The sound of light gallops and turning wheels along with the yelling of parents, children, merchants, and so on highlighted the pre-midday liveliness of the denizens of Denvern City.
Clean and elegant-looking black carriages mounted by four black and properly groomed stallions caught the attention of everyone on the streets of Denville, the northern part of the city.
Looking at the streets bustling with activity, reminiscent of an era of another world, William felt like a stranger in a grand play.
'About nine years now, I've been living here, and it all still feels so surreal. Lord Maxton, Gilde, and Selene are my supposed family in this world, excluding my step-siblings. I haven't even done anything notable in this life—sigh, yet I have already lost another loved one. The only true family I'm to have in this world.'
William was sitting quietly beside his father.
'…I never even got the chance to know her well. Now I'm stuck with a bunch of misfits. Well, I can't say I don't fall in that category since I'm 'cursed.' Why am I even contemplating this? Argh, beats me. Despite how I feel, I'm to consider the people that have been taking care of me of great importance. It is only right to do so.'
William quickly brushed his memories of the last ten years.
His adoptive father, Lord Walter Maxton, was a quiet and calculative man. He never spoke about his deeds and always praised himself out loud. He seemed arrogant and sociopathic, carrying the temperament of a villain, one must say.
Either way, he always came to check up on William every night, even on days he returned home late.
As for Gilde, William had never heard her speak. She only accepted orders, meaning she could hear at least. During the period William kept himself busy by seeing how childish he could act, it rained one night and he cried so she stayed with him until he slept off. And when he woke up, she was still there watching over him.
William closed his eyes and nodded gently. 'They're both very kind to me and have proven time and time again that they care very much about me…'
Well, as for Selene, she still stared at him with that hateful gaze but recently she had been loosening up a bit.
"My son," Lord Maxton called out, a stern look on his face.
William turned and answered, "Yes, Father?"
"You shall attend Denvern's general school, starting today," he said unassumingly.
William didn't hesitate or display any form of opposition before he replied, "I understand, Father."
Lord Maxton lightly nodded his head. "...Are you not going to protest?"
"I see not the reason to."
"Hmm... The public school has poor learning conditions and a lot of children from the poor class. Are you sure you have no issues with going there?"
William shook his head, "I sincerely do not have any issues, Father. I can't look at myself above everyone else just because I was fortunate enough to be born as the son of a Viscount. If I should look down on others then I shouldn't mind when the children of people of higher ranking in society look down on me."
Viscount Maxton placed both of his hands on his walking stick and nodded, "...I was sending you to this school for just a month to teach you humility, but it seems to me, that I am wasting both our time. We are not like royalty that needs to maintain a certain image. I will do whatever it takes for you to learn the right values of life so your mother can be proud of the man you become. Hmm, but you are already thinking like a man. I am proud of you."
William smiled slightly, then faced out the window and whispered, "My mother… how was she?"
Lord Maxton was slightly taken aback by the question, but he still spoke, "She was a kind and compassionate lady. She wasn't capable of evil. She was the type of mother that will do anything to keep her child safe. When she was at death's door, she still did everything in her power to keep you safe."
"How did… how did she die?" William asked. He was asleep when Duchess Marybeth passed away. When he woke up to find out she still died, he was very surprised and… sad.
Lord Maxton patted his head. "My son, your mother loved you dearly."
William nodded and continued staring outside the carriage window. It was very apparent Lord Maxton didn't want to tell him the details, so he didn't force it. Not like anything he did would make the stoic retired imperial captain budge on his decision.
'Do anything to save someone you love…' William's mind drifted. Once again, he was reminded of Allison.
Lord Maxton suddenly spoke up, "I do have another reason for sending you there…"
William tensed up, seeing his Father's tone was more serious.
"Make sure to always pay attention to your surroundings. If you see or hear anything suspicious, report it to me."
William knew not to pry and just replied, "I understand, Father."
Lord Maxton would have told him more if there was more to be told.
❈ ❈ ❈
They arrived at Denvern General School, 23rd East Street located in the northeastern part of the city.
