, after all, you are so likable. None of our gang brothers and uncles doesn't think well of you, they all give you whatever you want. Honestly, I think they were the ones who spoiled you too much when you were younger." Angus - kettle calling the pot black - Everett complained, even though he was the one who would've gone to the moon to pick a piece of it off if Ian wanted it.
A spark of joy danced on Ian's face at the mention of the loyal and faithful members of their group.
The light coming down from the chandelier seemed to soften as it fell on the shoulders of the Everett siblings. The atmosphere became gentle and warm, and no one dared to make a sound to disturb them.
Angus looked at the tender Ian and reminded him, "Just remember, you'll always be my baby brother. With the Everett surname, no one is qualified to look down on you or belittle you, remember that."
"Yes, brother." Ian's eyes flashed as a genuine smile traced his lips. "I will."
"By the way," Angus suddenly brought up. "I heard we have a new head chef. And that the son of our capable Butler Srca has also entered our small family."
When Ian heard Angus calling Sling 'capable", Ian immediately understood that Sling had gained the acknowledgement of his brother. To think that one of his subordinates got the approval of his brother… Although Ian knew how talented they were with the help of his first life's experience—not to mention they still had much potential to be explored—he still couldn't help but feel pride swelling up inside his chest and he gave a childish, arrogant smile.
Angus was slightly startled, though it didn't show on his face. It has been a long time since he last saw such an immature and child-like side from Ian, his little brother who lost his mother and father when he was so little that he had no impression of them at all. Despite that when Ian was with Angus a little bit of his lost innocence would seep back into his actions and expressions, it was impossible for Ian to truly and wholly go back to the time when he was just a naive, spoiled little brat under the omnipotent protective umbrella that was his older brother.
Those carefree and peaceful days were long gone, along with the Ian of the past who had died on the day of that tragic event.
Trapped in the past was that innocent soul, tormented and blackened until no light could be seen, until darkness was all that remained of the once purest of souls.
Ian was once innocent, but his innocence had since been lost.
But just now, a little bit of that child-like purity seeped through his enwrapped, barricaded heart and was seen by a caught off guard Angus.
But just as quickly and suddenly it had appeared, it disappeared just as fast, almost as though it were but a yearned for illusion.
For a moment, Ian's heart throbbed in unknown pain as his eye color darkened in one eye and remained the same in the other.
Yet those changes were too instant. No one, not even Ian, noticed the weird and abnormal changes within and without his body.
The only thing Ian managed to sense besides the negligible sting was a strangeness with his powers that suddenly roused without his summon and then faded away soon by itself.
'What was that?' Confused, Ian felt doubtful.
"Ahem!" Angus coughed, shaking himself out of his weird daze as well as waking Ian up from his thoughts.
"Levi, I still have yet to thank you for looking after Ian during my time away." Angus turned to look at Levi who was also at the dining table with them. Unusually, Levi hardly spoke a word today, seemingly off in his own world as he absentmindedly ate his meal.
Normally, Levi was the most chatty and gossipy one among the three. Or rather, the only chatty and gossipy one among the three. Any other time and it would be him asking Ian about his day at school as well as relieving himself of lots of inquiring questions he had stored up that could even dig up Ian's classmates past ancestries. Tonight, however, he seemed a little off.
Taken out of his world by Angus, Levi smiled, his narrow eyes narrowed but somewhat despondently. "There's no need for thanks between us! What's more, you know how much I like Ian, and I'm practically an older brother to little Ian as well! Not to mention our friendship, there's nothing to thank me about."
Both Ian and Angus noticed Levi's mood was low, however, looking at each other, they decided not to ask him. If he wished, he could tell them, but since he chose not to, he obviously had his reasons and neither of the considerate Everett brothers wanted to pry.
Changing the subject, Angus said, "Actually, I was also informed of your new favorite. Why don't the three people I mentioned come up? I am very curious about the ones who could have stirred you two's interest."
Both Ian and Levi nodded easily.
Ian gave a look to a maid.
