Whose Child?

"Duke Viltaria."

The head butler is about to greet the duke but gets ignored as he watches Duke Viltaria rush upstairs. This made the head butler sigh, not really understanding the reason why the duke looks so restless and uneasy.

Duke Viltaria is actually nervous.

He hurries upstairs but when he is near the room where Eugene is resting, his footsteps suddenly lowered as he stands still in front of the door.

Raising his hand...

When Duke Viltaria was about to knock, the door opened from the inside and Kaizer met a friend of his dad.

Seeing the man standing frozen, Kaizer stares at Duke Viltaria with a confused expression and said, "Uncle Arkiton, are you here to see Eugene?"

Duke Viltaria put down his hand and fake a cough.

"Yes, I'm here to check on your friend."

"He's sleeping now, we are playing for a while but Eugene said he feel tired so he sleeps again."

Duke Viltaria shows a hesitant expression.

"Can I see him? I need to check his body."

Kaizer didn't find it strange because his uncle is also the one taking care of him whenever he is sick so maybe, Eugene could also be healed by his uncle so he let the man enter the room and watch Duke Viltaria steps inside, walking towards the position of the bed.

Kaizer stood still and look at his uncle who is staring at Eugene's sleeping face.

In a second, Duke Viltaria raises his hand and touches Eugene's head.

Kaizer can see the mist of mana on Duke Viltaria's hand and Eugene who is sleeping peacefully suddenly shows an expression of pain.

"Uncle!"

Raising his hand, Kaizer wanted to pull away his uncle's hand from Eugene's head but his uncle just gave him a cold face, full of warning. This made Kaizer dissatisfied, knowing that this is the first time that his uncle treated him indifferently so he glared at the other party and shouted, "What are you doing!" before releasing his mana and pushing the man aside, meters away from Eugene.

Kaizer's mana flow toward Duke Viltaria in attack mode.

Duke Viltaria who was caught off guard hissed in pain and with a pale face, looked toward Eugene who is still showing an expression of pain.

Kaizer finds his uncle strange...

From the moment he entered the room, his uncle's eyes never leave Eugene's figure.

"What did you do?! He's in pain! I'll let Dad know about this!"

Duke Viltaria gritted his teeth and said, "His mana is affected by yours, If I don't seal it then he'll suffer from mental exhaustion."

"I don't believe it! Your magic is strange!"

"You--"

Duke Viltaria raise his hand and was about to approach Kaizer when the door suddenly burst open.

"Lay your hand on my son and I'll let everyone know who you are."

Grand Duke Karsten's chilly eyes fell on his friend and show contempt.

If he happens to ignore the familiar mana of his son and didn't bother to check to know if his crazy friend had arrived then he is afraid that he won't have an idea of what's happening in this room right now. The worst thing is that his friend even nearly touch his son's memories which made him displease and can't help but hated the fact that he allowed his crazy friend to visit.

His son's memories, no one can alter other than him and he won't allow anyone to touch his son without permission, even if it's his friend.

"Katnier!"

Duke Viltaria gritted his teeth and laugh contemptuously, saying... "What a good father you are, surely you know what I'm doing."

Grand Duke Karsten frown.

"I think you need to stop now or else you'll regret what you're doing now."

"What do you mean?! Are you threatening me?!"

"No, I'm just starting the fact that no one will be happy if the matter happens to be revealed so as early as now, you need to stop."

Duke Viltaria purses his lips: "You don't understand me."

"I love a person and I also had a son whom I treasure. I understand your obsession but that child, I don't think he deserves the pain of your bitter life. I know you don't want to hear words from someone like me, but Arkiton...people should change and I'm also starting to reflect. That child, you better open your eyes, he seems to be suffering...if you continue doing that..."

"What did you know?!!!"

Duke Viltaria who was stimulated had his eyes covered in mist. He's looking at his friends as if he's looking at someone who betrayed him.

Grand Duke Karsten had his heart beating rapidly.

He suddenly realizes something...

That's right, what does he know? It only started when he saw that child's eyes. After that he suddenly feels like waking up from a long dream and just like how darkness was touched by a little bit of light, another perspective is seen.

When he was a child, he was deprived of everything. He suffered physically and mentally from the burden that his father has been putting on him, all because he's the only heir of the grand dukedom.

He should not make a mistake because one mistake could be a tool to point at his neck.

Never had a childhood, never feel parental love. His mother treated him not like a son but like a master and would kneel, speak and stand with him formally. Unlike others, his mother won't kiss his forehead but the back of his hand, showing loyalty to the future grand duke of the dukedom. Even his siblings can't come near him and must always treat him as a prince.

Why? Because being the grand duke's heir is on par with being the emperor's son.

With no one besides him, he failed to learn some emotion that his father told him wasn't necessary. It was only when he met someone that woke him up from a deep sleep that he happen to learn the emotion called love.

But it was too late because before he learn it, he had already done terrible things making the other person run away and hide from him.

That's right, he and Arkiton are the same yet different in some cases.

One is fearless while the other is a coward,

"You shouldn't ask me that question Arkiton, because you and I watch each other's evil deeds with open eyes and surly know each other's dark side."

"I'm doing this for his own good!"

"Can you still remember my eyes when I was still a child?"

"Huh?"

"I remember you approach me and you said that my eyes held so many stories and that you know what I am suffering."

"Why did you bring that mat--"

"His eyes...That child's eyes are like mine when I was still a child."

"Ah?"

Grand Duke Karsten massages his forehead: "This is why I'm telling you to stop because I want you to see that child, not as a tool to get closer to that person."

"Arkiton, that child seems to be suffering so much."

Duke Viltaria purses his lips, "Impossible!"

"Open your eyes! At least not that child!"

He doesn't want to see his reflection to anyone.

