"they are already in the dining room." Caesar said while looking straight ahead. His eyes looks calm, and yet his smile is unsettling in so many reasons.
Meanwhile, I am nervous since this will be the first time I will meet them. As for inormation regarding them, I do have one. For my fraternal Aunt.
Mavis Vacarella is the twin sister of our Father and she was known as 'Witch of Vacarella' and I do not wish to know the reason behind it. Maybe it's because she's similar to my father?
It is the only thing I remember about her in the book though. It was around her youngest child being on death's door that she was mentioned.
"I told you that's mine!" Loud voices can be heard outside the door followed by loud thuds and plates crashing mingling along with their voices.
"Don't mind them, Wren. You need to eat and once you finish I will escort you back to your room."
talk about being overprotective..
"Why are you guys late?!" A loud voice rang in front of us. Her eyes shimmered with annoyance while she looked at us.
A girl with the same age as me—in a dusty mauve pink, fluffy dress. Hair tied in pigtails. If I remember it correctly... her mother is Aunt Mavis.
"Late," my mind went blank when I saw that annoying face.
Why is she even here?
She's that one cousin that I prefer not to see.
"How weak Wren! You fainted before you fini— Ummmpk!!" My eyes went wide and stared at the boy who was now leaning back in his chair.
He looks like the same age as Astreia and yet... that smack is heavy and swift. I didn't even see her hand land on his head at all.
"Azi do you want me to extend your classes?"
now I wonder how long his study hours is. No matter how long it is, it doesn't change that fact that Vacarella is deemed geniuses by some nobles.
The author seems to have set high bars for these characters.
"How weak Azi. You're down before you could even mock Wren." The annoying one snickered. Obviously, only Azi and his peers who will fall with that lame provocation of hers.
Azi snap back, "R-Raelle shut your—"
"I think we should extend your sword training, Azi." Aunt Mavis said with a hint of threat in her sing-song voice.
she was kind of scary especially with the way she's slicing the meat on her plate.
"Haha, they are full of energy aren't they?" the pretty uncle said while looking at the two children.
"Remember when you and Mavis was also like that? I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, Sister Eve." Mother says as she looks fondly between us. Her nose crinkling while smiling, seeming to relive some memories in her mind.
But, that's not what matters here. It's these people... they have unbelievable genes. I think I saw some sparkling light around them? How could the author write their characters so lightly?! To say that this is normal appearance?!
This is injustice on how simple they were described in the novel.
Aurea is impossible to miss. Hair as white as freshly fallen snow. Porcelain skin— pale and flawless, and their eyes doe-like and deep as the ocean.
Seeing them in flesh makes me wonder if im in the right place. They are sparkling too much!! Especially if all of them are in one frame!
Suddenly I feel some water drops on my head and followed by a loud thunder. I looked around and it surprised me to see large dark clouds forming on top of Aunt Evelyn's head. Growing large on top of that.
The growling behind those clouds became louder, by the time we stood up from our seat, the room was already covered in black clouds.
My eyes are not deceiving me. There's going to be a storm. Inside this very room. Those clouds are ready to burst at any moment and the thunder isn't kidding either as series of lightning followed by.
"Evelyn... why are you using your unique magic right now?" Aunt Mavis asks and I can tell you that she's amused at what she's seeing right now.
more importantly, Unique magic? Now it really feels like I transmigrated hearing that word.
Water droplets dripped down heavily— no sooner than later we looked like wet chicks. The grown ups in the room are calm as if being used to this scenario while those kids are running around to avoid the rain— except for me and my brother.
"Waahh! My dress!" Yessenia shrieked. The dress is her top priority, I guess.
"Sister perhaps are you mad abo—"
"No," Aunt shot down the question immediately. Uncle flinched slightly, turning to look at mother. "We were supposed to have a nice dinner!"
"Mother this isn't the dinner you were looking forward to." Caesar firmly said as he wiped his face using the back of his hand. His gaze is as cold as the rain and yet his smile didn't falter.
"Mwommy, twis is bwecause we are late."
No, Astreia.
