His eyes were tinted red as hot tears started to flow down his cheeks.
***
Shaaaaa-
He twisted the knob on the faucet once he was finished using the water it supplied. His wet fingers ran through his hair, making it slightly wet along with his hands. He slicked his hair back as he faced the mirror above the sink. His expression was the same as usual. Empty and lifeless.
Deeply exhaling with his mouth, he rubbed his eyes and his gaze landed on the oddly shaped garbage bag that lying in the area where a person would normally use to take a shower. This spot inside the bathroom was strategically convenient as he knew that the drain that came together with the shower would naturally absorb every drop of blood that leaked out of the oddly shaped garbage bag. Of course, it wouldn't entirely remove the evidence of blood, especially since it was a substance that could easily stain, so he made sure to remind himself to 'take out the trash' later on.
What was in the garbage bag? His mother's corpse, obviously. He still had enough conscience to clean up after himself despite committing a grave sin.
The outer robe of his graduation uniform was also stained with blood, as a few tiny spots could be seen if a person squinted their eyes and focused all their attention on it. Luckily for him the uniform he wore was dark velvet an its texture was silky, so unless someone were to borrow it then no one would notice the stains on his robe.
***
A handful of students wearing the exact same uniforms could be seen seated next to each other in a straight line facing sideways. And although they were seated this way, this did not stop a few of them from conversing with one another. They were mindful of their surroundings, though, as they lowered their voices to a whisper. The room they were currently in was the backstage of their auditorium and the reason for them staying here was simple.
"Calling on the 'Magna cum laude'. Please follow me to the stage."
A teacher was accompanied by another adult who presumably was the student's parent as they announced the next person to head to the stage. It was a natural tradition for most learning institutions to hold a graduation speech among the three highest ranking students in their institute. A student passed by the teacher and the parent who were standing by the door, and they sat in their seat that had been vacant ever since they had left a while ago.
The student sitting to their right quickly stood up shortly after they heard their position being called.
Now there was a space in-between the student who had just returned and the student who had been silently reserved with themselves as they minded their own business. The open seat that separated them had a title engraved on its back that read '2nd Rank'.
The student who recently returned suddenly spoke up out of the blue. It was directed towards the person who sat across the empty seat between them.
"Congratulations."
The student who had been keeping quiet up until now turned their face to look at the person who unexpectedly striked up a conversation with them. He didn't want to come off as impolite as he mustered up the courage to respond.
"I haven't even received my diploma yet. You, on the other hand..."
His eyes secretly glanced at the rolled up and secured diploma placed on top of the other person's. The other party replied without much thought being given to it, as they clearly did not think of themselves too highly.
"You will receive yours soon. I'm only congratulating you on behalf of your position as the valedictorian."
Valedictorian, otherwise known as 'Summa cum laude'. The other person that had referred to him this way was the 3rd ranker. The 'Cum laude'. They had already finished their speech moments ago and was sent back to be seated at the backstage along with the rest of the top 10 students. And with the current time being, the 2nd ranker was still outside giving their speech.
The 1st ranker became slightly flustered as he spoke.
"I suggest you don't think of it too much. Positions don't necessarily matter. To me, at least."
The other person was dumbfounded by his statement. Feeling irritated in their heart, they accidentally allowed their true colors to slip out.
"You're a piece of work, alright. Do you know how many people strive to have your title? Honestly speaking, I'm actually quite envious of your life."
Realizing that they had said too much, they soon calmed their emotions and took a deep breath. They were about to apologize on behalf of their impulsive behavior when suddenly they realized that the expression he wore had drastically changed and the aura he gave off was dark and brooding.
The tone in his voice was coarse as he pushed his limits to force his throat to unclog.
"I don't think it would be a healthy mindset for a person to be fixed on things such as 'titles' or 'positions'. If I had to voice my opinion on the matter I would say that I find it to be extremely cumbersome to shove these title on to people just to display their worth for the whole world to see."
"But what's the point of gaining said title after all the pain and suffering you went through to get it..?"
"Do tell me. Is it really worth it after knowing the deeds which lead up to this short lived glory in which you've never even wanted in the first place..?"
Having to take in every single sentence all at once caused the other party's head to spin as they were thrown into a pit of bewilderment. Is that really how he felt? Was being the highest ranked student genuinely that awful?
They pondered intensely about the meaning behind his words. Then their thinking was interrupted due to a person making an announcement.
"Calling on the 'Summa cum laude'. Ple... Is something bothering you?"
The teacher wasn't able to finish their words as they noticed that the atmosphere surrounding the student who they had been looking at was very strange. But the teacher's worries were put aside as the student they were staring at switched his face to seem as if he had never encountered a problem in life.
The split second before he stood up from his seat, he sent a chilling fake smile towards the person who had enraged him. The other person's spine shivered as they understood that he was suppressing the negative emotions he had bottled up.
***
He had finally ended his speech and several students who were half awake and some even dozing off returned to their senses as they heard the other conscious people left clapping. They copied their actions like it was in their nature to do so, and the whole auditorium was filled with the incessant noise of clapping.
