Episode 151 - Goodbye for a moment

A few months later…

No longer was the season sunny and warm. No longer were leaves holding tree branches for dear life. As everyone was getting lost in time to heal, autumn arrived. Autumn is the season for nostalgia and goodbyes, not the freshness and youth that you feel and experience during the summer. And the sentimental feeling was especially strong this year.

Eugene and Aernest coupled up to go on about their days as usual. They were a frequently seen duo, but people watching them did not see them as siblings, but rather a master and a servant relationship. It was obvious who was the master and who was the servant.

The duo trained to get stronger with each passing day. Aernest was a slow learner, but he never gave up and tried his hardest to understand every subject. And having Eugene by his side, who would understand everything from the start, did not detract from his motivation, but rather increased it. However, if he were to be studying with Euria or Louis, he might’ve not been as motivated.

His three siblings were geniuses in their own different ways. Though Louis and Eugene were frequently compared, he knows from observation that Louis and Euria were more similar in the arts of study. They make no effort to understand anything, whether it's training or studying. But he still did not put Eugene in Louis' group because she puts in extra effort and reviews even when she did not have to. Eugene was the type of person who works hard and tries her best, which was why he gained a lot of motivation studying besides her.

Aernest turned to Eugene who was looking at the massive amount of leaves crowding by the tree, and asked, "Sister, do you know what day it is today?" As he asked, his voice was filled with a lot of nostalgia.

Eugene turned to Aernest. She thought for a few seconds before shaking her head, “No.” She replied.

Aernest chuckled half heartedly before exhaling loudly. He knew that his dearest sister would forget so he reminded her, “It’s the day sister Aedelak and Eldest brother leaves.” There was sadness in his voice as he reminded her.

Eugene’s face changed into one of realization and her mouth parted slightly, “Oh…” She had completely forgotten.

“They leave for the academy today.” His eyes looked sad but they nevertheless still curved; A smile of acknowledgement and happiness for Aedelak and his brother’s their vast future.

Aedelak and Louis were supposed to start school two months ago, but that was postponed. There were numerous obvious reasons, one of which was for the two to rest. And because they needed to rest, they put off enrolling in the academy for three months.

Eugene raised a brow at Aernest. If she remembered correctly, Aernest had been crying uncontrollably when Levis came to tell them this news during their morning training back when she had just turned three. It has been about half a year since that day, but Aernest has become much more mature seeing as he was happy that they were leaving and not sad. Eugene of course wasn’t about to praise him and teased him instead.

“I remember a certain crying, his snots and eyes out…” She dragged on her words as she glanced to the sky. Her lips however were curved up, looking incredibly sarcastic.

“...” Aernest’s face cracked and he pouted. His face was showing a ‘You’re-bullying-me-again!’ look and when Eugene saw that, she laughed out loud.

“Hahaha!” She shook her head as she smiled at Aernest.

“Che.” Aernest rolled his eyes and turned away, “I remember a certain someone being unable to laugh for 3 years.” He jabbed back at her, his face looking as sarcastic as Eugene’s face did.

Her face cracked, “...”

For 5 minutes, the two exchanged raised eyebrows before calling it a deuce.

“Young Masters, it’s time…” Eugene and Aernest heard a male voice call out to them. When the two turned their heads at the same time, they saw the house butler standing there, smiling warmly at them.

Eugene politely nodded and followed Aernest down the stairs, outside, to where Louis and Aedelak were standing. Sara, the head maid and Aedelak's mother, as well as many servants, Levis, Moniqua, Euria, and Ramon, surrounded Louis and Aedelak; Eugene and Aernest were the last to arrive.

Aedelak’s eyes brightened up immediately and she smiled widely, “Eldest Miss you’ve come!” She had assumed Eugene would never arrive and that she had forgotten about her! But her thoughts were proven incorrect when her ‘Eldest Miss’ arrived!

Eugene blinked and nodded, “Of course.” There was confidence in her voice as she responded to Aedelak.

Unknown to Aedelak, she was right. Eugene had completely forgotten about today and only remembered when Aernest reminded her.

Louis stared at Eugene’s confident face and almost rolled his eyes. Eugene was either lying to someone or lying to herself whenever she was confident. And in this case, it was the former.

Aedelak chuckled and kneeled in front of Eugene. Her eyes were sad as she informed Eugene, “Miss… I’ll be leaving now…”

Eugene stared at Aedelak with slightly widened eyes! Not because she was leaving but because the ‘Aedelak’ was whining? Her eyes analyzed Aedelak’s expression carefully before she reached over with her hands and patted Aedelak’s shoulders.

“Do well.” Try your best, learn well, make new friends, and most importantly… become independent! These were words Eugene wanted to say, however she felt shy and left them out...

