"Are you sure it'll be alright, Mother?" I asked, unsure.

"They're fine. You can trust them, Alex...Adam, have you been bothering Prince Howard again?" Brushing my concern aside, Mother grabbed Adam just in time before the little goblin wandered around again.

'That's the problem, Mother. I don't trust them!'

"Adam has been a good boy and listens to us well, Madam," Answered Howard with a firm look.

"That's good. Come here, my baby boy. Give Mommy a hug." Adam bounced happily and jumped into Mother's arms. His giggles and her playful laughter warmly filled the room.

Howard and I sneakily peeked and talked with our gazes. He clearly shared the same sentiment as I, who didn't buy it that the two girls we left behind could leave my room peacefully.

We went back and forth in total silence, signaling to each other to try and persuade Mother, but in the end, it was all for naught.

After some time of useless pondering between the two of us, one of the maids entered the room and told us that it was time for lunch. We then make our way to the dining hall.

On the way there, I caught Renata hinting she had something to report. I reckon this was about that fucker Melkor or whatever his name was. My insides started to boil whenever I remembered that trash, but still, my dream was far more important than some petty display of flaunting my ego.

In a sense, Sir Lodrick's class played a huge part in helping me cool down and offering another fresh perspective on how to approach this foreign experience where I found it very hard to control my emotions.

'Tonight. Prepare the report at the mansion.'

After telling her such, we carried on to the dining hall in a peaceful manner.

We got there, and before the warm and freshly prepared food atop the long table, we spotted the two figures, and I couldn't help but stare in wonder. Well, Howard and I, in fact...

There, sitting across from each other, were Sister Alyson and Helena.

Helena didn't cuss, and Sister Alyson also didn't provoke her with every chance she got...They no longer hide daggers in their eyes when looking at each other.

All that remained was silence. They just sat there...

Don't get me wrong. The tension was still there, but it felt different than the tension I was picturing in my head minutes prior. I slowly tilted my head to Howard. Lo and behold, the dude was confused as hell, too.

We entered the dining hall, accompanied by the sound of Mother's heel and the faint screeching of my wheelchair.

Renata pushed me to my spot beside Helena before stepping back and joining Hana, standing behind us.

I carefully and subtly sneaked a peek at Helena from the edge of my vision.

'She seems normal from the outside...No signs of wounds or bruises...Her breathing also seems normal. No signs of anger...and no signs of fight...Weird...' Just like that, I scrutinized her.

When I was done with her, I moved on to Sister Alyson and did the same. Sure enough, she was also the same. There was no sign of them fighting both physically and magically.

I was glad and perplexed at the same time...

"Now, while we wait for my Husband to join us, let us talk, shall we?" Opened Mother, breaking the ice with a benign smile. "I heard the two of you fought. The two gentlemen here have been worried sick due to that."

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"They are mistaken, Mother. We are not fighting. Helena and I merely spent some time conversing and exchanging our thoughts. There was not an ounce of violence involved in there...That is the truth." Answered Sister Alyson with confidence.

Mother then turned to Helena.

"...That's right." Replied Helena, short.

Mother then smiled at us boys, adding, "Hear that? Are we good? Now, let's talk about something else."

She concluded as such, but we all knew there was something between the two. However, to dig further without her help would be a meaningless endeavor. Thus, I chose to shut the hell up. If they didn't want to speak, then so be it...

"Mother. I got an invitation to a ball this weekend from one of our family's vassals." Moving on, Sister Alyson suddenly brought up a new topic as if she had been waiting for it. Sweet was her tone, and bashful was her demeanor. She always did this whenever she was asking for something. It was one of her habits I noticed after spending years with her.

"Is that so? Do you want my help in picking your dress, dear?" Mother, who clearly had caught on to this, decided to humor her daughter by playing along.

"Not quite. I want your help with something else." Remarked Sister Alyson with a playful grin.

Mother's eyebrow arched in interest. "Oh? Do elaborate, my dear."

"I want your help to persuade Father to let Alex and Adam come with me."

'What now?' Not just me; her request indeed was shocking to everyone, too.

As far as I know, Alyson had been the one who was most adamant about me going to that kind of social gathering, and I learned this the hard way...

One little detail I also noticed was Helena's response. She was clutching her hand hard while biting her lips in frustration. It was subtle, but for someone like me, who often enhanced his senses for training purposes, such details were easy to spot.

"Alex and Adam?" Queried Mother.

"Yes, Mother. Alex has spent most of his time inside his room. Spare a few; most people he knows are here in this hall. Boys his age have met and socialized with countless peers of his age. But my dear brother never got his chance due to his situation and Father's way of protecting him."

Mother was void of any response and quietly listened.

"I'm not saying it is wrong of Father to do so. But considering Alex is getting healthier by the day, I think we can afford to let him learn how to socialize with others on his own rather than hide him. Take what happened with Lady Heliard's party as an example. He could've handled it way better if only he had some experience beforehand."

'Nah, I just can't picture myself handling those people the way she or Howard would...' She brought up a reasonable point, sure...But I knew myself better than to think that someone as apathetic as me would change my behavior just by meeting someone new...Then again, maybe I would; who knows...But even if I would change, it would surely take some time.

As I was lost in my own ramblings inside, Sister Alyson continued.

"Personally, I believe Mother will bring up this issue sooner or later. Or maybe Father and Mother have already talked about this. Either way, there can't be a more appropriate time for this...Since we'll be going to our family's vassal, it won't be out of a stretch if Grandpa Rygor comes along. Moreover, it will appeal more to the outside to show Adam and Alex in good health to vanquish whatever dirty rumors that might be brewing."

Mother took a deep breath to process the subtleties hidden in Sister Alyson's words, pondering on her own. After a while, she peered to the left and found me, "What do you think, Alex?"

'Hm...A ball with the vassal family, huh?' Honest to say, I was tempted to go. It'd be troublesome in a sense, obviously, but as Sister Alyson said, getting to know an array of people would do me good rather than staying reclusive like a turtle my whole life. I needed people to save this world, after all. Cultivating my skills to get to know them, albeit only a little, could help me in the long run.

So, why not? "I want to go, Mother."

"Adam, too!"

The little munchkin who didn't want to be left out shouted after me.

The twins stayed silent, each to their thoughts. One thing for sure was that their expression greatly differed from each other.

"Hanah. Tell Byron Alyson will head to the Duke's study after lunch." Mother addressed Hannah, giving her silent consent.

Yes, madam." The maid bowed and made her way out of the dining hall.

"That is all I can do for you, dear. Talk and persuade your Father yourself. Whatever decision he makes, that will be final." Remarked Maya resolutely.

"Knowing you won't stop me here; that will be more than enough, Mother." Smiled Alyson. Her eyes slowly traced their way to Helena, who sat before her.

"Tch..."

And a soft clicking of the tongue from the ruby-haired Princess came not long after.