Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay
To mould me Man, did I solicit thee
From darkness to promote me?
-Title page of Frankenstein, from Milton's Paradise Lost.
12th Century,
Gregorian Calendar MCXC
Year 1190
Solitude manor.
A man stood by the window, reaching a hand to press on the cold glass until it began to fog under the heat of his palm. He blinked, curling his hand into a fist to wipe it. One murky spot sullied the otherwise glistening glass, pedantically polished. He peered through. There was a weight in his weary eyes, and the sight of the outside made him bitter.
'What do you see when you stand there everyday?'
'The sky, the forest, the earth…everything that can be seen from here.'
He held on to the rasp of his voice, the meaning it meant for him. He saw nothing. There was nothing there. There was nothing here. Nothing in this meticulous, spacious room, nothing in this great, grand mansion, and nothing to tug on his remaining heartstrings or make him want to continue breathing this stale air. His hand was still placed on the tarnished glass, and his fingers were growing cold. He leaned forward, thumping his forehead into the back of his palm. How much longer did it have to be like this? How much longer must he wait?
Oh.
So this was how he lived?
Frankenstein's eyes blurred out of focus, making the colour of the grey skies and jaded clouds and green trees converge in like a rippling reflection on a once-still lake, and elude him. He was stuck looking at the mirror image of his own wait-worn eyes, void of passion, with broken wit—wist, no energy left to even focus them.
Frankenstein knew how he had endured standing around in this spot for some eternity until he landed himself in this mansion. He knew how lonesome and dreary it must have been, not the sound of pattering footsteps to mull over or even the tick-tock of a clock to keep him company. People never stayed long—ever, not long enough, never enough—and any clock left here would tick, and rust and stop, sooner than one would know. Everything was finite, here, except time. Frankenstein thought he knew it well. Even for Frankenstein, when he was running from his own kind, he'd always kept himself occupied and there was never a moment for an extra breath. His master was different.
But he didn't need to imagine anymore. He could live it. He could live his hell. He could die in it.
What?
No. It would never come to that.
I'll find him. I'll find him.
Waiting droned on like a ceaseless, noteless melody; a yearning hymn that would stretch on, no finish in sight. Like looking through this window. What would it take? A couple months? A couple years? Certainly, if he'd dedicated his all to this, he could find him within five, ten years. Fifty years, perhaps. There was no way he wouldn't find him within fifty years, would he? He wasn't that pathetic.
I'll find you.
Frankenstein turned, never looking back to this lonesome place.
But he'd remember it well, remember it excruciatingly: every mark on the sill—one from a tea-stain he never managed to get out, the slight dent in the floor where a cup had shattered and the wisp in the rug that used to hook the heel of his shoe. He'll see it all even if he didn't, not really, deep in his dreams.
Merry Mary Silly Shelley part 2
Mary Shelley. Frankenstein darkened. He'd never met the lady, but the anger he garnered from reaching the end of that book the first time, was not something he could ever forget. A book full of lies to draw out humanity's traitor. He'd spun and laughed at the vast upchuck of Ye Olde Union propaganda, more of that age-old fear mongering they were so good at. But there was something sickening about his enemies constructing a dramatic story on his so-called life, and then blatantly sticking his name on the cover. No subtlety. The Union. He wondered how much was lie and how much was…what the Union really thought he was.
The humans who chased him, gave him no rest or peace for the longest time—they were all dead now, weren't they? He curled his lips. That thought gave him comfort. But then the book—Frankenstein; or the Modern Prometheus—it really was the legacy left behind to those running the human side of the organisation now.
No one would ever know the truth.
He didn't know whether that gave him comfort or not.
"Frankenstein?" came the quiet, questioning voice of Raizel.
"Oh? Sorry, Master, I didn't mean to space out like that." He set down his tea, bowing slightly. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"
Raizel's eyes reached for Frankenstein's again, and his blue eyes shuddered when he saw Raizel's deeply troubled expression.
"Master?"
"I don't know what 'parent-teacher' interviews are."
