4.11

The bedroom door was opened and footsteps were made on the floor, the only audible noise present in the entire environment. The individual who entered walked to the window and opened the curtains, allowing the sun's rays to enter the room and light up the entire room. So, he turned around and saw a small body sprawled across the mattress of the bed. The sheet that covered him had long since fallen to the floor and his foot was out of bounds. His whole posture was strange, but his cute, boyish face showed pure relaxation, without even a hint of annoyance, being in his third sleep.

He watched him for a few seconds, before approaching at the same speed as he entered and shook the boy's shoulders, intending to wake him up. The purple strands messed up from sleep fell on his clean white forehead, but he still noticed how the pillow cloth was slightly dark, a clear indication that the boy had bathed again and not dried himself properly. His eyes narrowed when he saw this and he went back to waking him up.

"James, wake up." He called the name. Unlike his face, his voice was gentle and soft, with an undertone of care. "Wake up it's time."

"Hng…" A strange sound came out of his mouth, followed by a pause in his breathing and the opening of his brown eyes to the world.

His cute face looked up at the ceiling with confusion in the first few seconds of his day and then looked up at him, later recognizing who it was. He couldn't help but yawn in sleep, soon after awakening his mind more.

"Good morning, Brandon." He spoke hoarsely. His throat felt dry and he glanced at the pitcher of water beside the dresser.

Brandon didn't take long and got a glass and put the liquid in it, to hand it over. The water in the pitcher was freezing, as it was always changed after dawn. Such a thing was necessary, as there is always someone who gets up in the middle of the night just for a drink to quench their thirst.

"Good morning, James." He said, nodding. "Get up quickly, your mother asked me to call you."

"What there was?"

"Nothing, just for breakfast." He replied, getting up and going to the drawers, pulling out the garments that would follow the entire day. He was choosing the ones that looked the most comfortable and the prettiest for the boy to wear. The Countess would also like to see it that way.

"Aff, couldn't she let me sleep just a little longer? We got so late yesterday." He said, lying on his stomach, with his face to the side and the vision of Brandon standing there. It was obvious they were late, but he still had to wake up now. He felt wronged. "She wanted to sleep some more."

"No." He promptly denied it. The lady wanted him to be at breakfast. It was an established rule since before entering the mansion, so it was impossible not to just go to sleep. The only exceptions would be for work or out of necessity, nothing more.

"I know." James blinked a few more times. His eyelids were heavy and wanting to sleep, but he stopped himself, deciding to get up. "But I still wanted to sleep."

"I should have gone to sleep when you arrived." He spoke, placing the found clothing on top of the dresser. He watched as James sat on the bed, limbs limp, still too lazy to move. "That way I wouldn't be sleepy."

James watched him. Brandon looked the same, his face serious and businesslike, with no sign of fatigue, much less anything to indicate dark circles under his eyes and a sleepless night. He was full of energy. He felt a little jealous.

"Aren't you tired? You went to sleep at the same time I did." He questioned curiously, getting the other's attention.

Brandon found James' question funny. If he is tired? For him, I would also like to lie down and sleep a little longer. However, it is not possible because he had to work. He also thinks that the other employees also had the same feelings as him, but they still came. Though he had a bit of misgivings about the Miller family knights, Nott, for one, looked like a machine all day at dawn walking around the training center.

There were few times that he saw him doing this, but his colleagues always said that waking up is part of the routine and they were even surprised by the chestnut's habit of waking up even earlier.

"I think you should ask Nott this, he's up earlier than everyone else. And he still trains a little before the routine starts."

The boy's eyes widened, surprised by the said information. The knight went to sleep at the same time as both of them and still had enough energy to train like that? He was a mage, but now he was curious as to whether such resistance was due to their training.

"Well, just get ready soon. The lady is waiting for you and has already called the others. Come down no later than ten minutes."

"Ok." He nodded, getting up from the bed and heading to the bathroom, as the redhead left the room. He still had to go to Ferion's office to call him.

Unlike the Killos mansion, Ferion's office was not a separate room, but its own room. The first young master had decided so, as he didn't see the need to transit between two places while only spending a few days in the place. His door was ordinary, similar to James's but darker.

Brandon stopped in front of the bedroom door, tapping twice with his index finger, receiving permission from a deep voice.

The interior was revealed and the person he had come to call was sitting in his chair in front of a table strewn with papers. Though in the morning, Ferion was working in full force, as the Earl left early to settle matters with other nobles in order to partner for the development of the county and empire. The main point was that the revelation of the second prince being named as heir to the throne was unexpected and they had to discuss the plans and planning to follow, as all that they had were practically annulled with such a speech from the emperor.

The man with hair as black as night looked up from the paper to the redhead in the doorway.

"Good morning, Brandon." Greeted him. His voice was thick, but still polite and respectful.

"Good morning, Ferion. The lady wishes you to go down to breakfast."

"Fine, I'll be right there. I'll just finish this document and I'll be there." She informed him, realizing it would be quick. The document was nothing more than a review of the facts already ascertained by him.

