Retrace

Chapter Six

“Don’t lie to me,” says Cassius. I could say the same thing to him. As far as I know, he hasn’t actually said anything yet. He’s good at being very discreet.

One week after walking out of the house, I’m back to my own self. I was sulking in my room in that one week, but that’s what they thought. I was reflecting. I drew out the possibilities that everything I learned is actually true. So far, I couldn’t find any loophole in this mess. The possibility for now is a depressing hundred percent.

Gil told me that I looked like a ghost when he found me in the library one night. It was because of the horrible state the library was in. It really had nothing to do with me. Gil had only been in the library a few times because the only entrance to it is through my room. The library is connected to my room and it is the only door through it because Gil sealed the other door from the hallway. He said he wanted it to be my personal library.

Gil helped me fix the books back in their shelves. It isn’t a very large library so it only took us a couple of minutes. After that, he left without saying a word.

That happened during the week. Now, I went out of the house to get my head fully cleared of problems. That afternoon, Cassius wanted to ask me some questions.

“Is it related to my misery?” I asked, sipping on hot chocolate.

“I do not know what you had just said, but it is about you,” Cassius replied.

“Then that would be my misery, yes. I don’t want to.”

“May I ask the reason why?”

“You don’t need to know why. It’s my problem.”

“May I ask what is it you are bothered at?”

I put down my mug. “Do you need to know the reason for everything?”

He sighed. “I have the right to know. I’ve sworn to His Highness that I would bring him his heir. To do so, I need to know everything.”

I stood up. “You don’t need to know this right now. I’m still distressed and I can’t think straight.” I walked back to my room and locked it.

Eri said that the last incident when my life was in danger is when someone tried to push me off a cliff. I asked her if the person who did it had some grudge on me to be going that far. Eri just kept silent when I insisted. Even Eri is keeping secrets. She also kept quiet when I asked if the person who did that to me has been apprehended.

What Eri answered was the reason why she was slapping me while I was asleep.

It was because she was already at her limit and I pissed her off by sleeping for five months.

For real?

But she did put quite an act when I woke up. She didn’t think I would even wake up so she put up that act. Eri did assure me that all she said that day is true.

Eri also said that she liked the look on my face every time she says Gil is my father. She said it was like a sour look with a very bitter smile.

My left eye started twitching again. Why did I even remember that weird memory? Eri is an unbelievable girl. I see her as my older sister because she is older than me. She’s already sixteen. On the other hand, Eri sees me as her dependent little brother. She even made it specific. Eri said I was her cute, dependent and crybaby little brother. I found that a bit offensive.

I heard a very light knock at my door. “Keishi, could we not talk to you?” Gil called. “Or have you not thought about this yet?”

I sighed. I opened the door. Gil stood at my door, looking very worried.