The Doubts

Euric knocked on the door of Eugene but he got no response.

Fortunately, when he tried again the voice of his little brother resounded so he pushed the door open only to see his little brother leaning on the window with cross arms, looking outside. Euric doesn't know why but he feels like something is wrong.

Eugene who finally retrieve his body smirk.

"What are you doing here brother?"

Euric paused.

Wrong. Why is little brother's voice too cold? And why his little brother doesn't even show an expression of happiness upon seeing him? Is it because he's going to war that Eugene is acting this way? Thinking that his little brother is angry, Euric softens his face.

"Eugene, are you angry at brother?"

Eugene frowns and glances at his big brother, a bit familiar and unfamiliar.

"Why would I be angry?"

Ëuric's lip twitched: "Because a brother is going to war and won't come back for long?"

Eugene chuckled and lazily wave his hand, indicating that he doesn't care much because it was not Euric who will go but he and the Marquis already agreed. No matter what would happen right after his departure tomorrow, he was careless about it.

Now, it was Euric's turn to frown.

He approach his little brother and held his shoulder.

"What happen to you?"

Eugene pushed his brother's hand, "Nothing brother, besides did you come all the way here to talk about leaving? You should know that I'm the most against it."

Euric stared at his little brother, a bit confused.

"Why are you treating me so cold?"

"I do not, I'm just like this."

"No way! My little brother would always smile at me and act baby to me. Come, tell brother why are you angry, Brother will make it up to you."

Eugene is helpless, but his face didn't show it. Just when did he act like a baby? Even when he only has his half-consciousness he never saw himself act like a baby in front of his big brother. So, is his brother mistaking him for Eullian? Also, why did his brother come here to coax him when Eullian is the one who needed it the most?

"Eugene~"

"Brother, why it is that you are the one who is acting like a baby here?"

Euric widen his eyes, "No! How could you tease your brother like this? Eugene you really change, you don't love me anymore! Tell me, who did you exchange brother with? I tell you I'm your only elder brother! Others are not allowed to have that title!"

"Brother, that's annoying."

Euric pouted: "Come, let brother hug you."

Eugene rolls his eyes and lets the big bear hug him tightly. In the end, because his brother hugs too much, he pushes the other party away with a face showing disgust which made Euric throw a tantrum again, screaming that he is being hated again and that he had no will to live and would just die in war because his baby brother doesn't want him anymore.

Eugene held his head, feeling a headache.

Why is his big brother acting like he's the little brother?

——In the grand dukedom, Kaizer is busy receiving guests and doing paperwork. Many are visiting the grand dukedom to meet him, knowing that he will depart tomorrow with half of the army. Kaizer was even visited by his relatives, hugging him tightly and telling him not to go and exhaust himself and just leave the matter to his father.

However, Kaizer refuses his relative's suggestion.

Even his grandfather visits him to do the paperwork with him, afraid that will be wronged because of his good-for-nothing father who left him.

Kaizer feels helpless.

Nothing is good if people pamper you too much. You'll just end up being useless! Fortunately, his father didn't let his grandfather take him or he's afraid that he will never even know how to wield a sword if he grows up under his grandfather's wings!

"Good grandson, how about letting your uncle take your place in war?!"

"Grandpa I can do it!"

Catharis never showed themselves in front of others and they always went out of their residence discreetly. Sending his uncles to war is just too much of a work because his uncle must hide their identity as a Catharis or they would be swarmed up by people.

Grandpa Daimon sighed.

"It's been years and my baby grandson has really grown up and knows responsibility."

The head butler who is standing aside also nodded, both wiping their invisible tears.

"Oh, what to do, Grandpa is heartbroken."

Kaizer purse his lips, his cheeks puffing, angrily looking at his grandfather who keeps annoying him. However, the old man just snorts and asks him what about his stinky elder brother. Kaizer pouted and said: "He only talks to me whenever my sister-in-law is around, if not he will ignore me! Hemp, it's just too much!"

Seeing his baby grandson so wronged, Grandpa Daimon expresses his disdain.

"Heh! Your brother is really a different breed!"

His baby grandson is so cute but his other grandson? Forget it!

The head butler who is listening suddenly remembers the body underground. The grand duke already warns him of the possibility so the magicians of the De la Vallier are on standby in case the eldest master awoken and the young master goes back to his original body.

Grand Duke Kasrten can feel it.

His eldest's tremendous magic so he must prepare for the worst.

"But Grandpa, why is my brother sealed and why do I need to take over his body?"

Grandpa Daimon paused.

"Your brother is too dangerous. When he was born the skies turn dark, indicating that he is rejected by the heavens and is a catastrophe that would end the empire in their prosperous era. But your father doesn't want to kill your brother, however, the church receives a prophecy along your births and it indicates that only one receives the blessing of the heavens and the other is a life that shouldn't have existed."

Kaizer clenches his fist.

"I'm telling you this because your father told me the news that your elder brother would wake up soon. I don't want you to get surprised but Khalil, if ever your brother takes over what is rightfully his, you must not fight for it and you mustn't get near him."

"Huh?"

"You will be sent to the Catharis dukedom if your brother awakens."

"Wait, grandpa what did you call me?"

