Philip led Caelum to the bathroom, where there was a wooden bathtub. A white towel was hung on the door, a basin was on one side, and body cleaning supplies were on the other. He then instructed Caelum on how to use the bathroom.
He helped him turn on the tap attached to the bathtub.
Once the water reached a certain level, he twisted the tap to close it, then left Caelum with a garment made of the same black material they all wore.
After Philip had left, Caelum undressed and stared at the bathtub for a moment. He stepped towards the tub, tested the water temperature, and climbed in.
Taking a natural sponge and some fragrant soap, he lathered the sponge and washed his skin, rinsing off afterwards.
Finally, he leaned back and relaxed in the warm water.
After finishing his bath, Caelum sat up and reached for the towel. He wrapped it around his body. Water dripped from his white hair, with a few strands glued to his face.
He pushed the wet strands away from his eyes and began to dry himself, starting with his arms and working down to his legs. He patted his skin gently, absorbing the moisture.
Afterwards, he was mostly dry, he focused on his hair, twisting the towel around it to soak up the excess water.
After a few moments, he removed the towel, allowing his hair to fall freely, still slightly damp but no longer dripping.
At last, he glanced at the polished metal surface nearby, adjusting a few stray strands before dressing in the light clothing made from a dark fabric—a loose-fitting tunic with wide sleeves.
Caelum walked out of the bathroom while fully putting on his clothing. He encountered Orion, sneaking around the house, presumably heading towards the stairs. Orion tiptoed until he reached the top and took a turn, not noticing that Caelum had seen him.
"Tsk."
Caelum walked to one of the windows and stared outside. The rain had eased a bit, and drops dripped from some of the trees nearby.
The night grew darker, and a cool breeze gently swayed the branches.
While Caelum was still facing the window, he heard creaking footsteps approaching. Suddenly, he saw the shadow of an axe rising above him.
His eyes widened, and he quickly leapt aside to dodge the attack.
The axe struck the brick wall, leaving a deep gash and making a loud thud. Caelum's heart began to thump against his chest rapidly as he recognised the figure who had attempted this—it was Mr Daniel, grunting as he pulled the axe out of the wall.
Philip hurried down the stairs, having heard the commotion. He found Caelum on the ground, staring up at Mr Daniel standing above him.
"What are you doing?! Stop this nonsense at once!" Philip shouted, rushing to help Caelum up.
Mr Daniel furrowed his brow and walked away.
"I just wanted to try out his Thraxs... I hope we can train together, lad," he remarked, heading towards the stairs.
Caelum scoffed and watched Mr Daniel climb the stairs.
'He is mad. If only I hadn't seen the shadows, my head would have been split in two.'
Phlip was furious; it hadn't even been a day since Caelum had arrived here, and he was already making the place feel unsafe.
"Do not mind him; I will stop him from continuing this nonsense. He tends to act out sometimes. Let me lead you to the room prepared for you."
Philip attempted to ease the tension in the air, but that wasn't possible. Attempting murder isn't "normal"!
'Come on, sheesh. I can never rest easily if that crazed man is walking around the house freely.'
Philip knew Caelum could never be comfortable after this recent display. He reached into his pocket, retrieving a pocket watch with a smooth motion. He glanced at it, noting the time with a satisfied smile.
"So, it's 9:53 now. In the next seven minutes, once the clock strikes 10, he will automatically fall asleep and won't wake up until 9 am tomorrow. I assure you that you can rest easily," Philip assured Caelum, directing him up the stairs.
Caelum laughed inwardly. 'What a unique way to gain one's trust... No, maybe I should start carrying a knife with me everywhere I go, even to the toilet. Surely it won't hurt me since it's lifeless—is that what you're trying to say?'
Caelum was only being polite, so he didn't voice what was on his mind. He simply prepared himself to be on high alert in this house, starting now.
...
He was led to a small room. The room consisted of a single bed frame with a soft, cushioned mattress on it. A mahogany table faced the window, accompanied by a chair. On the table, two paper books lay there.
With the rise of machinery in this era, it was now possible for paper to be produced. Consequently, many publishing industries had begun to launch into business, and at this point, it was their prime.
However, much of this came from the other kingdoms. The Kingdom of Scot did not have much of this, as the noble family currently ruling—Asgard—were primarily concerned with keeping wealth to themselves, thereby enabling a "government owns all" policy.
Thus, businesses that could thrive under their rule were merchant businesses—importation, trading, and exchange.
Caelum was not a book enthusiast, so he had no interest in even approaching the books set on the table.
"Try to get up before 8 AM," Philip said, leaving Caelum alone in the room and shutting the door behind him.
A window was situated on the left side of the room. Since the moon was nowhere to be seen due to the recent rain, no light filtered into the room.
Fortunately, a single candle was lit. Its light illuminated a small part of the room, projecting shadows in secluded nooks.
Caelum wasted no time in leaping onto the bed; it was softer than he had expected—not that he had truly anticipated a bed.
He drew the pillow closer and rested his head on it. He was already feeling slightly overwhelmed, so this was somewhat comfortable.
Conversly, he couldn't help but think he should not sleep.
Firstly, the crazed man, Mr Daniel, had become a source of fear for him. Secondly, despite their claims of being victims of the Graceless End curse, this did not prove they were trustworthy based on mere words, even after seeing scant evidence like the Dark axe Mr Daniel claimed to be a gift from the inferno, and Philip knowing more about the curse and the inferno.
He was also curious about one thing now; this had caught his attention: what rank were Philip and Mr Daniel?
Surely, they were not Fledglings, so could they both be Wanderers or Veiled?
If they held any of these ranks—though it was merely a guess—might they be powerful enough to be on par with a dark mage?
Such a thought was not to be imagined.
...
The next morning - 8:12 AM.
Every single soul in the old mansion had woken up, including Caelum, though he remained in his room.
Dawn had broken, and the sunlight streamed into the room, brightening every corner.
He cast a glance at the two paperbacks on the table and grimaced.
'A pile of communal misinformation.'
Caelum regarded all books as this— the pinnacle of misinformation. While he was not entirely wrong, as most publishing industries tend to disseminate falsehoods, leading people astray solely for the sake of profit, life could indeed feel miserable at times.
Currently, he was planning to summon his gift and review a few other things with the inferno. But suddenly, a gentle knock echoed off the wooden door, shifting Caelum's attention.
"Good morning, Caelum. I hope you can join us in the dining room; breakfast is served and a few are waiting for you." A soothing, soft voice delivered this, easily recognised as Phlip.
He spoke with great confidence, as if he knew Caelum was awake beforehand.
Nevertheless, Caelum didn't have time to consider whether to go and eat or not— that wasn't the issue, although it had been a while since he had tasted food.
"I have to be on high alert," Caelum repeated to himself as he prepared to leave the room.