NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: GARDEN
William's mother took him to the garden. They were seated in the middle of it, in a simple sitting area with a table and chairs on either side. The two were surrounded by maids; among them, three were upper maids, and one was the head of the upper maids, Julia.
William's mother sat gracefully in a chair, while William lay comfortably in her lap. The garden was a vibrant display of colorful flowers, seemingly blooming in full because of the spring season. Both mother and son were quietly admiring the garden's beauty. The garden was situated at the front of the mansion, offering a view of its grandeur.
As William lay there, he turned his tiny head toward Julia. "Third Eye," he whispered.
STATUS WINDOW!
NAME: Julia ESSENCE
EARTH
LEVEL: 51
RACE: Human
AGE: 42
STATS
HP: 5300/5300
ESSENCE: 7500/7650
STRENGTH: 5150
AGILITY: 5120
INTELLIGENCE: 110
DURABILITY: 5200
SKILLS : STONE FIST
BOULDER THROW
TECTONIC FURY
EARTH SHIELD
GOLEM
EARTH PRISON
Lying in his mother's lap, William tilted his tiny head further to look at the mansion. It was his first time seeing it in real life. The mansion was enormous, standing twenty stories tall, with the estate sprawling over 8,000 acres.
It's not as big as my mansion, William thought, but it's still massive.
The estate consisted of three gardens, one central garden, two stables housing fine horses, and three servant quarters. It was undeniably grand for a family unaffiliated with royalty.
"[HA HA HA HA! YOU'VE MEMORIZED THE ENTIRE MAP OF THE MANSION. BUT INDEED, IT'S A HUMONGOUS PLACE. AH, MAN! I'M JEALOUS. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SWITCH PLACES WITH ME?]"
William ignored Wiz's babbling.
Turning his head toward his mother, he watched her golden hair flutter in the morning's gentle breeze. A single thought crossed his mind: She is truly beautiful.
"Amanda de' Medici," William reflected. My mother, the Marchioness of the Medici family, and the daughter of Count Cerchi of the south.
Despite her noble birth, Amanda had always shown an intense interest in training her essence and learning martial arts. As the only daughter of Count Cerchi, her father had reluctantly conceded to her wishes.
Amanda, famed for her exceptional beauty and kind nature, had married William's father, Edgar Medici. Their union was an arranged marriage meant to strengthen the alliance between their families. When Edgar, then the heir of the Medici family, visited Cerchi County for political purposes, he saw Amanda training on the grounds, swinging her sword elegantly. He fell in love at first sight.
As Amanda sipped tea calmly, William gazed at her with his sparkling sapphire-blue eyes, studying her every movement. Amanda noticed her son's attentive gaze and smiled warmly at him.
Her smile was a perfect combination of motherly love and the noble temperament of a Marchioness. She was a woman truly suited for high society.
"Third Eye," William whispered.
STATUS WINDOW!
NAME: Amanda Medici ESSENCE
LEVEL: 50 NATURE
RACE: Human
AGE: 26
STATS
HP: 5100/5100
ESSENCE: 7000/7500
STRENGTH: 5010
AGILITY: 5090
INTELLIGENCE: 130
DURABILITY: 5000
SKILLS : WHINE WHIP
THORN BARRAGE
WINE SHIELD
HEAL
BRABBLE STORM
FOREST PRISON
Her stats were on par with academy professors, and her calm demeanor, coupled with her noble nature, made her more than capable of becoming a respected educator.
Despite being such an exceptional woman, Amanda Medici was destined to die when the capital was invaded by the Dark Elves. Her death was portrayed as a tragic event in the novel.
She could have escaped, William thought, just as other nobles did.
But Amanda had stayed behind. Perhaps it was her confidence in her abilities or her unwillingness to abandon her children.
"[IT IS A TRUE LOSS FOR THIS WORLD WHEN A WOMAN AS BEAUTIFUL AS HER DIES. BUT OH, I WISH I COULD HAVE WITNESSED THAT SCENE MYSELF!]"