"Okay sir. Excuse me." He shook his head and left.

Brandon had called both of them he had been responsible for, as per the Countess's orders. He never once thought of going to the room reserved for Phillip and Johannes. It would not be pleasant for him to have to see how the two interact and he would have some resistance to carrying out such an order from Countess Claire. It was still morning and he didn't want to spoil some of the good mood he had yesterday.

He entered the dining room of the mansion and found the table filled with food of the most varied types, all with beautiful and very appetizing appearances, going from one end to the other. The place was illuminated by the windows and sunlight created a natural atmosphere for the environment, without making it hot. It was pleasant and cool with the breeze that came from outside and entered the room.

As soon as he entered, the figure of the countess was also on the beautifully decorated backdrop. She would sit in her chair at the end and sip a cup of flechia tea, an herb beneficial for its anti-detox and relaxing effects. Her expression was natural as she took a sip and her purple hair fell slightly from her shoulder down. She turned her face and set her cup down on the table the instant she heard her footsteps, waiting for her to speak.

"Ma'am, I called them both over. James is taking a shower, while Ferion was checking a document, but he said he'd come over as soon as he was finished." She reported, in the same tone and attitude she always had at her job.

Claire looked at the young man in front of her, near the door, with eyes so kind they created a smile as they bowed. She had always been very fond of Brandon, from the moment he came to the mansion. He was responsible and very dedicated, even more so he was a good boy and that just made it even more wonderful. She often thought that if he were her son, it would be even better, but she soon dismissed that idea.

She watched him grow up over a decade, watched him be cheerful during his teens, being an example to James and his accomplice, as she also watched him grieve for the death of his mother and his best friend halfway through it. Stella was like a point of light in the sky that guided him and anchored him to reality. She saw him lose a part of himself when he saw her go, and even she too, after all, had lost one of her best friends and companion through difficult times.

However, even at this time, the boy was still expressive. His face revealed his sadness, but he didn't lose the happy vibe that someone his age had. At just a few months old, he looked like he had come to terms with the death of his mother and his only relative in the world, though he missed it as much as the void that remained in his heart. He smiled so naturally that everyone felt calm when they saw him.

When he became an adult, changes happened and changed him. They were small at first and increased over time, so that he became silent and expressionless. The smile that came so naturally before became more and more rare as time passed.

But the core was never changed. He was still the same responsible and good boy that he had been since he was little.

Brandon was still as capable as he'd shown himself and he was dedicated to his job even more. He cared for James as if he were his own brother and cared for him as much as his blood family. He loved the county and was grateful to the Millers for taking care of it. Every person of his just had respect for them and treated them very well.

She only wanted the best for him and would help him however she could.

Just like she promised her friend days before her departure.

"Brandon, come here." She called out to him, motioning for him to come over and waiting, watching.

The redhead walked to her, to the side, getting the look on him. He was stiff-faced, unchanged, waiting for her next order.

"Have breakfast with us." She uttered, picking up her cup and taking a sip, not looking at the wide eyes of the boy next to her and her frozen posture.

"Madam, can I go to the kitchen and…"

"I want to have breakfast with you. Please have a seat. James will love it too." She appealed to her son's name without hesitation. Just as she'd imagined, Brandon nodded and sat down next to her, looking down at his plate and spooning some food.

It wasn't the first time they had breakfast together, but the atmosphere was strange. It was very common for them to do this during the three years that Ferion and Phillip had gone to war. He accompanied them, a simple form of comfort for the two adults and a young child missing his siblings.

Brandon was silent. He really didn't want to be there for the high chances of seeing the engaged couple. A sigh left his lips, thinking that even if he didn't call them, fate would play with him and take him right in front of them with no chance of escape, as it was a request from the Countess herself and he didn't want to disappoint her by refusing.

Silence lasted for some time until the door opened again, but this time it was a shorter figure that showed, followed by a taller one. Ferion and James appeared entering the room. The youngest with a cheerful face and the oldest with the usual seriousness. His face was so striking that even when it was neutral, it gave the impression that he was pondering something a lot.

James looked at his mother and Brandon, smiling right away at having his best friend for breakfast. Finally, his request was fulfilled. Now, he feels like he doesn't want to sleep as much as he said earlier.

"Good morning, Mom. Brandon." He approached, hugging the woman and placing a kiss on her cheek, before moving to her place. He had to thank his mother, obviously, he was aware that the redhead was only there because of her.

"Children. Hope you slept well."

"I thought I could have slept more, Mom." James said, pouting.

"If I hadn't gone to Brandon's yesterday and gone to sleep, I wouldn't be like this."

The boy looked at his mother with wide eyes and shifted between her and Brandon. The two seemed to have ganged up against him and even said similar things. That didn't mean he was wrong, but that they were both targeting him.

"I had a good sleep, Mom." Ferion replied, seeing that James would not respond. He ignored the other's expression, naturally.

"That's good. But don't push yourself too hard because of work. Your dad might be busy, but he still has me to help him. So does Brandon." She spoke, thinking that her first child worked too much.

