Chương 57: Vol. 2 - Birthday Party

"Brother?"

"What?" I glanced at Big Sis and Ella.

"What is this…" Big Sis gestured to my clothing.

"Outfit that you're wearing?"

"Oh, my home clothes, why?" I turned my attention back to my book on acting. My next mission requires me to act quite a bit.

"I got Art to send me a few here,""We understand that you got a promotion and are feeling a little rich, but…" Ella's voice trailed off. I frowned. I've never seen Ella this flustered before.

"What?" I put down my book. Now, I was really curious. What is wrong with my clothes?

"She thinks that your outfit is too revealing…it makes us want to rush over and squish your abs!" Big Sis squealed.

"Nope, that's just you," Ella rolled her eyes.

"But I do think that it's a little too revealing. And it makes you look like a cold Prince, which might be bad if a royal saw you like this." I glanced at myself.

"How is this revealing? Don't worry, I don't plan on wearing this out."

"Your robe is literally revealing most of your chest!" Big Sis exclaimed as she leaned dangerously close to me.

"See," she traced the exposed part of my chest.

"Oh," I said, deep in thought.

"But I like this outfit,""Big Sis! Get away from him!!" Ella dragged Big Sis a few metres away from me.

"You have absolutely no self-control when you're with him, and neither of us knows why!" Ella reprimanded.

"Stop giving him flirty glances! And actually start acting like an older sister to him!!"

"But I don't wanna," Big Sis protested like a child.

"That's just my natural personality! You can't change my personality…" Ella ignored her.

"And you!" Ella glanced at me.

"Stop giving in to her just because she's your sister! You should stop doting on both of us."

"But I just said that I liked my robe,""Yeah, sure, if you like it, then wear it."

"But just now—""If you like it, then wear it! Don't make me repeat myself," Ella cut me off. Right now, she looked like a real older sister taking care of her younger sister.

"Ok…"

"Ding!" I glanced at mt phone. It was ten in the morning. What on earth does Matron want at this ungodly hour? Usually, I only head to the casino by eleven. But it was Art who sent me the text: Come now.

"I've got to go now," I put down my book on the coffee table before standing up.

"Art is calling me to finish up some paperwork."

"Art?" Big Sis raised an eyebrow.

"Is it that teal-haired girl?" She smirked.

"Yes, why?" I paused at the stairs.

"Nothing!" Big Sis sniggered to herself.

"Brother, do you know what day it is today?" Ella asked.

"21st December, why? Is something happening today?" Ella glanced at Kaori, and they winked at each other.

"Nothing!" They both laughed. I thought nothing more about it. It was just Ella and Big Sis being themselves. Last night, I finally realised why Ella was so disappointed that morning. She had found the letter from Project Atlas on my table that day and thought that I couldn't attend her concert because I was going to fight in Project Atlas's tournament.

"Art, what's so urgent?" I asked as soon as I saw Art at the foot of the casino.

"You've got two letters, both of which are important," Art said urgently.

"Come with me." She led me into my office, where two letters sealed with gold lay on my table.

"This is it?" I glanced at the two letters.

"Why are they so important?"

"You don't know?" Art looked at me incredulously.

"Gold seals are either from the Royals or very important people." I nodded slowly as I picked up the first letter. From His Majesty, Arthur Fontaine, Thirty-Third Sovereign of the Kingdom of Lucarion To Lord Alistair Nightfall, By the authority vested in Me as the Thirty-Third King of Lucarion, it is hereby decreed that you are elevated from the rank and dignity of Lord to that of Duke. Your influence has not gone unnoticed.

The depth with which you have impressed yourself upon the mind and heart of My daughter speaks not merely of charm, but of presence, resolve, and uncommon strength of character. Such qualities are not easily found among the nobility of this age. In light of your forthcoming academic pursuits, I shall suspend the heavier burdens of ducal governance for a limited number of years. Consider this both a concession and an investment.

