No happy ending will ever find you. All of these ghosts are from deep inside you. Or are they? They could just be you overthinking things. Perhaps I could be your ghost. Or your demon...definitely demon.

Anyway, how are you all? I'd hope you are doing well. Otherwise you'd be unhappy. That'd be sad. Let's get happy while reading! Hopefully.

Chapter 38: The Estate Of A Respected Noble Family

"You dare talk back to a noble like that?" Eléonore questions in a dark tone.

Yuudai keeps his eyes narrowed on her. "I don't need to be dared to talk back to you." He replies.

"Just say sorry and get out of the chair." Siesta tells her friend. At this point, she is worried that he'll get himself killed. The fact her love is doing something this stupid is not sitting well with her.

He ignores her plea to stop. "I guess my little sister couldn't even discipline her own familiar." Eléonore states crossing her arms. This causes Louise to look down in shame.

Yuudai ignores the urge to grab his sword on his back. It is near pointless to fight in a room full of helpless people. "I could say the same about your parents." Yuudai retorts forcing a smirk to his face. He knows his taunt worked by the look of irritation pile up in her eyes.

She stands up slamming her hands on the table. "You best shut your mouth, commoner." She orders him.

Yuudai stands up as well refusing to back down. "You best close your own mouth before I close it for you." He threatens watching her pull out a whip at that threat.

"I know how to use this very well. Don't think I won't discipline you with it. Properly." She tells him. Yuudai can't help giggle rise from his throat rise into a laugh. It's been so long since a threat like that came at him.

"Sorry, but I can't help but laugh." Yuudai says. He cracks his neck letting out pops. Louise cringes at the loud pops. "You can try if you want. Don't be surprised if I fight back though."

She pulls the whip back to whip him, but stops at the sound of the doors opening. The color pink runs on in catching Yuudai's own attention. His eyes adjust to the color immediately, due to his experience with seeing fast movements, to find a face similar to Louise. He can tell she is older than Louise, but this girl doesn't set off Yuudai's irritation alarm.

She smiles at her older sister, Eléonore, about to greet her until she notices the tense atmosphere. She finds her sister's whip pulled back, but decides to ignore it. I noticed the strange carriage outside and came over here to take a look. I didn't think I would meet you!" She says to Eléonore.

"Cattleya…" She trails off putting her whip away. "I'll deal with you later, commoner."

"I'll be waiting ever so patiently." He replies sarcastically. This sets a tick mark on her forehead above her glasses.

Hearing the two quiet down, Louise looks up to find her other older sister. Louise's face brightens up happily. "Big sister!"

Cattleya looks to her smiling even brighter. "Louise! No way! You are not my Little Louise anymore! You came back as well!" She exclaims.

Louise jumps up from her chair and runs to her sister to give her a hug. "It's been so long, big sister!" She says. The two start jumping and squealing in excitement.

Yuudai deadpans at the scene. "This is so weird. It's like Blanc is hugging her future self. That and the fact I have never seen her happier."

Eléonore raises an eyebrow at him. "Why did you call my little sister Blanc?" She asks.

"It's a nickname I gave her the first moment I met her." Yuudai replies. "It's much more fun calling her Blanc."

"You know Blanc is in all three of our names, right?" She questions watching him.

Yuudai shrugs. "Oh well, I guess. No point in calling you all Blanc." He puts his hand to his chin. "You'll be Elly and she'll be Cat."

She pulls out her whip again. "Call me Elly again and I'll hang you with this." She threatens. Yuudai stifles a laugh. Deep inside Eléonore, she wants to laugh too, but she can easily suppress it.

He goes to look back at the two only to find Cattleya in front of him. "What?" He asks feeling awkward.

"Are you Louise's lover?" She asks bluntly.

Louise freaks out while Siesta grows a cold look. Yuudai sighs. Is that the question? How...surprising. "I'm not interested in anyone for many reasons." He answers.

"That and he's just my familiar." Louise states feeling saddened by his answer. Siesta doesn't know how to feel about his answer though. She shakes her head knowing that she must try harder for his affection.

A little while later they find themselves in a large carriage that belongs to Cattleya. They are apparently taking her carriage the rest of the way back. Yuudai is sitting on the seat close to the door with Eléonore right across from him. The two didn't like the arrangement, but neither cared enough to change the seatings.