Aeselak nodded, “Yes, Eldest Miss.”

Eugene patted Aedelak’s shoulders again when her eyes coincidentally met Louis’s eyes. She raised her eyebrow at him before moving closer to Aedelak, whispering in her ears, “Don’t let him eat you okay?”

Aedelak pulled back and looked at Eugene with confusion.

Eugene rolled her eyes and whispered again, “Don’t let him boss you around, okay?!”

Aedelak stared at Eugene in surprise before nodding and breaking out into a smile! “Of course Eldest Miss!” She moved closer to Eugene and whispered, “You’re my only boss!”

Eugene pursed her lips, ‘... That’s not what I mean but okay.’ She nodded reluctantly and stepped away from Aedelak.

“Go… Good… Goodbye, sis, sister.” a raspy voice said sadly as she sniffed.

Aedelak turned to Aeselak, and smiled, “Goodbye for a moment.”

Aeselak's nostrils dilated, and her face flushed with sadness! “I... I love you, sister! D, Don’t forget about me!” She said before proceeding to fully sob her eyes out.

Aedelak's happy smile lowered into one of sadness. It took her a minute to respond to Aeselak as she had to control her emotions. Aedelak nodded with confidence, “Of course. You’re my sister, why would I ever forget you.” She smiled with reassurance before adding, “I love you too.”

Aedelak’s eyes widened in surprise as she clutched the hems of her skirt. “Hn.” She nodded as she pursed her lips in an attempt to look strong. It wasn’t her first time hearing her sister tell her that she loved her, however, every time she did, it was always emotional. Like now, she had to hold back so much to not break down.

“It’s time to go,” someone said.

Aedelak smiled one last time at Aedelak. “Take care of Eldest Miss, Masters, Young masters, and mother for me.” It was time to hand over her baton to her youngest sister.

Aeselak nodded, “Leave it to me, sister.”

Aedelak turned to her mother Sara and gave her a big smile before turning to everyone else and giving them a polite goodbye smile. And together with Louis, she got into the carriage and left.

‘Goodbye for a moment…’ She muttered in sadness as she watched Eugene, Euria, Aeselak, Aernest, and Ramon’s fading body.

“Ah...” She muttered as if she realized something. “We never got to swim together…” She whispered as she glanced at the passing scenery.

They had promised to swim together after returning from Zene but had never done so. Yes, she was afraid of water and was still afraid of swimming, but parting ways after they had already made a promise felt very... sad.

“Do you regret it?” Asked Louis who was staring outside. By regret, he meant, regretting her decision to attend the academy full-time.

Aedelak was frank when she responded, “Yes.” Of course, she regrets it. She wished she could turn the carriage around and dash into the arms of her Eldest Miss! However…

“There’s nothing I can do, Eldest Young Master.” her voice was filled with heaviness; accepting reality.

Louis moved his eyes from the window to Aedelak for a brief moment before belatedly responding “That is true.”

The two remained silent for the remainder of the journey, arriving at the academy after some time. The academy ahead of them was where they would spend many years studying and molding themselves into the people they wanted to be in the future.

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“Sister!” said Aernest, furrowing his brow and pouting at Eugene. “You could have given Aedelak a hug!” He sounded annoyed, accusing her of being unkind. Aedelak’s carriage was long gone, and Eugene still didn’t look sad!

“....” Eugene was blank when suddenly she remembered yesterday’s event, “Ah… No wonder she hugged me yesterday…”

“.....” Aernest's mouth opened and closed as if he wanted to say something.

‘This twit sister of mine!’ He sighed in his mind! What is he going to do with this emotionally underdeveloped sister of his? He sighed again and shook his head in resignation.

“Ah,” Eugene exclaimed suddenly!

Aernest’s eyes widened and he panicked, “What? What is it! Did you forget to do something? Did you forget to give Aedelak something?!” There was concern in his voice as he asked.

Eugene shook her head and looked at Aernest in speechlessness, “.... I forgot to say goodbye to Louis.” She… She had completely forgotten about Louis!

“....” Really, what was he going to do with this sister of his? Aernest shook his head and exhaled loudly.

“.... You do realize that you forgot as well right?” she informed him with her bland voice.

“!!!” Aernest’s eyes almost popped out of his eye socket as he stared at her in shock! ‘I… I!! WHAT DID I DO?!?!” He almost wanted to cry right then and there.

Eugene and Aernest both scratched their heads as they stared at the empty road. No one knew what to do except stare blankly into the air.

“Goodbye for a moment.” In the end, Eugene whispered her goodbye’s to Louis as the wind blew through her grey hair and messed it up.

“Goodbye, brother.” Aernest went along with Eugene and said his goodbyes to his elder brother who had long… gone.

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Book II END!