William remained silent.
"[HEY! DON'T IGNORE ME! (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻]"
William sighed. Does love for someone truly compel you to make such irrational decisions, even at the cost of your life?
Amanda's image reflected in William's sparkling eyes.
"[HA HA HA! HUMANS ARE INDEED WEIRD. IT'S HARD FOR US NON-HUMANS TO UNDERSTAND THEM. BUT YOU, WILLIAM, KNOW HUMAN NATURE BETTER THAN ANYONE, DON'T YOU?]"
"[SO, TELL ME, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, WILLIAM?]"
William blinked his glittering eyes calmly. I'm figuring out if this world's structure is the same as the novel's.
"[HOW? :/]"
Be patient, Wiz.
"[OF COURSE, I'M PATIENT! DO YOU THINK I'M A CHILD? :( ]"
While conversing with Wiz, William heard confident footsteps approaching. Soon, a tall, well-built man appeared beside them. His father, Edgar Medici, had arrived.
The servants immediately bowed as Edgar approached. He didn't utter a word, maintaining his calm and authoritative demeanor. He sat opposite Amanda and gestured for the servants to leave.
William observed his father carefully. Every movement Edgar made radiated an aura of supremacy. Even in silence, his presence was commanding.
My guess was right Edgar usually take tea with his wife in garden in this time of the day.
"[HA HA HA! YOU HAVE EXCEPTIONALLY AMAZING PARENTS, DON'T YOU?]"
Indeed, I do, William thought.
When the servants left, Edgar's expression shifted from that of an authoritative noble to one of a kind, loving husband. He began speaking to his beloved wife under the radiating sun in the garden.
William, however, paid no attention to their conversation. He reflected quietly to himself. "Everybody wears a mask to hide their true selves. That mask can be that of an authoritative noble or a selfless, kind person. But no mask is perfect. If you can hide the cracks, that is true deception."
[WHAT KIND OF MASK ARE YOU WEARING,WILLIAM?]
To wear a mask, you must have an identity you wish to hide, but I don't have an identity in the first place. William's tone was calm and observant.
"Third Eye," he whispered.
A status window appeared before him.
STATUS WINDOW!
NAME: EDGAR MEDICI ESSENCE
LEVEL: 72 WIND
RACE: Human
AGE: 34
STATS
HP: 7280/7280
ESSENCE: 10700/10800
STRENGTH: 7200
AGILITY: 7220
INTELLIGENCE: 140
DURABILITY: 7200
SKILLS : WIND SLASH
TEMPEST KICK
WIND SHIELD
FEETS OF HERMES
HURRICANE
EYE OF TEMPEST
BOW OF FURY
DOMAIN OF GALE SOVEREIGNTY
Edgar had died protecting his wife, but in the end, she had also been killed. Isn't it tragic to sacrifice your life for someone only to fail to protect them? William thought, feeling a pang of sadness. Isn't that sad and pathetic?
"[Ha HA HA. HUMANS ARE INDEED WEIRD . BUT WORTHLESS SACRIFICE FOT LOVE YOU KNOW BETTER THAN ANYONE, DON 'T YOU?]" Wiz's voice echoed.
These words pierced William's chest like a sword. His sapphire eyes, usually bright with innocence, lost their sparkle, becoming clouded with chaos. They seemed lifeless, as though holding the depth of an abyss.
"DO NOT TEST MY PATIENCE, VILLAINOUS SYSTEM!" William's voice was full of anger, his tone serious.
"[Ch-CHILL , CHILL , DARLING... I WAS JUST SAYING IT. THAT EXPRESSION OF YOURS IS SCARING ME !]" Wiz stammered nervously.
William blinked, and in an instant, his expression returned to normal. His sapphire-blue eyes regained their innocence. He giggled softly, like a baby, as if nothing had happened.
