Fragments of Past [1]

Because of the tremendous magic that almost consumed the whole academy, the entire class got suspended and what happen that day became a secret that only a few people knew.

Eugene and Kaizer fell into a coma while Raisel, Casimin, Clarence, and others woke up after three days of mental healing.

Timber who found out that Eugene collapse again kept crying and fighting with Euric who wanted to bring back Eugene to the Shradinza Household. However, the plan got canceled when grand duke Karsten interfered and made Eugene and Kaizer's bodies lay next to each other believing that their consciousness at the moment is being connected.

Thus, Eugene ended up being bought into the dukedom for further investigation.

This made Euric nervous especially since the grand duke seems to be mad and had no choice but to call his father and asked for help.

Marquis Shradinza got angry.

Eugene always brings him a mess and now it's the grand duke who took an action after the incident, even he... can't do anything to bring back Eugene to the Shradinza Household.

"Katnier..."

Duke Viltaria swallowed, looking at his friend.

"Arkiton if it's about Aison's son then I won't agree."

"But Katnier, Kaizer's manic is not for a simple reason! Just like I told you in the past few days while examining him, he has two souls in his body!"

"And that soul is also my son!"

"That soul is dangerous that shouldn't be awakened! If this continues your son would be overtaken!"

"It's still my son!"

Knowing that Grand Duke Karsten is refusing reality as Kaizer is the only son whom his beloved conceive, even Duke Viltaria understands it because he could also turn a blind eye, as long as it's for his son with that person whom he cared the most.

This is also why he got here to talk to Katnier.

"Do you think your son like Eugene?"

Grand Duke Karsten lowered his head and said, "He's sleeping and he keeps muttering Eugene's name. If I hadn't realized that Marquis Shradinza's second son is named Eugene then I would have earlier offered an engagement!"

Duke Viltaria shivered.

Why? Why?

"Y-You won't consider if Aison's son wanted a marriage to a man?"

Grand Duke Karsten chuckled, "Are you saying it now when you are here still forcing that person to have an affair with you despite having a family and even going to the point of manipulating their memories so they won't find out your dirty little secret?"

"Katnier!"

"What? Am I right? You're being a hypocrite when the fact is before us that your other son was also conceived through such evil means!"

Grand Duke Karsten smirk, "Give it up Arkiton. As much as you love that person, I also love my son dearly that I'm willing to give everything."

Duke Viltaria slump on the chair.

Yes, he's strong but between him and the grand duke, he's nothing but an ant trying to step on the existence that keeps feeding him.

Just why? Why does it have to be him?

"As a friend...I wanted to ask you a request as a friend."

Grand Duke Karsten didn't change his expression and replied, "Go on."

"Let's wait, wait until the coming-of-age ceremony, and see if your son really likes Aison's son."

"No problem, but if my son really liked Marquis Shradinza's son then I would offer a marriage right away!" after all, who wouldn't want to have a connection with their household who stood in front of all nobles in the society? Many people are eying his son's marriage but he doesn't want to push his son into a situation of a forced relationship. He wanted his son to feel love...the emotion that he could hardly feel before meeting his beloved.

——"Brother Euric!"

Timber nervously grab Eugene's brother's clothes and asked, "I-Is Eugene still in the dukedom of Dela Vallier?"

Euric frown seeing Timber's unstable emotion.

"Are you not sleeping well these days?"

Timber was stunned when Euric touch his eyes with his thumb but still replied, "Is he fine? Did he wake up already?"

"You need rest. You don't need to worry about Eugene, my father said that he's safe. He's still unconscious but the grand duke won't treat him worse just because of the incident."

However, one week passed and Timber still barely got the news of Eugene waking up so he got anxious, fearing that Eugene would suffer in pain without him by his [Eugene] side. Thankfully, Euric would have time to accompany him to ease his worried while also telling him the update that Marquis Shradinza has been saying upon being visited by Duke Viltaria.

"Duke Viltaria have a good relationship with your father?"

Euric hummed, "Duke Viltaria has been visiting our household since we're a child, especially when Eugene was born, though I'm not present when my little brother came out of the world I'm happy because I got two little brothers at the same time!"

"Is the Marchioness fine at that time? I heard conceiving a twin would hurt the mother's body and will gradually weaken."

"Well, my mother is healthy but somehow since my little brothers are born, her temper also started to change. He like Eullian but refuse to hold Eugene so my father is the one who keeps my little brother full and tidy. I even remember how he carried Eugene in his arms while working and if my little brother cried he would panic."

Laughing, Euric feels a bit nostalgic.

"Really? T-Then why does the Marquis seems to not like Eugene now?"

Euric's smile disappears and frowns.

Yeah, just when did it happen that his father who loves his little brother so much now dislikes it to the point of refusing to see the other person's face?

Timber saw Euric change of expression so he bit his lips.

"Euric don't you think it's strange? Based on your story the Marquis love Eugene so much but now..." lowering the tone of his voice, Timber started to get confused.

"Yeah, is Duke Viltaria still visiting your household?"

"Huh?" Euric nodded and said, "Why? Duke Viltaria always visits my father, even upon hearing that my father got sick, he will immediately inform the servants in our household that he'll be coming to visit."

"Really? Duke Viltaria care so much about your father? That's amazing, are they childhood friends?"

Euric shook his head.

"No, I don't know. When I was a child I rarely talk to Duke Viltaria because whenever he visits, no one is allowed to go upstairs where my father's room is located."

