Arlon turned his head to see Dimitri, his ever-dutiful butler, striding toward them with his usual poised elegance. Dressed immaculately in his tailored suit, Dimitri's sharp eyes quickly took in the scene: Arlon standing near the koi pond, Eric crouched nearby, and the twins holding Ace like he was the greatest treasure in the world.
Dimitri paused, his brows lifting slightly in quiet surprise. Whatever he had been about to say faltered on his tongue as his gaze lingered on the twins. In that instant, understanding dawned on his face. He adjusted his posture ever so slightly, his usual stoic expression softening.
He gave a subtle nod to Arlon, a silent acknowledgment of the moment. Instead of continuing with whatever business had brought him there, he straightened and clasped his hands behind his back.
"Ah," he said smoothly, "I was coming to inform you that your breakfast is ready, my lord. But perhaps…" He glanced at the twins, his tone turning lighter, "...I'll have it brought out here instead."
Irish's face lit up at the sight of Dimitri. "Good morning, Mr. Dimitri!" she called cheerfully, waving at him.
Irien followed suit with a polite nod. "Good morning."
Dimitri smiled faintly, bowing slightly in acknowledgment. "Good morning, Lady Irish, Lady Irien. I trust you're both well this morning?"
"Yes, thank you," Irish replied eagerly. "We were just playing with Lord Arlon's cat!"
Dimitri's gaze flicked to Ace, who was still resting stiffly in Irien's arms, looking distinctly unamused. Dimitri's lips quirked ever so slightly, but he said nothing about the "cat." Instead, his focus returned to the twins.
"If you haven't had breakfast yet," Dimitri said kindly, "perhaps you'd like to join Lord Arlon for his?"
Irish's eyes widened with excitement. "Can we?" she asked, her voice bubbling with hope.
Irien, more reserved, looked at Arlon hesitantly. "Only if it's alright with you, Lord Arlon," she said softly, her voice careful.
Both of them turned to Arlon, their expressions a mix of hope and uncertainty. Eric glanced up at him too, as if curious about his answer but staying quiet.
Arlon shifted slightly, glancing at the expectant faces around him. He felt Ace's gaze on him as well, the cat's crimson eyes practically daring him to refuse.
He let out a small sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Fine," he said gruffly. "You can join me."
Irish beamed, practically bouncing in place. "Thank you, Lord Arlon!"
Irien smiled faintly, her relief evident. "Thank you."
Dimitri nodded approvingly, his expression calm but clearly pleased. "I'll have the table prepared in the garden, my lord," he said, bowing slightly before turning to leave.
As he walked away, Arlon watched him, noting the faint satisfaction in Dimitri's stride. "He planned this," Arlon thought to himself, narrowing his eyes slightly. "He's too clever for his own good."
Ace, still in Irien's arms, glanced at Arlon with an almost smug look. "You're outnumbered," the cat's voice echoed in his mind. "Might as well accept your fate."
Arlon's lips twitched, though whether in annoyance or amusement, even he couldn't tell.
The group settled into the small gazebo at the heart of the garden. Its stone platform, supported by carved pillars and sheltered beneath an intricately tiled roof, was surrounded by lush greenery and the soft hum of morning life. A round table sat in the center, adorned with a white cloth and neatly arranged dishes, all set to perfection by Dimitri's hand.
Arlon leaned back slightly in his chair, his gaze resting on the table. A cup of tea steamed gently in front of him, its earthy aroma faintly rising into the air. He lifted the cup, taking a slow sip, and immediately fought the urge to grimace.
Tastes like dirt, he thought, the faint bitterness of dried leaves lingering on his tongue. It was the same tea Dimitri always served him—rich and herbal, like something brewed in the depths of an ancient forest.
It wasn't awful, but it certainly wasn't to his liking. Still, with Dimitri standing nearby, his sharp eyes quietly observing, Arlon steeled himself and took another sip.
"I've faced worse," he told himself dryly. "At least Dimitri thinks I enjoy it."
Across the table, the twins had taken to offering Eric small bites from their plates, clearly delighted by the opportunity to share. Irish, her enthusiasm as vibrant as ever, placed a delicate pastry filled with honey and nuts onto Eric's plate.
"Try this, Eric!" she said brightly. "It's my favorite!"
Irien, more subdued but no less kind, handed him a small dish of fruit drizzled with cream. "This one's very good too. I think you'll like it," she said, her voice gentle.
Eric hesitated, glancing down at the offerings. His ears twitched nervously, but the warm, expectant looks on the twins' faces made it hard to refuse. He picked up the pastry Irish had given him and took a small, cautious bite.
His golden eyes widened slightly as the sweet flavors spread across his tongue.
"It's… really good," he murmured, his voice soft but sincere.
Irish clapped her hands together, beaming. "I told you! Isn't it delicious?"
Encouraged, Eric tried the fruit from Irien's dish next, his tail giving a faint, contented wag as he tasted the cream's sweetness. Irien's lips curved into a small smile, pleased by his reaction.
Meanwhile, Ace sat at the edge of the table near Arlon, daintily eating from a small plate of grilled fish Dimitri had served him. His crimson eyes flicked around the table, observing everything with quiet amusement.
"You know," Ace said softly, his voice low enough for only Arlon to hear, "this isn't so bad. I've certainly had worse breakfast companions."
