A Trip

An entire week had passed since Gilbert issued the challenge to Sebastian. During that time, Sebastian continued studying the old book that wrote about the stigma and several other books, both ancient and contemporary to find out about the 'root'.

But, that wasn't all the preparation he had done. Starting today, the school would have a three-day break during the weekdays and then an additional two days during the weekend which meant that students were given five days of break.

Sebastian used whatever connections he had left to set up preparations to go on a trip. First, to his mother's home and then a town a day away by carriage.

"A trip...?" Amy looked at Sebastian in disbelief. "Yeah," he answered, "I'm going to my mother's for a few hours then head out of town."

"How come you didn't tell me?!" Amy erupted in anger prompting Sebastian to draw back in surprise.

"W-what," Sebastian stuttered, "is there something wrong?"

Amy glared at him and took out two tickets from her pockets and threw it at him, "you forgot about our anniversary!"

—anniversary, a word used for celebrating noteworthy events but in the case of a man and a woman, a celebration for their relationship reaching a milestone in time.

But for Amy and Sebastian, this day was different, "hahaha..." Sebastian gave a dry laugh, "I'm sorry! I'll make it up to you next time!"

For them, today was the day that both of them would forget their status as the successors of two major houses and hung out in disguises, strolling around the city.

Sebastian picked up the tickets on the floor and sure enough, they were for a theater play they had promised to watch next year, meaning today.

"I forgot all about it because I've been busy lately," Sebastian apologized feeling guilty.

Amy kept her glare on him for a few more seconds before turning her head with a pout, "you've constantly been spending less time with me over the years but this week had the least contact! You're sick of being friends with me, aren't you?"

Sebastian sighed and walked up to her. He took her hands in his and then whispered, "I'd never. It's just that I'll be really busy for a while but I promise you that after it's all over, we can hang out like before."

Amy seemed convinced by his words but continued her facade of being mad. Sebastian could see the corner of her mouth twitching—about to form into a smile.

"Alright," Amy finally dropped her facade and conceded. "But remember your promise, alright?" Amy stretched out her pinky into a hook which Sebastian accepted with no hesitation.

"I promise," after hearing Sebastian's words and making a pinky promise, her face bloomed into a smile causing Sebastian to stare at her dumbly for a few seconds.

"Greet aunt for me, I'll see you next week," Amy gave him one last look before retracting her hands and walking away.

Sebastian looked at her until she faded from view and began to walk outside. They were in the empty hallways but even if people were to see them, it wasn't much of a problem. It was no secret that Sebastian and Amy were very close after all.

Upon exiting the building, Sebastian walked towards the gate. There, a carriage with the crest of the House of Sol—a sun with rays shooting out of it—embedded into it was waiting.

"Young master," an old man walked down from the carriage and greeted him, "are you ready to depart?"

Sebastian nodded, "take me to mother."

...

It didn't take very long for Sebastian to reach the place where his mother resides, in one of the House of Sol's estates. Because she was just a mistress, she wasn't allowed by the main wife to stay in the main estate but she was given the nearest one.

Sebastian's mother wasn't treated horribly, in fact, she was treated quite well. The main wife, Sebastian's half-mother wanted to monopolize his father but because of his duty of leaving behind successors, he took two mistresses after the first son was born.

Sebastian was born two years after the first son was born and his younger sibling followed a few months later. Normally, the main wife would've taken the role of giving birth to the children but her body was weak which was the reason for the house head taking mistresses as her giving birth became more dangerous with each successive one.

"Mother," Sebastian knocked on the door and called out. He waited for her answer but because there was no response, he opened the door after a slight pause.

He saw his mother asleep on the bed, her complexion was a little pale but she didn't seem sick. She most likely stayed up late and collapsed in bed.

Sebastian sighed, his mother was a little problematic when it came to taking care of her own body. Not only that, she was very attached to Sebastian and her reaction to him living in a dorm was akin to the skies crashing down.

"I'm back," Sebastian sat by the bedside and held his mother's hand. She wasn't treated unfairly by the House of Sol but there was no doubt that she still felt lonely being here. The man she loved visited only once or twice every three months and her only son was living somewhere else.

"Honey, you're back..." Sebastian's mother sat up on her bed much to Sebastian's dismay.

