4 Walter

"Come in." Said a gruff voice from inside the room.

Alex slowly opened the door, almost as if she was trying her hardest to add my my anxiousness. As the door opened smoothly and slowly I peeked inside. It wasn't a very large room, perhaps smaller than the bedroom I had awoken in. There was wooden furniture everywhere and it seemed to be of rather high quality, the carpeting was dark and smooth. I looked up from the floor I saw a worn wooden desk, the once intricate designs it held faded. Sitting at this desk was an old man his hair grey and his exhaustion apparent from the crows feet just below his emerald eyes, that were jaded from experience and eyebrows sharper than the sharpest swords. He had a grey goatee and short hair. He wore seemingly normal clothes, faded yet normal.

Behind him stood a tall bald tanned man of at least 6 foot 8. He had a scar from the left side of his forehead going down in between his eyes and just under his right one down to about the middle of his cheek. He wore a set of simple leather armor and had a sword around his waist. He was leaning against the wall next to the window the light shining onto his face. His eyes closed as if basking in what little sunlight came through the windows.

The old man at the desk was using a quill pen as he wrote upon some sort of document. His hand hadn't wavered since we came in and he seemingly didn't even take notice of our entry. He continued to write on the document before picking up the quill. Thinking he was about to look up I straightened my posture and looked forward expectantly. He picked up the pen and put into a small bowl of ink, making a small sploosh sound. He then picked up the quill once again and let it hover over the bowl small drops of ink dripping back into it. Drip... drip... It was unnerving to say the least, I hadn't even done anything wrong and yet I felt like I was at my own execution.

After this process repeated itself a few times he finally put the quill aside and looked up at me. As he stared into my eyes he let out a seemingly relieved sigh his eyes containing gentleness and hope.

"Albert." He said

"Yes?"

"Are you alright?"

"Yea..."

A slight pause came.

'Is this it is that all he has to say, he called me here just for this? I mean I understand you would worry about a family member but wouldn't you say a bit more like "Thank god I was so worried but alas you are now fine!" or maybe that's just me?' I thought to myself

"The baron who gave you Liliolus has been put to death, he should've known better than to go anywhere with such a disease nonetheless near a Duke."

'Put to death?' I thought after being caught off guard 'Put to death simply for giving me a disease, he was a noble as well so isn't this simply an overreaction?'

"You are a Duke Albert, this cannot be allowed, to top it all off you're the only one who can inherit properly so all the more reason to not take it lightly." Walter spoke as if he could sense my doubt.

"I know but still, isn't that a bit much?" I respond, even though I lead a group of delinquents we never did anything like this.

Walter sighed,

"Albert I understand that it is hard to be merciless, and all the more to be heartless, but our enemies will never show us any kindness. Moreover many will take your kindness as weakness and they'll use and abuse you." He stood up. "As a member of house Freedt it is unacceptable all the more since you are the future head!" He spoke with a flame in his eyes.

"Yes grandfather." I spoke bowing my head.

As far as I remember from my previous life I was never so subservient, even to my elders but I simply felt I had to towards Walter. Perhaps it was how he spoke, or perhaps it's how the one in this body before me acted and I'm now being influenced by him.

'Am I even me anymore? If I'm being influenced by Albert and I have his memories and his experiences do I share his thought? His feelings? Am I my own person anymore or merely Albert with an extra set of memories?' In the middle of my existential crises Walter spoke up.

"Alright go to the doctor and have her make sure you're alright I wouldn't want there to be any lasting effects to your health."

"Yes sir." I reply deciding to leave my own thoughts for a later date.