Grandpa Daimon realizes his concern and sighs: "Your name, your own name is Khalil Rhalenaus De la Vallier Karsten, but you are given a surname from the gods which are Nicusias. The church would use that surname to call you in the future so you must not forget."

Kaizer couldn't believe it.

"Grandpa, you always mention church, what is my connection with them?"

"You are the god's human child, your existence is higher than a saint so no matter what happens the church will protect you to avoid the wrath of gods."

"Then my brother?"

Grandpa Daimon frown: "Your brother...I remember there are two catastrophes and your brother is one but the other, we had no idea who is the other. However, the heavens told us that as long as the two catastrophes have each other, they won't run havoc and destroy the world. So far we have no idea who is the other one which we must find out before your eldest brother awaken."

"Catastrophes to have each other?"

"Well, catastrophes are in the form of humans, only by keeping the two beside each other can it calm down the negative energy they have which would balance the world's life energy. In short, the two catastrophes must get married to avoid the destruction of the world."

Kaizer gasp finally understanding what his grandfather said but still, he was worried because his brother already liked someone, wouldn't that anger his brother more? So he said, "But grandpa if you wed my brother to others, he will get angry because he only likes sister-in-law."

Grandpa Daimon was caught off guard.

"Wait a minute baby grandson, just who is this sister-in-law you're saying?"

"The second son of Marquis Shradinza, Eugene Aimer Shradinza. My brother is obsessed with him, though I don't know why, it's probably a cause of natural attraction?"

"Obsessed? Natural attraction?"

Kaizer watches his grandpa have this confused expression to surprise, and finally determination. "Baby grandson, can you tell me the attitude of your brother towards this person? This sister-in-law you're saying is probably the human form of the other catastrophes so your brother who is in a deep slumber awakens."

Kaizer's heart started to beat fast.

"No way! How could my beautiful sister-in-law be a catastrophe?!"

——In the Del Viltaria dukedom, Casimin is also taking over his father's business. His departure with half of the army is also tomorrow. Some are assigned to depart the day after tomorrow since the empire has too many soldiers. Almost half of the population are military personnel so the departure is always divided.

Thinking of the war, Casimin put down the quill he was holding.

Knock. Knock.

Casimin came back to his senses and said, "Come in."

Cadmus enter his brother's office and said, "Mother is fine. The doctor said she's recovering well. However, she is stimulated when she heard that a war is happening again. She's afraid that you will get injured and come back to us without arms and legs."

Casimin coughs, "Cadmus, I know you made up that sentence."

Cadmus shrugged and leaned forward which caught Casimin off guard.

"Cadmus?"

Casimin look at his little brother confusedly, their breath almost entangled with each other so he is the first to move away but Cadmus grab his shoulder which made him frown.

"Brother, you must not go back with injuries."

Casimin laughed: "Here I thought why are you being so serious? Don't worry, though this is the first time I take part in the war, I'm strong and my father is there to protect me."

Cadmus's expression cools down.

"But brother, if you and that person are in one place, are you sure Father will protect you...or that person?"

Casimin feels like something is wrong.

"Cadmus, you are acting weird again."

Cadmus straighten his body and walk around, standing behind the chair, and hugged Casimin, whispering in his ears, "I'm your only little brother, so I will not let anyone take my place. Either that person or me, only one should remain existing."

Casimin pushed Cadmus away.

"You are being paranoid again, who is it other than you? You are my only twin."

"Good."

Cadmus retracted his hand but his eyes never leave Casimin's face.

"Britanny is locking herself in her room, you better go and coax her." Their only little princess, it shouldn't feel sad or worthless. When it comes to Britanny the two brothers can't leave it alone and would ignore everything for their little sister who suffers so much by the indifference of their father.

Casimin feel helpless and stood up.

"I'll go."

Cadmus stretches his hand and held him. Casimin who is used to his little brother's clinginess in private and indifferent in public careless about the strangeness of their brotherhood. Besides, ever since their elder brother was sent away, they only have each other accompany them when they were still a child because they thought their father would sell them too.

But as they grew up, they finally realize the harsh truth.

Their elder brother wasn't sold, he is taken away by the Catharis family.

For what reason?

They have no idea but it's just too much.

"Britanny's marriage is still in the hands of the father, while I was away you better keep away Britanny from the eyes of others so no one will send a betrothal request."

Cadmust snort.

"Who said I will let my little sister be taken away by some wild man?"

Casimin laughed: "You better keep your word, if I go back and saw many letters, I will beat you up for not keeping your promise. After all, Britanny said that she wanted to marry Eugene, maybe we should let the two meet? I know Eugene, he is a good candidate."

"No!"

"Cadmus?"

Casimin saw the refusal in his little brother's eyes and the disgust it held.

"Britanny can marry to any household but not to Shradinza."

Casimin frown, wondering why his little brother hates the Shradinza family which confuses him because Del Viltaria and Shradinza have a long deep friendship. It's bad if one of the family members have hatred so he always lecture Cadmus about his words and action but Cadmus refuse to listen to him and would just say, blame his father for creating a mess.

Sometimes, he feels like his little brother knows something he didn't know.

But what is it?

What is his little brother hiding from him?