Elias walked down the grand staircase, his small body moving with a practiced grace that belied his age. He saw the servants already gathered near the main doors. Their faces showed a mix of surprise and excitement, whispering about the powerful new teacher. Elias thought that they all seemed a little too excited but walked on,hiseyes were fixed on the two new arrivals.
The girl, dressed as a maid, stood perfectly still beside the man. Her face was calm, almost bored, with no warmth in her eyes. She looked completely detached, like a small, silent statue. The man, meanwhile, was looking around, his eyes scanning the large hall as if searching for someone important. His gaze quickly swept over the servants, dismissing them, until his eyes landed on Elias.
"Is that the boy?" the man asked, his voice direct and a little rough, pointing towards Elias. One of the head servants, a plump woman named Mrs. Gable, quickly stepped forward. "Yes, Master," she said, bowing slightly.
"That is the young master, Elias Linford Dukker."
The man, narrowed his eyes at Elias. It wasn't a mean look, but a sharp, judging one, as if he was measuring Elias, testing his worth. The girl standing with him did the same, quickly looking Elias up and down. Then, to Elias's annoyance, she rolled her eyes. She seemed completely unimpressed, as if he were just another piece of furniture.
"The hell?!" Elias thought, a flicker of irritation sparking in his chest. His old Ethan-self would have stewed in quiet resentment. But he couldn't show that now. He needed to keep his act going. He forced a wide, innocent smile onto his face, the kind he knew his parents found charming. He continued his descent, stopping a few steps from the bottom.
With a perfect, small bow, he introduced himself.
"Greetings! I am Elias Linford Dukker. It is a pleasure to meet you both." His voice was clear and polite, just as Lady Elara had taught him. He watched their faces carefully for a reaction.
The man, just nodded curtly.
"Where are your parents?" he asked, not bothering with pleasantries. Mrs. Gable quickly answered.
"Lord Alaric has gone to the capital city on urgent business.And Lady Elara has gone to run a few errands within our territory. Neither will be back until evening."
The man simply grunted, his expression unreadable. He clearly wasn't happy about their absence.
This was going to be an interesting first lesson.