Yuudai is mildly amused by the inside of the carriage though. It's like a small zoo inside. Cats, a tiger, a bear, some dogs and a giant snake. The snake scared Siesta so much that she fainted some time ago. He chuckled when it happened.

He looks out the window to see a beautiful field. It had no doubt been harvested recently given that is the end of the harvest season. A content smile crawls onto his face. "Such a beautiful field." Yuudai mutters. Louise and Cattleya are talking amongst themselves while the other sister is looking out the window as well.

Later In The Night

"Hey Elly, are we there yet?" Yuudai questions earning a glare from her. She nods nonetheless. He looks out the window again to find a giant castle looking building coming into view.

A owl flies in landing on Yuudai's head making a tick mark appear on his forehead. "Welcome home, Eléonore, Cattleya, and Louise." The owl greets bowing at the three.

Having just woken up, Siesta faints again. She must not have ever heard of a talking owl. "Crap on my head and I'll have myself some talking owl souffle." Yuudai threatens. The owl properly ignores the boy.

"Where is mother?" Louise questions the owl.

"Mistress is waiting for everyone in the dining room." It answers.

"And Father?" She asks hopeful.

"Master has not returned yet." It answers again. Louise sighs frowning. The reason for her question was so that she could find out if her father would let her go. Seeing as he isn't even home ruins that for now. Soon, they are crossing a drawbridge into the estate of her family's.

Once inside, Siesta heads to the attendants living quarters. Seeing as Yuudai is her familiar, he is allowed to follow her into the dining room for dinner. The moment he walked in the room he felt her mother's oppressive aura press against him. Yuudai pushes aside the aura to the back of his mind.

The three daughters sit down while Yuudai stands behind Louise. Eéonore raises an eye at him. She thought that he'd sit down again like earlier, but he isn't. She shrugs assuming he just knows his place here.

Yuudai looks around to find twenty servants around them. "That's ridiculous. Why does anyone need this many servants at this time of night. Not to mention the fact it's way too late to even have dinner. It's almost past midnight for crying out loud." Yuudai mutters to himself since the four seem to not want to be bothered. "I'm going to ask one of these people where my room is and leave. Think you survive until then?"

Louise looks at him with a look of plea in her eyes. "Stay here, please." She pleas surprising Yuudai.

"I guess I can stay." Yuudai relents. "Just know that if Elly talks crap about me I'm going to talk crap back."

Louise giggles softly finding that amusing. She has never met anyone that'd talk back to Eléonore like he does. Nor does she know of anyone that seems to enjoy talking back to her. Though, he is Yuudai and enjoys nobles' suffering.

"So...mother." Louise starts quietly looking to the duchess.

"Mother! This foolish child says she wants to go to a war!" Eléonore interrupts.

Louise stands up slamming her hands on the table. "I'm not a fool! Why would I be one for applying for her majesty's military forces?" Louise asks angered by her sister.

"You're a girl! War is men's business!" Eléonore replies just as angrily. Her anger is only doubled when she sees Yuudai rolling his eyes. "I'll beat you later!" She yells at Yuudai.

"Mind if I take it from here, Blanc?" He asks her laying a hand on her shoulder.

"No. This is my fight." She tells him making him respect her a bit more. "Catch up with the times! This is a time and age where men and women are given equal positions! If positions were only given to boys in the Academy, even you, older sister, would not be able to become a chief researcher at the Academy!"

Eléonore shakes her head. "Do you even know what kind of place a battlefield is? It's not a place for women and children like you!"

Yuudai sighs. This is sounding vaguely like arguments in his world. "I thought Blanc was annoying, but Elly really takes the cake." Yuudai mutters looking to the side.

"But her majesty trusts me…" Louise replies losing her confidence.

"You are trusted? You? The Zero?" She asks as if it were a giant joke.

"Probably more than any man could trust you." Yuudai states standing up for Louise. A few tick marks appear on Eléonore's forehead. "Oh I'm sorry. Did I hit a sensitive spot? Must be the first time any man has done such." He smirks getting Louise's jaw to drop. That kind of jab...is very in between the lines.

"How dare you…" She questions suppressing her anger again.

"Eat, Eléonore." Her mother orders her.

