"neh Claude, what is it that decides a person's worth?"
Two cornflower colored eyes stared out of the window of a black carriage.
it was following a hearse.
The boy didn't seem to care very much about it though. He was more curious towards the man next to him.
a tall dark man, with poisonous yellow eyes glanced over to him.
Claude was a man of little words, Alois had figured in the halve of a month he had spend with him.
Was he considering an answer?
Or did he simply not care?
"I wonder..." was his rather boring answer.
"hmmm..." The boy glanced out of the window again.
He didn't mourn for the man who had died, despite it being his adoptive father.
In fact, no one would guess that the crying boy people had seen before he entered the carriage was actually the person who had ordered his 'butler' to kill the deceased.
A large majority of people were following the hearse.
"How hypocritical. Just because that man had a large estate, so many people came.
They don't care what kind of crooked person he was.."
Claude closed his eyes, taking his master's words in him.
He had been listening... halve.
This boy, who had only halve arsedly told him his wish, was of low interest to him.
He was not special. He was not refined.
Though Claude did feel something... something.. that was interesting about this boy, if only for a little.
Perhaps it was this same bitterness in his voice that could give Claude a sudden chill.
"Tse... They should all just go and die like that senile old fool.
...These people... What did Luka do to be inferior to that old fart?"
The wound of losing his younger brother was still far too fresh to be forgotten.
Perhaps that was the thing Claude didn't like about Alois. He still clinged to so many things.
The old Trancy or Luka... both didn't really matter. They were both dead. That was all there was too it.
"Luka never did anything wrong... yet no one cared for him.
...It's not fair.."
The last part was said in a soft tone.
Alois was very easily emotional. But when Luka dropped as a topic, his tears were truly bitter.
Honestly, it was amazing how this boy could make himself cry sometimes.
"I wonder if I'll be the same... If I were to die, would hordes of people gather around, just because of my status?
It's laughable, isn't it?
haahh, I'd never want to become someone like that guy."
Claude produced a short sigh, as if a chuckle. Alois glared at him, annoyed.
"Dana-sama should not worry himself over such a thing. I doubt if any will attend your funeral."
"hah?"
His companion showed a light smirk with cold eyes. A demon''s smirk.
"Are you making fun of me?" Alois complained offendedly.
"No. I was merely predicting the outcome on inevitable events."
Alois sat back again, losing the dual to lack of understanding. "You creep me out..." and stared out of the window again.
Luka...Luka...
The thought of his brother refused to leave Alois mind.
Considering the worth Alois give him, he deserved far more of a memorial then this person, loaded with greed and arrogance did.
Yet he never got what Alois had wanted to give him.
If only he had been stronger... if only he had power...
...But he had that power now. Claude could perhaps...
...perhaps...
A hand placed itself on top of Alois' hair.
The boy shook up from his deep thoughts, noticing tears on his cheeks.
He glanced to the owner of the hand, Claude.
The butler didn't say anything. just stared back.
Thinking back about it, the demon could have had many motives.
But Alois heart fluttered a little as Claude pulled his head against his chest.
"Use these tears to perform a magnificent act in front of others.
This is something only you can do...
A person's worth is not something which needs to be determined.
If dana-sama holds low value to something, then so be it. The same, if it were of importance."
Unconsciously, Alois clinged to Claude's blazer.
It didn't matter? If the old geezer didn't mean anything to Alois, then so it shall be. He could just hold Luka high, without even bothering what others do or thing.
"That is right... All dana-sama needs is the truth he holds dear.
If you wish to cry, cry. They don't need to know the real reason...
It will be our secret."
Alois swallowed. How can this man say words like this with a cold face?
A face not warm like Luka's... to never replace what he holds dear.
Not fire hot like the eyes of old Trancy, filthily.
But cold...cooling. Like an iced blaze to swipe away the turmoil within the still young boy.
Yes... for he was his butler.
"Claude..."
"What is it, dana-sama?"
"nothing... never mind it..."
Thank you...