Chapter 49 46: Family Business

A cold breeze blew in from the window in front of me, carrying with it the scent of the two cups of tea from the table and a stronger scent of ink and paper. The rich blonde hair of the man sitting across me fluttered from the breeze.

"So, how can I help you, faaather?"

"Seriously son, why do you speak like that?" My father, Marquis Ban Ket Hall asked.

"Does it annoy you?"

"It does."

"HAHAHAAHA!"

The Marquis clicked his tongue when I laughed at his face.

"I'm thinking of increasing tourism taxes..."

"My sincerest apologies."

Old fucker. I'll get him someday.

I was currently sitting in his office. Last night, my dinner had lasted rather late and I didn't get the chance to tell Maria about the demon's machinations. I thought I would do so this morning, but here I was, summoned over to this man's study.

We both glared at each other for a few seconds and then sighed. At once, the two of us took a sip of our tea and leaned back on our chairs.

"Son—Tsk. Stop frowning."

The source of this content is nov/el/bin[./]net'

"Get to the point."

"How's it going with Lady Sophia?"

"Well? She likes the place. I am to meet her in an hour so can we make this quick?"

It was nice that this guy wasn't so stiff.

"Yeah, yeah. I heard you're the one who wrote the scorebook Sounds of Gaia?"

"How?"

"You even handed your sister the author's copy."

Right. The one I deliberately handed over to make her bitter. I didn't think she'll tell him right away.

"Vienna was full of praise for you, she and Sydney both were hooked on practicing it."

Sydney Opera Hall was the youngest of the Halls' children. Seriously, how was this guy naming his children? I wouldn't want to be one of his kids ever.

Oh, wait...

That said, I didn't think miss high horse would be praising me. She probably learned a lesson.

"She's a good kid, don't be too harsh on her."

"Oh, I hold no judgments toward lady Vienna."

The Marquis nodded. For a sadistic freak, he was rather docile.

"Say, Eugene," the Marquis leaned ahead and said. "Will you play a piece on her birthday?"

"Me?"

"There's a room on the topmost floor that is not used by anyone, you can practice there. Just one piece, how about it?"

"Is that a request as the Marquis?"

"It's a request as a father."

I leaned back, almost ready to sigh. This man, he surely loved his children, huh?

A sadistic freak or not, this was a family man.

The Eugene Hall in the game, the one I knew of was a petty villain. He was one who chased after booze and women, one whose heart was as foul as his tongue.

I thought that the past I had experienced was the cause, but... Keith, Lily, Maria... I had faith in those three. No matter the case, they wouldn't have let a person devolve to that degree.

It must be something related to his family as well.

To my family.

"Lord Marquis... Father..." I spoke up. "You didn't love my mother, did you?"

The Marquis held his breath. He seemed to be in thought for a few seconds.

Then, he shook his head.

"I didn't. Not one bit."

"Then why?"

"We made a deal."

I crossed my hands and closed my eyes. An unwanted child makes much more sense. It made even more sense if this 'deal' was disadvantageous to the Marquis.

"Your mother was... how to put it..." the Marquis lowered his head and hesitated to speak. "She was a terrible person. She was good to the ones close to her, but that didn't change that she was terrible. I knew her since my academy days, so I was the one she turned to."

"She wanted an heir?"

"Yes," the Marquis nodded. "She wanted an heir to carry her blood. Not her family's, but hers."

I realized how little I knew about my mother.

Her family name.

Her own name.

For some reason, I was never curious. And honestly, after hearing all this, I could care even less. Her identity and her ideals didn't mean much to me.

I took a glance at the wall clock kept at the side.

It was getting late.

"Marquis, I have to go meet with Lady Sophia."

The Marquis nodded and I stood up from my seat. "Come here tomorrow at the same time, I'll tell you everything."

Everything about my, Eugene Hall's birth.

Did a person's birth truly define them? Sure, being born into a rich house or a poor one, a lucky one or an unlucky one, all of it changed the way a person was. But the circumstances that led up to their birth... I didn't care about it.

It was the Marquis and my mother's thing to deal with. It affected my status and my livelihood, sure, but it didn't affect me. I, Eugene, wasn't affected by what led to my birth.

I softly shook my head.

"You don't have to," I said. Learning she was a terrible person but very good to the people around her was a big help. I had gotten more than enough insight into Maria's relationship with that person from just that. A terrible person good to their people was bound to be a manipulator. I didn't care about things related to me. But, well, I'd be lying if I said I hated this Marquis as well, though we would never get along. If he wanted to tell me, I would be willing to listen. To his woes, not to mine.

"I'll play on the day," I said. "Please prepare that room for me."

The Marquis sighed and nodded.

"Sure," he said. "What a nonchalant man."

"Hah, you'll have to learn too if you want to succeed in life."

"Brat."

We shared a soft laugh and I started moving toward the door. Just as I grabbed the handle, the man behind me called out again.

"Eugene."

"Yes?" I asked, not turning back.

"I gave you your name... Eugene..."

A soft pull tugged the corners of my lips upward.

"I see..." I said. "It's a nice name."