Chapter 49: Brat
(A/N Big thanks to everyone for the Power stones and Golden tickets, they mean a lot. As usual, please don’t hesitate to comment or drop a review. ENJOY)
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"Thaddeus!!!!"
"You despicable boy!!"
A person’s voice echoed around a mansion, the sound of doors opening and snapping shut.
An old man moved about, one hand on his cane to support his movement, his pace unhindered by his disability.
He opened another door, just to find a maid huddled in a corner, shivering, most likely hiding to survive his wrath.
He looked at her, a scowl forming on his face.
"What are you doing!" He said, his voice coming out as a menacing growl.
"I’m so sorry, master lyndon..I...I" She stammered, her face on the verge of tears.
"Speak properly!" He shouted, frustrated by her mumbling.
"I..I just came here to--" She paused, her mind thinking of an excuse.
"You-" He huffed.
"I don’t have time for this. Where is Thaddeus? I’m going to discipline that brat today!!" He growled
"I have no idea where young master Thaddeus is. I haven’t seen him since last night." She said quickly, hopeful to be exempt from the old man’s wrath.
"Useless!!" He spat in her face before slamming the door.
"Does nobody know where that boy is?" He shouted.
The maids trailing after him winced from the man’s voice.
"Useless, all of you!!" He said, willing his mana, trying to use his spatial senses to locate the boy.
But it was pointless, he himself knew how pointless it was; the boy was divine at hiding, old or not, he was an experienced spatial mage, to be able to hide his presence from even him, the boy was truly exceptional.
"If only he were hardworking!!" The old man said, frustrated by his grandson’s laziness.
"Thaddeus, if you don’t come out this instant. I assure you an even worse punishment!!" The man shouted, his voice resonating around the whole mansion.
"I’ll count to ten!!"
"One!!!"
"Four!!!"
"Seven!!!"
"T-"
"Wait! What kind of counting is that, old man? Surely it hasn’t gotten to the point you can’t remember numbers again"
A young boy appeared at the end of the passage, out of breath, sweat beading on his forehead, looking like he had run kilometres to get here.
Lyndon narrowed his eyes at his only grandson, a scowl forming on his face.
"Did you just call me senile?" He said, his voice surprisingly low.
The atmosphere suddenly turned heavy.
The maids behind the man froze, legs shaking, staring at Thaddeus like he’d just insulted the devil.
"Master Lyndon, I’m sure young master Thaddeus didn’t me--" An older maid stepped forward stammering, trying to appease the old man.
"Shut up!!" He interrupted.
"Yes" She said immediately before stepping back in line, her head bowed.
"Um, of course not, dear grandpa, I would never say such a thing" Thaddeus said with an appeasing smile.
Lyndon just sighed.
"Follow me," He said simply before turning and walking away.
"And the rest of you, get back to work!!" He shouted.
The maids didn’t need to be told twice before they dispersed like startled hens.
Thaddeus sighed before following his grandfather, a post on his face.
He had silver hair and, like most Chronos, framing his delicate and mischievous face. He stood at 4 feet, six inches at age ten, wearing a brown shirt and trousers and unlike most Chronos, he had onyx black eyes.
"Grandfather, I find it important to inform you before you carry out whatever plans you are about to enact that I was deep in meditation when I was summoned and hence wa-" Thaddeus said.
"Shut up, and quit the formal yapping, "The old man interrupted, turning to Thaddeus with a glare.
"I’m sorry, grandpa, it will never happen again, forgive me just this once," He said, fake tears shimmering at the corner of his eyes.
"If I hear another word from you, Thaddeus," The old man growled, annoyed.
"Yes, grandpa," He replied.
"I said not another word!!" Lyndon said, glaring at him.
"I was ju-"
Smack!!
The cane in Lyndon’s hands resounded on Thaddeus’s head.
"Ow!!, grandpa!, what was that for?!" Thaddeus said, his eyes wide in surprise.
"I said not another word!" Lyndon said, trying to smack Thaddeus again, but he immediately dodged.
Thaddeus glared at his grandpa with restrained annoyance.
Lyndon just huffed before walking on.
They soon arrived at the old man’s garden, where a maid stood beside a table with a steaming pot of tea on it.
Two chairs were at the table, on opposite ends.
"Welcome, master Lyndon and young master Thaddeus," She said with a calm smile, her face serene, a stark difference from the rest of the maids.
"Thank you, Mary. You can go now." Lyndon said, his voice surprisingly soft, a smile on his face.
"Of course," She replied before walking away.
Lyndon’s smile immediately changed when he turned to his grandson, who still held his head, rubbing the spot he was hit with a frown on his face.
"Sit" He said simply.
Thaddeus stared at the chair before turning to his grandfather, surprise on his face.
’Sit? We aren’t going to train’ He thought, bewildered.
"I will not repeat myself, Thaddeus," Lyndon said, sipping his tea.
Thaddeus hesitantly sat down, wariness written on his face.
’Something’s off,’ he thought, shifting his chair a bit away from the table.
"You’ll be heading to the academy soon, "The old man started.
"Yes, grandpa" Thaddeus said, wondering where the old man was going with this.
"Are you ready?" He asked.
"I guess" Thaddeus replied,
Lyndon sighed.
"Don’t guess, Thaddeus, the academy isn’t a joke," Lyndon said.
"I know, grandpa, you’ve said it a million times" Thaddeus drawled out.
"I’m not going to start that with you; you’ll understand when you get there,"
"I simply wished to inform you that the heir and future Patriarch of the Chronos is going to be in your set. Do with it what you will," Lyndon said,
"Hmmm, I don’t know, sounds like he’s going to be cocky," Thaddeus said with a raised brow.
"And you aren’t?" Lyndon scoffed.
"No, grandpa, I’m not cocky, I’m lazy, you shouldn’t get it confused." Thaddeus corrected with a shake of his head.
"You brat!!"