"Haah..."
Peer gazing at the outside window. The sky is blue and everything feels peaceful. We're in a carriage on the way to the Krishna Council for Lily's hearing in court. On the carriage, I'm with Lily, Clara, and Stephanie. Stephanie insisted on coming along with us—I can't leave her alone in the villa, so I agreed.
What about Rinna?
Apparently, it wasn't Rinna who's supposed to send the letter to Master Irene. Rinna just saw the letter lying around in her father's office, so out of her boredom; she delivered the letter by herself. Moreover, the letter should be just sent to Master Irene; not Lily, but she made Master Irene think it's a personal letter for Lily. Master Irene gave her permission to go to the villa, alongside Stephanie, who's just there coincidentally.
She's clever and stupid at the same time.
I can't fathom how Rinna's stupid brain works. Rinna's train of thoughts is in a different dimension.
For a few days, Stephanie has become more assertive as days pass. Like now, she's asserting her dominance mainly to Clara, who has an indifferent face right now. Stephanie's embracing my entire left arm, throughout the carriage ride. Of course, I liked it. Stephanie's undeveloped breast is touching me.
Also, Stephanie found out about Clara's deed of kissing me. Surprisingly, I'm the one who got an earful sermon, instead of Clara. Yep, I'm the one at fault.
"How can you permit those kinds of actions! It's immoral, Claude! What's wrong with your brain!? How can you allow this! I can't believe you."
"Alright-alright, calm down. It's just her nature." I tried to appease her by embracing her; surprisingly, it worked. Then I made some excuses to not unveil Clara's race and told her it's more on the psychological side. Obviously, Stephanie didn't buy that reason, but that's better than nothing.
Honestly, I like the Stephanie that I'm seeing now. How do I say this... She's becoming more honest with her emotions and feelings. Perhaps she finally realized it? Nevertheless, good for her. I don't know what happened to her during her time at the guild, but it's really good to see her personality developing.
Concerning Lily, she went back to her daily routine, training, eating, and everything else. The aura around her became brighter, facing everything than mulling over and being depressed about it.
From my understanding, there would be a family from different kingdoms who will watch the hearing. I believe for entertainment? I don't know.
Unlike last time, I'm not wearing any kind of mask because I completely forgot to bring it and it's illegal while inside the Krishna Council.
Since we're going to the Krishna Council, we are obligated to wear formal clothing as per aristocrat's tradition. I'm currently dressed in a midnight frock coat the same color as my necktie, and white gloves on my hands to give an aesthetic glamorous look, and slate-grey pants.
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Walking unhurriedly toward this picturesque hall. I can't believe what I'm seeing right now. Everything around feels like it came out of a painting on how neat and exotic the place is. It looks like the place just got built yesterday.
We're garnering eyes from just walking in the hall. In my mind, I'm delighting gazes from the onlookers because now they won't ever mistake me for being a girl. The body that I strive before was showing signs coming into fruit, as I'm finally getting taller and my body physique was gradually changing.
Bwahaha.
The onlookers are also murmuring whenever we pass them, as if we won't hear them—Stupid people. They're everywhere, mostly the noble-looking people. Stupid faces.
On our way to the room where the hearing will be held on, Master Irene was waiting with us dressed in a white-red knight armor with a large golden cross symbol on her chest.
"Good to see you, Claude, Lily, and Stephanie." Master Irene embraces us.
"Do you want to meet your father and brothers first, Lily?"
"Yes, Master Irene."
"Well, then. I'll see you guys later. I'll send Lily first, okay?"
"Okay,"
Lily follows Master Irene, leaving the three of us; or so what I thought as soon I turn my head around. Stephanie and Clara were gone—I'm standing here all alone. In just a matter of seconds, they vanished.
"Where are they? What the..." I scan the surrounding, but it's only making me look like an idiot, so I stop and began walking, searching for the two.
After a few minutes of looking around, I can't find them at all. I gave up and just stroll around this big place all my own. While strolling, I stumble across a group of women surrounding a familiar-looking guy with white, pale hair, all dress in a white and blue military uniform with a white robe on his shoulder. At his chest, there's a badge that symbolizes the prosperity and dignity of a family; the Belmont Family. It was my older brother, Aldrich Belmont, or the real Claude's brother.
In Claude's memories, he's a two-faced person who values his own image than anything. Outside, he may this kind-natured person, but inside, he's a greedy bastard who wants everything on his hands like Claude's father; Cassius Belmont. Aldrich didn't really interact with Claude that much as he sees him as nothing, or a pile of rubbish that was a waste of time to give attention to—I'm just kidding, he likes to torment the young pitiful Claude for his own satisfaction. The same goes all for the member of the Belmont Family except for one person—Claude's little brother Ulysses Belmont.
