"Child, what child? whose child?"
The room fell into silence.
Even Kaizer couldn't help but stare at his uncle and father, still wondering why both keep arguing and keep mentioning something. Though he already guesses some parts still, he couldn't help but get confused, and just like Eugene, he also wanted to know which child are they talking about that seemed to be connected to Eugene.
"Dad, uncle, Eugene's head hurt and you both are too noisy."
Frowning, Kaizer helps Eugene sit on the bedside.
"Ehem, "the grand duke fakes a cough upon seeing Eugene's stressed face and throws a knowing look at his friend.
"Check him, his mana is still unstable if this continues he would fall again into a coma and probably won't wake up again."
Duke Viltaria frowned and hurriedly walked towards Eugene.
Eugene watches the duke's hand hold his chest and the suffocating feeling suddenly disappears like it never appeared in the first place. He couldn't help but get amazed knowing that Duke Viltaria is a famous figure and considered the strongest magician in history.
Too bad he had only a slight interest in magic and abandoned the mana he knew can make him embark on the path of magic. It's probably because he's a Shradinza that the blood of a warrior is stronger so his desire to wield a sword overcomes the other ability that his body held.
"How are you feeling?"
Eugene hummed, "I-It's good, the pain is gone."
Duke Viltaria sighed, "Where is the ring I told your brother to give to you? It's supposed to seal most of your mana to avoid mental exhaustion, how come you're not wearing it?"
Eugene looks at his finger and curls it.
"I don't know, I just realize now that I lost it."
"You lost it? that ring can't be removed unless someone who had stronger mana than you take it."
Eugene unconsciously looks at Kaizer.
He remembers that Kaizer seems to accidentally pull his ring and the strange red strings appeared again after that, overwhelming him, and nearly making him lose his sanity.
Kaizer on the other hand had no idea about the ring because when that happen, he had no conscious and someone seemed to overtake his body. So without memories, he had no clue why Eugene suddenly looked at him.
"Do you want candies?"
Eugene rolled his eyes.
"It was pulled by Kaizer, I don't know where it roll after it fell."
Grand Duke Kasrten and Duke Del Viltaria both look at Kaizer who looks back at them innocently. He is really innocent, he had no memories and didn't even see what kind of ring Eugene is wearing but thinking of the other soul inside his body, Kaizer suddenly had an idea of what to reason in order to escape from the looks that were being thrown at him.
"It's not me! It's my brother!"
Looking at his hand that is pointed at himself, Kaizer put it down and look at his father wrongly, "Daddy, it's not really me, I don't remember, it's probably brother who pull it out."
Grand Duke Karsten sighed.
"Forget it, I'll give you a suppression ring as compensation."
Duke Viltaria didn't object because the suppression ring that is made by the magician of Karsten is on par with the suppression ring made by those magicians under the family of Viltaria.
It's also good because it takes time to make another suppression ring.
Hearing his father, Kaizer let out a sigh of relief.
"Eugene, don't worry the suppression ring of our family will seal only the excess mana inside your body in order to avoid mania, you can still use magic."
Eugene purses his lips.
The suppression ring given by Duke Viltaria seals most of his mana which made his body weaker than its previous condition. Maybe getting a suppression ring from grand duke Kasrten is not bad, at least with only excess mana being sealed, he can practice and further his knowledge about magic.
"Thank you, your excellency."
Grand Duke Karsten turns to look at Duke Viltaria.
Grand Duke Kasrten: "The academy's selection is near, you need to recuperate so your body can handle ground battles."
Duke Viltaria stiffens and looks at Eugene saying, "I heard you join Warfare selection. It's a good choice, becoming a knight is an honorable job."
Eugene let out a sad smile.
He never had a dream, surely being a knight is not what he's thinking.
A child's dream starts with his admiration for those around him and he who admires his father a lot also wanted to hold swords and be like the person he looks up to.
Not an ordinary knight...but...
A war knight.
Sadly, it disappear and what was left is his desire to survive.
"Yes. I think so too. After all my father is such a figure, I can't let him be disappointed."
Duke Viltaria's expression soften when he heard Eugene's praise of Marquis.
"What a good child."
Grand Duke Karsten frowned and said, "Being a knight is not that great, what's so good about sacrificing your life and leaving your love ones?" if it were him he would never choose to go to war so that he can continue to watch his son grow up and had his own family, a long life which he can hug his future grandchildren and watch his son live life happily.
Eugene paused and look at Kaizer who glance at his father disgustingly while sticking at him.
How envious.
Hearing the grand duke's words make Eugene sad knowing that he would never experience parental love, not in his past life and not in this life.
"But I think it's still good."
Eugene chuckled, "At least even without being by their side, you still manage to protect the land where their home is built."
Grand Duke Karsten purse his lips.
That eyes again.
"It's almost dinner time, I'll go talk with Arkiton in my office, you two should rest and wait for the servants to serve you clean to eat at dinner."
Eugene bows his head.
"Thank you, Duke."
Grand Duke Karsten massage his forehead and raised his hand, motioning to Eugene to stop, saying..."No need to show courtesy, Rest well."
Eugene watches the two adults leave the room in confusion.
"Kaizer, your father is weird."
Kaizer straightly replied..."Don't worry, he's always been weird."
Staring at each other, Eugene burst into laughter making Kaizer sit frozen in shock.
Ëugene tilted his head and kick Kaizer.
"What are you staring at?"
Kaizer blushed, "N-No, I-It's just you look so beautiful when laughing."
Eugene's face turn red in embarrassment and couldn't help but kick Kaizer until he [Kaizer] fall on the bed.
