Sat’xahr, 4044 AOT

Fourth Watch Tower, Asylum’s Clubroom

Tristan enters the clubroom. He finds Duke wiping the table by the kitchen area. Of course, the watch tower did not have a kitchen, they just arranged a part of it to look like one. It is just one medium sized table where Duke usually prepares tea or coffee and some snacks.

“You’re not with your sister?” Emil suddenly asks while coming down from the second floor.

“She’s with Azalea and Blair in the lounge. I believe she’d be fine.” Duke responds looking satisfied at the tidied table.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to leave those three unattended.” Tristan mumbles while walking to the couch.

“You worry too much, Prez.” Evancross takes the nearby chair.

“When did he get here?” Tristan did not notice when Evancross has entered the clubroom. He is sure that there were only Duke and Emil inside a while ago.

“Who wants some snacks?” Duke opens the cupboard to check on their supplies.

“I’d like some tea.” Evancross answers casually.

Tristan stares at Duke while he prepares the tea. “Why do you act so much like a caretaker?”

“Hm… It think… It became a habit since I have been taking care of my little sister.”

“Aren’t you spoiling her too much? She looks like she’d die if you forgot to look after her for a day.”

“Don’t worry.” He smiles gently. “Prim can take care of herself, she just doesn’t want to.”

“That’s not something to be proud of.”

“Don’t you have any siblings that took care of you or you took care off when they were younger?” His tone is filled with curiosity.

“I do have siblings.” Tristan is the second born out of three children. “But our age differences are kind of close… We didn’t really take care of each other the way you do.”

“Is that so?...”

“Y-yeah, we’re also very different… so we kind of have our own sets of hobbies and group of friends.” He says while fiddling with his fingers. “Now that I think about it… Prim and Duke should be close to my age, since we’re all first years here. But he behaves way older… I wonder how far they’re age gap is.”

While Tristan is lost in his thoughts, another person enters the clubroom. The middle aged man with unkempt black hair, rough beard, and eye bags stared at them for a while before letting out a deep sigh.

“Good afternoon, Professor Claws.” Tristan greets him politely. He is the appointed adviser for their club.

“Are you the only ones here?” The professor looks around. “Whatever. I’ll just take a nap in the second floor.” He then casually walks up the stairs.

“Even our prof thinks that this club is a place for napping.” Tristan mumbles.

“Well, if you are the homeroom adviser of the class where both Azalea and Blair are assigned, it won’t be a surprise if you’d be that stressed.” Emil says jokingly.

Tristan chuckles. “Right.”

“By the way, Evan has an older brother, right?” Duke carefully sets the prepared tea down the table. “The one from BK. He did help us out one time.”

“Yes.” Evancross smiles back before picking up the tea.

“How about Emil?” Tristan suddenly got curious since they are on the topic.

“Mhm.” Emil clasps his hands while recalling the past. “I used to have someone who was like a younger sister to me.”

“Used to…” Tristan notices that it might be a heavy topic so he decides not to dig deeper into it. He turns towards Evancross. “So Evan, what’s your brother like?”

Evancross leans back on his chair. “He’s very strict… on himself.” He puts his business smile on. “He is going to be the next head of the family so it is natural for him to excel in everything.”

“Is there some sort of competition between you two?” Emil grins as he teases.

“There is no way someone like me could compete against my brother.” He replies with the same smile plastered on his face. “I’ve lost long before some sort of competition could start.”

“Is this another heavy topic? Except for Duke, are siblings actually a bad topic in this club?”

“It isn’t like you admitting defeat so easily.” Emil raises his brow.

“Oh-… But there is something I think I mastered better than him.”

“What is it?” Tristan asks curiously.

“Assassination.”

“A-a-asss…” He gulps while turning his sight elsewhere. “T-these cookies are delicious.”

“There’s more over here, if you want.” Duke takes another box out of the cupboard.

“T-thanks.”

“The way you’re changing the topic is so obvious, I can’t help but comment on it.” Emil snickers.

“That topic is scary!”

“Assassins are just a bunch of cowards who’ll stab you in the back and then run away.” He smirks mockingly.

“Well, it’s better than a brave muscle brain.” Evancross responds sardonically without looking at him.

“Is that why you’re always carrying that creepy sword?”

“This sword isn’t creepy. Your face is.”

“Huh?! Now that I think about it, your personality is creepy too.”

“Why are they suddenly acting like grade schoolers?..”

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