24.4

John had his eyes shut as Kahnira’s fingers kept running through his hair followed with the maid’s skillful use of the comb.

“How long do I have to—”

“Hold still, master,” she placed her hands firmly on his shoulders before eyeing John closely, looking for any imperfections to his dressing and his styling. “We are done,” Kahnira wiped the sweat of her brows as she stood up straight, beaming with a prideful smile. “Master John is sure to impress everyone tonight with his speech and singing.”

“I am not so sure about the singing thing…Kahnira.”

“?”

“I know, I know, we’ve practiced it many times… But it doesn’t matter if the guests like it, as long my parents—”

Pop.

Kahnira’s soft hands cupped young John’s cheeks before he could finish his sentence. Her scarlet eyes looked at him with an expression that John kept seeing for the past few days, one that told him whatever bad impression he had of himself was untrue.

“My master’s speaking and singing skills are excellent.”

“Kahnira, you are my maid, it’s natural for you to think I am good.”

“I say this as a fact, my dear master. This maid loves your voice, the way master puts his heart and passion into his performances is something I cherish dearly.”

After John’s parents’ neglect of his achievements in both the singing and speaking department a few days ago, every time he finished his practice for the upcoming party, a cloud of doubt cast over her master’s head.

No matter what John said, the maid who helped him get up to speed with speech and song memorization was smitten at the sheer speed that it took for him to learn everything at once.

Her master was a brave and talented boy, who did everything with his entire being, committed into his performance arts regardless of his parents dismissal of his efforts.

Alas, he still had a long way to go until maturity.

It was up to Kahnira who was raised by two caring parents to instill the values and confidence that her master should have.

In many ways, she had taken the role protector and nurturer to her master.

Especially so she was the only one to see through the murky principles of the Sarvod family, all of which only applied onto her master to use him as they wished.

Her master seemed to be slowly realizing that, but like Kahnira’s father used to say:

“Kahnira, the world of man may be harsh. So long you remember these raisons, they shall carry you and those who practice it far and wide, no matter where or when.”

“Master,” clasping John’s hands, Kahnira looked into young John’s dark, shaky eyes. “My father has a specific creed that he used to tell me. In my darkest hours, I have held these words close to my heart, unsure what to make of them.”

“Your father?” John’s eyes was charged with curiosity as he turned to her, looking at Kahnira with his dark eyes.

“That is correct, master.”

“Tell me.”

“With power, comes the need for responsibility. With responsibility, brings the need for will to strengthen it. With will, comes the need for power to act.”

“…”

“Be sure to remember it, my dear master.” Kahnira said with the upmost sincerity, scarlet eyes beaming with joy as she conveyed the message to him.

“T-that sounds too complex…” before John could finish, Kahnira continued.

“As maid, it is my duty to help master with whatever I can. It is both my desire and within my power to do so.”

“I…” he wavered. Unable to find a way to dispute the line of reasoning, especially not when she looked at him with such earnest expectations.

Though given her the freedom to live life as she chose, Kahnira did choose to stay by his side. Surely there was merit in her praise to him?

“John! The guests are here!” his mother’s voice penetrated the dressing room on the second floor of the main house. “You have five more minutes before your father comes for you!”

“I will be there in a second!” he quickly shouted back as Kahnira gave his suit one last dusting, made sure her was presentable and up to his father’s standards as the eldest born of Dai’Ne Sarvod, child of of the Sarvods.

Opening the door, the golden light from the banquet hall shone through him, followed by the aroma of luxurious food. John took a deep breath as he watched people entered the Sarvod estate one by one.

Today was supposed to be important to his father, whatever the occasion was, John had not the slightest clue, all he understood was to follow his father’s instructions and did as he was told.

Nevertheless, he can’t help but shrink from the sheer number of guests that were in the Sarvod residence today.

His uncles and aunts, his father’s acquaintances, friends of friends and even distant relatives who he only ever met once in his life, all flooded into the main house as though they were water through a broken dam.

Though they were related to him by blood, John had not the slightest connection with everyone there.

Knowing that Kahnira was on his side gave him enough strength to tame his shaky legs.

“I believe you, Kahnira.”

The maid nodded her head behind him.

“And…uh…” he scratched his head, “Thank y-you, Kahnira.”

“Good luck, master.”

With a confident smile on his face John faced the guests.

At the very same time, a distance away from the Sarvod Residence.

Rampant clacking of hooves surrounded the Perxin carriage that sat Dalene, Edgar and Serene.

After great deliberation on this fine Sunday, the Perxin family had eventually came to the decision of accepting the Sarvod’s invitation.

Hence, their late departure from their homes.

In all honesty, the Perxin’s had hesitated from leaving their premises and enter the fray of the Sarvod’s social circle. Were it not for the Perxin family’s influence in Shi Jou, Dalene Perxin could have refuted Dai’Ne Sarvod’s grandiose invitation to his party.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

And were it not for Serene’s sake, and her promise with John, the 6th Head of the Perxins would have resumed continuing her diplomatic talks with the latest Sarvod head over letters, keeping less contact than necessary.

