He could hear the other side was replying to the knight announcement. The door then opens.

He could see an old man that wearing a butler outfit was the one to open the door, and between the door there's the table facing it, the man in mid of the 40s was sitting on his chair and sit upright, looking at him with a serious face. But,

"Welcome my son to my office"

Star~smile*

The man then shouts with a dazzling smile on his face to Leon. Leon smiles back at him gently as he walks into the office looking at the man and slightly gazes at the other two-man that was at the right side near the man's big office table with a greeting smile.

'hmm... Luis Fronti and... secretary Alex Levin'

His gaze then fixed back to his father.

"Greeting to my lord Duke Carl Fronti"

Stiffened*

Silence fills the office. All of the people in the office stiffened with the greeting that Leon gives to Duke Carl. They gaze at him with an odd expression. 

At the time, only the sound of the office door closing breaks the silence.

Click!

"ah... my son...why did you call me like that??? ha... your father here felt distance if you did that??"

Duke Carl smile awkwardly at him as he scratched his temple.

Smirk*

Leon smiles slightly at his confusing father before answering. The other two just watch the duo in silence.

"well... my lord... I was informed by the servant to come to your office because of some matters, so I assume that you are not going to meet me as my father, but instead as a lord of this mansion..."

Leon explains as he smiled slightly. Duke Carl sigh. The other two people just smile awkwardly.

'I did tell the servant that I had matter to meet Leo but'

"I'm here not as your lord but as your father... I want to meet you... can't I??"

Duke Carl look into Leon's eyes as he trying to convey his feeling to him. Leon sigh as he avoided his gaze.

'hah... this really pain in the ass...'

"no father... of course you're allowed to meet me... I kind of wanted to meet you too father"

Smile*

Flinched*

Duke carl and the other two flinched as they saw Leon's genuine smile. Maybe because it's been a long time since he last saw Leon's genuine smile, Duke Carl couldn't help but feel slightly emotional. 

But he holds his feeling quickly. The other two trying their best to hold on to their disbelief expression but their wide eyes give away their feeling of surprise in seeing Leon's smile.

'brother smile??'

Luis who can't take his eyes off his elder brother, couldn't help but think like that.

"ahem"

Duke Carl let out fake coughed to release the silence that starting to fill up in the room.

"so, you had something to talk with me??"

"yes, father but... I'm hoping to talk only with the two of us..."

"oh...hmmm"

Duke Carl thinking before someone cut off their conversation.

"then father... I will take my leave now... thank you for having me here"

"ah... ok ok Luis... see you at the dinner"

"yes father"

Smile*

Luis looks at his father and finally turns to his brother and smiles. Leon smile back casually at him.

"see you later big brother"

Luis trying to walk away after finally able to talk with his elder brother when...

"yeah... see you later too brother"

Stiffened*

Luis's eye opens wide as he heard his brother word and see his smile.

'this....my brother first time after so long...'

Luis instantly felt emotional with this kind of interaction from his brother as he always missed his brother who is close yet seems far from him. He almost wanted to shout to him how missing he felt. 

But he held back his feeling. He can't show this side of him to his brother.

'I already make my own resolved... I can't turn back now'

he shakes his head as he wanted to stop himself from felt more emotional. He then takes a peek towards his brother secretly as he continues thinking, but.

'How cruel you are...bro...'

Leon seems not affected at all with his word towards Luis and casually looks back towards the Duke after reply back Luis's greeting. Hence Luis felt slightly disappointed and his head drop instantly.

But while that happens, of course, as usually, Leon doesn't seem to realize how complicated his younger brother and his father's mind right now because of his tiny new gestures and just stare calmly towards the Duke. 

The secretary Alex who had watched this scene the entire time look at this trio of father and sons with complicated and pitiful eyes.

'how poor both of you, Lord Carl and young master Luis... aigoo ... young master Leon doesn't seem to even realize this'

Luis who's had a droopy head quickly walk away to the door and when he near the door and hold on to the knob to open it, he then heard his father's voice suddenly say...

"do you want to go to the Royal Event???"

Stiffened*

Luis stops his hand on the doorknob and keeps on standing in front of the door. Silence fills the room.

Gasp*

the secretary felt the air become tight as he looked at this situation. He could still see Luis in front of the unopened door. He could also see Leon frowning face as he heard his father's sudden question. Then finally the secretary looked at his Lord face who had a serious gaze.

'I don't understand what are you thinking my lord... just now... aren't you already state for young master Luis to go... why now like this??'

As the secretary thinking that, he immediately heard the answer from the body of who the question directed to...

"no... I don't want to go there!!"

'instant answer!!! nice...'

Somehow the secretary felt relief as he heard Leon's answer. He could see Leon's serious gaze. Duke Carl also thought the same and he finally smiles. Luis smirk as he heard it and quickly open the door.

click*

and left.

Bang!

The door close and left three people in the room.

"do my secretary had to go before you can talk about the reason for you to meet me??"

"it's fine father..."

"ok... so... what is it you want to say??"

Duke Carl put his both intertwined hand onto the table, as his body leans forward to hear the reason from Leon.

"but father first...why don't you tell me the real reason you told me to come??"

Sigh*

His father finally sigh*

'really this son of mine...'

"I just want to meet you actually... I want to ask you to come for dinner tonight... but usually, when I ask you to meet me, you always won't come... so I didn't expect you to come today..."

'ah...Leon don't come when his father told him to do that?? ho...ah... yes if I'm not mistaken it's always like that... he always running from the duke and duchess... ah... I make a mistake I guess... but this situation is not that bad'

Duke Carl's smile widens as he saw his son's odd expression.

'I guess Kelt send my words to Leo as Leo still in half asleep...huhuhu... that's why he was like this'

Duke Carl chuckled as he thought like that. While Leon snapped back from his daze as he heard his father small chuckled.

'haih... I guess he found my reaction funny'

Leon thought with a stoic expression and gazing at his father.

"well if dinner, I don't mind at all... I will see you at the dinner but... I came here to meet you because... I want to make sure to remind you, in case you forget about... Our past promise..."

Stiffened*

"!!!"

************************************

to be continued...