The announcer that stood beside him was about to request for his guardian to come up on stage, but he reacted faster as he whispered something to their ear. The complexion of their face was slightly gloomy as the announcer offered to take the temporary position as his guardian.
What he told the announcer was that his mother had fallen ill and was currently bedridden in their house. Who knew that he who had killed his mother with his bare hands had the ability to maintain his composure and lie as if it wasn't a big deal. The announcer was sympathetic, as they were the one to hand him his certificate in place of his 'sickly' mother's stead.
"Here is your certificate. Congratulations on graduating from our academy,"
They shook each other's hands and the announcer spoke once more.
"Valedictorian Lumiere Welle."
The scene of Lumiere's graduation paused and the film's setting fast-forwarded into his future. Countless pictures flashed in the blink of an eye as they often came to a stop.
Lumiere's inner thoughts: 'How much longer will I stay here for...'
Lumiere, now an adult, stood on a platform alongside another person. The man had a round and jolly appearance as he spoke.
"Today we gather here to celebrate a very special person's ceremony."
The intricately designed box that was placed on his left palm clicked open as he pressed the button that kept it sealed. The cover unlocked to reveal a silver badge that was partially pieced together with bronze metal, and he picked it up as he pinched it with his other vacant hand. He faced his body to Lumiere, who wore an unknown smile. No one could tell if he was genuinely happy or not.
"I, Peston Brent the Grand Duke, now bestow upon you my former title."
He pinned the badge on to Lumiere's collar; meanwhile, Lumiere flinched as he was a bit uncomfortable with his personal space getting invaded. But Peston was too focused on the badge that faintly glistened on Lumiere's collar. He cleared his throat as he cheered.
"May your days be filled with prosperity as the new Grand Duke!"
The people and even the bystanders cheered simultaneously along with Peston as they chanted Lumiere's name. He had made a clean record of his background information, and he had successfully secured the secrets of his buried origins. His mother's death? Naturally the word got out, but he covered it up by using the simple excuse of 'she caught an unknown illness and died tragically'. Her burial? He had burned her corpse before anyone could see evidence of the real reason behind her death. But it was all the more baffling was the fact that he kept her ashes in a jar and displayed it on the first floor of his tower. Why did he keep it? To poke fun of his mother's wish, even she was no longer alive? Or perhaps he still has some lingering guilt? Neither of those were the case because...
The cinematic film abruptly stopped playing as the film recorder's insides overheated. The sound of a man groaning in frustration echoed throughout the room that resembled a theatre. His movement was lazy as he stood up from his seat and carelessly kicked the stand thats supported the film recorder.
"This is why I hate falling asleep."
The present day Lumiere spoke to himself in his dream world as he scratched his head. He didn't know the reason why he willingly watched the past events of his life unfold again, but once the film of his past concluded he decided that it was best to snap back to reality.
He formed a fist with his left hand and punched his stomach.
***
"... Oh my..."
"What do we do? If he wakes up the way he is now we'll be sure to get a beating!"
"Well then what are you standing here for if you know that!? Fetch him some clothes and do it fast!"
"His bedroom chamber is locked! Why else did you think I stuck around here for?"
Immediately being met with the sound of his subordinates bantering just as he finally woke up, Lumiere couldn't help but grumble.
Lumiere: "Urgh..."
"S-Sir!"
"Aaahh!! He's awake!-"
"Where do you think you're going?? We're taking this beating together, whether you like it or not!"
"All for one, one for all. Hahah..."
"Agh, goddamnit."
His vision was still quite fuzzy from forcing himself to awaken after having such a lengthy dream. He was unaware of how long he had been unconscious for, and even so he could still recall the last thing, no, last person he saw before getting punched so hard to the point that he had dreamt of his unpleasant memories. He tried his best to connect the features of the culprit who had put him into his current condition.
Lumiere's inner thoughts: 'Hair... Brown was it..? And their eyes...'
His brain ached out of nowhere, causing him to face down, and his gaze landed on his body below. The expression on his face was frozen like an ice sculpture as he was stunned with the 'glorious' view he was witnessing.
One of his subordinates stuttered as they spoke.
"Sir, um... C-Could you entrust us with your b-bedroom key... It would be best if-"
Lumiere: "Where."
"Eek!!"
The sum of people surrounding him retreated as they nervously stepped back. Lumiere continued to lock his eyes on his half naked body as he spoke.
Lumiere: "Where. Are. My. Clothes?"
"... We f-found you like this..."
Lumiere: "No."
"I-It's true sir, we!-"
Lumiere: "Who. Took. My. Clothes..?"
The emphasis on the word 'who' made every hair on his subordinates bodies stand on their end. One of them wasn't able to handle the ominously pressuring atmosphere as they cried out.
"W-We don't know!! They even took the assistant robot too!!"
Lumiere clenched his forehead and the veins on his hand slowly popped out. Everyone else had a secret mutual agreement as they ran out of the rooftop they were on.
Lumiere: "AINSLEY OSEEEEEETTHHH!!!"
He was furious to the point that he had been outraged and yelled out the name of the only person he could pinpoint the culprit as.
Yet the person that had stolen his clothes, with only his briefs left behind, and knocked him out was not Ainsley but infact...