The eldest was the heir and would naturally have more responsibilities, so from a young age he has lived with pressure and expectations on him. Thankfully, his personality is responsible and he manages to handle it very well. However, he worked a lot, since when he had barely returned from the war he was working for the county helping his father. He was a workaholic and Claire just sighed because he was identical to her husband.

"All good." He nodded, understanding her concerns.

The last two people also entered the moment of the end of their words. Phillip and Johannes walked in with their arms intertwined, as if they were entering a banquet. The two acted accordingly and looked really good together. Their attitude towards each other was good and they seemed in good spirits by the ambient lighting. They continued like this until there was a slight hesitation from the knight when he noticed who was sitting next to his younger brother and mother.

Brandon was there, expressionless green eyes looking at him without a single ripple of emotion.

He was the only one who knew what was happening to him seeing them that way, and so he continued to hide the complexity of his feelings.

Phillip and Johannes had no way of knowing how Brandon felt, but they took their seats. Johannes, like the good actress that she is, acted more natural, although he was also surprised by the extra company he'd never seen before in the dining room. And, well, the second son glared at Brandon from time to time, trying to be discreet. He wanted to talk to him, but he knew this wasn't the time.

"I'm glad everyone is here. Even if Ivan isn't. I feel it would be nice to share a meal between us." Countess Claire smiled, allowing the power to release. She soon observed them and then began to make conversation. No one there could see it, but there was an understated mischief in his tone, expression, and gaze. "Brandon, I heard from Irvin that you went out yesterday. Did you have fun?"

Everyone looked at him and Brandon was a little embarrassed by the attention. In particular the attention of two people.

"Yes." He responded. "I went to the festival that took place in the streets."

"And how was it? It's been so many years since I've been to a place like this. I wanted to know how the event is now."

"It went well. We visited the game booths and enjoyed ourselves. The food was very good and well prepared, albeit cheap. There wasn't much to argue with, the mood was very festive and welcoming."

Brandon relied on honesty and sincerity. There was no way or why to hide it. If she asked or heard from Irvin, she would already know the full details and, most importantly, that he would have gone out with his friend Nott. He knew she wouldn't complain, but he didn't want to bring himself into trouble with Phillip's side. He still remembered the other entering the room just to get a headless satisfaction, as if he was the one who owed him something.

"Us?" A smile grew on the countess's gentle face. "Who did you go with?"

"I went with Nott."

"If I'm not mistaken, he's a friend you talk to from time to time and he accompanied you on the trip, wasn't he?" Brandon nodded. "I'm glad you had fun with your friend. You need to have more friends like that."

"Thank you Madam."

Both talked to each other, with everyone silent and paying attention. Johannes looked at his betrothed and sighed, realizing that this time the knight was holding back and not revealing anything that might create a misunderstanding. The table was with the countess and the other brothers, it wasn't really a good place for him to show his dissatisfaction with Brandon's departure. Only she knew how much she had to listen to his complaints just to sleep.

And James, drawing attention to himself, joined in the dialogue.

"So Mom, I can go hang out with Brandon and Nott today." he asked hopefully. He expected her to say yes, as he'd been wanting to know what the festival was like, even though he'd gotten past the main one.

"Yes, but be home early. We're leaving tomorrow and you have to choose what to take back." She stated, letting him know about the appointment tomorrow.

"Are we going back to the county yet?"

"Want to stay a little longer?"

"Um, well, yes." He nodded at the positive response. He wanted to stay, it was a fact that he enjoyed the city more than Killos. Furthermore, from his room he could see the sacred land of the mages, the Magic Tower, and his thoughts and dreams were surrounded by that building in question.

"But you can't. We'll be back tomorrow. Your father will stay for the extended faction discussion. It's impossible for them to decide today all the planning anyway.

"Can't I have it?" She questioned, receiving a warning glare, causing him to duck. "All good."

"Ferion will be in charge of the county in your father's absence and I'll probably help him with some errands. Brandon will be helping him in the meantime and I want to be his assistant for a few days."

It was expected and Ferion had no opinion on that. His father had to argue with the second prince's faction after the bomb and he was trained for that in the first place. And Brandon didn't get much of an impression either, since that was his job. Just jealousy flickered in Phillip's eyes, and he gripped the handle of the fork he used to take some of it off.

He really didn't like Brandon's approach to his brother.

"Now, I want you to enjoy a good breakfast." She said, finishing her tea and eating a brioche bun.

The rest of breakfast was watered with conversations, where only Brandon answered what was asked of him. He wasn't focused too much on the conversation, because he had to control himself not to express disgust or helplessness at the sight of Phillip feeding Johannes. That was something he just did with himself.

A sigh wanted to come out of his mouth, but he held it in and ignored it. It doesn't matter, he thought to himself. And an urge to return to the earldom had been growing ever since he'd heard the countess's warning.

Only his bed could bring her any comfort. But he had no idea what would happen there it would be the end of an era.