Something snapped within him. How could I…forget something so basic? He dipped forward, low, and bowed apologetically. "Forgive me, Master…I…it slipped my mind. I ask for your pardon."
"It is fine." Raizel only sipped his tea.
"So, tomorrow, is what is called in the human education system as 'parent-teacher' night. This is a conference in which the teacher, the student, and the said student's guardian, discuss the student's studies and progress."
He thought for a moment. "For example, take Shinwoo and Ikhan. Ikhan, although his report has some concerns over his excessive use of his laptop during class," his brows twitched for a second, "has rather excellent grades. So, he will have his conference with Pedro, your homeroom teacher, Master. But Shinwoo, on the other hand," Frankenstein paused as Raizel moved to sip his tea a little too knowingly.
"Well…Shinwoo has the worst grades in the entire class. And his parents have emailed—yes, by using a computer—to book a conference with me. I have to oblige as the chairman." He glanced at him worriedly.
"….Shinwoo…is always so tired." He replied.
"As I've heard, Master…" Frankenstein answered, wryly. "But nevertheless, he has many opportunities in sporting and athletics. Anyhow," Frankenstein continued.
"Do you understand why the children cannot walk you home tomorrow night?"
Raizel put down his cup and dipped his head again in understanding.
"So, Seira and Regis will escort you home. I apologise, but I must have M-21, Takeo and Tao work late. With so many people coming into the school, I want to have a fully functioning security system. Thus, I will be late home as well."
Frankenstein touched his fingers over his mouth, wondering if he'd missed anything. "This will go on for the next two days, but all should return to normal after the conferences are done." He finished, and reached to refill the teacup.
"I see." Raizel said.
He curled a finger on the porcelain cup, but made no move to drink it. "You are concerned."
What?
"I am—" Frankenstein swallowed, "I'm not…concerned, per se…"
"You are."
He knew his master didn't even try to read his mind there.
Frankenstein dropped his walls and placed down the teapot. He sat down near Raizel and slouched for a moment, elbows resting on knees. Usually, he'd rather his Master had retired by this time and gained some sleep—more for the comfort and routine than however meagre it was in such short periods. But his full attention was on him, and Frankenstein was content, just sitting here in his company. Relaying information had calmed him, but for this, he needed to find the right words. Raizel gave him time.
"I'm just—" Frankenstein frowned, whipped the glasses off his face, and blinked up at him again. "I'm just…" Oh no. He couldn't use the word concerned. Worried? No. Perturb? No. Too harsh.
"…upset," he grimaced inwardly at himself, "that people have to come into contact with that. Book."
Raizel put down the tea from where he was balancing it on his lap.
"Only because…well, I'm not sure. None of the other…things…passed down about me bother me, especially after so much time has passed but that one. All the adaptions last century alone—sigh—I don't understand why it's not dead yet."
Frankenstein leaned back languidly, letting his hands fall loosely to his sides. "They never stopped chasing me, Master. After I met you, I could relax. But when you left, and I left Lukedonia…it was the same. I don't know when the Union stopped being an organisation of just humans but…at least for the human branch, I was still undesirable number one."
He paused for a moment, putting his hands together. "That book. Of course, lies, but…it was published so recently. Those people back then—the whole world should have moved on, forgetting me. I think… Master?" he asked, searching for his crimson stare.
"Yes?"
Frankenstein's shoulders lowered and a slight tremor ran through his hands. Why was this affecting him so much? Why should this matter? Why was he bothering his Master with his weakness? But only caring reached from Raizel's mind. He waited for Frankenstein to answer. He wanted to help, even if listening was the only thing.
Frankenstein bit his lip. He had said too much. Oh no. But some small, guilty part of him wanted for Raizel to know everything. It felt like a confession, suddenly—something dirty and ugly to present to Raizel like a bizarre gift of himself.
"No humans ever knew the truth about me, and I allowed that to happen—I wanted that to happen. But now I've lived so long, I've left a terrible legacy on this world." A great grin stretched across Frankenstein's face, but he couldn't maintain it and it cracked—half-way to a grimace.
