"You're planning to set out on a journey right, Pier?" Raphael and Pier had been talking for quite some time now but neither really got bored. Raphael enjoyed the time he was having with Pier while the latter was simply enjoying the scenario of the beautiful garden in the Sentinio's estate.

"That's correct, Sir Raphael. However, I still need to fix some things before I could go on that said trip without worries," Pier said as he sipped on the lukewarm tea on his teacup. The way the tea was brewed suited Pier's tastebuds.

"Fix?" Raphael was curious about everything when it comes to Pier. He would always urge the young master to continue explaining whenever he would give vague statements. Pier also found this behavior pretty funny because Raphael was like a child asking his parents about numerous things.

Pier nodded his head and took a small bite out of the pastry that was served. It was really good and even though he was never a fan of sweet things back in his life, the Pier of this world seems to enjoy eating sweet delicacies.

"There seem to be some minor problems at the household. I need to fix them before I can go on that 'adventure'," He spoke and placed emphasis on the adventure. Pier didn't know why but he just felt like it. He laughed at his own actions that his shoulders were slightly shaking.

Raphael, who noticed this immediately asked Pier in worry.

"Are you cold, Pier?" The sun was already starting to set and the two have been talking for around two hours now. Pier also noticed how much time had passed and gasped inwardly.

'Father says I need to dine with them today.' It was the first time in a very long time that Ronnovian had invited Pier personally to dinner with them. However, Pier did not really like the thought of Ronnovian inviting his son after a few years just because his son was starting to stir the social circles of the kingdom in a surging manner.

"I'm good, Raphael. I need to go now too since my father was expecting me to have dinner with my family," Pier said as he stood. Raphael lightly scratched the back of his head as he watched Pier stand up from the chair he was sitting in.

"About that..." Raphael hesitated as if he was embarrassed with what he was about to say

Pier tilted his head to the side like a kid and hummed in response

"My family was expecting that you would ... uh..."

'What's wrong with him?' Pier asked himself as he watched the young noble stutter a little bit. What happened to the Raphael that everyone loved and respected? Why was the successor of the Sentinio Duchy acting this way? Pier was curious as well.

"My family was expecting to have dinner with you, Pier. Forgive me, I informed you late because I was looking forward to you visiting so much." Raphael scratched his reddened neck once more. He was embarrassed about his carelessness that he informed Pier late about the dinner the Sentinio household was expecting with him.

"Oh... if that's the case then I shall attend." Pier watched Raphael give a surprised look.

"But the headmaster is also expecting you, Pier," Raphael said with hesitance. Opposing the Headmaster's orders would simply mean one is requesting for his head to roll on the ground and no one was exempted, even the highest-ranking household among the nobles like the Sentinio Duchy would feel wary towards opposing Ronnovian's commands.

"It's fine, my father will understand. I will personally tell him that it was on my own accord to spend dinner with the Sentinio household." However, regardless of how terrifying the headmaster of the Belmiunde Household, Pier was known to disobey Ronnovian's words and come out unscathed.

"Then I will lead you myself inside, Pier," Raphael said with a satisfied and relieved expression on his face. Pier nodded but momentarily arranged the utensils and the luxury plates he had used.

Raphael who was shocked at Pier's actions immediately went to grab Pier's hands.

"Pier, it's fine, the servants will clean up," he said nervously. Pier had never acted this way before and doing the servant's job was like insulting Pier's family name as well.

"Oh, I am good, Raph. I just want to arrange these properly. I was the one who used them anyway," Pier said before removing Raphael's hold and finishing arranging the plates and utensils he had used. Even though Eliam had been living in luxury in his younger years before moving out of college, he had still been taught to clean after his own mess. He was not comfortable with the servants cleaning up after everything thus, decided to at least arrange the things he had used.

Seeing that Pier does not seem he would stop even if Raphael tried to, he only watched with a nervous expression as the young master arranged the utensils.

After Pier had done so, the servants brought him a clean cloth to wipe his hands and the two started heading inside the duchy's mansion. The servants attending the nobles simply looked at the young master in bewilderment as they saw one of the most peculiar actions a noble has ever done.

"Pier, please allow the servants to attend to your needs the next time" Raphael was concerned with Pier's behavior. It wasn't that the young noble hated seeing servants or had any ill intention towards them, it was just that rumors may start to spread around the social circles of how Pier was doing a servant's job and would ruin his image once more. He disliked the thought of that.

'I need to talk with the servants later,' He made a mental note to have a word with the servants who saw Pier's helpful actions.

"Sure." Pier simply nodded and started walking beside Raphael.

---

"Greetings, Duke Castillo and Duchess Petunia." Pier bowed flawlessly as he saw the couple inside the mansion. They were attending to a child whom Pier estimated was around the same age as Nicholas.

"Greetings to the young master of the Belmiunde Household" Duchess Petunia greeted Pier with a straight face. Pier felt a slightly uncomfortable feeling as he watched the duchess' face. Unlike the Duchess, Duke Castillo greeted Pier with a smiling face.

"Greetings, Young Master Pier!" Duke Castillo, whom Raphael certainly got his handsome genes from had shown a manly appearance that was a little bit on the mature side.

'This family's genes are no joke!' He inwardly thought. Pier then realized why he was getting a slightly uncomfortable feeling from the Duchess.

'She's like my mom' Eliam's mother in his previous life was similar to that of the Duchess.

'Ah, I kind of miss her even though our relationship was never good.' Pier smiled at them. Years of dealing with such a person were nothing but child's play to him right now.

"It is my greatest pleasure to have been invited along with the Sentinio Household's dinner." He then smiled. A smile full of sophistication and elegance and was neither too broad nor too thin. The perfect smile a noble individual should have.

Pier was guessing the reason why the duchess exerted that sort of attitude.

