"Tch, why do I have to meet that loser now," he muttered, his voice hoarse and cold, like the scraping of sharp stones. He stopped a few steps above Lucian, looking at him with eyes filled with utter contempt.
Lucian turned his body slowly, looking up at the man. Their eyes met for a moment, and time seemed to stand still on that staircase.
The man's face was vaguely familiar in his memory. It was Lucian's older brother, Cassian Witte. The eldest son of the family and the future successor of House Witte. Lucian raised his eyebrows, placing one hand on his hip as he looked sharply at Cassian.
Cassian stared at Lucian from head to toe. He grinned, a cynical smile that made Lucian feel uneasy.
"It's truly pathetic seeing you like this," Cassian said as he folded his arms across his chest, his expression as if he were watching some strange spectacle. "You didn't wear your mask this time?"
Lucian raised an eyebrow, then sighed softly. "Huh, I'm actually curious about something. Why does it feel like everyone is so obsessed with my face right now?"
His voice sounded relaxed, but his words made Cassian fall silent for a moment, his eyes narrowing as suspicion arose within him.
"You...!" Cassian exclaimed, his voice slightly higher than before. He stepped down a few stairs, closing the distance between them to about four or five steps.
"Do you even realize what you're saying right now?!"
Lucian did not back down. Instead, he tilted his head slightly and looked at Cassian as if observing a reaction he had already predicted. "I'm just telling the truth, aren't I? The proof is, your reaction is exactly the same as everyone else who saw my face earlier."
Cassian gritted his teeth, letting out a frustrated hiss. "Ugh, you are just as annoying as always." His eyes burned with suppressed anger.
"You know, you're lucky Father isn't in the mansion right now," he continued, pointing a finger at Lucian. "He would be furious if he saw you like this."
Lucian remained silent, not responding to the words. He simply looked at him with a neutral expression. Cassian scoffed, then continued walking up the stairs. The sound of his footsteps echoed loudly. When he reached the top landing, he turned around and pulled something out of his suit pocket.
"Oh right, I met someone from House Elarisse earlier," he said, waving a bill in the air. "Did you call them?"
Lucian turned his head slightly, then lifted his chin to look back at Cassian.
"That's right, I did call him," he said without hesitation. "Why? Is there a problem?"
Cassian sneered, his hand gripping the paper tightly. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"Problem, you say..." He let out a short, dry laugh. "Hey, I think you've really gone crazy this time. What on earth is this amount of money you spent?!" His voice rose sharply, not caring if any servants heard him.
Lucian sighed softly and covered his ears with his palms.
"Aaaahh~ You're so loud," he complained casually. "My eardrums feel like they're about to burst, you know."
Cassian froze, seemingly unable to believe his brother's reaction. Then, casually, Lucian lowered his hand.
"Besides," he continued nonchalantly, "this family isn't facing an economic crisis, is it? Why are you making such a big deal out of it?"
"You...!!" Cassian clenched his fists, breathing heavily to hold back his exploding emotions. He stepped down roughly, his shoes stomping against the stone steps.
"I'll let it slide this time," he said in a cold voice without looking up, "but in exchange, I'm cutting your allowance for next month."
Lucian just scoffed softly, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips as if he had predicted this outcome. He watched Cassian's back slowly disappear from sight, shaking his head slightly.
"Was their relationship always like this?" he murmured softly to himself as he reached the top of the stairs and glanced back at the portrait of the woman on the wall.
He furrowed his brows and sighed. His fingers gently massaged his temples, trying to calm the rising emotions that were not strong enough to be called anger.
"Well, I suppose it's not so bad. After all, I've grown used to this kind of treatment in my past life." He gave a lopsided smile that felt more bitter than cynical. "Being hated, ignored, misunderstood... It's nothing new to me."
Lucian continued walking aimlessly through the mansion corridors, his steps slow and calm, as if captivated by the beauty of the flower garden stretching out before him. He noticed the small details, from the delicate petals to the lush green leaves. Bees buzzed among the blooms, creating a soothing natural symphony.
