"Young master, wake up."
A pleasant voice entered his ears, causing the boy to flinch. His eyes started to twitch before opening. Before him stood an Italian-descent beautiful woman with blue hair and eyes. She was clad in a stylish maid's dress as she called out to him. Upon seeing her, the boy's eyes lit up.
'Sandra.'
The guardian of his mother. Guardians were individuals whose existence revolved around their master. From a young age, they grew and dedicated themselves to their assigned person.
"Is it morning already?"
The 'boy' spoke with a broken voice as he recalled the events of the prior day, causing emotional scars within him to reopen. Seeing this, Sandra's eyes turned blurry and sad. She came forward, patting the 'boy' with a warm smile.
"Don't worry, everything is fine."
Sandra's loving voice reassured him, and he nodded with a sobbing voice. Back in his younger years, Sandra had cared for him for a long time, acting as a second mother to him.
"Looks like you woke up your sisters."
Sandra spoke, and just as she said that, his sisters began to squirm and open their eyes. Witnessing this, the boy wiped away his tears, putting on a facade of strength. He patted his sisters' heads with his hands, wearing a somewhat broken smile.
"Hey, did the two of you sleep well?"
He asked, to which the two nodded, moving closer to the bed to hug their brother. Seeing this feigned bravery from the child she saw as her own, Sandra bit her lip in sadness. Despite her reluctance, she wished for the boy to grow strong. He was the family's successor, and even at such a young age, greater mental strength was vital, especially in the current world.
'Is this the right way?' She questioned herself, but she dismissed her doubts, observing the three affectionate siblings huddled together. She spoke again.
"Why don't we freshen up for now?"
Her suggestion garnered the attention of the three children. The twins clung to the boy, unwilling to let go of their brother for the moment.
"I see... Then I'll come back later, but no more excuses."
Sandra's tone was resolute as she left the three kids, who returned to their slumber. True to her promise, she returned after an hour, taking the twins to wash and clean them up, despite their protests. The boy didn't object as he was led to be cleaned. The two girls were attended to by other maids, while Sandra herself guided the boy. As they walked through the mansion's stairways, a sense of loneliness pervaded the air.
None of the staff seemed to be in high spirits, and a pervasive heaviness gripped the entire estate. The boy didn't pay it much mind as he allowed himself to be bathed and dressed. Soon, he was seated at a large table, his two sisters clutching his sides, unwilling to let go. As he gazed at the spread of food before him, he turned to Sandra, curiosity evident in his childish voice.
"Where's Mother and the others?"
His words caused the servants to freeze, while a bitter smile, one only an adult could decipher, appeared on Sandra's face as she replied.
"They're occupied with something."
"Oh... I see..."
The boy's lacklustre reaction hung in the air, causing the servants to feel a pang of pain. They didn't want the boy to be burdened, but explaining such matters to a six-year-old wouldn't change much. While the boy's expression seemed downtrodden, his sisters' gazes revealed surprise. The vague memories of the past were already returning to him.
The past, with its lonely walls, held his memories tightly. His father had been the head of the family company, a super genius who propelled the family to great heights. With his passing, the family fell into disarray, and opportunistic vultures began to eye the Mervick family, seeking to dismantle them due to their recent ascendancy.
This scenario led to the intervention of his grandparents and his mother, a business prodigy in her own right. In the past, his mother had dominated the family, ruling it with an iron fist. Even the esteemed ancestors of the great family feared her wrath. But now, they were a struggling family.
Due to these circumstances, the three children who needed their families the most were left to tend to their broken hearts alone. In the past, he had come to understand that his mother had devoted herself to stabilising the family, intending to provide a bright future for her children. She planned to lavish them with affection once everything was settled.
However, she realised her mistake too late. By the time all was set, the children she loved had already drifted away from her. She no longer held that maternal place in their hearts.
'No wonder we all ended up like that.'
The boy, along with his sisters, had grown to be quite the menace to society. While his sisters concealed their true selves under normality while conducting their darkness in secret, unleashing their true wrath only when 'it' arrived, while he played it cleverly and went into hiding when his family fell. This ensured his survival as his sisters were eradicated.
"Come, let's eat."
He said, serving himself some food. At his cue, the servants moved, placing an array of dishes before them. Each had been prepared with a balanced diet tailored to the children's growth and taste.
"Not hungry..."
The brown-haired, black-eyed girl spoke, her voice low. Her sister, with black hair and brown eyes, nodded in agreement. Seeing this, the boy encouraged them.
"Come on, eat up. If you do, I'll get the two of you whatever you want."
"We want father."
The twins spoke in unison, causing the room's atmosphere to grow heavy. The boy's expression turned gloomy as he sighed, his face reflecting the pain visible to the adults. He held his sisters' hands tightly, lifting each from his sides. He held onto them, feeling helpless in the face of their grief.
"Take us to see mother."
The boy suddenly spoke.
"Young master, the misses is very bu-"
"Now."
The boy's bloodshot eyes cut off Sandra's words. She acquiesced after a moment.
"Yes."
Sandra finally agreed, giving orders to others. A limousine was quickly arranged, complete with guards for protection. Even the Veridiania personal military unit and a military asset were deployed to ensure no mishaps occurred while the grandchildren of the supreme general ventured out.
"Please, young master."
Sandra led the three children to the limousine. They entered, the twins holding the boy's hand as they took their seats beside him. They remained silent, not making a sound. The shock of it all would take weeks to heal, especially for children like them.
The cars started up, moving in synchronised harmony. Every safety precaution had been taken to ensure the children's well-being. With that, the cars left the estate, the very estate covered over 100 acres, being situated in the middle of a forest-like area, the house that he lived in resembled a palace in both beauty and size.
Seated in the limousine, the boy stared out of the window. Observing the tranquillity outside, a sense of calm filled him. Tall skyscrapers pierced the sky, luxurious cars moved about, and throngs of people bustled around. Despite the crowd, not a single disturbance arose, a stark contrast to the future to arrive.
Metrox City was vast, boasting a population of about 60 million people, yet it wasn't enough to fill the city. Metrox was one of the world's leading cities, rich in technology, heritage, culture, and growth. It ranked among the safest cities to live in globally. The country of Veridiania itself stood as a superpower, wielding access to a variety of resources.
This nation held its place at the top of the global hierarchy. Even countries like the United States, Russia, and China accorded Veridiania the respect it commanded.