The butterfly effect. It was a concept that Grandov had often mentioned.
The basic idea was that a butterfly flaps its wings in one part of the world, and the eventual wind from its wings would bring about a tsunami on the other end.
It was a funny concept. How could a butterfly wreak so much havoc?
Yet, I was witnessing that phenomenon right now. Events that had never occurred in my original life were unfolding because Micah was alive.
"We'll leave the estate at four to make it to the palace on time."
Mother waved her fork over her breakfast as she read off an invisible schedule in her head.
"I will be busy meeting some people to finalize a few arrangements, and I know Micah dear, how busy you'll be."
She winked in his direction.
"And Luca, since your father can't come because he has to take care of that thing from earlier this morning, you'll be attending as well."
By that thing, she meant Kaiden.
"And Luca dear, please don't play any pranks like what you pulled at the Fievells'. Unlike then, this is the royal palace we're going to. The royal family will be in attendance. As entertaining as your prank on the Fievells was, I hope you didn't prepare any barrels full of frogs this time." She focused her bright green eyes and fork at me.
"Don't worry, no pranks from me," I said.
A maid that brought a platter of freshly baked pastries gave me a side-eye, and I saw her lip curl up in a smirk.
"I mean it! I plan to lead a prank-free life from now on," I said.
I could feel all the eyes roll at my proclamation.
Damn it. I desperately need to clean up my reputation.
How was I supposed to warn my family against the next attack if no one took me seriously??
I grabbed a buttery pastry and bit into its soft, deliciousness. A cup of dark tea helped the rich pastry go down. Given how I could drink it, Denise clearly hadn't brewed this tea.
Maybe she has a talent for making undrinkable tea.
"Then again…" Mother cocked her head to one side in thought. "It being Crown Princess Evelyn, she might take pleasure in an odd prank or two."
It was a surprisingly peaceful morning breakfast—especially given how I had killed a man not long prior.
Sure, one of the guards had entered earlier and whispered something to Mother and Father. The news was regarding Kaiden based on their hardened expressions. However, they brushed it off.
Father had mouthed, "We'll discuss this later." No doubt to spare the twins. And that was the end of it over breakfast, aside from Mother's remark.
Father ate quietly while Mother continued to go over the royal ball agenda. He smiled now and then towards her. And she had her left hand absentmindedly caressing his right hand. This occurred so frequently that Father had even learned to eat with his left hand so that Mother could hold his right hand.
It was rather sweet how much in love the two of them were well into their fifties.
Father had the personality and disposition of petrified wood that had sprouted moss along its cool exterior. He might have appeared quiet and reserved to those that didn't know him, but he was nurturing and loving to those near him.
Mother, on the other hand, shone with her radiant personality and golden hair. Back in the day, I heard rumors that she had been nicknamed The Golden Rose.
The nickname was inherited by Micah a few years back.
It fit him. Even as he bit into a pastry and brushed off the crumbs that fell on his shirt, somehow, it looked elegant. It was as if the breadcrumbs were fairy dust that he blessed the table with.
"Is there anything you can do without looking unnecessarily brilliant?" I asked.
I rested my chin in my hand.
"Plenty of things, I'm sure." Micah laughed. His perfect white teeth shone.
Tsk.
It reminded me of one of his deaths—red blood oozing through those same perfect white teeth.
"Then live long enough for me to see you stumble," I said.
More importantly, now that he was alive, he'd inherit the Frey Merchant Guild and relieve me of that troublesome responsibility.
I already had a Kobar invasion with unbeatable odds on my plate. But at least it was seven years into the future. Time was on my side.
"It'll be my first time meeting Princess Evelyn," I mused.
What a funny turn of events. Micah was alive in this timeline. Because of this turn, I was going to a ball I'd never been to and meet a princess I had never spoken a word to.
None of us had attended this ball originally because we had been in mourning after Micah was killed. And thus, I had never met the original crown princess. She had died young. So even after I became heir of the Frey Merchant Guild, I never had an opportunity to meet her.
