Temporary Crown

4 | Different Standings

This was ridiculous.

Everything in the Von Stein Household was his. Lucien had claimed it everything long after his mother died. It was still ringing in his ears. The whisper of his mother and the short breaths she struggled with every time she reminded Lucien that no matter what happens, everything will fall to him- to his hands. Her stares that made him think that if he wasn’t able to obtain this land and the title of the duke himself, everything will fall into ruin.

Lucien did everything in order to become someone who was worthy of inheriting everything in this household. He was always top of his class and never associate himself with someone who could ruin him. He had been wise and cautiously taking notes of his choices and actions. No one can blame him.

All of his life, it was only surrounded with this house and everything his parents have to offer.

For a long time, it had been engrave to his mind that without the Von Stein duchy, he was nothing.

It was his own purpose- it was the only thing that was keeping him from going after everything in his life was dammed.

He thought that everything was progressing well even though him and the duke barely talks. But now, some outsider had introduced herself as his older sister. She was older than him and even close to his father.

Thinking about it now, Lucien felt a stinging pain crawling inside of him. It was a feeling as though someone was tying knots inside his stomach and he doesn’t know how to stop it. Who wouldn’t be furious? Lucien can still remember how his new sister, Nesta was smiling through him with her brown eyes. He did not like how wide was her smile at all nor he did not like how she was seating there casually.

He felt like he had been robbed by everything and all of his aspirations. She was someone who was older than him. She was someone who had the right to inherit this land the moment her name was put on the family registry!

As the reality was slowly sinking to Lucien, he can’t help but tremble. Anxiousness and restlessness started to crawl to him. His palms started to sweat and even though his room was well ventilated, he felt like it was so hard breathing. But despite of all the emotions getting to him one by one, he looked like he was calm. However, it was also sinking to him how powerless he had become and he did not like it at all.

Lucien felt his head a little bit heavy. He wanted to rest. He needed rest!

Perhaps tomorrow everything would be better. But that was a thoughtless wish because for someone like him, his position will ever be threatened and if he doesn’t do anything, he would forever take this feeling to his grave.

He needed someone who could help him. Someone who was in their land and had favors for him.

--

In a room where the heat of the fire from the fireplace gradually seeped through every corner, Nesta was drinking her tea while the duke was busy handling documents. She was having break from her lessons with the duke while Duke Charles had busied himself with papers and never ending documents.

Nesta knew very well that the duke’s days were numbered and that he was preparing everything to pass his will to her.

Although the duke was doing this for the sake of his son, Nesta Knew that Lucien will forever be shaken. Although he tried had not to show his emotions, Nesta who had lived her previous life with him knew all of his expression very well. He was anxious at the same time, Nesta saw how betrayal flickered in his eyes. She did not like how he had become restless. In her mind, she can still remember his cries and pleas for help.

She needed to make a stand and assure him that she was here to secure his power nothing else. This was something she needed to stop in order for them to have a harmonize relationship. Although she was thinking of an ideal future, she wanted to have Lucien to really become her family.

Right, she needed to move now.

“Your grace,” she said cutting the silent atmosphere that the room was maintaining. The duke who was looking through the folders and some letters raised his head and landed his gaze upon her.

“Is there something? “ he asked. His questioning gaze landed on Nesta.

Nesta smiled a little. She said straight to the point without any flattery. “It would be best, your grace to tell everything to your son. His expression looked as though he had been robed and was treated unfairly.”

There was a sudden flicker in Duke’s Charles eyes however, before Nesta could see it, it immediately disappeared as though it did not exist at all.

“He’s a man now,” the duke simply said before looking down to the documents he was handling. The wind blew making the whole room a little bit cold. Nesta stood up to close the opened window as the duke said, “A man should act like a man.”

Hearing his words, Nesta can’t help but let a fake smile formed her lips. This was the second time she heard such words and again, it would lead to a different outcome. She turned facing the duke once again. She squared her shoulders as though she was telling him her resolve and her opinion.

“Regardless of the reason your grace, he is your son. He had the right to know.”

“I won’t be entertaining this matter ever again, Nesta.” He dismissed. He looked quite stern to it. “It would be better for you to learn the flow of power and lead this whole Duchy for if ever I died, I can rest assure that my son would be safe in your power.”

What a stubborn man!

“Your grace, that is something- “ Nesta still want to insist. However, her words were cut off by the duke.

“Enough,” The duke’s voice had finality on it. It made her shut her mouth without any more thoughts of continuing the topic.

“As your grace said,” Nesta heaved her breath thinking of anything she could do to lessen Lucien’s burden. She doesn’t want everything to fail the moment they can barely start.

She left the office of the duke stumbling upon her thoughts one after another. She wanted to build a relationship full of trust with Lucien. This was one of her goals and in order to lessen their conflict in the future. However, the question was, how?

Should she visit Lucien?

No, that would probably anger him. If that was the case, it would be better to let him come to her.