After a few moments of trudging, it brought Elias and Sylphie to their destination. Just a few meters were all that was left before they reached the private chamber of Victor Varen.
Sylphie was trying her best not to let any emotions that were assaulting her leak out. She did her absolute best to maintain her bubbly and warm expression.
Opposite to her, Elias was pressuring himself to darken his expression.
'Maybe this is good.'
He thought as he felt the depressive aura he was leaking was good.
Moments later, they reached the door.
Armored knights standing on both sides had straightened their backs with their nerves pulled tight as they wore blank expressions.
"Is Uncle inside?"
Elias asked, not even glancing at them. His eyes were staring at the door.
"Yes, my lord."
One knight replied quickly.
"Open the door."
At his order, the silent knight opened the door.
Click
As the door opened, Elias and Sylphie both entered before the knight closed it behind them.
Click
***
The moment Elias entered the door, his eyes found the muscular man sitting behind the desk, doing paperwork.
As Elias found Victor, Victor also found the guest who had entered his chamber.
"My lord," he said in his same rough yet charmingly soft voice while standing up from his chair as he removed his glasses, which gleamed in the light reflected from the room's chandelier. "Did you need something?"
"No, Uncle, I just wanted to talk with you."
Elias replied with a shake of his head while walking towards him.
"You could have simply called me, my lord; why trouble yourself?"
"I am already troubling you with a lot, Uncle," Elias said, reaching his desk and glancing at the papers present on it. "I don't want to trouble you more."
"It's not trouble, my lord," Victor said with a soft smile emerging on his face. "How about we sit on the balcony? We can chat there."
"Hm."
Elias hummed, agreeing with him, before they moved to the balcony.
*
Chairs and a table were already present on the balcony, pointing to the fact that Elias used to come and sit with Victor.
As they took their respective seats, Victor turned to glance at the maid as he spoke up.
"Could you bring us some tea and sweets?"
"Yes, my lord."
Sylphie bowed exaggeratedly before leaving.
Silence enveloped the surroundings as Elias stared at the garden. Fresh air blew, caressing his face, but he kept his expression sad, as the previous Elias used to.
"How are you, my lord?"
Victor spoke first, breaking the silence with a soft voice.
"Fine, Uncle," Elias replied, giving him a smile that didn't seem like one. "And please stop calling me lord."
"How could I do that, my lord?"
"Uncle," Elias urged, as the previous Elias had with Victor Varen.
"... Ok, I will not call you lord... Elias."
"Thank you, Uncle."
Just as Elias' words ended, Sylphie came back with a tray of tea and sweets.
"You may leave," Victor said as she was done serving.
Sylphie did, after bowing.
The silence once more enveloped the balcony as Elias continued his act while drinking tea.
"How is this new butler? Is she competent?"
Victor asked, taking a sip from his cup.
"Well," Elias glanced at his tea. "She is ok."
"I hope she is. If she is not, tell me; I will look for some other competent person."
"It's fine; I like her as she is."
"Okay."
The conversation ended at that. However, a beat later, Victor asked again.
"Are you really doing ok?"
"Yes, Uncle. How could I not when you are shouldering the whole weight of the barony yourself alone?"
"It's nothing, and this is the least I should do," Victor said, his eyes roaming all over the garden. "But Elias, you don't look fine."
"..."
"You should try to move on, Elias. Your father and mother would have never liked seeing you in this state," Victor said in a soft voice as he kept his cup on the table. "Find something that brings you comfort. Pursue it, whatever it may be. And if you require anything, simply say the word. Your uncle will make it happen."
"... Hm."
"It's painful to see you in constant pain, Elias. You are the only person I have left. I can't see you like this."
"..."
"Elias."
"Yes," Elias replied, at last removing his eyes from the tea and looking back at Victor.
"Enjoy yourself; you are young, and you have a very long life ahead. This is what your father and mother would have wanted, too."
".... I will...."
Elias once more smiled as the silence came back.
***
'Sylphie and Victor are working together.'
Elias thought as he threw himself on the bed, his body bouncing.
After meeting Victor, it seemed like he was the person who cared the most about Elias. His words and every action felt real and heartfelt even.
It seemed like there was nothing wrong. The room, his demeanor, his way of talking—every single thing felt like what they looked like.
Truthful, devoid of any lies, manipulation, or betrayal.
However, even then, Elias felt he was true to his guess.
And...
Elias also felt that Sylphie, the maid, and his butler was working for Victor.
From the start, Elias always felt her stare. However, he didn't think much of that, merely passing it off as her just wanting to use him, as some others did.
Seduce and continue to climb the ladder to make a fortune, enough to not care about things.
But now, he felt something was up.
This suspicion came due to the way she acted in front of Victor. She was herself, bubbly and warm, but some minute tensions did leak from her body and behavior, which Elias caught.
This was not the only thing that uncovered the truth. Victor, asking him about her, also felt that she was working for him.
'Or maybe I am reading too much.'
Elias thought, placing his forearm over his eyes.
"Whatever."
'I am going forward with my plan, anyway.'
Elias had now steeled himself. He was going to act like the previous Elias before advancing in his plan. He didn't want to act on it immediately because if he did it suddenly, it would seem quite suspicious.
That's what he thought at least.
And...
While doing it, he may also check his suspicion.
"Let's see."
'If she really does work for him.'