Devlin sighs and signals to a coachman waiting nearby before entering the carriage and closing the door, sitting opposite the boy and his pigtails maid. The coachman, one of the many people the Darkthus Company employs, climbs onto the driver seat and begins guiding the six horses attached to the carriage out of the academy’s ground.

Soon, the carriage begins to pick up speed as they continue on their journey towards the place where the current leader and Chairman of the Darkthus Company resides. Ser Derek lives quite a distance from the academy, usually such a trip would take more than half a day. But with the aid of specially bred and trained horses that doesn’t need changing, they could probably make the journey before the evening sun sets, just in time for tea.

“What are you writing?”

The boy looks up from the black notebook he’s busy writing and watches the young aide sitting across from him inside the carriage. Devlin flashes the boy a small smile.

“Nothing of importance.” replies the boy briskly. “Just noting down some minor stuff so I won’t forget them.” murmurs the boy as he looks back down and continues scribbling in his black notebook, oblivious to the changing sceneries that are fast passing by outside the carriage.

Synnove who’s been silent and starring out the window for a while now turns her head to gaze at her master who is sitting beside her. The pigtails maid manages to catch a glimpse at what the boy has been busily jotting down.

Get rid of Master Haithur.

Find some apples/sugar cubes for Teeth.

Buy a thank you gift for Mistress Ricon, Master Cahris, Headmaster Jo

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS!!!!

“You consider the business of getting rid the master and leader of Ouroboros to be some ‘minor stuff’?” asks Devlin again.

“It’s a bit rude, isn’t it? Reading a person’s writing without their permission? Even if that writing is upside down. And Ouroboroswhat now?” says]s the boy without looking up.

“My apologies. To be fair, we have a long journey ahead of us and I seemed to have misplaced my crossword puzzle book. And it’s already too late to feign ignorance now, we know Master Haithur’s true identity.”

“I really have no idea what you’re rambling about.”

“I suppose we owe you a debt of gratitude for removing him. Ouroboros has been a thorn in our side for a long while now, and we don’t even know who leads it or even its true origin. But thanks to you, we’ve discovered more about them this week than in the past hundred years.”

“Well if you strongly feel the need to give me credit for something I have no recollection of doing, then a basket full of blueberry muffins with a thank you note attached to it is more than welcomed.”

“I’m perplexed. You’re not behaving the way I’d imagined you would.”

“Sorry if I failed to live up to the rumours, you really shouldn’t believe everything you hear about me.”

“Funny, there’s not even a smidgen of remorsefulness that I could see from you face.”

That’s because I’m currently facing down, still busily writing in my notebook. If you can observe my whole face, you’ll notice how arched my eyebrows look, signifying my regret.”

“Then why don’t you put your notebook so we can have a face-to-face conversation?”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that. See, you’ve caught me at a really bad time. There’s so many ideas running through my head and I’m trying to jot them all down. I know, how about you play 20 questions with Synnove here?”

“Why would I want to do something like that when I’ve got someone who’s far more interesting sitting across from me?”

“I’m starting to think you left your crossword puzzle book on purpose.”

“This is a major let down. From what I hear about you, you really like to hear yourself talk.”

“Synnove, have you been talking about me behind my back? Traitor…”

“It wasn’t me, Master. My lips are sealed. Can’t say the same about the other students though.”

“It’s true. I’ve met a lot of people, in and out of the academy, who seems to find you to be extremely voluble.”

“Voluble?”

“That would be vociferous, loquacious, prolix. How about fulsome?”

“I prefer the term ‘chatty’. And I see someone likes to do their crossword puzzle a little too much.”

“I also heard you’re someone who has a rare form of talent. Why don’t you give me a little demonstration of the so-called powers that you claimed you have? Oh, I know. Say something about me. Do me. You have my permission to do me.”

“Wow, that doesn’t sound inappropriate at all.”

“Come on, don’t be shy. Show me yours and I’ll show you mine.”

“Again, there’s so many poorly chosen words in that sentence. Nevertheless, I’m afraid I’m not in the mood at the moment. I kinda overexerted myself yesterday and now I’m all plumed out.”

“Did something good happen to you last night?”

“You can say that again. My lower jaw is still sore from the boner uppercut I got when I saw- Oh, you… you nearly got me monologuing, you sly minx.”

“Drat. I was so close on getting you to loosen your tongue.”

“Nope, sorry. I’m really very tired right now.”

“Awww….”

“…Maybe later.”

“Yay.”

“Anyway, I’m gonna catch some shut eyes now. You guys can wake me up when we’re nearly there.”

“Would you like to use my lap as a pillow, Master?”

