Hope you all enjoy XD

When Something Isn't as You Expected

~ Daily Life~

Once, there was a land named Hod. It was developed in war, a war that took hundreds of lives. Neither men nor women and children got any mercy. They just wiped out everyone in front of them. However, the calamity didn't stop after that. The land was destroyed by an unknown cause.

Along with it too, more lives died. Just one survived, however, with his servant they were saved by the Malkuth soldiers and were taken to the Fortress Capital.

.:+:.

"Sir Pere, where is Master Gailardia?"

"He's in his room. Has the vehicle arrived?"

"Yes. Please inform Master Gailardia. I'll go back to the gate to tell the driver to wait."

"Thank you," Pere nodded, and the maid returned to the gate as she said. Everyone in Grand Chokmah was busy today. The only reason for that was…

"Master Gailardia, are you ready?" Pere said as he knocked the door.

"Wait a minute…"

Just after few seconds, the door opened, revealing a teenager with a blue vest and a white coat with long sleeves. his blond hair and his blue eyes just matched with his clothing. On his right chest, there was a symbol of nobility of Malkuth.

"Sorry I made you wait. Let's go," he said.

The boy, Gailardia Galan, was now around fourteen years old. His entire family was wiped out. He stood alone, in order to cure the Gardios name again with his servants' help. Gailardia and Pere went downstairs and walked to the vehicle that waited them. There were some maids standing at the sides of the gate, they bowed and hoped that their master's day would be good. Gailardia and Pere got in to the vehicle and it was ready to go.

"Pere, will we be there in time?" he asked.

"Do not worry, master, we will."

"Oh, and also, who is the person's name? I just heard it once; I can't recall it."

Pere sighed and replied it, "His majesty's name is Peony. He is the crown prince of Malkuth and today we are attending his coronation. Please behave yourself just as a noble do, Master Gailardia…"

"You don't have to tell me that… Peony, huh? What kind of man is he?"

From the manor to the castle, it's not too far but not too near either. It took about half an hour. By the time they arrived, other coaches had stopped and parked there as they dropped off the nobles. Gailardia and Pere did too. They got off and entered the castle, which was full of people. By the time the coronation began, it was solemn. After Peony himself entered the room, everyone was really hoping in their heart that from that day on, Emperor Peony could lead Malkuth and bring prosperity to the empire.

"Being an emperor to such large empire… He doesn't seem to give his heart into it…" Gailardia whispered.

After hours spent, finally the event finished and every noble attending the coronation was going home, including the young count. That was tiring for him since he had to behave well in the coronation and in greeting other nobles. While he was in the carriage, on the way home, he was staring outside.

He suddenly jumped from his seat as he saw something red in the bushes of the central garden of Grand Chokmah. However, the red thing disappeared quickly to further bushes. 'What is that thing? Red…' Gailardia returned to his seat and thought of it until he got home.

In the manor, Gailardia acted like nothing happened. He was greeted by the maids when he came in. As a young noble without parents, he was being hoped to raise the name of Gardios again. He learned how to do some businesses, dealing with people, helping the emperor and many else. He found it very tiring and boring, but Pere was always by his side and telling him that he was important as the heir of Gardios family and to fulfill the wish of his late sister, Marybelle Radan Gardios.

Every time Gailardia heard that, he was motivated yet sad. Although he couldn't really remember his sister's face, he still remembered the warmth she gave him. She was a great sister.

"Everything's enough for today. I'm tired. I'll finish the rest tomorrow," He said. Gailardia opened the door to go out from his learning room. Before he closed it, he said again, "You should have a rest too, Pere." Then he closed it.

.:+:.

The next day came. The morning started as usual. Today had something different with a messenger from Emperor Peony coming to the manor to deliver an invitation for a ball that night. A maid received it and brought it to Gailardia. "A ball? He sure acts fast. Has the messenger gone?" he asked. The maid shook her head, "No, master. He's still waiting outside, waiting for your reply."

"Then, tell him I will attend the ball. Thank him for his message."

The maid bowed and did as she was told. After he finished eating his breakfast, Gailardia said that he had something to check outside. Actually he was wondering what the red thing he had seen the previous day was. He would walk from his manor alone to the central garden of Grand Chokmah, which was not near.

The morning ran as usual. The market, the people, all of them… brought a lively situation in that large capital. Words about Peony, the new emperor had been spreading among girls. They were excited about being invited to the ball tonight. Gailardia just continued his walk to his destination. When he finally was close to the garden, it was vacant. No one's there. The benches were free from people; the fountain in the middle was flowing alone. It was morning, yes, it was morning, but never had he seen a scene like this before. From lots of citizens he saw throughout his way, not one of them was in the garden.

Gailardia stepped to the garden, started to search for the red thing. He went to bushes because that was where the last he saw it. For about an hour he searched, but he found nothing. He sighed. Even though he looked for it in all of the bushes, somehow he didn't find it. "I'm tired… Was I imagining yesterday….? Haahh… better go back or Pere will be worried."

