Chapter 3: Welcome to the Family[ 2674] [Rewrite]

2nd Candle of Night– Varblotdag, Zweitweek, Nebelshthamond, 68th year of Adelsjahr,Dining Hall

In the hall of Qourdenzt Castle, a feast was laid out.

However, this time, Anmol wasn't alone; he was with his family. Albeit he had only known them for a few hours, they were total strangers to him.

Anmol was seated on the left side of the rectangular table, with his step-father Cassius at the head, to his left, along with his wife, Anmol's step-mother Meryll. To the left of Meryll sat a little girl who bore a striking resemblance to her. This girl was Elara, Anmol's younger step-sister. Since news of his adoption hadn't left the office, Cassius had introduced him as an important guest. Elara appeared very curious and delighted. Throughout the introduction and dinner, her gaze remained fixed on him.

"Lord Anmol, how do you like our castle?" Elara inquired of Anmol.

"Lady Elara, I must admit, your family's castle is imposing," Anmol remarked.

"The fusion of exquisite artworks with utilitarian design forms a harmonious blend of history, practicality, and aesthetic beauty," he added with a smile, stressing his brain to use every 'high-class' word that would make his language teacher proud.

"Yes... Yes! Father says our castle is very old, 300 years old!" Elara exclaimed hastily, her eyes lit with delight and her cheeks slightly flushed.

"Yes, one can feel the history permeating its walls, as if it's in its very blood," Anmol replied.

"Lord Anmol, I can show you around the castle tomorrow. If you want," Elara proposed in her cute whisper.

"I would love to explore the castle with you, Lady Elara," Anmol replied.

"Really? I'll show you my most cherished places!" Elara exclaimed with jubilation.

"Elara, don't create trouble for our guests. He will be quite busy tomorrow," Cassius said to Elara.

"Also, you have your lessons tomorrow. Your arithmetic tutor told us he expects a better performance from you, Elara," her mother, Meryl, added.

Elara was visibly dejected, more at not being able to meet her guest, as apart from her cousin, who rarely visited them, Anmol was the only child around her age.

"Lady Elara, you can show me around when you have time on hand," Anmol proposed.

"Hmm, sure!" she nodded, her eyes shining with elation.

"Children, plan your playdates after dinner," Meryl instructed both.

"Understand, Mother," "Yes, Ma'am," both replied.

'Damn, this jam is tasty as hell. And this jam is like frozen honey.' he thought as he savoured this dish,

It was a bright yellow-looking bread slice with a deep blue jam with the topping of an ice-blue star-shaped Eisblume berry.

'I can't wait for the main course if the starters are this good.'

Suddenly, the door from which the kitchen maid had emerged swung open once more, revealing a procession of maids pushing trolleys laden with an array of delectable items.

Among them, a few figures stood out distinctly.

Bringing up the rear were maids carrying an enormous roasted bird, its size surpassing even that of Anmol.

And so the main course commenced quietly; no one engaged in conversation, all attention fixed on their meal.

While a maid was clearing the table of the bird's remains – known as Strumvogle, the one carrying desserts finally arrived.

As they arranged the silverware, Anmol's gaze met Elara's.

He smiled, and she smiled back, yet no words were exchanged until the conclusion of the dinner.

"Summon the head servants," Cassius commanded a maid, as the others continued to clear the table.

A few moments later, someone knocked and the door opened, revealing two individuals.

One was an old butler with a salt and pepper beard, appearing to be in his forties. The other was a maid in her early thirties.

The butler possessed long, deep red hair, a shade even richer than Cassius's, tied back in a bun. He sported a very dark green tailcoat paired with black pants. The maid, on the other hand, had blonde hair and a fair complexion, her face resembling Diena's. She was attired in a white gown and a dark green corset, both lavishly adorned, a dress rivalled only by Meryl's.

"Anmol, meet Anverst Reginald and Wechsel Rowena, the Head Butler and the Head Maid of this household," Cassius said.

The old man placed his right hand on top of his chest and bowed, while Rowena pinched her gown and also bowed.

"Greetings, Young Lord Anmoldeep," they both said.

"Good evening to you both," Anmol replied with a nod.

Cassius looked at the head butler and the butler nodded, ordering the servants to empty the hall.

Reginald closed his eyes then waves of different intensity and at varying intervals can be felt emitting from the butler.

"Preparation is complete, Master." the butler opened his eyes and said.

Cassius nodded as he stood from his seat, he emitted a wave as the butler did but this one's amplitude was great, Anmol's heart started to beat at max speed by just being hit by the wave, a visible shock could be seen on his face.

"Lord Anmol, are you all right?" Elara asked with a worried expression.

