Whoosh!
"Brother Raza! Get up!
"Get up, Brother Raza!"
Two familiar voices barged into Raza's room and started screaming. To someone looking from the outside, it would look like Dove and Blythe were panicking. To Raza, this was just a ploy they used to wake up since they wanted to be spoiled by him. He looked at his wall to look at the time.
'6 AM? Normally they would sleep in for another 3 to 4 hours,' Raza thought to himself.
He sat up and saw the twin sisters skipping in a circle while calling his name. Their faces lit up when they saw that he was awake.
"Brother Raza, come on! It's time to play!" Dove jumped up and down.
"Indeed, it is time to play, Brother Raza!" Blythe was also jumping up and down.
Raza held his hand up, and both sisters fell silent. They looked at him curiously.
"The two of you are getting older, and this behavior will not be tolerated. It is 6 in the morning and you two are yelling. Did you even consider the fact that everyone else is still sleeping? I, myself, have work that must be done in the mornings," Raza scolded them.
Dove's and Blythe's smiles immediately faded. They look down at the floor, grabbed the ends of their skirts, and began to cry.
'Shit, I was too hard on them,' Raza felt guilty.
"Brother Raza, we're sorry," Dove mumbled.
"Indeed, we're sorry, Brother Raza," Blythe wiped her tears.
"As long as you understand, then it is fine. I will play with you two in the afternoon," Raza sighed.
The twin sisters nodded their heads before leaving Raza's room. Raza felt bad, but he knew that it was right to discipline them while they were still young instead of being too lenient with them. He made a mental note to make sure to make it up to them later.
In the Angovo household, the weekends were slow. Vivian and Alden liked to sleep in until noon together, so everyone had to fix themselves breakfast. Either Raza or Raymond would cook breakfast for everyone. Today, Leora was in the kitchen cooking breakfast.
"You are a guest, Leora. You should have asked one of us to prepare breakfast for you," Raza said when he walked into the kitchen.
"Good morning to you too, Raza. And I don't mind. I consider it to be training as your future wife," She giggled. "Don't be shocked if you begin to fall for me… Hey! I'm still talking!"
Leora pointed her spatula at Raza who was wandering off. He saw that Raymond was outside swinging the sword. Based on how drenched his shirt was, Raza guessed that he had been training for at least an hour.
"How long has my brother been training?" Raza spoke up.
Leora sighed. No matter how much she tried, she would never be able to compete with Raza's siblings.
"I don't know. He was out there when I woke up," She sighed.
"I see."
Raza opened the door to the patio and walked to Raymond. His little brother was entirely focused on his blade, and he didn't notice Raza walking up behind him. Raza poked the back of Raymond's neck with his finger.
"You just died. Even in training, you should be aware of your surroundings," Raza warned him.
"Brother, it's not like I didn't notice you," Raymond took a deep breath as he turned to Raza. "It's just that I knew that you wouldn't hurt me," He smiled.
"Good," Raza smirked. "Why are you out here so early?"
"I…" Raymond looked down.
Raza folded his arms as he waited for an answer. No words needed to be exchanged here. Raymond knew his brother well, so he took his time to formulate his thoughts before speaking.
"Brother, Father told me that I will be the next head of the family. When I asked him why, Father only told me that you weren't interested. I know that's a lie though. The only conclusion I can think of about you giving me the birthright is that… That you are not my brother…" Raymond worded it like this since he knew that Alden and Raza were close.
"You are only partially correct. I am and always will be your brother. However, we have different fathers," Raza said coldly.
Raymond looked up in surprise. Raza didn't want to hide anything from his younger brother, and he knew that Raymond would find out sooner or later. Therefore, Raza told his little brother about everything regarding his past. Except his past life, of course.
"That bastard!" Raymond gripped his sword.
"Getting angry won't change anything," Raza told him.
"But I was going to become a knight! How humiliating would it be to follow the king after what he had done!? Brother, I planned to follow you as the head of the family, but now I can't! I don't think I can become the family head!" Raymond protested.
"Why can't you? You're my brother, aren't you? Someone that will become smarter than me," Raza cocked his head back.
"Don't bring up the childish banter I used to say. We both know that you are more studious than I ever was," Raymond sighed.
"Say what you wish. Come now, you need a sparring partner, yes? I hope you have been training," Raza drew his sword from his inventory.
Raymond was confused as to why his brother drew a sword so suddenly. He knew that Raza preferred to fight using martial arts or knives, but he assumed his stance anyway. It would be foolish if Raymond underestimated Raza.
"Don't hold back," Raza commanded.
"Right!"
The two brothers began their sparring match. Normally, real swords wouldn't be used, but this was to stimulate the nerves as if it were a real battle, and Raza was confident in his skill not to harm his brother too much.
In the distance, Leora watched the two brothers sparring together. To her, she saw the way Raymond held himself, making him look underconfident. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but she knew that they were having a serious conversation. However, she saw Raymond's confidence shoot up as they began sparring.
'Raza understands his brother well. It's like he got a second wind. Even Dove and Blythe flock to him like a chick to a hen. Raza is always so cold, but he's actually thoughtful.' Leora smiled to herself.
The two brothers continued to spar, with no obvious lead. Raymond was paying close attention to his brother as he examined his fighting technique. He was looking for an opening.
'Now!' Raymond saw his chance.
He moved his sword in a circular motion, effectively disarming Raza. He went in for the final strike, but Raza quickly weaved his way through the attacks. Without wasting any movements, Raza swept his brother off his feet and elbowed him to the ground.
"I win," Raza said coldly.
Raymond coughed, but he quickly got back up.
"That's not fair! You used your fists!" Raymond was still full of life.
"I never said I would only use the sword," Raza chuckled.
"You're a sore loser," Raymond sighed.
The two of them laughed for a moment. Raza couldn't deny his brother's words, but at the same time, Raymond was still able to learn from this. After a moment, Raza frowned.
"I plan to become the next king of this kingdom. If you wish to follow me, you'll have to become the head of the Angovo family. I know it'll be in good hands with you," He said seriously.
Raymond paused and looked at his brother in awe. This was something that he never even considered. No wonder Raza wasn't interested in leading the family. He was aiming for even higher heights! Raymond wasn't discouraged though. If anything, he was excited. His face lit up as he took his sword and stabbed it to the ground. He fell on one knee and bowed.
"Brother Raza, you have my undying support. From now to when we meet Death!" Raymond pledged his allegiance.
"Don't do that. You are my brother first," Raza sighed.
"Heh? But if you become king…"
"When I become king, our relationship won't change. Just watch your brother," Raza smiled.
Raymond chuckled to himself. Raza's priority list was always slightly skewed. Politics and power were always just a tool to protect his family. Raymond wouldn't be surprised if Raza ruined the whole economy just to protect his family.
"Brother you tend to be too zealous," Raymond stood up and chuckled.
"Perhaps," Raza shrugged.
"You need a moral compass. Please don't do anything rash while I'm here."
"Very well."
Raza didn't deny Raymond's words. He knew that part of his old self was still alive in this new world. Having Raymond as a moral compass would ensure that Raza wouldn't do anything too extreme, and he trusted his brother. Slowly, Raza was developing a new goal in his mind, but it was still greatly overshadowed by the thought of vengeance. It was a small seed that was planted... Then again, everything needs time to grow.