As the young count turned his body, There was someone behind him. Gailardia quickly turned his head. From the tip of his eye, he saw the red thing for which he was searching. However, someone's call interrupted his action, "Boy over there! What are you doing?!"

Not being able to chase his target, Gailardia replied to the soldier who called him that he was just searching for something then he went away. 'What is that soldier doing in that place? Really, he's just ruining my plan. But… there is something there, I knew it.' Gailardia went home and waiting for the ball time.

As time went fast, it's the time to be prepared for the ball. This time, Gailardia wore a red vest and a white coat that covered him to the tight and other usual clothing. This time, Pere didn't go along because he had work to do, therefore Gailardia went alone. The sun was starting to set by the time he went. The sky looked red mixed with orange.

When he passed the central garden again, he stopped the carriage and went to inspect it once again. 'There's still enough time.' He went directly to the spot he last saw the thing. He heard noises from the bushes, 'That might be it!' he thought. When he made his way through the bushes, what he saw was… a human. "What…" That human… or maybe we still could call him a child, was in a very bad condition. His clothing was torn badly, his body was dirty and some spots were bleeding. His red hair was a mess. Seeing him, Gailardia felt both scared and sad.

Without a second thought, Gailardia approached him but the child moved backward as the result. Gailardia offered his hand to him. The child's eyes finally met with Gailardia's. Gailardia smiled and told him to come with him. However, the child suddenly ran away. "What's with him?" Gailardia left it as is and ran to the carriage.

Inside the carriage, he thought of the boy, but as he got closer to the castle, the thought became dim. "That aside, I'm alone now and I'm just a kid… I'm fine with this but…" As he talked to himself, he didn't realize that he had already arrived in front of the castle. When he was out from his mind, he got off and walked to the ball room. It had been full of people. For Gailardia, it's not hard to move in the crowd since he was a little smaller than others. What he couldn't stand was not the crowd or the people. It was—

"My, if it isn't the heir of the Gardios family, Gailardia," said a woman in front of him. "How have you been?"

"Good evening, Madam. I'm fine, thank you for your concern. And how about you?" he asked back.

"Oh ho ho, I'm fine as well. Are you coming alone today? I don't see your guardian."

"He had some work to do at the manor so I left him at that."

When they were chatting, another woman along with a man beside her came to join.

"Count Gardios, it's a pleasure to meet you…" said the second woman.

"Glad to meet you too, my lady, it has been a month since we last met," said Gailardia with a smile on his face.

"Indeed," she said, "Dear, this is the count I tell you about," she said to the man next to her.

"Nice to meet you, Count Gardios," he stretched his hand to shake Gailardia's hand.

Gailardia welcomed it kindly. Then after some talks, Gailardia excused himself and went to the opposite part. While he was walking away, he still could hear their talks.

"You know already, right? He's the only survivor of Hod."

"Really? It must be hard on him."

"Well, to be a count in such young age… he is well taught, don't you think?"

"Will he survive the life of a noble without his parents?"

"Who knows?"

Gailardia continued walking until he couldn't hear any of those trash talks about himself. It always happened every time he was at a gathering of nobles like this. To be the youngest count of Malkuth's counts, it was not easy. The adults always underestimated him for not being able to raise the Gardios name or to be able to live that life. It was all tedious and infuriating. That was the something he didn't like of being alone at a ball or a party.

The night was becoming late, the ball had started peacefully under Emperor Peony hospitality. Now he was wondering around to greet the guests. From Gailardia's point of view, Peony was somewhat easy going and kind to all people. Gailardia was just standing, drinking a glass of wine little by little. Peony saw him and directly approached him.

"Good evening," Peony greeted.

That made Gailardia a bit startle, "G-Good evening, Your Majesty."

"I believe it's the first time we meet, Gailardia Galan from the Gardios family, isn't it? I have heard stories about your life, I'm sorry for not being a help."

"Y- Your Majesty, you don't have to say that… It's thanks to Your Majesty's father that I was given a chance to recover my family."

"Still, you're one important part of my country. Feel free to ask me for help. As for now please enjoy the party."

Gailardia remained speechless. For an emperor to say such things to a kid like him, even though he was a count, was still unbelievable. Peony excused himself and greeted other guests. He really had charisma as an emperor. This ball was a good idea to meet people of Malkuth and with this hospitality; the citizens would trust him more.

The rest of the night was rather discomforting, and when it all ended, Gailardia sighed in relief. He got on to his carriage and went home. Although on the way, he stopped it just to investigate the central garden once again. He told his coach to wait for a moment, and he quickly searched for the child. There was no trace. It was as if that child had gone somewhere else. Gailardia was disappointed but it couldn't be helped. He returned to his carriage and went home.

On that night, he asked Pere whether there was another survivor of Hod other than them. Pere replied that there was no survivor other than the two of them.

"If he is not from Hod, then who is he? Well even if he's from Hod, he can't live for nine years alone. Argh! Everything's confusing... really…"