Chapter 37: Agreement or Not?
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'Who would have thought this cheeky little b*stard would be like this? His personality isn't like of his father nor his biological mother. I wonder where he inherited this kind of personality. Haist! It feels like the old age is now acting up on me.'
Laxurus thought as he observed the young boy, who happens to be his grandson from that woman. As he observed the young boy, the previous Patriarch couldn't sense any fear coming from this grandson of his and that makes him even more interested.
"What offer can you give me in exchange for those questions that you have?"
He couldn't help but wanted to test this boy's intelligence and to see if he was worth it.
"Depends on what you're seeking for. I'm not an idiot just to bluntly gave you information that easily."
Laxurus; "Ho! What a disrespect you got there, boy! May I remind you that I'm your grandfather?"
"As if you manage to do that role you're pertaining to? May I also remind you that in the outside world, you're considered dead in their eyes, except to the current Marquis Chevalier, your son?"
He laughed at the audacity of this young boy and also the tone of his voice as if this young boy was mocking him. If others would have done that within his presence, there is no doubt that he would kill those impertinent b*stards for speaking that way to him.
However, for this young boy, who happens to be his grandson, he didn't feel offended but rather, he really found it interesting.
'For some reason, when this young boy suddenly appeared in front of him, and he didn't know how this young boy managed to unveil my identity, but I really applaud for his braveness to confront me like that.'
As someone who was labelled as a half-noble and a good-for-nothing because of his inability to awaken the Chevalier's bloodline, this grandson of his had talent that was completely different from the family.
He sighed as he spoke; "It doesn't matter. I'll tell you even without a trade."
Laxurus admits that he wasn't a good father and a grandparent to his children and grandchildren. This is the least that he could do for his youngest grandson.
'Also, I don't know if it's the right time to talk about his mother's origin….'
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"It doesn't matter. I'll tell you even without a trade."
Eclipse raised an eyebrow while looking at this old man when he said those words.
'Without a trade? Are you kidding me? There is no free lunch in this world that you can just eat without paying the right amount. Is he just saying that to lower my guard? I'm not that stupid.'
He noticed that the old man in front of him sighed and shook off his head as Eclipse heard him speak; "I know you're being cautious for what I said but this time, believe me. I know you want answers about what you saw from here but before that….. I think you need to finish first what you're about to do? Like, taking that crystal orb for now?"
Eclipse didn't move from where he stood and only glanced at the old man in front of him that makes the other person sighed in frustration as he held his neck while looking back at Eclipse.
Laxurus; "Y-you! Just take that pesky orb for now and I won't do anything! You really don't trust your own family, aren't you?"
Without those statements, Eclipse snapped back at him with an intense gaze, so much gaze that could interpret as rage and Laxurus noticed the sudden tense atmosphere coming from his grandson.
"Family? Since when?"
His voice are devoid of any emotion and Laxurus could feel it. He looked into his grandson's cyan-colored eyes and the previous Patriarch saw nothing but a dull and without a life coming from those irises.
Laxurus; 'Trauma, verbal abuse and negligence. Those things he experiences such a young age.'
The previous Patriarch couldn't deny any of those things that happens to this young child as he also knew what happened to him during those years that he was brought back, together with his mother to the household, back then.
However, Laxurus was no longer the Patriarch of that household and he also cut ties with his family and relatives as he entered the Sympherux and undergo with a different identity that only His Majesty the Emperor and his son, the current Marquis Augustus Chevalier would have known.
Eclipse took a deep breath to calm himself for him not to say words recklessly but just by thinking about the sudden affection that he received because of that [scandal incident], he clenches his fist because of their hypocrisy.
"They're already too late for that, High Elder."
He paused for a minute and looked straight to the High Elder's cyan-colored eyes that Eclipse also inherited with a firm gaze.
"After I settled everything that I needed here, it's much better to get the hell out of this hellhole of a household than to cling into that whatever affection they're trying to show."
After Eclipse said those words, Laxurus looked back at his grandson with eyes widened in shock because he didn't expect him to be this bold to declare such statements.
"Ezekiel, do you even have an idea what those statements meant? Do you even understand what you are trying to say?!"
Eclipse, on the other hand, didn't fazed at the sudden pressure coming from the old man as if it's nothing to him.
He shrugged; "Of course, I know. Do you think I'm joking?"
Laxurus laughed at Eclipse's blunt and void response to him.
'Just where did he get this attitude of his come from?! This child is getting on my nerves!'
The previous Patriarch took a deep breath and looked back at his grandson with a serious expression.
"Is that what you really want? If that's your decision then, I won't stop you. As I promised earlier, if you want to learn something, I'll answer you with the best of my abilities without asking for return. I oath thee with this promise in the name of Chevalier's Knight Warrior."
Eclipse got startled because not only the previous Patriarch wouldn't stop him from leaving and would give answers to all his questions, but the previous Patriarch even signed an oath to ensure the promise he made for Eclipse.
"Well then, I uphold the promise you made for me, High Elder."
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LOCATION: STELLARUS EMPIRE
"How amusing, indeed."
An old man in his 60's looked at his master who just spoken out of thin air while relaxing on his office looking all the documents laid on the table.
"Your Highness, is there something wrong?"
A young man that hasn't reach adulthood looked at his trusted aide with a sinister smile plastered on his face and it makes the old man shivers because he could tell that his master is planning for something.
"How about I invite the Third Young Master from the Marquis Chevalier household to have a dinner with me? What do you think?"
When the old man heard what his master said, he frowns as he remember who the Third Young Master from the Marquis Chevalier household is based on the rumors within the Empire.
Ezekiel Zephyr Chevalier.
The illegitimate child of Marquis Augustus Rynus Chevalier from his second unofficial mistress who came from a commoner background, Lady Aryna Asterrix.
"Pardon for this servant but this servant would like to ask, why is Your Highness wants to meet with the Third Young Master from Marquis Chevalier household?"
His Highness; "Hmmm….. I just wanted to! Besides, there are rumors about his beauty that's why even the Marchioness, his stepmother was entranced by the beauty of his stepson that she couldn't stop herself from laying her hands on him!"
The old man also knew about that scandal from that household and at first, the old man find it ridiculous because he had encountered the Marchioness and he thought she was a decent noblewoman on how she presented herself.
But he also remembered a rumor about the Marchioness during her youth and as an old man who had seen the world, he also saw those subtle glances that she makes to those children around her, be on banquets or events that the royal family hosted.
Also, the old man saw a glimpse of the Third Young Master before when Lady Aryna was still alive and without a doubt, that child is really a carbon-copy of his biological mother, except for his cyan-colored eyes that he inherited from his father, the current Marquis Chevalier.
Lady Aryna might be a commoner, but her beauty is beyond of this world, and it would make sense if Marquis Chevalier even ordered a search party for that woman who went into hiding for eight years before she was brought back to the Chevalier household with the eight-year-old child who became the Third Young Master of the household.
"Now, my trusted aide, would you be so kind to deliver this invitation to the Marquis Chevalier household? Make sure to deliver it right in front of the Third Young Master and nothing else, hmmm?"
The old man snapped from his thoughts when an ordered has been issued and he had no choice but to comply.
"As you ordered, Your Highness, the Crown Prince…."
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