He had enough pain of the past.

Kaizer watches his uncle and father in silence, wanting to understand their topic. But in the middle of his uncle and father's argument, he saw Eugene showing a sign of waking up so he hurriedly come closer to Eugene and ask him if he was alright.

"Dizzy."

Kaizer purse his lips and started to massage Eugene's forehead.

"Did you feel pain?"

Eugene shook his head.

"Dizzy, I feel dizzy."

Eugene feels like he's having a hallucination again and the noise around is buzzing in his ears. Thankfully, he is slowly recovering from dizziness so he tried to sit up from laying but his hands didn't touch a soft quilt which made him realize that he press his weight wrong...

What happened is too fast and Kaizer even failed to catch Eugene who fell from the bed.

SFX: Thud

"My child-----"

Duke Arkiton flinch when he heard a loud bang and both men looked toward the direction of the bed. There they saw Kaizer's stretched hand failing to pull Eugene and Eugene, slowly getting up on the floor upon falling.

Eugene sat up on the floor bewildered while staring at Duke Arkiton.

"C-Child..."

Eugene is still dizzy and in order to recover his mental state, he kept himself sitting, without moving any muscles.

"Y-You..."

Eugene looks at Grand Duke Karsten and Duke Viltaria repeatedly while saying...

"Child, what child? whose child?"

The room fell into silence.

——"Brother Euric, will Eugene be able to attend the selection?"

Euric patted Timber's head and replied, "Yes. I was told that he will need to recover so he'll probably just go back to the academy on the day of the selection."

Looking at the bulletin board, Timber sighed.

"It's good, at least I'm team with him!"

Thinking about surprising Eugene, Timber couldn't help but be happy. He actually passes the test and is in second place and luckily joins the team where Eugene is put, isn't he lucky?

Humming, Timber glances at the Symphony selection list and couldn't help but snort.

Hmp. Who is Eullian? Wanted to be a swordsman but couldn't hold a sword. At least he passed and even at second place, not only his mother would be proud but also Eugene. He was even praised by his brother Euric, this Eullian is not good at all hmp! dare to fight with him hmp! Just dream!

"Did you miss him already?"

"Of course, who would care about him other than me?!"

Euric laughed, "Amazing."

"You don't sound convinced at all!"

"I am, I am. After all, Timber is Eugene's favorite."

Timber raises his chin, "As long as you know, don't bother to fight with me, you won't win."

Euric's jaw dropped and still couldn't believe this little one's confidence. However, he couldn't refute it because it's true that Eugene treated Timber as siblings more than them but it's fine for him because he had his shortcoming.

If only his father didn't stop him then those nobles and those who talk bad things about his little brother are probably sitting in the prison now, waiting for trial.

What can he do? He still doesn't have enough power to control the Marquis military.

If he goes against his father then he'll lose his position as an heir. If he loses his position as an heir then he won't be able to protect his siblings if something happens.

He doesn't want to become powerless.

What happen to Eugene made him realize how fake the authority he held as the Marquis's son.

It made him frustrated especially whenever something happen to Eugene.

He couldn't even hire talented doctors for his little brother without the help of his father.

Euric can see, that his healthy little brother suddenly always collapses which made him very alarmed knowing that his little brother, just like his parents and siblings, was also caught by disease. How annoying, that the peaceful family he thought is just on the surface, and like a broken mirror, there are some that couldn't be fixed no matter what.

If only he didn't become confident enough then maybe he'll be able to fix the small mistake before becoming big and change the outcome of what is it now.

"Brother Euric did Duke Viltaria visit your household again?"

"Hmm? No, I heard he's in the grand dukedom."

"Huh? Duke Viltaria can enter the grand dukedom?"

Euric pinched Timber's cheeks and said, "How old are you? Are you not studying? Isn't it stated in the history book how Del Viltaria and Dela Vallier have a good relationship? The Magic barrier around the grand dukedom is created by the Del Viltaria, so basically the Del Viltaria has been acting as the De la Vallier's knight. This is why in every generation, one Del Viltaria child would be sent to live at De la Vallier dukedom."

"Ouch! Why pinch me?" pouting, Timber let out a loud hmp before saying, "How complicated, how can one side rest assured that there would be no betrayal?"

Euric chuckle.

"You need to study more."

"Come on tell me, I had enough of reading history books."

Euric sighed helplessly.

"No one can move the De la Vallier and with the power, being established under the Karsten surname, it will really make that family invincible."

"I'm confused, aren't the grand duke a De la Vallier? How come he is sometimes called a Karsten?"

"De la Vallier is the true surname while Karsten is created out of hatred. As far as I know, Grand Duke Karsten hated the power brought by De la Vallier's surname so he created his own army under the surname of Karsten but the subordinate of grand duke's father is not easy to remove, and until now they are still hiding in the shadow."

"Is the De la Vallier's army refuse to recognize grand duke Karsten's existence?"

"No. It's grand duke Karsten who refuses to recognize them so those armies are hiding in the shadow and are protecting the future heir which is the young Duke Kaizer, in hopes of retrieving the De la Vallier's power."

"Wow, they're that powerful?"

"Yes. So no one can move them because there is a rumor that behind the power of De la Vallier, there is still someone protecting the grand duke's family."

"So scary?!"

"Who knows if the rumor is true? Anyways you need to go back and read history books. You can't keep being clueless or you might offend someone you shouldn't offend in the future."

"Hmp. You telling me that, I'll laugh at you if that happens to you!"

Who knew the powers of words?

Euric also had no idea that he will really offend someone powerful in the future and no matter what he does, just like the fate of his little brother, he is also bound to receive such intense affection. All because...of one mistake that he is eager to rewrite.

If only, he listens to Eugene, then his little brother won't be too sad.