~*~
Rosh arrived at the halls. He saw many nobles gathering and talking to each other. The noble children are in another area where he and Josh would start their own child's meeting too.
''Brother, you're here. Happy birthday!'' He turned and saw Josh approaching him with a smile.
Josh was wearing a white long sleeved polo, a black tie, black pants, blue vest and a blue tailored suit.
His outfit coincidentally matches Rosh, it makes them look more of twins with clothes matching their eye colors.
''Here comes the enemy saint, Master.''
'I can see that.'
Forcing himself to smile, Rosh said. ''Happy birthday too, brother. You look handsome.''
''You look very handsome too, brother! I can't wait to have some fun later!'' Josh excitingly said.
Despite the bitterness, Rosh couldn't agree more with Josh. Sooner or later, his fun will begin.
''Josh Edmund, Rosh Edward.''
''Father! Mother!''
Rosh looked at his back and saw the duke and the duchess walking towards them with matching white colored outfits. It made them looked like an angelic and kind couple.
Rosh heard Amros laugh inside his mind.
''They look totally different than their true colors, Master! And it's so funny! Hahaha!''
With Amros' words, Rosh smiled.
'Indeed. They looked hideous in those clean white fabrics. Maybe they'd be more beautiful if those clean silk will be tainted with blood.'
''This servant can't wait to see such a scene.''
Rosh only silently humped. ''Hello, father, mother.''
The duke nodded.
''I can see you two are ready. Make sure to do good today. Attention will be showered on you since its your birthday.'' The duke said.
''Yes, father.'' Both of the boys answered.
The duchess started fawning over Josh on to how he looked handsome or how he looked so good in his suit.
''You looked so cute and handsome, my dear Josh. I'm sure many girls will like you!'' The duchess said.
''Thank you, mother. You look very beautiful too!'' Josh said while smiling.
''Oh, how sweet of you, Josh.''
Rosh looked at them nonchantly.
'How cringey. It makes me sick.'
With an innocent face, Rosh spoke to the duchess.
''Am I handsome too, mother?'' The duchess looked at Rosh with a nonchant look.
''Of course. You look okay, Rosh.'' She said shortly and returned to praising Josh again.
Rosh clenched his jaw and sharpened his eyes. 'Okay'? Just 'okay'? This d@mned old hag!
''The party will soon start, let's go inside.'' The duke said.
-
''Please welcome, Duke Jeremiah and Duchess Roxanna del Razon.''
The master of the ceremony, which is the right hand of the duke announced the couples' names. Everyone with the lower statuses payed respect to them while many others got intimidated by the authority they have in their aura. But, some saw their appearances charming and sweet because of their smiling faces while wearing their white outfits.
The duke went on the podium and spoke loudly.
''Everyone, I thank you all for coming to the birthday banquet of my sons...''
He started to speak of a speech and a few flowery sentences he could think of for the Razon twins.
Meanwhile..
Outside the banquet hall, Rosh was internally having a conversation with Amros.
'Both of it are ready, aren't they? Amros.'
''Yes, Master. The two of 'them' are already on the back of the manor's garden. They'll move after your signal later.'
'Make sure that you control them just fine, and hide all of the traces. I will not let anyone know of my power yet.'
''I assure you, Master. Everything is under control.''
'We'll see your performance later.'
Rosh quietly sighed and glanced at Josh who was just innocently smiling beside him.
''I wonder what the other nobles would be like.'' Josh suddenly said.
Not paying attention, Rosh used his heightened senses when he felt a few presences not too far from them.
The mana was faint and was barely present, only a few people would be able to do that. It seems like the duke hired them some hidden bodyguards.
''Brother, do you think the other noble children will like me?'' Josh turned to him.
Rosh stared at him for a second.
''I don't know, since I never met other noble kids too.''
''Oh, right.''
They have been living their lives freely in their homes, sometimes outside too, but Rosh remembered that they only started to meet other children their age after they became 8 years old in his past life. The flow of events are still quite the same as his past life.
Rosh's eyes twitched when he felt the hidden guards' mana waver.
'Amros. Find out what's happening.'
''Yes, Master.''
-
''..and now, finally. Everyone, all of my fellow nobles, I present to you, my sons.''
The knight who's guarding the hall's doors nodded and spoke.
''Young lord Rosh Edward del Razon, and young lord Josh Edmund del Razon is entering!''
Rosh is annoyed since it has been a few minutes since he ordered Amros to find out about the hidden guards.
''Brother?'' Josh looked at his brother who looked like he was still waiting for his lover to come a few hours after their meeting time.
''Yes? Ah, yeah, let's go brother.''
Both of them entered the large and wide banquet hall and saw a lot of people staring at them.
Josh smiled shyly while Rosh had an expressionless face. He had been experiencing the same events for years in his past life, being looked at like this is nothing.
The noble men and noble ladies started whispering and talking about them at the very first step they took inside.
''The Razon twins, how cute!''
''How could those children have such beautiful faces?''
''Their clothes match their eyes! It's a magnificent sight!''
''I heard that the second young master was more favored by the duke, while the first son was indifferently treated.''
''That's right. Sir Francis Amadel said that the first young master was timid and incompetent. He even have average marks.''