"Oh? I'm just wandering around aimlessly," he muttered, his voice low and barely audible. He smiled faintly, feeling a rare sense of peace.
"This is the garden I saw from my room earlier," he continued, his voice filled with admiration. "Turns out, it's even more beautiful up close than I imagined."
He shook his head slowly, then gently patted his own cheeks with both hands. "No, this isn't the time to get distracted." His expression turned serious again, his eyes sharp.
"I need to find information right now. I don't know what awaits me in the future if I just laze around."
He turned back, his gaze now fixed on the end of the corridor where three maids were busy cleaning wall decorations and arranging flowers in porcelain vases.
Lucian stepped closer calmly. His shadow caused one of them to turn her head involuntarily.
"Excuse me, can I ask you something?" His voice sounded calm but firm.
Instantly, the three of them fell silent.
"Y-Young Master Lucian?!"
Their faces turned pale instantly, and the brooms and rags they held nearly slipped from their hands. They looked at each other briefly, then hurriedly lowered their heads deeply.
"We're sorry, Young Master... We didn't mean to stare directly at you..."
Lucian raised an eyebrow and scoffed slightly. He had seen this reaction many times today, and strangely, he was starting to get used to it.
"I'll forgive you," Lucian said, his voice soft yet meaningful, causing the three servants to bow even lower. "Instead... can you show me where the family library is?"
He raised his right hand, his index finger touching his temple as if trying to recall something.
"For some reason, my memory has been a bit fuzzy lately... I seem to have forgotten the way."
The three maids fell silent for a moment, exchanging glances as if sharing the same thought. They wanted to answer, but hesitation lingered. Finally, one of them dared to lift her head slightly, her voice trembling.
"T-The family library... is in the east wing, Young Master. After passing through the painting hallway, turn right, then take the circular staircase down to the lower floor. It... it is a place that is rarely visited, so it is quite quiet..."
Lucian listened intently and nodded. He looked back at the three maids. "Alright, I understand. Thank you for answering my question."
Swiftly, he turned away from them. As soon as Lucian disappeared around the corner, one of the maids—a young girl with a white ribbon in her hair—reflexively lifted her head slightly, still in a bowed position. Her eyes were filled with confusion and shock.
"Hey," she whispered to her colleague beside her. "I think I need to get my hearing checked."
"Why?" her friend whispered back.
"I... I heard Young Master Lucian say 'thank you'."
The third maid at the back nodded quietly, equally stunned. "I think I heard it too."
The three maids looked at each other. Their shoulders shook slightly as if they had just witnessed something miraculous.
***
Lucian followed the directions given. His footsteps were steady—not rushed, but not too leisurely either. His eyes swept across every corner, memorizing the path he had taken.
"Turn right and go downstairs," he muttered, recalling the instructions. He descended the stone stairs with cold, wrought-iron railings.
"I guess this is the place," he said quietly. Before him stood a large door adorned with ancient carvings.
Without hesitation, he turned the heavy handle and pushed the door open wide. The distinctive scent of old books immediately filled his senses. He stepped casually inside.
Tall bookshelves lined both sides, and the sound of his footsteps echoed softly across the clean marble floor. Dim light from magical artifacts resembling lamps illuminated the room.
Lucian took a deep breath and began examining the books one by one. His fingers touched the rough, dusty covers, reading the titles that were barely visible. Occasionally, he found books with interesting illustrations or unique handwriting, but nothing seemed relevant to what he was truly looking for.
A burning curiosity prompted him to pick up a specific document. Carefully, he untied the fragile silk ribbon. The paper was parchment that had yellowed with age, its texture delicate to the touch.
He unfolded it slowly, afraid it might tear. The script looked ancient and elegant, decorated with intricate calligraphy, yet somehow he could understand every word. Lucian began to read, his eyes widening as he grasped the contents.
"This is... an archive of the Witte family's achievements," he muttered, his voice barely audible. The document was not just a family tree, but a detailed record of the house's accomplishments, honors, and history throughout the years.