[That woman... might be alive. She was alive in the past.]
[No, your father had the sa fate as he did in the first life.]
The soft gust of wind made the leaves rustle and the grass sway, yet it wasn’t enough to silence Finn’s voice in Zoren’s mind. Lying on the grass under the tree, Zoren kept his eyes closed.
ow.
Chunchun purred while seated beside the black panther, who was supposed to be walking and running around under Zoren’s supervision. But here they were, watching him laze under the tree instead. Renny yawned and rested its head on top of its paw, blinking at Zoren.
’Is he okay?’ wondered Chunchun, eyeing Zoren. ’His energy doesn’t match ours.’
’He has a lot on his mind, probably,’ was all the black panther could guess. ’Let’s call Mom. He’ll be happy then.’
Instead of listening to Renny’s suggestion, Chunchun ended up lying on the grass. The panther couldn’t help but gaze at her as she licked herself.
’Are we not calling Mom?’
’No need. We’re here.’
Renny’s pointy ears drooped slightly, but as always, he listened to the little cat.
anwhile, Zoren slowly opened his eyes and gazed up at the branches above him.
"She’s possibly alive, huh?" he whispered to himself, trying to gauge his reaction. "I... don’t feel anything at all."
His pets glanced at him as he started talking to himself, but all they did was purr.
To be honest, Zoren didn’t know how to feel about what Finn had revealed. Initially, he thought he was angry. However, the more he thought about it, the more he realized that wasn’t it. He wasn’t as angry at the idea as he thought he should be; he wasn’t even disappointed.
If anything, he felt... strange — very strange about it.
Zoren had always avoided discussing his parents because it was an unpleasant topic. That included his late father, even though Enzo had been nothing but a good father to him. It wasn’t that he hated his father, but rather, he knew there was no point in it. Talking about it would only remind him that, because of him, Enzo Pierson had died.
’I should go back. Otherwise, Penny will just get worried,’ he told himself. ’Knowing her, she might beat up Finn Davis just to get it out of him.’
With that thought in mind, Zoren propped his elbow on the grass and pushed himself up. When he was seated, he caught a figure out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head, he tilted it slightly as his eyes locked onto Benjamin.
"Sir~!" Benjamin, as jolly as always, grinned the mont they made eye contact. He then began jogging and skipping until he reached the tree where Zoren was idling. "Hello~! I’m here too!"
"What are you doing here, Ben?"
"I ca because I’m really hungry."
"There’s no food here. There’s plenty in the kitchen."
Benjamin smiled from ear to ear. "I already ate before coming here."
"..." Zoren stared at Benjamin for a second before he said, "It’s Penny, isn’t it?"
"Huh?"
"Did she tell you to pick up?"
"No!" Benjamin blurted out with a pout, but under his boss’s gaze, he sighed heavily. "She didn’t tell to pick you up, but she asked to check on you."
Zoren arched a brow slightly while Benjamin invited himself under the sa tree. The latter found a cool spot and happily giggled, leaning against the tree like a well-behaved child. Zoren just watched him.
’I’d feel better if she’s the one to check on , though,’ Zoren thought while watching Benjamin. ’Sotis, I can’t understand her.’
However, he didn’t dwell on it. They had guests in the castle, so he was sure his wife was busy tending to them. Besides, a part of him preferred it this way. He didn’t want others to think he was a child who needed coaxing from his wife, thus ruining the mood. After all, Penny was enjoying her friend’s company, and he would never take that away from her, knowing she didn’t really have a friend in her first life — except Grace, whom she t in prison.
As Zoren thought about this, Benjamin drew a deep breath and smiled.
"Ahh... this is very relaxing," he comnted with satisfaction, flashing Zoren a beam. "Sir, this place is as quiet as I rember."
Zoren didn’t respond as usual, rely casting Benjamin a sidelong glance. He then snapped his eyes up, where he could see the castle in the distance.
"Sir, do you rember when I first ca here?" Benjamin said happily, setting his eyes on the castle. "I think the weather back then was just like this."
Zoren glanced at him and furrowed his brow. "No, I don’t recall."
"Hmm?"
"All I know is that so children started coming here."
"Oh... but I t you back then. We even made eye contact..." Benjamin murmured, looking at his boss with confusion. But as Zoren looked away, Benjamin blinked rapidly.
Recalling how he first t Zoren, Benjamin had always wondered if Zoren rembered that mont. For sure, it was unforgettable for Benjamin, but for Zoren, it might just be a blur. Even so, Benjamin smiled and leaned back, looking around and enjoying the serene scenery.
"Sir, what could make you fire ?" Benjamin asked out of pure curiosity, his eyes back on Zoren’s figure.
Zoren thought about it for a second and said without looking back, "Betrayal."
"So, I’m safe!" Benjamin laughed, this ti earning Zoren’s attention. "I would never betray you, so that ans I can keep doing my job!"
"..."
"Does that an I can say anything to you?"
"Why don’t you try?"
Benjamin suddenly zipped his mouth and puffed out his cheek. "I swear I’m not going to say bad words."
"Not that I’m expecting it, but since you ntioned it, I’m concerned," Zoren shook his head, but slowly, the corner of his mouth curled into a smile. "And here I thought you always said whatever you wanted to tell , however you liked."
"Sir, if only you knew I have plenty of things to say!"
"Like? I’m intrigued now."
"Like..." Benjamin started tapping his index fingers together as he hesitated. "Like..."
"What is it?" Zoren blinked. "The more you hesitate, the more worried I feel."
"Like..." Benjamin took a deep breath before exclaiming, "Giving special treatnt and letting start a William Pierson/Jonathan Russel hate club? Director Dean already signed up, but you haven’t approved it."
Zoren was rendered speechless. And here he thought nothing Benjamin would say could leave him speechless. But it seed there were plenty more surprises from Benjamin. He had expected Benjamin to ask for a raise or sothing like that, but now that he thought about it, Benjamin had never asked for a raise. If not for Zoren’s initiative, he wondered if Benjamin would ever ask for one.
Still, the more he looked at Benjamin’s flustered face, the more his mouth stretched into a smile. Before he knew it, Zoren found himself laughing.
No wonder his wife had sent Benjamin instead of coming herself. She knew Benjamin would be able to take away so of his worries in his own little ways.
Benjamin wasn’t joking, though. Seeing his boss laugh made him blush slightly. It felt like an achievent, after all. "I think... I’m funny."
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