"Mother, you should keep resting," Sebastian tried to set her down but she refused.

"I'm not sick. My son has come back for the first time in half a year, how could I just stay in bed?" hearing that, Sebastian felt guilty. With all the controversies surrounding him, it became difficult to come home.

Sebastian let his mother sit up but just as she did, she suddenly held her hands up to her mouth seemingly wanting to vomit. Sebastian stood up in alarm and ran over to a different room to get a container then ran back.

His mother took the bucket and began puking. Sebastian gave her pats on the back with furrowed brows. "Mother, what's happening to you?"

She had said that she wasn't sick yet here she was regurgitating.

"It's nothing," Sebastian's mother waves her hands with a pale face, "I've just been feeling fatigued recently."

Sebastian heard that and his eyes opened wide. His expression was dark as he asked, "when did father last visit?"

"Two months ago, he should also be visiting soon, I need to get better before then," she answered.

His mother's words confirmed his suspicion. He stormed out of the room and went to look for his mother's personal maid.

"Miss Martha!" Sebastian called out. "Young master? You're back?" a voice called out from the kitchen feeling surprised. Martha—his mother's personal maid—was a mother figure to Sebastian. He was raised by both his mother and Martha. And, if he had to rely on someone, he'd choose her.

"I just got back a few minutes ago and I'm about to leave soon. Never mind that, how has mother been acting lately?" Martha was confused at Sebastian's question but answered nonetheless, "she's been having unusual cravings recently and began sleeping more. I actually think she might be pregnant but I'm not sure until we get her checked."

Sebastian sighed and felt a headache incoming so he massaged his temples, "she's definitely pregnant. Get her checked soon and when father comes to visit, inform him of mother's condition but don't tell him a word about me. Take care of mother, I'm going to the neighboring town for business."

Clarice Sol, Sebastian's mother was the first mistress. The reason she wasn't allowed to live at the main mansion was because of the main wife having mixed feelings about it. If her second son were to end up like Sebastian, then she'd definitely be ostracized by the House of Sol.

Now, Sebastian had one more reason to get stronger. He asked his mother about where his grandparents were buried and who to look for once he got there and left in the carriage.

He had originally planned to stay till afternoon but he felt a sense of urgency and left before noon. Martha gave him some supplies which the old carriage driver loaded into the carriage.

"Young master, are you feeling alright?" the old man holding the reins of the horses asked. "I'm fine," Sebastian answered but his complexion was a little pale. Because his young master refused to answer, the old man turned his eyes back to the road and continued driving.

The trip to the next town, where his grandparents were laid to rest was a day away including breaks in-between. If things had gone according to plan then he'd have arrived there in the afternoon of the second day and leave on the night of the third day. He'd arrive home on the fourth day and have a free day of rest.

But, because of the matter with his mother, he had pushed the time forward and he'd have two free days. If he couldn't find any clues in the town, then he'd allot that extra day and stay longer.

...

There wasn't any trouble about bandits or the like as they traveled for a whole day and they reached the town without much happening.

"Young master, the gravesite is located behind the old tree of that estate," the old man pointed at one particularly old house. There were a handful of people in the yard gathered around food and it looked like two people by the gates were receiving guests.

"A gathering?" Sebastian muttered. The estate was left to his maternal uncle when his mother left with the head of the House of Sol. He took a quick look around the guests but they were particularly gathered around a girl in a dress.

"The girl being surrounded is young master's cousin, I believe that she's the one who organized for this gathering," the old man chimed in after seeing that Sebastian was confused.

Sebastian could see that the guards by the entrance were accepting some sort of invitation from the guests as they passed through.

He looked at the carriage for a second, "I guess this would serve as enough proof," he shrugged. "Baritos, park the carriage in front of the gate."

The old man holding the reins—Baritos complied and stopped just in front of the gate. At first, the guards were going to chase them away for blocking the path but when they saw the crest of the Sol, they stared with wide eyes and gulped.

Sebastian slowly stepped out and gathered the attention of all the guests. He walked past the guards and stopped in front of his cousin and an older man. He spoke, seemingly unperturbed by the atmosphere, "uncle, cousin, I'm sorry for dropping in uninvited. I'm Sebastian Sol, Clarice Sol's son. May I have a moment of your time?"