“...Art.”

A soothing voice rang from the abyss rousing him a little.

“Mmm…”

It wasn’t time yet. Not yet.

“...aster Art.”

The voice tried once again to rouse him. However, it was futile.

“Five more minutes…”

The boy waved away the one who tried to disturb his peace. But such peace was easily disturbed with the right methods.

“Young Master Art, it’s time to wake up. We must leave now!”

The blanket and sheets were ripped off from the bed and the boy followed them onto the floor.

“Ack!” The boy exclaimed as his head hit the floor.

The boy watched an old man approach as he rubbed his aching head.

“Wasn’t there a better way to wake me up, Al?” The boy said with annoyance.

“Young Master Art wasn’t responding to my calls, and besides, we are pressed for time.” The old man referred to as Al responded matter of factly.

“Still…”

Art’s butler, Albert, always gave him three chances to wake up on his own before taking a more forceful approach. Although it was his fault for going to bed late, he always felt slighted whenever it happened.

Ignoring the further yapping of the boy, Albert noticed a book lying next to Art. The old man bent over to pick it up.

Seeing the title of the book put a slight smile on his face.

The title read [The Legend of Edelweiss].

“You’re still reading this book” Albert chuckled a little.

Darting up, Art snatched the book from his hands and hid it behind his back.

“Something wrong with that?” Art responded with slight embarrassment.

“No, there’s nothing wrong with it.”

Albert looked at Art with a smile on his face.

“Now we must get going, we wouldn’t want to miss the train.”

“Ah! You’re right!”

Art scurried off to quickly get dressed.

Stumbling around his room, Art hopped around putting on his clothes and stuffed a few items into his messenger bag.

The boy paused for a moment.

He took a look at the book, [The Legend of Edelweiss].

Art thought for a bit before peeking at Albert, who noticed his dilemma and turned his head.

Discreetly stuffing the book into his bag, Art turned around ready to leave.

“Let’s go Al!” Art declared with anticipation.

----------------------------------------

Making their way out of the estate, Art and Al saw three people in front of a carriage. A man and two women.

“Ugh, Mom.” Art grimaced seeing his family waiting for him.

“What’s that supposed to mean? You’re going to hurt your poor mother’s heart.” His mother approached him with a sad look.

Art looked over to Al for help, but the latter paid him no mind.

“Did you really think you could leave without saying goodbye first?” His mother looked at him with a frown.

“It’s not that, it's just…”

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“‘It’s just’ nothing.” His mother interrupted before pulling him into a hug.

His mother was the matriarch of the Sophos family, Jeanne Sophos. She was a beautiful, mature woman. Her eyes; a deep blue, and her hair; black with white ends flowing to her waist.

She was a confident and steadfast woman, who although had a few quirks, had a heart that never wavered.

However, none of that applied to her son.

He could hear a few sniffles before…

“My baby’s leaving me!” His mother broke out into tears.

Art groaned in his mother’s embrace as she was squeezing him. A little more and he was sure he would pop.

Releasing him from her tight embrace, she began to inspect him.

Ruby red eyes like his father’s. Black hair with white ends like her own. A face that one would have trouble determining he was a boy without close inspection. A loose dress shirt halfway tucked into his pants, and a bag that hung from his shoulder at his waist.

As if by habit she started tidying up his clothes.

“Are you sure you’ve packed enough?” His mother asked worriedly with a teary face.

“Mom, you know they only allow you to take a few personal belongings.” Art reminded her.

“Are you sure you’re ready to go? I mean, you’re only twelve years old.”

“Mom, it’ll be fine.” Art tried to reassure her.

Though he’d only been to the world outside of the estate a few times, Art would probably be fine this time.

“Noo, it’s not fine. How about you go next year with your sister?” His mother wouldn’t relent, making excuses to not let Art leave. She crushed him in her embrace to not let him go.

“Mom…”

Art knew that his mother was just worried about him, but he had to leave now.

“Come on Jeanne, the boy has to leave.” A voice approached from behind and a red haired man yanked Jeanne from her son.

Fortunately his father came to his aid.

Realizing what her husband had done, Jeanne began to flail in an attempt to escape his grasp.

“NOOOOO, LET ME GO!!! I HAVE TO PROTECT HIM!” His mother screeched.

In the midst of her flailing, his father had taken quite a few hits to the face.

“Get out of here son, I don't know how much longer I can restrain h- puh” His father, once again got hit mid sentence.

Heeding his father’s advice, Art hastily made his way to the carriage while casting a sorry gaze towards his father.

“Thanks dad…”

Arriving at the carriage Art noticed his sister standing next to it with a sad expression.

“What’s wrong Sasha.”

His sister was like a small version of his mother, but he was sure she wouldn’t be as crazy.

“Do you really have to go…?” Sasha avoided his gaze by looking at the floor.

“Don’t be like that…” Art didn’t want to see his sister sad when he was about to leave.

“Come on! I’ll write you letters every month.”

“Every day…”

Art groaned at his sister’s unreasonable request.

“Every three weeks?”

“Every week…”

This girl was trying to bargain with him!

Sighing, Art gave his final offer.

“Every two weeks.”

“Deal!”

Sasha gave him a big smile. She had won.

Rolling his eyes, Art pat his sister on the head and ruffled her hair.

“Hey!” Sasha cried in protest of her hair being messed up.

Ignoring her, Art pulled her in for a hug.

“Listen. Next year we can go together. How about it?”

The academy would only allow those twelve and older to attend, and his sister was a little over a year younger than him.

Sasha gave him a small nod in his arms.

Releasing his sister he looked at her.

“I love you Sasha.” Art gave his sister a kiss on the forehead before continuing his walk to the carriage.

Opening the door to the carriage which distinctly lacked the Sophos family crest, Art stepped up to enter.

Art took one last look at the estate and his father holding his still flailing mother.

“I LOVE YOU MOM!” Art yelled out to her.

His mother’s resistance stopped as she looked at Art and his father released her.

“TAKE CARE DAD!” Art gave his final farewell to his father who had helped him in his escape.

His mother started sniffling as he walked into the carriage.

“Make sure he gets there safely, Albert.” His father called out to the old man who had been silently following behind Art.

Without a word, Albert gave a nod and followed Art into the carriage, closing the door.

A few moments later, the carriage began to move with the sound of clopping from the horses.

----------------------------------------

“You aren’t gonna follow after them, right? ‘Ohh my baby! I’ll never let you leave!’ ” Art’s father, Ayden, teased his wife, poking her side.

A swift punch to his side followed soon after.

“Ohhw…”

Ayden fell to his knees, clutching his side.

“I don’t know, maybe I will.” Jeanne, clearly annoyed by her husband’s antics, responded with a huffy tone.

“Oh come on, if you didn’t want him to go you wouldn’t have told him about that anyways. Besides, it’ll be good for him to get out and meet new people.”

Ayden consoled his wife, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“Ohh, I’m just worried. What if they don’t like him? What if he gets bullied. Ohh, I don’t know.”

Jeanne grew increasingly worried the more she thought about it.

“Stop being such a worrywart. I’m sure people will love him. He’ll be fine.”

Ayden took one last look at the direction the carriage went with a smile.