"Master, what happened?" Aether inquired as he followed Kai Frostblade through the training hall.
"It's not your place to know!" Kai snapped, shooting Aether a glare before resuming his rigorous training regimen of one thousand sword swings.
'Do you think I care, Brat!!' Aether rolled his eyes, resisting the urge to retort. Instead, he simply shrugged and waited patiently, holding a towel for Kai as he sweated through his training.
He was trying his best to keep his role.
As he observed the bustling training hall, Aether couldn't help but notice the dedication of the other soldiers, each one diligently honing their skills.
Despite the chaos of his current situation, there was a strange sense of familiarity in the structured environment of the training grounds.
"It's not much different..." Aether mused silently, recognizing the familiar routines of physical training from his past life.
His legs were itching to run and his hands were trembling to do pull-ups.
Aether reminisced about his past life, recalling how he had once dominated the delinquent group with ease.
He had dedicated himself to rigorous training, pushing his limits every day. In addition to his regular routines, he often participated in extracurricular activities such as martial arts, swimming, and boxing....
These activities weren't just hobbies for Aether; they were the only options that led him to come home.... late, an escape from the challenges of home life.
Shaking off the nostalgic reverie, Aether refocused on his present circumstances.... which seemed even more messed up than before.
Suddenly, a loud voice shattered the quiet hum of the training hall.
"YOUNG MASTER!!"
Aether turned to see Timmy, the Head Butler's son, sprinting towards Kai with uncontained excitement.
The sound of Timmy's footsteps echoed through the hall as he approached Kai, his face lit up with joy.
'Thud'
'-ha-ha-ha'
With a heavy thud, Kai brought his wooden sword down onto the sand-covered ground, pausing to catch his breath as he regarded Timmy with curiosity.
"W-ha- What is it, Timmy?" Kai inquired, his exhaustion evident in his voice.
"Master agreed to your request!" Timmy announced gleefully, his grin widening with each word.
A slow smile spread across Kai's face at the news, a rare moment of unbridled happiness.
"FINALLYY!!! I CAN GO OUTSIDE!!"
He exclaimed jubilantly, his voice echoing throughout the training hall.
The soldiers paused in their activities, turning their attention to their young master with expressions of genuine happiness.
They didn't know what was going on, but their loyalty to their young master was unwavering, and they were content as long as he was happy.
Suddenly, Timmy's voice cut through the jubilant atmosphere, breaking the momentary peace.,
"Hey, Slave!! Young Master is sweating! Can't you do a single good job?!" Timmy barked, striding toward Aether and attempting to snatch the towel from his hands.
"Huh?" Timmy raised an eyebrow in mild confusion as he struggled to yank the towel away.
Frowning with frustration, Timmy exerted more force,
'Thud'
Only to find himself abruptly tumbling to the ground when Aether effortlessly released the towel.
"Grrr!" Timmy growled, shooting a venomous glare at Aether, 'It seems I need to teach this bastard where his place is again!!' his resentment simmering beneath the surface.
He quickly scrambled to his feet, seething with anger, and hurried over to Kai, adopting a facade of carefulness as he wiped his young master's face.
"Hehe... Look at him acting like a child," Aether thought to himself, a smirk playing on his lips as he observed Timmy's behaviour, finding amusement in the display of whininess.
As he glanced down at his own slender frame and thought, 'I need to train first...' His gaze shifted back to Timmy, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes.
"!!!" Suddenly, Timmy flinched as if he had been confronted by a terrifying presence, his unease palpable as he scanned the surroundings, searching for the source of the ominous feeling.
"I should visit my father now!" Kai announced as he hurriedly left, but not before, "Hey, Come with me" he called pointing Ether to come.
Despite his inward sigh, Aether complied with his young master's request, trailing after him without protest.
Observing this turn of events, Timmy was taken aback.
Despite being the one to deliver the message, his young master had chosen to bring along the seemingly inconsequential slave instead.
Bristling with indignation, Timmy clenched his teeth and shot a venomous glare in Aether's direction.
The sight of Aether's nonchalant demeanour only served to stoke Timmy's simmering ire, fueling his resentment further.
Entering the room, it was the same space where Aether was first caught.
"Father," Kai called out, rapping his knuckles against the door.
"Come in," came the reply from within.
Kai stepped inside, and Aether dutifully followed, assuming the role of the obedient slave.
"Selene?" Kai's brow furrowed at the sight of his sister seated there. He then glanced at his father, who occupied the chair with a desk cluttered with documents.
Quietly, he positioned himself beside his sister, awaiting their father's attention.
'ssrrrhhhccbbllleee'
The sound of Velc hastily scratching pen against paper filled the room.
Near the doorway, Aether stood silently, fully aware of his place, though he couldn't help but be intrigued by the sudden shift in the environment.
After a brief span, Velc ceased his scribbling and lowered his pen. He regarded his children with a stern countenance,
"As Kai previously requested, I will permit you to embark on a monster-hunting excursion."
Upon hearing this, Kai couldn't contain his excitement, a smile breaking across his face. He had been pleading for this opportunity for months, yet his father had always been resistant to the idea.
'Yes, Finally!!' Kai shouted inwardly.
"However..." Velc's expression shifted, his tone becoming more grave.
'Yep, I figured that...' Aether couldn't help but muse to himself as he focused on the unfolding conversation.
"You will not be going alone," Velc declared firmly.
"W-What?" Kai was momentarily taken aback, but quickly regained his composure, reasoning that as long as he got the chance to hunt monsters and level up, he was willing to comply with his father's conditions.
"Yes, Selene will join with you!" Velc declared, surprising Kai.
He hadn't expected his brainy sister to join them on the monster hunt.
Kai turned his attention to Selene, who wore a serious expression. It was unusual to see her so solemn, her usually cheerful demeanour replaced by a sense of determination and resolve.
"What happened, Selene?" Kai inquired, his concern evident in his voice as he observed his sister closely, searching for any signs of distress or worry.
"I realized I was too weak to protect myself and my family," Selene replied with determination.
Hearing that solemn voice, Kai couldn't help but.... frown? before turning his face into worry and asking,
"It's fine, Selene. I will protect you and our family!" he vowed, his expression dead serious.
Selene's cheeks flushed slightly at his reassurance. "I know Big Brother protects me, but... I also want to protect you!" she confessed, her face turning red with embarrassment.
Witnessing this exchange, Velc couldn't help but smile proudly, feeling a swell of emotion at the sight of his two precious children.
His eyes glistened with tears of pride.
Meanwhile, Aether listened to their conversation with a furrowed brow, sensing something familiar yet unsettling about the exchange.... A familiar uncanny sensation.
A very dangerous feeling.... He wasn't sure why but this feels different for some reasons.