Chapter 4 - The Count's House - (1)

(In this chapter there will be a bit of going back and forth between first person and third person.)

A few minutes later i was sitting at the dining table with the rest of Lev's family

"..."

Everyone in the room was silent. The food wasn't even served yet, and still no one was speaking.

Creaakkkkkk

The door then opened and Marie plus a butler that Saito had not met yet came through it.

The butler had dirty blonde hair with gray streaks in it, most likely from old age. He was also wearing a victorian styled black and white butlers uniform, which seemed to be the butlers' uniforms since Victor and other servants that they passed on the way to the dining hall were wearing.

'That must be Albert Reivault. Saito recalled from the original Lev's memories that Albert was the head butler and one of the servants that had been with them the longest. He also recalled that before he came to serve them he was a knight serving the royal palace, but had since retired from knighthood to live a more peaceful life.

They then started to put the food on the table, but the atmosphere only seemed to get worse as they did so.

When they were done they stepped back from the table and bowed, they then left the room.

"..."

Still no one made a sound or did anything for a matter of fact. The atmosphere was quite depressing and nerve racking.

But then someone broke the silence.

"So father you wished to talk to us?"

It was Callum, he was the twin brother to Valarie and considered one of the middle children. As Well as the blood child to the Lord and Lady. And Lev's little brother by adoption.

'Ahh, what an angel, I thought I was gonna die from the silence.' Lev thought gratefully.

Callum had Ginger hair , hazel-blue eyes, and elf ears. He was also wearing glasses and a gray suit. He had beige skin like his sister.

'If i can remember correctly they both just turned 15 this year.'

Saito then glanced over at Valarie.

She had Ginger hair pulled into a fishtail braid, dark green eyes, elf ears, and beige skin. She was wearing a white dress shirt with a burgundy skirt and jacket. She was also carrying a pouch on her side.

Saito noticed that she had a uneasy expression on her face.

"Well i'm sure you all know that i will be stepping down from my position, so as my children it is natural that you all are the first choices for my successors." Ezra interjected

He was sitting at the end of the table.

He has Short curly ginger hair, dark green eyes, and a bit of facial hair. He was also wearing a Teal aristocratic Victorian styled suit (I don't know if that makes sense but i think you get it).

"So i wanted to have dinner with you all as we talked it over" He continued

"Lev, we also wanted you to be a part of this conversation. Even though you aren't our blood, you are still eligible." The woman sitting on the right side of Ezra and in front of me said.

'She must be Ezra's wife Penelope, and the twins, and Alice's mother.' Lev thought.

Penelope had long dark blue hair that was kept in a ponytail bun, gentle hazel-blue eyes, honey skin, and elf ears. She was wearing a green-yellow victorian styled dress.

'If I remember correctly she was a half-dark elf, and the closest in the family to Lev.'

"I understand, but due to my traveling I do not think I am a good fit for succession." I replied wondering if she'll catch on to what i was implying.

"We understand that, which is why we decided to give you some time to think about it. After all, since you are technically not blood you shouldn't be considered a successor" Ezra interjected.

"All right i will consider, but only because i'm the oldest and because the twins have not come of age yet."

Saito wondered for a while. 'was alright to have spoken like that to the head of the house?'

"Brother you shouldn't have to worry about us like that!" Valarie interjected still with an uneasy expression on her face.

"She's right we will be fine so you should do what you want instead of worrying about us." Callum said with a determined expression on his face.

Saito didn't get why they were saying that. Then he remembered that the original Lev had told them that when the time to talk about succession rolled around that he would take care of everything so that they didn't have to suffer.

'Why does this guy constantly sacrifice himself for others, i just don't get it' Saito wondered.

He then wondered for a second if he should imply that in what he was going to say.

"I know, but I made a promise to you both didn't i? So I should withhold it." Lev explained

'Whewwww that was rough figuring out what to say'

"My dear, you are right to with hold your promise. But you shouldn't have to hold the burden alone." Penelope interjected.

"I understand that but that is my decision alone." I decided then what to do.

"If that is what you wish to do I will not stop you, but remember you still have time to think it over." Ezra said sounding a little concerned

'Geez am I a ghost or what?' Alice thought

***

After dinner I went back to my room to decide what to do tomorrow.

"My lord i hope you have a good nights rest" Victor said was he was leaving my room.

"You too, also do I have anything planned for tomorrow?" i asked Victor.

"Not that i am aware of My Lord, unless you have somewhere you want to go." Victor questioned.