The guards at the gate knew who the esteemed visitor was and allowed the carriage in without asking any questions.
The school was made up of four three-story buildings arranged in a square. The buildings looked a bit run down and the grasses on the fields between the school building and the gate were scarce. In the middle of the two fields that were split apart by the tiled road, there was a simple water fountain but no one knew when last it sprung water.
Lord Maxton and William got down from the carriage, only to be welcomed by a rotund and cooperate-looking man accompanied by two ladies.
The man was fully bearded and wore a monocle. He spoke and extended his hand, "Good day, Lord Viscount. We anticipated your arrival through the letter you sent. It is a pleasure to see you again."
"The pleasure is all mine, Headmaster Gideon." Lord Maxton returned the handshake with a calm smile.
Headmaster Gideon went on to introduce the two women beside him as Susanne, the assistant headmistress, and Bethany, a teacher.
After the introductions, he turned to William and said, "Ah, and I presume this… is the young master?"
William gave a courteous bow and replied, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Headmaster Gideon."
"My Lord, your son seems very promising. I look forward to having you in this honorable establishment, hahaha."
Headmaster Gideon looked at the woman at his left, she was in her 30s and had an irritable atmosphere. "Miss Bethany, please can you take William here to his class and properly assimilate him in? I have to discuss a few important things here with Lord Maxton."
Miss Bethany did as she was told. When Lord Maxton was out of sight, she kept her hands behind her back as she walked and gave a large space between herself and William.
"I hear you have already been given proper education, have you not?" Miss Bethany said turning her neck slightly to meet William's gaze. She wore the face of someone that stepped on dogshit laying by the roadside in their brand-new shoes.
William nodded affirmatively. "Yes ma'am, I had a governess. My father brought me here to increase my social intelligence," he smiled as he answered with respect.
'What's up with this lady? Do I stink or something? Or does she know I'm cursed?' William thought to himself as he watched her actions closely.
"The Lord is a nobleman that served as the previous emperor's guard, is he not? Will it not be better for you to go to prestigious schools more common with children of nobility?"
Miss Bethany's face was so crumpled it looked like she was smelling something bad in the air.
"I… do not know what to answer to that, ma'am." William said, thinking, 'After all, I'm just 10. It's not like it's your business anyway. I should've answered sarcastically, you're lucky Father always reminds me to never speak about our livelihood with commoners…'
Her face contorted with annoyance, she added, "And do not call me ma'am. It is 'Miss Bethany.' Hm!"
Upon getting to the class, the air was filled with the screams and shouts of numerous children. Immediately they saw Miss Bethany's shadow approach the door, the area instantly became silent.
"Hmm!" Miss Bethany stood in the middle of the class with her head high, prideful at how composed the children became upon sensing her arrival.
"Starting today you have a new classmate," she declared.
William stepped forward, "I'm pleased to meet you all. My name's William… William Maxton."
"Woah, Maxton?" The students gasped and murmured among themselves.
"You mean the viscount's son?" A boy questioned, his mouth, wide agape.
A young girl muttered loudly to her seatmate, "Wow, he's kind of handsome. Too bad he's cursed–"
"Silence!" Miss Bethany ordered. "He is the son of Lord Maxton. Treat him well."
William was given his slate, used for writing e and doing classwork. But, immediately they were to learn something new, everything on the slate was erased, expecting children to have learned and memorized the topic after only being taught once.
He was given a seat at the back of the class.
His seatmate discreetly went to sit with another classmate, despite it being inconvenient for all of them on the table, leaving William alone on his bench.
The rest of the students gossiped among themselves and few shot glares at William.
'What on bloody earth is wrong with everybody? Am I that much of a freak for them to act this way? Till today I still don't even know what makes me cursed.'
When he listened attentively, he could hear what they were whispering to each other about.
'Come to think of it, I have never been in a situation like this since I arrived in this world. Maybe on Lunadays, but that place is as silent as a graveyard to help keep the sense of serenity at all times. My hearing is… sharp, damn. I can even hear what that girl in the front is whispering. Sharper than normal!'