"Ouch!"
"You're not allowed to say such embarrassing words in the future!"
Kaizer look at Eugene wrongly.
"Why? Did I not make you happy?"
"Quit it, it's embarrassing, would you be happy when your father said that?!"
Kaizer's face wrinkled, "That's disgusting! I don't want to hear my father's coaxing!"
Eugene: "Why? you don't like your father?"
Kaizer: "Forget about saying it, if he heard me deny it he will stick to me until I return to the academy! He might even cancel my dorm application and kept me in the mansion!"
Eugene is shocked, that crazy?!
"Y-You, I see, y-your father loves you so much."
Kaizer: "Not!"
Grand Duke Karsten suddenly sneezed and look at Duke Viltaria proudly.
"See? My son already misses me."
Duke Viltaria frown, "Stop it, you're being disgusting, who would think of such an old man like you?"
"Of course, it's my son---" grand duke Karsten let out another sneeze.
"See---" Duke Viltaria cut him before finishing and said, "Yes, he disgusts you, stop dreaming."
Grand Duke Karsten didn't believe it and just thought that his friend is jealous of his and his son's relationships. Well with such a cute son who wouldn't envy him?
Aristocrats: "..."
Aristocrats: No one envies you, thank you.
Letting out another sneeze, grand duke Karsten frowned.
"Those nobles are probably wriggling like worms again."
Duke Del Viltaria sighed, "Please, stop it. You love your son and hate everyone."
"No, I don't hate Eugene, Actually I'm reconsidering my impulsiveness, or maybe should I adopt him since his own father doesn't want hi--- ack..."
Grand Duke Karsten frown, "Did you just hit me?"
"Shut your mouth, I prefer the silent you. It gave me so much peace."
Grand Duke Karsten sneered, "Unlucky bastard."
——When the grand duke and duke left the room, Eugene kick Kaizer out of the room and slept.
It was only then when someone knock on the door that he woke up realizing that it was already dark.
Three servants came inside the room and helped him bathe and wear clothes. During the process, he could hardly make his eyes open, still feeling a little sleepy. The three servants have their own thoughts and couldn't help but praise the young master's smooth skin when touched.
The other could even help to utter a word of admiration.
This made Eugene wake up.
"Sisters, thank you, you are all beautiful too."
Maid A: "What a sweet mouth."
Maid B: "Such a praise, young master is good."
Maid B: "How could young master say such an exaggerated word? This is embarrassing."
Eugene sigh.
This is the first time he got along with servants so he's quite tense but it's actually not that difficult.
"Is Kaizer already awake?"
Maid A: "Young master Kaizer is already waiting at the dining hall."
"How about the duke?"
Maid C: "His Excellency and Duke Del Viltaria are also waiting for you."
Eugene suddenly got nervous.
"Am I late?"
The three servants look at each other and couldn't help but giggle. How can they say that the two big and one small man is arguing about waking him up or waiting for him to wake up? This is the first time the servants witness such a scene so they couldn't help but get curious about who is the young master who was brought into the castle.
And today the three maids are the lucky ones to first meet the rare guest.
Maid B: "Don't worry young master, they are not waiting that long you can take your time."
The three maids glance at each other again and sigh.
Who would have the heart to make this beautiful child feel guilty? They can't say that the two big and one small have been waiting for him for two hours.
The meal wasn't ready yet but the two big and one small is already sitting at the dinner table waiting for dusk to dark.
Eugene still couldn't help but get conscious knowing that he was the only one waited.
"It's done young master, the clothes look good on you!"
Eugene looks at the mirror and stares at his reflection, so shocked that his mouth opened.
He rarely wears clothes designed with heavy linings of pieces of jewelry so he couldn't help but be stunned thinking that the clothes he's wearing must be too expensive.
So heavy.
Maid A: "Come, young master, it's time for dinner."
Eugene was ushered so he reluctantly step out of the room and look around the hallways.
The grand dukedom is really luxurious, it makes you feel like you're in the royal palace. However, despite the magnificent, lavish, and grand-looking castle, the decoration is minimal but eye-catching which won't hurt your eyes and feel arrogant.
It's so good, the atmosphere is also appealing.
Walking downstairs, Eugene didn't realize the eyes that fall on him until he reach a huge double door in the dining hall.
"It's fine young master, don't be nervous, you look so good tonight."
Eugene shook his head and chuckled...
"I feel like attending a banquet with this."
The servants giggle and said jokingly, "What kind of banquet can bear your beauty?."
"That's right, young master is probably the limelight of every banquet."
Eugene just lowered his head with a red face.
How can these servants be good at sweet words?
The knight standing at the door glanced at Eugene and couldn't help but get amazed.
So beautiful, whose family child is this?
Eugene stood straight and look at the door of the dining hall.
"Come on." the three maids cheered and the knight guard nodded.
"Your Excellency, the guest is here!"
A deep and magnanimous voice sounded.
"Let him in."
The two knights push open the two huge doors of the dining hall.
Kaizer who is expecting Eugene hurriedly turns his head to look at the entrance only to be shocked by what he sees.
Duke Del Viltaria clench his hand and couldn't help but remember that person.
Grand Duke Kasrten on the other hand feels proud and satisfied that the clothes he chooses are fitted to Eugene.
Grand Duke Kasrten: "Come and sit here, you look good tonight."
Kaizer and Duke Del Viltaria glance at Grand Duke Kasrten, seemingly dissatisfied that the Grand Duke is the first to compliment.
Kaizer: "Father!"
He's the one who is supposed to say that!
How could his father steal his line?!
So annoying!