"The Aetherial Filament?"
As soon as Elias heard the name, a strange sense of familiarity washed over him. He felt as though he'd heard it somewhere before but couldn't quite place it.
Seeing Elias's thoughtful expression, which seemed genuine, Earl Alaric asked with slight surprise, "Lord Varen doesn't know what it is?"
"I haven't inherited the title yet, Earl Alaric, no need for the formal address, just call me Elias."
Elias finished speaking and shook his head. "The Aetherial Filament, it sounds familiar, but I honestly can't recall what it is."
The Earl studied Elias closely, then reached for a wooden box an attendant was holding and handed it to Elias. "Do you have any impression of this box?"
It was a beautifully carved wooden box, its carvings very different from the common relief paintings of the Kingdom. Simple, undulating outlines depicted cloud-like patterns, a style completely alien to the current school of artistry. Others might not recognize it, but Elias did—this was one of Old Calder's personal tea boxes.
Could it be that Calder's past had finally caught up to him?
"This seems to be... just a box for holding things, right?"
Elias had wanted to say it was a tea box, but changed his mind at the last moment. Even though he didn't like Old Calder, his beloved brother held the man in such high regard. For Dorian's sake, he would not expose him.
Elias was still young, and though he quickly regained his composure, that momentary surprise had not escaped the Earl's notice.
"You have no impression of this box?" the Earl's voice was full of suspicion.
"None." Elias answered without hesitation.
After a long pause, Earl Alaric's mouth curled into a cold sneer, and a flash of steel-hard light appeared in his eyes. "Very well," he said coldly. "Since Lord Varen has no impression, we won't waste any more time. Good day."
As the Earl and his attendants left, Elias's face darkened. The Earl's decisive departure, coupled with the chilling killing intent in his eyes, gave Elias a terrible feeling. After thinking it over, Elias ordered the manor's knights to go on high alert and rushed toward the stilt house where Old Calder was.
This was the second time he had visited the stilt house today, but his mood was completely different. He arrived in a hurry, bringing a gust of wind with him that made the grass leaves in the yard flutter.
"Brother, what's wrong?"
Seeing the look on Elias's face, Dorian didn't repeat the "you're here" joke. He simply assumed something serious had happened and asked quickly.
"Have you seen the tea box? The one Old Calder uses for his tea." Elias said, rushing upstairs and pushing open the door to Calder's room.
Dorian followed him. "Tea box?" He pulled a round, dragon-carved box from a small side cabinet. "Are you talking about this?"
Calder, who had been sitting at his desk reading, the mute servant turning pages for him, had naturally noticed Elias's commotion.
"What's wrong, Elias? Have you finally decided to learn to appreciate my tea?" he laughed.
The Kingdom of Veridia did have tea, but it was completely different from Calder's. The kingdom's tea was more of a milky concoction made with flowers and syrup. Both Dorian and Calder liked the taste, but Calder himself rarely drank it. His own tea was made from the leaves of the green tea trees he grew himself, a pure, unadulterated creation. The tea garden where Ollie worked had been built and managed by Calder, but as he grew ill, he had handed its care over to the Head Maid, Corina.
Elias ignored Calder's teasing and took the box from Dorian's hand. "That's not right," he said with a frown.
"What's wrong?"
"The pattern. This box has a basilisk carved on it. The box I saw had wave-like patterns." Elias recalled the box in the Earl's hand.
"Basilisk? Brother, that's a dragon."
"A dragon? I've never seen such a slender one."
Dorian knew it was pointless to argue about different cultures and myths. He simply said, "The mentor's tea boxes are generally carved with dragons. He also carved peach patterns on a box for Mother's rose tea, and bat patterns on Father's tea box. The wave-like patterns you mentioned are cloud patterns he used for gifts."
"So the old man's boxes are that particular? I never noticed." Elias looked surprised, then refocused. "Then it must be the cloud pattern. Where is that box?"
Dorian looked at him strangely. "Didn't I say the cloud pattern box is for gifts? It's not here. Father once asked the mentor to carve a batch of them. Except for the ones that were given away, they should all be in the warehouse, right?"
"Elias, what happened?" It was Calder who spoke. Although he hadn't said anything before, his eyes had been on Elias, whose face had been anxious the entire time.
Elias looked at Calder, studying him for a moment before speaking. "Today, Earl Alaric..."
"So, Elias is worried that my enemies have come to my door?" Calder asked with a chuckle.
"Who's worried about you? I was just trying to help for Dorian's sake," Elias said, turning his head awkwardly and humming under his breath.
Dorian inwardly scoffed. He had always thought his brother was a straight-laced macho man, but it seemed he had a touch of the legendary tsundere quality, too!
"Tell me, what's going on between you and Earl Alaric? He came and went so fast, and the look in his eyes was so fierce. If this can be resolved, I'll help. If not, you're on your own."
"There is no trouble," Calder said without thinking.
"No trouble? How can that be? The box he was holding was clearly carved by you!"
Calder looked at Elias. "The only people I know in this world are in Eldoria. I have no reason to lie."
Calder had arrived in this world with health problems. With the help of Lord Varen, he spent several years adapting, but by the time he had, his limbs had begun to atrophy. He could not travel far. The farthest he had ever been was to the capital for treatment with Old Marcus. His social circle was small, and it was impossible for him to have made any enemies.
Seeing Elias's puzzled expression, Dorian added, "The mentor isn't lying, and he has no reason to. Maybe... your assumption was wrong from the start. Earl Alaric may not even know my mentor exists."
"What do you mean?" Elias asked.
"According to you, the Earl came for one thing, and he asked about the Aetherial Filament from the very beginning. So it must be for that." Dorian tilted his head in thought, a habit of his. "But isn't the Aetherial Filament just a kind of tea? Did he come all this way just to drink tea? That doesn't feel right."