The Count Family's Young Master
Chapter 5 - Small smile (2)

Valias guessed the body he was in was 18-20 years old. Danial is younger than him by 2-3 years. Dina is younger than Danial. So maybe 5 or 6 years different from Valias. Valias realizes the height of the Danial reaching his shoulder.

I didn't know if this body would still grow or not.

Thinking about the condition of his body that is too frail and thin like malnutrition enough for his growth. But Valias believes Danial will grow tall sooner or later. Valias remembers his sudden growth spurt in just a year and a half, after going through puberty.

He's gonna be a great guy.

Danial opened the door and Valias could see the contents of the reading room.

Probably 4 times Valias' room. And have a lot of books. Probably as many books on one floor of the national library.

"I'll sit there."

Danial pointed at the table with his chin. Valias nodded. "certain."

Not letting her sister's change of behavior bother her, Danial leaves.

Valias approached one of the shelves and grabbed one by one the books in front of him. Keep peeking at the book sections on one shelf at a time without reading the whole thing at all.

Economics, geography, planting techniques, military engineering, Dapti culture, elven tribes, fish-man tribes, dwarf tribes, and so on.

Valias was quite surprised by the things he found from the books he had already peeped on.

In the afterlife there are mermaids and dwarves?

Thinking it was a bit strange Valias brushed it off

Valias wants to know where he is. Dreams, another undiscovered country of man where mythological creatures that usually only exist in fiction books and human delusions are still alive, even creatures like elves and mermaids are not extinct creatures but there really is no—or afterlife.

If this was a dream, Valias was quite surprised by his imaginary ability. He did not read any fiction other than what his college friend recommended. The epilogue Valias hasn't read yet.

I'm not too curious either.

Valias is not the type of person who feels excited about anything. Including the renewal chapter of a novel like his friend. His friend will smile like he is the only person who has happiness in the world and show off how the stories he reads have a new chapter. Repeatedly saying that he would say thank you and give gifts to the writers of the stories he read.

Feeling like he has nothing to do, Valias reads the site's story.

So Valias should not have been able to imagine this much in his dreams. He lacks references and a imaginary soul. So even if this is a dream, Valias feels a bit strange.

Maybe someone else's dream? But I got into his dream?

Such thinking is even more absurd.

As a person who had never fantasized and thought of something illogical, Valias felt funny about the thought that had come to his mind just now.

Valias

Maybe this is the afterlife. No one's ever been to the afterlife, right? Maybe this is the real afterlife?

Where the fictional creatures live.

Valias remembered the saying that drawing should not be done because the pictures will come to you and ask for life in the afterlife. Maybe this is the result?

These imaginary creatures now exist in the afterlife and live on the same land as humans.

He didn't even know what the territory he was resting in was called.

It doesn't seem like the kind of territory the president leads. But she remembers calling him Reiss in the book she read a little bit last night.

Maybe kingdom?

Even a hierarchical system like the Count existed. Valias was less familiar with the terms in such a royal system of government.

So maybe this area is called Reiss territory? And Count Bardev is in Reiss's territory?

Valias tried to see what Danial was doing. The boy was so focused on the book and the questioner.

Valias foolishly intended to peek at all the books in the reading room even though he was not sure how long it would take.

It shouldn't be long.

Because he was just peeping, not reading.

Even if I have to spend a full day here it should be okay.

Within an hour, he had already finished peeking and reading a bit of books along one shelf level.

Valias breathed a tired sigh but did not complain.

...***...

Three hours passed without Danial noticing. He leaned his body against the back of the bench and stretched his body.

My brother didn't sit at all.

Danial thought his brother would pick up a book and sit down next to him. But without Danial knowing because he was too focused on his reading, his brother never sat down.

Maybe he read it near where he found the book.

Sometimes Danial does that. So that he would not have to bother remembering the location where he picked up the book he was reading. He could put the book anywhere, and the waiter would take care of it. But Danial is not a messy person who thinks the waiter will clean up all the mess he makes.

Danial had long since felt no worry about her brother. But after this morning, and with the change of her brother who had now started to talk and smile at her, the instinct to feel worried was back again.

Danial didn't know if it was because Valias was his biological brother or not. But as humans, worrying about each other is natural, right?

Should I check?

