"Huff... Huff..."

Arthur widens his eyes in surprise at the young boy's endurance. He awkwardly looked at and patiently waited for the vice captain's decision. Felix silently stood not moving from his spot as he stared at the two with crossed arms.

5 minutes have already passed in their match. Unlike Arthur who hadn't shown any tiredness, Ian was sweating non-stop, his sword still raised. He gritted his teeth and moved forth again to at least land a hit.

Arthur inwardly pitted the boy. He silently sighed and stood on his ground waiting for his next powerful and swift attack. He couldn't understate his lack of attacks and decisions.

His power behind the attacks is what he needs to worry especially his speed because of his small body. He smacked his sword against Ian's and pushed it with his strength.

Ian struggled as he was pushed back unbalanced. He breathed hard, his muscles screaming from pain. He staggered and fell to the ground on his bottom.

"Hah... Hah..."

Ian looked down at his arm and breathed heavily. He wiped the sweat from his chin weakly.

He tried to adjust his difficulty in breathing, but he was too tired to do that. He gripped the wooden sword tightly in frustration.

'Damn it, if I had been more forceful in my training...'

He didn't need to win to stay in their good eyes, but...

He hardly could look up but he did. He silently stared at the people on the second floor. If you don't look closely enough, you won't be able to notice another presence behind the twins and maids.

Behind them stood a tall person with short black hair that reached over their shoulder. Their eyes glinted against their golden-like amber eyes.

There, the duke herself was silently observing his every move like a hawk watching its prey.

He felt his throat go dry. He was sure. If he doesn't bring all his power in this duel, she won't give any mercy and will make him be of use to her children. Just like those two.

But somehow they are fond of the eldest and are so loyal that it would be hard to separate those three from each other only under the duke's command.

He places his hand on the floor and tries to raise his drenched tired body back up. He could feel his muscles screaming from pain and wanting rest.

Ian couldn't abide by his body's wants and desperately tried to continue the duel.

———

Felix strongly stood as he watched them from the middle, far from the field. His lips trembled at the boy's strong will.

'Such a talent is here right before our eyes...'

He couldn't help but admire watching their fight. Looking at Ian's struggle, he silently gazed at him. After a few moments, he decided to raise his hand.

"Yield!"

His gentle voice was raised so the whole area watching them heard. He slowly fixed his hair into a down tie and walked forward.

Felix stood in front of Ian, who was breathing heavily in front of him.

"Keuk..."

Ian rose his head to find the vice-captain staring at him with calm eyes. He was holding his mouth trying to stop the waves of nausea coming out of his throat.

He bowed his head in silence and raised his body with difficulty. Felix raised his hand and grabbed him to a princess carry. With light footsteps, he walked toward the mansion with ease.

Ian looked at Felix with surprise and held onto his arms in shock. He calmly looked at the boy in his arms and sank into deep thought.

Small and light footsteps could be heard with his sharp hearing amongst heavier footsteps after them. He didn't look back, leaving his pace slower for the owners' of the footsteps to reach him.

A wide door came into his sight. He stood for a while and kicked the door with his left foot. The door slowly creaked open at the force against it. A lady stood in shock holding a tray full of glass and cups.

"Felix?!"

The red-headed lady looked at him annoyingly and explained his sudden outburst.

Felix silently stared at her. He walked past her and placed Ian on top of the bed, carefully. She stared at him with wide and shaken-up eyes at his action. She mumbled angrily and pouted.

"Could you at least have mercy on the innocent doors you have harmed..."

"Tetra."

He looked at her coldly with his cool eyes placed on her face. Tetra blushed in anger at the sudden call and answered him,

"Okay, I got it!"

She turned her head and hurriedly patted her cheeks in embarrassment in front of the audience in front of the door. She calmly walked toward Ian with a straight posture. She mumbled in frustration.

"That damn handsome face needs to be dealt with sooner than I thought..."

Tetra raised her hand and tied up her fiery hair into a ponytail. She grabbed small, white gloves and wore them before reaching the patient. She looked at the little boy with an aloof expression and reached her hands to his arm.

"W-wait!"

Ian tries to move away from her grasp in embarrassment. His reddened cheeks from being carried here got even redder. He buried his face with his free arm trying to hide in a hole somewhere.

Tetra smirked at the sight she had witnessed in front of her eyes. She carefully held his arm and brought a glass bottle onto the small table next to the bed.

She brought a small bowl, placed it on top of the table, and poured the liquid inside the glass into the bowl.

She calmly placed it back and grabbed a cotton ball. She dipped it in and slowly placed it on the wound on his arm.

He hissed at the sudden pain he unknowingly found out after she placed the cotton on it.

"Is that alcohol?"

A small voice spoke up in a quiet and cautious voice. The two unintentionally looked up at the owner of the voice.

"Alcohol? It does have the material inside of it but it isn't alcohol, young master."

Tetra replied to his question professionally as she looked at him.

"Uh, is that so?"

Edwin looked down and mumbled, placing his hand under his chin in thought. He carefully stared at the glass. His eyes were still in doubt and looked at his sister for qualification.

Linda shook her head at the glance she received, also in doubt.

He lowered his head in disappointment. He immediately returned to his playful face at the sudden stares that were placed on him at his odd question.

Edwin clapped his hands twice and brightly smiled.

"Don't worry about me and continue what you were doing!"

———

In a silent and cold room, there stood a boy staring out his window with wonder. The night sky blanked the sky with few stars spreading across shimmering.

At a sudden sound, he turned his head and blankly looked at the source that was brought to the spacious room without his permission.

'No, in the first place, there was no such thing as privacy here.'

The child sadly thought this and looked up to the lady who stood now in front of him.

"You should be sleeping by now, Your Imperial Highness."

She didn't want to stay long as she picked up the boy into her arms and walked towards the wide bed. She placed his head on top of the pillow and covered him with a blanket.

She hummed for a while and patted his dark hair. Silently, she stared into the boy's eyes and got up from her seat.

She patted her skirt from the filth and turned her body towards the door. She didn't even look back to look at the boy in bed and slammed the door shut.

He stared at the shut door with calm eyes. He dug himself into the big blanket to warm himself shutting his eyes. He hummed and opened his mouth.

"Please let the days go by without me knowing."

He quietly whispered in a weak voice and fell into a deep sleep.

 

 

AKS