14 Knife (1/2)
With a tired face, red eyes, Hector stared through the bathroom mirror at a face that didn't belong to him. It made him feel strange every time. Even though he felt that his body was his own, his face was like the ghost of the person from whom he had stolen the body. This meant that he generally avoided looking at his reflection because for him it was only one more ghost that would continue to haunt him and nothing more.
In any case, his lack of sleep had made his facial features tired after now 4 nights where he was just having nightmares, exactly as before, in his homeworld. He blew as he looked in the mirror one last time before drinking a little water and getting his face wet in the hope of looking a little more awake. The young man looked up at the window, the sun had just risen, its first soft rays brushed silently against the cobblestones of the city's streets.
This morning everyone was supposed to be up early because of a meeting that Hector was supposed to have with the eldest daughter of the Weiler family, Rose, Rose Dragnir. A married woman, so she didn't have the same last name. From what Hector had understood, Rose did not get along at all with her family. Even Amy didn't know why, it was a mystery to many people, even to the maids who had been there for several years. \”A family secret.\” Hector thought as he took his shower half an hour earlier. He had even sarcastically said to himself that not having had a \”real\” family had saved him from this kind of problem.
After some time trying to look more awake, he gave up. Amy had offered to put on makeup at least to hide his dark circles, but he had refused out of pride several times before. But today he was going to have to make a sacrifice. So he had agreed for this time. The makeup was nothing incredible, he just wanted to hide his dark circles, it wasn't going to look good if he showed up for the first time in front of Rose with a zombie's head.
If there was one thing, the young man could say with certainty, it was that he was well surrounded. Amy cared for him and the house while being a moral support, Selena was a \”young\” calm and soothing woman who knew how to defend herself perfectly, Erwin was also a support although he was not often there. The Footman even came to drop off many supplies and military training equipment so that Hector could start doing some exercise while learning the basics of fencing with Selena.
He could easily understand why Krein had chosen Erwin as his friend. Besides, even Helena and Davis had a mature reaction to the news of their son's death. For the time being, Hector considered himself rather lucky, but… what was the conversation with Rose going to look like? He had been warned, she was a strict and cold woman, but a fair woman. She came from a small town in the province where she ruled with her husband, she had created it from A to Z, unlike her parents who had taken over Vaine, a town founded by the grandparents of Davis. Rose owned various farms, including flower farms that she sold directly to her mother, but also others, such as huge farms and forests. The city she had founded a few years after her marriage was not yet as big as Vaine, but it was beginning to grow and become known. In other words, she had made a success of her life from scratch. Hector had respect for this kind of person; they are rare.
During all that time that Hector had been planning and thinking, the sun had risen and was starting to heat the roof tiles. Everyone dressed up, Rose remained a nobleman and, moreover, she was detached from the Weiler family, so Amy, Selena, and Hector preferred to be cautious.
However, one thing remained to be known. Why did she want to come in person to the dusty old house of the former maid of the Weiler family? It was with all these questions that the day began.
\”Is anyone there?\” asked a man's voice from the other side of the front door, then after knocking, he started again. \”Is anyone there?\”
\”Yes, I'm coming!\” Amy shouted a little surprised at the turn of events. Behind the door was a man in his thirties, dressed in clean and refined clothes overhung with light armor. \”Hello, you're Xavier, right? Mrs. Dragnir's bodyguard?\”
\”Yes, I apologize for my harshness. I guess you're Amy. I came to warn you that soon Rose will be here, she's just… a little longer than expected to arrive…\”
\”Oh? Why?\” Amy asked intriguingly.
\”She came in heel shoes…\” breathed the guard with an amused smile. \”And here all the floors are paved, so she twisted her ankle several times. She told me to take the lead and go and warn you.\”
\”Does she need help?\” Hector asked as he stood up, as Xavier analyzed her from head to toe.
\”No, don't worry, Octave and her daughter are taking care of her and… I think she's already embarrassed enough as it is. I don't think she needs any more.\”
\”Octave?\” Hector asked with surprise. \”My big broth- Krein big brother?\”
\”That's correct.\”
This was not something Hector expected, he believed that Krein's older brother was still going out with his class to improve his survival skills. The fact that he was there proved that his little brother meant a lot to him. He must have wanted to come after hearing the news. Hector didn't see any other explanation.
