Be Closer

Eugene looks at his surrounding confusedly and slowly get up from the bed.

The chamber looks so huge and elegant, a type that the royal family had in the palace. When his foot was put down, he expected a cold floor but was greeted by a fluffy soft feeling which made him look daw and saw a cream-colored furry carpet.

His visible white ankle was caressed by the fur of the colored carpet and it looks dazzling.

Anyone who had a foot fetish would have this desire to hold such feet that could easily arouse anyone's desire and hide it under the blanket that only they could admire privately.

"Where am I?"

Eugene started to feel restless, walk towards the door, and open it to take a peek outside.

His sight was greeted by a luxurious hallway full of gold statues and linings. At such a glance people would misunderstand that they were in the palace but Eugene who had gone to the palace in the past knew that this wasn't such a place full of lavishness.

Stepping out of the room, Eugene ignores the cold temperature on his feet as it touches the cold floor and walks through the wide hallways that lead him to nowhere.

It was when he saw an open corner and hurriedly run in that direction that he regret his decision.

"Ah!"

He bumped into someone and before he even fell on the floor, a hand reach out and grab his arms, guiding him to stand steadily.

"Eugene you're awake!"

Eugene widens his eyes and looks at the tall figure beside Kaizer.

Grand Duke Karsten, the well-known monster Duke that led multiples victory in war and is respected by commoners and some nobles for being the wall of the empire that couldn't be shaken. That is the reason why no matter what evil act the Grand Duke does, everyone especially the commoners would choose to turn a blind eye because he's the empire's shield and sword, if he's gone, the empire is doomed to be in chaos.

"10th day and you're awake, as expected."

Grand Duke Karsten looks down and frowns before stretching his hands towards him.

"Ah?"

Eugene dumbfoundedly looks at the duke who suddenly carries him.

"The floor is cold, why did you get out of your room? You could just ring a bell and a servant would come in and serve you."

Eugene suddenly feel dizzy and couldn't believe what was happening.

That Grand Duke who is cold to everyone other than his son is now carrying him like a child on his arm? Is he still dreaming?

"Father, should we call a doctor?"

Grand Duke Karsten frown.

"No need, Duke Del Viltaria would arrive soon."

Eugene sat frozen in the grand duke's arms but his eyes would sometimes land on Kaizer who is clutching his father's clothes while smiling at him.

He still couldn't get over some things.

From the incident at the academy to the situation now. Everything happens so fast that he is always caught off guard. It's the same as meeting the grand duke who once ordered him to be punished and even declare in the past that he should be executed.

No one would be comfortable meeting one of the scariest people in his past life.

The power of the De la Vallier is vast and the grand duke's new Karsten clan is even more powerful. The power is too invincible that no one can uproot the grand duke from the high position. What's more? In his past life, the Karsten is a protected family of the mysterious force behind empire prosperity, the Catharis of Evangeline.

No one knew that, only him.

Nobles knew the existence of the mysterious Catharis family but nothing more than that.

So considering the information he had, it's enough for him to be executed on the spot.

Thinking of the past, Eugene trembled and hummed, sticking himself at grand duke Karsten's chest.

This made the grand duke stiffen.

What a weird child.

Arriving at the room, Eugene was put back on the bed...

"Wait for that person to arrive and he'll be the one checking your condition."

Eugene tilted his head, at the same time hid his hand away from Kaizer who is about to touch him.

That action made Kaizer puff his cheek in dissatisfaction, wondering why Eugene seems to dislike his presence. The grand duke who witness their little action felt complicated. He thought that with how important his son was to him he can be unreasonable enough about everything but seeing Eugene's blank eyes and his son's insensitive action, he's confused,

He was actually dissatisfied with his son?!

He couldn't believe it!

"Father..."

Looking at his father wrongly, Kaizer purses his lips while peeking at Eugene.

But strangely, the duke ignore his son and said, "Eugene right? I already inform your parents and told them that you'll be recovering at the grand duke's palace as compensation for what happened. You can tell the servants whatever you wanted and they will accommodate you. If there's a food you want don't forget to relay a message to a servant to tell the chef."

"Daddy!"

Grand Duke Karsten's patted Kaizer's head.

"Be good, I'll go talk with Lancelotte, don't disturb your friend."

Katnier turns his back and walks away.

He was walking in the hallway when he suddenly remember Eugene's face which made him see a hallucination of himself from when he was still a child. Those eyes are the same as his which made him hesitate if forcing the kid to make his son happy is the best choice because the kid seems like breaking if touch wrongly and held carelessly.

What kind of trauma did that child had gone through to have such eyes full of despair and fear of the unknown?

——"Do you want sweets?"

Kaizer patted his pocket and pick out the candies that his father gave to him and carefully stretch out his hand to give it to Eugene who is now looking at him confusedly.

"It's fine, it's not too sweet."

Eugene stares at the candies on Kaizer's palm and reluctantly picks them up.

"Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you."

Kaizer is like a puppy who doesn't want to be abandoned and wags his tail with his ears down, looking so submissive and pitiful. This made Eugene wonder why the Kaizer he met in the past looked so much different from the childhood figure before him.

"I-I wanted to apologize for hurting you. I-I just have a problem with my body that's why I went out of control but don't be afraid, I'm really strong and can control my mana, what happened that day is just an accident. I-I actually don't know the whole situation because I h-have no memories of that time but I hope you're not mad at me."

