Chapter 4 – The Origin
Dareen is sitting in the dining room with his family. They look the same as the painting he saw this morning, busy enjoying the dishes on the table.
His father sits in the central part as the head of the family. A woman is also called mother by Dareen's sister on the right. They all have beautiful faces.
[Klang…Klang…klang]
Many people were standing serving the family, eating, holding bottles of wine, or holding trolleys carrying banquets.
Dareen sat on his left, trying to feel what was happening to him, spinning around in her thoughts. How is his mother doing now? Makes the good food in front taste bland.
"Mother, look! Dareen is crying, " said the youngest girl, holding a glass of milk in her hand, almost falling.
The woman didn't care what was going on, then said, "For someone who is about to have a manhood event soon, shouldn't cry like a woman,"
"Moreover, he is a man," she answered, who was called by her mother with a sharp glance.
"Unless he is aware of the mistakes, he has made and his mother's dirty status," add it again.
His father heard a clearing sound, put down a knife, and drank a glass of wine. Darren still doesn't understand why people here treat him like that.
When they caught him this morning naked, the butler said that the Duke took Darren to breakfast with a straight face.
"How are your preparations for the coming-of-age ceremony?" his father asked.
Darren, who was asked about it, immediately answered.
"Everything is ready, father," he replied calmly.
It was strange. When he saw a stranger person sitting beside him, he had to be called his father.
The image of death still lingers in his memory, hurting his stomach and head.
"Do it right, for the sake of the dignity of the family and the empire," added the father, breaking his daydream.
"How can he will be the family's successor well when he was born from a slave woman who became a servant," said the eldest girl.
"After being rescued, her mother acted like a prostitute." continued his stepmother.
Darren listened to familiar words. While still in his era or already occupying someone else's body, he only gets insults.
"Father, I'm done. Can I get out of here?" Darren asked without looking at him.
"Yes," was the short answer.
The chair squeaked. Darren left the large table and was uninterested in his departure.
Untouched food is cold.
As he was about to head to his room, Dareen realized it might be possible to find information about this world in the family library rather than being crushed by circumstances.
Immediately turned his footsteps and met Mary, looking for her in every corner of the vast mansion. His steps seemed familiar as he walked down the street, even though he first saw them.
Dareen, who arrived in the kitchen, asked some waiters.
[Brack]
"Where's Mary?" turned up at the kitchen door.
There was no sound or welcome for him. They were all silent, reluctant to answer his question, fearing that the Duchess would punish them if she were seen talking to Dareen.
One servant who had just worked in this family didn't know the rules.
"She's at the laundry. Maybe she's drying clothes now." replied the waiter innocently.
"Thank You," Darren answered as he exited quickly.
After he departed from the kitchen, another waiter came to the man who had answered earlier.
"Woe to you. If someone reports you talking to him, it's over," someone wearing the same clothes stood next to him.
The waiter turned in fear, hoping that someone would help him, but they preferred to hide. Some smiled, grinned, or didn't care to look away.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?" he asked, confused.
"The Duchess did that to find a spy who dared to enter Moore's family and infiltrate on behalf of his mother." do the other.
"Just pray, may you be in protecting the gods, " patting his shoulder.
Dareen ran through the backyard, where the maids hung clothes, and found a figure with short hair back to him, drying a thick blanket.
The maids who were there seeing Dareen's arrival started whispering.
"He comes again,"
Approaching Mary, then patting the shoulder until she dropped the cloth in her hand, lucky Dareen, who picked up the fabric immediately and did not end up on the ground. For a moment, she turned and saw her master, who was already standing behind her.
"Wha ... What's wrong, sir?"
Hearing Mary's nervous voice, Darren was confused, changing every time they were in a crowded place, whereas when they were alone, she was normal.
"Please, I want to go to the library." ignore his surprise.
Mary wondered why her master wanted her to take him to the library. However, Dareen is the child of their family.
"Okay, sir," he answered without question, seeing the gazes of the people on them.
They finally left, leaving the place. The eyes of the people still did not go until the departure was not seen.
"Excuse my attitude; allow me to introduce myself formally. My name is Mary, from the land where your mother is from."
"Can you explain clearly the situation here?" Dareen asked, looking around.
The maid told her status and relationship with Dareen's mother, a slave from a developing country.
Their king likes to embezzle money for his pleasure and well-being. Also, the nobles there live luxuriously by relying on unreasonable tax collections and acting viciously. Live at the mercy of another country or empire.
If affluent travelers visit the country, they will gladly lick it off. The people in that place also behave like beggars who will always stick to horse-drawn carriages until they are given money.
Dareen's mother was openly traded in the city's auction market and carried out the transaction in front of everyone, seen by the nobles or the children.
Dareen's father, Duke Leon Moore, carries out diplomatic agreements between countries and sends envoys of magicians there.
Before entering the gate, Duke Leon changed the horse carriage and his entourage to avoid the uncomfortable attitude of their people.
After the business was done, they passed the slave auction place while the head auctioneer was selling Dareen's mother.
"Who wants to buy it? I'll open it for thirteen thousand gold coins, " the big bald man shouted.
"Thirteen thousand gold coins? Isn't it too expensive for an ordinary woman?" asked a buyer.
"If you buy it, I guarantee you won't have any regrets." approached one of the buyers in front of him.
Crowded people heard his words, a beautiful woman covered in dust in shabby clothes, her mouth tied with a ship's rope, looking very sad and in tears trying to ask for help.
"Hmm… hmmm."
Because no one bought it, Duke Leon finally bought the enslaved person at the agreed price and took her to the kingdom of Rhodes to serve as a resident servant.
Somehow Dareen's mother became pregnant and then married. When Dareen was in the womb, her mother was seriously ill, and the Saintess who was there saw the word of the gods that she would have a son as a successor.
From their marriage, only three daughters were born. But Darren's mother died because she was not strong enough to withstand the birth of her child.
"I am your mother's niece, sir," answered Mary.
"I am here because I heard my cousin had been asleep for a month and immediately applied to be a servant here. I'm sorry for all this rudeness. "Respect.
Darren was relieved. At least he could have someone to know and be willing to help while in this family, even though it still felt foreign to him. They passed an army of knights practicing swordsmanship on their way to the library.
Wearing armor, training t-shirts, and some are even shirtless. Then there was a loud sound.
[Prang…Praang…Sriiiing]
"Oi." someone shouted from there.