[Identity V] The Count's Son

After spending the afternoon on the training grounds, Aesop went to wash up before dinner. He was the first to arrive in the dining room along with his uncle Claude. They both sat opposite to each other, at the end of the table where a chair remained empty between them.

"Is he really coming...?" Aesop asked sheepishly.

"Give him a few minutes-"

Claude hurriedly replied, hoping his brother would arrive just as fast. Thank heavens, Joseph entered right then, his expression still stern like the statue of a soldier. He sat at his place without a word and they started to eat in the same silence. The air in the room felt heavy and suffocating for Aesop. It was such that anxiety made him lose the grip of his fork, which fell on the floor in a loud, clanking noise, bringing all attention to him. Martha, quick-witted as she is, picked it up for him and replaced it with a new one with a smile to cheer him up. However, things weren't so easy.

"...He really needs to learn manners."

Joseph had muttered under his breath but the room was so silent that Aesop still heard his words. Claude, who let out a faint gasp, did too.

Before Aesop realized it, tears were streaming down his face as he held the fork close to his chest. Joseph and Claude were both flabbergasted at the sight. The Count obviously didn't know how to react so it fell upon his brother's responsibility to handle the issue.

"T-That's not what he meant, Aesop!" That didn't help a bit. "Err, Martha, could you bring him back to his room, please..."

Martha nodded and lifted the kid in her arms carefully before leaving the dining room, the echo of sniffling sounds slowly disappearing in the distance. Now that they were alone, Joseph momentarily forgot about his so precious manners to let out an audible sigh, his hand covering his face in dread.

"Why are you acting like this when you made the kid cry?" Claude nagged him.

"I'm the one who wants to cry. I don't understand him."

"You didn't make much effort, goodness, you didn't even say a word to him-!"

"What am I even supposed to say?"

"I don't know- Figure it out yourself, ugh!"

Claude furiously left the table as well to follow Martha and Aesop.

Once in front of Aesop's room, Claude knocked on the door and announced himself, after which Aesop gave him the permission to enter. The kid was already in his nightgown, sitting by his window with a warm cup of milk that Martha had made for him. Claude sketched a soft smile and came closer, next to him on the window seat.

"How are you feeling?"

"...I'm alright." He said in a low voice.

"Good to hear. Don't take your father's words as they are, he probably meant to say that your tutor would arrive tomorrow, meaning you will finally learn everything you need to live comfortably. Also, a tutor can only be appointed with the count's approval, so that means he cares a lot about you by searching for one."

"Do you think so...?"

"Of course! Don't worry too much, I'll give a good beating to anyone who dares to hurt my cute nephew!"

These last words sounded a bit scary but the joyful tone used by Claude still made Aesop laugh, relieving his uncle. They kept chatting for a while but it was getting late and the gray-haired one was starting to doze off so Claude tucked him in before blowing off the candle on the nightstand.

The next day, Aesop was informed that his tutor would only arrive in the afternoon. However, in the meantime, Philippe had apparently asked him to come to the training grounds, with appropriate clothing. Aesop was a bit confused but he did as he was told and went there with Martha, dressed in a simple shirt and trousers that were ample enough to let him move swiftly.