He got ready as it was time to meet the guests. He knew it was because of his father that he wasn't pestered to meet the guests right after his return but now that he was healthy and happy, it was time.
He looked once again in the mirror to see his healthy and supple body.
"Right! Now let's greet the guests. Who knows, there can even be a beauty among them."
And he was wrong.
There was no beauty just an old man and a middle-aged man. The middle-aged one had an ugly face with a big nose, small eyes, and thin lips. His hair was greyish brown and combed back in a ponytail. His clothes were simple and without any decoration or ornamentation. On top of all this, he wore a black cloak. It seemed like they didn't want to attract attention so much.
The other guest was also not beautiful. He had a long beard and short hair. He had a scar running from his left eye down to his cheek. His skin was dark and wrinkled. He too had a black cloak over his shoulders. But he carried himself with dignity and pride.
'...Who the fuck?' Damien was really really confused to see the un-dukely looking duke. 'What is going on? Is this some kind of joke?'
Damien turned around to go out of the stairs when he heard a voice behind him. "Ah, you are here!"
It was his mother. Someone he was seeing for the first time after being transmigrated to this world. She looked younger than her age and she was dressed elegantly. Her dress was white and made of silk. The sleeves were wide and covered her arms completely. A necklace adorned her neck and a golden brooch decorated her chest. She wore high heels which gave her a height of about 170cm.
She smiled at him. "Welcome home, my son."
"Mother..."
He felt something strange. Something that shouldn't have been there. He couldn't understand what it was.
'She is cunning and vicious. Threaten her family; you're dead. Threaten her position; you're dead. Look at her in the wrong way; you're dead.'
His mother continued, "Luther reported some... interesting stories. We can catch up after meeting the guests. Let's get down."
They descended the staircase and reached the ground floor. They entered the hall where many people were waiting. Damien could see his father sitting on the couch. His elder brother and sister were also there.
"Mother, where is Daemon?" He whispered to her.
"He is out for an errand." She said.
"Oh...okay," he replied.
Daemon was the 4th child of the Zadkiel. He was a little shit. He treated Damien like he was some sort of bull crap that stained the wheel of a luxurious wagon. Made Damien's life a living hell. Stole his then-girlfriend, which made Damien a playboy. Though this Damien may not be that guy, but he despises this kind of shits nonetheless.
A true hypocrite, that is!
He and Daenys were top of the list of people for repaying.
They both walked towards the crowd.
"Ah, you came? Blake, this is my seconds son, Damien. Damien, this here is my dear old friend, Blake. He is a duke of the Autumn kingdom. And that is his father, the former duke."
Damien bowed. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir."
Blake stood up and shook hands with Damien. "Likewise."
He nodded to the former duke, who remained seated.
Damien sat among his siblings.
"Now that the important peoples are here, let me just say this once more." Duke Blake continued. "My daughter is getting married in the coming month. I'm inviting you all formally and informally, or whatever fancy words you want to use. I expect every one of my dear friend's family to be there. If it wasn't him, I wouldn't have come here personally."
'Marriage? Was there some event like this there? I don't think so. Well, this is my story, not the heroes. I guess this is a side story of a minor character. I can only live through with it.'
"Of course, we'll be there." Duke Zadkiel reassured his friend.
...
"...So that's what happened." Duke Zadkiel said with a thoughtful expression.
Damien was summoned to the Duke's office after the guests took their leave to their room. Both the Duke and Duchess were in the office by the time he arrived at the office.
"How could they do that to my poor son? Ahh, you poor thing, you must've been scared. " The Duchess had a sad look on her face. Her lips trembled as she squeezed his hands.
"I'm okay, mother. It's something of no importance now. I'm alive and well." He squeezed her hands back.
Though this was new to him, he enjoyed being a son to some people who actually cared about him. At the same time, he also felt a pang in his heart as he knows they might won't get back their original son.
That doesn't mean he was going to tell them the truth. It was simply an unnecessary drama. They don't want to hear about the possible death of their child while someone took his body over and was acting around.
This secret is something he was going to take with him to his grave.
"...But you could've died!" Her slender yet soft fingers caressed his cheeks.
'Was she always this lovely?'
"Do you know about the guy who kidnapped you?" The duke asked in a stern voice.
"Yes. He introduced himself as 'Calen, of Aldmoor.' "
He was deliberately telling about the guy. He knows they will seek him out when they don't find their beloved gem in the shrine. And coming to this estate will be the easy way to find Maelys and her fort as he knows the way.
If he didn't warn them about now, they will simply be welcomed here. As someone from another kingdom, someone of value like the hero of the world, visiting another kingdom can bring lots of unwanted troubles if they are not treated well there.
By doing this, Damien was warning them they were trouble and should not be welcomed here under no circumstances.
"There was also his sister named Celeste. Despite me saving her, she was ungrateful. Belittled me, our duchy, and the kingdom. Like her brother was the only one who was worthy of her admiration. And she smelled trouble.
They were in the midst of smuggling a precious gem from our kingdom. We were caught under their crossfire.
Something should be done, father. I fear they might come here to seek me!" His voice broke as he thought about the vicious brother and sister. His pupils trembling and breathing haggard.
He felt the duchess's soft hands squeezing his own
"...Do not worry, son. I'll take care of everything. You just take the much-wanted rest." The duke's crimson eye shone, something that only happens when he was really angry.