While heading towards the dining hall, I wondered what kind of people were Max’s parents, because in the original novel, when Max shows up as a villain, for some reason they are already dead and no information except the basics is said, and even now I have no memories of them other than names.
At the same time, I could not help, but frown when thinking about my dad from my previous life, as a gloomy mood enveloped me. To say it straight I didn’t really despise him or anything, after years he became just unpleasant memory that caused heartache when remembering.
In my previous world, my mother died while giving birth to me, so I only saw her in pictures. For my father who cherished her dearly, this was a big trauma, and after nearly four years he finally broke down and tried to drown his depression in alcohol. He started to look at me with eyes of resentment and hatred, even though he knew that child in front of him was innocent, some screws just went loose and he started to physically and verbally abuse me.
That was also the same time when all the house chores fall on my shoulders, so I tried to do everything to the best of my ability, or else I could receive some harsh beating, luckily, I was quite quick-witted. But those efforts didn’t really help, because he always would find a reason to hit me at least several times to vent some anger accumulated at work. Then he would grab alcohol, lay on the sofa and watch TV while spouting gibberish and sometimes yelling at me. That was what most of our daily interaction looked like.
In the end, I became a withdrawn and sullen kid with a sunken expression on my face, so even when I went to elementary school, I could not make any friends, on the contrary, it even caused bullies to target me as the weakest of the batch in their eyes. The teacher thought that I had some kind of autism or some similar problems, but she didn’t really want to dig too deep and bother herself, because at least at learning I was quite good.
As time passed just living like that started to be agonizing. Thoughts like -‘Would this ever end?’ or-‘Would mom and dad live happily if I was not ever born?’ became frequent guests of my mind. But I didn’t do anything ‘extremal’ as I was too innocent and afraid of death at that time.
After some years of ‘not-so-good’ life, when I was eight years old, one day father went way too out of line while beating me, so I exclaimed loud groans and screams. One of the new neighbours that recently moved in, called the police after hearing the kid’s screams. During the following week of investigation, my father was deprived of parental rights, and as I had no relatives who wanted to adopt me, I was sent to an orphanage. After that day I never contacted him.
Ironically, along with many challenges and problems, the orphanage became a place where I found my true family, people who taught me a new facial expression – smiling. They also taught me that life was not a meaningless hell-pit, that pursuing happiness can be harsh, but with a good goal in mind, hard work and of course a bit of luck, life will become colourful, intriguing and therefore interesting and worth of a try.
‘I really miss those noisy bastards…’ Thought I, forgetting for a second that I had already become another person in another world.
---
Walking through the labyrinth-like corridors filled to the brim with beautiful paintings and statues was quite a tiring experience for this little and untrained body. In addition, Maximilian was a lazy kid who didn’t like to move around, which caused him to be weaker than the average child of his age, also for some reason he seemed very fragile.
‘What were they thinking when putting my room this far away?’ I inwardly mumbled with a frustrated expression.
It looked like previous Max didn’t go to the dining hall for eating, but instead ate in his own room and asking him to join was just a formality. The slight ache in my leg muscles and puzzled expression on Lily’s face that I saw before was good evidence for my theory. In addition, other maids who were cleaning the surroundings with feather-dusters also looked at me with surprised but timid looks.
After going down to the first floor and several more turns and twists we finally approached a giant door, even bigger than the one leading to my room. Before Lily would open it for me, I stopped her by hand-sign and tried to open it by myself. Despite my persistence door didn’t budge even for a centimetre. So, in the end, I asked Lilyan for help.
She with a light smile opened the door and stepped to the side allowing me to enter.
‘This is so embarrassing that I want to fall under the ground. Nevertheless, let’s think about meeting with my new parents’
As I thought so, cold sweat surfaced on my back, because as one clever man said-“Thing that humans fear the most is the unknown”.
“…Fuuh”
I mustered my courage and entered the dining hall.
---
While entering the hall the first thing that caught my sight was its size. Its square area could be compared to half of a football stadium, while illuminated by giant and pompously styled chandeliers, which didn’t leave in shadow even the smallest corner. The light emitted by them was not like candles, but rather that of modern bulbs, creating contrast with the Victorian-styled interior.
Another fascinating thing was the long table in the middle of the room which could be used by at least a few hundred people, but at the same time only residing two persons, who seemed to be waiting for someone.
The rather young man sitting at the head of the table had short brown hair and semi-long moustaches which accurately laid on his upper lips, emphasising his immaculate face lines. His crimson red pair of eyes similar to that of mine was collected in a sharp but stoic gaze, the one that you would see on a veteran warrior’s face. His overwhelming presence was amplified by the grey-blue general’s uniform, without many decorations, but definitely showing his high rank.
On the right side of the man was sitting a beautiful lady with an hourglass figure who seemed to be in her mid-twenties. Her skin pale like marble was devoid of imperfections and looked like a lifetime work of a prominent sculptor. Her beautiful dirt blond waist-length hair was wattled in braids, while deep blue eyes shone with a kind and mature aura.
Those two perfect-looking persons were Duke Alexander Venet and his wife Margaret Venet, Daughter of court magician Marquess Hans Grinberg. Representing one of three pillars of the kingdom of Eshtal, they were kings’ faithful supporters and at the same time my new parents.