Timber widens his eyes, "Huh? Why is that?"

"Huh?"

Euric frowned and scratch his head, wanting to remember the reason but no matter how much he recalled, he only got a blank memory. But he can still remember the goodness of Duke Viltaria to their family, so he never finds it strange whenever Duke Viltaria visits their household in the name of the business and his father's sickness.

"Forget it, I don't remember that much."

Timber hummed but still can't let go of the information he got.

For him, the way Duke Viltaria visits the Shradinza household is too strange.

——On the 8th day, Kaizer woke up first which made the grand duke delighted.

Eugene on the other hand still shows no signs of consciousness. In fact, Eugene right now is confused between dream and reality and the reason why he couldn't wake up is he is stuck in his memories of the past.

The past where he is living on earth, his 10th world.

"Husband, can you do something about this?!"

Eugene hid in the corner of the mansion and listened to his adoptive parent's conversation. In fact, he didn't mean to eavesdrop but the sudden changes of Kaizer (AN: Kaizer, Eugen's childhood friend on earth and yes, similar names) brought confusion to the family and he didn't know where it went wrong that the former happy atmosphere in the mansion is replaced by a gloomy one.

"If I could I would! But this is the only way I can compensate my son who has been wronged since birth!"

"B-But it's t-that person! T-That person had no idea about everything!"

Eugene watches his adopted father frown.

"It's fate. Also, I, feel bad but I can't do anything because as a father, I will prioritize the happiness of my son."

His adopted mother scream and slump on the floor, crying loudly while holding on to his adopted father's legs with a defeated expression.

"Wife, I know you came to love him as a blood-related son but we can't wrong our child who had been suffering because of our negligence. This is the only way to make him accept us!"

"B-But I-I can't h-help but f-feel guilty."

"No! It won't change, he's still our family, you can still treat him as your son."

He watches his adopted mother shake her head in refusal.

"I-It's different. I-I don't think I can still face him without feeling guilty."

Eugene lowered his head and couldn't help but clench his fist before turning to leave and going back to his room. He sit still on the side of the bed looking at the bunch of cameras around his room and still couldn't understand the reason behind such an act of his friend.

He was dazed for a whole day and only came back to his senses when a maid knock on his room door and told him to eat dinner.

When he goes downstairs. he saw his adoptive parents eating without raising their heads to look at him which made him uncomfortable and afraid. Afraid that if this continues, he'll be kicked out of the mansion and once again abandoned.

"Eugene~"

Probably because he's been concerned about the changes in his adoptive parents, he failed to see Kaizer who is also sitting, still wearing his work clothes.

"Come, sit beside me."

Eugene trotted toward Kaizer's direction and sat beside him, this action made the couple glance at him before turning their gazes back on their food.

"Did you enjoy your day?"

Eugene shook his head which made Kaizer frown.

"Can I leave the house tomorrow? I wanted to visit a shop and buy something."

"No. You tell me and I'll buy it for you."

Eugene bit his lips, "But I wanted to buy it for myself."

Kazer slam his hands on the table which made Eugene flinch and the dining hall immediately fell into silence.

Eugene glance at his adoptive parents and saw their indifference, which made him uncomfortable after confirming things. Seeing his adoptive parents ignoring him, he knew he can't stay in this household anymore, especially since Kaizer began to become hot-tempered when dealing with his demands so he decided that before he was kicked out, he wanted to leave ahead to avoid the painful situation of being chase out of the house and be a laughing stock in the social circles.

"You wanted to buy it yourself for what? Or do you secretly meet with someone behind my back?"

Eugene widens his eyes.

Does Kaizer think that he's betraying him? On what grounds Kaizer became suspicious of him?

"N-No you got the wrong idea! I'm not---"

"Then stay! From now onwards you can't go out without my permission!"

Eugene froze and lowered his head.

"Did you understand?"

With his hand being grabbed so painfully, he can only nod and stay in silence. Afraid that if he continue arguing then Kaizer would get angry and lock him again in his room just like yesterday.

"Good."

Sighing, Kaizer's agitated expression calms down, and the paranoia in his eyes disappears.

"Eugene, if you're always obedient then I won't get angry."

But Kaizer, am I not obedient enough?

Having no choice, Eugene was forced to heed Kaizer to avoid unfavorable situations. That day, he chooses to pay less attention to his adoptive parents and act the way Kaizer told him to. This made Kaizer calm down and finally allow him to go out with a condition that the presence of bodyguards is needed to inform his safety and location.

Eugene started to feel suffocated but still accepted Kaizer's manipulation while gaslighting himself into believing that Kaizer is just worried about him and don't want him to be in danger.

Seeing Eugene's obedience brings pleasure to Kaizer.

At night, Kaizer couldn't help but sneak into Eugene's room.

He sat on the bedside and careless Eugene's face, his eyes, full of obsessions.

"I really like it..."

"I like it, when you act like a doll..."

"That only I...have access to control."

People call it love, but for some, it's just an uncontrollable madness of being unable to reach the people they desired.

And Eugene...

...is the type of person who doesn't know love as he was deprived of that emotion and forced to let go of such a feeling after a failed affection in his past life.

How unfortunate...

When two people with different yet almost the same ambition collide.

One is once paranoid and the other turn into an obsessive madman.

Eugene who is mirroring himself with Kaizer failed to run away and chooses to succumb, ending in a tragic scene of being murdered by his childhood friend.

All because of the so-called sought emotion name... love.