Trying To Survive as the Main Antagonist by: BK1235

chapter Seven:

"Kalian," Noril mumbled in his sleep.
After a few hours into the night, Mikail was having a nightmare.
"Just because you do your best to succeed doesn't mean you'll outshined our actual biological son. You're just adopted, there no reason to give you any sense of accomplishment. Don't you dare call me father," his adopted father said in his dream.
"I didn't ask to be adopted by a bastard like you," he shouted in his dream. Suddenly it faded to black and he was in front of a mirror. He saw himself as the character Mikail.
"I'm Mikail, I'm not in that world anymore," he said.
"You're me, how ridiculous. You'll be killed by those nobles no matter what path you take. My role in this world is to be hated by everyone," the original Mikail shouted.
"No, you're wrong. They won't," he shouted back.
"What's wrong scared of the truth?"
"Duke Noril won't kill me," he shouted.
Meanwhile in the real world, Noril woke up to hearing Mikail mumble in his sleep.
"Dad...won't kill me, Duke Noril won't kill me," he mumbled in his sleep while shaking.
Noril hugged him and eventually Mikail stopped Shaking. Noril sighed.
"What is he thinking in that little head of his," Noril thought before he fell back asleep.
In the morning...
Mikail woke up in Noril's arms.
"Dad," Mikail shouted.
Noril opened his eyes. He sat up and let go him. Mikail sat up as well with a confused expression.
"Are you alright, you were having a nightmare in the middle of the night so I hugged you until you stopped shaking," Noril asked with a worried expression.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me," Mikail said.
"Mikail, listen to me. You need to understand that I will always be here to help you. If you don't allow me to help you, how will our father son relationship get any better?"
"I think deep down I still think that you, Ray, and Wilhelm will hate me and kill me when I'm older."
"I would never kill you, and neither would your brothers. Why would you think that," Noril asked with a serious expression.
"Because ever since I've been alive, everyone's hated me and wanted me dead."
"Well in the walls of my estate, no one who's loyal to me will kill you. No one will hurt you at all, in fact I want to ensure you're protected from any danger."
Noril hugged Mikail.
"I have not known you for long, but we already see you as family. You're my son, you have two brothers who love you."
Mikail hugged him back.
"This is the first time I've had a parent who's given me hope," Mikail thought while crying.
"Mikail," Noril said.
"He's crying, this is the first time I've seen him cry," Noril thought.
"Dad."
"What's wrong?"
"You really love me," Mikail asked with tears in his eyes.
"I do, Mikail. You're my family."
Noril smiled.
"Dad," Mikail said while putting his head into his chest.
"Mikail."
"I just woke up but I feel sleepy again," Mikail said.
"I mean you did cry a bit, so you might feel tired from that."
After a while...
Mikail, Aslan, Ray, Wilhelm, Julian, and Noril were all in the dining room for breakfast Aslan looked worried as he saw Mikail's eyes puffy. Mikail was sitting in Noril's lap.
"Mikail, are you alright, did you cry," Aslan asked.
Mikail nodded.
"I had a nightmare that's all," Mikail said with a blank expression.
"What was it about," Ray asked.
"Brother Ray, Brother Wilhelm, and everyone wanting me dead," Mikail said.
Wilhelm smack the table.
"There's no way in hell, I would ever want to kill you. You're my little brother, so don't dream about that again. You will not die by family hands," Wilhelm shouted.
Mikail had tears in his eyes. He smiled.
"I know dad told me too, thank you for worrying about me, Wilhelm," Mikail said with his shocking smile.
Suddenly everyone looked shocked.
"Mikail just smiled," they thought.
Mikail's face quickly turned back to an emotionless state.
"His smile was over so quickly," they thought.
Noril smirked.
"Well, I have a favor to ask of you Prince Julian," Noril said.
"Duke Gruz, how can I be of help?"
"Mikail has a talent in magic, I want him to be able to learn from the best in the empire. Although, he's still too young to enter the primary magic academy."
"As I recall, noble children have to be 7 years old and have a mana capacity. Most of the noble children are weeded out by those who can and cannot use any magic," Julian said with a smile.
"Yeah that's why I need someone capable of teaching Mikail."