“An interesting proposition, but I prefer to rest and sit up right if it’s all the same.” the boy stops writing and closes the black notebook he has on his lap. He puts the pen and notebook into his trouser pocket, leans back against the carriage and closes his eyes.

Soon, the boy is asleep, leaving his devoted pigtails maid and Ser Derek’s personal assistance to their own devices.

********************

“Master, wake up. We have arrived.”

Synnove’s voice awakens the boy from his slumber. He sleepily opens his eyes and lazily stretches his left arm while still sitting on the carriage’s seat.

“Not the most restful of sleep, but I had worse. I trust our journey here was unimpeded?” the boy tries to stifle a tired yawn from escaping his mouth.

“Nope, we’ve encountered no trouble on the road.”

Now that the boy is fully awake, he finally notices the strange scene that greets him inside the carriage.

Synnove currently has a bloody tissue stuck up her nose. Meanwhile Devlin’s left eye is sporting a particularly nasty bruise.

“The heck happened to you guys?” asks the boy as he stares incredulously, switching his gaze between his devoted maid and Ser Derek’s personal assistant.

“This girl was cheating at 20 questions There was a giant pothole on the road and the carriage couldn’t avoid it in time.”

“Being Master’s plaything does qualify as an object in my book A child carelessly crossed the street and the driver had to do an emergency brake.”

“…”

The boy closes his eyes and massages the bridge of his nose with his left hand.

“Whatever. You guys started it, and you guys can finish it.” he opens his eyes and stares at the young aide. “Let’s get this over with, shall we? Take me to your leader.”

********************

The boy and Synnove goes through the ornate and heavily decorated massive front door of Ser Derek’s mansion and is immediately greeted by rows of maids and male servants, each and every one of them bowing and giving their greeting. He pays those people no heed, choosing to continue following Devlin who is moving swiftly, walking across luxurious carpets covering every inch of the floor and passing by expensive painting that dotes the hallway leading up to Ser Derek’s study room.

It takes them nearly a whole minute to reach the place, which is located on ground floor in the southwest corner of the mansion.

Devlin who has been walking in front of the boy all this time knocks on the door to the study room. After hearing permission being granted from the inside, the young aide opens it and ushers in the boy and his pigtails.

There, seated behind a mahogany desk, sits a man who many people in the know consider to be one of the major players in the Kingdom of Nurani’s power scene. Ser Derek Acanthus. As the current leader of perhaps the most prominent mercenary group in the Grandiel Continent, Ser Derek wields a certain authority that could rival a war general.

But right now, none of that could be seen or felt. Ser Derek is currently hunched over his desk closely examining a document while wearing a very thick reading glasses. On either side of him, huge towering stack of papers are piled up, some that seems would topple to the floor at any given second. At the moment, Ser Dererk looks like he belongs more in a library or some bureaucratic government agency.

“Just go ahead and take a seat. I’ll be with you in just a minute.” says the man without looking up.

The boy gives an involuntary shudder. He’s still hasn’t got used to Ser Derek’s soft and serene voice. Nonetheless, the boy complies with the request and sits on one of the chairs in front of Ser Derek’s desk. Synnove as usually chooses to stand a couple of steps behind the boy.

Devlin closes the door to the study room behind them and proceeds to move to Ser Derek’s side. In the process, the young aide picks up a couple of papers that have fallen on the floor and puts them back on the desk.

“Thank you Devlin.” Ser Derek glances from the document he is reading momentarily in order to address his personal assistant. Just as he was about to go back to his reading, Ser Derek notices something.

“What happened to your eye?” Ser Derek asks quizzically.

“It’s nothing.” the young aide gives out a small smile. “I just hit it on something silly.”

Ser Derek raises one of his eyebrows but chooses not to pursue the matter. He goes back to studying the document he’s holding in his hand. A few moments pass before the man finally puts down the paper and takes off his thick reading glasses with a huff. Ser Derek gently throws his glasses, seemingly out of frustration, onto the desk in front of him.

“You know, when my father asked me to take over the company, he didn’t tell me about pain in the ass management duties that follows.” Ser Derek’s sighs. “I swear, somewhere in hell, there’s a special room full of torture devices that consist of paperwork.”

“I think if you walk into any government office, you will see the same scene.”

“Speaking of torture, my son sends you his love.”

“I’m surprised he could still speak coherently… or breathing.”

“You have to read between the lines of course. It takes years to build up that particular skill, trying to differentiate between the sobbing and the howls of pain, and making sense of it all.”

“I’ve been married, so I’m pretty fluent in the language.”

“And thank for the get-well card you made for Joze. I think he got a real good kick out of it when I showed it to him the first time, assuming he could still move his legs of course.”

“How is dear old Joze by the way? Still in possession of most of his appendages?”