It's probably the fact that he's still a child at that time, but he's the only one that Claude's treasure the most; the only one who visits and cares for him.
Observing Aldrich, it looks like he's finally a freshman in the Atlas Academy. The smugness on his face irks me off. I want to remove that smug on his face by pummeling him on the ground and eat dirt.
Instead of beating him down, I think it's a good idea to steal those girls away from him. Although the only problem would be my manaless attribute, which hinders my chances. It'll be a 50-50 chance they knew about it. And of course, my brother identifying me. I underwent dramatic changes which can really make it hard to identify me; my white hair is now mixed with some dark-violet shades and my physique too.
"Now, what do I do...?" I hold my chin while pondering over it.
"Aha!"
I'll just walk past them and act like a fan. If Aldrich could identify me or not. That will answer it all.
I walk past them and acted like a fan.
"Oh, aren't you that genius from the Belmont Family, Aldrich Belmont?"
All of them turn their heads at me, confused about the person who suddenly disrupted their little bonding. The girls were flabbergasted upon seeing me; I gave them a thousand-watt smile which I usually use against Stephanie whenever she scolds me. It looks like he didn't recognize me.
"Oh, I'm flattered by your kind words. If I may, can you please state your name?" Aldrich responded.
"I'm Clyde. It's an honor to meet you, Sir. Aldrich." I extend my right hand to him, to which he accepts and shakes it.
"Haha, thank you. Nice to meet you, Clyde. Are you also here for the court hearing?"
"By all means. Who wouldn't want to miss it, right, young ladies?" I smile toward the ladies on my right.
They all nod shyly.
"Oh, my~ These young ladies are cute." I took the hand of the girl in front of the group and press my lips on the back of her hand, as a courtesy. Once I pull my lips away from her hand, I wink at her. Suddenly, all of them are surrounding me.
'Damn, it worked. Hahaha...'
While entertaining and flirting around the young ladies, I felt a little animosity from Aldrich, so I glanced at him, discovering a plastered smile displayed on his face. However, a shout came from feet away, a voice of terror that will haunt me.
"Claude!"
I look behind me and saw an enraged Stephanie marching her way to me.
'When I'm having fun, you will pop up now out of all the times you're missing earlier?'
"Ah, I guess that's my cue. See ya around, young ladies." I wave my hand at them.
Then I look at Aldrich with a smile on my face. "Especially you, Aldrich Belmont. Farewell."
I teleport myself way out and finding myself in front of Lily. Upon seeing me, Stephanie pulls my left ear, dragging me somewhere. I took a glance at Aldrich and the group of young ladies with him. They all seem to be confused about how I just vanish and appeared in a new spot. The bemused look on their faces is so amusing.
Despite my current situation of Stephanie pulling my ear hard enough for my ear to tear out, I can't stop cackling.
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After earlier, I'm now waiting in the lounge because apparently, I cannot participate in the trial hearing despite I'm actively involved in that case since I'm right there at the crime scene. Lying down on the ground, sleeping near Lily that time.
On my side, it was Stephanie who's giving me an earful sermon.
"Are you serious right now, Claude? How can you flirt around those girls? What's more, isn't he, your brother, who abandoned you?"
"Yes-yes, Mama Stephanie. He didn't recognize me, so it's fine." I put my head around her shoulder and closes my eyes.
"I'm not even asking if he does recognize you or not."
"Yes, he's my older brother. But, I can't say that anymore due to the contract I have with them."
"Wait, you can't even tell that he's your brother?"
"I can't say anything that relates me to them. Basically, everything. I can't speak that I had been once part of them or call them as such brother, sister, or father and mother. If I break the contract they would haunt me down. Because it's overstepping over their bounds and disrespecting their ideologies of dignity and pride as a knight—I'm a disgrace of the family."
"That's just cruel and idiotic."
"Well, that just how screwed their heads are in the Belmont family. They're all nut-heads."
"What if one day, they asked you to come back to them, what would you say?"
"I'd rather live in a desolate place or give them the middle finger; while screaming, 'Kiss my ass!' until I'm unable to speak."
"Why did I even ask you that...?"
"I don't know, you asked it. Also, where have you been? I'm searching for you and Clara... Clara... Where is she?"
"I went to the restroom, okay? It's a long trip."
"Fair enough. But, you should've said something. I look like a lost child searching for my parents earlier."
Stephanie and I waited in the lounge until the trial hearing of Lily end. I don't know if we'll stay here for about a week or so.