Somewhere inside the Fretz Mansion, particularly the Patriarch's study, the study was quite huge for a mansion of a Baronet but it was still cramped for William who had several books that was written in at least every single aspect he needed, their shelves were neatly lined up on the walls and even before each other, and it was even needed to be as cramped and small as possible for him to place some of his furniture inside.

“Say what?”

“Sire Liam, has been acting different since he woke up from his doze, Sire.”

The Butler who first welcomed Liam inside the mansion, Benjamin, reported to his lord, Baronet William Fretz, an eccentric fellow, he had Jet Black hair like his son, and a more dark purple colored eyes that resembled something of an abyss of sorts, adding to his menacing appearance was his jet-black colored beard on his face.

Being inside of his study all day when he isn’t needed or just had too much spare time, he barely heard of anything outside his study or even mansion, the news of his son suddenly acting strange worried him as a parent.

“What do you mean? Liam, he is always strange, but how strange?”

“very Strange, Milord.”

William tilted his head towards the butler as he heard the term ‘Very strange’ in front of him, he always knew his son was strange, as although he was Lazy, he was talented, he read books almost every day while even working, he would practice swordsmanship alone, sometimes even going on hunting trips alone, and even helping the workers with their jobs, making him quite the fun and eccentric young lord to his baronetcy’s workers.

“Hahaha, that’s impossible, maybe it’s just Liam entering his early ‘Youth’ phase, because I too also acted strange when I was that of age.”

What William meant, was that his son took from him his personality and attitude, William was the sole inheritor of his family’s land as a baronet, but before succeeding his father, he served 12 years as a knight and served in two wars, nearing the end of one of his wars, he met his dear lovely wife.

“I’m pretty sure, he’s just fine, I mean what could possibly be wrong with such a curious personality, leave William alone.”

William said in a confident tone to the butler, he then gave his butler a smirk and laughed on his chair, remembering his memories of youth, as he was about to order the butler to leave his study for him to be given alone time.

A sudden female voice rang out of the study.

“What do you mean ‘What could possibly be wrong’, Huh William?!”

It was William’s dear wife and Liam’s beautiful mother, Diana Fretz, his sister’s appearance and personality took from her, Diana had bright red hair that had a Low bun hairstyle that made it only reach her neck, her eyes were as red that of a burning passion and an energetic life.

She was certainly tall but not taller than William, her chest was between the medium and large type of size, and although she had quite the age, she still acted and looked as young, bright and cheerful as she was in her teens, making her an exceptional beauty for William’s eyes.

Yet there was a certain problem, just like Bernadette’s personality towards Liam, Diana’s personality was quite in a more extreme manner when angered, directing it to anybody she knows, mostly William.

“Diana?!”

William stood up from his chair in shock and called her name from the desk, the distance of the two was certainly far but their voices can still be heard, Diana, who looked at William with a menacing glare and even aura that accompanied her, was still at the doorway, holding both doors open.

Just seeing his wife’s actions made William very nervous, his Wife’s silent treatment and menacing glare, he knew she was pissed, and not just the normal ‘pissed’, but pissed to the point she was willing to do anything.

“D-Diana! Ahehehe, w-what brings you h-here?”

William said with his voice stuttering in hesitation and anxiety, as his wife was on his study’s door with the Aura, he very much hated and feared.

“You know specifically why I’m here, William!”

“…Is it about the plants?”

William uttered aloud to his wife, the butler who was in front of William and his desk, soon ran towards the shelves full of books on the edge of the walls to avoid the lover’s spat.

“Huuuh…The… Plants?”

Diana reiterated what William said and looked towards her husband with a devil’s glare, ultimately making the war veteran William flinched in fear of his wife’s eyes.

William’s Wife, Diana Fretz, was an Agriculturist, somebody who mostly studied about and received a degree in agricultural science but she did hold a liking for botany, therefore making William think it was just about her ‘Plants’ problem.

The Empire of Argustioz was a very progressive state, unlike some kingdoms and republics in the world, Argustioz was the most progressive of them all, they allowed women to have near equal rights as men, allowing women to enter universities for degrees ranging from arts to engineering and even political science and business.

Even allowing to succeed their Family’s house if they were up to the task, during the future this law and policy ultimately became one of the key figures during Silvestio’s rise to power, unlike some of the Imperial Family members, Silvestio and Liam manipulated and monopolized several key universities to their advantage during the imperial Civil war, even the Three Magic academies.

“Diana, come on, what did I do wrong?”

William asked in a confused and fearful tone, obviously scared of his wife’s wrath.

“It’s about Liam! Don’t tell me you didn’t hear anything?!”

“L-Liam?! I mean, he’s always been strange?”

“He locked his door and kept talking to somebody!”

“…What?”

William said whilst tilting his head in confusion, he was certainly a veteran knight with several years of experience, most of his Baronetcy’s guards were also well-trained, any intelligent bandits wouldn't dare enter their territory, let alone intruders in the mansion.

