A dark-haired boy winced in pain as he tried to rise from the muddy ground. The incident replayed in his mind as he watched startled pigs squealing and fleeing in all directions.
"Hahaha, Ein you lowly shit for brain peasant, look at yourself falling in the dirt" a little boy laughed as he sat on top of the fence. He laughed as his long blonde hair shone as it fluttered behind his head. His blue eyes, cold with mockery.
"You are useless without my family...You get that" With a burst of energy, he leaped down and bounded into the pig pen, excitement written all over his face. Walking up to him, and kicked him.
"Ugh!" Ein felt the pain spread across his frail body as he slumped down, unable to withstand the kick from a child.
Ein glanced at the little boy, his golden eyes narrowing in concern as he tried to suppress a feeling of discontent. He took a deep breath and refocused on the situation, knowing he needed to handle it carefully to avoid any consequences. Despite his frustration with the boy's behavior, he softened his tone and said, "Ivan, can you tell me what's going on? I'd like to understand what led to this."
Ivan Maximus Evergold, the proud son of Baron Evergold and the rightful heir to the esteemed family name, stood tall and confident before him, his face illuminated by a proud smile. The sunlight caught the gleam of his striking blue button-up shirt, which fit him perfectly, accentuating his slender frame. His brown pants, well-tailored yet practical, complemented his sturdy boots, which silently suggested elegance and readiness for adventure. The combination projected an undeniable presence, embodying the spirit of nobility that defined his lineage while hinting at a depth of ambition and determination within him.
He was the sole baron's heir. He took great pride in ensuring that everyone recognized his status.
"What do you mean, peasant? I was simply teaching you a lesson," he declared with confidence. "Dogs must kneel before their master's feet." Yet, Ein dismissed the boy's words, focused on his own goals...
"You are a dog… No, you are less than that; you are a cockroach that I can crush whenever I want." With a fierce intensity in his voice, he declared, "I am the promised child!"
"I am the son of Baron Christian Taxis Evergold," Ivan declared, confidently retrieving the bucket that had been tossed to him.
"Young Master," a woman's voice gracefully interrupted, drawing their attention. Ivan and Ein turned to see a figure standing elegantly beside the pig pen, an air of poise surrounding her.
"WHAT?" Ivan snapped, his irritation palpable as he shot a glare at the interrupter.
The woman, elegantly in black maid attire with her hair neatly styled in a bun, presented herself with a composed expression. "Young master, the Madame requests your presence for your studies," she conveyed politely.
"Why now? I was just starting to... Huuuuuh, very well... I'll be there shortly," Ivan said with a hint of frustration as he set down the bucket and began to walk away. However, just before he reached the door of the pigpen, he paused and turned to Ein.
Ein struggled to rise once more, but the sharp pain shot through him, anchoring him to the ground.
"Never forget, you are simply the illegitimate offspring of a woman who ensnared my father with her charm," Ivan declared, striding away with unwavering confidence.
The maid glanced at Ivan with a relaxed smile before turning sharply to Ein. "Get up now; the master wants to see you. Make sure you clean yourself up—you smell awful," she ordered, covering her mouth briefly before turning away.
Ein felt isolated as everyone despised his mother, believing she seduced the Baron after his late wife died during childbirth.
But deep down, he knew the truth. He understood that the events of that night didn't unfold as he had hoped. Instead, something far worse had taken place, and the weight of it lingered in his heart. He felt a burning desire for revenge, but also a profound sense of loss.
Before the night slips away, he must tidy himself up and pay a visit to the baron.
_______________________________________________________________
[Westside Corridor, 20 minutes later...]
Ein stood behind the door in a new outfit, gathering his courage as he knocked three times, waiting for a response from the other side.
"Come in," said the voice, its tone neither booming nor whispering, but steady and commanding. Ein shifted nervously, his fingers twitching as he stood before the door. A knot of uncertainty tightened in his stomach; he had no idea why Christian Evergold, a figure both respected and irritable, had summoned him. Taking a deep breath, he reached for the doorknob, steeling himself for whatever awaited him on the other side.
"You... you called for me, Sir?" Ein stammered, hesitating at the threshold of the dimly lit room. The heavy oak door creaked softly as he opened it, revealing an expansive chamber filled with ornate furnishings and flickering candlelight. His gaze met the baron's, whose expression twisted with irritation. The baron's sharp features were illuminated by the glow, casting deep shadows across his brow as he turned to scrutinize Ein, standing nervously in the doorway.
"Step inside, boy. Don't just linger there like a frightened rabbit," the baron remarked, his irritation escalating at Eins's hesitance.
"Step inside, boy. Don't just linger there like a startled rabbit," the baron commanded, his irritation growing with each passing moment.