“Mom, d-do I have to tell him that later…?” Serene who was sitting in between her and Edgar squeaked. “I don’t want to…”

Dalene’s face softened as she pulled Serene close to her arms.

“This is for his safety and yours, Serene. John may or may not have gotten involved with his family matters the moment his father ordered him back. Part of the reasons I accepted him into our home was because John was supposed to live with us for three straight years.”

“H-he only went back…”

At Serene’s protest, Edgar placed an arm on her, shaking his head softly, “Initially, we wished to bring him up in our household so he can be the bridge between our two families. That was what we agreed with the Sarvods.”

“Dai’Ne apparently had other plans, he revoked our agreement. There is a high chance he lost trust in us and no longer saw having his heir with us as beneficial.”

“But John promised… And I-I... Papa, you said Perxins don’t break promises!” Serene, almost tearing up tugged at Edgar’s suit.

“We Perxin’s will keep our promises.” Edgar explained, “If it is broken, then it is up to those who broke it, atone for their sins.”

“I don’t understand…we don’t have to break anything, he could just—”

“Serene.”

Dalane’s stern voice caused the little tigerkin to sit upright.

“We’ve gone through this many, many, many times…”

“Yes, mama,” the young girl clutched her dress as she lowered her head, dropping the topic as the carriage took another series of turns, gradually decreasing in speed as the Sarvod’s main estate and the bright lights that emanated from it gradually came to their view.

“…I can only hope my performance match the support of everyone to the Sarvod family.”

Clap!!! Clap!!! Clap!!!

Thunderous applause filled the grand hall as John took a deep bow for the song he dedicated to the guests. His face had begun twitching from the constant smile he wore, but the sight of a bewitched Kahnira at the edge of the hall gave him all the strength he needed to press on.

Just a few more minutes and I don’t have to keep up this farce…

The maid had been keenly giving him support from the sidelines from the moment he started his speech. If not for his loyal maid that cheered on for him from the shadows of the party, John doubted that he could pull off something half as successful as what he did today.

Even his family—including his sister, Taelyn—could not deny the grandiose opening ceremony that he had orchestrated.

The constant compliments the guests gave to them regarding John’s performance, the numerous gasps of wonder at his performance. The crowd were captivated by him, to the point where he had set the guests into a jolly mood that his father had only hoped to achieve on his own.

“Well wishes and to the prosperity of everyone!!!”

With his last statement, John got down from the stage and greeted the many relatives and the acquaintances of his father.

As per the usual, he wore the artificial smile that was drilled into him by his demanding father, appeased the guests whilst making quick small talk before moving to another.

Making sure he made his presence known to all—else there would be severe consequences from Dai’Ne Sarvod.

“John. There is someone I need you to meet.”

His father’s tall shadow hung above him before John finished talking to one of his many uncles. At the sight of Dai’Ne and another man, the guests scattered with their heads lowered, not wanting to intrude a conversation between the host and his son.

“This is Ha Lun Mien, my close advisor.”

Dunnn…

A deep bell rung in John’s gut, the smile that was on him was no more.

If Dai’Ne was large in contrast to young John, then Ha Lun Mien was giant. The man that stood beside his father was so tall that it was hard to believe that he had any Eastern blood in him.

Even the most burlish Easterner had the sleek and graceful features in them, but this man.

This Ha Lun Mien.

Was different.

“He is the hidden power I told you about. The man who helped me gained my power, not just in our family, but in the political world.”

This…person looks off… I…

The more John looked at the peculiar man, the further his stomach churn, it was as though his mind shriveled and expanded at all once. The man’s large nose, his small, yet peering gaze that rivaled his own father’s.

Ha Lun Mien might as well be the savages that have invaded the Eastern Continent from millenia ago.

Belonging to a type of humanoid that was said to be born from the chaos themselves, yet bore an almost identical resemblance to humans from the ancient world.

Something was wrong, John knew it, but he could not pinpoint the exact reason…

“The rumored John Sarvod, I have heard many things about you.” With a great smile, the tall man extended this hand towards John. “You may call me Lun Mien, like your father. Pleased to meet you, young man.”

John eyed his father looking for some sort of sign that this was all just an act to appease one of the guests but his father was too oblivious to notice anything wrong.

For as long as John knew his father, Dai’Ne held the belief that Easterners—mainly eastern humans—were the most intelligent and capable among every other race throughout the world.

For Dai’Ne to make Lun Mien, someone who had the highest possibility of being a descendant of the savage people that almost collapsed all of the Eastern world was something that puzzled John to the core.

Father was the one who hated beastkin, and the savages from the ancient times the most…

Hypocrisy was something his father dwelled in. John realized that a few days ago.

“G-good to finally meet you too, sir.” John stuttered as he returned the favor to Lun Mien. “I heard from my father you are a great man that—”

Clasp.

Lun Mien placed his other hand on top of John’s hand in the middle of their handshake.

!!!

“He said you were talented, but not to this overwhelming degree.” Clasping John’s right hand, Lun Mien placed his own face in front of John. “Though you are a rather plump child. Nothing of the sort that couldn’t be fixed with life experience.”

