The boy seed to have been scared by the unfamiliar environnt for he wrapped himself up into a blanket burrito. Wariness replaced his confusion as he glared at us.
"Who are you, people?" He questioned in a hoarse, quivering voice.
I smiled pacifyingly in his direction and introduced myself.
"I am Skandar Aleksandr Konstantin. We were waiting for the sandstorm to pass when we ca across the ruins of the rchant caravan you were in. We rescued you from there." I explained concisely.
"Skandar... Konstantin? You... You’re the Grand Duke of the East! The Ruler of the Desert." The boy exclaid in an excited tone.
I chuckled at this reaction. The little one seems to be smart. My suspicions may have a little more foundation. After all, slaves aren’t supposed to know about nobility. It was a matter of the stark difference in status.
"That’s right," I answered. Not the least bit embarrassed by the titles the child spouted.
Why should I? They were factual, anyway.
"You should call him Dad though," Abi interjected taking away the attention of the boy.
There was an unspoken question in his bright eyes as his sight flitted from Abi to .
"But I’m an orphan. I don’t have a dad." The child answered straightforwardly. A frown ford on his little eyebrows.
Man, I have to say. The kid is kind of adorable the more I look at him.
"Trust , boy. This man is your father now. The blood-related kind." Abi continued which further deepened the child’s frown.
"That is not possible, sir. I’ve always been an orphan. The dean said I was left at the orphanage because my parents didn’t want a useless burden. And then... and then since I was earning less than the other kids they gave to a fat uncle," The young boy paused his rambling for a mont and took a breath.
He was twiddling his thumbs, lips pursed as he continued.
"That uncle said I have to go work and took to a grandpa who said we will be going to the East that was ruled by the King of the Desert. But the grandpa and the other brothers who were with were eaten by flying monsters. I got scared and hid in the barrel where they hid the shiny things."
It looks like the mystery of how he ended up with the rchants and the tragedy they faced was now cleared up.
Sothing still doesn’t add up, however. Though for now, it’s wiser to set it aside. So truths unravel themselves in due ti.
"I see. Then do you rember what happened to you afterward?" I asked as I slowly walked towards the edge of the bed.
The young one seems to have gotten comfortable anyhow.
"I just rembered feeling hot and painful. Then I woke up here." The child answered with a dubious look on his face.
I nodded at his response and contemplated whether to tell him what happened or not.
Yet before I could even decide on it, Abi had decided to ddle once again and did it for .
"You felt hot and painful because your mana and aura abilities were awakened. If it weren’t for us finding you, you would have died. We sealed part of your powers with the Grand Duke’s blood. It seed to have integrated into your body, though. His blood is now running through your veins. So technically, in this way, the Grand Duke is now your father. Aren’t you happy?"
Abi declared without even wasting ti for a single breath rendering the child speechless.
See what you did you dumb Jinn? That was too much information. Too much.
Now the kid is too stunned to speak.
What do we do if he turned dumb like you? Sigh.
I eyed Abi in exasperation and turned to the child.
"I guess that could have been said in a better way but that’s roughly what happened." I followed up to pacify the shocked boy.
He looked at in disbelief and was silent for a good while. I let him stew in his thoughts.
The kid looked like he needed it.
"Is this okay for you, Sir?" The boy turned to in question.
That question. He’s asking if I was fine with it? Such concerns were beyond that of a normal five or six-year-old. Even more for soone who lived a rough life.
Then again, I quite understand this reaction as well.
I was minutely surprised by how sensible he is. At the sa ti, it was a pitiful sight. Such a young child needed to be more precocious.
He seed to have mistaken my silence for hesitation because he then rambled nonsense again.
"There’s no need to take as your son. I- I will be fine as long as you give so food to eat, sir. I can work for it. I know a lot of things." He said as he crawled out from the blankets he wrapped himself in.
I sighed at his words, feeling a little annoyed at myself.
"There is no need for a son of mine to do nial work. The only work you are allowed to do is eat, sleep, and be the child that you are." I stated firmly and patted the boy’s head comfortingly.
I know all too well a child’s yearning for a family. In my previous life, I was exactly like him. An orphan who had to endure a lot to get by in life.
Being born in the Konstantin household has given the chance to experience what I didn’t in that life. And now, the least I could do for soone so similar is to give the sa thing I was given.
An aspiring villain lord like doesn’t yearn to save the world. That kind of grand ambition is too much for one who is selfish. But I will always save the ones I consider my people.
"Did the orphanage ever give you a na?" I questioned to which the boy shook his head in response.
"Alright. Then from now on, you shall be Spiro Altan Konstantin. Rember that and live with your head held high." I announced with a soft smile at the dazed appearance of the child.
"Oh? The hope of life at the red dawn. You gave him an exceedingly befitting na. I expected no less from you, brother." Abi threw in his thoughts and circled the child in interest.
Spiro’s eyes bulged at the sight. Abi was used to floating around.
Well, it was a disconcerting thing, to say the least. But what can I do? I can’t possibly tell a Jinn off for doing sothing akin to walking for humans.
"You should brace yourself. You need to be used to these kinds of things. This man here is a Jinn and is my sworn brother. That makes him your uncle."
The boy, being sensible as he was, rely nodded. Though I have quite the suspicion that he didn’t actually understand for he was unable to even utter a word in response. The Jinn in question, on the other hand, laughed in delight and pinched the hapless child. I shook my head at their antics.
I turned to William who has kept quiet until now, "I had Captain Arthur prepare breakfast. I have to trouble you to serve it now. We shall depart after partaking the al."
William acquiesced and bowed toward us before taking his leave.
"Uhm si-sir... Am I... Am I to call you father now?" Spiro asked as he sat upright like a student called for punishnt.
I peered at his big amber eyes. A clear indication of his new lineage. Having amber eyes was the unique trait of the Konstantins. Even if I tried to deny it, I can’t forego this fact.
Well, considering my previous life, I am essentially soone old enough to have kids. So, this situation is sothing I could still accept easily.
"Yes. That would be best. Though outside, you still need to address formally as Your Excellency. It is proper etiquette." I answered patiently.
"As for that uncle of yours, just call him whatever. No need to be uptight around him." I added, a small smirk on my lips.
"You trying to be sly? I don’t care for formalities so it’s futile." Abi retorted with a booming laugh.
I just eyed him insipidly while Spiro blinked at him innocently.
My delayed travel to the Capital finally resud. Only this ti there was an added transcendent being and a young child with .
We arrived at the Capital in the morning after another one and a half-day of travel.
A row of maids along with William’s son, Bernard greeted us at the gate of the Elysian Estate, the ho of the Konstantins here in the Capital.
"Welco, Master." They said in chorus. I went down the carriage first before turning back to lift the child and help him to the ground.
Abi followed both of us at the back. Thankfully, he finally relented to walking on the ground after a few rounds of discussions and bribery.
There was a deafening silence in the air which I properly ignored. This reaction is getting old.
Abi and Spiro on the other hand were preoccupied with admiring the estate to even notice the reaction of the people around them.
It must be good to be oblivious.
"Let us head inside," I spoke, taking their attention away from the view.
"I must say brother; this estate exceeds my expectation. It is truly grand," Abi said with admiration while the child in my hand followed up with a question.
"That’s right, father. Are you sure it’s fine to live here?"
"That’s a silly question, Spiro. And Abi, who do you think the Konstantin family is? This much is to be expected." I answered in a proud yet indifferent tone.
The three of us conveniently disregarded the flummoxed audience behind us.
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