A strange stench filled the gloomy place. The foulness resembled the smell of stagnant water, but far more concentrated and dense, making it almost impossible to breathe.
Breathe?
No one was breathing; there was no need for it in that place. Realizing this, Lloyd understood that he wasn't smelling through his nose.
Once he grasped that, Lloyd began deciphering far more complex scents; it was no longer the 'stench of stagnant water,' but the smell of 'stagnation' itself.
He started to sense the 'silence,' the 'emptiness,' the 'nothingness,' the 'darkness.'
These were impossible scents, something only perceptible through a special kind of 'sense.'
Then Lloyd caught another scent approaching: it was sadness, yet hope; it was hatred, yet forgiveness; it was pain, yet redemption.
But before he could discover the origin of that scent, Lloyd's eyes opened.
"It's morning already, young master. If you keep sleeping, breakfast will merge with lunch."
Lloyd sat up in bed with difficulty, feeling the toll of exhaustion as he tried to recall what had happened the night before.
"Good morning, Lucía. Sorry, I stayed up a bit late last night," Lloyd said, yawning.
"I'm aware. I found you this morning in the garden. What exactly were you doing last night? You must take care of your health, young master," Lucía scolded gently, placing a tray of food on the bed. "It's garlic soup; it's good when you catch a chill."
"Eh? I'm fine now," Lloyd said, though he immediately sneezed as if his body wanted to contradict him.
"You were sleeping outside all night. When I found you, you had a fever. Do you really think that counts as healthy?"
Saying this, she approached him, gracefully bending to lift Lloyd's fringe with her hand, bringing her forehead close to his to check for fever.
Even with his congested nose, Lloyd detected a pleasant cinnamon scent from her. He couldn't help feeling slightly embarrassed by their proximity.
"Your fever seems to have gone down. Still, drink your soup, and be more careful next time; you're still very weak, young master."
Lloyd nodded obediently. He felt dazed from sleep. Did the strange experience mean anything? Or was it just the fever talking? He wasn't sure.
The first sip of soup was comforting; he felt his body warm up. Soon, however, the strong taste of garlic flooded his mouth, but he endured it like a champion.
While eating, Lloyd recalled the previous night. Apparently, Clarinda and one of the guards had a nighttime encounter in the guardhouse.
Lloyd had tried to eavesdrop but couldn't make out everything. From the fragments he heard, it seemed they were in some kind of relationship.
"You can't leave me, are you going to leave me alone now?" "It's too dangerous. Now that Sebastián is back, we have to be more careful." "That old man won't notice. We've been doing this since before he left." "I know, but now he's more alert. Let's wait until things settle."
Lloyd felt disappointed; he hadn't expected the clues to lead him to witness a romance subplot. Yet a mystery remained—he didn't understand why they were hiding. Were relationships forbidden between mansion staff? Or was it something in the contract?
He couldn't help but wonder, so he decided to ask Lucía.
"Lucy, are you single?" the boy suddenly asked.
The randomness of Lloyd's words hit her hard; she was tiptoeing while cleaning a shelf and nearly lost her balance in shock.
After regaining her balance, she looked at Lloyd, clearly confused.
"W-what did you say, young master?" she stammered, perhaps from nearly falling, or so Lloyd thought.
"I asked if you're single. Do you like anyone? Do you think about those things?" the boy asked naturally, despite the personal nature of the question.
By Lloyd's judgment, Lucía was young and very beautiful; it wouldn't be strange if she already had suitors. But if the mansion's contract forbade relationships, she would have avoided them.
"I, uh, well, I'm single, yes. Why do you ask?" she replied awkwardly.
Lloyd didn't respond immediately. Instead, he decided it was time to test the new upgrade of the Eye of Envy.
[Eye of Envy] Rank: Ipsilon "Now also allows reading and deciphering a person's thoughts."
"Curiosity… but never mind. What do you think of me?" Lloyd chose to address a more urgent matter first. Was Lucía a traitor?
Of course, it was unlikely she was; after all, she had rescued him. Still, it was suspicious that she knew where he had been at that time.
"W-what… what do I think of you?" Lucía's cheeks flushed pink; so many questions had overwhelmed her.
[Lucía's Thoughts] "Single? What do I think of him? Could it be… that the young master likes me? No, that can't be—it's just a child, yet he's acting so strange, so direct. Maybe in the future? No, I mustn't think that way."
Lloyd was taken aback reading those thoughts. At first, he didn't understand, but upon reflection, he realized why she had come to that conclusion.
"Brave. If I had to say something about you, it's that you are brave," he said finally, now calmer.
[Lucía's Thoughts] "He didn't give up despite his illness, even without his parents' support, and had to suffer alone… Just so."
"Eh?"
Then the boy felt warm arms wrap around him; she was hugging him, comforting him in some way.
It was the first time Lloyd Kaitos had ever received that kind of affection. The mind inhabiting this body could only remember his mother, hugging him as a child.
Tears slid down his cheeks; they were too difficult to hold back.
"I'm sure your mother would be very proud of you, Lloyd," she said, her voice soft and warm.
It was strange to hear his name spoken aloud; they usually called him young master. It was also unusual, since he had never been called that before.
Then Lloyd saw an opportunity.
"Mmm, do you think my father would be proud of me too?" the boy asked while wiping his tears as she stepped back.
"Your father? Mmm, I don't know. But I'm sure that if you manage to overcome your illness, Mr. Baltazar will be ashamed he didn't come to see you," she replied, kindly but firmly.
"I see… I'll have to… eh?"
It was then that Lloyd realized the crushing truth: Baltazar Kaitos, the mad necromancer who had slaughtered his entire family, was his father all along.