What is he doing!?

Not even allowing the unusual man to hold him for another second, John pulled away, his eyes trembled in fright as his fists formed.

“John! What are you thinking!?” his father snapped at his sudden hositility.

“Father! I did nothing! I-I was…”

Before John could even defend himself, Lun Mien raised a hand.

“The fault lies on me, Dai’Ne. I startled your boy.”

“Nonsense Lun Mien, if you demanded it, I would have gifted him to you.”

Gifted me!? To a freak like him!?

The fact that his father even joked about giving John away to this eerie man send waves of electricity down his spine. His father, for all his proclamation of his love to John, was not enough to prevent him from excommunicating John from the Sarvod family.

“No, no, no. It’s just that my son mentioned him a lot. Now that I’ve see your child in the flesh, I just could not control myself. In fact, ever since that incident, he never stopped mentioning to me how inspiring your son is.”

“Oh? Your son? How come you never mention him?”

His son? Who? None of the people in my class look like this man…

“Ah, you see, little Ha Zun is not much of a potential like your John here. Aside from the one time he managed to enter our National Academy the boy amounts to nothing.”

Ha Zun? This weird man is his father!? National Academy? Ha Zun never was in the National Academy, I would have known.

Aside from Serene who was inseparable from him, Ha Zun was one of the closer friends John talked to in his class. The boy was harmless and well-behaved, on many occasions when Serene was not around John would even find himself talking to Ha Zun.

The last time he went to Ha Zun’s house, his friend’s father was not around. And now, here he was…in the flesh.

“You are giving him too much credit, John is nothing but a spoiled brat.”

“Oh no, no.” Lun Mien shook his hand, “This young man is exactly the kind of person I want my son to be around. Ha Zun could learn a thing or two from his best friend.”

Ha Zun’s best friend? Me? But I already told him Serene will always come first. What else does he tell his father?

Whilst John was deep in thought, Lun Mien had his eyes draped upon him.

It was though the man laid an intricate web behind John with just his gaze, patiently watching John as though he was a prized object.

John who sensed the unnatural looks he got from the guest, took yet another step backwards.

I don’t care what father says! This man is seriously weird!!!

The more John stood beside Lun Mien and his father, the greater the shiver on his lower back, his body pleaded him to leave before the man grabbed him once more.

When he saw the expectant expression on his father’s face, young John froze. He could not leave, not when his father had specifically introduced this person to him, this ‘benefactor’ who brought his father into power, this Ha Lun Mien who was a guest of the highest honor.

A small, yet distinct smile appear on the peculiar man’s face, when John’s suppressed fear started to show.

“Perhaps, a too sharp for a boy his age. Alas, far, far more talented than you make him to be Dai’Ne.”

“You flatter me, Lun Mien. I promise you, he isn’t that impressive when there are no guests around.” his father threw an indulging smile before looking at his own watch.

“I highly doubt that,” Lun Mien gave John yet another glance.

Leave me alone…

“The Perxins seemed to be a no show, perhaps we must reschedule—”

Clack, clack, clack…

A familiar carriage stopped by the open entrance, one that John had seen countless times, interrupting Dai’Ne Sarvod as the Perxin couple appeared.

Dalene Perxin and Edgar La’tu the two important guests that the Sarvod family had often spoke of—albeit unfavorably. Dressed in lavish clothing and dashing fashion, the two Perxin’s walked straight to John’s father as they greeted the host with a glass sculpture of Dai’Ne Sarvod himself.

“A party gift if you would, Dai’Ne.”

“Greatly appreciated, Dalene.”

“Since you two have come all the way here, let us get to business shall we?” Lun Mien quickly ushered Edgar who now wore an unfamiliar hardened look, one that greatly contrasted the usual calm and easy-going Uncle Edgar that John knew and grew fond of.

“Aunt Dalene, Uncle Edgar, it is great to…” his soft voice trailed when the Perxin couple stride forwards without paying him any attention. “…have you here?”

Perhaps they didn’t hear me. Better to not interrupt when father wants to speak to them.

A distance behind Uncle Edgar and Aunt Dalene came trotting along a flash of orange of a girl who was his height.

“Serene.”

John’s disturbed thoughts parted him, replaced by an overflowing bucket of joy upon seeing his best friend, the tigerkin whom he had longed to see and return with after these few gruesome days back at the Sarvod Estate.

“H-hi, John… You look, h-handsome,” the girl had her head hung to her right, her face radiated a flash of pink as she held her hands behind her back.

“I-I…”

Not expecting such compliments from the stubborn yet awfully shy Serene John blinked as he felt his mind did an involuntary flip of excitement.

“T-tha… That…”

The girl that he liked was wearing a light minty green dress that highlighted her emerald eyes and tangerine hair, she had her beautiful striped tail wrapped around her waist on such a formal occasion but it did not stop John from, f-from…

“You’re drooling, hehe.”

Serene brought her small hand and placed it under John’s jaw, her emerald eyes crinkled as she kneaded John’s cheek softly.

“My silly goofball.”