So ti later, Michael found himself listening to the teachings of the Mada as she took lody through her piano lesson. The young girl was rather advanced, but it was clear the gap between her and the teacher was quite considerable.
Each note she played—while accurate, lacked the sa grace of her teacher.
Of course Michael wasn’t surprised.
Ti passed slowly as he took up post nearby. He shifted his weight from one foot to another, feeling a sense of discomfort from standing so long.
"Young Michael, could you fetch us so tea?" Mada Wright’s sing-song voice crooned, getting his attention.
"Of course," Michael replied, thankful for the task.
He walked to the kitchen’s to brew a batch of tea, making use of his rudintary chore magic to heat the pot of water. With his higher quality mana, the water was boiled much quicker than he was used to.
His mind wandered as he saw the water bubble, overflowing from the ceramic pot.
I need to learn more about magic...
Magic had always interested him, especially when he was a young child. But he had been dood to never experience its wonders, given only the weakest power available to a mage.
Michael had thought he’d accepted his fate—accepted his weakness—but upon receiving a second chance, he realized that this was not true. Only after ascending did his true feelings surface.
He felt a bitter taste in his mouth. The person who he most wanted to share his newfound power with was his mother, the only one who had truly understood him. But this was now impossible.
While he was treated well in the Winterborne estate, no one could learn his real identity—or most importantly of all—the fact that he used to be the weakest white-ringed mage.
Michael wasn’t dumb, he knew that the biggest reason for his current treatnt was his so-called potential. Sure, the lord and lady were kind, but would their kindness extend this far if he still possessed a single white ring?
The answer was obvious.
Nobles—even the virtuous ones—had their own intentions. When they did sothing, it was always asured with benefits in mind. Michael knew this all too well.
The Lord Winterborne was no different. In their first interaction over dinner, he had offered Michael a place within his family, essentially offering to adopt him, with the intention of grooming him to be a successor.
The man needed an heir, a male with strength to consolidate the family’s power.
In the noble circle, no matter how strong the won of the house, it was still a patriarchal society. Won were married into other noble houses, not the other way around.
So when Michael had refused his offer, the lord and lady had scrambled to co up with other ideas, eventually offering him work and a place to stay. It might have sounded virtuous on the surface, but when Michael considered his newest assignnt as lody’s personal butler, he had begun to have so doubts.
lody’s attitude has completely changed from the other day. There’s no way that they aren’t planning sothing, he thought silently.
He rembered the question Mada Wright had posed, asking if they were betrothed. While it might have sounded like a playful jab, lody’s reaction was unexpected.
The old her would have likely turned her nose up and denied it with anger.
Is that what they’re planning? To marry into the family through lody?
It made sense.
Since he was no longer a noble, Michael did not have an established family na or household—at least by noble society’s standards. If he were to marry lody, he would need to marry into the Winterborne house.
The Lord would get his wish of securing a powerful mage, and still get to keep his daughter in the house.
The revelation of this theory sent a shiver down his spine.
How could I have been so stupid? Michael scolded himself, his hands clenching into fists.
Back at the Aurelius household, he was too weak and insignificant to be used as a pawn. But that didn’t an he wasn’t aware of the moves that were being made both in the light and the shadows.
His weakness also ant that he was not perceived as a threat. Ironically, the one thing he had lanted through his life had ended up saving him.
"I think the water is boiled," a feminine voice called, dancing with amusent.
Michael flinched, his head turning, "Ah, yes. Forgive , Mada, I was daydreaming," he admitted, apologizing.
"It’s no matter," she said dismissively, her footsteps drawing nearer. "I haven’t seen you around the estate before, are you newly employed?"
"Yes, I was fortunate enough to be taken in by the lord and lady." Michael said, collecting the pot and teacups, placing them onto a wooden tray.
"Mmm, Mary and Brian are very kind, you’re quite lucky," she added. "Miss lody seems to have taken a shine to you as well," her voice was laced with a hint of teasing, her intentions obvious.
If it was before his revelation, Michael might have felt slightly embarrassed, but not now. He simply turned and gave her a small smile, "Shall we have tea in the garden?"
"Sure," Mada Wright replied, "but wait a mont."
The woman leaned over and grabbed a ceramic pot, placing it upon his tray, "lody has quite a sweet tooth, its better to bring the sugar cubes along."
"I’ll keep that in mind for the future."
The two returned to see the young girl playing a piece, the sheet music propped up in front of her. The strokes sounded a little chanical, but it was still quite pleasant.
Upon their arrival, she turned, her blue eyes only briefly eting Michael’s before she looked away evasively. The sight only strengthened his worries that his theory was correct.
After setting the wooden tray upon the outdoor table, Michael worked on steeping the tea leaves, but his mind was distracted. It was only after hearing the music stop that he finally rembered what he was doing.
He poured the tea in two separate cups as lody and Mada Wright sat down before standing to the side as a butler should.
Mada Wright was the first to sip her tea, wearing an impassive expression. But Michael noticed her lips twitch before she placed it back down.
lody on the other hand, placed six sugar cubes in her tea, one after the other, making even Michael stare incredulously. The girl then gracefully lifted the cup to her mouth to taste.
"PFFFT"
The tea was spat straight out as a disgusted expression morphed onto her face.
Here it cos...
Michael watched her carefully, waiting for her anger. However, after a few monts, it still didn’t co. The girl sat her cup down silently before collecting a napkin and dabbing it at her rosy lips.
Seeing this, Michael frowned.
"Was the tea not to your liking lody?" he asked, wearing a feigned concern.
"I-It’s fine... Just a little bitter." She replied ekly.
Just this reaction and response was enough to know that whatever plans the lord and lady had, lody was in on. Michael’s heart hardened before he walked up to the table and collected the tea.
"My apologies, it seems that I steeped the tea for too long. I’ll make a fresh batch," he said, swiftly leaving the area.
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