Unexpected

On another eventful day, as the upcoming selection got nearer by days, everyone was full of energy and talk about what type of selection they would be.

Eugene this time dragged Timber into Warfare selection to be listed.

He wanted to make sure that Timber would be in the same group as him so they register in advance thinking of the possibility that groupings aren't chosen randomly but based on the students' capability.

"Don't sleep."

Eugene taps Timber's cheeks who is drowse.

"It's your fault, you woke me up too early."

Eugene chuckled: "Don't you want to join Warfare Selection? If you can't practice being an early bird then you'll suffer in the actual battle game soon."

Timber suddenly woke up and look at Eugene with wide eyes.

"E-Eugene..."

Looking at Eugene with teary eyes, Timber hugged Eugene while showing a pitiful look. How come he suddenly regrets his decision now? It isn't too late to back out right?

Eugene: "Do you still want to be with me?"

Timber gulps, "Go! Of course, I go!"

Eugene chuckled and ruffle Timber's head.

On the other side, Eullian looks in Eugene's direction while pursing his lips.

Seeing Eugene's intimate gesture to Timber made him dislike Timber, thinking that Timber is snatching his brother away. That Eugene's attention is supposed to be his because they're siblings and Timber is just an outsider!

"Don't look."

Clarence blocks Eullian's gaze and sighs, "Don't push yourself on a person who doesn't know how to value you. Besides your brother Euric is still there and no matter what you are still Eugene's brother. So you don't need to take what Timber is saying to your heart."

"B-But Clarence, w-why does Eugene dislike me?"

Clarence's eyes darken.

He also doesn't know why Eugene hated Eullian. To him, there is no reason to hate Eullian and Eugene is just being unreasonable and willful.

"Don't care about it, it's not your loss anyway."

Clarence admits, that he is also jealous of Timber but that doesn't mean he will accept Eugene's attitude of not caring for his own twin brother. He can't tolerate such a character that's why he leaves Eugene and choose to be friends with Eullian who had no friends and is so weak and lonely.

However, memories of relationships aren't easy to forget, especially whenever he saw Eugene's attitude of treating him as a stranger.

He's the one who left, what right does he have?

Clarence accepted the fact that what was broken cannot be mended, nor be recovered from the same state. Eugene and he had long drawn a line that no one can cross so the past cannot be mentioned no matter what.

"B-But Clarence, why Eugene still ignores me? Did I do something? Does Eugene not really like me? I try very hard to be liked by him but everything is futile, he still prefers Timber over me."

Clarence felt heartache.

"No, Eugene, h-he..."

"You don't need to lie to me, Rhapael always mentions to me that I am disliked by my brother so no matter how much effort I put in just so he could notice me, he wouldn't look at me because he doesn't like me as his twin brother."

"How could you say that?!"

"Clarence you and brother Euric don't need to lie to me."

Eullian with wet eyes smiles sadly, "I-I don't know why Eugene doesn't like me but I won't dislike my twin for no reason. No matter what, I'm still hoping that we could get along."

"Y-You know that Eugene doesn't like you, but why insist?"

"I wanted to fool myself, I wanted to believe in my lies so as not to feel the emptiness."

Clarence's hand tremble as he held Eullian's hand.

"Can you at least, just try to live your life without wanting others who had no interest in you?"

Eullian's eyelashes tremble and said, "Eugene is my twin..."

"Just for once, I wanted to feel my other half."

Clarence: "But he doesn't care about you."

"I can wait, I will try my best for him to like me."

"How can you be so good?" Clarence clench his fist and said in a low voice, "You don't need to try so hard for that kind of person." for him Eugene doesn't deserve a little brother like Eullian. If only he is Eullian's twin, then he won't hurt Eullian just like Eugene. He would treasure Eullian, dote on him, and pamper him... let him feel what is brotherly love, the kind of thing that Eugene couldn't give to his own siblings.

——"Wow, so many people early in the morning?"

Raisel glance around and swept straight to Casimin who look deflated and asked, "What happen to you? You look like someone who's been awake for a hundred years."

Casimin didn't bother the mocking tone in Raisel's words and massaged his forehead in irritation.

"I don't know, I've been having some strange dream that I couldn't recall at all!"

"Wow, perhaps you have done many bad things in your past life that you are being hunted now?"

Casimin glared at Raisel, "Just once, can you be serious?!"

Raisel laughed while holding his stomach, "I knew it, Casimin you finally had your day! Hahahahaha"

Casimin: "You!---"

Words are cut when they felt a heavy aura.

Casimin/Raisel: "Ah?"

Kaizer who just arrived at the line had worn a dark face full of dissatisfaction. He stood still by their side with a terrifying expression causing other students to back away from sensing such an awful aura that could make them throw up.

Ah, how unpleasant!

"K-Kaizer? Did something happen?"

Kaizer: (╬≖_≖)

Raisel: "Eeek"

Backing away, Raisel jumps and hides behind Casimin while peeking at the angry Kaizer who seems to kill anyone who disturbs him. Kaizer's expression tells them that with one wrong move, their loved ones would be crying in front of their tomb while saying how stupid they are for angering the only son of the Grand Duke.

"Umm, K-Kaizer?"

Kaizer glance at Casimin and Casimin immediately raises both of his arms, indicating that he admits defeat but defeat from what? No one knows, their actions are out of reflex, after all, the one in front of them is the precious son of the Grand Duke and one wrong move could cause the fall of their whole generation.

Kaizer: "You don't look good."

Casimin: "Yes you don't look good too."

