Cassian stood outside the door in the corridor of the enormous castle he had seen a few hours earlier. His clothes had been changed from his bloody, ragged ones. Upon seeing the blood-stained rags, the squad captain, Tyron, had insisted he change into clean garments. This made one thing clear: the torture he endured in the alley was not a dream; it had really happened.
The question now was how he had managed to regrow his leg and travel nearly four hundred miles to Scarlet Castle in just one day. Remembering the voice that had spoken to him in his mind earlier in the confinement cell, he looked around and whispered, "Are you there, voice?"
[Yes, trainee Cassian, I am here. You don't have to speak verbally; just thinking it will suffice.]
Cassian was shocked, but not as much as before. After all, more surprising things had happened to him recently—one being that the Van Dyke family had taken him back. When Cassian asked why they hadn't done so earlier, he learned the blame lay with his father, who had hidden his bastard son far away and died before telling anyone. As a result, no news of them had reached the duchy, leading to Cassian's difficult childhood.
Trying to control his shock, he asked in his mind, "Are you real? You're not playing a trick on me, are you?"
[I am real, trainee Cassian.]
The voice confirmed, and suddenly the door opened. Cassian stopped and looked up to see the man he had met earlier, the one who admired the castle. Cassian liked this man—he, too, was a Van Dyke and a bastard like Cassian. Despite the biases and hatred towards bastards, even in the Van Dyke family, this man had risen to the rank of squad captain in the Van Dyke army. For Cassian, he was a bastard from a low-ranking family member who wasn't even a baron, had also been accepted into the family because of this man.
Cassian was thankful to him. The man looked at the malnourished boy, who looked younger than his age, which wasn't good for growing children, and smiled. "Cassian, congratulations. You're now a member of the Van Dyke family," he said, making the young boy excited.
"Really?" Cassian asked, eyes wide with anticipation.
The man nodded with a smile, though it soon faded slightly. "But there's something you should know," Tyron continued. "In the Van Dyke family, there's a tradition that only useful members are allowed to rise above others. I hate it, but we still have to follow it." His smile nearly disappeared, replaced with a look of pity. "And you're deemed useless by the others," he said.
Seeing Cassian fall silent, Tyron hastily added, "But don't worry. I've arranged a job for you. It's a simple task, but it's important, especially considering who you'll be working for."
Cassian didn't mind if the job was considered useful or not; he was just happy to have a place. His main concern was figuring out how he had ended up here. Even Tyron had asked how he had managed to travel so far on his own, to which Cassian could only reply, "I don't know."
Tyron's expression became even more pitiful upon hearing Cassian's response. He knew life was tough for orphaned children, but it shouldn't be this hard.
"You've had a rough time, haven't you?" Tyron said softly, his eyes filled with sympathy. "It's not right that you had to struggle so much, but things will be different now."
Cassian nodded, trying to suppress the emotions welling up inside him. The thought of finally having a place where he belonged and someone who cared for his well-being was overwhelming.
Tyron placed a reassuring hand on Cassian's shoulder. "The eldest lady is kind. She'll treat you well. Just do your best, and you'll be fine. And remember, if you need anything or have any questions, you can always come to me."
"Thank you, Tyron," Cassian said, his voice filled with gratitude.
"Alright, let's get you settled in," Tyron said, leading Cassian down the grand hallway. The castle's interior was even more magnificent up close, with intricate tapestries adorning the walls and chandeliers casting a warm glow.
As they walked, Tyron continued, "The eldest lady's quarters are in the east wing. You'll be responsible for keeping her rooms clean and tidy. It's a simple job, but very important. She values cleanliness and order. You'll start tomorrow, but first, I'm going to introduce you to Lady Katherine's personal maid. She'll be your supervisor from now on. She's my aunt, so she won't make things hard for you. Just do your work diligently, okay?"
Cassian listened attentively, determined to make a good impression on his new supervisor. They arrived at a large, ornate door, guarded by soldiers. A woman in a maid uniform stood nearby. She appeared to be in her late thirties, with a mature figure, a motherly face, and dark hair. Seeing Tyron and Cassian approaching, she greeted Tyron with a smile. "How is our youngest squad captain doing today?"
"Busy, Aunt Lucy?" Tyron said with a smile as he hugged the beaming lady. "How about you? Is everything all right?"
Lucy's smile faded slightly, and with a bit of sadness in her voice, she replied, "You know how it is, child. Since your uncle left with that whore, I feel like I've aged decades."
Tyron's expression softened with empathy. "I'm sorry, Aunt Lucy. You deserve so much better."
Lucy sighed but managed a small smile. "Thank you, Tyron. But enough about that. Who is this young man with you?"
"This is Cassian," Tyron introduced, placing a reassuring hand on Cassian's shoulder. "He'll be working as a cleaning boy for Lady Katherine."
Lucy looked Cassian over, her motherly demeanor returning. "Nice to meet you, Cassian. I'm sure you'll do well here."
Cassian nodded, feeling a mix of nerves and determination. "Nice to meet you too, ma'am. I'll do my best."
"I'm sure you will," Lucy said kindly. "Let's get you settled in and show you the ropes."