After weighing up, Danial finally chose to meet his curiosity and relieve his worry.

He traced shelf after shelf until he reached the corner of the last shelf and was cornered. And that's where Valias is.

Danial was about to approach her brother but stopped when he saw that red hair was exposed to the sunlight coming in from the window beside him. The body is frail, thin, and pale. But somehow Danial found herself stunned by the sight.

Then, the sight made her wonder if the mother who gave birth to her would look like her brother or not.

Danial only finds out that he and Dina are not the Countess' real children now - but have the blood of their father, Count Hadden Bardev - one year ago.

All the secrets are uncovered by his father after his older brother Valias Bardev is present among their family.

Danial, Dina, and Valias were born to a woman whom his father had loved. Carla's. He was a commoner who worked in one of the bars in the Bardev region. Then his father, as a noble teenager who was playing, saw and immediately fell in love. The woman gave birth to the three of them. But Grandma Danial, the previous Countess, was against the relationship.

Hadden married Ruri Osmond. But Ruri has a problem with her uterus. Hadden pleaded with the Countess, the mother, to allow him to create a false scenario and bring the three children born to the woman he loved into the Bardev family.

After several attempts, Hadden was finally granted permission. But Danial's grandmother still rejected her brother because of his hair color is too different and worried will cause gossip among the nobility.

Danial and Dina live and grow up knowing that they are the biological children of Count and Countess Bardev. Then Valias Bardev showed up.

Danial has no high curiosity about his biological mother. After all, all he knew, his mother was Ruri Bardev. And he's comfortable with that. Moreover, she could not change her attitude towards the woman who had been a mother figure to her and Dina since they were little. Since they haven't been able to remember anything.

Looking at the figure of Valias in front of him, Danial thought - perhaps the woman who gave birth to him would look like Valias. Danial begins to feel that how his father instantly fell in love with his biological mother is natural.

Danial focused himself again and began to approach Valias.

"Sister"

His voice stopped as soon as he saw something dripping.

Danial saw a red liquid dripping on the book that was being held by his brother's two hands.

"Eh?"

Valias immediately wiped the dripping blood on the page of the book he opened with his finger and placed it originally on the shelf.

A nosebleed?

Valias was confused as to whether or not he should be surprised by this incident.

Just be right. How weak is Valias' body?

Valias has never had a nosebleed in his entire life. This nosebleed was a new sensation for him.

So this is how it feels.

Like when a cold, but this time too thin and red and smelling fishy blood.

He never had a nosebleed but had seen his friend experience it and saw them raise their heads before getting a blow from his other friend.

"Bego! If the nosebleed, don't dongak so!"

The boy told his friend to duck, let the blood come out, and stuffed his nose with a tissue.

"Lu know if the nose is severe, can use betel leaves, right?"

"Yes." Yeah."

Given the dialogue between the two friends, Valias thought whether there was a tissue here and the name of the betel leaf or not.

Since yesterday I haven't seen a tissue.

People use cloths, napkins, and towels to wipe anything away. There's no tissue.

In the middle of him cupping his hands together to keep the blood from dripping onto the floor, Valias realized Danial's whereabouts.

"Oh? Danials. You're here?" Instantly cursed himself as he now felt the scent and taste of iron on his tongue.

Oh gosh.

Disgusting, but Valias is not the kind of person who easily feels disgusted. So he's not picking.

Then Valias felt Danial speed up his pace and took something out of his pocket.

"Use this. I haven't worn it yet. You don't have to refuse."

Valias received a brown box from Danial's hand.

I have no thoughts of resisting anyway.

After all, even if Danial had used it, Valias would still have accepted it. With an emergency like this. Besides, Valias believes Danial is not a dirty kid.

Valias wiped his mouth, cleaned his hands, and placed the square cloth in his nostrils.

Uh.

Valias suddenly felt his vision blur, then darkened. Without her realizing it, she loses consciousness with Danial trying to reach her in her vision before she can see nothing.

...***...

When Valias opened his eyes, all he saw was the dim ceiling of the room and realized he was lying on a neat mattress.

He wanted to wake up but the dizziness was bothering him. Makes him reflexively hold his head while groaning.

What the fuck is this body.

Valias does not like to complain. But he started to get anxious about his condition. He felt that body was too weak. He preferred her previous body.

