"Al? Can we talk?" Levi started to peek through the door scared, after all he wasn't allowed to walk freely around the house.
The only place he could be free was the basement, the place where he slept with the rats.Duke Reinold, my supposed father, has been hating children since the day his eldest son and successor died in an accident. I was only a year old at the time but I was already aware enough to know that that was when my supposed mother started to hate me even more, because it wasn't me who died but her favorite son.
With his hatred for children when the bastard son of the king came to live with us he treated him worse than a slave, even though he is royalty, bastard children to this family are considered pests.
The king in the original novel never discovered the abuse his son suffered but he wouldn't mind either.
"What do you want, filthy creature? Can't you see that I'm in my moment of rest?"
For me who still don't know what to do, I can only act the same way as in my past life when I bullied him so I could fulfill my role in this world and go home. But it didn't work the first time around and now I don't know what else to do and the further away I get from him the less I will get involved with the tragic story of the original novel.
"Oh." Sorry and hurt he retreated farther down the hall and away from my room, but he was still in my line of vision, with his hands together beside his belly and looking down he said quietly "I-I would like to k-know if my lady was alright. Because of yesterday's incident."
"What are you talking about you idiot, of course I'm fine." Crossing my arms and legs I raised my tone to the eight year old kid
"O-Ok, I-I hope my Lady doesn't have to go through that situation again" he replied stuttering
"Alright alright now come inside I want you to keep me company."
"M-Me, my lady, but I'm just a humble servant, I can't dare sit by your side " He shook his hands and head in denial as his cheeks turned pinker.
"No problem for me, besides you're the only one I have who can keep me company, all the others are weaklings who don't want my presence near them" I curled my hand into a fist looking out the window while holding my book in my lap
"If my Lady insists then I will be happy to accompany you" Lifting his head, brushing his black hair out of the way I had the glimpse of his purest smile, as he came bouncing with joy to meet me
"Just sit down and don't talk" I picked up my book and continued my reading and gave him a book because I know he wouldn't dare ask.
"Yes, my Lady."
Happy to get some attention he began to read avidly.