Nicholas held his hand hanging in the air. Irene was unfazed. She looked at Nicholas straight in the eyes, therefore she could see Nicholas wasn't focusing on her. She didn't feel the pressure Basil was emitting, however she could still feel the faint dread he was emitting.
"Huuh... You may leave!"
Lastly, Nicholas put his hand down. Irene didn't ask any further question as she directly went inside the mansion. The atmosphere was so thick one can cut through it. Nicholas gritted his teeth. He didn't want to back down just like that.
Boom!
He also emitted his own pressure as three Magic Circles floated behind him. Two of them were Major Circle. The pressure of the two people clashed against each other. The surrounding air turned heavier as it was overwhelmed with Mana.
Shirley looked at them from the side and could see the situation was getting out of hands. She couldn't help herself from shouting, "Brother, Father!" She was feeling bitter. Why did her family become like this?
The two people retracted their pressure and turned their heads at Shirley. They were met with the scene of Shirley tearing up while looking at them. Nicholas instantly developed a complicated expression on his face, while Basil was as stoic as ever.
"Please.. stop!"
"Shirley, my dear..."
"Why can't our family be normal?"
"We are, dear. We have always been."
Shirley shook her head and gazed at Nicholas right in his eyes. Myriads of emotion were conveyed in a single second.
"No, Father. You have never loved Brother as much as you love me, do you?"
"Honey, that is—"
"Please, Father..."
"..."
Nicholas opted to stay silent. He dodged Shirley's eyes and turned his head at Basil instead. His eyes turned cold as he met Basil's calm eyes.
"It was you, wasn't it?" Nicholas muttered spitefully. Basil faintly quirked his eyebrow and calmly asked, "What?" Nicholas clenched his fist and indignantly exclaimed, "The one who poisoned her mind!"
Basil stared at Nicholas in faint amusement. He had never once manipulated Shirley into believing how bad he had been treated by Nicholas, despite it being the reality. Shirley had figured it out by herself.
Tens of years is more than enough time to grasp how one's parents treat one's siblings. It is a natural occurrence. Nicholas was merely seeking for a scapegoat as he had gotten exposed.
"Brother didn't tell me anything, Father. I realized it by myself, and it's getting clearer each day."
In Nicholas' surprise, Shirley defended Basil in his stead. He was bewildered before rage clouded his mind. Not even his daughter was on his side. Everything was starting to getting out of his hands. All of it because the accursed brat!
"You..! Just what poison did you feed to my daughter?!"
The clash seemed about to erupt once again. Nicholas' eyes showed his feelings plainly. Burning rage could be seen on his eyes as he looked at Basil heatedly.
"Young Master, I am ready."
At that moment, a voice that somehow diffused the stifling atmosphere was heard. Everyone's eyes turned to the speaker, and they could see Irene with two suitcases and a backpack standing in front of the door.
"Very well. We will immediately depart to my mansion," answered Basil coolly. Irene nodded her head and moved to Basil's side. However, Nicholas couldn't let the matter go just like that. He shouted, "Do you think you can go?!"
As opposed to the boiling Nicholas, Basil was the definition of calm. "Yes, I can. I can come and go whenever I please. Not even you, or your shadows can stop me." Silence greeted Basil as Nicholas' eyes widened in shock.
Burning rage was replaced with anxiety and fear. Slowly returning his eyes at Basil, he could finally see Basil's spine chilling look.
"I have stacked some heads, and I will be waiting yours."
Tremble!
Nicholas' body shook in horror. Basil's eyes were completely serious. He didn't even try to hide the killing intent. Nicholas was genuinely scared. He had felt some of Basil's power from the brief clash. It wasn't something he could scoff at.
The thing he had been afraid of had been finally realized. He had tried get rid of Basil as soon as possible to no avail. He had also tried to control him to no avail again. Finally, Basil had perfectly become a confounding variable in his life.
Basil didn't give Nicholas even a glance as he turned his body to the side. Basil faced Irene and stored all of her luggage inside his Spatial Ring. Then, without looking back, Basil moved his feet to leave the Cobham Viscountcy along with Irene.
