Bastian

As Odette was preparing to take a stroll, she was interrupted by the news of a phone call from Tira, who resided at Gillis Girls’ Academy’s dormitory.

In haste, she concealed the bag of food she had prepared for the stray dogs and made her way to the study to answer the call.

[Hello, sister!]

With a deep breath, she lifted the receiver and heard Tira’s joyful voice on the other end.

[Slow down, dear sister.
You’ll lose your breath]

Tira’s words rushed out as she picked up the phone. 

“How’s your first semester going at the new school? Are you doing well in class? And are you taking care of yourself?” Odette asked, her concern evident in her voice.
Tira’s playful laughter reminded Odette to calm down and enjoy the moment.

Tira’s responses came in a cheerful stream, one after the other.
She spoke of how the new school year had brought more fun, and how she had made many new friends with whom she shared her classes. 

Her teachers were excellent, and she was making great progress in her studies.
Tira even proudly mentioned that she had added an inch to her waist, all thanks to her healthy appetite.
Listening to her sister’s positive report, Odette felt relieved and content.

As she sighed in relief, Tira unexpectedly shared,

 [Oh, sister, I had a dream about our father a few days ago.]

[Although it was only a dream, my father sending me to jail felt unbelievably re…]

“Stop Tira!” Odette halted Tira mid-sentence, sensing a deep-seated anxiety in her younger sister’s voice.
“Don’t worry about it, Tira.
I already told Father I would shoulder the burden,” 

[But sister…]

“Listen up, Tira.
If you say that one more time, I will never see you again.” Odette rechecked the tightly closed library door and scolded Tira coldly.

Tira’s sullen voice broke the heavy silence as she spoke, [I’m sorry, sister.
I like everything that’s happening now, and that’s why I was anxious.
I’ve never been this happy before, but I was so afraid of losing it all.]

“It’s all right, Tira.” Odette’s voice, which had become warmer once more, calmed Tira.
“I never will allow that to happen.” She made a serious commitment to herself as well.

Tira let out a small laugh. [I’ll truly forget about it now.
Just promise me you won’t say such frightening things again.
You may have a new family now, sister, but you’re still my sister.
Without you, I’m all alone.]

“Okay, I promise,” Odette replied with a soft sigh and a chuckle.
“You know, Tira, you’re actually my only family.” Her unspoken thoughts about her fake family flooded her mind.

Tira’s mood swings subsided quickly, and she regained her cheerfulness.
She excitedly shared stories about learning to ride a bike with her friend, a kind boy from a neighboring boys’ school, and the upcoming school festival next month.
Hearing these refreshing and innocent tales from a schoolgirl’s life, Odette’s lingering worries dissipated.

[Sister, would you be able to come to the parent invitation day? Even though it’s held during the festival, to me, you’re like a mother.] 

As the phone call was coming to a close, Tira asked Odette a tentative question.

 [I don’t want to trouble you.
If you’re busy, it’s okay not to come.
And you don’t have to bring actual parents, they said.]

“I’ll see if the schedule permits,” Odette excused her tardiness in responding with a firm response.

Carlsbar was a distant city that demanded at least a two-day absence, regardless of how tight Odette’s schedule was.
Obtaining Bastian’s permission was crucial, as it was a matter of proper protocol between employer and employee, as he had defined it.

[Okay, I’ll talk to you next time.
Love you, sis.
Bye!] 

As Tira bid farewell with a cheery tone, it was apparent that she was crestfallen.
However, before Odette could respond with a whisper of “I love you too,” the phone line went dead.

With a firm grip on her emotions, Odette departed from the study, her face devoid of any personal sentiments.
The day was beautiful, the sky clear and warm, and she was determined not to allow herself to be consumed by futile melancholy and ruin the pleasant day.

Let’s accept force majeure.
Let’s not dwell on things that can’t be helped with your own strength.
Let’s find what’s best for the situation and enjoy it.
She knew it wouldn’t work out, but Odette still made that promise every morning.

Despite the worsening state of her life, there was one ritual that Odette clung to with unwavering devotion.
It was a small, seemingly insignificant act, but it held immense power over her psyche.
With each passing day, the pattern of her routine grew more intricate, like the threads of a tapestry that interwove to create a beautiful and intricate design.

“Madam, you have a visitor,” the butler announced, his voice as crisp and polished as his uniform.

As Odette returned to her room, she was hit with yet another unwelcome surprise – her carefully stashed bag of food was missing.
With a heavy sigh, she resigned herself to the fact that she would have to hide it again, this time under the bed.
After hastily straightening her disheveled clothes, she braced herself and opened the bedroom door.

The unexpected arrival of a guest sent ripples of surprise through the otherwise tranquil household.
Startled, Odette turned to the head maid for an explanation.
“I didn’t know we had any guests today,” 

The head maid, ever poised and professional, held out a visiting card with practiced ease.
“Yes, Madam,” she replied, her voice as smooth as silk.
“He claims to have no prior appointment, but requests a moment of your time.”

Odette’s gaze widened as she scanned the name of the unexpected visitor – Maxime von Xanders.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

 

As Bastian idly gazed out the car window, his eyes happened to catch a familiar figure on the street corner.
It was his father, Jeff Klauswitz, exiting a high-end jewelry store with a young woman who appeared to be no more than a few years older than Franz.

Despite the bustling energy of the downtown district and the frenetic pace of the rush hour traffic, Bastian felt his world slow down to a crawl.
He watched in silent disbelief as his father and the unknown woman strolled away from the store, hand in hand, seemingly oblivious to the world around them.

It was a moment frozen in time, a surreal tableau that would forever be etched in Bastian’s mind.