"Even if I die now, I can't get rid of it."
Frankenstein dropped Raizel's caring stare. A great melancholy fell over him, and he began putting up walls, putting up walls without even realising. He never cared for what mankind thought of him—that was the point of him, back then. They created a fantasy to claw him down, so he turned around and coloured it nicely. It never bothered him for an age—why should it now?
"Alright—" Frankenstein perked up suddenly, throwing his long hair behind him. "Honestly I have no idea why this concer—annoyed me—especially since I've seen far worse storytelling and far worse…everything else." He leapt to his feet.
"Frankenstein."
Raizel's voice was soft and gentle, none of the demand and power it could muster in a mere thought even close. But while it was whispered to the room, it reverberated in Frankenstein's mind, grounding him, and stopping him from enclosing himself up deep within those thick, high walls.
"Yes, My Lord." He answered, arm habitually flitting to his centre. He looked expectantly down at him.
"Lies, remain lies."
Frankenstein nodded purposefully and desperately hoped that this was the end of the conversation. All he really needed to do was suck it up. How embarrassing was this, anyway? The real matter that should be discussed should be how to catch the idiot who dared wrap such filth up to his master.
But he continued. "How like you, to do this. You traverse this world learning it's knowledge, advancing it's prosperity, though you do not look for recognition. You never look for praise. Yet the moment something like this arises, you blame yourself."
Raizel craned his neck with all the air of his age reflected in his being, and he looked every inch the being capable of commanding Clan Leaders. "I will not allow this."
Frankenstein stood there, rooted to the spot, rooted in Raizel's stare.
"Let me discount all the advancements you've made for humans. For now, only now, I'll discount the way you've guided change, the way you've bettered…everything." Raizel said, for lack of another word. He smiled; it still fit perfectly. A world without Frankenstein, was a world that would have been wholly different. "Your legacy, is in those children."
Frankenstein blanked for a second, brows scrunching.
"Your legacy, is that school." Raizel beamed, genuinely, and his warmth radiated to fill Frankenstein. He looked at him. Then he looked through him, and although in those blue eyes, it was always daylight, Raizel looked at him as though he was the stars—every single, last one of them.
"Your legacy, is also Lukedonia." The change he'd bought Lukedonia, the change he'd bought noble-kind, was momentous. The embodiment of mankind's future. A bright future. He had changed everything. Daylight shifted in his eyes, and when Frankenstein looked down, flustered, they became the ocean, vast, deep, and just as brilliant.
"Your legacy, is all the lives you've saved. That's M-21, Takeo, Tao. Even Regis and Seira…I cannot begin to count enough people." He stood, going to Frankenstein's side and clasping a firm hand on his shoulder. "You are Frankenstein. Not the title of a book."
Frankenstein was lost for words. The feeling of Raizel's soul holding his was…awe. His cheeks heated, and Raizel turned his gaze to let him recover. Frankenstein had to carefully narrow down their connection, should he still want to remain standing and not collapse in a bubbly heap. That would be most inelegant right now.
But there was nothing to say. Raizel could feel his gratitude, though he didn't want it. Frankenstein pushed away all his other, secondary emotions—any shame or embarrassment on his part swept away. He didn't need to burden Master with those petty feelings. Frankenstein just dipped his head to him.
"…I, er, white tulips." Frankenstein said.
Raizel only closed his eyes, and smiled. Between them, they understood.
"But there is something else on your mind. You may tell me."
Of course Raizel felt it. Yes. There were more pressing matters at hand than this. Frankenstein straightened.
"The moment you came home, your worry has been growing. Please, tell me."
Frankenstein smiled weakly. "Right. What I really wanted to bring forth with you…"
"Yes?"
"…I don't want you to be alarmed, Master, but my senses have been all wrong these past few days…please take a seat."
The chandelier gleamed like cat's eyes, the way it did only when each individual crystal was taken apart and cleaned by hand. Stuffed arm chairs were placed exactly to the point, cushions clinically placed. Somewhere between going through mechanical motions and a relentless purge, nothing escaped scrutiny here. This place was immaculate.