The butterfly effect, huh?
"You'll like her," Micah said.
"That's what you hope," Elda smirked at Micah.
"Why can't we come?" Jarvis asked. He wiped his mouth with his napkin and turned to our parents.
Unlike Elda, Jarvis had inherited Father's disposition more than Mother's. Besides the occasional excitement bout, Jarvis was usually calm, collected, and deeply serious. Yet, somehow, he managed to get in as much trouble as his twin sister.
"I have a few ideas I'd love to run by a few people attending the ball–" Jarvis started.
"Me too! Me too! I have a few ideas as well," Elda interrupted Jarvis.
"New inventions?" I tossed out a guess.
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"Yes!"
The twins responded in unison.
"Absolutely not," Father spoke for the first time.
"Whyyyyy?" Elda begged.
"Your father is right. Luca's frogs were one thing. But you blew up a fountain."
Mother pointed her fork at Elda.
"And whatever you fed the other kids had them asleep all night."
She pointed at Jarvis.
"How was I supposed to know they had mana stones in the fountain…." Elda whined.
"I didn't feed them anything," Jarvis argued. "They just grabbed and ate those themselves without permission, I might add. And they ate too many."
I laughed. I suddenly remembered the entire contents of the chaos that we had all created at the Fievells' residence during their annual party.
Thousands of frogs were jumping and ribbeting across the grounds. Staff members were urgently putting out the sudden combustion of the fountain. And parents were panic strickenly trying to awaken their drooling and barely awake children.
"Micah, the rest of us did something incredible then; what about you?" I asked.
Micah had a sly smile appear.
"Who knows..?"
He sipped his tea. His bright green eyes wrinkled at a private joke.
Did he do something then as well? Nah. Couldn't be.
The only other noteworthy surprise at the party was a disappearance. Two of the attendees, the wife, and son of a prominent politician, disappeared during the party's chaos, never to be seen again. It was the final oddity of an already odd evening.
"I'm glad you joined us for breakfast." Mother smiled and gazed in my and Micah's direction.
"It's been ages since you've come down for breakfast!" Elda added. "You'll come down tomorrow?"
She had an expectant look on her face. The red curls around her face bounced as she nodded, seemingly hoping I'd nod back.
"Yes, I'll come down tomorrow as well," I replied.
"That's great!" Elda exclaimed. "It was boring not having you come down for breakfast these last couple of months. I'm glad you and Micah look to have finally made up."
I frowned at this.
Did Micah and I have some sort of conflict? Is that why I didn't come down for breakfast this whole time?
"We didn't talk about that yet." Micah looked at me expectantly. "But since you came down to eat with everyone and aren't ignoring me, does that mean you forgive me?"
Was there something to forgive? I racked my brain, but it came up blank. How was I supposed to remember some teenage conflict from what in my mind was seven years ago?
"Sure, sure. Water under the bridge." I waved my hand.
I didn't even remember it. How big of a deal could it have been in the first place? Especially in light of Micah's death.
I cut into the quiche on my plate and smiled at the explosion of flavors in my mouth. It was so soft and delicious. I cut into an egg tart next and nearly moaned.
Going back in time was worth it just to be able to eat so well.
To think that I had two fingers cut off in exchange for stealing some moldy bread in my original life.
"Is it that good? Here, have this too," Micah said.
He slid me a miniature toast with some purple spread atop it.
"Thank you," I mumbled through my mouth full of the egg tart.
I bit into the toast and smiled again at the delicious taste.
"Here, try this too!"
"And this!"
The twins clambered over to put more food on my plate as well.
I dug in. I was so focused on my food that I nearly missed the smiles directed at me from all sides. Nearly.
My ears burned from all the attention.
Was breakfast always so pleasant? Why did I let some stupid sibling conflict get in the way of me coming down to eat with my family?
Ah, finally. Luca enjoys a peaceful breakfast with his family, with everyone still alive.
It only took but a handful of deaths to get here...
Thank you for reading! (￣▽￣)/