"Brother!"
Shirley chased Basil's back and held his sleeve tightly. Basil stopped in his track and turned around. He looked at Shirley, and se looked back at him with her teary eyes.
"We.. we will meet again, right?!"
Nod.
"I can still come to your place, right?!"
Nod.
"Thank you!"
Shirley went to hug Basil and he returned her hug tenderly. Shirley held onto Basil for some time before letting him go. Basil patted her head once and left the vicinity with Irene in tow.
Shirley watched the two people's backs untill they disappeared from her view. She turned her body and was met with Nicholas' complicated gaze. Shirley shook her head in disappointment and went inside the mansion.
Nicholas gritted his teeth in burning rage. His eyes were planted on the direction where Basil had just left.
"Again.. you are sealing your own fate."
With eyes lit in fire of fury, Nicholas vowed in his heart to settle all the matters once and for all.
...
Basil and Irene were already inside a luxurious carriage that they had found a few moments earlier. Irene was looking at Basil in slight concern. What had just happened earlier had not been a very good farewell after all.
"Will it be alright, Young Master? Your father is pretty mad in my opinion."
Basil opened his eyes and gazed at Irene in her eyes. He raised his eyebrow slightly and calmly answered, "Father? It is unexpected of you to say it." Irene was slightly taken aback by Basil's sure tone.
"Well.. since he is no longer my Master, I will not call him Master like I used to. Therefore..." Irene stopped her reasoning as she could see Basil had an amused smile on his face. "Young Master...?" She asked uncertainly.
"Why do you think he is my father?"
"That is because—"
"We are not blood related."
Gasp.
Irene widened her eyes and covered her mouth with her hand in shock. She wasn't shocked with the fact Basil was adopted. She was already aware of Basil's adoption. She was shocked Basil knew the fact.
"How did you...?"
"As expected you have already know."
"That is.. I... I am sorry, Young Master."
Irene bowed her head in apology. Basil didn't mind that. What Irene had done was logical. She had no right nor the obligation to tell that to Basil. Furthermore, she couldn't predict how it would have affected Basil if she had told him.
Therefore, her choice to stay silent had been correct.
Irene raised her head and softly asked, "When did you know it?" Basil answered her casually, "A long time ago." Irene sighed and muttered, "Then, you must have known about your father." This time, Basil was silent.
Due to the lack of response from Basil, Irene raised her eyes and gazed at Basil. She widened her eyes in the next moment as realization dawned upon her.
"You.. you don't.. know?"
"I don't. Therefore, you can tell me now."
Irene kept her silence. Basil didn't prod her any further. He closed his eyes and resumed to forge his body and cultivate his Mana Heart. Irene looked at that Basil and sighed helplessly.
"I don't know as much as you think. Will you still hear it?"
"I am all ears."
Thus, the story began.
***
{Irene's Recount}
It was a rainy night. The master hadn't come home yet like he had always done for the past year. However, I knew it instinctively something would be different that night. I walked through the kitchen to make sure the food was ready for the master later.
However, at that time, I met someone who I knew pretty well. He was the most trusted subordinate of the master. He was drenched from head to toe. When I saw his face, I actually recoiled in surprise.
He had an expression of someone who had just seen a ghost. I observed him carefully, and only then did I see the bloodstain on his clothes and the bundle in his embrace.
"Sir Cobham, what happened to you?!"
I asked him frantically. He could only look at me emptily and tried to form some words to no avail. At that moment, I knew something was wrong. As I was just trying to tell him to sit, he finally opened his mouth.
"Irene. Sir Halton.. he.. he gave me this..."
"What is with Sir Halton? What did he give to you?!"
I was already frantic at the mention of my Master's name. A bad premonition started to sprout in my heart. I was filled with concern and extreme worry as I couldn't help to scurry over him.
"He gave me this."
"This is..."
Sir Cobham showed me the bundle in his embrace and the scene was forever etched in my brain. What I saw inside the bundle was undoubtedly a godsend gift. It was pure, beautiful, and warming.