“He still has all ten fingers and toes if that’s what you’re wondering. And no one cuts off limbs nowadays, studies have found it to be counter-productive.”

“Only if you’re trying to turn an enemy agent and get him to work for you. Otherwise, cutting off stuff just for shits and giggles is still viable.”

“Ah, but then the person you’re torturing wouldn’t last very long due to the trauma.”

“Not unless you have a first class healer in who can stop the bleeding effectively and cure any infection.”

“…Devlin, where is Sarah at the moment?”

“She’s currently deep in the Bakh Province with Team Diamonds Four.”

“What’s she doing so far in the Shahjahad Kingdom?”

“The Wraith Assignment.”

“Well, pull her back. I want Sarah here by this time next month.”

“I’ll send a raven out first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Tonight, the Shahjahad Kingdom is too far away and she has a lot of ground to travel.”

Devlin was about to leave Ser Derek’s side but the young aide’s movement was stopped by the older man.

“Like I’ve said, tonight. Right now, I want you here with me.”

Ser Derek turns his attention to the person sitting in front of him.

“Well I think you know the reason as to why I’ve summoned you here.”

“I was told there will be tea, and hopefully some blueberry muffins.”

“Cute, but seriously, try to take a guess.”

“Hopefully it’s nothing boring like trying to get revenge for crippling your one and only son.”

“Do I look like someone who is that petty? And I’m still waiting for your answer.”

“Fine. I’m here because you’ve heard unsubstantiated rumours of what I can do. You wanna acquire my talents for your organization, force me to work for you, make you very rich, and if I don’t comply with your demands, you’ll execute my pet turtle. Yada yada yada. It’s all very cliché, really.”

“…”

“Did I get it right? Tell me I’ve got it right. Because I have to level with you, I’m not too fond of my nonexistent pet turtle. Guy takes forever to pick a tree when I’m taking him out for walks. You’ll actually be doing me a favour if you do kill him.”

“…Devlin, I thought you said this boy was the real deal?” Ser Derek glances to his side at his young aide who is standing close to him.

“He is, I assure you. You should read again the report I sent you last night, page three, there’s a number of his short term predictions that has come true.”

“Then how do you explain this then?”

“I think he’s purposely playing the fool, for whatever strange reason that is known only to him. Personally, I think it’s because he fears what you’re about to ask of him.”

“I have very deep commitment issues. I blame it on my absent father.”

“…”

“The only amendment I wish to make on my previous report is that I find him to be no longer brash or boastful. He has mellowed down, I think it to be the correct term. He didn’t even respond when I tried to provoke him in the carriage.”

“Your taunting really hurt me by the way, I had to pretend to go to sleep.”

“I thought I saw your eyes quivered for a brief moment when I said the words so-called powers that you claimed you have.”

“Stupid eyes. They really are the windows of the soul. Who needs such bothersome things anyway? I think I should invent something to cover my eyes, maybe glasses with its lenses painted black, double as a visor to block out the sun.”

“…Devlin, what’s happening right now?”

“I believe he’s trying to delay the inevitable. You should say whatever it is you wanted to say to him before he decides to escape.”

“Fine.” Ser Derek snorts. He straightens his back and stares into the boy’s eyes directly. “Devlin tells me you don’t seem to have any immediate family. Hell, we can’t even find your name, your family name, or where you came from. And my personal aide here is the best in the business of finding out that sort of thing. This tells me you’re either an orphan, or you’re abandoned because your family got too big, or you’re unwanted because your parents were criminals.”

“Really? You only have those three theories to explain my mysterious origins? I’m disappointed.”

“Which makes this next process a whole lot easier for me. I want to adopt you and make you my son and official heir.”

“…”

A deep stillness envelops the room. The boy lets out a small sigh.

“Is this one of those ideas that you think really looks really good on paper but it’s actually pretty terrible when you say it out loud?” the boy stands up and reaches for a scrap of paper on Ser Derek’s desk.

“Do you need this? Don’t bother answering, I already know the answer.”

“…”

The boy begins to scribble something down on the piece of paper with a pen he got from his pocket. After he finished writing, the boy held up the paper to examine it more closely.

“Nope.” the boy shakes his head resignedly. “Still a bad idea even from the very start.” the boy folds the piece of paper and stores it inside his sling. He then proceeds to sit back down in his chair.

“What sort of madness would possess you and force you to do such an absurd thing?”

“It’s because you brought me closure.”

“…”

“When my second wife and my newborn son went missing, I mobilized my entire company to find them. I went through hell and high water searching, not realizing that they were just a mere hundred feet from where I’m sitting right now, deep in the cold dark earth.”