A hooded man walked the length of the room, shaking his foot free when it caught on a few threads of the rug. He slid his fingers over the sill, tapping in a springy sequence when it yielded no dust. Both inhabitants of this place were gone.
But that was only half of what he wanted.
"You feel that you are being watched?" Raizel spoke, a moment's pause after hearing the story. Frankenstein shuddered. He didn't want to sound desperate or anything, but this, coupled with the timely arrival of that book…he hoped it was his paranoia. He knew this all too well, and the familiarity stung like salting an old, reopened wound. If someone was after Frankenstein—that meant he was a magnet attracting harm to everyone around him. Frankenstein could only just get around to doing all his duties, without having a bullseye painted on his back.
His insides wanted to jolt against his ribcage. Back then—someone was always after him, and being alone kept him safe. But now, everyone around him meant the entirety of Ye Ran High School. The Noble children. The enhanced humans. Master.
Raizel's voice drew him out of his own snowballing pause. "I believe," he said cautiously, "that I too, am being watched. Along with the children."
Blue eyes shot up to reach red. "What?"
Frankenstein exhaled, and crunched his teeth together. "When? During class?"
Raizel nodded. His eyes were calm, serene, and he looked about as disinterested as ever, but Frankenstein knew it was for his sake. Another thought make him cringe.
"Then, Regis and Seira, they can't sense it. Let alone Takeo, Tao and M-21." Raizel watched Frankenstein's hands curl up. "Fine. There's no doubt about it then, someone's got their sights set on me. The perpetrator is highly skilled if they're able to slip past Tao's security. The noble children…me."
He closed his eyes for a moment, as if his biggest problems made him a jaded school principal with too many files to never look at. He wished that could have been him, right now. That his largest threats could be ink on paper, piled atop each other, in a clutter over his desk.
"This is no common adversary, Master. I don't believe anyone in the KSA has this kind of skill. Other than the Union, or a noble…I've no idea where to start. It could be multiple people…it could be one."
"If they've taken an interest in you, why follow school children?"
"…Master," Frankenstein looked away. He licked his dry lips. Raizel understood.
"Frankenstein."
"Yes, Master."
Crimson eyes waited for his gaze. "I give you permission to act. Upon my orders, you will investigate this matter."
Frankenstein rose from the seat again. He lowered his head, and fell forward into a bow. His brows furrowed before settling, and he peered up through a curtain of blonde hair. "Do I—have consent to engage combat?"
Frankenstein watched Raizel contemplate his request, weighing his choices. Catch the culprit and find the reason they've been tailed, or potentially create another commotion. Risk collateral damage. Last time and all the times before then—they were all close calls.
"You may engage combat…but you are not to remove your seal. Frankenstein, you will not call upon Dark Spear." His decision was final.
"Yes, Master." Frankenstein smiled.
Notes
Supportive Rai in this chapter! (I hope everybody likes angst because that is 98.99% what I end up writing.)
'hot dang' reviewer- I'll have to answer you here. So I heard you liked plot, relationships and flashback? ;) Hmmm I guess this is sort of an AU, because some characters that appear later are already dead in the manhwa...I just need more characters to work with ahaha. Nonono, it's not *that Mary, the actual Mary Shelley, in this ficverse! Yes, sorry to rip off Thomas Edison and Tesla guys, they're the first ones to harness electricity and create lightbulbs. Man, can't answer all your q yet, or they'll be nothing to discover later! Oh, and I heard you liked backstory? ;) Hopefully I can get you as many feeling of Rai and Franken and the crew as I can. Thank you for all your kind words and I've read your review more times than I might admit.
Laryna6- Thanks! All the flashback arcs are something I keep close to my heart~ Added a tad more to this chapter too.
XxDarkBeautyxX- that is a good plot bunny- Franken gets a mini Franken plushie. Tao's rescue is pretty lifesaving tbh. Thanks for your review! And man *wink wink, nudge nudge* hopefully you'll enjoy the upcoming chapters~
And thank you all for reading so far!