Eugene's gulp.

"I-I'm not mad."

Kaizer's ear perks up and his eyes sparkle, looking at Eugene unbelievably, "Really?!"

"Y-Yeah."

Eugene sigh.

Kaizer before him have this strange selective behavior. At the academy, he looks so cold and careless, making him unapproachable but now in the grand duke's house, Kaizer looks submissive and lovable.

Probably, it's because in this household...unlike him...Kaizer never experiences abuse from his parents and is living the best life of being favored.

With a strong father and relatives who pampered and doted on him [Kaizer], Eugene couldn't help but feel envious.

Looking back...

Kaizer since the past seems to be living the best life.

People around him respected him, his parents love him deeply, and even his relatives would fight for him, all without bad intentions, with genuine feelings. Completely different from a protagonist of one book who needs to suffer before reaching success and happiness.

The heaven's favored child.

Pursing his lips, Eugene clenches the candies in his hand.

Perhaps he wasn't punished because of that woman but because he goes against Kaizer's wishes whom he suspected the child that heaven protected.

If so...

Would there be a difference if he befriend Kaizer in this life?

"Eugene, hurry up and eat the candy, it's my favorite."

"Mmnh."

Unwrapping, Eugene put the round candies inside his mouth and couldn't help but frown.

"It's too sweet."

The sweetness, he doesn't like it.

"How could that be?!"

Kaizer is surprised, was the candy too sweet? He tasted it earlier and it wasn't like that, so how come?

——"He's awake?"

Euric immediately got up from his seat.

"Come, help me send a message to the grand duke's palace. I wanted to visit my brother."

Ever since his little brother was in a coma, his mother and father who usually doesn't care started to get restless and would ask him for news about Eugene. This made him wonder why his father who can easily ask Duke Viltaria who is a friend of Grand Duke Karsten news about his little brother, choose not to do that and pester him instead.

Even so, the only thing to get news is through Duke Viltaria so he had no choice but to rely on that man in getting updates about his little brother's situation.

"About that...Duke Viltaria said that it was not possible. However, since young master Eugene is now awake, he'll be able to go back to the academy to participate in the selection on time."

Euric slams his hand on the desk in anger.

"Why can't I visit my brother?

"The dukedom is not a place where outsiders can easily get in."

Euric slumps back on his chair.

"Go and inform Father that my little brother had awakened."

——"Kaizer!"

Euge threw the pillow at Kaizer when the other party ate the candy that he spits out.

He is complaining that the candy is too sweet and spits them out but he didn't expect Kaizer who didn't believe him would go and grab the candy coated with his saliva on his hands and eat it before he could throw it away!

"O-Ouch! Stop, don't get mad--"

"Spit it out!"

"Don't want! it's delicious!"

"It already has my saliva!"

"It's okay it's not poisonous."

"Spit it out!!!!"

With a red face, Eugene kick Kaizer out of the bed disgustingly and said, "Don't climb up! You're not allowed to come near me without throwing that candy in your mouth!"

"B-But I already swallowed it!"

"Why did you swallow it?!"

"Because I know you will tell me to spit it out."

"That's disgusting!"

"It's not, I will take full responsibility, let's get mar--" Before Kaizer could finish his words, Eugene already stood up from the bed and throw him another set of pillows, causing Kaizer to fall on his butt on the floor dumbfoundedly staring at him.

Eugene is too scary, if they get married wouldn't he get beaten every day?

Maybe it's time to have a talk with his father and back out before it's too late.

Getting up, Kaizer patted his butt but before he could open his mouth again a pillow hit his face and he fell on the floor dizzily.

"Did you learn now?!"

Kaizer removes the pillow on his face and kneels on the floor repentingly, saying... "I-I'm wrong, I won't snatch the candies I give to you again." while pursing his lips, looking so wrong.

"How old are you still acting like a baby!"

Ten years old in Artha is considered 18 years old on Earth. Basically in this world, he and Kaizer are already considered a teen despite being called a kid. This doesn't make any sense that Kaizer in the past is too different now that they met each other in advance.

Or, he knows nothing about Kaizer back then...that he only sees him as a monster?

If so, then is Kaizer just showing this side of him when he's with the people he knew had the ability to protect him? And in this place, grand duke Karsten is present, he had a father to protect him...isn't that reason enough that the cold and aggressive Kaizer is just down to outsider to protect himself from those people who will think he's easy to control and kill?

Is he wrong or right?

Which one are you?

Gritting his teeth in annoyance, he shouted..."I really hate you!" before laying on the bed and covering himself with a blanket to hide the tears that is forming in his eyes.

He's really confused.

Why does he feel like he failed to see some perspective and easily judges people?

He hated it, he rather believes that Kaizer is born evil so he won't feel guilty about hating the person who probably just wanted to protect his beloved against him. But even so, no matter where you look at it, isn't he the villain in this world?

No matter how good or bad, as long as you're the protagonist, other people who have this ability to almost surpass your existence would be nothing but a villain set to make the story interesting.

Just what is his role in this world?

Can he really change his fate and escape from the shackles of heaven that have been holding him for a hundred years?

If not...then can Kaizer rewrite his ending?