The Kind Older Sister Is No More

18 - Poor Tom

"Welcome." Tom bowed.

Noel nodded. "Tom, is Grandfather inside?"

"Yes, he is, but...."

Tom glanced at Irene, who stood timidly behind Noel. His face was wrought with anxiety, but only for a brief second as it became obscured with a cloud of doubt. His gaze scanned the newcomer, though Irene did not notice his evaluation. She was much too transfixed in wonder as she stared at the estate's main building. It stood out, not because it was the largest – though it was, but because it exuded some kind of grandness and importance, with the intricate stone carvings that framed the ledges of the balcony and roof. Between the main entrance and the building lay a courtyard, as if to say, one must traverse and disrupt the stillness of the place to reach the great Duke.

Perhaps, the Grand Duke Kristen was beyond that door.

"Is the mansion always this quiet...?" Irene wondered out loud.

"It's always like that."

Noel answered as if he was used to it and stared at Irene's surprised face. Tom's expression became strange too.

Irene became curious when the two men next to her were staring at her with puzzled faces. Perhaps she had been too inquisitive. She was worried that she had made a mistake. Noel, aware of her train of thought, immediately spoke to assuage her doubts.

"Irene, your expression looks too solemn... I apologise if what I said before offended you." He said apologetically.

"Ah, no. It's fine."

Irene shook her head at Noel. When she turned to look at the window, she could see her expression in the reflection. Her face was schooled as if she were about to enter the battlefield. Irene could not control her expression; after all, who would not be nervous meeting the Grand Duke of Kristen to obtain his approval. Aware of this, Noel continued to assure Irene.

"Really, there is nothing to worry about. No matter what you do, my grandfather will not eat you." He offered jokingly.

Irene blinked at Noel's unexpected remark. Eat her? It had not ever crossed her mind that his grandfather would do such a thing! She tried to figure out what Noel meant by that, and then she realised that Noel had used humour to encourage her. Her palpitating heart settled down slightly at his small joke. Although, she was slow, and it was only moments after that Irene finally clicked to that conclusion.

Somehow, the image of Noel joking did not seem to match her image of him. Irene stared at him blankly for a moment and then giggled. Her laughter caused Noel to flush from embarrassment. Tom amusedly flicked his eyes between the two, contemplating what was wrong with them. Tom had heard from his master that they were in an alliance to achieve their own respective goals.

But their relationship does not look like it is merely based on that.

It would have been fitting to call their relationship one between lovers because they looked happy and were getting to know each other. Moreover, Tom had spent more than a decade at Noel's side, but he had never seen Noel joke or willingly put himself in a position of potential embarrassment, only to make his partner relax. Tom remembered when he had been so nervous during his meeting with the Great Kristen for the first time. Noel had just kicked his leg to tell him to stop bothering him. Ah...there was too much contrast with how Noel had treated him then and how he was treating Irene now.

♔♔♔

As soon as Tom raised his hand to forehead, rubbing to get rid of the goosebumps that had appeared from the disdainful memory, Noel turned towards him. At the sudden eye contact, Tom, who was surprised, quickly lowered his arm.

"Ensure that this room is secured so that no one will be able to come near to it or enter. Whilst we are inside, I do not wish to be disturbed."

The sternness of Noel's voice made Tom shudder. There was few a time when the cold edge in Noel's voice whenever he made an order reminded him of the perseverance and distance of his master. When Noel used his authority, he could not even draw a link between the person he was before and now. He was certain the joking Noel moments ago was a ghost who had possessed him. Although Noel's order did not mention anyone in particular, Tom knew the person who he specifically would not like to disturb him. Should they ever show up, and realise what Noel was doing, Tom had not an ink of doubt the situation would turn into chaos. Irene would be collateral. Her reputation would be ruined because that person knew she was the key to ruining Noel. He could understand who would disturb him. Tom bowed his head.

Then, Noel and Irene stood in front of the door. Noel knocked, but there was no response as if he had tapped at the door of a hollow room. Irene looked up at Noel with a troubled face, but he didn't bother to answer her questioning gaze. The situation was all too familiar for him, and the gesture of knocking was merely a notice that he was about to enter.

"I'm coming in, grandfather."

Without hesitation, Noel opened the door. Irene, surprised, tried to stop him, but the door was flung wide open. It slowly revealed the room's interior. So, Irene was forced to straighten her head and face inward.

The room was very spacious and fit the title of Grand Duke of Kristen, but the splendid look created a tranquil atmosphere.

There was a fireplace full of firewood and a wall stuffed with books. The room's wallpaper had a warm green hue, and the furniture was various shades of brown. Drawing in a deep breath, Irene could smell the old paper, and a musky wood scent filled her nose. It made her feel like she had come to a mountain cabin that naturally made a person feel at peace.

There was a rocking chair in the middle of the room, and an old man sat with his back facing them. Irene intuitively recognised that the man must be Noel's grandfather and the Grand Duke of Kristen, the person who, with his own hands, raised the Kristen family to the lofty standing which they held today.

"Grandfather, as I told you before, this is Miss Irene Chase."

When Noel spoke to the back of the Grand Duke of Kristen, Irene, who was at a loss for what to do, bowed her head at him.

"Nice to meet you. I... I'm Irene Chase." Irene stammered while introducing herself. She was full of nerves at that moment and was not sure how to approach him. Before her, after all, was a man who she had never even imagined she could talk with. Irene was unsure of how to conduct herself and respectively bowed appropriately.

"..."

However, no response came from him. Irene, looking down, could see Noel's hand had clenched into a tight fist. She slowly looked up at Noel.

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