"Sister!"

Looking at the origin of the sound, Valias saw Dina emerge from the door and run towards him.

"Sister! I-i'm sorry! The doctor said my brother's hand had a lot of scratches. It must be because I asked brother to make that wooden sword! Brother don't get sick. I don't want to."

This way Valias had made Dina cry for the third time today.

Even this is only my second day becoming Valias.

He does not like feeling sad and does not like others to be sad. But then what should he do?

He's not in that condition because he wants to.

"I'm okay, Dina. No need to feel guilty."

Valias rarely put on a smile even before he became Valias. He only had a flat face and only smiled at certain moments.

Even now, Valias was not aware of what expression was on his face. But Dina, seeing that expression as her older sister who was too tired to force a small smile like this morning.

Valias looked at Dina who instead of stopping crying, even let out more tears.

Oh naw.

Valias accepts the fact that he has less interaction with people, let alone with small children. He did not know what he should do against Dina at the moment.

But forcing yourself will not bring good things either.

If Valias isn't good at dealing with the situation, then he just needs to do what he thinks is right.

Even if the action is apparently not the right action.

Valias moved her hand and patted Dina on the head.

"Don't cry anymore. If you're still crying I won't get better."

Valias weighed whether the sentence he chose was correct or not.

But a sentence has been said. Valias can't pull it back. Instead he softened his touch on Dina.

Without Valias knowing, the gentler Valias treated him, the more guilty Dina felt. But realizing her brother who would definitely also feel uncomfortable with her continuing to cry, she quickly wiped her tears and nodded.

I'm the one who's gonna protect brother. It wasn't my brother who protected me.

Valias saw that Dina who was beginning to calm down began to wake up with her hands wrapped in bandages. Valias began to observe his hands and realized that Dina was looking at the same thing. But Valias has decided. Even if Dina started crying again, Valias would not try to calm her down again.

A knock was heard and the door opened. The light was not turned on and only the sunlight from the curtain-covered window helped Valias see.

Danial entered with Countess Ruri and approached where Valias and Dina were.

"Thank God you're awake."

"Yes." Yeah." Valias answered briefly Ruri's words to him.

"Your father will be here any minute."

Right after Ruri finished her sentence, the door opened and Hadden entered hurriedly followed by Alister who looked directly at Valias before instantly showing off his fake suave smile.

"Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Everything was silent and Valias thought about the possible circumstances that were going on.

"I'm okay, dad. They definitely don't want to make you worry." Valias answers the origin. Unaware of the impact he had made.

"V-Valias?"

"Yes?" Valias replied to the stammering speech slowly.

"What do you have to call me?"

Valias frowned.

What do I call him?

He decided to repeat. "Dad?"

All speechless. Hadden looked at him with his mouth open and body stiff.

Valias felt a tension filling the room.

Whatisthis?

"V- Valias. Can you repeat that?"

Valias was confused.

"Dad."

The two eyes of the man in front of him were glazed over.

Valias.

"Father thank you for opening your heart to me, Valias. Thanks."

Uh.

Only then did Valias become aware of the situation that was going on.

Valias decided to put on a small smile. Hadden closed his eyes and bit his lips before walking slowly towards him.

"Valias, my son, can I hold you?"

Valias is not the type of person who doesn't like to be touched by others so he agrees.

"certain."

Hadden walked up to him and hugged his body tightly. Valias' thin and frail body was covered in Hadden's thick body and clothes.

Oh, he's so skinny.

But Hadden remained grateful. He hoped that from now on he could pay more attention to Valias and nourish Valias' body.

"Thank you, thank God. I, Hadden Bardev, am so grateful."

Hadden's body shook. Valias felt warm water soaking his shoulders up to his back. He ignored it as well as the super warmth that enveloped his entire body.

My body is so small now.

His body was completely covered by Hadden's body.

His hand which was also caught by the arms of the man he called the father was trying to get him off the hook and then he used to pat Hadden on the back.

"Thank you back, dad. I'm sorry for my attitude all along."

Hixes.

The voice was not from the man who hugged her but rather Ruri and Dina. While the Danial in Valias' vision bit his lips and clenched his arms tightly. Equally Valias could see Danial's expression as if he was holding back his tears.

