After contemplating my own existence, I decided to put a rest to my needless worries.
As the moon descended and the sun prepared for its grand entrance, I made a choice. Instead of retiring to bed or stealing a few more moments of sleep, I would witness the sunrise.
The maids were taken aback by my early awakening, their surprise evident on their faces. I nodded at them in acknowledgement, and they continued with their tasks. It was then that I noticed an elderly man in a typical black suit, white shirt, black trousers, and polished black shoes making his way toward me. His oval face bore wrinkles on his forehead, and his white hair seemed to exclaim, "I am ready to retire."
"Good morning to you, Master Ray!" he greeted.
I replied cheerfully, "Good morning to you too, Alfred. Care to indulge in a guessing game?"
Alfred responded, "I'm afraid I don't know the answer."
"You may not be aware, but I quite like your name, Alfred," I confessed.
Surprised by the unexpected compliment, Alfred smiled as I bid him farewell with a "see you later." With that, I made my way towards the garden.
The sheer size of the garden caught me off guard. It resembled the preference of a billionaire, with its vast expanse, sections of meticulously arranged bushes, plants, and statues.
Finding a perfect spot under a tree, I settled in and patiently awaited the sunrise.
A gaze caught my attention, prompting me to turn around and discover its source. To my delight, it was my father observing me from my room. I smiled at him and waved, and to my surprise, he waved back.
After a few moments, an uncomfortable sensation tingled through me. I shifted my gaze to identify its origin and spotted a man approaching me.
He possessed a fair complexion, blue eyes, a chiseled jawline, and cyan hair. With a strong build, he donned a white coat, white shirt, and matching trousers and shoes.
Every movement he made exuded an ethereal quality, and I could sense the aura of pride that surrounded him.
The Marquis, Jamie Denmark, the Sword Master, and a pure-blooded noble, was walking towards me.
His overwhelming aura caused me to break into a sweat, and my eyes widened in surprise. The phrase "Ignorance is a bliss and a curse" resonated within me, capturing the essence of the situation.
"How could I have never realized his immense strength? How did I fail to notice this before?" These thoughts consumed my mind.
With a brief moment of surprise flickering across his face, Jamie uttered, "Interesting."
In that instant, Ray's mind raced, acknowledging Jamie's incredible strength. He felt like a helpless ant trapped in a whirlpool, causing him to shiver uncontrollably.
Unaware of when Jamie had approached and stood before him, Ray met his gaze. It was in that moment that Jamie spoke.
==================================================================(Author's note: Jamie said, "Yowai mo"
Sadly, I had to rewrite this chapter twice due to a deletion mishap. This is the second version, though I could have extended the story further.
What are your thoughts on Alfred and Jamie.)