"Yes, Lady Elara. I'm okay." Anmol reassured her.

'What the fuck was that?!!'

"Everyone, as we speculated, our guest here Anmoldeep Singh, isn't from our region or Eru-ra. His testimonies and various articles conform to our speculation." Cassius announced.

"As for the circle of mana that brought him, it is a mystery to us both," he added.

While gazing at the servant, he delivered his statement,

"Until we can ascertain a safe means of returning him to his home, we have decided to adopt him as our child, and Elara's elder brother."

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There was a brief moment where their eyes widened, but they swiftly regained their composure.

"We will officially announce the news of his adoption on the last Soldeskedag of Blüthamond, Solskblütherntefest" he informed them.

"Until then, Reginald and Rowena, the responsibility of educating him will be yours."

"Of course, it will be our pleasure," Rowena replied.

This wasn't entirely surprising for Reginald and Rowena, as they believed he would be adopted into a branch of the family rather than the main lineage. However, the news shocked the young girl and her astonishment couldn't be contained as she blurted out,

"Really?!"

"Elara, remember your manners," her mother gently reminded her.

"And yes, our decision stands. Do you have any reservations about it, my dear?"

"No, Mother, I'm thrilled to have a brother," she responded excitedly.

"Excellent," her mother acknowledged.

While all this, Anmol remained silent, calming his heart from the mana wave he felt before.

"I would love to have you as my little sister, Elara," Anmol said.

Elara's eyes sparkled with delight, her earlier astonishment replaced by pure joy.

"Really?! We're going to have so much fun together!" she exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement.

Anmol returned her enthusiasm with a genuine smile.

"Elara, I'm looking forward to it."

"Father, should I address him as 'Elder Brother'?" Elara turned to her father with curiosity.

"My child, this is a matter to be kept confidential for the time being. Until Solskblütherntefest, he will be considered a guest in our household. Only a few chosen servants will be aware of this decision," he explained composedly.

"Therefore, until then, please refrain from using that title," Cassius advised her.

"Understood Father," she said.

"Now, Rowena escorts Anmol to his room and Reginald, prepare the tutors and personal servants for him," Cassius ordered the servants to which they replied with a bow.

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In Corridor

And with that, the dinner ended, and everyone started making their way toward their chambers, accompanied by their respective servants. Anmol was also guided by Rowena, whom he had come to know was Diena's mother and Cassius's consort.

However, as they walked, Anmol's surprise got the best of him and he blurted out,

"Wait, is polygamy legal here?" He couldn't help but inquire.

Curiously, Rowena responded, "Young Lord, are you referring to the practice of having multiple spouses?"

Anmol nodded, "Yes, exactly."

Rowena then explained,

"There are no laws limiting the number of spouses one can have, but usually, it's the nobility and prosperous merchants who can afford to maintain such arrangements."

Perplexed, Anmol probed further,

"Interesting... you used the term 'spouses' instead of 'wives'. Does that mean women can also have multiple husbands?"

Rowena nodded in response,

"Indeed, though it's quite rare. Such cases are found only among the Qilaut sect of Silaqannik."

'I guess you can do whatever you want to do if you can shoot incendiary bombs from your arms.'

"So, what exactly do I need to learn before the announcement? And how much time do I have?" Anmol inquired.

"Young Lord, the announcement is on Solskblütherntefest, the 'summer harvest festival'. You have a whole month of Blüthamond to prepare. During this time, we will provide you with fundamental knowledge, as well as basic etiquettes, social norms, and an introduction to the political landscape of our world," explained Rowena.

"Furthermore, we will also begin teaching you the art of Arcana manipulation, to the extent that the candles will allow," she added in a courteous tone as they made their way towards the section of the castle where he had awakened this evening.

Curiosity tugging at him, Anmol couldn't wait until tomorrow to quench it.

"You use candles as your time units? Aren't they kind of inaccurate?" he inquired.

"Yes, we do use them for time-keeping, and while there are inconsistencies, we continue to rely on them until someone invents something more accurate and affordable," she replied with a nod.

"Oookaaayyyy," he responded, absorbing this unique aspect of their culture.

"Young Lord, the Master asked me to inquire about the bracelet you possess, if you don't mind," Rowena continued.

Anmol glanced at his wrist and realized she was referring to his watch.

"This?" he pointed at his wristwatch.

"Yes, Young Lord. Only if you don't mind," she affirmed.

"Oh, no no, I don't mind," Anmol reassured her.

"This is a watch, a gift from my father on my birthday last year," he explained.

"We use watches in a similar way you use candles. But if you look here," he removed his watch and showed her its face,

"Can you see the three 'hands' here? Each one measures how much time has passed."

