NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: The Mallornes (2)
"Why would I need to? The remarks from your private tutors speak enough about whatever talents you may or may not have."
"I never had a tutor for any of those," Adrien stated. "Mother taught me how to play the piano and violin. I learned how to draw on my own."
"I wasn't referring to those leisure activities. If one cannot keep up with their studies or gain a grasp on basic knowledge, then there is no way they would have the time to properly enjoy such hobbies or learn how to excel at them."
"You would change your mind if you would only look at them," Adrien pleaded, knowing that the Original Adrien wanted some form of acknowledgement from his father.
The Count banged his hand against the table. "That is enough. I will hear no more of this. It appears that you need a firmer hand than what I have been providing."
Adrien looked down at the floor, anger flashing vividly in his ocean-colored eyes. He believed he had done enough for the original Adrien. There was no way he could ever gain the Count's acknowledgement.
"What are you still doing here?" The Count growled when he realized that Adrien made no attempt to leave.
Without lifting his gaze, Adrien left the study. There was still twenty minutes until dinner.
Adrien decided to take a walk in the garden to help cool off. He didn't want to face the rest of his family while still pissed-off.
The air was at a moderately warm temperature that wasn't too hot. A slight breeze would blow by every once in a while, ruffling Adrien's long hair.
Adrien brought a hand up and grabbed a good bit of his hair and pulled it to where he could see it. It's longer than what I kept as Seo-jun. Maybe I should trim it? I don't want to go too short because this body is a bit more on the feminine side and short hair just wouldn't look as good.
"Look who we have here," a snide voice sounded from in front of Adrien. "Look who's finally been let out of the cellar."
Adrien looked up to find the twins. Cedric, the eldest of the two, kept his hair long just like the Count's. Brayden, the second eldest, kept his hair short, he also had a mole on his left middle finger. Other than that, the two were practically identical.
"Brayden," Cedric warned his brother. "Mother is home. Do not let her catch you speaking like that."
Brayden sneered, his blue eyes filled with hatred as he stared at Adrien. "I don't know why mother dotes on him so much. He is nothing but a stain on our family name."
Adrien shook his head, finding this second eldest brother of his a bit on the idiotic side. "Remember, dear brother, we all share the same parents. The only one staining their reputation is you." Adrien turned around after that, deciding that he should attempt his walk at another time.
"You-! Hey! Where are you going! Get back here!" Brayden yelled, sounding much like a two-year-old throwing a tantrum.
"Young Master Adrien." Nadeline, who had just returned from a trip out into the shopping district, greeted him. "I bought what you asked me to. Shall I take it up to your room."
"Yes, please. Thank you, Nadeline." Adrien had Nadeline pick him up a diary while she was out in town on an errand from the Head Maid. "Oh, Nadeline?" He called out to her before she could disappear up the stairs.
"Yes, Young Master?"
"Do you know how to cut hair?" Adrien asked.
Nadeline gave a curt nod of her head. "Yes, Young Master Adrien. Will you be wanting a trim sometime today?"
Adrien found himself smiling. "Yes. I'm thinking of trimming my hair a bit. Maybe up to my ears? I'm not sure how short I want to go, but I thought it would be nice to clean it up a bit before the start of the new school year."
"I can do that." Nadeline's smile grew. Her expression was extremely happy and it was quite possible that the girl had been wanting to trim Adrien's hair for a while.
Adrien departed after that, leaving Nadeline to her duties. He made his way to the dining room, surprised to find the Countess already there.
The Countess was dressed in a long, white petticoat underneath an olive-green skirt, a white shirtwaist, and an olive-green jacket. Her pale-blonde hair was styled up in a tight bun with a few strands of hair falling loosely down her heart-shaped face.
Adrien gave a mental nod of approval. So, the Countess is where Adrien gets his looks? Honestly, the boy doesn't resemble the Count in the slightest, even the blue in his-my hair is slightly lighter.
"Hello, Mother," Adrien greeted. He searched his memories to figure out which seat was designated to him. He had learned that in noble households, each person had their own seat based on their position in the household. After figuring out which seat was his, he sat down.
"Your face is looking much better. How is the rest of your body healing, my dear Adrien?" Her pale-green eyes looked at him in concern.
"I'm feeling much better." A frown contorted his lips unconsciously as he thought about the injuries that this body had sustained before his soul had entered it.
A small, sad smile flickered across the Countess' face. "It'll be over in just a few more years, my dear. After you graduate from Tris, you can take over managing the Vespa household. Father is getting up there in years and wishes for you to study under him so that you may take it over one day."
Adrien found himself frowning. Cedric, as the eldest, was set to inherit the Mallorne County. And Arnold Ratcliff, the Countess' father, had no heir so it was only normal for Brayden to inherit the title of Count Vespa since he was Teressa's second son. Technically, being the third son, Adrien shouldn't have any right to inherit anything unless the family purposely chose to give him something or if something happened to either the first or second son.
And wasn't the Countess the temporary heir? Women could hold titles in the Velron Kingdom, so shouldn't she be named as the heir?
"It's what my father wishes, and I agree," the Countess said, easily reading Adrien's facial expressions.
Conversation dropped after that with the entrance of Cedric and Brayden. Cedric took his seat, greeting the Countess like normal. Brayden on the other hand, shot a menacing glare at Adrien.
"Brayden," The Countess warned, her voice sharp. "You are brothers, please put away your differences."
"Yes, Mother," Brayden answered, having no intention of heading her words.
The doors opened to the dining room and Count Mallorne strolled in. He took his seat at the head of the table and the staff immediately came out with the food.
This was the first time that Adrien was eating with the whole family so this was his first time seeing a full-course meal. There was turkey, ham with pineapple slices, deviled eggs, pickled asparagus, seasoned carrots, buttered squash, roasted sliced potatoes, and flaky bread.
Adrien watched as the servants served each member their food. He quietly watched the others, secretly trying to learn how they ate. After a few seconds, he picked up his silver and began eating, imitating them while making sure to keep his elbows off the table.
The meal passed by without any incidents. Adrien was able to escape quietly back to his room. He grabbed the diary that Nadeline had left out on the writing desk for him.
He flipped it open to the first blank page and stared at it for a while before deciding what to write.
5-16-984
'Seo-yeon, Seo-ah, I'm sorry that I left you the way I did. If this ever finds your way to you, I wish to let you know that I'm doing well.' Adrien hoped for the diary to somehow slip back into his world and not for one of his sisters to find themselves in this world. He hoped for the two of them to live long and happy lives.