The baron's study, while not expansive, exuded an air of grandeur thanks to its towering, draped windows that stretched from floor to ceiling, allowing streams of natural light to flood the room and creating an illusion of spaciousness. The walls were adorned with towering shelves brimming with books of every genre, their spines a mosaic of colors and titles, alongside an assortment of intriguing artifacts that Ein had never encountered before. At the center of it all stood a large desk, crafted from an array of robust woods, each piece telling its own story and commanding attention as the heart of this scholarly sanctuary.
Ein stepped inside and gently closed the door behind him, savoring the moment of silence. Through the large windows, he took in the breathtaking view of the estate's sprawling grounds. Just outside, the late baroness's garden flourished with vibrant flowers, their colors bright against the lush greenery. Beyond the garden lay the orchard, where golden apples hung from the branches, glistening like jewels in the sunlight. To the far left stood the ranch, a stark reminder of the tumultuous encounter he had endured at the hands of Ivan. The air was thick with the scent of blossoms, but the memory of that day lingered uncomfortably in his mind.
Ein stood transfixed by the stunning beauty of the moment, captivated by the ephemeral spectacle before him. As the sun dipped toward the horizon, it bathed the landscape in a warm tangelo hue, casting long, golden shadows that danced across the fields. The sky transformed into a canvas of vibrant oranges and soft pinks, mingling with hints of deep purple, while wisps of clouds caught the fading light and glowed like embers. Every element around him seemed to come alive in this fleeting twilight, drawing him deeper into its enchanting embrace.
"Little brat, are you listening to me?" Ein awoke from his trans, as the baron looked at him from his seat.
"I'm sorry, sir, I was in awe of the room, I did not listen to your words." Ein bowed down to the man, trying to rectify his mistake. Trembling from what is to come. "You have already wasted enough of my time, if it wasn't for that woman… Get up," Baron Evergold said with spite as he remembered the past, down at the young boy.
Ein got up, expecting the baron to hit him, but instead stared at him in amazement.
From the last time he saw him, he was now a little puffier than before. His long blonde hair was now thinning. His once muscular frame was still there, but under a layer of fat. His clothes were a little small due to the increase in weight. But what was most noticeable was his eyes.
His eyes had dark circles, as if he had been awake for days. His voice was commanding but slightly wheezy, as he was out of breath.
"I will be leaving for the city early tomorrow for urgent business, and the maid is unwell. You will need to assist the Madam of the estate and help the head butler in his duties while I'm away," he said, narrowing his eyes.
Ein reflected on the old butler who had shuffled up to the house, his frail, wrinkled hands clasped tightly in front of him. The man moved with a deliberate slowness that suggested a lifetime of fatigue. There was a coldness in the butler's demeanor, as he often overlooked Ein with a dismissive glance or a slight curl of his lip. The memory of their interactions made Ein shudder; the thought of being forced to work alongside such an indifferent figure filled him with unease.
"You will follow my instructions without question and maintain your focus. Any discrepancies that I discover will not be tolerated. You know what I will do to you," he said, the last few words, hoping that they would sink in.
"Ensure the horses are ready by morning; I will depart at first light! Now leave my presence!" the baron commanded.
Ein left in a hurry, his mind swirling with various thoughts about the morning. He noticed that the maid appeared a bit paler than usual, and there was a sense that she might be feeling unwell when she turned around. This observation made him wonder if everything was alright.
He was determined to seize this opportunity. With the old butler slowly dying, he would rise from the stables to become the head butler, paving the way for his education and future success.
Ein felt a surge of excitement as he dashed down the corridor, ready to prepare everything for the baron's departure tomorrow.
[Ein's shack, thirty minutes later….]
Ein opened the door to his wooden shack, illuminated only by moonlight.
Inside, there was a wooden table and chair on the left, along with a rusty chest for his clothes. On the right was his bed, covered with two wool blankets and hay for a mattress. After taking off his boots and leaving them on the floor, he settled between the blankets, ready to sleep.
He lay there in the darkness, gently clutching the pendant his mother had left him. The soft glow from it cast tender shadows along his fingers, providing a small comfort in the solitude.
"Mother, I miss you," he whispered, his heart heavy with longing. Memories flooded back—laughter echoing in the orchard as they played among the apple trees. It felt like a distant dream, the last time he truly experienced joy and the final moments he shared with her.
But he also couldn't shake the memory of that night when his mother came to him, speaking with a mixture of warmth and mystery. She told him that there were things he wouldn't quite understand yet, but that clarity would come on his eighteenth birthday. This idea captivated him, but also deepened his confusion; everything was poised to change as he reached this milestone.
As the days slipped by, he felt a growing sense of anxiety. The reality of turning eighteen loomed ahead, bringing with it an inevitable day of reckoning. He worried—would he be strong enough to face whatever awaited him