Chapter six

Gray would deny it if someone ever asked him, he was contemplating, not brooding!

But seriously, his little brother hated him.

It had been two months since he was born and whenever he tried to get close, he would start crying, wiggling, and wouldn't stop until he distanced himself from him.

"What's up gray? Why is my strong, reliable, aw-"

He raised a hand to his father, stopping him in his tracks, and sighed.

"You're horrible at this, I need comfort not inflating my ego."

Paul slumped and sat beside him on the stairs outside, both sighing in unison.

"Want to train?"

Gray shrugged, today felt like depression. The clouds were cloudy, not raining. The smell of something being cooked was coming from the house, their favorite dish, bringing back good memories, and then the sound of a baby just crushed those memories with sadness that his little brother was afraid of him.

"Hey, your fifth birthday is coming up soon, isn't it?"

He nodded, in this world, you don't celebrate every birthday, just three. It was practical if he had to be honest. Five, ten, and fifteen, when reaching those ages, a birthday is celebrated, otherwise, it's just another day. When someone turns fifteen there considered an adult.

"Well, then, let's get to training. No time to sulk, Rudi will come around, don't worry."

Rudeus was the little brat's name, he was always quiet like he was... Until he got close. He would look around curiously and would smile unnervingly when he looked at Lilia's chest...

"You know... I suspect that Rudi inherited everything that I didn't from you."

He got a deadpan for that comment and a raised wooden sword, sighing, he picked up his own.

Sometimes, he wondered why he didn't use magic, he was good at it, and maybe he could find a way to aid his swordsmanship with it.

___

Rudeus Grayrat was the name he was given in his new life. He got a new chance, a chance to start over, to be better than he was before.

Only, if he was in modern civilization, maybe he was in a village.

He had a beautiful mother, a handsome father and he kind of hoped that he inherited the best of both worlds. They had a maid named Lilia and... He had an older brother.

He felt bad, whenever he saw his hurt face when he cried. He couldn't help it, he was afraid, afraid that everything would end up the same way it did last time, afraid that he would be kicked out again.

He couldn't help that the idea of an older brother brought back bad memories.

"We better keep the windows open, we don't want the smell of sweat when those two come back into the house."

He heard his mother's voice and looked over, she was opening the windows, as she said. His brother and father came home sweaty every day and would go to take a bath, judging from the looks of it, they were exercising.

Though he doubted that the open windows would help much.

Ignoring the open window, the little child went back to the important task.

Staring at, Lilia's chest.

Hmm... Yeah... This was what he was talking about. Watching as they swayed side to side as she distributed the plates was very nice...

The door opened and Paul walked in along with Gray. Both of them were sweaty and the kid looked more exhausted than paul.

"Ah, a good workout is always the best isn't it, Gray? Knowing that I can still improve after such a long time is very pleasing and having my son right there next to me improving alongside me is just the best. My son who took interest in swordplay inherited his old man's looks, talent, and stubbornness to go on no matter how hard the training is, those traits must have come from me! Ah... I'm the best aren't I?"

Zenith looked over at the boisterous man, a retort probably ready to be used but stopped when she saw the happy face her husband was making, he was just trying to get a rise out of Gray.

The said four-year-old wasn't feeling that generous, though.

"Is your hand okay?"

Paul looked at the blonde with a raised eyebrow, confusion marring his sweaty face as he tilted his head.

The question also got the attention of Lilith and Zenith as well, one looking curious and the other looking worried.

"It... Is?"

Gray nodded, as if satisfied and released a sigh of relief, placing a hand on his chest to seemingly calm his worried heart.

"Oh good, I thought you broke it... By patting yourself on the back."

Paul looked like he was punched in the gut, hunched over, he fell on his knees, and if this was a fictional world, Rudeus was sure that he would have rivers of tears flowing from his eyes and a rain cloud over his head.

A very unladylike snort came from Zenith and she turned around, covering her mouth but anyone could her shoulders shaking from laughter and even Lilia was trying to fight down a smile.

"You little brat... How could you? To your own father?"

The blonde child snorted and started walking up the stairs, probably to take a bath, leaving behind a man with broken pride and a broken spirit.

"Don't worry dear, you know he was joking..."

Life coming back to his body, Paul looked at Zenith with hope, like she was an angel extending a hand towards him.

"...But you had it coming, don't try to deny it."

And he was back to crying.

Rudeus looked on with slight amazement.

What a weird family he had, but he didn't mind, watching them was sometimes hilarious.