"I got it, why don't we ask Teacher Mel to teach Mikail," Aslan shouted.
"Ah, Mel Relstein. One of the best Magicians in the novel, but when Mikail learned of his ability, Mel was no match for Mikail's full power," he thought.
"Mel Relstein would be perfect," Noril thought.
"Then, while we speak to the emperor, I'll ask about Mel Relstein," Noril said with a smile.
Suddenly a person came into the dining room. They kneeled to Noril and handed him a letter the the imperial seal. Noril grabbed it from him and opened it.
"Duke Noril Gruz,
   You and your son Mikail Gruz are permitted to meet me. Please give notice of your arrival once you have gotten here.
                                                  Sincerely,
                                  Emperor Gillian Mathews."
"Alright, after breakfast we'll head off," Noril said.
After breakfast, Noril, Mikail, Julian, and Aslan got into a carriage. Mikail was dressed up in fancier clothes than before. He wore all black and his hair was in a braid. His outfit was matching Noril. Kastil was riding on his horse outside the carriage along with other guards.
"Mikail, are you alright, you're not feeling motion sick are you," Aslan asked.
"I'm fine."
"Sorry, I only ask because people who are new to carriages are often prone to motion sickness," Aslan said with a worried expression.
"Honestly, this is pretty relaxing," Mikail thought as he leaned on Noril's shoulder.
His eyes felt heavy as he fell asleep.
"He's always tired, well he did wake up in the middle of the night," Noril thought.
"Aw, cute," Aslan thought as he looked at the sleeping Mikail.
"We should be there in a hour. The capital city of the empire, Tetris is pretty close to your Kingdom, Bruririth, Duke Gruz," Julian said as he crossed his arms.
"Ah that's true. I mean I've only been in power to seventeen years. After my parents passed away in a carriage ambush, my brother was the only one left in my family. Of course I've made quite a few enemies along the way of rebuilding my kingdom. I took power when I was Twenty-five year old. My wife died after my second son was born, and I was soon left to raise my children and a kingdom, before I was thirty."
"Duke Gruz, even though you went through hardship, there's only a handful of people in this empire that are able to beat you in a fight."
"That's true, although my magic only goes so far as to buffing my strength attributes and common magic. I'm unable to learn any combat spells which is why my father was so closed to giving my younger brother the title of a Duke. He was so close to becoming an archmage before he disappeared. He was a prodigy. He ran off with another archmage candidate, and disappeared."
"You're family seem to take pride in magic and swordsmanship. It's quite interesting," Julian said with a smile.
"I guess you could say that."
"Wait, Duke Gruz? Mikail has red eyes, and only family members with the Gruz bloodline posses red eyes right. Could he possibly be your brothers son," Aslan asked.
"That's is the same reasoning I had. He's definitely my brother's son. But, now he's my son, and he will be seen as my son. So, I beg both of you not to speak a word of this," Noril said as he patted Mikail's head.
"Don't worry, we won't say a word to anyone. This conversation won't leave this carriage," Julian said.
Aslan nodded.
"Yeah, we won't say a word."
After arriving at the castle people were waiting outside.
"Welcome to the Tetris castle, Duke Gruz. Welcome back your highnesses," the guard and servants said.
Julian smiled. The emperor's retainer was there as well. He had dark blue hair and green eyes. He wore glasses and an all black suit. His name is Allen Carlton. He was the marquise of the Regalio estate.
"If you will follow me to see the emperor," Allen said.
They followed him to the throne room. A little girl was running out towards them.
"Eliza," Aslan and Julian said.
"Brother Aslan, Brother Julian, you're both back," she said with a smile as she hugged Julian.
Her name was Eliza Mathews. The young princess of the empire and the only child of the Empress. She had strawberry blonde hair in pig tails and golden eyes. She suddenly saw Mikail and her face lit up bright red.
"Brother, who is that cute child?"
Eliza was two years older than Mikail.
"That's right there was a young princess but she died to poisoning during the fight for the throne and after the war went wrong," Mikail thought.
Mikail walked over to her and bowed.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, my name his Mikail Gruz. I'm the son of Duke Noril Gruz," he said.
"Cute," she thought.
"Mikail, marry me," she said.