It was a baby.
I looked up at Sir Cobham and what I could see was sadness and helplessness. He stared at me and said forlornly, "The baby is Sir Halton's." The premonition turned into reality and I was reluctant to ask. However, my curiosity got the best of me.
"Where is Sir Halton?"
"I don't know."
That was it. The nail is set on the coffin. I couldn't wrap my mind around that fact. I prodded him to elaborate, however he was just as clueless as I was. He had only received the baby from the injured Sir Halton and he didn't know the rest as Sir Halton had quickly run away to somewhere he couldn't know.
From his story I could deduce someone was targeting sir Halton's life. However, I still held hope that Sir Halton might still be alive out there. Surely, reality often disappoints people. Even after a month, Sir Halton still didn't come back.
"Irene. Sir Halton is pronounced dead, and I will inherit his position as the new Viscount. Will you help me to raise the boy?"
At that time, I was devastated. Things escalated so quickly I couldn't believe what happened. Suspicion bloomed in my heart. Ever since that day, I could see Sir Cobham's change of behavior.
He became colder and distance. He was often absent-minded or thinking about matters I could never know. When he said he would inherit Sir Halton's position, I didn't really know what to do.
My loyalty was on the previous Master, not on him. However, when I looked at the bundle of joy in my hands, my decision was made in the spot. The kid belonged to my late master, therefore I had the obligation to raise him in my Master's stead.
"I will help you."
"I thank you very much."
That was how it began. The Baron had risen to the position of Viscount. Inheriting was rather lacking to describe it. Sir Cobham had perfectly taken everything from sir Halton.
There was no more Rothermere Viscountcy. It was replaced with Cobham Viscountcy. There was no more Rothermere Manor, it was replaced with Cobham Manor.
All of Sir Halton's subordinate had also become Sir Cobham's subordinate, forgetting their previous Master quickly.
Everyone seemed to forget about Sir Halton. I was befuddled, however I couldn't do much thing. I was merely a maid and nothing more. Therefore, I only focused myself on raising the only inheritance Sir Halton left behind that would always belong to him.
It was none other than his son.
{End of Recount}
***
"There are still many things I don't know about what happened at that day. Nicholas must know something, but he always keeps it to himself."
"There are so many strange things that I can tell in a glance."
Irene could only nod her head in agreement. Even in her perspective, she knew her story was too lacking. She couldn't help it. She really didn't know anything but that.
"Was Nicholas that caring toward me when I was a baby?"
Irene stayed silent for a while as Basil didn't even give Nicholas the least courtesy anymore. Surely, she knew what Basil did wasn't wrong in the slightest. She nodded her head and opened her mouth.
"Yes, he was caring toward you.. before that woman came in."
Irene ended her words spitefully. Basil knew who she was referring to and opted to stay silent. He had known what kind of person Catherine was a long time ago.
"Ever since she came, everything changed. Nicholas turned even more distance and arrogant. He became the perfect example of peanut forgetting its skin."
"I see. If I may ask, do you know anything about my mother?"
The one million gold question was asked. Irene knew it would be coming, however she still couldn't help herself from being momentarily silent. Sighing to herself, she shook her head in apology.
"I am sorry, Young Master. I don't know anything about your mother. However, you don't have to worry. You are really Sir Halton's son as you really resembled him."
Irene ended her words and held Basil's hands in reassurance. The warmth was conveyed perfectly. However, Basil didn't really need her reassurance. He didn't have any emotional bond toward his biological parents after all.
"Then.. can you tell me about my father instead?"
"Of course! I can tell you about Sir Halton. Sir Halton was a benevolent person. He had always treated people fairly and..."
Irene kept talking about everything she knew about Halton Rothermere, Basil's biological father. Basil listened to her story attentively. He was curious about his father too.
After all, even in his previous life, there had never been any mention about Rothermere Viscountcy or a person called Halton Rothermere.
Another unknown thing was unveiled, and Basil was sure it wouldn't be the last.