Immediately, she stepped out of formation and headed out of the dining room.
"Butler Srca, I'll trouble you to call your son over," Ian said with a polite smile and gentle voice.
"Yes, as you wish." Butler Srca bowed and went off to find his young son.
"And I assume he is Blake?" Angus side-eyed the black-haired and black-eyed young man standing silently behind Levi like a porcelain doll.
"Correct." Levi arched his lips, the previous feeling of gloom and the low spirits that seemed to haunt him suddenly went away. His entire demeanor went back to normal in an instant. The ever sly and clever strategist Levi was back.
Seeing that Levi was reinvigorated, Angus was impressed by the potent effect this new follower of Levi's had on Levi. The status and importance of Blake rose slightly in his mind. At the same time… Angus's eyes clouded over in thought.
"Hm…" Angus observed the naturally pale young man before turning his eyes away. Before he looked away, his honey-orange eyes happened to collide with a pair of pure black eyes speaking of a distinct gloom and a cleanness that contradicted the darkness within.
No smile or frown could be seen on Angus's face.
In no time at all, the three new hires Angus wanted to see appeared in front of him. No one dared to delay at all with this matter when it was Angus's desire.
In a neat row, Chase, Rip, and Blake stood side by side in that respective order.
Even Angus, who saw them together for the first time today, raised a curious eyebrow at the cold tension in the air between the three of them.
On the other hand, Ian only smiled knowingly at Levi who wanted to groan but could only force a normal, nonchalant smile onto his face. And actually, Levi was also somewhat fine with it, his loss didn't feel too bad to him. At least he got what he wanted most.
'It seems little Ian has a better eye with these things than I expected. Ah~ To be old and surpassed,' Levi lamented to himself as his fan unconsciously started moving in the air.
Rip pursed his lips together coldly and turned slightly, in a way that was unnoticeable, away from Blake. Ever since that day, Rip never felt comfortable being around Blake. He also didn't have the desire to be the other's friend anymore. It was as though a cold spell had come over him, freezing over all his positivity and extinguishing his warm feelings.
The only warm feeling he had towards Blake nowadays was anger. Selfish, pitiful anger.
Neither Rip nor Chase hung out with Blake anymore or invited him out with them.
Despite the three being neighbors in the staff dormitory, only Chase and Ian went over to each other's room and hung out in their free time. They no longer included Blake in anything.
Like fire thrown into the ocean, no spark was left.
Blake was that ocean. Rip and Chase were the fire.
Opposite and incompatible.
Their friendship with Blake had completely died out, only a feeling of betrayal and anger remained. Along with a streak of ice that froze the boundary of their relationship to that of colleagues.
Till now, Blake had no idea what was going on or what had caused the two previously, overly-enthusiastic people to grow cold to him. Still, Blake did not have much opinion on their actions as could be seen by how normal he acted. Gloomy as always, but with a somewhat cleaner and lighter feeling than before.
Rip looked away.
Chase looked forward.
Blake's eyes never looked at anything.
"Okay, I've seen enough." Angus waved his hand to dismiss them all and said as he got up. He had finished his dinner and planned on heading to his study to work some more for the day and finish up on the clean-up of the aftermath of his recent business trip.
Ian reluctantly nodded and said goodbye to his brother. At the same time, Ian wondered curiously what his brother had seen in that short wordless and actionless meeting.
"I'll be leaving as well, little Ian. Come now, Blake," Levi said and left as well with an expressionless Blake following closely behind him.
In the end, the table was empty of people except Ian.
Getting up from his seat, Ian also left the table.
The maids and servants bowed respectfully as Ian passed by them.
His footsteps slowly faded away into the distance.
Since the masters were gone, the maids went ahead and cleaned up everything. Leaving one by one, some of them took the dirty dishes to the kitchen to be washed and soaped. While the remaining ones went wherever they were needed since mealtime was over.
Gradually, the dining room became completely devoid of life.
The air vent lowly rumbled, becoming the only source of sound within the empty dining room.