"...I believe the Head Librarian may have mentioned my studies to the Duke's seneschal during their seasonal audit."
It was a plausible lie. It painted Julian as the harmless, bookish outcast he pretended to be. Though, the reason he had been to the imperial library was to know more about this world. His search was disappointing, as he did not obtain any information that would help him navigate this novel world, but at least he learned other things.
Thanks to being a previous academics, his learning adaptability was very high. And maybe it was thanks to the system but he could assimilate the books he read at an alarming speed.
'I will use this knowledge wisely,' he thought, inwardly proud of himself.
"The Northern dialects?" the Marquis repeated, his eyes narrowing.
"Yes. It's a dry, tedious subject," Julian added with a self-deprecating sigh. "Most find it useless. I imagine the Duke is simply desperate for a tutor who won't be intimidated by the North's... reputation. Or perhaps he wants someone so low-profile that no one will gossip about the boy's progress."
He looked up then, meeting his father's eyes with a look of feigned exhaustion.
"To be honest, Father, I was considering it simply to save the family the expense of my keep. The Marquisette... she has made it clear that the fourth son's presence is a luxury the household can no longer afford to prioritize."
The mention of his stepmother's disdain was the final touch. It reminded the Marquis that Julian was an eyesore to the "real" family.
The Marquis watched him for a long beat. Above his head, the 15% wavered, flickering down to 13% before returning to 14%. It wasn't love; it was a cold calculation of utility.
"The Duke of Alaric is a man of singular temperament," the Marquis said, finally setting his pen down. "He is the Emperor's brother, but he is also a ghost. If you go there and fail, do not think of returning to this house. You will be dead to the Astrea name."
Julian bowed his head deeply to hide the flash of relief in his eyes.
"I understand, Father. I will not bring shame to the name."
'I won't bring shame because I won't be coming back,' Julian thought. 'I'm going to disappear into the Northern snow before any of you realize I was ever here.'
"You may leave."
As he backed out of the study, a new notification pinged in the corner of his eye.
> [QUEST PROGRESS: 'The Silent Sanctuary']
> Current Status: Travel Authorization Granted.
> Next Objective: Survive the journey to the North. (Hostility Levels: Monitoring...)
At times, Julian felt he would be fine by just ignoring the notifications that popped up on the status window because why the hell would the hostility level be on 'monitoring'?
It was doing more damage than good, since it made him more anxious.
Would they get ambushed on the way? Would he get an arrow on his chest and have to go off course, only to be saved by the Duke who is out on a hunt?
All of it made him worry endlessly and he did not like that.
The rate at which his paranoia was rising kept increasing because there was nothing he could do but wait around for a notification that would assure him of his safety.
And just like that, gradually, Julian began to rely heavily on the system in this world he was yet to be accustomed to.
The heavy oak doors of the mansion felt miles away as Julian descended the grand staircase. His suitcase, packed with only his essential books and a few changes of clothes, felt lighter than the atmosphere of the house he was leaving behind.
He held no attachment to the gilded moldings or the family portraits that lined the walls. To him, they were merely the scenery of a prison he was finally escaping.
"Well, well. Look at this."
A couple of sharp, mocking cackles echoed through the air. Julian didn't need to look up to know who it was. Standing near the marble bust of their grandfather clock were the twins, Castor and Pollux—the second and third sons of the Marquis. They were dressed in hunting leathers, looking every bit the favored heirs they were.
"The little shadow is finally moving out of the basement," Pollux sneered, leaning against the banister.
"Moving out?" Castor laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "Didn't you hear, brother? Father didn't just move him out. He cast him out. Sent him to the North to be a glorified servant for the 'Ghost Duke'."
Julian kept his pace steady, his eyes fixed on the exit. He didn't want to engage, but the System flickered in his peripheral vision like a warning light.
> [Target: Castor Von Astrea — Affection: -12% (Malice)]
> [Target: Pollux Von Astrea — Affection: -15% (Hatred)]
"I heard the Duke's son is a cursed child," Pollux continued, stepping into Julian's path to block him. "The last tutor ran away screaming within a week. How long do you think our 'scholarly' little brother will last before he's found frozen in a ditch?"
"I give him three days," Castor chirped, stepping down to join his twin. "Maybe the Duke will mistake him for a deer and put an arrow through that pretty neck of his. It's not like anyone would come looking for the body."
They laughed together, a loud, ugly sound that filled the air. To them, this was a sport—watching the outcast scramble away in disgrace.
Julian stopped just inches away from Pollux. He didn't look angry. In fact, he looked remarkably bored. He tightened his grip on his suitcase and looked Pollux directly in the eye, watching the -15% hover over the man's head like a death sentence.
"I appreciate your concern for my welfare," Julian said, his voice smooth and devoid of emotion. "But if I'm to be frozen in a ditch, at least I won't have to spend my afternoons listening to the two of you attempt to string a coherent sentence together. It's a fair trade."
The twins' laughter died instantly. Their faces flushed a deep, indignant red.
"You—!"
Before they could reach for him, Julian stepped around them with elegance, his boots clicking sharply on the marble. He didn't look back as he pushed open the heavy front doors, letting the crisp, biting wind of the outside world wash over him.
Behind him, he heard their muffled shouts of "Don't you dare come back!" and "You're dead if I see you again!", but he didn't care.
Julian stepped into the waiting black carriage, the door clicking shut after him. He leaned back into the shadows of the seat, the carriage rocking as it began to move.
He watched the Astrea estate shrink through the window the further they went.
'Finally,' he thought, a cold smile touching his lips. Let the plot have that house. 'I'm getting far away from the plot.'
Or so he thought.
A notification pinged in that moment.
> [STATUS UPDATE: You have left 'Zone: House of Astrea'.]
> [Current Danger Level: 20% (Decreasing...)]
That seemed to be a good thing.