Arlon glanced at the cat, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't think you'd prefer sitting at the table like royalty."
Ace gave an exaggerated stretch, his tail flicking lazily. "Well, someone has to bring a little dignity to this gathering. Besides…" His crimson eyes gleamed with mischief as he added, "...it's worth it to see you choking down Dimitri's tea. Truly, the highlight of my morning."
Arlon's lips twitched, but he refused to let the cat's teasing get to him. Instead, he lifted his cup again and took another sip, his face impassive despite the familiar taste of "old forest dirt" washing over his tongue.
Dimitri, standing a few steps away, observed silently, his hands neatly clasped behind his back. Though he said nothing, Arlon swore he caught the faintest hint of satisfaction in the butler's eyes as he saw his lord drink the tea.
"Everything to your liking, my lord?" Dimitri asked politely, though there was a subtle undertone of expectation in his voice.
Arlon set the cup down carefully. "As always, Dimitri," he replied, his voice steady. "Deceptive, but steady," he thought to himself.
Satisfied, Dimitri turned his attention to the twins. "Lady Irish, Lady Irien, I see you're making young Eric feel quite welcome."
"Oh, yes!" Irish said eagerly, offering Eric another pastry. "Eric's already tried so many things! He really likes the honey pastries, don't you, Eric?"
Eric nodded shyly, his mouth still full.
Irien added softly, "It's nice to have breakfast like this. Together, I mean."
Dimitri smiled faintly, nodding. "Indeed. A morning like this is good for the soul."
Arlon said nothing, though he glanced briefly at the twins and Eric. The sight of their relaxed, happy faces—Irish's lively smile, Irien's quiet contentment, and Eric's growing comfort—wasn't something he was used to seeing.
Ace's voice murmured in his mind again, breaking his thoughts. "I think they're starting to trust you,noble Arlon. Even if you're bad at this whole 'family' thing, you might actually pull it off."
Arlon reached for his tea, if only to avoid responding to the cat. Maybe, he thought, the idea lingering as he watched the morning unfold.
As breakfast wound down, Irish clapped her hands together, her bright energy lighting up the gazebo. "Eric! Do you want to play a game?" she asked, leaning forward with excitement.
Eric blinked at her, tilting his head slightly. "A game?"
Irien nodded, her calm tone balancing her sister's enthusiasm. "It's called 'Stone,Scroll and Blade .' We read about it in a book."
"It's really fun!" Irish chimed in, practically bouncing in her seat. "You just have to choose one of three hand shapes, and they each beat another one! It's super simple, but I'm really good at it." She grinned proudly, her confidence brimming.
Eric glanced hesitantly at Arlon, his wide eyes seeking approval. Arlon gave a small nod, leaning back slightly in his chair. "Go on," he said.
Irish immediately launched into an animated explanation, holding up her hands to demonstrate. "Okay, so there are three moves: Stone, Scroll, and Blade! Stone smashes Blade, Scroll wraps Stone, and Blade cuts Scroll!"
Irien added, her tone more methodical, "You make the shapes with your hands. A fist is Stone, a flat hand is Scroll, and two fingers like this—" she held up a V-sign "—is Blade. We count to three, and then everyone shows their move."
Eric watched closely, his ears twitching as he tried to keep up with their explanation. "Stone… Scroll… Blade…" he murmured softly, mimicking their gestures.
Arlon, sitting quietly at the edge of the table, crossed his arms as he watched the twins teach the game. Stone, Scroll, Blade,he thought to himself. "They didn't even bother changing the rules. It's just rock, paper, scissors with a fancy name."
Ace, lounging lazily on the table, glanced at him with a sly look. "Pretending you've never played this before, are we?" the cat murmured in his mind, clearly amused.
Arlon ignored him, keeping his expression neutral as the twins continued their lesson.
"Let's play a round to practice!" Irish said, grabbing Eric's small hands to guide him. "We'll count to three, and you show your move, okay?"
Eric nodded, his tail swishing nervously behind him.
"Ready?" Irish said. "One… two… three!"
Eric hesitated, but at the last second, he showed a fist—Stone. Irish, ever dramatic, gasped as she revealed Blade.
"Oh no! You win!" she exclaimed, laughing as she pointed at Eric's hand. "Your Stone smashes my Blade!"
Eric blinked in surprise, then a small, shy smile crept onto his face. "I… I won?"
Irien nodded with a faint smile. "You did. See? It's not so hard."
"Alright!" Irish said, grinning. "Now let's make it interesting! Whoever wins the next round gets a gift!"
Eric's ears perked up, his curiosity piqued. "A gift?"
"Yes!" Irish said dramatically, puffing up with confidence. "And I'm going to win this one!"
Irien glanced at Arlon, who was still watching quietly. "Lord Arlon," she said, tilting her head slightly, "do you want to join?"
Irish gasped, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Yes! You should play too! It'll be fun!"
Arlon raised an eyebrow, pretending to consider it. "I suppose I could," he said casually, though he already knew how the game worked.
Ace snickered softly in his mind. "This should be good."
Irish practically bounced in her chair. "Alright! Let's go!"
The three of them—Irish, Irien, and Arlon—lined up across the table, with Eric watching eagerly from the side.
"Okay, ready? One… two… three!"