The many hallways and rooms, only got more and more extravagant as they got closer to the main building, and servants would stop in their tracks to observe the young crippled lord pass them as if he had never been confined to a wheelchair.
To Kilian, being able to use his legs was exhilarating, giving him the feeling of freedom back, something he had lacked since arriving in this world.
Kilian was in a way looking forward to meeting this father of his who had left the original Kilian on his own since he was a young child.
'Let's see how he will spin this,' he thought, as the door to his father's study was pointed out to him by one of the maids.
He knocked on the door with confidence.
He would make this family regret that they hadn't been good to him, and today he didn't care what the Count had to say, he had come for another reason.
"Come in".
The voice was clear, with an impatient ring to it, and Kilian opened the door, passing the threshold to his Father's study.
The view was mildly said underwhelming.
He wasn't sure what he had expected, but for some reason, the idea of the Count of this place had been a huge fright in the memories of the Young Kilian.
Yet in front of him, further ahead in the room, sat a normal-looking man behind an equally normal-looking desk.
The hair was dark brown and the eyes were dark blue, making Kilian remember Lucien's looks from the night a few days past.
They really looked alike, and there was no doubt Lucien was this man's son.
Kilian walked in supporting his frame with the cane that made small dull 'thud' sounds on the carpet in the room with every step forward.
"You called...Father?"
Kilian decided to speak first, as it seemed his father was ignoring him to the last possible moment, without looking up once until Kilian was directly in front of the desk.
He heard his father sigh, as if uncomfortable, or maybe even bored, before looking up at Kilian.
The dark blue eyes that studied him went from surprised to shocked, staring him up and down repeatedly.
Somehow the motion of the man in front of him, amused Kilian, knowing he was no longer the mousy timid boy in the corner of the mansion.
He now stood with confidence, looking the Count straight in the eyes without wavering, giving one of his expressionless looks, as if he was simply waiting to hear whatever it was his Father wanted from him.
"Y..you".
The Count cleared his throat creasing his eyebrow together, giving off a cold indifferent stare in return.
"It seems those maids didn't teach you any manners".
His father lashed out.
Kilian felt bored already.
Was this really the first thing he was going to say to his son. There was no longer any doubt that there would never be any type of cordial relationship between them.
Whatever could have been between him and his father had long disappeared.
"They did not teach me anything," Kilian simply replied back, keeping his eyes on the man that
was sitting in a chair at a lower angle, for Kilian to look "down" on him.
The Count's face flushed in anger and Kilian almost wanted to give a sigh straight to his face but knew he shouldn't push it, he had only just gotten away from one tragedy and was not stupid enough to jump into another.
Like father like son. Both Lucien and the Count had the same temper it seemed.
"What happened last night?"
His father ignored the comment Kilian had made and went straight to the point of this meeting.
"I was kidnapped, but as you can see I am fine".
Kilian emphasized the last word of his sentence, as no one besides Dante and Stella had actually worried about his wellbeing after the incident.
The Count raised his voice, stopping Kilian from saying any more.
"How could you let yourself get kidnapped, you really are useless! A Count's son who can't even protect himself. A cripple even!"
Kilian stood still, waiting for his father to complete his rant. There really was nothing useful to listen to here, and it was nothing he had not already anticipated.
Of course, the type of people who blamed others for their own incompetence was usually the loudest.
"You don't even have any magic, and you could never even lift a sword, Your mother cheated me of a son".
Kilian's eyebrows raised when hearing about his mom, he still had no idea what had happened to her, and only knew she was still alive somewhere.
He was not going to get any answers from this man and simply laid his expression to that of a regretful look when addressing his father again.
"I agree".
His father was stunned for a moment by the reply, not having expected it.
"I really am a useless son who can not protect himself."
Kilian continued, talking after the mouth of his father.
"That is why I am requesting to appoint my own personal knight, as are customs for a noble son coming of age."
Kilian gave a smile, trying to look amiable, and with his fair looks, even the Count was taken aback for a second.
"Why would I waste one of our knights on you".
The Count instead lashed out, not wanting to give his useless son anything.
"If you were unaware, I am now of age, and according to etiquette that even this house needs to follow, I have to attend certain events".
Kilian could see the information dawned on the Count, and continued before he could get another denial.
"It would not look good if I show up to these events with any less than what is expected of a Count's son".
He let the words sink in.
The many lavish and highly decorated rooms they had passed on the way to the study, made Kilian think this man was truly vain, wanting to show off his wealth, and with the Yule Ball coming up, every noble person in the country would have their eyes on the Count's family.
"I have given you plenty of allowances to live on until now, why are you demanding more, greedy bastard".
Kilian sighed at the clueless man in front of him, who could not even contain what was going on within his own house.
Not only did the Count have no idea that embezzling was happening under this nose, but was also calling his own son a bastard, wouldn't that mean he was the one at fault?
'At least curse people the right way,' he thought.
Sometimes ignorant and stupid people just bury themselves deeper.
Kilian continued pressing the topic.
"Still, I can not show up to the Yule Ball without an escort Knight".
He kept his stance, Kilian still needed to get the final approval from this oaf of a man to keep Dante by his side.
"Fine".
His father finally relented waving his hand as if he was done with that matter, but his face was still lingering with rage, looking like his head was about to pop.
"Just get out, and don't give me any reason to call you back here again".
It seemed his father had given up on punishing Kilian, and instead just wanted to get rid of him.
"You should really keep an eye on that staff you have paid my allowances to".
Kilian gave the Count a smile, leaving the man with a confused look.
Even with the fake smile directed at his father, Kilian's mind was filled with curse words towards this other person in the room.
This father had failed in his book, leaving a child to fend for himself for years.
He had no feelings towards this man that was this body's father, and no interest in gaining his love or anything like becoming a family with these people.
He had absolutely no doubt or regret in wanting to leave this family as soon as possible.
Kilian left the room, the heavy atmosphere on his mind lifted the instant he saw Dante waiting for him.
He gave him a thumbs-up, which seemed to confuse Dante even more, not knowing what it meant, making Kilian enjoy watching Dante lifting his thumb the same way in return.
Dante really was too innocent sometimes. Kilian peeked at the tanned body that filled out the clothes that were covering it, the muscles visible under the fabric.
Kilian looked away again, not wanting to be caught peeking.
Seriously this world was already torturing him, would he even be able to openly have a partner in this kind of archaic world?
"It is done," he finally said responding to Dante's question-looking expression, the man still holding his thumb up, not knowing what it meant.
A huge smile flashed over Dante's face.
It seemed as if he had really wanted to be Kilian's personal knight, and Kilian was happy he could finally do something for the man that had supported him, even if it was something small like being a personal knight to the cripple of the family.
Kilian walked back to the annex where his room was located, showing the staff around him that they met, that this young boy could indeed walk.
He had been annoyed that the Count had not mentioned anything regarding him standing or walking.
It didn't seem to have had any impact on how the Count viewed his son, he was still considered useless, and Kilian thought that even if he moved mountains, the Count would be obstinate with his opinions.
At least Dante was his now.
Kilian ignored the many people looking his way, either in shock at him walking, or shock at his appearance, as he was no less than stunning.
Rumors seemed to be flowing around of the young pretty male, that looked finer than a lady, and some maids would even go out of their way to cross paths with him, as he was on his way back to his room.
With the settling of the matter of Dante's position, his mind was now stuck on one thing.
Magic.
He had felt it, and he needed to know if it had been his own.