"But mother-" She tries to say.

"We'll discuss Louise's problem later when your father comes back and you can do whatever you like to him later." She tells her leaving no room for argument.

Yuudai keeps himself quiet finding himself having respect for their mother. It seems to be something she gives off. He brushes off the curiosity of why. No point in thinking too much into it.

Later

Yuudai is laying on a bed in his own room prepared for him by the servants. He thanked them before walking in. The room looked like a spare one that was like some sort of big closet. This doesn't bother Yuudai one bit though. It's been a good while since he had the space to sleep by himself.

His mind wanders to the entire estate soon. The beautiful state it is in really impresses him. Then his mind falls onto Louise's family. She hasn't made one move to act like herself since leaving the academy. Only around Cattleya did she even act like she was herself.

A few knocks sound at his door. He sighs getting up. He walks over to open the door finding Siesta standing there.

"It's pretty late. What brings you here?" Yuudai question motioning her to come in. He isn't complaining since sleep isn't coming his way for some reason.

"W-well I couldn't fall asleep so I came here." She answers quietly. She walks in sitting on his bed.

Yuudai closes the door taking a seat on his bed too. She grabs his arm laying her head on his shoulder. He notices her red face. "Is something wrong?" He asks.

She looks at him innocently. "Of course. It's just that this is my first time I've ever been at such a beautiful castle. It's truly a maze." She says.

"You've got that right. I'm probably going to get myself lost in this place one of these days." Yuudai states laughing a little bit. She laughs softly as well.

"A friend at the academy kept telling me that the La Vallière family is one of the five most distinguished families in Tristain. To be living in such a castle, with titles, riches and good looks…miss Vallière can only be envied." She explains to him.

Yuudai shrugs. He keeps his opinion to himself at the moment. It seems she has something to get off her chest. "Why is that?"

"It's a very secure life. One can get whatever one wishes for, like…" She trails off. Yuudai raises an eyebrow. She looks up to him. "Yuudai."

"Let me stop you there, Siesta." He says holding a finger up. "She doesn't own me. I'm only her familiar."

"I understand." She replies slowly. "I don't understand why you are so abdoment about pushing people that love you into the friendzone."

Yuudai sighs. "I've told you plenty of times."

"Even then...you refuse to try for miss Louise. She is rich, beautiful and a noble." Siesta continues.

He lays a hand on her shoulder. "I don't want you to worry too much, but a war will destroy relationships without hesitation." He tells her. His eyes look to the floor. "Call me a coward if you wish. I just don't want the war to hurt a loved one."

A hiccup escapes her mouth. Yuudai smells the air smelling alcohol from Siesta. He doesn't make a sound. Let her have her say for now.

"I will win you over one day. War or not." Siesta states hiccuping again.

"I see. Why are you drunk then?" Yuudai questions. He doesn't intend to make himself sound upset. He isn't. He's just curious.

"I made dinner alone and they didn't even say, 'You had a long journey, thank you, please take some rest.'." She complains succumbing to the nonsense that alcohol makes you speak.

"I don't know what you're talking about. That sounds nice." Yuudai comments looking up. He finds her hand pulling out a bottle of wine from her shirt confusing him. "How did you even hide that there?"

She pulls the cork off putting the bottle to her lips. She takes to big gulps surprising him. Never took her for a drinker. Though she has been a bit stressed.

She pulls the bottle away becoming more red in the face. She offers the bottle to him. "Drink, Yuudai." She orders him.

"I'm not going to do that." Yuudai tells her. Her mood starts to go south. Before she can say anything, he thinks of a perfect plan. "I heard that if you went to your bed, you can date me in your dreams." He tells her. He knows the line sounds stupid to anyone. Except to a drunk girl.

Her eyes widen. "Really?!" She asks excitedly.

"Yup. You must leave the bottle here though." He replies. She leaves the bottle running out of the room. He closes the door looking at the bottle on the floor. "Now I have to hide a bottle of wine from nobles. So exciting."

End

That's a big ol' wrap folks! How was it? I personally find myself liking this volume more than the last.

Yuudai is a complicated guy sometimes, I guess. Just an observation. Do you all have any observations?

Without much else to say, thanks for reading, favoriting, following, reviewing and have a great day/night/morning!