"No i was just making sure"

"Alright, I'll make sure not to have anything scheduled tomorrow then." Victor said.

He then bowed, turned around left the room closing the doors behind him.

After he left i layed down and stared at the ceiling, thinking of everything going on. Then I thought about what i was going to do tomorrow.

'I should probably go to the library to get some more information about this world'

"Perhaps I should talk to Marie about the Griffins' territory too."

'No i'm sure that Lev researched it so i should probably do that while i'm at the library too. Besides, I don't want to sound weird or suspicious.'

I thought a bit more about what I was going to do after that.

Perhaps i'll take a walk around the house to get to know my surroundings. If I have time.'

"..."

I got a little bored sitting there so I decided to get up and stretch to help clear my head.

After doing some stretches I then remembered the ID I had found in Og. Lev's bag and the necklace in my pocket.

'Perhaps i should take a look at these…'

Saito then sat down at a desk on the left side of the room, and pulled out the ID and necklace.

On the ID was his name, status, age and other important things.

+

Name: Lev Griffins

Age: 27

Gender: Male

Species: Half-Dark Elf

Status: Adopted son of Count Griffins

+

He then turned the ID around to look at the back of it. The back of it had a list of mental conditions.

+

Mental Conditions to pay attention to:

-Bipolar disorder

+

'So he's bipolar huh, makes it easier for me not to draw suspicion.'

Saito then looked at the necklace, there was nothing special about it other than a name engraved on the back of it.

Heidi Ambrose

'I don't recall hearing that name from any of Lev's memories'

He pondered awhile on who that may be, but couldn't recall or think of anything.

'Damn, why is this so difficult…' I thought while leaning my elbow on the desk and covering my mouth

"If only i had a smoke…" I accidentally mumbled.

'Wait, what the hell did i just say…And to think i was doing good on quitting smoking.' I thought wondering if I was about to start relapsing.

I then started to recall how my life was during the time I smoked.

It was during college when I found out that I was going to be dispatched in the army. I wasn't the one who signed myself up for the army, it was my father. When he was in the army he was the general of the army, so he wanted me to follow in his footsteps. I had told him that I was not going to do that, but he didn't listen. He signed me up without me knowing until my sophomore year of college.

I was pretty depressed once I heard that. A couple of days after a friend asked if I cared for a smoke. I said yes, I didn't care at the time. I thought that perhaps if I started smoking I wouldn't have to join the army, but I was wrong. They didn't care. They dispatched me anyway.

'Man how messed up i was then.'

'Its best to forget about it and think of something else, i'll probably just go to bed.'

He got up and changed into pajamas undid his hair and went to sleep.

***

Bang

"Young Masterrr, get up it's morning time!"

A voice rang through my room. The owner of the voice then opened the bedroom curtains and a bright light then shown through them into the room.

"Ugh"

"Besides, Victor told me that you had today's schedule made clear so that you could go do something"

I sat up and blinked my eyes a few times before going to look up at the owner of the voice.

His hair was a dark gray with heavy blue undertones, and he had gray eyes. He was wearing the houses butler's uniform, but it had a bit of a simpler design.

'This must be Ray' Saito thought, recalling that there were three butlers that the Original Lev mostly talked to and that took care of him.

"Alright i'm up, so you don't need to be so loud."

"Sorry, just wanted to make sure your up." Ray said apologetically

I watched him as he opened the other curtain by my bed, then i stood up.

"Oh, i almost forgot i left some clothes on your desk for you to change into" Ray said as he left the room, bowing and closing the doors behind him.

I went over to the desk to change into the clothes.

"I'll be waiting in the hall so call me when your done!" Ray said, opening the door a bit then closing it again.

I put the clothes on and put my hair in a low ponytail. The clothes were a red blazer vest with a black dress shirt, and black dress pants.

I then put the necklace and the ID card in my pocket. Then put on a watch that was sitting on my dresser by the bed, that i spotted last night.

'I might need these later, plus I want to research the necklace and the owner, who is Heidi Ambrose.'

Then i left the room. Standing outside the door was Ray and surprisingly Marie.

"Marie is there something you need?" Lev asked not knowing why she was waiting with Ray outside the room.

"The Lord asked me to tell you that he wanted you to join him for lunch." Marie responded nervously.

"What for?"

"He said that he had something he wanted to talk to you about regarding your recent trips, but you have 30 minutes before then so you can do something before that"

"Alright, i guess that gives me a few extra minutes then" I mumbled looking at the watch i was wearing.

I then started walking down the hallway.