Parting way with Nia. I made my way toward my first destination.

Leaving the common district, I head in direction of the Edouard castle, taking the same path I did eight years ago with Grandfather's carriage that day.

Soon after reaching the castle wall, seeing no guards, I reached the gate and castle frontyard.

With no guards or anyone in the area, the castle was emanating the same lifeless ambiance that I felt upon reaching the Rosetta manor.

Finally, entering the castle, I found myself in the same entrance hall that time, but today something was very different. Going up those stairs, I stumbled upon several giant paintings on the wall that would be hard to miss.

I remember having some of them in my grandfather's room or in Mael’s,

Eight years ago, these paintings weren’t there, but today they were.

I could tell that they were freshly put there not too long ago.

Out of these paintings, there were three that stood up the most in size and display-wise.

On the left was a painting of Grandfather standing with at his side three men in their thirties, which I immediately recognized as Damian, Luke, and Philip.

On the right was a painting of the younger grandfather, Emilien, along with an ash-haired young woman. I’ve seen this painting in my grandfather's room. That painting was of him and his late wife.

And in the middle was a painting of Grandfather along with a boy and a girl, whose appearances were nowhere close to matching what I remembered having seen them last. It was a painting of my grandfather, along with a teenagers Mael and Ramia.

For it to be displayed here in the middle, it has to be-

"I made it displayed there before sending the guards and the attendants of the castle away." Grandfather Emilien said, as he was going down the of the stair wearing a rather laid-back outfit.

"You sent them away?"

"Yes, I figured they would be somehow of a hydrance if you were to visit."

So he was not joking when he said that he would do that.

"But I didn’t expect this castle to feel this empty and morose without them."

In no time, he reached my side.

"They look so different." I remarked.

"They sure did. Mael and Ramia really changed after your departure." Both of them actually changed; it was just that Ramia’s change was more noticeable than that of the already very-serious Mael. "

Looking again at the picture, I couldn’t help but see in that painting what he meant. Ramia’s face was mean and serious, the former being not so surprising, but the latter feeling strangely unfitting for the goofy, tomboyish Ramia I knew.

"Come boy, while looking around the castle, I found something that you might be interested in."

I was led down a path, which I recall leading to what was my room during my stay at the Edouard Castle.

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"Once what happened that night happened, I hid everything that could be linked to you, but a few day, I’ve made them come to this room as it was back as it was the last day you were here." Grandfather said, while opening the door for me.

It was as he said; it was the same as it was that day. The chairs, the dressing table, and the bed, which had a box on top of it,

I approached the said bed.

"I thought you would like to retrieve these."

Opening the box, I found, three things, each having in common that they were gifts I received on my birthday by none other than Syrus and Maa.

Two pairs of leather gloves that were now too small for me to fit. One pair of short black half-scoop gloves and one pair of brown winter leather gloves. and a blue scarf.

For a moment, I remained there staring at these gifts while reminiscing about the past.

"Thank you for having kept these for me, Grandfather." I finaly said, after a while.

"Don’t mention it. I wasn’t able to cook anything for lunch yet, so if you are up to share a second breakfast, I’m sure we can talk there. That’s what you are here to do, right? "

Nodding, I followed Grandfather to the terrace where we used to eat breakfast and have long discussions about what was going to happen next.

***

"So that’s it? You’re leaving again. "

"Yes, grandfather." I’m really sorry. I think I should’ve gone to you first instead of-"

"It’s nothing, it’s just that I wasn’t expecting you to leave so fast after reappearing. Besides, I’m glad you were able to interact the way you did with your little brother."

I nodded.

"I guess that's where we part ways again, I didn't even bother to say goodbye the last time." Reminiced.

"One more reason to do it right this time."

With a smile, he nodded.

He spread his arms out as if to hug me, but then, as if realizing something, settled on simply reaching his hand on me.

" I tend to forget that you are no longer just a simple "boy"."

Accepting his firm handshake, I pulled him toward me and embraced him.

"Boy, if anything happens, remember that our Edouard Castle will always be open for you if you ever happen to need somewhere to seek refuge in. We won’t ever let you down like we once did. "

"I know, Grandfather. I know. "

With this, I bid farewell to Grandfather Emilien and parted ways with him, but that didn’t mean that I immediately left the castle.

I still had something else to do here, and that something involved someone else besides Grandfather.

Roaming through the rooms of the castle, I arrived at a particular door.

Opening the said room, with the key Mael years ago gave the key of, I reached the library, in the middle of which a man with orange hair was waiting for me confortably seated on a chair.

"Good morning, I guess."

"Good morning."

The man and I starred at each other for a long moment before the man cut the silence with his words.

"This is the part of the scenario where I die, right?"

"Yes, it is."

With a sarcastic smile and a shrug, the man simply said, "I guess it can't be helped then."

"Just to be sure, what was your name again?" I asked.

"My name? It’s Judas. That’s what my mother called me, but most people in this castle might know me under my main alias, which is Mattew, or Uncle Mattew, as they call me. "

***

I was finally leaving the Edouard castle, and it was while doing so that I remembered that I was only able to walk through the Edouard gate and enter the castle so easily because there were no guards nor servants to stop me.

I wonder how Nia is doing... I hope... I wonder why I am worried about this. I bet she’s doing fine, mostly, for sure. Anyway, it’s almost night. I’d better get going. I hope I didn’t wait too long. "

just as I was about to head for my next destination. I saw a carriage approaching the castle. The carriage and as it went past me, I noticed the Ducal emblem on its side. After having gone past me, it stopped several meters away.

And soon the one inside came out.

"Well, that was not how it was supposed to happen."

"Hi, An." The one coming out of the carriage greeted

"Hi, Elliel. I didn’t expect to meet you here.

"I don’t think I can say the same."

"I don’t doubt that."