The Divinity Game

2: Darling

Every time the proverbial 'they' needed to get their hands dirty, they sought the master of the Yuan household, and it just so happened that Yuekai was the closest person to the front door that morning.

What made the Yuan manor impressive was the collection it bears; an assortment of furniture from all corners of the world, all of them gifts bestowed to the present head of the family, Yizhang Yuan. From wooden sceptres carved from fae forest trees, to pearls extracted from Triton's personal vault. Yizhang never kept anything for himself, though. He distributed most of them to his family members, no matter how far removed they were.

The rest of the world knew him to be generous. They praised his excellence in fatherhood and admired the discipline he'd enforced in running the family 'business'. He was once invited to front an annual magazine as Exemplary Citizen of Regia of the Year in which he was anointed by the regina, both for his own endeavour and the Yuan family's long-standing service to the crown. Reporters had stormed his house once, enquiring personal details from his secrets to success down to what he eats for breakfast.

"Two half boiled eggs. Not one. Remember that next time, Shin," Yizhang instructed his new butler as he spread butter on toast. The image of him with a butter knife and stern expression would make anyone squirm.

Well, it certainly made Yuekai squirm, for he knew just how falsely the media had painted the image of his father. They made him a saint, an adjective he would never associate Yizhang with.

Shin flushed red, obviously embarrassed for his rookie mistake. "I'm sorry, Master Yuan." Yizhang dismissed him. Shin scurried away to the kitchen.

"You should be careful not to scare him," Vivian advised. Vivian Versipelle was the bride of Yizhang's second marriage. Where Yizhang wield his parenthood like iron, Vivian saw it like holding a candle in the dark of winter; guiding her youngins when they needed it most. 'The senior retinue retired only last month. Now Shin has to figure everything out by himself.'

Yizhang swallowed his food, hands placed exactly 45 degrees on the mahogany table as he held the cutleries. 'Surely the old retinue left some instructions. It's common courtesy and common sense to shift your responsibilities with instructions. Divines above, doesn't anyone know how to do anything?'

Vivian cleared her throat. "This is why I told you to hire new recruits at least a year before their retirement, but you insisted on keeping the old retinue."

"I can't simply lay off loyal followers."

"Coaching doesn't mean laying off."

"Treble clef," Yuekai's little sister, Yunhe, whispered. She was sitting next to him at the far end of their 10-seater formal dining table. Treble clef is a coded call, typical when Yunhe and him were up for a mischief and, if father returned abruptly, needed to hide. The call was created when Yunhe learned that 'treble' sounds like 'trouble'.

Yuekai nodded, turning his head to place one finger on his lips, telling her to keep quiet. Bickering during meal time was part of the Yuan routine, but only between the parents. As children, it was better to keep their mouths zip.

"So, Vester. How is the internship at the ministry?" Yizhang inquired, finding a new target.

Vester Versipelle, eldest daughter from Vivian's first marriage, mirrored the way Yizhang held his cutleries. She briefly locked eyes with Yuekai, but he looked away first.

What new achievement will you bring to the table, Vester?

Vester shrugged. "Nothing new. Mundane jobs as usual. Maybe I'll try gunning for a leadership position."

"Never say you'll try. Go for it. Anyway, that is good enough." Yizhang nodded in approval. He didn't beam nor smile, nor sound even remotely excited. He simply kept his attention on the eggs Benedict plated on his expensive china.