"Welcome back Young Masters." Maids and butlers were lined up in two serpent lines at the door. Their heads were slightly lowered and their eyes were glued to the floor. Most if not all the servants kept their faces straight and indifferent, not daring to show a single emotion.
Aether almost tripped at the sudden getting. He steadied himself using the door frame while trying his best to hide behind Leon and Aria.
This was one of the many things that was never mentioned in the novel. One that he was okay without having. There was something about having a line of people waiting at the door for your return that seemed almost unnerving.
"Welcome home."
Aether's head snapped towards the top of the stairs where their father now stood. His eyes narrowed. Why was Erik Frenzel greeting them? Was this also normal? Or did he just happen to come across an unusual situation?
"Would Young Master like a snack?" Neal, who had been in the line of servants, walked up from the side, slightly startling Aether.
"I…?" Aether gazed at Neal in confusion. Neal's hands were out in front of him, palms up as if expecting Aether to give him something.
"Um…" Aether paused for a second. He caught sight of Leon and Aria passing off their bags to their personal maid and butler. He glanced at Neal's hand and proceeded to give his bag to Neal as well. He watched as Neal smiled lightly once the bag was in his hands and only then did Aether figure out that this was what a 'Frenzel' was supposed to do once they got back from school.
"A snack would be nice." Aether finally said.
Neal light up, "Wonderful! Would the Young Master like something sweet? No? What about something light? You could have some bread or, oh wait, Would Young Master like to have his snack in the garden? Or the dining hall? Or-"
"Ah, no, that's okay. Please bring it to my room. I would like to get started on my homework." Aether raised his hands and motioned for Neal to stop with his little ramble.
Neal smiled even more, nodding his head enthusiastically, "Of course Young Master! I'll have the snacks sent to your room immediately!" Without waiting for a response, Neal disappeared into the small crowd of maids and butlers.
Aether smiled at Neal's enthusiasm.
"Leon, Aria." His father's voice interrupted his thoughts. Aether turned to face his father, a little worried that his name hadn't been called. But he dispelled that worry knowing that Leon and Aria were more capable when it comes to certain things and that whatever they had been called for most likely had to do with them using their abilities.
"Meet me in my study, now." Their father left without a single glance towards him.
Aether frowned as Leon and Aria left. His gaze lingered on their firm expressions. He couldn't help the slight worry making itself known once more, not for being left out, but for what could have or is going to happen.
As far as he knew he was in the time before the novel even started. Yet certain things seemed to be happening a little faster than they should. Whenever something involving his father and siblings happens, he can't help but worry that perhaps the novel's plot had once more advanced.
That thought alone was something he was afraid of.
He glanced over at Aria's retreating form. Out of the entire family, he hadn't had much contact with his new mother or sister. His new mother was only mentioned in a single line in the novel, while his new sister was only mentioned in the beginning part of the novel.
Aria Frenzel was supposed to be a love interest of the first Prince, but due to her cold nature and indifference towards romance, she was cast aside for more 'active' female characters. Aether didn't have a lot of information to go off. He knew of her personality and how she was outcasted as a child due to her looks as well as a basic understanding of her unique abilities. But that was her in the novel, not her in real life.
He had discovered early on that although the characters of the novel were in some way relatable to the way they were described and acted, there was still more to them. A prime example was the King and the Princes.
'Is Aria the same?' He wondered, watching as she disappeared around the corner upstairs.
"Mina?"
"Yes, young Master?"
"Has anything happened while I was away?"
Mina's eyebrows knitted as she gazed at him, "Not that I am aware of Young Master, though I did have a slight issue with one of the other maids." She mumbled.
"Not that she stood a chance." A wicked smile made its way onto her face and her eyes burned with delight.
Aether shook his head, silently praying for the poor soul that decided to go against Mina.
Mina paused and her gaze turned into one of scolding. "Young Master, why are you asking such things? You know its not good for your health to be involved in such matters." She put her hands on her hips and frowned.
Aether gave her a pleading smile, "I know, I know, I was just curious." He let his gaze fall to the stairs.
"Oh, Young Master, don't worry. You are still a Frenzel just like the other Young Masters, it's just the Master expects more form then because they are older and…" she trailed off, "…anyways! Let's get you to your room. I heard that the Royal Academy gives a lot of homework."
'Not really.' Aether thought.
Aether made his way upstairs and towards his new room with Mina following close behind him. He went to open up the door, but was stopped by someone calling him.
"Aether."
Aether startled. His eyes going wide as he was met with his mothers cold face staring down at him with.
"Oh! Um…greetings Mother." He turned towards her, placing his hands behind him. He tried to look her in the eyes, but her gaze was more intimidating and freezing than his fathers.
"Hmph. Distasteful." She snapped open a fan and hid her mouth from view, but the words she spoke echoed throughout the hall.
"I-What?" Aether stuttered. His focus was divided between the fan that appeared from nowhere and the words she had said.
She sneered in disgust, "Even your reactions are distasteful."
"My reactions?" Aether's eyebrows furrowed and he glanced down at himself, eyeing his body as it moved. did he do something wrong? Thinking that perhaps it had been his hands he maneuvered them so they were placed at his sides. When his mother didn't react, he straightened his posture a little bit more and held his head a bit higher, but still she didn't react. Pursing his lips he gazed at her nose in order to make it look like he was looking at her in the eyes.
This seemed to have an effect as her eyes narrowed. "Hmph. Follow me." She let out a distasteful sound and rolled her eyes. Her long curly blonde hair flowed effortless as she turned away creating an image that she was insulting him in some manner.
