“How about you and the rest go back to work and leave this to me?”

The servants have left the bathroom, leaving Austan and Midnight together. With the door now closed, assuring no one will be bothering them, the older of the two crossed his arms. He gave a displeased look albeit the kind gestures he did mere seconds ago. “I thought you were supposed to go to certain rooms at a set time?” His tone was now aloof, his true colors showing.

Midnight didn’t give a response, just like he has been doing since earlier. Rather than being pissed like Mathea, Austan just rolled his eyes. “Of course, being selectively mute again, huh? This is exactly why that hag started making a racket to the point it reached to literally everyone. You’re lucky it reached me first and none of our other brothers, or worse, father.”

In the House of Carwyn, there were four sons; Midnight being the youngest, there was Austan, Theodore and then, Nathaniel. In front of him, as mentioned, was Austan, the third brother and second to the youngest. In the face of the public, he is known for his flowery speech and his charm; men and women swoon over his character. Unfortunately for him though, in the eyes of the nobility, he was also a man who preferred to do no work. With all the riches his family has, he spends it in luxury, rarely at the residence. A “parasite” they call him behind his back.

Just like anyone in the manor, he harbors hatred towards Midnight. The reason wasn’t all that complicated: he merely despised him as he is.

“...”

Austan pulled the side of his lips backwards. Since he was busy blabbering, he finally took this chance to observe his younger brother from head to toe. Dirty, so disgusting.

“You know what, do whatever you want. Just don’t cause a commotion again. It will be troublesome for us when you were supposed to be non-existent to us.” Not expecting Midnight to respond, Austan turned his back to leave. There was no point in wasting a second near this gloomy person.

"Austan. May I ask for a favor?"

To his surprise, Midnight spoke to him for the first time in years. "Huh, so you do talk. Though to think the first thing I'd hear from you is a favor. Quite the audacity you have."

The usually quiet one sighed. "I understand if it's baffling for you that I need something but I assure you, it will benefit you."

Austan cocked a brow in disbelief, "You? The good-for-nothing pest?"

How ironic. "May I borrow any of your clothes that no longer fit? None of my clothes are untorn and clean to wear.”

The disbelief remained in Austan’s expression and tone. “You really know nothing about shame. What makes you think I’ll even comply with this favor of yours?”

“I know you won’t.”

“Then, why bother asking?”

Midnight sighed, finding this a little troublesome to deal with since he already knows well his brother won’t lend him any even if he begged. That’s just how bad their relationship as siblings; not that they ever had one anyway. “I’m leaving this place for good.”

Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

Shock fell on Austan’s face, only for it to fade immediately to obvious glee that he even walked back to Midnight and grabbed his shoulders. This reaction was expected since, in the previous loops, Austan had been wanting to make the wing that belonged to Midnight, his. “You’re not joking, right? Did father finally decide to listen to our request after all these years?!”

Someone can’t seem to hold his excitement. Midnight brushed off his hands that gripped on his shoulders. For his current body, the grip’s touch lingered, rather painful for him. “Would I even joke with our present relationship?”

Austan let go of him, cocking a brow as he was still unsure if Midnight was saying the truth. However, he did make a point so he gave the slightest bit of the benefit of the doubt. “Fine, you can. If it will make you leave this mansion for good, then I’ll comply.” He looked at his hands, realizing he had touched him. Yet again, he felt disgust; Midnight rolled his eyes at the reaction.

“Have your personal maid deliver it to me here,” Midnight turned around to face the bathtub, hands on his clothes to take them off. “I’ll be taking a bath now. Unless you want to see distastefulness, you might as well leave now.”

“I don’t need you to tell me that,” Austan was already by the door, closing it shut when he left. The imperial red eyes of the younger darted to the door, only the gaze to return to the bathtub. Whilst he slowly took off his tattered top, Midnight winced in stinging pain. Doing his best to ignore them, he took a step into the bathtub, sinking into the lukewarm water that quickly soothed the stings he was experiencing.

At last, I can take a peaceful bath.

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

Strange was the only thought that Austan had when he left the bathroom and walked down the hallways of the manor. It had only been yesterday since he had seen Midnight—well, more like a glimpse— and suddenly his entire demeanor had changed. Although their meeting was short, the difference was very visible. He couldn’t help but wonder how in the world the change happened overnight.

There was no way to confirm he had completely changed though; they met only once. Austan must meet with his younger brother more if he wants to verify the change. But then… “Dahlia, search for my old clothes and see if you can find anything that will fit Midnight.”

“For….Midnight?”

“Mhm, it’s shocking, right? He actually asked something from his dear brother… I never thought he’d actually ask for help. Anyway, once you do, deliver it to the bathroom he is in.”

“As you wish, master,” the maid, despite her poise, seemed too unwilling while she hurried along to his quarters.

It shouldn’t matter, he said it himself. He’s leaving. Yet again, giving the benefit of the doubt, Austan continued to walk. It was best he didn’t think about it too much.

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

After a good ten minutes, the personal maid of Austan took a quick visit to the bathroom in order to deliver the clothes as tasked to. By quick, it meant that she spent not even more than a minute in the same room as Midnight. Said man did not mind though. The behavior was expected because he knew she didn’t want to be in his vicinity. She could have asked if I needed anything though. Midnight sighed at his thought, laying his head on the rim of the bathtub.

Evidently, the servants of the manor care little for him. Mathilde, the head maid, was to blame for this. In his previous lives, Midnight found out why the head maid was the way she acted: It was for a prideful and ridiculous reason.

The answer lied in Mathilde’s words earlier during their little scene—The Carwyn name.

Although Midnight shared this with his supposed family that were highly respected, he was not a pure Carwyn. He was an illegitimate child. The woman who gave birth to him died not too long after giving birth to him. Because he was the son of the head of the family, the Marquess took him in. He, regardless of pure or not, was still a Carwyn.

Mathilde did not care; an illegitimate child will only be an illegitimate child, nothing more or less. It was people like him who tainted such a dignified, respectful and powerful bloodline. That being said, the public doesn’t even know of Midnight’s existence and she planned to keep it that way.

Honestly, such an extremist.

No matter how many times he returned to the past, Midnight gave her the due punishment for her insolence as a mere servant of the manor, be it the highest position a servant could receive or not. The woman would always become drenched in her own blood while her life came to an end in gruesome ways past Midnight could think of. It was because of her that he suffered his entire life after all. Of course, there was his family to blame as well.

With the current Midnight though, he could care less.

Slipping into the clothes brought to him, his bath came to an end. It’s a little big but it will do. He glanced at himself that was reflected on the grand bathroom mirror. The quality of the clothes he wore was so much better than his pitiful nightgown he wore earlier. He felt warm and comfortable for the first time in a while during this loop.

Satisfied, he stepped out, walking down the hallways once more in order to meet his father in his study.

“Unforgivable.....!”