Chapter Five

" I have a task for you" he said to his familiars that are hiding in his shadow.

" What might be of our help, Master?"

" Five of you monitor Felzein and three of you monitor my dear Mallory, the rest stay with me"

" Yes, Master" replied his loyal servants.

" My lord, dinner is served " Informed his attendant Delroy who suddenly appeared.

" I see, help me get ready"

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The Dinner Hall

Three demonic beings can be seen dining leisurely. Three of whom that have similar colored eyes one of each having the glint of amusement, emotionless and mischievousness. Their presence exude a source of power. No one spoke like usual.

The silence was loud for the servants, they were never used to it.

" You both are to be send to war " Abelard said bluntly without any worry visible on his face and voice.

Both of his sons were not surprised.

" Our enemies are the wolves correct? Father" Asked Anastasius with a smile, he questioned if this was the father who show him sadness for his mother when he saw him in his father's office last time in his mind . His father replied with a nod.

" Those Fools biting the hand that fed them. Those things are worst than pests" Giesbach cursed.

" Brother, please refrain from such inappropriate words at the dinner table" the person beside him reminded.

" Oh my, Anastasius since when did you mind ?" Giesbach retorted with a glare. Anastasius also glare at him with the same intensity. But this was interrupted by the foot steps of someone.

" I am sorry for being a bit late" the fourth member of the family said apologetically.

" A bit?" questioned Giesbach with annoyance.

The youngest of the family merely nodded and sat down on his own seat. The servants on the side served him his dish.

Felzein was always late for the weekly family dinner because of this, he was commented to be lazy from Abelard. And annoyed Giesbach who found his presence disgusting.

" As I was saying you both will be send to war. As for position of defense and attack you can discussed them by yourselves" Their father ignored Felzein like he was just a weak wind breeze.

Giesbach nodded in responds.

" Yes, I understood ,father" Anastasius replied.

" You guys are going to war!?" Felzein cried with visible excitement in his eyes, the reason Anastasius knows very well. ' He must be happy to not see Giesbach for a while and he can mess with Krone who has been staying in the castle, I hope he does not mess with Mallory.' thought Anastasius, he release a small chuckled.

" What are you amused about dear brother?" his older brother asked ignoring Felzein like he was dust.

Anastasius turned around to face his brother with a smirk" It something you don't need to know about" Giesbach stared but said nothing.

Abelard who was just staying as a standby watch his children interact and thought' They are getting along well. Maybe I can rest in peace if I am going to leave to meet her' If only he knew his sons hate each other's guts, he would changed his mind. Abelard knocked on the table and spoke " Let's end it here"

" Yes, father" All three of his sons said and left to their respective rooms leaving the aftermath to the savants.

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Time skip

" My lord, a letter have arrived from Lady Mallory" his attendant informed.

" Hand me that"

Anastasius looked at the letter envelope it was made of clear white paper and the Shimizu Countdom's seal was placed. He carefully open it. The letter wrote:

𝒟𝑒𝒶𝓇 𝒜𝓃𝒶𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓈𝒾𝓊𝓈,

𝐼𝓉 𝒸𝒶𝓂𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝓂𝓎 𝓈𝓊𝓇𝓅𝓇𝒾𝓈𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜 𝓌𝒶𝓇. 𝒫𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑒 𝓇𝑒𝓉𝓊𝓇𝓃 𝓈𝒶𝒻𝑒𝓁𝓎 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝑒𝒶𝓉 𝓁𝑜𝓉𝓈.

𝐼𝓉 𝒾𝓈 𝓊𝓃𝓁𝒶𝒹𝓎 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝓂𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝓈𝑒𝓃𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒶 𝓁𝑒𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓁𝓎 𝒷𝑒𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓌𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝑜𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝒶𝓉𝓉𝓁𝑒𝒻𝒾𝑒𝓁𝒹. 𝐻𝑜𝓅𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝓎 𝓈𝑒𝓇𝒾𝑜𝓊𝓈 𝒾𝓃𝒿𝓊𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓂𝒶𝒿𝑜𝓇 𝓁𝑜𝓈𝓈. 𝐼 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒷𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝒾𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓇𝑒𝓉𝓊𝓇𝓃 𝒮𝓉𝒶𝓈𝒾𝓊𝓈.

𝐿𝑜𝓋𝑒,

𝑀𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑜𝓇𝓎.

Anastasius laughed softly after reading the letter and muttered "cute"

" Pardon?" Delroy beside him sounded. Anastasius ignore him and place the letter in a box on his office desk.

" Prepare a sheet of paper and pen " he ordered to one of the maids not even mentioning her name. After a couple of minutes a maid return with a sheet of paper and a pen. Anastasius took the paper and pen and said down on his office placing the paper on the desk and wrote:

𝑀𝓎 𝓁𝒾𝓉𝓉𝓁𝑒 𝓈𝓌𝒶𝓃,

𝐼 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓈𝒶𝒻𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝒹𝑒𝒶𝓇.

𝐼 𝒶𝓂 𝓆𝓊𝒾𝓉𝑒 𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓅𝓎 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒𝓃'𝓉 𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑔𝑜𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓃 𝓂𝓎 𝑒𝓍𝒾𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓃𝒸𝑒. 𝒟𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓇𝓎 𝓂𝓎 𝓁𝒶𝒹𝓎, 𝐼 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝓀𝑒𝑒𝓅 𝓂𝓎𝓈𝑒𝓁𝒻 𝓈𝒶𝒻𝑒.

𝐼 𝒶𝓂 𝓂𝒾𝓈𝓈𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓈𝓂𝒾𝓁𝑒𝓈 𝒶𝓈 𝓌𝑒𝓁𝓁.

𝐿𝑜𝓋𝑒,

𝒜𝓃𝒶𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓈𝒾𝓊𝓈.

" Delroy send this reply to Mallory" Anastasius handed the letter to his attendant.

" Yes, My lord" Delroy took the letter and disappeared.

Since the day they discuss of their engagement they have send letters to each other often. Seeing each others letters became a daily occurrence. Mallory have slowly been addressing him by his name with any honorifics. He keep close contact with her to know about the Intel of the clan when he was away.

Anastasius was station as the commander in the front lines and Giesbach will be commanding the support team. This was advised by Abelard with Giesbach persistence to this idea so Anastasius was forced to agree.

Anastasius knew that since he was in the front lines he will be more at risked for his life, also his soldier's and his cooperation and leadership of the army is more important. He strategize and cooperate with the knights. He commanded his army with fearlessness and had little casualties. Anastasius fight together with his army at the front lines. He gain the respect from his soldiers along the way because of his great experience, ruthlessness and leadership. The wolves admitted defeat and asked for a peace treaty. The peace treaty had been a hit to their pride as they never bow down to anyone but they learned their lessons to not mess with the founder clan.

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When Anastasius arrived at his room at the Banmeden Castle he was met with Mallory who was waiting for him in his room.

" Welcome back, Stasius" She hugged Anastasius who came back from a long battle. Anastasius felt refreshed by the warm hug and felt the scent of lavender lingering on his nose. He hug her back gently. He thought it was worth it to go to a tiring battle and having a beauty in his arms. He was surprised by how fast their relationship grows. He thought it was for the best.

" I am back, my dear" Anastasius said in Mallory's ears while patting her hair. He felt wet on his chest to find Mallory shutting tears. Anastasius chuckled and wiped the tears that fell from her eyes. " Don't cry. I am here now, my little swan... " Anastasius comforted Mallory. Mallory adoration for Anastasius is in a level he could not imagine.