Eternity Through Sacrifice

Chapter 10

"WHAT?!" Al shoots up from his chair upon hearing this, leaning onto my bed as if he were looking for an explanation.

"Well, if the walls of my mana spring are too weak it could form a hole eventually. And if there's a hole all my mana will be released at once and kill me." I explain.

"Those heartless...!" He plops back down on the chair rather violently. "I get Claude D'Argent, but, but! Even Uncle Sylvester, Aunt Evelyn, and even Lucius were calm!"

I grab hold of his hands that were so tightly clenched together. "Al, you have to understand. Reputation is everything for nobles. The Frinton's hold the title of Earl. One wrong move and everything can go down the drain."

Al immediately clenches his jaw, and crosses his eyebrows. I can see his frown twitch ever so slightly at the edges. "That's right. Reputation will cause you to lose anything and everything."

His small quivering voices echos in my head. Fath- Cedric D'Argent and Mother probably lost their reputation and title for something they never did. I could never imagine what they could possibly could have done. But all the nobles at the party seemed to have been singing praises about them, but it seems they are looked down on. Even the maids seem to have no respect for them seeing how they treated me. I suppose they have some sort of natural fear for Alfred though.

"Al." He looked up. Lonely eyes. He seemed as if he were to cry again. "We'll get out of here eventually. We don't have to live in the Aristocratic Society. We could always leave and go to the far side of the Kingdom. Just living simple lives."

"Mn. We could just drop everything and leave. I doubt I'll ever inherit anything of the Argent's anyway. We'll get to leave one day, now won't we?"

"You two may be children but your words are awfully sentimental now aren't they?" Just the same as always the Arcanis Codex appeared out of nowhere- Dressed fully in black as usual.

"My, you certainly enjoy appearing out of thin air now don't you."

"It happens to be the only way I can appear." He says, slight grin on his otherwise calm face. "Lass, put up one of your barriers again."

I do as he says. "No one can hear us now, they won't be able to get into the room either."

"Good. It's about time that I start teaching you children a bit of magic." He shifted his gaze to the window, "but it would be better if we were outside. Let's go out into the forest by the estate; it would be ideal the avoid people."

I suddenly remember what Claude D'Argent told me, "That's right... Arcanis- Er... Sir?"

"Arc." He spoke up to my surprise. "Please call me Arc."

"Um, well Arc. May I speak to you in private later?"

He nods. And disappears without a trace again.

"You need something from the grimoire?" Al asks, his interest piqued.

"Mhm."

"Why?"

"Well I figured that we'd better use our resources as best we can." I say, safely diverting Al from the topic.

He carelessly leans back in the chair, "Yeah, I guess so." I don't want to lie to the little brat, but I also don't want him to know. Know that I'm the bastard child of Claude D'Argent.

"I'll get the maids to bring us lunch." He signaled for the maids to get us lunch and talked as we ate. Apparently all the guests from the ball last night had left, including the Frintons.

Just as we finished a maid knocked at the door. She bowed in greeting, telling me that Claude D'Argent was looking for me. Alfred quickly dismissed the maid, and turned to me in a foul mood.