When Edgar saw his son giggling, a smile spread across his face. He reached out and gently picked William up. His green eyes sparkled like emeralds. William raised his hand near Edgar's eyes, and Edgar gently took it and kissed it. He stroked William's silver hair as Wiz fell into an eerie silence.
"It's a blessing that William is healthy again. It was frightening when he suddenly fell ill," Amanda murmured.
Amanda gently held Edgar's hand. "Don't worry. William will be alright. He'll grow to be a fine young man like you."
"No, I want him to become a better man than me," Edgar replied, his voice full of hope. He passed William back to Amanda. But as she took him, William started crying, as though telling his father, I don't want to go.
Edgar held William again, and miraculously, the crying stopped.
"Looks like William loves his father more than me," Amanda said with a soft smile.
"Well, I don't have any choice now," Edgar chuckled. With William in his arms, he headed for his office.
[Ding!]
["HEY... ARE YOU STILL ANGRY, WILLIAM?"]
Edgar entered his office with William and gently placed him in the chair opposite his own. He handed William a pen to play with.
Just then, a knock echoed on the door. Thuck... thuck.
"Who is it?" Edgar commanded.
"It's me, James. Your Grace, may I enter?" A voice responded.
"Yes," Edgar answered in his usual deep, authoritative tone.
A tall, slim man in a suit entered, bowing. "Good morning, Your Grace." He had black hair, dark brown eyes, and wore glasses. His elegant attire matched his graceful demeanor.
When he noticed William sitting in the chair, playing with the pen, a smile spread across his face. "So, you've brought the young master here today, Your Grace. How is he now?" he asked with a radiant smile.
Edgar met his gaze, and all traces of the smile vanished from James's face. "Cough... cough... I mean, how is the young master, Your Grace?"
"He is fine," Edgar replied, his tone calming.
James let out a sigh of relief. "It's good to hear that, Your Grace."
[Ding!]
"[HELLO?]"
"[HELLO?]"
"[HEEEEEEELLLLLLLLOOOOOOO!]"
"[WIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLIIIIIIAIAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMM WILLIAM!]"
"Keep quiet, Wiz."
[ARE YOU STILL ANGRY?]
"Of course, I'm not darling. But please don't interrupt me right now."
[WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?]
"You'll soon find out."
James stood before Edgar, still smiling as Edgar read through documents.
"When will the construction of the trade center be finished?" Edgar asked, his voice authoritative.
"It will take five years to complete, Your Grace," James replied. "It was originally scheduled for three years, but Emperor Ymir II delayed approval."
"Why?" Edgar's voice grew more impatient. "Doesn't he realize that this project is critical to strengthening relations between dwarves and humans?"
"You're right, Your Grace, but the Emperor delayed it, claiming dissatisfaction over the fact that only humans are investing in the project," James explained with his usual smile.
" What does he mean only humans?" Edgar's voice became cold, releasing a devastating aura. "The Medici family is sponsoring this project!"
"Calm down, Your Grace. The young master is here," James said, his voice trembling under the weight of the tension.
Edgar took a deep breath, attempting to calm his nerves. "So, Ymir II doesn't want the Medici family expanding its influence across other continents. He doesn't want to depend on us for maintaining relations with other races."
"Ha..." Edgar exhaled slowly, his anger simmering.
"Now, what happened with the agreement with the elves?" Edgar asked, his tone sharp.
"There was no success, Your Grace. Humans and elves are not on good terms," James replied, breathing heavily.
"And what about the magic tower?" Edgar pressed. "Weren't they responsible for maintaining peace and relations between all races?"
"We'll contact them, Your Grace," James hesitated.
"There's no need for that. You may leave now," Edgar dismissed.
"Yes, Your Grace." James bowed before exiting.
As William listened to the conversation, a smile crept onto his face.
[WHAT HAPPENED? WHY ARE YOU SMILING?]
"Well, there's a lot to explain, Wiz."