When you have come fully into your power—tempered by knowledge, discipline, and experience—I intend to entrust to you the stewardship of Lucarion in its entirety. My sons stand in agreement that you possess the rare capacity to alter the tides of history. With you, the future of this kingdom may yet be secured against uncertainty and decline. Do not mistake this elevation as a mere reward. It is an expectation. Carry it with the dignity befitting your new station.

By My hand and seal, His Majesty, Arthur Fontaine King of Lucarion Promotion? Yippee, I guess? I was not expecting that from His Majesty two years later, but that just means that I must have left a deep impression on Arielle's mind.

"Art," I handed her the letter.

"Help me write a letter back to the King as thanks. But tell him to postpone my promotion ceremony to when I have my debutante," Art's eyes widened when she read my letter and replied, "Yes, Duke Nightfall." I turned back to the remaining letter. It must be from a noble. It must be. Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. I gripped the letter tightly and was just about to open it when…

"You've been promoted from Lord to Duke. Why do you not look elated?" Art interrupted my thoughts.

"I don't really understand the ranks here," I said.

"Really?" Art raised an eyebrow.

"We have Esquires first. They are typically given to a knight in training or commoners who curry their lord's favour. A step above Esquires are Patricians, who are typically older and more well-versed in court life and politics. They curry favour with a margrave, usually to skip the next two ranks and become a Baron. Then, we have knights.

Knights either gain their crest by slaying multiple beasts from deep in the Briarwoods or dungeons where no one has been before, or by being a favour of a Baron or Viscount, enough to represent them in battle. Then, we have Lords, which is the most well-known rank. They are tasked with accompanying barons and commanding knights on special tasks. If I'm not wrong, they have their own personal knights and mages as well."

"Now, Barons are those with a guaranteed holding by a ruler of their respective towns to govern a part of their territory. However, Viscounts are nobility who rule over a small area or even a state! They have many lords, a small army of knights and mages. Then, we have Counts who are more important politically than Viscounts and control more prosperous realms and powers. And Margraves, similar to Counts, are more important militarily than politically. Then we have your rank, Dukes.

Dukes are those who rule cities or even entire countries! But ruling the country is mostly the Archduke's job. The Duke has at least an army of knights and mages of his own and leads small parties with subordinates at a viscount rank. Lastly, before the King, we have the Arch Duke who handles massive territories such as the whole of Lucarion!!"

"Wow…" I thought to myself. My increase in rank will definitely allow me to obtain more information on certain topics.

"Now that you're going to have so many subordinates, we can move this office to your mansion!! I'm sure there'll be enough space there. His Highness will probably build you a work wing at your house! The King is probably going to give you a ton of paperwork instead of handling political affairs since you're still so young." Art quickly jotted that down into her notebook and continued, "Then I'll get ready for all of us to move our home base to your house!" she exclaimed.

"But don't you think this is too risky?" I asked.

"Hm?" Art froze.

"A week from now, my army of soldiers will camp in my residence. And, a week from now, Viscounts will walk in and out of my mansion regularly to either curry favour from me or find weaknesses to drag me down from my position. This is why I didn't want His Highness to announce my promotion. It will only endanger my family, as we are not of age yet." I said coolly.

"Ace, have you forgotten?" Art smiled.

"We are assassins, just trust us," she winked.

"And, as we have been talking for the past six hours, our assassins have already finished building your huge work wing at your mansion and a secret underground home base underneath your work wing."

"If you stand in your enemy's shadow, they will never look down to find you." That does make sense.

"Ara~ ara~" She glanced at her watch.

"Sorry, Ace, I really need to go now. Something important is happening," she apologised.

"Don't worry about it," I gestured for her to leave.

"I guess I'll check out my new workplace later today or tomorrow," I muttered to myself as I packed my things to move over. It has only been a few days since I've been to this office. And honestly, it was not a bad experience. My personal assistant, Art and I have been getting along pretty well. I picked up my beautiful fountain pen when my finger brushed against that letter again. A noble's letter. I picked it up slowly and just stared at it.