Selena had understood what was bothering the young man, but she could only look, as a valet, she was not allowed to interfere in her employer's business, except when it put his life in danger, of course. She simply slapped his back as comfort and went to meet Xavier with whom she started talking. The two got along pretty well, he both had the same job and therefore about the same vision of the world on some aspect of life.
Amy had gone to get some croissants that she had prepared beforehand and placed them on the coffee table in the living room so that everyone could have some. When Hector saw this, he asked himself a new question, why had Rose come so early in the morning?
\”In my opinion, young man, you think too much\”; the young man remembered that simple sentence and the first sentence that Balam had told him. Stop thinking, you're wasting your time and energy on top of that. You'll ask the questions in due time.
However, even after 4 days, Balam had still not returned. Selena's magic was too powerful and says that Gregory before saying to the Elf: \”Average score, average abilities, but a formidable elf capable of quickly healing serious injuries.\”. If her score were average and not special, what was a person with a very good score and extraordinary abilities? This thought made Hector smile before any noises were heard at the door.
\”Here we are!\” whispered a female voice. \”Wearing heels shoes was really the best idea, I'll thank my husband for making me think about it.\” irked Rose, walking barefoot, with her two shoes in her hand. She was very slightly taller than Hector, her auburn hair was styled into a neat bun, with a few strands still falling in front of her face, while these two black eyes landed on Hector on the other side of the door.
\”Big cities are good, but it has its limits, which is why I prefer the countryside.\”
\”Stop it, Rose, you look like an old farmer from a filthy village.\” replied a young man taller than her; his ashen-black hair was very reminiscent of Hector's, but unlike him, his hair was styled backward.
\”Hold your tongue, Octave.\” Xavier ordered, looking down on the young man.
\”Forget it, Xavier, forget it, it's nothing serious.\” she said, shaking her hand from left to right. \”I allow myself to go come inside.\” she continued as she entered the area with Octave and a young child. \”Xavier, as planned you stay outside, we never know what might happen, especially right now.\” Rose ordered Rose as the bodyguard made a head movement to show that he had understood.
The two groups settled in, then looked at each other for a few seconds before starting to talk. There was some tension, but nothing terrible. Hector didn't feel like a cold and strict woman in Rose, she was rather calm and analytical, but nothing more. After sitting around the coffee table around the still-warm croissants, someone cleared his throat. This harmless act made everyone understand that the real discussion was now about to begin. Hector raised his head immediately, Balam was not there, he would have to rely on his own experiences and analytical skills if he wanted to get the most out of this discussion. The Weiler family's refusal of real help and discussion had already been a defeat in itself, now he had to find some help elsewhere. And not just financial support.
But contrary to what Hector thought, the first person to speak was neither him nor Rose.
\”I came from far away to see if my brother was dead, I didn't really believe it at first, but now that I look at you into your eyes… I know it's true,\” Octave explained, putting his hand on his forehead. \”My mother has already explained everything to me through a letter. However…\” he paused and looked up with a sharp look. \”Nothing proves to me that you're not the one who killed him. Of course, there have already been cases of reincarnation, but these are extremely rare cases, like legends, they are neither proven nor studied. I just can't trust you that easily. It's easy, to be honest when people in front of you know absolutely nothing. You could perfectly lie and that in itself would be just as honest.\” he exploded with anger. \”Whether your name is Hector or Albert, I don't care, the reality is that you currently have my little brother's body under your control and nothing else. Nor is there any evidence that you are not a member of the Andras family, so I can't believe a person like you.\”
A silence took place, the room had gone from a warm atmosphere to a freezing one. Amy had stopped eating her croissant while it was still hanging from her mouth, while Rose looked at her brother with her eyebrows raised.
\”No, the member of the Andras family doesn't have the capacity to inhabit a body for several days, you know that, Octave. Don't distort reality.\” sighed the woman, putting the croissant in her hands on the table. \”Moreover, you frighten my daughter and you are noisy, so if you have come for the only purpose of spitting out your anger and sadness, you're not welcome here. I remind you that I have no interest in you and your family, I don't have to keep you here.\”
\”Yes. Yes, surely.\” he began with a brittle voice. \”It's always easier to say that kind of thing when you don't share anything with your brother and family, isn't it? All those words from a woman who ran away from her family without giving any news for several years, it's still quite ironic, don't you think, Rose?\”