Besides them, three pretty maids with straightened backs could be seen, patiently waiting for orders.
‘How in hell are they so good-looking? Are they protagonists of some sort of shoujo novel? Are humans even supposed to look like that? I get that this is a fantasy world, but still…’
I thought as I approached my seat on the left side of the man.
---
As I sat in my place with Lily’s help, who then stood near other maids, Alexander and Margaret placed their hands together and started to say some sort of prayer dedicated to the goddess called ‘Aieta’, so I did my best to keep up with them and repeat. As expected, it was quite a clumsy attempt for someone who said it for the first time. Following that, everyone started to eat as no other words were spoken.
After a few minutes of awkward silence, the first person to speak was my new mother. With a gentle and melodic tone, she tried to strike up a conversation.
“Max, dear do you feel well recently? You seemed so gloomy lately, I even sent a doctor to check on you, but as I heard thanks to the goddess you are as healthy as always. Even so, you didn’t want to see anyone, did something happen? Mommy felt sooo lonely”
She said it all with a bitter smile and a look of a puppy. That touched some unknown strings of my heart. I tried to persuade her with a short answer that I thought of in advance.
“Mother please don’t worry so much, I was just organizing my thoughts and reflecting on my past deeds. After all this time of procrastination, I decided that son of the Venet family can’t be so useless, so I want to fulfil my duties in magical studies and swordsmanship and not let down your expectations anymore-”
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At the same moment, as I ended my sentence, my mother suddenly disappeared from her seat and reappeared in front of me hugging me tightly but gently.
‘Inhuman speed’-Were words that came to my mind.
“Ahh, our little Maxy has grown up so much! I thought that you are angry or even hated me, but it was only this. Saying all those serious words while being so cute, you are just melting mommy’s heart you know?”
‘Gah… lady please restrain yourself a bit!’
While I was almost suffocating from two big mountains, sudden coughing and the clear and low voice of my dad grabbed everyone’s attention.
“Khem, son are you absolutely sure about what you just said? Previously you categorically refused all kinds of magical or fighting guidance, only agreeing to study basic subjects, but now you want to take everything at once? I welcome your enthusiasm, but you must know that if I hire the swordsmanship teacher for you, then you must keep up with it and do your best. If you neglect your studies ever once, don’t expect a second chance, after all, your teacher will not be just anyone”
Even though from the outside his words were a bit rough, his mind was overwhelmed with happiness and pride for his son. ‘Did he finally make up his mind? I should do my best not to extinguish this fire of enthusiasm!’
“Rodrig! Come here, I have a task for you”
As Alexander shouted, in an instant high and slander figure of a middle-aged man appeared out of thin air, bowing his head.
He had black slicked hair with rare white strips showing up on the sides and light grey eyes. Wearing a black suit with a white shirt, without any tie or bow, he looked very elegant. Only one person surfaced through my mind while seeing him – the head butler of the Venet household, Rodrig.
“What is your command, my lord”
“As you have probably already heard, my son intends to study swordsmanship, so get everything ready, and contact ‘that’ person as soon as possible. By the way, how much time do you think it will take?”
“According to my humble assumptions, it will take at least one week to contact him, as for training facilities, one day is sufficient, but I will try to make this time shorter”
“Good, very good, then proceed that way”
“Yes my Lord” – Rodrig said and disappeared in the blink of an eye, without leaving any signs of presence.
After pausing for a few seconds Alexander continued.
“As for magic, Margaret can you please guide him for the time being? I will find some good clerks to do your job in household management, so rest assured, nothing will crumble. In the end, you are one of the best magicians in this land”
“Oh dear, don’t flatter me before our son so shamelessly, I am far inferior to the likes of my father and other court magicians. Still, I think that me teaching Maxy is a great idea”
‘So we can spend even more time together with my cute little boy’
She giggled a bit while smiling foxily.
“Then it is decided, you will begin your studies starting the next week”
Finally finding a gap and freeing myself from my mother’s clutches for a bit, after taking some breath I answered him.
“Yes father, I definitely will do my best!”
---
After we finished our breakfast, we bid farewell and everyone left for their own business.
I also heard how Alexander and Margaret exchanged lovey-dovey words. Probably they thought that I had already gone far enough.
‘Looks like My new father does not want to show this side of his personality before me, heh’
While traversing the corridor and following Lilyan, some strange fillings covered my heart. I was not sure what was the exact cause, it could be my sudden death, becoming a second-rate villain from a novel that I just read recently, or even something else, everything just jumbled together. But even though I was not a kid mentally, getting to know that now there are creatures like mother and father in this world, somehow warmed my mood more than anything. Because those caring and lovely attitudes coming from them were not fake, they felt too innocent and humanly. I just got to know them, but it didn’t interrupt savouring this moment. Not in a bit.
‘Maybe those are previous Max’s feelings. Who knows?’
“Young lord, we have arrived at the library as you requested”
Lilyan opened the door before me as a room with thousands of bookstands presented itself.
“Okey Lily, I will study here for the next few hours before the math teacher arrives, so you are free for the time being”
“Thank you, young master, then if you don’t need anything else, I will leave you”
Lily left the library, probably going to have her morning meal with the other maids. Meanwhile, my eyes jumped like crazy seeing all those alluring books on the shelves.