Theo fixed his clothes and he stand infront the door, he looked to the two servants that signaling them that he was already prepared and they should open the door. The two servants understood the look Theo giving signal to them and they nodded as they were opening the door slowly.
The door opening slowly. The people inside grab their attention when the door opening and they set their eyes to the door that opening slowly and they saw a toddler that dressed elegantly and standing there like a gentleman matured toddler.
Theo went inside in the dining room and he saw a long tablet with a lot of dishes. Heiner was sitting in the middle of the long table while Eliza is sitting to his right side and Ulrich is sitting to his left side.
He saw also the others were present in this banquet. His three aunties were sitting along with their husband and children on their side.
‘I’m the last one that arrived, I’m done for. This aunties of mine will yapping again because this is good opportunity for them’ Theo thought, he predicted that his aunties will take this opportunity to trample his reputation.
When they saw Theo came in the dining room, they had different reactions and the way they look at him, some hid their emotion and reaction at fast as possible.
Theo acted like he didn’t see anything about the way they look at him because he didn’t care to their opinion and the way they think about him.
“Good morning father, mother, grandfather, and everyone. I’m very sorry I arrived late and thank you for waiting for me” Theo said respectfully and bowed while acted looking ashamed for being late to this important banquet. He hurriedly sat to the chair next to Eliza because it was the custom here.
“It’s this the way you teach your child Eliza? For being late to the important gathering in the family. My son is more punctual and mannered than your son” Theo first aunt Reftel and the eldest sister of Heiner, she said while also snickering infront of Eliza. Her appearance is long blond hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. Next to her side was her eldest son, youngest daughter, and her husband.
‘Here we go again, the yapping queen. She really like to mock my mother every time he had chance. If not for the custom, maybe I already said something to this woman that will crush her ego’ Theo thought but on the outside, he wore poker face.
Reftel eldest son is called Koto. He had wavy half long blond hair, blue eyes, and tanned skin. Her youngest daughter Tako, she had straight long black-blond hair, black eyes, and tanned skin. Her husband Shiro, he had straight short black hair, black eyes, and tanned skin.
Everyone keep silence and didn’t say anything while Heiner was gripping his hands and was angered internally when he heard Reftel mocking his family. After a few second of silence, he cannot endure this provocation and want to say something to Reftel to remind her but Eliza said something that stopped him to say anything.
“Forgive me sister-in-law if my teaching to my son is not on your standard. I will teach my son to reach your unreachable standard but I think it will be impossible” Eliza said respectfully but also sarcastically.
Some people giggled when they heard Eliza said to Reftel.
Reftel looked annoyed and displeased when she heard Eliza said to him and she glared to someone who she found giggling to what Eliza said.
Heiner smiled when he heard Eliza said and he sighed to the atmosphere in this room. To the four children of Heiner father, he is the second child of his father. Even though he was the lord of the Clan that had power and influence, his eldest sister Reftel is only second to his power and influence in the clan but the gap between their power and influence is big, and Heiner is the dominant that held the clan itself. But still Reftel influence and power can still affect the stability and his rule to the clan. If it included the two of his sister power and influence, his rule will become difficult to held and the clan will have instability because of that.
“Eldest sister Reftel, today is the day we celebrate the founding year of our clan and made by our ancestor. I think we should show a proper behavior infront of our ancestor to our family gathering. we should respect each other and act like a family should be” Heiner second sister and the third child of Heiner father, Deze. Deze said while smiling and respectfully saying it. Her appearance is wavy half long blond hair, blue eyes, and fair skin.
To her side is her twin son and her husband. the name of her twin sons is Yusuf and Zayn. The appearance of Yusuf and Zayn is wavy short blond hair, they had grey eyes, and tanned skin. The name of her husband is Samir, his appearance is wavy black hair, he had a beard, grey eyes, and tanned skin.
“I think Deze is right, today is our Azert family become 223 years old that maintained and survived for this long, because of countless sacrifice by our ancestors and forefather to make our clan to last long. If you really had a respect to our ancestors who put blood and sweat to build the current clan, you need to stop these unnecessary things” Heiner youngest sister Imper said while had solemn face. She had wavy long white hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. She was with her daughter on her side. Imper daughter name is Gracia. She had white hair, blue eyes and fair skin.
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Reftel was very irritated and angered internally when her siblings were against him but she suppressed her emotion and changed his facial, she smiled.