Rowena's eyes widened in amazement as she examined the intricate device that could easily fit in her closed fist.

Anmol continued, "The thin hand measures seconds, which is the smallest practical unit of time. The next one is this long hand which measures minutes, and the shortest one measures hours. They are also known as the second, minute, and hour hands."

He pointed to the watch face and explained further,

"A day is divided into 24 hours, an hour contains 60 minutes, and a minute consists of 60 seconds. This type of watch is called a wristwatch."

Rowena listened attentively, fascinated by the intricacies of Anmol's timekeeping device.

At last, they reached their destination, Anmol's guest room on the third floor. He didn't have time to properly appreciate the beauty of this place.

It was regal, to say the least.

"Young Lord, until your adoption is official, you have to sleep in our guest room in the castle. After that, we will change your room on the fifth floor with the rest of the family," Rowena said as she opened the door.

There were four maids inside with that wardrobe on wheels. They all bowed as the door opened.

"Okay, I won't mind that," he replied.

"Young Lord, these maids will be outside your chamber. Tell them if you need something at night," she said.

"We will introduce you to your servants and tutors tomorrow. Please try to minimize your interaction with servants except for them till the Solskblütherntefest," she requested with a bow.

"Oh. Yeah, sure," he replied.

"Now, if you give me permission, have a good night, Young Lord," she said and gave a light bow.

"Good night to you too," he said.

"Young Lord, please forgive my manners. You are going to be the only son of the Qourdentz family. As the eldest son, such behavior toward the servants is considered bad."

"O-Okay, I'll remember that" he shook his head up and down and said.

"Young Lord, I wasn't scolding you, but I will be strict from tomorrow on the way you conduct yourself," she said.

"You'll be teaching me manners?" he asked.

"Yes, it's my duty as the head maid to teach manners to my Master's children," she said.

"Okaaaaaaay, I'll be going now," he said.

"Again, apologies for my remarks, and have a pleasant night, Young Lord," she said and closed the door.

As he opened the door there were maids standing, with a clothes rack in the back with few 'kurtas' or tunics laying on bed.

'Okaaaay, four beautiful maids to warm my bed? Is this how I'll be losing my virginity in this life?'

'Well, losing virginity to a fivesome is quite the achievement.'

"Young Lord please select the nightwear for tonight." said the cat maid from before, the one with radiant orange hairs.

"Ah, hello there. Freyana, was it? Are you also one of the my servant?"

"It's a pleasure that you remembered my name, Young Lord," she responded.

"While the final decision on servants has yet to be made, I am indeed one of the candidates," she added with a gentle smile.

"That's good to know. I hope you are chosen," he said, returning her smile.

"It would be an honor to serve you, Young Lord," she assured him.

"By the way, if you have a preference among the potential servants, feel free to let us know. We can convey your choice to the head butler," she offered.

"Really? In that case, I would like to have Diena as one of my servants if she's available. We've interacted more, and I find her quite friendly, as she is quite close to my age," he mentioned.

"I will inform the head butler about that," she replied.

"Then, shall we show the nightwear, Young Lord?" she asked.

"Yeah sure," he replied.

The maid began to show him various dresses from the wardrobe, he chose a "plain" loose light red tunic and matching pajama, although it was plain only in name, adorned with fewer embroidered designs compared to others.

"Young Lord, please raise your hands," the orange-haired catmaid requested.

"Why?"

"We need to change your clothes."

"I can do that on my own. I'm not a little kid."

"But Young Lord, we are here to assist you."

"But I don't need help in wearing my clothes."

"Young Lord, this maybe embarrassing but please cooperate with us"

'Oh god, is this how I lose my virginity?'

"Okay, I'll cooperate," he said and hesitantly raised his arms and closed his eyes.

"Thank you, we'll do it quickly," she replied and started undressing him. He couldn't help but feel a slight blush creeping up his cheeks as the unfamiliar situation unfolded.

"We're finished," she stated, completing the dressing process.

"Alright," he replied, opening his eyes.

"Young Lord, what should we do about your 'watch'?" she inquired.

"Hey, you and the others will be outside my room, correct?" he asked.

"Yes, Young Lord. I and a few others will be stationed here throughout the night in case you require anything," she affirmed.

"Good. In that case, I have a task for you," Anmol said as he removed his watch.

After Freyana had sent the other maids out of the room, a few minutes passed, and Anmol had finished explaining his watch.

Few moments later

"I understand. With your permission, I'll be just outside if you require anything," she said as she rose from her seat.

"Have a good night, Young Lord. You have a busy day ahead of you tomorrow," she remarked, ensuring he was comfortably settled in his bed.

"Hmmm," he nodded as his surroundings began to fade into darkness, succumbing to sleep.