“…”

“And my son, my own flesh and blood, was the one who put them there. He did such a good job covering his tracks, I could never prove a godsdamn thing. Even though I had my suspicion regarding his involvement, I didn’t dare to confront him openly. Maybe it’s because I didn’t want to push him away, perhaps it’s also because I didn’t want to tarnish the memories of his late mother by accusing him of being capable of such a vile act. But mostly because it’s I don’t know what I would do to him if I found he did have a hand in their disappearance.”

“…”

“Do you want to know the worst part of it? Every time Joze got back from the academy during the school break or holidays, he would insist on having tea with me in the garden. He would have me sitting facing the manor while he would sit opposite of me.”

“…”

“Can you guess what lays a few meters directly behind me? It’s the sealed well where my wife and my child spent the last moments of their lives. The people I sent down there to retrieve their remains told me there were signs she tried to climb back up, that they had survived for days before finally perishing. Joze confessed to me that my wife was still alive after he pushed her down there. That the baby was still crying as he closes the lid of the well in their faces.”

“…”

“And Joze… Joze… he just sits there in the garden facing me like its just business as usual. Every joke he told, every story he shared, every smile he made, I thought they were sincere attempts to cheer me up. But now I realize he was doing all those things for his own private pleasure, secretly applauding himself for getting away with the perfect crime.”

“…”

“And I… and I… would have spent the remainder of my days in ignorance. If it weren’t for you, I would have lain in my deathbed still believing that my wife and my son are alive and happy somewhere far away. And Jose would have sat there by my side, holding my hand, comforting me until I finally leave this world.”

“…”

“You think my mind has gone mad for trying to adopt you and make you my son. But to me, you’re the one who brought salvation and peace to my soul. And that… that is why I’ve brought you here today.”

A heavy silence falls across the study room. The boy is sitting down has been starring out the nearby window for a while. After an eternity has passed, he finally says something without turning his head.

“You know… you’ll probably gonna die regretting making me your son.”

“I’ve already spent a lifetime of regret. There are none left in my body.”

“Your company will probably get destroyed due to my involvement in it.”

“I’m sure Devlin and I are able to guide you on the right path.”

“I can give a list of orphans spread across the Grandiel Continent. All of them smart, hardworking, obedient children who will grow up to become amazing individuals under your care.”

“But none of them I suspect would give me as much grief as you, which makes them sound oh so boring.”

“If you’re afraid of marrying again due to the unfounded fear that you will raise another Joze, I can give you the name of ten girls who are-“

“Have you ever had someone you loved? And I’m not referring to some one night stand or a casual fling. I’m talking about the type of love that can move heaven and earth itself.”

“I had one once… a long time ago.”

“What if I told you I can introduce you to ten girls, a group of the most amazing and beautiful girls you have ever seen, that would blow that old love out of the water?”

“Then I would have told you to go to hell.”

“Exactly!”

“…”

“I’m puzzled as to why you’re still hesitating. Devlin here tells me you’ve made a lot of powerful enemies, and based on your track record, you’re bound to make some new ones in the future. You look like you’re capable of taking care of yourself, but can you say the same for your friends?”

“…”

“You know as well as I do that the best way to hurt a man is through his family, and if there’s none, his friends are next. If you agree to my request, your friends… the ones called Marven and Athorius… will be protected with the full might of the Darkthus Company.”

The boy suddenly burst out laughing. Ser Derek and Devlin exchange looks of alarm with each other. Synnove meanwhile continues to stand silently in the back, watching over her master who is still doubled over and clutching his stomach, trying to stop a new round of laughter from escaping.

“Is anything the matter?”

“No… I’m sorry… I know I’m being extremely rude of me but I can’t just help it…”

“…”

“It’s okay, I’m fine now. The sickness has passed. It’s just a bad joke, people. Nothing to be alarmed about. I’d tell you guys about it later but I doubt you’ll find it as funny as it was to me.”

“So… what do you say? Do you accept my proposal and choose to become my son?”

“Just one question before I agree…”

“What is it?”

“Can I pick my own name?”

********************************************************************************************

Wohooo! We jumped 4 places to number #34. Just another 4 more places before we reached the #30th spot. Thank you those who voted. My heart has mended.

This chapter is dedicated to readers VeryEllsie, Alkanyseus TomaMuli, Ruin51, Bene, as well as the countless others who are kind enough to leave a review.

So how will Joze react when he finds out he's been replaced? What name will the boy chooses to call himself? Will we find out the bad joke that made the boy go lol? ? Find out next week on Demon Hero Reaper Saviour Heroic Demons Episode VII: The Saviour's Reaping...

Leave a review if you wanna help me me reach the 30th place in the Best Rated category or a comment if you see any plot-holes, glaring grammar mistakes or just wanted to show your appreciation.