"Seems like you're asking for a death sentence."
The words weren't loud, but they surely hit him like a punch.
Kassian stepped forward, calm as ever, eyes locked onto him like he was something to be dealt with, not spoken to.
"I said," he repeated, "answer my question. What did you do to Lycan to bring you here?"
Cassiel didn't move.
His throat tightened.
Brilliant. Just brilliant. He had planned to prepare a proper introduction. Something respectful. Strategic. A way to turn his brand new brother into a potential ally in case his exile came around.
Instead, here he was, looking like a trespassing rat.
Not ideal.
"I-I didn't do anything!" He managed, the words tumbling out as his voice cracked. "The wolf brought me here because…we got along?"
"Wolf?" Kassian echoed, tone unimpressed. He clicked his tongue. "This is no wolf, kid. That's a vargnoul."
Cassiel barely registered the correction, his brain was far too busy trying to find a solution.
'How do I fix this to care about magical zoology?'
Kassian wasn't done. "Besides," he continued, now reaching for the hilt at his waist, "I'm sure we've never met before."
His hand rested casually on the sword.
Cassiel felt a chill down his spine.
"So," Kassian asked, tilting his head ever so slightly, "who told you my name? Or…did you already know?"
Welp.
There really was no use crying over the mess now.
"Eleonor told me." Cassiel forced his lips into a wide, bright smile, the kind that looked better than it felt. "So I already knew I had a brother named Kassian."
A dry scoff escaped the older boy's mouth, full of disdain.
"Brother?" He repeated, almost like the word offended him. "Don't make me laugh."
The sword made a chilling sound as it left its sheath, the sharp and cold blade now leveled right at Cassiel's neck.
Then, swiftly, he pushed it forward, slightly enough to inflict a superficial cut and make Cassiel bleed.
'What?'
The thought barely had time to form before a low, rumbling growl echoed beside him.
Lycan's fur bristled as he snarled directly at Kassian.
But he didn't even flinch, he even shot the creature a chilling glare. "Don't interfere."
The beast let out another grumble, but didn't move. The warning was clear, though, one more step, and things wouldn't stay this calm.
Then those icy eyes turned back to the child.
"You think I can't see right through your plan?" The words dropped like ice water.
Cassiel's breath caught.
His heart pounded so fast it felt like it might burst through his ribs. His knees threatened to buckle, his body shaking with a tremor he couldn't stop, even if he wanted to.
But he refused to cower. Not now.
'If I stay silent now…' Cassiel swallowed hard. 'They'll think I agree. That I'm hiding something. That I'm exactly what they're accusing me of.'
His hands curled into fists at his sides. He kept his head high, barely, but his eyes stung and his throat burned.
The tears weren't falling yet, but they were about to.
'Stupid body!' He thought bitterly. 'Why now? Why does it always react like this?!'
The slightest blink, the smallest breath too deep, and he knew it would all come crashing down.
And Kassian would see it.
All of it.
"I…I have no plans." He said, voice tight but steadying by the second. "I was just brought here. By this family."
He lifted his chin slightly more, trying to meet Kassian's gaze without flinching. His lips pressed into a thin, wobbly line as he forced himself to hold his ground, even if his legs didn't seem to agree with the idea.
"So let's not fight and just get along, big brother!" He finally blurted, his voice was a bit too high and eager.
Silence.
Kassian didn't speak. Didn't move.
His expression didn't shift much either, maybe a flicker in his eyes, maybe not, but something in the atmosphere changed.
Then, slowly, without breaking eye contact, he lowered the sword. The metal slid back into its sheath with a soft click, final and sharp.
Still, he said nothing.
'This fucker!' Cassiel grit his teeth even if it hurt. 'He caused all this chaos for absolutely nothing, I swear, nothing!'
His eyes went back to the sheathed sword. The feeling of his neck being touched by that cold blade made his blood boil. For a moment, he genuinely wondered if threatening a kid was just everyday business around here.
Because apparently, pointing a blade at your legally acknowledged, blood related adopted brother didn't even warrant a blink.
"I think I should leave now…" He muttered, jaw tight. "Big brother."
Cassiel felt a bitter taste in his mouth after calling him that, but still, he had to smile, the kind of smile you give when you're pretending your pride hasn't just taken a massive hit.
As he walked away, he felt heavier and heavier as he continued to walk, it was like he was dragging something invisible behind him.
'I hope you crumble, you shitty male lead!' He seethed, with his shoulders tensed. 'Fine, I'll seduce the female lead instead, hmph!'
He knew that even the thought didn't really make sense, after all, he's aware that he is thinking about this only out of pure spite.
'Besides, Canaria's eleven. A solid four years older. That's not going to work even for a joke.' He sighed heavily.
It wasn't like he planned to mess with the original plot. If this was really the female lead's second life, he had no intention of throwing a wrench into it.
'Still, if this isn't her second life, then…sorry, I guess.' His fingers curled slightly. 'But I've got no one else to worry about but myself anyway.'
No strength. No power. No proper education. Just a walking target with an incredibly powerful noble name that he still couldn't handle properly.
Mistrusted. Undervalued. Alone.
Cassiel tilted his head back and stared at the sky, in a daze. The clouds drifted like they didn't care who watched.
'Little Eirian…where are you now? Am I really the only one in this world who remembers you?'
A sudden cry pierced the quiet he was sinking in.
"Young Master!"
He blinked, eyes struggling to focus. Viola's voice. Then another shout. Footsteps, dozens of them and well, they were too loud and fast.
He turned his head slightly to see her sprinting toward him, skirts flying, a straight up battalion of maids behind her.
"Young Master—" Her breath caught before the words finished.
Eleanor immediately knelt on one knee to his side, her face paling in an instant. "Young Master, what happened? What is this injury? There's blood all over!"
The world faded in and out, suddenly, the child saw patches of black creeping in at the edges of his vision.
Cassiel blinked, lips parting. "Ugh…"
Then everything slipped.
He collapsed.
'Damn…'