“Hey, I know you can hear me,” Elysian said, waiting for a response. However, there was only silence. He waited for a moment longer, yet still, there was nothing. “If you don’t answer me, you’re ugly.”

“Master, who are you talking to?” Bran asked, concerned in his voice. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, big fella. I’m just trying to commune with the ghost,” he said, suddenly staring behind the servant.

“Master, stop scaring me!” he cried out, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, fighting the urge to turn around. “You’re not funny. I know you’re just messing with me, master.”

“I’m not being funny or messing with you, big fella,” Elysian said, his voice carrying a hint of anxiety. He slowly stepped back, keeping his eyes on the big servant's back.

Bran stood nervously still, slowly turning around, and suddenly saw a big face staring back at him. He stumbled back, screaming, “Ah! Get away from me!”

“Stop shouting!” Norah exclaimed, amused by her son’s reaction. “You’re already big, yet you’re still acting like a baby.” She shook her head, turning to Elysian, bowing respectfully. “Good evening, master.”

“Good evening, ma’am,” he replied, chuckling at the poor servant struggling to get up. “Big fella, you can’t deny, that’s funny.”

“Stop teasing me, master,” Bran said, frowning at them and trying to hide his embarrassment while still attempting to get up.

“Sorry, big fella,” he said, grinning as he approached. “Here, let me help you.”

Bran quickly took the offered help, rising to his feet. He continued frowning at his mother. “Ma, stop laughing! You’re not helping,” he said in embarrassment, his cheeks turning as red as a tomato.

“What a cute boy!” Norah smiled, pinching her son’s cheek despite his protests.

“Ma, I’m not a boy anymore!” he declared. “I’m big already! I’m even taller than you.”

“Yes, you’re right. You’re not a boy anymore,” her mother beamed, still pinching his son’s cheeks. “You’re a big boy!”

Elysian could only smile, watching the interaction between the two. Slowly, his smile began to fray, struggling to maintain it. Being born into a noble family, he was lucky in life. He knew what he had, and he was grateful for it, more so when he had the opportunity to relive it. However, there were few instances when he felt jealous of other people, and this was one of those rare moments.

Watching the mother and son made his heart ache. This was a different kind of pain, not the regret-type that he felt before, but the kind that made him happy but also sad at the same time—a paradox, you would say. Still, he was happy for his friend, but being happy did not mean that there was not any longing on his part for something that he could never have.

“I’m sorry for our display of affection, young master,” Norah said, smiling at him. “I hope for your kind understanding.”

Elysian smiled back and said, “What are you sorry about? Actually, I find the display quite adorable. This big oaf is quite lucky to have you as his mother.”

‘It seems she’s starting to get more casual with me. I also can’t sense any tension like before. This is good—very good.’

“See that, my big boy!” the cook chuckled, smiling at her son. “The young master thinks that you’re lucky to be my son.”

Bran just whispered some nonsensical words, massaging his swollen cheeks.

“Young master, are you hungry?” Norah asked, her eyes softening as she observed him. “Would you like us to serve the food now?”

“Yes. I’m starving,” Elysian smiled, playfully patting his stomach. “I’d love to eat another round of your incredible dishes, ma’am. Just like last time, I will eat in the kitchen. Also, you can eat with me,” he suggested with a smile, glancing at her. Anticipating her protest, he quickly added, “Don’t worry, there won’t be any problem. If the steward asks, just blame it on me. Tell him I insisted we all eat together,” he grinned. “After what happened earlier, I doubt he’ll question any of you.”

“I understand, young master,” she grinned back, bowing respectfully to him before heading back to the kitchen.

“You’re still as red as a tomato, my friend,” Elysian chuckled. When he saw the young servant’s dowcast demeanor, gently massaging his cheeks, he sighed and added, “You should appreciate your mother more. I understand you feel quite frustrated with how she sometimes treats you. From someone who has experienced life and faced its storms, be grateful for what you have.” For a moment, his voice cracked, but he quickly regained his composure. “Just know that you’re lucky, big fella. Some are even willing to give up almost anything to be in your position.”

“Faced its storms?” Bran asked, looking at him strangely before quickly quipping, “Master, I’m older than you.”

“It’s not the age, big oaf. It's the trials and tribulations one faces.”

“You’re a noble, and I’m a lowly servant, master. I might have more trials and tribulations than you.”

“You now have the audacity to answer back at me?” Elysian scoffed, staring at the older boy. “Had I been too nice to you?!”

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“You want me to lie, master?” he grinned.

Elysian burst into laughter and said, “Never, my friend. Never. You must always be truthful with me.”

“I may not be as smart as you or anyone here, master, but I understand what you mean,” Bran said, glancing at the kitchen. “I may have acted that way, but I know I’m lucky. I’m always grateful for Ma and Pa,” he said, facing him. “I’m also grateful to you, Elysian—my friend.”

“You’re getting cheesy, big fella,” he chuckled, patting him on the arm. “You’re just hungry.”

“Ely!”

Elysian quickly turned around. “Sophia?” He mumbled softly. Shocked, he stood motionless, staring at the young girl of seven who was running towards him. Out of nowhere, tears began falling from his eyes.

~ ~ ~

“Nephew, I want you to persuade Sophia to marry the Viscount,” Lysander said seriously, sipping his wine. “You’re the only one she will listen to.”