''Really? Is that how smart a Razon could be? Or maybe he's just adopted?''
''Adopted? But they looked exactly the same, except their eyes. The second young master was said to be smart and kind.''
''Right. Maybe he really is just the average one, unlike his twin brother.''
Their whispers cannot be heard of not for Rosh's beastly senses. Hearing all those insults directly at him, I smirked slightly.
He couldn't care less about their opinions, as long as he managed to befriend his targeted nobles, he would still have the last laugh.
''Rosh, Josh, go to the respective circles. Make sure to be friends with many.'' The duke said to them.
''Yes, father.''
After their father went to talk with the other nobles and their mother gossiping with the other ladies, Rosh and Josh went to the place where the noble children have a union.
They stopped infront of a table where a couple of noble children are sitting. The children looked at them.
Rosh was uncomfortable because he had to mingle with those noble brats.
Josh was the first one to greet them with a smile.
''Greetings, I am Josh Edmund del Razon. It is nice to meet you.'' He said.
The girls blushed while the boys was quite surprised. They didn't expect that The son of a high ranked noble was kind to someone with lower status.
''Happy birthday. I'm Percy Linoch from the Linoch County.''
''I am Steve Clode from the Clode Marquessate. I greet the young masters a happy birthday.''
''My name is Mylen Hed, from Hed Barony. It's nice to meet you.''
''I am...''
As the other kids finished their own introductions, Rosh shortly stated his identity.
He doesn't have time to chitchat since he have to start his plan soon.
''I am Rosh Edward del Razon, pleasure to meet you all.'' He said.
When Josh, along with the other kids started to tell stories and happily ate, Rosh was secretly tapping his finger. Why is Amros so late?
As if on cue, he suddenly heard Amros' voice back inside his head.
''Master.''
'You're late, Amros.'
''I apologize. However, I just learned something that will surely support your plans.''
'What is it?'
''Sean Virsh.''
A sudden flinch acted on Rosh's body that made the other kids look at him.
''Is something wrong, young master Rosh?'' One boy, namely Oliver Mace, asked.
Rosh smiled and shooked his head. ''I apologise. I'm not that familiar in being with other children my age. Pardon my discourtesy.''
''Oh, no no no, of course we don't mind at all. We apologize if we made you uncomfortable, sir Rosh.'' Another child said.
When Rosh's eyes met the other, realization hit him, that kid was called Vincent Elbeck, the future advisor of the crowned prince.
In short, an enemy.
He was the one who suggested Rosh's early execution. The guy who hated him to death with a petty reason of Rosh accidentally spilling juice on his shirt when they were young.
A total scumbag, if he would say.
''Not at all.'' Rosh said with a fake smile.
He will surely include that kid on his to-kill list in the future.
Anyways, now that their attention is shifted away from him, Rosh started to converse with Amros once again.
'Amros, what about that 'Sean Virsh' you're talking about? And how come I don't know him?'
''His identity was never revealed in your 'past', Master. He was the assassin who killed the king in a flash.''
'So?'
''He also held a grudge against the Razons.''
'The duchy? Why?'
''Master's father made an order to burn down the village he lived in. His whole family died, and of course he wanted to have revenge. He trained to be a powerful assassin who kills royalty and noble missions given to him. He lived in pain and hatred against you nobl——''
'Are you going to preach a sad tribute about a man who got his family killed and wanted revenge?'
''I thought you would be interested in his story since you have similar situations. You both wanted revenge.''
'We do both want revenge, but our situations are different. My family killed his family, but my family killed me.'
''Ah, right. Ehem! Anyways, he had a plan to abduct you and two other kids from high standing clans.''
'Kidnap? Me? What would he get from that? Tsk, he would die before he could touch me? And what does that have to do as a support to my plan?'
''First, since he held a grudge againts your father, he wanted to use you as a blackmail.''
'That's stupid. My father doesn't care about me.'
''Master, let me finish. Secondly, you can't use your power since he isn't going to abduct you alone, there are two other noble kids.''
'Then?'
''And third, the two other noble kids he will abduct is Samuel Anthony Rome and Enzo Jacob Lune. They're none other than your targets to befriend. If you save them from him, you could also gain their trust.''
'I see. You wanted me to make them see me as their savior and gain their trust.'
''Exactly!''
'Since they are kids, they're still naive and innocent who only believes what they see first. Hmm, acceptable.'
''I shall appreciate your comment. So, what's the plan, Master? Sean Virsh will be moving soon? Should I remove the two shadows we made?''
Earlier, Rosh made two dark shadows to make a scene and give him a chance to befriend his targets. Not until he, Sean Virsh, appeared and made things easier.
It seems like he wouldn't need those two dark shadows anymore.
'Erase them.'
''As you wish.''
-
At the back of the duchy's garden. The two dark figures of shadows, waiting for the signal of their master started to fade away.
But one person, hidden in the dark, emotionlessly looked at the disappearing dark shadows.
''So this is his power? Good control.''
The man looked at the party's lights from the windows of the mansion. He chuckled at the thought of finally knowing the kid's power that he met before.
''Guess, I'll see you again soon. Rosh.'' He muttered before blending into nothingness.
***