“Sorry everyone, it’s my own mistake that I left behind my own etiquette. I respected our ancestor and forefather for building, maintaining, and to kept the clan longer. It’s very impudent by me, for not showing a courteous appearance infront of our ancestor and forefather. Thank you everyone for reminding me my own mistake and keep my manner in check” Reftel said while smiling.
Eliza, Deze, and Imper had the same thought ‘This snake’ while their face is only solemn and poker face on the outside.
Ulrich and other only enjoying watching to this argument between siblings.
Theo kept quiet and looking around to other children he knew that all children didn’t speak because of the custom and rule that when the older people speaking, the children should not say anything and interfere to the family or clan matters until they had position or role to the clan. It also included to the clan rules that outsider should not interfere to the family matters even if it was her husband, his wife, or the parent of the outsider.
Heiner sighed internally.
“SILENCE!! If you had problem to each other, do it on the outside of the house and don’t bring shame to our clan tradition. Don’t make our clan honor and reputation be a joke and trampled to the mud because of your own interest and ambition!” Heiner slammed the table, while he said and had stern face.
The siblings stopped their quarrel and become quiet.
Heiner looked to each of his siblings after he said that. He reminding them that if they don’t show respect to his family or him, he will not be holding back even if they’re his siblings.
When Heiner saw his sibling come agreement stop this quarrel, he started their banquet “Before we start eating, we wait for two hundred and twenty-three seconds of silence with our eyes closed to honor our ancestors that sacrificed to build our current clan and to remember them as our role model and our responsibility to make our clan last long and make it flourish than before” Heiner said with solemn face and he looked to the people in this long table.
The people in this banquet found it normal to what Heiner said to them and they followed his instruction.
He and others began to keep quiet for two hundred and twenty-three seconds with closed eyes. The room was full of silence, only breath can be heard for every second pass by.
After they finish their tradition of respecting their ancestors. “Lets began our feast” Heiner said and everyone began eating while they’re talking to their own group.
Theo was eating while talking to his mother, father, and grandfather.
You can say the relationship of the Azert family was pretty complicated.
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In the afternoon.
The three sisters of Heiner already left in the afternoon and say goodbye to Heiner and his family.
While they walking in the hallway. Heiner said something to Theo “Son come to my office room later evening, there something me and your mother want to discuss with you” Heiner said while had serious and solemn face.
“Yes father” Theo said while curious to what his family want to discuss with him, also confused and worried because it looked serious the way his father said it to him. Theo glanced to his mother on his side, she looked sorrowful and dejected when she heard Heiner said to Theo. Now Theo felt nervous when he saw his mother face.
But something come up to his mind as he remembered the white book that disappeared and want to reinvestigate again if it still in the library.
“Father, mother, and grandpa I’m going somewhere. See you” Theo hurriedly left without waiting to their reply. They curious as to why this toddler left hurriedly.
Theo went back again to the library.
‘I need to find the clues about how that white book disappeared out of nowhere. It should not be disappeared without leaving behind a clue, if it not here maybe it means that someone took it but it was low probability’ Theo thought. He was the only person in the library that night so he thought this way and the memories that day was so vague that he only thought of his logic and common sense as he didn’t think or conclude that the white book went through to his eye by particles.
Theo searched every corner of the library and it took long hours but he still didn’t find the book.
Everyone in the library were curious about what the young master Theo is searching, for him to search these long hours.
After a long hour, it was already late afternoon and Theo still cannot find the white book. Many people began to leave and they left with curiosity in their mind as to what theo is searching for this long. Even the other people were asking if Theo need help but Theo didn’t give reply and was very focused searching the white book.
In the end Theo gave up reluctant and sat to the table he was sleeping yesterday.
He was pondering when the last time he saw the book but he only remembered is that something white particles went to his eyes and his emotion changes many times but he cannot remember.
He concentrated thinking, maybe he will remember something. For a moment a vague memories surface. A vague memory that he glimpses the white book was fading and becoming white particles and went to his eyes. that was the only he remembered and after that he closed his eyes and he slept.
He felt shivers down his spine and he sweating furiously. He carefully inspecting his body if something weird happened to him. he searched a mirror and inspect his eyes but nothing weird happened to his eyes it still the same teal eyes. He felt relieved that nothing weird happened to him but he still not let his guard down and he thought maybe something weird happened to his body.
As he thinking to deeply about what happened last night. He looked to window while thinking about it just for him to saw that it was already dark and he realized that he had schedule meeting. He looked panicked, he ran and left to the library. He was to focused thinking deeply about disappearance of the book that he forgotten that he should come to the office room to talk his father and mother. He hurriedly went to his father office.