In the Empire of Crest is a large Dukedom, in there lives the Family of Berklin. Duke Berklin and his Family was sitting on the Table and were eating quietly their sumptuous meal.
While Duke Berklin, his wife and two children are eating on the long table on one side, his youngest child Drak is sitting on the other end alone.
Although the Family is made out of beautiful people, Drak is extremely overweight and has a pale skin with black short hair. Even the Servants and Maids do not deign to look at him and only serve one side of the table with full intent to ignore the one outlier, except for the two maids directly behind Drak, who on the other hand ignore everyone else except him.
Drak himself was clothed in rather mundane clothings for an Aristocrat and might be mistaken for a Merchant on the streets rather than Nobility. His fingers are adorned with Rings, each finger having a Ring with a chain going to them. Eight Iron rings on his Fingers except the pinkies, where the right hand has a silver Ring and the left has a golden. Nothing too ordinary, if not for the small black stones embedded into the Iron rings, the green jewel in the silver one and the grey pearl in the golden.
No true Noble would be seen with such cheap and tacky accessories, but he is wearing them daily, like they are part of his body, never taking them off.
“Servants, leave the room. I will call you, when we are finished, as we have something to discuss under Family.”
After the Words of Duke Berklin all Servants leave the Room except for two standing near Drak.
“Drak… Your Maids…”
While a bit angry, Duke Berklin holds his anger at bay.
“Claire, Alice. It is okay, just step out for a while.”
“Yes, Master.”
Bowing to Drak and not even deigning to look at his Parents and siblings the two Maids leave the Dining Room and inviting a long time of silence while Drak still eats slowly and silently.
Drak’s meal was rather thoughtful for his stature. A small piece of meat with a variety of vegetables and decorated with sauce in a colourful design, a glass of water and another with fruit juice where a pitcher of water with Ice inside stands to the side. As dessert some slightly steamed fruits with a sweet red sauce put in the pit of the halved fruit pieces. For such a dish it was questionable, why he was the size he is, but somehow all in the Mansion just accept it as a fact.
This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
In this awkward silence Duke Berklin starts to collect his thoughts. His wife sits silent and had stopped eating, while his eldest son and his daughter wait for him to speak first to Drak the youngest child.
Drak is only their half-brother, being conceived by a Maid Duke Berklin had taken into the house especially because of her beauty. Drak’s mother died two weeks after giving birth to him and was always called the black sheep of the family, until…
“It is your twelfth birthday soon. You will be going to the Imperial School, just as you wished and get a proper education.”
“Mm.”
After the declaration of Duke Berkley, his Father, Drak only nodded and continued his meal slowly.
“Do you need anything else? Maybe Money or some recommendations, so you can make friends?”
“Nothing like this, but it would be better to write an exclusion of Magic evaluation, Sports and Combat classes. Can you take care of it?”
“Of… of course! You need a residence, so I thought about the Mansion occupied with your siblings together…”
“I already looked into it. The old Woodsman estate in the City is ours, right?”
“That old thing? It is nearly broken down and I bought it only for the property to build later a better estate, this thing is not good for…”
“It is the ideal Mansion for the bastard of the Duke of Berkley. People might otherwise wonder why suddenly you show appreciation to me. Going to the Imperial School is already stretching it, but can be seen as ‘benevolence’, especially after the exclusion of most of the Classes that could be used in battle ‘father’.”
At this moment Elizabeth, his elder Sister broke her silence.
“You still are not accepting our apology? I… We know we were wrong! Please don’t be so harsh to us and yourself. We can at least help you in the school, as you are our brother.”
“Just ignore me and try to keep our contact at a minimum. After I graduate, ‘father’ can disinherit me, give me some severance money and I will go wherever I want. Luke can become the next Duke and you can forget my existence. Oh, and I already forgave you all for what you did.”
“Then could you…”
“That does not mean I trust you!”
Glaring at the Family which Drak not even considered any more his blood relatives they look dismayed and evade his glare.
After a few seconds Drak starts to continue with his meal and looks at his food.
“Drak… Brother…”
Finishing his meal Drak stands up and goes to the Door, while the Family starts to finish their own meal, even if they do not have much appetite right now.
Opening the door, the Server wanted to go forward, but after seeing Drak, his eyes filled with indifference and does not move.
Claire and Alice, his private Maids come forth and walk behind him. All the other Servants ignore Drak’s presence or avoid him purposefully.
While Drak was going the head Butler looks at him and thinks of how strange the dynamic of the Family got years ago and is careful to avoid any direct confrontation against this now too mysterious bastard child of his Master.
‘Maybe the Family will get better after he is out of the house. I do not understand what happens, but Master and Madame are definitely afraid of their son for some unfathomable reason.’