“Do we really have to, uncle?” Elysian asked reluctantly. Steeling his resolve to give his opinion, he remarked, “I already asked her; she didn’t want to, uncle. I also don’t think I can agree to that marriage. He is more than three times her age. He is even older than my father. How can we agree to such a marriage?”

“Are you an idiot, boy?!” Lysander exclaimed. “I thought that we had already agreed to this.”

“I didn’t agree to it, uncle.” Elysian said in frustration. ”I said, if Sophia agrees to marry him, I won’t oppose it. But she did not want to get married to that old loon. We can find a better match for her.”

“But I already promised the Viscount that he would marry your sister. We can’t back out now. You know how influential he is. If we break our promise to him, our house will be done for. You are now the Baron. It is your duty to put the barony before anything else.”

“Why did you even make that promise?!” Elysian asked, raising his voice. “Why do you keep saying ‘we’? I didn’t agree with this; you did!”

Lysander erupted, hurling his cup before shouting, “Are you blaming me, boy? How dare you! I raised you like my own. When everyone was against you, I stood behind you. Now, you’re blaming me as if it were my fault. If you want to blame someone, you should blame that father of yours. He’s the one who’s always gone to war whenever he’s summoned by those bastards from the capital. He didn’t even think about what it would do to the barony. This house had always been on the verge of bankruptcy since he went to those stupid wars of his. And what did he get? Nothing. They didn’t give him land or title. They just gave him some stupid medal that said he was a hero. Look at those other nobles who did nothing but made some stupid excuses. They’ve been given land and title, which were supposed to be ours. Your father is only good for waving that sword of his. But in everything that matters, like making connections and playing politics, he is stupid. After he died, he left this house in utter ruin. Now that we needed those nobles in the capital, look at what those bastards did; they turned their backs on us. They didn’t even have the conscience to think that they are still sitting on those lofty chairs of theirs because of your father.”

Elysian could only sigh, leaning back into his chair and staying silent. What could he even say when what his uncle said was true? His father was a warrior through and through. He felt more alive on the battlefield than anywhere else. It’s not surprising since he earned his title as a warrior but also left it in ruin as a warrior.

“Ely, I don’t want to marry him,” Sophia said, entering the room with tears streaming down her face. “Please, don’t agree to the marriage.”

“Sia, how long have you been listening to us?” Elysian quickly got up and hugged his sister. “My sweet little sister, don’t cry.” He slowly led his sister to sit next to him. “Please, stop crying, okay? You know I don’t want to see you crying.”

“Please, listen to me, niece. If you refuse to marry the Viscount, our house will surely fall into ruin,” Lysander said, sighing when he gazed at the crying girl. “Please save the barony and your brother. Do your duty as the lady of this house, and make that sacrifice.”

Sophia glanced at his brother, who averted her eyes. She stayed still for a moment before slowly smiling a sad smile as her tears continued to fall from her eyes. “Do you want me to marry him, brother?”

Elysian tense for a moment. This was one of the rare occasions when her sister called him ‘brother’, instead of ‘Ely’. His heart immediately broke for the first time upon hearing it as tears fell from his eyes. Then he uttered one of the words that he regretted for the rest of his life. “Yes. Can you marry him for me, Sia?”

“Okay. For you, I will, Ely,” she said, crying even more.

Elysian could only cry as she looked at her sister for one last time.

The next morning, Sophia left the estate without saying goodbye to her brother. A month after getting married, she hanged herself and died alone in the cold, majestic mansion of the Viscount.

~ ~ ~

‘This time I will protect you!’

Elysian immediately ran to his sister and hugged her. “Sia, I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you also, Ely,” Sophia said, letting go of her brother and smiling at him. “Why are you crying?”

“It’s nothing, Sia. It’s just tears of happiness. I’m very happy to see you because I’ve missed you so much.”

“Don’t cry, silly. You can always see me,” she said, grinning at him. “When I heard that you’re sick, I really wanted to go here and visit you, but Grandpa didn’t allow it.”

“Don’t tell me you went here alone?!” Elysian’s eyes widened, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw Palden in the window looking at them. She was the personal maid and guardian of his sister, who worked for Lord Dorian, Sophia’s grandfather. He nodded to her, and she nodded back to him.

“Yes, I did. I’m a big girl now,” his sister grinned. “They didn’t want me to go here, but I wanted to see you,” she said, her eyes starting to water. “You were sick, Ely. I need to go here and see if you’re fine.”

“Don’t cry, Sia,” he smiled, patting her on the head. “Look, I’m fine now.”

“I’m happy that you’re fine, Ely,” she said, hugging him again. “I’ve really missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too, Sia,” Elysian said, hugging his sister tightly before kissing her forehead. Seeing his sister for the first time in decades made him so happy that he wanted to shout at that very moment. However, he restrained himself, content to grinning widely like a crazy person. Suddenly, he heard a growling sound.

Sophia glanced at her brother, grinning. “Ely, I’m hungry. I want to eat.”

“Master, I’m hungry also,” Bran interjected.

“No one asked you, big oaf,” Elysian playfully scowled at the servant. Glancing back at his sister, he smiled and said, “You’re just in time, Sia. They’re preparing the food at this moment. Are you okay eating in the kitchen?”

“I'm okay with it, Ely, as long as I eat with you.”

“Okay, let’s go and eat!”