"There's no point not opening the letter," I murmured as I sliced open the letter. To His Grace, Duke Alistair Nightfall, Word of your recent elevation travels swiftly. Congratulations are indeed in order. You will forgive me for dispensing with ceremony. As important as you are to me, Duke Alistair, I must deliver this warning without delay. Project Atlas is moving against you. They intend to recruit you into their ranks—and should you refuse, they will not hesitate to force your service.

However, there is a way to avoid this fate. Enrol in Celestara High. Should you do so, you will be granted temporary peace. Your affairs will remain untouched, your movements undisturbed, and your name will not be spoken in places where it would otherwise echo. Celestara High protects its students and, when necessary, their families. This protection, however, is not given lightly. A student who enrols there does so knowing that one day they may be required to place their life on the line.

Consider your decision carefully. Yours sincerely, Valtheris Valtheris? Sigh, my great friend Valtheris has put in so much effort just to warn me about Project Atlas's situation, how could I refuse? In any case, it seems like a benefit for me. Celestara High is known for its vast amount of resources, and joining the student council there makes sure you have good political training. But right now, I see no need to join the student council. I will keep a low profile and avoid attracting any attention.

For the sake of Ella and Kaori, I will attend it then. Since I didn't attend the tournament, Project Atlas is probably trying to force me into a corner, making me serve under them. To protect myself, then, I'd need to know a little more about Kael Callas and Lucien Von Arctis. It was six. I should probably head home for dinner. ~~~~~~~~~~ I stared at my mansion, now twice its original size. It was massive.

"Grrrr…" My stomach growled.

"I guess I'll check out my office tomorrow morning instead," I sighed.

"Ella, Big Sis, I'm h—" I pushed open the door to our house.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!" Confetti rained down on my head as I stared at Big Sis, Ella, Art, Jasper, and Tyler spring up from behind the couch.

"Happy Birthday?" I asked.

"Art, Jasper, Tyler, why are you guys here?"

"Today's your birthday, did you forget?" Big Sis laughed, walking over.

"Ella decided to invite your friends over for your birthday today! Thoughtful, isn't she?"

"Thanks, Ella," I patted her head.

"Now, let's sing you the birthday song, shall we?" Art adjusted the camera in front of the couch and pressed the record button.

"Three seconds! Get into our positions!"

"Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you…" They sang. Today was a joyous occasion. The day of my birth…the day I first met Liora and Renar.

"Close your eyes and make a wish, Ace," Jasper smiled warmly at me like an elder brother. This year, I wish that Ella and Kaori will be safe. If anything were to happen to them, direct it at me instead.

"Whoosh," I blew out the candles. The smoke from the candles curled upward in thin spirals, disappearing into the warm glow of the living room lights.

"YAYYY!" Tyler practically shouted into my ear.

"Don't scream," I muttered, though I couldn't stop the small smile tugging at my lips. Ella clapped excitedly, bouncing in place. Jasper laughed and ruffled my hair like I was still twelve. Big Sis folded her arms with that proud, soft look she always tried to hide. Art darted forward before I could react and gently poked both sides of my cheeks.

"Lift! These! Up!"

"Art—""There we go!" She grinned triumphantly when my expression cracked into something more genuine.

"See? Much better. Handsome and approachable. Rare combination." Big Sis laughed.

"You're impossible."

"I prefer 'essential to team morale,'" Art corrected proudly, then gave me a playful wink.

"Cake first!" Ella announced, holding the knife as if it were a sacred artefact. I sat down as she carefully sliced the cake, her brows furrowed in intense concentration.

"Make the slices even," Jasper teased.

"They are even!" she protested.

"They're abstract," Tyler added. Art gasped dramatically.

"How dare you critique the chef on a sacred birthday ceremony?" I leaned back into the couch, listening to them bicker. The room felt loud. Alive. Warm. Ella handed me the first slice.

"Birthday boy privilege."

"Thank you," I said. I took a bite. Soft vanilla. Sweet strawberries. Just the right amount of cream. Tyler immediately tried to swipe frosting off my plate. I moved it away without looking.

"Try again, and I'll double your training tomorrow."