'Either she's testing how well I manage myself and how I portray noble characteristics or she simply has an ill feeling towards me.' He felt a little bit bad about how he thought of Raphael's mother but it was accurate thinking on how he should handle these kinds of things as well.

From the way he walked to the way Eliam spoke, he was pressured and molded into perfection. A prodigy and a genius that could analyze and solve any problem. He knew how to handle things properly thus allowing his parents to easily force things into a habit.

Duchess Petunia was slightly in awe with how Pier smiled. The smile was full of confidence and exudes the true essence of nobility. Raphael and Duke Castillo only smiled at Pier as they saw the Lady of the Duchy test Pier's actions.

They were even slightly surprised to see that the duchess had not removed her eyes from the young noble. She simply laid her gaze on Pier's face as he smiled and talked with her.

"Brother!" Pier directed his gaze into the child who called Raphael. He scanned his memories and remembered the younger child of the Sentinio household as well as Raphael's younger brother.

"Come here, Gage." Raphael crouched down as the boy ran in his arms.

"I missed you!" Pier smiled at how the child acted. It was just the same with Nicholas.

"Ah, forgive your older brother. I had very important matters to attend to," Raphael said as he glanced at Pier when he said 'very important matters'. The young boy, Gage, then noticed Pier who was standing at the entrance of the mansion.

"Bad brother!" Pier flinched at the name cast upon him.

"Gage, do not call the young master names like that!" Duke Castillo lightly scolded Gage. However, the child ignored him and continued pointing his index finger at Pier.

"You are the bad brother sister Lilia talked about!" Everyone excluding Pier gasped at the words of the child, especially the duchess who immediately bowed.

"Forgive my son, young master! He is still a child and is easily influenced by others' words!" Her face was stricken with panic and anxiousness as she watched Pier's reaction. The Duke and Raphael both had unreadable expressions as they watched Pier as well.

Lilia was the person whom Raphael had dated when he was engaged with Pier and was the spy that was affiliated with the duchy's enemies. They never knew that Lilia had such influence over Gage and was simply shocked by the words that Gage said when he met Pier.

Pier was baffled by the sudden turn of events. Pier blinked his eyes a few times before coming near Gage. He crouched down and looked at Gage's eye. Raphael and his parents were anxiously watching the young master interact with their youngest son.

Pier Belmiunde and his family were close to royalty. They had power and influence that is almost at the same level as the kingdom's royal family and even though the Sentinio Household is powerful, they still could not compare with the Belmiunde's thus, their anxiousness if Pier would punish the young child who called him a bad brother.

Pier thought that they were overreacting with something like this. Who would punish an innocent child for calling someone of higher status an unpleasant name? He thought that the rules implemented in this world were too childish.

He patted Gage's hair. Pier refrained from patting it too much because of its softness.

"Why am I bad brother, Gage?" Pier asked Gage with a curious gaze. Honestly, he thought that Lilia was simply a minor antagonist in Pier's past but it seems like her influence still lingers on the young Gage's mind.

"Because sister Lilia said bad brother hurts other families!" He exclaimed as if he was reciting a poem he memorized. Pier laughed at the young child's excitement.

"Bad brother is not bad anymore, Gage. Bad brother now has turned into good brother!" He said mimicking the tone a child has. It was simple, really, kids were too gullible. It was partially true that Pier was not a good person before because he was too obsessed with romantic feelings but it was not enough justification for people to label him as someone evil.

"Really? Is it true bad brother is now good brother?" Gage looked up at Raphael and the latter gulped.

"Yes, Gage, the young master is now a good brother" Raphael did not know how to respond to his younger brother's actions. The idea of a good dinner with Pier in his mind was now ruined because of what Lilia had taught Gage.

"Then I can be friends with good brother?" His eyes were sparkling as he looked at Pier as if he was indeed a good person. Pier laughed lightly at how innocent Gage was acting.

"Of course, Gage. This good brother will be your friend." Gage clapped happily before approaching Pier and holding his hand out. Pier touched Gage's small hand and Gage initiated a handshake between the both of them. He exclaimed as he gained a new friend.

"Pardon my son, young master. He's still too innocent to understand the events that happened before." Duke Callisto, whom people admired so much like the king apologized to Pier sincerely.

"It is alright, Duke Callisto, a child is a child. We cannot ignore the fact that they are innocent and is susceptible to different ideologies" Pier said with a smile.

'Really, this world takes the actions of a child too seriously.' He internally scoffed at his thoughts.

The duke nodded and then urged the family along with Pier to the dining area of the mansion.

--

The dining area of the duke's mansion was extremely luxurious. Pier was in awe as he let his eyes roam around the entirety of the room. It was extremely spacious and servants were all busy preparing the food of the family for the night.

"Please have a seat, Pier." Raphael pulled one of the chairs and allowed Pier to sit. He was acting like a real gentleman right now. Pier nodded with satisfaction.

'His wife will be lucky,' He thought as he thought about Raphael's future love life. The young noble was a gentleman and had dazzling looks to pair with. He was not lacking in any aspect.

The Duke and the Duchess only stared at the interaction between the two young nobles with interest.

The Duchess was acting friendlier and friendlier with Pier as soon as she saw Pier's elegant and noble-like movements. She was a strict believer of how an individual should act and she saw how well Pier carried himself even amidst circumstances.

'I like the young master!' She said with her eyes as she and Duke Callisto conversed with their inner thoughts.

Duke Callisto nodded at what his wife was trying to imply.

"This is really good, Raphael," Pier said as he munched on the food that was served. Raphael proudly nodded at Pier's words and the same goes with the Sentinio couple.

"Of course, we pick the best out of the best for the household." Duchess Petunia said as she exuded a proud aura around her. Pier smiled at them and took a bite out of his food again.