Benjamin, the aged butler of their estate, as much underestimating as he looks, he was formerly an assassin that tried targeting William’s head, but after ultimately getting defeated by the very same target, he swore eternal loyalty to William in return of revenge for his family.

Benjamin, and several interior guards and servants inside their mansion were all experienced and well-trained soldiers, ‘Liam talking inside his room’ made quite a strange sentence, the mansion’s defenses and guards made intruding almost impossible.

They may be a Baronetcy but that didn’t mean they were very weak nobility, they simply lived a humble lifestyle, away from the political world and social hierarchy of the Imperial nobility.

“No, no, Diana, you must’ve heard wrong, intruders can’t intrude the mansion, even if they were able to, Liam’s room and the entirety of the second floor is the most well-defended floor in the mansion.”

“William, either you come with me to Liam’s room, or I’ll make you sleep outside.”

Daisy threatened her husband with her Devil’s glare and chilling aura, that even made Benjamin, a former assassin, flinch in fear just by the mere feeling of the Lord’s wife’s aura.

“Yes, Maam!”

William immediately said in attention, but in actuality fear, he then walked away from his desk, but before accompanying his wife, he signaled Benjamin to come with him, obviously both of them, skilled and seasoned veterans of their own career, feared Diana.

The Trio soon walked out of the Patriarch’s study and towards the stairway in the mansion, to where Bernadette sat on the stairs, deeply distraught of how his brother acted, both of them were engaged in their own war of succession but after events earlier, it seemed as if the war ended in a stalemate.

“Berna? Why’s my cute little flame, here?”

Diana immediately asked Bernadette as soon as she saw her distraught expression on the stairs, Bernadette heard her mother’s voice and immediately replied with.

“Is Brother going to be okay?”

This reply shocked both Diana and William, as both knew they were talented individuals, well-versed in their own fields of expertise, their war for succession was a reason that many of the workers and even their parents thought they acted no more than rivals, and cared little to nothing about each other.

Yet seeing Bernadette distraught about her brother’s well-being, immediately shocked both parents, Benjamin on the other hand didn’t, as far as he was concerned, he knew it was just a surface war, behind the scenes it was ‘softer’.

“Don’t worry, my little Flamen, Liam is strong, nothing won’t happen to him.”

William said with an assuring tone, accompanied by a smirking and confident smile, which, although wasn’t much effective, did slightly brighten up Bernadette’s concerned expression.

“I-If you say so…”

Bernadette hesitantly replied, soon the Trio of adults accompanied by Bernadette walked up the stairs and to the second floor, and straight towards Liam’s room, to where 2 maids were anxiously waiting outside.

“What’s wrong?” Diana anxiously asked the two maids whom waited outside the door, they immediately turned their heads towards Diana who replied in an anxious tone.

“T-the young Lord, he has been yelling ever since he went inside his room, he also threw several objects inside the room whilst yelling.”

“What?!”

“What!”

The two parents yelled in a panic, yelling was one thing, but yelling while making a ruckus was another, either Liam was drunk or something actually happened to him, they needed to know.

“Liam! Sweetie! Are you fine?! Are you okay!? Mommy’s here?!” Diana yelled in nervousness whilst knocking on the door.

There was no reply.

This shocked William and Benjamin, who soon took drastic measures, Benjamin pushed and shuffled Diana’s body, which made the doorway clear, this made William walk towards the door, as soon as reaching the door, he yelled.

“Liam! If you don’t open this door! Prepare yourselves, I won’t show any mercy, even if you are my son!”

Again, there was no reply.

With such silence coming inside the room, both parents feared for the worst, William looked at Diana with a fearful expression, he knew what he needed to do, Diana noticed what he meant, and immediately nodded as a reply.

William then took a few step backwards and lifted his foot, in preparation on kicking the door down, as soon as there was still no reaction inside, his uneasiness took control of him, Kicking down the door in one fell swoop, ultimately breaking down the door in an instant.

He then entered Liam’s room, only to see it demolished and wrecked, several pieces of paper, books, ornaments were on the ground, it was as if there was a fight happened there, there were also droplets of what seemed to have been water on the floor.

Seeing this, William nodded his head towards Diana, who knew what he meant, she soon brushed Benjamin off and covered Bernadette’s eyes, and immediately making the mother and daughter walk away, this made Bernadette confused by how her mother acted, although Bernadette wanted to see what was happening, her parents did not.

The mother and daughter soon left the second floor, as they walked down the stairs, William signaled Benjamin to come with him inside Liam’s room, Benjamin nodded in agreement and entered the room with William.

Benjamin soon followed and the two immediately stopped in their tracks, as they saw Liam’s body against the wall, seemingly lifeless and in front of him was a lethal and sharp ornamental gem, both knew he threw it away but the problem was...

He was the only person there.

The ornamental gem was sharp enough to pierce his body, the room was in complete devastation, yet there was nobody inside his room, both knew he did it all by himself, William was in a complete state of shock, so was Benjamin.

William then walked towards Liam’s seemingly lifeless body and murmured his name trying to wake him up.

“…Liam…”

But to no avail.