It being their first encounter, but the woman’s appearance was eerily familiar to Bastian.
With her platinum locks and piercing sky blue eyes, she exuded a delicate and innocent beauty – much like his deceased mother.

Bastian snorted in derision and turned away from the distasteful scene before him.
He knew that his father’s latest mistress would not last long – once she passed the age at which his mother had died, she would be swiftly replaced with another young and beautiful woman.

As he sat in the bar, surrounded by the flickering glow of neon lights and the raucous chatter of the patrons, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of bitterness towards his stepmother.
Her unwavering devotion to his father, and her desperate attempts to usurp Mrs.
Klauswitz’s position, were nothing but a sad parody of love – a far cry from the deep and meaningful connection that his mother had shared with her undeserving partner.

Yet, even in the face of such trifling matters, Bastian remained steadfast in his convictions.
He would never let anyone forget the true magnitude of his mother’s love – a love that transcended time, space, and even death itself.

With the traffic jam finally clearing up, Bastian revved his engine and left the city behind him in a blur of speed and adrenaline.

Meanwhile, back in the heart of Berg, the race to secure the rights for building a railway connecting the north and south was reaching a fever pitch. 

For weeks, it seemed that Jeff Klauswitz was the clear frontrunner – until a new challenger emerged from the shadows.
It was a railway company that Bastian had founded in collaboration with LaViere – a formidable force that threatened to upend Klauswitz’s plans and change the face of Berg forever.

As the news broke that Jeff Klauswitz had been denied the right to build the railroad, Bastian felt a surge of satisfaction – knowing that this setback would deal a major blow to his father’s ambitions, and force him to go even deeper into the trap that Bastian had carefully set.

But Bastian knew that he couldn’t rest on his laurels just yet.
With Jeff now desperate to find a way out of this mess, he would undoubtedly make some rash and aggressive investments – all in the hopes of finding a breakthrough that could save his plans.

Thankfully, he had been preparing for this day for months – and he was ready for whatever his father might throw at him.
As he sat back and waited for Jeff to take the bait, he felt a sense of quiet confidence – knowing that he had outsmarted his old man once again.

Bastian smoked his cigarette and accelerated as he crossed the boundary between Ratz and Ardene.

In actuality, the endeavor was not worthwhile.
Because his father would destroy himself even if left alone.

After his father’s initial rapid growth – thanks to the funds he had raised from the Illis family through his marriage – the Klauswitz Empire had hit a wall.
For months, it had remained stagnant – unable to make any real progress or outmaneuver the ruthless rivals who were now closing in from all sides.

Againts his best efforts, Jeff Klauswitz knew that his chances of survival in this cutthroat business world were growing slimmer by the day.
His enemies were relentless, and his resources were dwindling – leaving him with little room to maneuver or make a comeback.

Even if his father had luck on his side, it was a game that would cease as soon as Franz acquired the family firm.

This was the most fitting conclusion given that the beloved son who had striven to become a nobleman would ultimately bring the family to ruin.

Yet, what moved him wasn’t the rage and retaliation that everyone was talking about.

They were already meaningless to Bastian.
Since he left that household, it had already been that way.

Bastian had a different opinion from his maternal grandfather who claimed it was because they made his heart ache.
It was not bad for him to have the disease to live with if this composure was a result of the illness.

Nonetheless, his grandpa favored it.

He died without even properly closing his eyes because he had lived with the resentment of not being able to exact revenge for his daughter’s unjust death.
To the son of his daughter, he left everything.

Bastian received more than simply a hefty inheritance as the Illis family’s heir.
He owed it to his maternal grandfather, who delivered him from that misery and provided him with the greatest affection and resources, to close his eyes.

Even so, he wished to guarantee it unequivocally.
His father had sacrificed his wife and child to gain the great honor and lineage he had.
Partial aristocratic standing.
Without money, would it truly be so good?

If his father lost everything he had made thanks to the money from the junk dealer he hated so much, the solution would become apparent.
If his father went bankrupt but was still content to hold that shell, Bastian considered appreciating his father.

The success of this case was crucial to accelerate the plan, as it was necessary to decrease reliance on Laviere.
While he currently maintained an amicable relationship with Laviere and worked together with him, there was no permanent ally.
This was also why Sandrine was his most valuable asset, as her mixed heritage provided the most effective safety net.

What if he could soar without the aid of Laviere’s wings?

 As the Gulf of Ardene loomed in the distance, an unfamiliar family unexpectedly crossed his mind.
Although it was not entirely out of the question, taking such a challenging path seemed unnecessary when he already had a powerful alliance that fulfilled all his requirements.
With a decisive conclusion, Bastian shifted gears once again and accelerated his pace.

As the mansion loomed closer, the memory of this morning’s fortune-telling nonsense lingered in his mind. “It’s the bolt of wisdom.
You will have an important realization today.” Odette continued to speak eloquently while examining the long, thin eggshells that had shattered.

Bastian was keeping his eye on her to see how far she would go before ending the con.
He also realized that it would be better to wed Sandrine, suggesting that perhaps Odette’s absurd forecast was correct after all.

He arrived at the home as the sun was setting.

Bastian marched into the lobby after handing the car to the attendant, who fled out in shock.
The butler, who had been informed of his earlier return, had just arrived as he set foot on the central staircase.

“Master, you’re ba…,”

“Bastian!”  

Before Lovis could finish, Odette’s voice rang out clearly, calling his name.
Turning his head towards the landing, Bastian saw Odette making her way down the entrance hall, accompanied by a man holding a child.

Bastian was caught off guard by the unexpected arrival of Maxime von Xander