As the ceremony started at noon, all the servants had arrived. They took up various seats decided by their occupation. Kitchen boys and cooks. Stable boys and gardeners. Servants and cleaners. Maids and butlers.
Tapper walked into the hall.
'Holy crap. I knew the Tourey Mansion was quite large but the number of staff is insane. There should be a couple of Toureys that live here. It seems I have never met them?
'Maple had quite a job as the head maid. No wonder she felt oppressed.'
Tapper joined a group of other cerulean cloaked figures. Meanwhile, his sharp hearing had caught snippets of conversations from others.
"... there weren't even over five people in my naming ceremony and the attendees were only the cleaner department and stable boy department…."
".... quite a few people died that night. Including Maple! Good riddance. Never liked her…"
"My cloak is itchy! How old is mine?"
"They're all new!"
"I think I recognize Nell… it's that ninth fellow over there!"
"...it seems the Young Master is presiding over this ceremony. I wonder what types of names he shall grant. The Master always chooses names that are simple yet suitable…."
"...he is the Master's son! It couldn't be all that different, Mark my words!"
The hustle and bustle only raised the excitement in the air. It was different from the atmosphere present at Roman's 11th birthday.
It was more of a welcoming atmosphere.
Suddenly the lights dimmed and the crowd quieted. The podium's spot light lit up as the head butler walked on stage.
Then a long and boring monologue came up. It ended with everyone being reduced to tears.
Because of how boring it was.
"... ahem! I shall begin the ceremony with the appointment of new positions. First up is the place of the head maid. It shall go to…."
Tapper was bored but he still remembered to keep his focus on any strange or abnormalities within the hall.
He wasn't fidgeting. It's not like he was surrounded with food again.
Waiting in one position and unmoving was a necessary skill for a thief. Though Ink had been better at that.
After another boring wait…
"Finally, we will now invite the Young Master for the Naming! Our probationary staff had shown great dedication and loyalty. They have received the honor of being named by the Young Master to officially be welcomed into our ranks."
A round of applause came as a nervous Roman walked up on stage looking everywhere.
'Oh. It seems he is searching for signs of attackers? Well that night must have traumatized him a little..'
The head butler gestured at the first person in line. It was a stable boy.
"As you come up, state your original name."
"Yes sir!" The first cloaked person said enthusiastically.
One by one, he climbed the podium steps and approached Roman who was giving him a suspicious look. Then he raised his hands and in an upmost fancy manner, gave a deep bow.
"Greetings Young Master. My name is Burt! I am a stable boy."
Roman stared for a bit. Then he remembered what he was here for.
"Very well done, Burt. I will decide if a worthy name for you!" Then Roman held up a hand to tap his chin. He started to shift his weight back and forth a little and stared at Burt the stable boy.
After a few moments of deep deliberation, Roman's face lit up.
"I have decided!
"Listen closely. Burt is a good name so I would not change it much."
Roman waved his hands in the same way Lord Wayde does it.
"So henceforth!"
"Your new name will be…"
Everyone held their breaths.
"........Big Burden!"
Everyone from Tapper to the head butler was stunned. They all stared incredulously at the satisfied and proud Roman. Then they shifted their gazes and gave looks of pity to Burt, no, it should be Big Burden now.
Burden…
Burden…
Big Burden…?!
The target of the countless looks of pity did not look very well.
Hastily, the head butler cleared his throat and shouted.
"Next!"
This loud shout awoke everyone from their frozen state.
However...
Big Burden could not move. He had to be carried off.
Suddenly, all the cloaked figures felt an immense dread and terror as they stared at the stage.
Tapper felt no better.
What if he had to fill out something like…. Puke, on his school application form?
While he was inwardly panicking...
The next victim climbed the steps of doom.
"G-greetings Young Master. My name is Circa. I'm a maid…" she said with her voice quivering. Then as if an afterthought…
"Please give me a good name!" Circa said loudly and gave a deep bow.
Roman, now getting into the feeling of naming, smiled comfortingly at Circa. But Circa only turned more pale.
"Of course, my dear Circa. Just look at Burden. He loves his name!" Roman confidently announced and pointed at the passed out Burden.
Circa shuddered and squeezed her eyes shut. This time, Roman did not need a long time to come up with her name.
"Circa, you have a good name so I will not change it much. So you will now be known as…"
Tapper closed his eyes. He could not wish anymore that he was elsewhere and away from the ceremony hall right now.
".... Sick!"
And another one bites the dust!
Circa, no, Sick fainted as well. Roman didn't notice and gestured at the next horror struck servant.
'Oh my god.
'No one…
'should ever say…
'that they have a terrible naming sense in front of me…
'EVER AGAIN.
'Young Master, you are on a whole different level…' Tapper thought and shuddered in fear.
