I won't be so soft hearted

Staring into Aden's eyes, Levi stood quietly with a warm smile on his face.

Seeing this the duke squinted lightly and smiled.

Levi watched as the older man walked out from the ring towards him with a similarly warm smile on his face.

"How have you been, my son?" Aden asked somehow looking down on Levi despite them being exactly the same height.

The corner of Levi's eyes twitched a little from the oppressive aura wafting off Aden's form, but James smiled albeit with a hint of coldness.

The two stood arm's length apart, smiling warmly at each other but the knights felt the atmosphere was a bit weird.

"Fine, Father," Levi replied.

"You upheld our household's honour, I am proud of you. You didn't fail me."

"Thank you for the praise, father. I was merely doing what was expected of me and don't deserve such high words, but I am glad I didn't fail." Levi replied with a small smile.

"Hahaha! As humble as always, you are truly my blood." Aden laughed with squinted eyes, firmly grasping Levi's shoulders.

Although their conversation was full of praise and gratitude the spectators couldn't help feel something was odd.

"Men, I need to have a short word with my good son here. Pardon but I will be back in short while." the duke laughed again guiding Levi to his study.

"No problem my lord."

"Of course!"

"We shall wait."

Various replies came from the crowd.

"Good! Order the servants to prepare a small feast. You two, follow me." Aden instructed before offhandedly calling to the two peasant women in the corner.

The two women bowed somewhat stiffly, perhaps out of nervousness before following behind Aden and Levi.

Walking into the study Levi smiled turning to face the two women that just entered behind Aden.

"And who might they be, dear father?"

"Acquaintances. They are trustworthy." Aden replied vaguely.

Levi's eyes narrowed sharply but he didn't comment further.

Walking up to Aden's desk, he turned to face the duke.

"You wanted to see me, father?" Levi asked leaning on the table's edge.

Aden frowned at the sight.

"Who are you?"

"What do you mean, father? your question is confusing."

"I mean WHO are you?" Aden asked again.

"I am Levi von Greifenberg, your son and last remaining heir?" Levi replied tilting his head slightly to the side. A hint of accusation in his voice.

Aden's frown grew deeper.

"You are not my son. Levi never had the courage to look me in the eye and reply to my question with another."

Rushing up to Levi he pulled out his dagger.

*THUD*

"Who are you?" Aden asked with the blade to Levi's neck, pressing him roughly unto the table.

One of the women let out a surprised gasp seeing Aden suddenly attack Levi while the other moved in front protectively.

A faint line of blood appeared on Levi's neck but he stared unflinchingly into Aden's eyes.

"You. You left me to fight someone else's war."

"Huh?"

"You left me to fight someone else's war," Levi repeated.

"Your dear son gravely injured me in the process of robbing your wealth and your lovely neighbours threatened my life just to possess what is yours."

"I never blamed you nor accused you of being irresponsible, I even painstakingly defended it all for you, but you had the guts to come back and ask who I am?" Levi asked with an expressionless look in his eyes. There was no anger, sadness or pain.

Just indifference.

Shocked by his words Aden slightly loosened his grip on Levi's neck.

Walking back he felt something hard pressed onto his abdomen. The duke looked down to see an object in Levi's hands aimed at his abdomen.

It looked suspiciously like his matchlock, though shorter and more minimalist. The duke did not notice when Levi pulled it out.

Aden looked up to see Levi still staring expressionlessly at him.

"This is one of my secret designs," Levi said offhandedly.

"I call it a flintlock pistol. It's slightly more advance than your matchlock, able to fire without lighting a match but just as deadly," he said with a faint smile now on his face.

"You have never been there when I needed you, so how can you say you know me? To be honest, I really don't care, at least not anymore what you think. But if you ever again due to your negligence endanger something I care about..."

"I will kill you."

Levi wiped the blood on his neck with a silk handkerchief he pulled from his coat and lifted the loaded weapon. Grasping and raising Aden's hand, he placed it within.

"You can keep this, take it as a welcome gift, I will get another made by next week."

Walking past Aden, Levi approached the two peasant women standing by the side and bowed deeply.

"Pardon us, your Majesties. I am sorry you had to see such an unsightly side of ours." With a warm smile on his face, he spoke before proceeding to leave the room.

But just as he was about to walk out he paused again.

"Remember this Aden, we both know that you could never hurt me regardless of what I do. But note this, if you ever cross my bottom line..."

"I won't be so softhearted."

*THUD*

Hearing the door close a smile formed on Aden's face and a small tear rolled down his face.

"Hehehe! I guess they all have to grow up eventually." With an odd chuckle, Aden raised the pistol in his hand. Engraved on its side were the words 'the messenger' in Algrian, not Morgan the common tongue.

Turning to face Irina and Iris, the duke bowed.

"Please stay here and make yourselves comfortable, your Majesties, the servants would send up your lunch shortly. I will return immediately the feast is over."

-----------------------------------------------------

A.N.:

I saw your message Shaska and I really wanted to upload another chapter but a weird issue came up yesterday that prevented me from doing so. I will see if I can upload an additional chapter today to compensate. Hopefully, I would be able to do so but if not just know I owe you one.

ALSO

A wonderful shoutout to Connor Anno's first Patreon. Thank you for the support brother, I really appreciate it.