Raisel: "Stupid!" (whispered before hitting Casimin's back)

Casimin: "A-Ah I mean, I had a nightmare so I hardly get a wink."

Kaizer frown. He also had a strange dream and some strange voice are also keep bothering him. He didn't bother to look for a magician because his father would know and would probably make a fuss, making the matter big.

What he hated the most is noise and his father who looks like a serious man doesn't keep his mouth shut at all.

"What a coincidence, a dream keeps disturbing me too."

Casimin: "Ah?"

It's really a coincidence, but Kaizer's seems to be a nightmare, not a dream at all.

"It's so unpleasant that I wanted to kill someone to vent my dissatisfaction."

Raisel/Casimin: "Eeek" (Shivering)

Keeping their mouth shut, Caismin and Raisel waited in the line obediently without opening their mouth in order not to trigger Kaizer's mood. It would be bad if the whole place suddenly turn into a bloodbath, it's too much mess for them and the academy. As someone who had witnessed Kaizer in a bad mood and getting annoyed by some stupid person at the same time, not only did those poor victims get a lifetime injury but also had their households ruined.

Kaizer can let go of those who annoyed him after punishing them but the Grand Duke wouldn't let off those people easily and must cut off their survival until they met their dead end.

Everyone knows, not to mess with Kaizer who had a crazy father.

So people would immediately back out and show respect whenever Kaizer is before them.

Casimin suddenly remembers one student who accidentally cut Kaizer's skin with swords. At that time Kaizer didn't bother much because it was just a small wound and ignore the student. However, the Grand Duke who saw such a wound to his precious son got furious and investigated who is the person who dare to scratch his precious son.

Kaizer refuse to answer his father and saw him as a bothersome person.

Still, that didn't stop the Grand Duke who ordered his intel to investigate the academy. In the end, the student who unintentionally hurt Kaizer got expelled and his family fell into ruin.

Of course, people won't be able to blame the Grand Duke because that student's family is actually doing an illegal business which is the trading of weapons with enemies and is suspected of being a traitor. The emperor even praise the Grand Duke so some nobles could only swallow their shame and wait for another opportunity. So the incident ended with that student's family's execution and since then, whenever Kaizer is around, everyone will become cautious with their actions.

"Ah! Sorry--"

Casimin/Raisel: "!!!!" [What the hell! Who's such an unfortunate person?!]

"I'm sorry, I---"

Kaizer immediately held the other party's arms. His expression changed and his previous irritation immediately disappeared and was replaced with a face full of expectation and surprise.

"It's you!"

Eugene gasp and look at the person he bumped into and was in shock when he saw a familiar face that hunts him in his dream.

How can it be? Isn't Kaizer automatically listed in the Warfare selection? Why is he still here waiting in line? Did something happen? And he actually bump into the person he never wanted to meet? What kind of misfortune is this?

"I'm sorry, you might be mistaken."

Kaizer stare at the person in front of him and the former expectation he had suddenly disappeared when Eugene uttered such a sentence to him.

"What's your name?" with the other party's strong rejection, with just his [Eugene] body movement, Kaizer can already tell the avoidance of the other party towards him which makes him feel dissatisfied as they clearly met each other on that very unexpected day.

Just why? Why pretend?

"I'm sorry, I-I'm quite busy and have something to do."

"Name! Just tell me your name!"

Raisel/Casimin: "!!!" [Watching, wondering about the situation.]

Did they know each other?

"Really, I'm busy so---"

"Eugene!"

Eugene paled and turn his head to look at Timber who is running in his direction before turning his gaze at Kaizer while forcefully pulling his hand.

"I'm sorry!" finally being able to escape Kaizer's grip, Eugeme immediately runs away and carries Timber who is catching his breath.

Timber who was carried away: "???"

What happens?

Eugene gritted his teeth, "Stay still, don't call my name for the time being." in case Kaizer use his ability to eavesdrop he prevented Timber to talk until he reach a safe distance, away from Kaizer's range.

"Why? Did something happen?"

Eugene put down Timber while panting.

"N-No I just bump into someone."

Frowning, Timber pouted, "I told you that we can look together but you insist, now you bump into someone, you probably leave without apologizing so you're running away!"

Eugene press his lips and laugh, "Silly, when did I apologize to others?"

He only apologizes to people who deserved it and Kaizer is not one of those persons.

"Anyway why did you leave earlier, you said you saw someone familiar, who is it? I didn't know you have an acquaintance here."

Eugene shook his head, "No, nothing." he can't tell Timber that he wanted to go to Eullian and have a talk but when he saw Clarence he regretted it and wanted to go back only to bump into someone he really wanted to avoid.

"Anyways are you now listed?"

"Yes, but it said that there would be a test for those who have low qualification and is unqualified to see if they can enter the selection."

Eugene frown, "Can you do it?"

"Of course, I might not have a talent for magic but I can wield a sword! You teach me remember?"

Eugene sigh, of course, he believes in Timber's ability because Timber is his subordinate in the past before being kidnapped by his [Timber] step-brother and Timber's swordsmanship is not inferior to other swordsmen. But if it's this time, Timber is still weak so he needs to make time to teach Timber before the test start.

Or maybe just let Timber fail the test?

No! He can't think like that!

He already promises! He must support Timber!

"B-But are you sure you'll be fine? What if you fail the test and can't get into the warfare selection?"

Timber frown, "Still, I wanted to try!"

Eugene smile and his eyes held complicated emotions that are wanting to burst out but he can't cry in front of Timber, he can't cry in public and let others see his tears because that would be his weakness.

Timber Rozans, is his sole weakness.