Alister, standing firmly by the door watching the scene unfold before him. The room does not have enough lighting. But Alister felt he could see the expression of everyone in the room.

Maybe this family will put on a new show for me?

Alister smirked little thinking about it.

...***...

Hadden and everyone decided to stop bothering Valias and let him rest. Valias did not feel he still needed a break but he did not refuse.

Now there was only him and Alister pouring tea into the cup.

"Please, young master."

Valias recalled the tea this morning and prepared himself for the same taste. But this time the tea was sweet with a fragrant aroma that Valias suspected as the fragrance of flowers even though Valias did not know what flowers. Valias as a 25-year-old is too indifferent to things. He hardly ever drank tea. The tea he remembered was sweet and tasteless with the scent of jasmine flowers. But this scent is not the smell of jasmine.

"Young master, King Chalis invited Count Bardev's family to attend the crown prince's first birthday."

Hadden asked Alister to convey it to Valias because he was worried that he could not control himself if he had to face Valias again with the condition of his heart at that time.

What an adorable family.

Alister laughed in his heart.

"Am I invited too?"

"Yes, young master. All Bardev's family were invited. Other regional families were also invited to the palace."

Valias. Staring at his flat face that was reflected faintly on the surface of the tea inside the cup in his hand.

The palace?

"When's the show?" She asked.

"Lusa, young master."

The invitation arrived last week. But Hadden dared to take his eldest son because Valias had changed.

Valias Bardev who would normally refuse because he hated nobles.

The servant watched his young master's movements. What kind of response will he receive.

"All right."

Alister did not expect but was not surprised either.

The change was so drastic that it reached a suspicious stage.

Valias told him not to ask. But Alister is not a servant who will just obey. He would observe his young master even further.

Valias let his mind wander.

A chalis? Like I've heard.

Thinking it might be the name of someone who had been a college friend or co-worker, Valias thought it was a breeze then.

Valias started to look around. The room is neat. There were no papers and books scattered, and the furniture was more diverse.

"This is not my room."

"I fear the young master will touch the book and the papers when he should rest."

Valias did not expect that answer and felt his plan was uncovered without him being able to prevent it.

Not that I intend to do that secretly anyway.

Valias had only the thought of reading further the books that were in Valias Bardev's room.

I might not be able to get to the reading room right now. But I can read the books in my room.

But it seems like he can't even do that.

"Then what do you think I should do?"

"I can be your interlocutor, young master Valias."

He thinks I have a mental illness?

Valias decided to follow the old servant's game and showed off his mischievous smile.

Valias had never used such a smile before.

But this old man and situation led me to give it a try.

Alister returned his young master's mischievous smile with his usual suave smile.

"alright. Is there anything you want to talk about, Alister?"

"What about the meal plan that the young master wants for tonight?"

Valias returned Alister's gaze to her with a flat face. The old man considered it an amusement. There was no reason for Valias to try to be friendly to him. Valias will put on whatever expression he wants.

"I'm not hungry."

"Then I will prepare bread with lemon water."

"What?"

He turned his head eagerly to see the servant's face. Alister has a smile that belongs to him.

This old man, is he serious?

Imagining it alone made Valias want to throw his saliva away at this moment.

Valias thought about what kind of food he wanted to eat at night before going to bed.

I don't really enjoy foods that aren't my own..

After considering several types of food, Valias finally chose one.

"Baked meat like yesterday is good."

"All right then." Alister bowed his body and passed away leaving the room.

Valias put his body back to sleep. Letting his eyes stare at the ceiling decorated with golden ornations, while his mind wandered.

The sky was already late in the afternoon and the sunlight in the room started to dim. The darkness made him sleepy. Without realizing it, he was asleep.

When he opened his eyes again, the door opened.

"Are you asleep, young master."

Valias gulped his saliva after feeling his slightly hoarse throat after sleeping after drinking something containing sugar.

"No."

"It seems you just woke up."

Surely Alister could have guessed it from his hoarse voice.

"Can I light the lights?"

Valias nodded before realising that the room was too dark for Alister to see his nod. But before Valias was about to confirm, the room was already bright, requiring Valias to cover his eyes with his hands.

When she felt her eyes had adapted, she looked at Alister who was smiling at her.

This old man really.

Valias sighed and watched Alister who pushed the wheeled table towards him.