For the next while or so, the atmosphere in the hall was similar to that of a torture chamber.
It was thick with the aura of poor victims being hit with excruciating agony.
From Amelia to Moan.
From Pimikiss to Piss.
From Rose to Roast.
From Charmaine to Chain
So on and so forth. Tapper was now panicking. He was to go up after another two people.
'Damnit, my brain! Work! What should I do? Ahhh…'
Tapper screamed in his mind.
"... you will now be known as…. Diaper!"
*victim faints*
"Next!"
What to do. Absolutely not his name!
But he was rapidly thinking. Should I bribe him into leaving my name alone? But it can't be done in public. So to hide it, I have to…
Then an idea hit him.
Roman obviously recognized Tapper. He was much more excited. Roman smiled purely and rubbed his palms together. Tapper could see his wicked evil written all over his face.
"Greeting Young Master." Tapper announced formally. He gave a bow.
He then took a deep breath and gently smiled.
"Please listen carefully.
"My name is…."
"Tappiokramikabonoksaylemchocoflufochirper!!!"
Tapper announced in one breath.
No one moved. They all stared at Tapper.
Tapper: \( •<•)/….
Roman: (ʘ—ʘ')??
The head butler: (=___=)
Everyone: (ʘᗩʘ')
The newly named: (╯`□′)╯︵┴─┴
Then the crowd burst into an uproar of whispering.
"Ahem! Ahem!"
The head butler interjected.
"Please. If that was truly your name, please repeat it one more time… I'm sure the young master would appreciate it."
Tapper smiled. He knew it was going to happen.
"Tappiokramikabonoksaylemchocoflufochirper."
(Tap-pi-oh-kram-ika-bu-nok-say-lem-chalk-of-luf-oh-chir-per)
He especially emphasized the Tap and the Per pronunciations in his 'name'.
'Work work work work work….' Tapper had never prayed so hard.
'My dearest parents whether you be alive or not. Watch over me and make sure I'm not named Puke. Please please..!'
'God, if you are up there… please! I have been good!'
"Well… Tappio... something…"
Finally, Roman realized that this must have been the reason why his servant never introduced himself!
It obviously wasn't because he himself had never asked him about it!
Tapper cleared his throat and said solemnly
"Young Master… it's
"TAPPiokramikabonoksaylemchocoflufochirPER"
Alarmed, Roman took a step back.
"G-G-Great name! So from today on, you will be known as….
"Tapper!"
Extreme relief washed over Tapper. He secret let out his pent up breath and smiled a brilliant smile that dazzled like the sun.
"Okay!"
'It worked. It worked. Yes yes yes~~!'
Unrestrainedly, Tapper jumped up and down in joy. He even screamed.
"Thank you thank you Young Master!"
Roman took another step back.
The head butler waved his hands at Tapper to get off the stage. He was pinching the bridge of his nose.
Meanwhile, the victims of Roman had… unfortunately…
Fainted once more.
Then the crowd moved to 'congratulate' all the cloaked figures.
And for the rest of the day, Tapper celebrated with all his heart. He got to go to school. He got to keep his name….
Wait.
There is a second naming ceremony he had to attend at midnight!
It was around afternoon now. To stay awake during the second Naming, he should get some rest.
And so, Tapper left the funeral-like atmosphere behind him.
***
Swoosh. Swoosh.
A hunter that was harking out the wonderful bargains of the one yard length chicken feathers he had recently caught outside the city, quickly turned his head.
But only brief shadows were seen.
It was enough to make him nervous. He stopped his market presentations and packed up his goods.
The swooshing sound came from the wind of a certain couple of dark figures dashing in the same directions. All of their footsteps were as light as feathers. Making no sound and no disturbances.
If one were to look carefully, they would be able to see that the person at the front of the group was taller than the people behind. The people behind were only around the height of twelve year olds.
But unlike the children that had attended Roman's eleventh birthday, these children had harsh eyes and cold expressions. They kept pace with the person in the front.
All of their cloaks have a CT symbol at the back.
"Keep up. We are almost there." A female voice came from the person in the front.
"Yes Teacher."
Soon enough, the group finally reached their destination. It was a normal looking run down construction site. A cold wind swept through the dark walls making a loud howling noise.
However, the teacher and her group weren't the only ones within. From the darkness, she could see many more dark cloaked figures like her and her students as well as more in the distance heading their way.
The majority of the dark cloaked figures were around the female teacher's size. Only here and there of the younger members could be seen. Of course, the lady teacher's group was an exception.
The mass of dark cloaked figures descended down within the construction site and one of them pried open a latch.
Creak…
A loud scraping noise began to generate from one of the walls as it slid sideways to reveal a stairway.
The stairway led further down. It was not lit but the darkly cloaked figures didn't mind. Confidently, they walked in without a second thought.