Our Aunt is simply angry at what they're going to say, I think. Another series of Lightning flashes, thunder booming inside the room.
Azi sneezes in front of me, "So cold!!!"
"Eve, Would you be so kind to stop this storm?"
Aunt Evelyn looks at Aunt Mavis. Strangely it seems like there is some static between them. The thunder growled faintly inside the room as if its anger dissipated. "Ha, Fine. You all bore me."
Where did she get the idea that we were some kind of entertainment for her?
"Aunt we are not an entertainer."
Aunt Evelyn scoffs at my brother and taps the table. The clouds then starts to disperse inside the room.
Aunt Mavis snaps her fingers—Maids comes in immediately, clears the table in haste; the floors sparkling and a different array of food is already displayed on the table.
"Let's dry you off." I looked at my brother, his palm is facing me. A red magic circle below me is visible.
The warm wind blew me so lightly as the magic circle shined brighter until I no longer felt cold. I glanced at my dress and my arms—only to see and feel that it's already dried.
"There you go," Caesar said and patted my head. How cool... my brother and magic is. I wonder if I have some kind of magic in me too.
"You are easy to read Wren."
That's... someone said it to me too. But I don't think I can remember their faces anymore. All I could remember is their smiling face and the way their back turned away from me.
My heart seems to clench painfully at that one fuzzy memory.
"I see, You know that I will cause rain and you instructed them to prepare extra plates." Aunt Evelyn says, pulling me away from my thoughts.
"Bingo! I don't want you to eat unflavored food. Or soaked." Aunt Evelyn rolled her eyes at her.
she probably doesn't believe her. Especially when she's smiling like that. Aunt Mavis seems to enjoy getting to Aunt Evelyn's nerves.
"You can save the trouble if you ordered not to serve the food as soon as we entered the room. Assuming that you thought of it."
Despite the cold from the rain—it feels like it returned. For a very different reason now. Just because of what my Aunt says all of them are silent and I didn't understand any of it.
"Ah, you are right." she really didn't thought of that?!
"This is the reason why I can't stand you. You always know what's going to happen and you always— always purposely do things that are amusing to you." Aunt Evelyn gives a stern glare before looking back at her plate to eat.
On the other hand, Aunt Mavis didn't rebuke it. Instead she laughs it off. I see, even if they are twins... they are totally different from each other.
"Wren, Eat up. You need to replenish your energy,"
"Yes, Thank you brother," I smiled and chewed a piece of meat. The meat is savory and buttery, and by the looks of it, Caesar keeps slicing more meat and putting it on my plate.
As much as I enjoy this—I don't think that I can finish this up. Before I could swallow another bite, a loud thud and heavy steps then walked inside the room.
Her hair bobbed while she sat on her seat and said, "I'm hungry!"
I ignored her loud voice as she tried to converse with me. But it's only been three minutes that I am losing my energy trying to keep up with her topics.
This kid... she awfully has a lot of things to say.
"Here, another piece."
W-What?! My plate is already full and yet he's still adding!?
"Brother, you should eat too," I mumbled while staring at my plate. Ahahaha... I feel full already...
"It looks like the kids aren't with you brother?" Uncle let out a chuckle then a blank look appeared in his face.
"My son is practicing his swordmanship as soon as he comes back home. While my daughter holed herself in her room for a month already. Says she wants to focus herself on the upcoming exams."
Oh, his son? Hmm... I think I have a memory of him from last year. He was kind of a serious person. But... hmmm what is it? I feel like I forgot something very important. Maybe their names?
But his children were very focused on different things, huh. Swordsmanship and Academics.
"Looks like they didn't take after his father. That's good." Aunt Evelyn wipes her mouth as she glances at Uncle who's awkwardly laughing.
The door then opened once again, turning to see and my head immediately snapped back on my plate. I took a bite and another to have a reason not to check if he really is there.
"Thank you for inviting me, Duchess Vacarella." He really is there! Caesar lightly pats my back.
I could feel him staring at my back. A prickling sensation—more like I'm fearing that small kid. Or maybe there's also this uncomfortable feeling.