"Okay, never mind." Jasper chuckled.

"Still scary even on your birthday."

"I'm merciful today," I replied calmly. Art plopped down beside me, shoulder bumping mine.

"You better be. It's illegal to be intimidating while wearing confetti in your hair."

"…There's confetti?" She reached up and brushed it off gently, her fingers lingering for a split second longer than necessary.

"There. Presentable again." Big Sis crossed her arms with a knowing smile.

"Alright!" Jasper clapped.

"Presents!" Ella scrambled to grab a neatly wrapped box.

"Mine first!" She placed it carefully into my hands, watching me like my reaction determined the fate of the world. I peeled the paper back slowly. Inside was a black braided leather bracelet with a small silver star charm.

"I saw it and thought of you," she said shyly.

"It's simple but… cool." I slipped it onto my wrist. It fit perfectly. Art leaned in close to inspect it, practically invading my personal space.

"Ohhh. That's nice. Minimalist. Mysterious. Very you." Tyler nodded.

"Yeah, that's actually good taste." Jasper smiled warmly.

"Suits you." I looked at Ella and gently patted her head.

"Thank you. I like it." Her entire face lit up. Art suddenly gasped again.

"Wait, wait! Group photo!" Before I could protest, she grabbed the camera and rushed back, nearly tripping over a balloon.

"Timer set! Everyone squish in!" Tyler threw an arm around my shoulder. Jasper stood behind us. Big Sis leaned in from the side. Ella pressed against my other arm. Art dove in at the last second, grinning brightly. Click. The flash filled the room. For a moment, everything froze in that single captured frame— Laughter. Warmth. Noise. Home. When the camera beeped to confirm the shot, Art immediately ran back to check it.

"Oh my gosh," she squealed.

"We look adorable."

"Send it to me," Tyler said.

"I'll edit it first," Art replied smugly.

"You all need lighting adjustments. Especially you," she pointed at me.

"Stop trying to look cool in every photo."

"I wasn't."

"You were." Big Sis shook her head fondly.

"He doesn't even realise he does it." I leaned back into the couch, watching them argue over filters and angles like it was a life-or-death decision. My stomach was full. The house was loud. And for once, my mind was quiet. No heavy thoughts. No shadows. No distant memories trying to pull me elsewhere. Just this moment. Just them. Tyler suddenly tossed a party hat at my face.

"Wear it, birthday king."

"I'm not wearing that." Art grinned mischievously.

"Oh, you are." Ella nodded firmly.

"You have to." Five against one. I sighed.

"…Fine." They cheered as they had just won a war.

"So, Ace, what do you plan on doing next year?" Jasper patted my back impatiently. Tyler's eyes were literally begging me to go to Celestara High.

"Actually, I was thinking about going to Celestara High…" I said slowly.

"Really?" Big Sis pounced on me.

"My cute little brother is going to be my junior? Yippee!!" Everyone seemed happy that I'd be going to Celestara High next year.

"You'll definitely get in. After all, you've got us, connections, and you're so strong, and you're a noble! You can easily get into Class S then!"

"Class S?" I asked.

"Class D to A depends on grades, but most nobles go directly to Class S for more benefits," Tyler explained.

"But I was thinking to go to class D then, to investigate something important…" I looked around to make sure Ella wasn't around.

"Mission?" Big Sis asked. I nodded quickly as Ella came running back into the room. The four of them all nodded in understanding.

"So, do you plan on going with Art?" Jasper smirked.

"No," Art smiled.

"As much as I want to accompany him, Ace had already assigned me to attend Aurelieth Maiden Academy to investigate a very important matter."

"I see," Jasper sipped his cup of alcohol slowly, unlike Big Sis, who gulped down everything in one shot.

"Little brother~ have some~," Big Sis handed me her glass of wine, clearly drunk.

"You're already fifteen, you can have some~~" And as the night carried on — with more teasing, more laughter, and Art trying to feed me cake dramatically for the camera — I let myself stay exactly where I was. Not in the past. Not in the future. Just here. Just happy.