"I-Ah, yes mother." Aether quickly followed his mother to a part of the mansion he had yet to explore.
The room they had entered was just as extravagant as the rest of the mansion, but this room seemed to be more classic in looks giving a more mature feeling. There was a simple sitting area next to a wide open space with a few wooden swords put away nicely to the side. Aether could only assume that this space was used for sword training and the room he was currently in was used as a recreation room for his mother. The splash of blues and greens decorated the room, even the wood on the floor was slightly tinted gray to match the hues of blue. Of course to make it look just like the rest of the mansion, golden accents linned almost every piece of furniture.
Aether watched as his mother took a seat on one of the couches. She crossed her legs and leaned her head on her hand. Aether followed suit and sat down across from her. The words formed before ringed in his head and he took caution on how he sat. He made sure that his hands were sitting nicely on his lap and that he was sitting as straight as possible, but the moment his back touched the soft cushions he couldn't help but let out a small sigh of satisfaction and melt into the cushions.
"Pathetic."
Aether snapped back to reality and sat up straight once more."Excuse me?" He asked. He tried to keep himself calm when he spoke, but his eyes were filled with worry and his smile faltered just slightly.
"Sloppy."
"Are you talking about me?" Aether couldn't help but ask. He pointed to himself with a dumbfounded expression. He was standing up straight, his hands were out in front of him and he was pretty sure he was wearing a perfectly calm face, wasn't he? So how was he sloppy!
She rolls her eyes. "Yes, your actions, your way of speech, they are unbecoming of a Frenzel."
Aether's finger fell and his mouth was left agape. 'Excuse me? I'm unbecoming a Frenzel? How the hell is a Frenzel supposed to act!' He silently screamed, 'You fools didn't even teach the original Aether let alone me how he should act! What do you expect me to do!'
He wanted nothing more than to let out his frustration, but he held it in. Taking a calming breath he went to ask for clarification, but before he could do even that, his mother spoke up once more.
"It's not just pretty looks that makes one a Frenzel, but the way they hold themselves." She lifts up her head, her eyes looking down at him. "Proud, indifferent and noble. That is what a Frenzel should be. Not shy, childish and warm." She spat out the words in disgust. Her eyes sharpening as she sneered.
Aether freezes for a moment. 'Did-did she just call me pretty? No, wait, did she just call every Frenzel pretty?'
He shook his head. "But, wouldn't it be more beneficial to be warm and kind?" It was a tactic he decided to use the moment he saw his face in this world and so far it seemed to be working in his favor.
His mother scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Heh. Warmth? Kindness? No. Those only promote weakness. You may have not taken a step into this world and no its not your fathers or my fault that you were placed in that situation. You only have yourself to blame for that."
Aether flinched at her words. A sharp pang in his chest had him gripping his chest in slight discomfort. The feelings of anger and pain were for a moment too promonet and he found it hard to control himself from lashing out. "It's not my fault that I wasn't born with any abilities." He whispers out through clenched teeth.
She scoffs, "Then who should I blame? The gods?"
Aether stays silent. His head dropping slightly and his eyes going wide. He didn't mean to say that. He brought his hand up to his face and touched his lips. For a single moment it felt like when he talked, it wasn't him who was talking. 'Could this be….' He clenched his hands and bit his lip.
His mother either missed his little actions or did not care, as she continued on with the conversation as if nothing had happened. "It is a pity that you're incapable of realizing the situation you have put yourself in. Catching the eyes of the King, the Princes and those around you. It would be one thing if Leon or Aria had caught their attention, their strength and ruthlessness would put them in their places before they could even say a single word, but you- you are different. Disgustingly so. I wouldn't be surprised if the people surrounding you were already making plans to convert your thoughts."
Aether couldn't help but agree with her. It wasn't hard to miss the overbearing gazes the other students and Professors gave him. Their thoughts were basically painted on their faces.
"I-"
"Don't get me wrong. I understand what you are doing."
Aether's head shot up, "you do?"
"Yes, it's the same method used by your great great grandmother." She gestured to a painting hanging on the wall. The painting depicted an older woman with silver hair tied into a bun with bright red eyes. It was a normal family portrait that was like the many others lining the many halls, but this one was slightly different than the others. Unlike the stone cold faces of the other Frenzel's, this woman's lips were curved ever so slightly.
"She had a knack for confusing her enemies with her kindness." His mother smiled cruelly, "They would bend to her every whim with a single kind smile. They never knew what hit them until it was too late."
Aether's eyebrows furrowed at the small, but important information. He hadn't thought of learning about every Frenzel ancestor, but maybe, just maybe, it would prove useful to learn a thing or two about them.
Knowing that a Frenzel had used 'Kindness' and 'warmth' as a way to confuse and defeat her enemies only made his sudden change in personality appear to be a change in tactics. His expression brightened just a tiny bit. "So you're okay with me showing kindness and warmth?"
"Ha! Not with the way you have been doing it, but perhaps with time you will be able to harness your kindness and use it to overthrow your enemies." She paused, her eyes darting to the portrait, "Starting from today you will train with me everyday after school."
Aether blinked. "Train?"
"Yes, train. If you are to be anything like your great great grandmother, then you will need to train." She stood up, forcing Aether to gaze up at her. "Remember this well. Your expressions, your actions, every little thing you do must have a purpose. Any kindness you give, any friendship you develop, must be beneficial for the Frenzel household. Do you understand?"
The room goes silent.
Aether tilts his head, letting his hair fall over his face a little. His cheeks become rosy as he gives the warmest smile he could. "Yes, Mother."
His mother smirks at Aether. "Perfect."