"Young master, you really need to ban that beggar from coming here!"
A pompous child shoved his face in front of Ernesto, and he immediately pushed the child out of his way. It perplexed him for a moment that he was back in a different place and time as he regained his senses in the middle of a group of children eating at a long table.
The smell of savory meat seeps into his nose.
Ernesto blinked multiple times as he realized where he had returned.
Nine young nobles acting like adults eat elegantly in front of him.
They filled the long table with different foods that have barely been eaten because the young nobles are dainty and slow eaters.
Another child commented, "I lost my appetite just by dining with him," and the group of young nobles chuckled together.
It made him confused as he wondered internally, "Is this an illusion? Where is this? Why are there children around me?"
Ernesto looked at his hands, which were smaller and without calluses, which made him curse internally. He looked at what his teenager's hands were holding, which caused him to instantly conclude, "It is the luncheon!" and he jolted up from his seat.
His action shocked all the young nobles, but he did not care and left the dining area.
"This is different! Ndulou was still here!"
Ernesto slammed open each door he passed through. Some servants run after him and tell him not to run, and a knight greets him even though he doesn't really care. He hurriedly went to the place he expected Ndulou to be.
His past regression always starts at the moment Ndulou is already gone. He always came back to his room with his servant an hour after the luncheon meeting. But this time around, he came back in the middle of the lunch meeting.
Ernesto's heart beats louder as he sees Ndulou's silhouette walking through the long hallway of the castle on the way to the garden.
His feet ran faster as he shouted Ndulou's name, as if it had been a very long time since he had seen him.
Ndulou turned around from the call and flinched, realizing it was Ernesto, but instantly changed his demeanor into that of a polite young man.
After catching his breath, Ernesto looked at Ndulou's shoes. He thought he had finally reached Ndulou, and he had been chasing him for a long time. He reached for Ndulou's arms and held them tightly.
Ernesto tried his best not to get emotional, but he could not stop his eyes from getting wet.
He was even screaming internally, saying, "goddess! Are you doing me a favor!?" and wanted to thank her for this opportunity.
Because of the joy of finding Ndulou immediately for the first time in his regressions, Ernesto resolves changes.
"goddess! I think this will work out! I will live for myself with him!"
He thought that the suggestion of the goddess to live for himself was something doable since he caught Ndulou just before he was going to end up at Fenrir prison.
"Young master?"
Ndulou does not have any clue about what was happening inside Ernesto's mind, and Ndulou was feeling anxious about what kind of trouble he would experience.
"Oh! sorry! Kuya Ndulou! I'll tell you my secret!"
Ndulou frowned at the word "kuya" and is currently cursing internally. He really wanted to escape from Ernesto's hands and run off somewhere, but Ernesto's joy couldn't notice the awkwardness Ndulou felt as he confessed, "I'm a regressor!"
The words came out naturally because Ernesto had been revealing his secrets to Ndulou every time he turned back. However, this word sounds crazy to Ndulou. He tried to keep a polite smile on his face, but he was itching to slap the punk.
"Let's go to my room! And I ban you from going there!"
Ndulou's hand and back became sweaty as he wondered if Ernesto will accuse him of something because he was doing something unreasonable.
"Ban? To where, sir?"
Ernesto pointed in the garden's direction, saying, "From now on, you're not allowed to enter the garden." He was determined to not let Fenrir touch his friend again. He plans on putting a stronger seal underground later. But first he will make sure that Ndulou won't approach the garden.
"D-did I do something wrong, young master?"
Ndulou was thinking of all the things he did that made Ernesto target him now. He has been thinking of different scenarios to apologize and escape.
"No. no. you don't! Let's go talk in my room!"
Ernesto was genuinely happy, but in Ndulou's eyes, Ernesto was an evil young master who was plotting something.
Ernesto let go of Ndulou's arms and led the way happily, while Ndulou followed him with a frown.
....
"What is it?"
Ernesto looked at the servant with irritation. The two of them had not entered Ernesto's room yet, yet this servant was blocking their way.
"They instructed me to get you back at the reception. The other young nobles are still waiting for you. They said that the agreements aren't done yet."
Ernesto's brows twitched as he irritatingly thought inwardly, "Does this servant not have any lines in mind? He has been telling me these exact lines since the first time I regressed."
The young servant slightly bowed his head and diverted his gaze because Ernesto was looking at him intensely.
"Come to think of it, you look healthier than Kuya Ndulou. Is my servant eating better than you, kuya?"
The servant and Ndulou flinched at the same time. Ernesto was not aware that he was the only one who was used to calling Ndulou kuya yet (older brother).
Ndulou answered politely, saying, "It might be because your household took care of your servants very well," despite having anxiety because of Ernesto calling him kuya.
Ernesto observed the servant again.
'Mmn?'
He looked closer, and the servant took a step back.
"Hey, you got this well-built body despite being a servant?"
After living a hundred years, Ernesto can now assess someone's ability by glancing at them. He had never noticed this servant before because he was so focused on Ndulou's survival.
The servant looks timid, but his body has hard muscles that are a sign of hard-earned workouts. Ernesto can also sense a faint power of spirit around him.
Ernesto became intrigued, as he thought, "Oh, he is hiding it well."
He asked, "What's your name?" to which the servant answered instantly, "Lucas, sir."
"Okay, Lucas, send those kids home, and I'll see you tomorrow."
"You'll see the young masters tomorrow?"
"No you,"
"Me?"
"Do I need to repeat myself?"
Lucas timidly replied, "No, sir, see you tomorrow," as he bowed and exited the hall.
Ernesto watched his servant leave before he returned his attention to Ndulou.
"Finally, we can now go to my room and talk, Kuya Ndulou."