A few minutes after Bard was sent to call the Duke and Horen, the two arrived at the hall. As one would expect, they were more than appalled at what they were seeing. They immediately ordered the knights -- stationed outside of the mansion -- to begin the investigation regarding the incident.
"Vhelian! What are you doing here?! I told you to go back to your room, didn't I?!" The Duchess, who was the last to appear on the scene, berated her son.
It was upsetting enough that a mass murder happened right under their noses. The Duchess wouldn't forgive herself if her children were harmed as well. Vhelian understood his mother's intentions, but he wasn't apologetic for his actions.
After all, he was unhurt and it was because of him that they discovered the incident early. If he had followed his mother's orders, one could merely wonder when the Banquet Hall would be checked.
Vhelian could only lower his head at his fuming mother. He knew that the Duchess wouldn't stay mad any longer. First, they had something to sort out. Second, it's because he was sentient that the Duchess was also thankful for his stubbornness.
"By the way, where is your sister?" Sorsiana asked, anxiously searching the hall for her daughter.
"I ordered her guard to take her back to her room. She shouldn't have seen any of these."
"You've done a great job, son. Now, hurry back to your room. We'll sort this out."
Despite wanting to stay, Vhelian just nodded at his mother's request. That was what frustrated him the most about his family.
Time and again, his parents and siblings would try to keep him out of situations that they deemed dangerous. Rather than showing how much they cared for him, Vhelian believed that they had no trust in him. They still viewed him as their youngest who needed protection.
Well, that was not far from the truth. Withal, if things continued the way they were, Vhelian would have no chance of growing as a person.
'I better back down for the time being. There are a lot of opportunities where I can raise my discontentment.' Vhelian thought, sighing deeply thereafter.
Sorsiana was already having a talk with the Duke and Horen in the distance, so Vhelian was all alone. He turned his back against the hall and looked down at the opened main entrance of the mansion.
The biggest hall in the Gertrude Mansion, the Povoro Banquet Hall, sat atop the grand staircase. Across the grand staircase was a foyer where the statues of the previous Dukes and Duchesses were displayed. It was the first attraction that the visitors to the dukedom's mansion would be able to marvel at.
After observing emptiness at the mansion's entrance,Vhelian cast a glance at the statues of his predecessors. For some reason, he felt embarrassed as he looked at them. Every single one of the former rulers of the Gertrude Dukedom was celebrated as heroes, might it be by virtue of their achievements in wars or social developments.
Without a doubt, it wasn't only the rulers themselves who were excellent. In the written history of the Etheros Empire, the children of the Gertrude Dukedom had established themselves as more exemplary than the children of the royals.
Having commanded knight orders, passing down ordinates that greatly benefitted the many, solving the worst issues of their time, these were some of the accomplishments of his predecessors. The legacy of the Gertrude Dukedom continued down the bloodline.
Taking all that into consideration, Vhelian felt pressured. He was aware that both his older siblings were not related to Duke Brahm Gertrude by blood.
'I'm the only child of the Duke which makes things all the more difficult. I'm sure he has some expectations for me. But…' Vhelian then clenched his fists and let out another heavy breath, 'By looking at how they're treating me, it seems that they're letting me do what I want. However, they won't let me handle the matters of the dukedom since it's mostly my older brother's job.'
Waking up from his reverie, Vhelian shook his head and straightened his back. Nothing would improve if he remained dejected. The dukedom had just experienced one of the most horrific incidents within the estate. He should do what he's best at -- staying in his room.
"Bard, let's go. Dismiss the others and tell them to help with the investigation."
"Yes, master."
The guard turned towards the rest of Vhelian's servants and gave them the command. Afterwards, he caught up with his master who was already halfway down the left corridor. With silence as their third companion, they headed back to Vhelian's chambers.
The distant muttering from the scene of the crime was soon out of Vhelian's earshot. Instead of regaining his calm, his mind was bombarded with more thoughts.
'I hope I can get a shut-eye as soon as I'm inside my room. A time only for myself is something I need most right now.'
But, as if to mock his small wish, Vhelian halted his steps upon rounding the sixth corner he had to traverse. Of course, Bard also saw what Vhelian did. The guard went in front of his master and drew his sword.
"Who are you?" Bard said with conviction yet his hands were trembling.
The servants and guards employed by the Gertrude Dukedom were more than two hundred. Because of that, Bard ought to have mistaken the person afore them to be one. Nevertheless, the garment that the person was wearing wasn't that of a servant.
While Bard was preparing himself for an altercation, Vhelian was rendered speechless at what he was seeing. He opened his mouth but closed them almost immediately. He heaved a sigh to fuel his courage, and in a second, he summoned the will to speak.
"You, what are you doing wearing my older sister's dress…?"
Ophelia had a myriad of clothes in her closet, so she often lent the maids a dress or two. Withal, Vhelian was bothered for the reason that it was the dress that his sister was wearing before they parted. Along with it was the splatter of blood on the skirt of the dress.
The stranger smiled, one that made Vhelian tensed. His mind shut down together with his reason.
The person took a step, and another, and another. Vhelian and Bard might've wanted to keep a distance from the stranger, but they were frozen in place. Once the stranger was merely a meter away from Vhelian, they stopped and looked at him straight in the eye.
"I'm home, my dear brother."