That voice echoed, shaking the air around them, and for a moment, the sky fell silent.
The sound faded, leaving behind a strange silence. In the midst of the still-vibrating air, the gazes of the three Voltare children met, and their laughter burst out.
"HAHAHAHA."
Zuban clenched his teeth. "Good!"
"You may not be talented at anything, but you sure have a talent for making me angry!"
Rayne's gaze did not change in the slightest, as if saying there was nothing in this world he feared.
"Ugh, damn it, I'm sick of that look in your eyes." Iliya immediately turned around and left just like that. Zinux followed, then Zuban after him.
Even though they had gone, Rayne knew that something bad would happen to him sooner or later.
Not wanting to wait any longer, he carefully helped the old servant.
"Once again, I thank you, and from now on, don't ever do something like that again."
"M-master..."
"I don't understand how you can endure everything that has happened."
"You have suffered far more than lowly servants like us, you..."
Rayne looked closely at the old servant he was supporting.
"Haha, I never realized there was someone as kind as you in this house."
"You are the first person who truly cared about me." Rayne's words became more polite.
He saw sincerity in the old man's eyes, something he thought he would never get in his lifetime.
"Can I... can I call you grandpa?" he said in a low voice.
The rain grew heavier, their figures no longer visible in the middle of the training ground.
The old servant fell silent for quite a while, his lips trembling as if in disbelief.
"In that case… call me whatever you want."
Unknowingly, tears flowed from Rayne's eyes, mixing with the rain. Tears that would never fall from physical pain or loss.
"G-grandpa." He called, stammering.
"Yes, grandson?"
"Grandpa."
"Grandpa."
Without hesitation, Rayne hugged the old servant and cried.
"Ahahaha, cry as much as you want, grandson."
After a while, Rayne released his embrace.
"Ah, I've shown my embarrassing side, forgive me, grandpa."
"Not embarrassing at all, grandson, it shows you're stronger than before."
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For becoming my family."
"I understand, grandson."
"From now on, maybe we won't be able to talk like this again, but remember, your grandpa will always be there whenever you need him, even if it costs his life."
Tears almost fell again from Rayne's eyes, his hands trembling, unable to hold himself from hugging the old man once more.
"Go and get treatment, s-servant!" he said firmly.
"Yes, Young Master."
---
That night, the rain accompanied by thunder had yet to subside.
Rayne lay on his bed, staring at the luxurious ceiling that everyone dreamed of.
Today, as usual, there were many insults and mockeries thrown at him. But there was one thing different.
Today, he saw sincerity, he felt the warmth of being cared for and worried about.
"Family..." the word echoed softly, hanging in the air before his consciousness was pulled into the world of dreams.
---
The next morning.
The sun began to appear between the mountains, the rain had stopped after pouring all night, and the smell of wet soil still lingered in the air.
That morning, a young servant came rushing into Rayne's room.
"Y-young master Rayne! Master Zinux is calling you to the lower hall for something urgent!"
Rayne, who had just finished changing his clothes, only nodded slightly.
"Alright, I'll be there soon."
His instincts told him it would be something bad, but there was no other choice, refusing would only make things worse.
He went down the stone stairs leading to the underground hall.
The hall was dark, lit only by torches on each side.
But no one was there.
After entering one of the rooms, everything felt increasingly strange.
"Zinux? Iliya? Zuban?" he called out.
No answer.
Only his own voice echoed against the stone walls.
Then... clang!
The sound of a large iron door closing tightly behind him.
Rayne turned around, trying to open it, but the chain outside had already been locked.
"Hey! What is this!?" he shouted loudly.
But only faint laughter could be heard from behind the door.
"Enjoy it, little brother," Zuban's voice echoed.
"Let's see how long you can last," Iliya added with a disgusted tone.
"Hahahaha." Zuban's last laugh before leaving wasn't just hatred, it was a promise of revenge.
And their footsteps grew fainter, leaving Rayne alone.
He pounded on the door, shouted, then raged. All in one breath, but no one came.
Not that night. Not the next day either.
Days passed.
The cold began to bite into his bones, and his stomach was empty.
His breathing grew weaker, yet his eyes remained open.
He didn't want to die.
Not in a place like this.
Only on the third day did he hear slow footsteps coming down the stairs.
Someone was coming, and Rayne almost thought it was an illusion.
"Grandpa..." his voice was hoarse, barely audible.
Clack... the sound of a chain came from outside, and the large door opened.
Seeing the figure behind it, Rayne widened his eyes.
It was a young maid with pink hair. When she saw Rayne looking like a pile of corpse, she screamed hysterically.
"H-help..." Rayne's voice was barely audible.
"Young Master?" the maid slowly approached.
Thud!
"Ha."
"Hahahahaha."
"I thought someone wearing the Voltare noble clothes, but turns out it's just a useless trash."
Thud! Rayne's head was kicked twice.
Crack... the maid's shoe was right on top of Rayne's head, he couldn't fight back, not even scream.
His fingertips went numb.
Each breath felt like swallowing shattered glass.
The longer it went, the worse the maid's cruelty became.
"Haha, don't blame me, blame yourself for being useless."
Even when he was on the verge of death, Rayne's eyes remained wild, just like when he looked at everyone who had ever hurt him.
The maid looked at him with disgust.
"What's with that look? You want revenge? Sorry, there's nothing left for you except death."
Thud... the maid's shoes were covered in blood.
Thud...
She paused for a moment, staring at Rayne's face.
"Still alive, huh?"
She smiled, then kicked again.
Dust filled his nose.
Every step she took echoed like hammers inside his skull.
Rayne could only surrender as her feet struck him again and again.
Eventually, his vision blurred, then...
Darkness.
Silence.
Knowing Rayne would die soon, the maid quickly cleaned her traces, leaving him alone to await death.
However...
The world seemed unwilling to let that child rest.
Moments after the large door was locked, someone opened it again from outside.
But this time, it wasn't the girl, it was the figure Rayne had been waiting for.
The old servant (Grandpa). Though covered in clothes, the bandages on his shoulder were still clearly visible.
The old servant trembled at the sight of Rayne, lying there, covered in blood, the stench of rot filling the air, his body full of burns and wounds.
The key in his hand fell without him realizing, and he rushed forward.
"Grandson… forgive your grandpa…" he knelt down, wiping the blood off Rayne's face, his voice trembling, his eyes wet.
Whether by coincidence or not, at that very moment, Rayne suddenly regained consciousness.
"I knew… Grandpa would come."
"G-grandson, thank goodness I can still hear your voice."
Without asking permission, the servant began chanting a spell, and a blinding green light appeared.
"Heal."
Rayne felt his body enveloped by a warm energy that slowly entered his pores, repairing the damage within.
Unfortunately, it didn't last long.
Prufft Fresh blood spurted from the old servant's mouth.
"I've reached my limit, but at least… it's enough to lessen the pain a little."
The servant struggled to lift Rayne out.
But when they reached the final steps of the stairs, Rayne spoke.
"That's far enough, servant!"
The old man looked at him briefly, and when he saw the determination in Rayne's eyes, he immediately nodded.
"Yes, Young Master."
He then walked ahead, his face returning to normal, as if nothing had happened.
And like the other servants, he immediately went on with his usual duties.
Meanwhile, Rayne staggered weakly in his miserable condition. Several servants watched from afar with awkward expressions, none of them moving to help.
And upstairs, Rayne's mother stood on the balcony, staring without emotion.
"Clean that place," she said flatly, then left without even looking back.
That day, Rayne understood something he would never forget.