"We are glad that you could join us this evening. Please take a seat, Your Imperial Highness."
Mother showed him a chair where the Duke usually sits. As soon as he seated, my ever so energetic cousin Yessenia said, "You should take a seat besides Wren, Your Imperial Highness."
"His Imperial highness CAN sit in that chair," I said, glaring at Yessenia. I even emphasize that one word.
So, please sit in my father's place. It's no problem if he sat on that chair. Better yet, sit far from me, please.
"Yes, I think Wren would like you to sit beside her." This time that girl, Raelle, chimed in with a grin on her face.
a grin that I would love to wipe off.
Caesar sensed my annoyance soon patted my head. His smile widens and it is enough to send chills all over my body.
"Don't tease Wren," my brother said and the next thing he said is surprising, "I think Wren was intrigued by a book I read to her once, so she tried it with the prince."
What is he on about?
I do remember that he did read a book to me—it was hard to imagine it because of how he looks, but he really read me a story about a princess who confe—
"...?"
Is that the reason why he wasn't bothered by my confession towards the Prince? How carefree, and at the same time I felt that the original Wren is seriously an idiot.
And by the way, he doesn't sound like he's taking my side either. The real question is—why is he here?
Prince Zairon is silent throughout the entire dinner. His gaze never turned to me and thank goodness for that. I'm sweating bullets ever since he step inside the room.
"..."
The heavy atmosphere envelops the whole room and it isn't just the Prince's fault. Partly it was because of the short rain earlier. A loud screeching on the floor, Raelle looks like she finished her food, only to leave several carrots.
"Thank you for the food, Aunt Carina. Pardon me, Your Imperial Highness." Zairon didn't answer, still focused on his food like it is the only thing mattered right now.
"Have a good night." Mother smiled and fed Astreia some food. Another screech from a chair, my Aunt Mavis stand up.
"It's time for Euphy to sleep. The dinner is wonderful by the way. Thank you, Carina." She smiled then turned towards the Prince.
"I hope you will have a good meal and bid you a good night."
They leave way too early. I would love to leave too, but they are already serving desserts now. Might as well take a bite on these jiggly pudding before I leave.
Yessenia looks happy eating a huge spoonful of pudding in her mouth, "Ahm!"
"Sister, you will be a pig one day,"
"Rather than me being a stick, this is preferable."
Thanks to these two, the table is brightening the atmosphere. This may be because of Azi's idiotic taunts.
"Let her eat, Azi. A growing child should eat plenty."
'Mother... Yessenia will really eat everything on the table.'
But, an idea crossed my mind. Ahahhaha. I really should do it just this once.
I took a spoonful of jiggling pudding and said, "If you don't eat you will grow up small and weak. Like me." Azi flinches and pounds the table with his small fists.
How adorable.
"N-Nonsense!" I grinned at him. His face turned red and shouted, "You're lying to me!"
"I'm not. I merely want to remind you because I didn't eat a meal before that day."
of course I ate that day, but he doesn't need to know that.
Azi bit his lip and then started to get a purple colored muffin, "I-I will eat but not because I believed you!"
Children are very easy to manipulate. No sooner than later he started coughing. Well, to be honest I do enjoy his reactions. I just knew that he will pick that one out since all the remaining puddings are on his sister's plate.
"gah! this taste so bitter!" he spat out the muffin he had just put in his mouth.
Ah, the pudding... how delightful. Unlike someone here who's tricked. A hearty laugh coming from Uncle Galan can be heard in the room and said, "our children are very different from us."
How different does he mean? And just by a mere thought—a low and hushed voice spoke in my ear, "Leanna already had passed the examination and she will attend the academy next year."
Right, Leanna is his daughter. I don't have much memories about her, but in the story she was described as the graceful fiancé of someone. She was an extra character so that is why her character wasn't mentioned many times.
Haizzz... this damn memory of mine.
"Your Highness, are the food up to your likings?"
Zairon looks at my mother then nods his head. He then scans the room.
what is he looking for?
"I don't see the Duke these days. Where is he?"