News of the noble party spread through the household like wildfire and the House of Armand now busy preparing for a major event.
Javier, piecing together conversations from his maids and his own eavesdropping, understood the purpose.
So it's official, huh? Heh~ The 'dried plum' gets a shiny new rank because of my brothers. Baron to Viscount. Two ranks at once. Woo~ congratulations, dried plum. Ehehe~
Marcellus, now fourteen, had been appraised with the Wizard class, exceptional, versatile in magic. Cedric, thirteen, earned the Swordmaster class, a prodigy with a blade and sword.
Together, their success meant more influence for the De Armand family.
That's great for you, dried plum. As for me, I'll stay under the radar. No need to get involved in this noble nonsense. No way~ Handle that yourself. kekeke~
Of course I notice the stark differences in treatment between myself and my siblings. While each of my brothers was assigned six maids and a training butler, a personal aide skilled in combat, I only had three maids: Meira, Liana, and Lithia.
Well… Not that I'm complaining. Three beautiful maids are more than enough. Especially when one of them gives me the good stuff… Liana~
Lying in his crib, pretending to nap while Liana sat nearby reading her book, he let his mind wander.
Let's see… The noble hierarchy in this world is like this...
King and Queen
Prince and Princess
Duke
Marquess
Count
Viscount
High Baron
Baron
Low Baron
Hmm… This means my family in this world started near the bottom as Barons. Now they're stepping into mid-tier nobility.
A Viscount, huh. If this keeps up, the dried plum could hit Count in no time. I guess.
But whatever.
Not like I care about that. Let the others play their power games. I've already lived the grind
But whatever.
Not like I care about that. Let the others play their power games. I've already lived the grind before, school, work, all that. If I can stay in the background and enjoy the perks without the responsibilities… that's the dream.
Next year, it would be the turn of Lady Garcinia's eldest son, Aelius, and Lady Phenelopie's only child, Heres, to attend their blessing ceremonies.
Good luck to them, then. Ehehehe.
The only important thing for me is my maid. Especially the strict one, but the most beautiful~
Hmm? Where's Liana?
Javier stood up inside his crib and noticed Liana wasn't there.
I need my afternoon 'snack'~
Guess I have to find her~
Just as Javier was about to try climbing down, Meira entered the room, her tail swaying with every step.
"Oh, young master? You're already awake?"
Javier grinned, jumping inside his crib with excitement.
"Mm!" he said, extending his arms up.
Meira chuckled softly and lifted him up with a smile, cradling him against her chest. "My, you're getting heavier, young master."
Javier looked up at her and let out an innocent smile. "Meira, where are we going?"
"Hmm? Do you want to go somewhere, young master?" Meira asked, tapping his nose and planting a kiss on his cheek.
"How about the library? Ehehe~" Javier said while nuzzling his face between her breasts.
"Cheeky young master~" Meira said, letting him do as he pleased as she tilted her head. "Well… Madam and the Lord will be at the party for a few days. I suppose it's alright. But why the library? It's not like you can read a book yet~"
"Ehehe~ nothing. I just want to see it. Can I?" Javier said, showing her his best puppy eyes.
Meira shook her head and smiled. "Okay~ But you have to behave. No running, no pulling books down, no making a mess in the library, okay?"
"Okay~" Javier said with his most angelic smile.
After a while, they arrived at the library, a grand room filled with rows of tall bookshelves reaching all the way to the ceiling.
Woo! It feels like stepping into a treasure trove of knowledge.
His eyes darted around, scanning the countless leather-bound tomes.
"Wow," he mumbled softly, genuinely impressed. "So many books…"
Meira watched, amused, as she tidied a few misplaced volumes.
Javier wandered to a section of ancient texts, reached for one of the books, sat on the floor, opened it, and pretended to struggle with the letters.
Perfect. If I'm going to learn mana control and magic, it has to be in secret. No one should know that I can already decipher this ancient script.
His gaze drifted back to Meira, who was climbing a small ladder to reshelf a book. A mischievous grin spread across his face.
"Meira," he called sweetly.
She looked down. "Yes, young master?"
"Can you read me a story?" He gave her his most innocent look.
She chuckled and climbed down. "Of course. Which one?"
"Anything, Meira~" Javier flashed a charming, innocent smile.
Well… I don't care which one. All I need is to spend more time with them. That's all that matters.
Meira started choosing a book, lifted him up, sat on a cushion, placed Javier on her lap, and began reading the story while Javier leaned his head against her soft breast.
That night, he lay in his crib in Liana's room, feigning sleep as she hummed and prepared for bed. Once her footsteps faded and the room stilled, he opened his eyes.
Time to go to the library~ There's a lot I could learn. Lucky I asked Meira to bring me before, so I know exactly the location now.
Sliding quietly out, he tiptoed across the floor, slipped through the door, and crept down the dim hallway. His heart raced with excitement.
I have to be careful. If not… they'll capture me and bring me back to Liana's room, and surely Liana will be mad.
He reached the heavy wooden door, pushed it open just enough to slip through, stepped inside, and closed it softly behind him. The room was pitch black.
Woo! This is too dark. Well… not a problem~
Javier held out his small hand, channeling mana into his palm. A soft, pale glow emanated from his hand, enough to light the immediate area without drawing attention.
Perfect.
He scanned the shelves, eyes glinting with determination.
Most of the books are far out of my reach, but I don't mind. The book I really want to read is on the lower shelves.
Hmm… where is it?
Javier moved carefully and checked the contents.
Ah… this one! This is exactly what I need. If I master this now, I'll be leagues ahead of everyone else. No need for tutors or fancy ceremonies.
He settled onto a cushion in the corner after taking the book, the glow from his palm illuminating the pages.
The hours slipped by unnoticed as he absorbed the book's teachings. His mana control improved with each attempt, the glowing light in his palm steady and bright.
A soft creak outside the door made him jolt.
He extinguished the glow instantly, plunging the room into darkness.
Who could that be at this hour?
The door opened slowly, and Javier held his breath, pressing himself against the shelves. A familiar figure stepped inside, holding a small lantern.
"Young master?" Meira's soft voice called out, her tail swishing behind her. "Are you in here? I saw you sneaking around earlier…"
Javier sighed in relief, stepping into the lantern's glow.
"Meira! You scared me!" he whispered, putting on his most innocent face.
She knelt down, her golden eyes narrowing. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in bed!"
"I… I couldn't sleep," Javier mumbled, clutching the book behind his back.
Meira sighed, her tail flicking. "You're going to get in trouble if the madam or Lord Garius finds out you're wandering around at night."
She lifted him effortlessly, tucking him against her shoulder. "Let's go back to bed, young master," she said firmly.
Javier pouted but didn't resist.
Guess I'll have to come back tomorrow night.
(End of Chapter)