Chapter 504: Nostalgia and Reunion

CH504 Nostalgia and Reunion

***

As Kron followed the butler through the familiar corridors and halls of the castle mansion, he couldn’t help but feel a wave of nostalgia wash over him.

A memory from the past surfaced in his mind.

It was a simple memory, really.

A time when he and his brother ran recklessly through the main corridor of the castle, their laughter echoing off the stone walls, while their mother chased after them, scolding and urging them not to hurt themselves.

Both he and his brother had shouted back at her not to worry—

And, of course, they hadn’t slowed down in the slightest.

It was a small moment. But it was also one of the warmest memories Kron had of this castle.

A memory from a time when peace truly existed within these walls.

Since then... since their mother’s death, everything had changed.

The warmth that once filled the castle had faded, replaced by a quiet, creeping cold.

In fact, the castle only grew colder as more and more unfamiliar faces began roaming its halls—courtiers, officials, envoys, and retainers—drawn in by their father’s rising prestige as he threw himself deeper into his work.

Into stabilising House Belloc... into preventing its decline.

At the time, both Kron and his older brother had hated their father for it— for his absence... for allowing strangers to tread through what had once been their home.

And most of all, for pitting the two of them against each other.

Only now did Kron begin to understand.

Perhaps their father had been the one who missed their mother the most.

And perhaps—twisted as it was—his retreat into work, his obsession with stabilising House Belloc, and even his insistence on forcing a successor through rivalry between his sons... was his way of grieving.

A flawed way... a painful way, but still, a human one.

Kron felt as though many things were finally becoming clear to him—things he had never understood while living here as a boy.

It took leaving, seeing the world beyond these walls, and returning as someone older and more disillusioned.

Only then did he realise that many things were not as simple—or as cruel—as he once believed.

’Sigh...’

A quiet sigh escaped his lips.

"Where are Father and my brother?" Kron asked.

"Young Master York is currently on an expedition into the Great Berserk Beast Forest," the butler replied calmly, "accompanying Marquis Clinton Luxen."

"What?!" Kron shouted, stopping in his tracks.

"My brother followed the heir of the Luxen Duchy into the Great Berserk Beast Forest? Does he not understand what that means for our family?!"

"It would seem... he does not," the butler replied neutrally.

"Lord Baron has already departed the Imperial Capital to address the matter arising from this decision. He is expected to return tonight."

"Oh... Father is returning tonight?" Kron said, his expression easing slightly.

"That’s good."

He had expected to wait weeks—perhaps even longer—before meeting his father.

Instead, it seemed he wouldn’t have to wait at all.

’I suppose I have my brother’s tomfoolery to thank for that,’ Kron thought wryly.

’Maybe I shouldn’t be angry with him.’

The butler led Kron to his old room.

Just as the older man had said, it was well maintained—spotless, without a trace of dust. And yet, despite the careful upkeep, it looked almost exactly as Kron had left it years ago.

For a long while, Kron simply stood there, letting the tide of nostalgia wash over him.

Memories rushed in unbidden.

His expression changed repeatedly—smiling, frowning, laughing softly, then sinking into quiet melancholy—as he recalled the good moments, the bad ones, the painful ones, and everything in between.

"Young Master, your bath is ready," a maid announced softly from the doorway.

Kron snapped out of his reverie and followed her to the bathroom.

He was about to proceed when he noticed the maid lingering by the door.

He froze.

For a moment, he simply stared at her, realisation dawning.

He had forgotten—if only briefly—that he was back in a noble house.

He couldn’t even remember the last time someone had waited on him for a bath.

Over the past five years, he had grown accustomed to sleeping wherever he could—from soft mud to hard stone—and sometimes going days without bathing at all. And when he did manage to bathe, it was often nothing more than a single bucket of heated water, used sparingly.

There was never a large tub filled with hot water, scented soap nor carefully mixed perfume oils.

’It was hard at first to get used to hardship,’ Kron thought, shaking his head.

’But now... it’s luxury that feels unfamiliar.’

"Thank you," Kron said gently, offering the maid a small smile. "You may leave. I’ll take care of the rest myself."

The maid hesitated, clearly wanting to protest, but eventually bowed and withdrew.

Kron stripped down, revealing a body marked with scars—each one a silent testament to the last five years of his life.

Lowering himself into the bath, he let the warmth seep into his muscles, easing tension he hadn’t realised he was carrying.

Before he knew it, his vision blurred.

’Must be the steam,’ Kron told himself quietly.

He rubbed away the liquid from his eyes then sank deeper into the water.

-

Hours later, as the sun dipped below the horizon, a luxurious carriage thundered through the gates of Belloc Castle.

Baron Luth Belloc had returned.

The Baron was the spitting image of his son Kron—only older. A tall, broad-shouldered man in his late fifties, he carried himself with rigid discipline. His face was permanently set in a stoic expression that betrayed none of his thoughts.

In truth, his bearing was so severe that one might mistake him for a hardened military officer rather than one of the empire’s foremost diplomats.

The moment Baron Belloc stepped into the castle, the estate sprang to life. Servants hurried about as dinner was swiftly prepared and laid out in the dining hall.

Baron Belloc strode directly to the table, intending to take his seat—only to pause when he noticed something amiss.

Two places had been set.

His brow rose slightly.

"Which of my useless sons has returned?" he asked flatly.

"Young Master Kron, Sir Baron," the old butler replied with a respectful bow. "He arrived earlier this afternoon. I would have dispatched a messenger at once, but—"

"No matter," Baron Belloc cut him off with a dismissive wave. "Where is the boy now? Was he not informed of my return?"

"I sent a maid as soon as your arrival was confirmed," the butler answered calmly. "Young Master Kron had already fallen asleep. I would venture to guess he has not enjoyed proper rest on a real bed in quite some time."

"Hmph!" Baron Belloc snorted. "That is the price of running away from home like a coward."

The butler merely offered a thin smile and said nothing.

Moments later, Kron entered the dining hall.

He was dressed in formal attire befitting a noble scion. His posture was straight and his movements refined. Had Alex or any of the expedition members seen him now, they would scarcely believe this composed young noble was the same roughened adventurer they had travelled with.

"Father," Kron said, bowing deeply.

Though out of practice, his etiquette was impeccable.

Baron Belloc regarded him for a moment, then gave a small nod.

"At least you haven’t completely forsaken your upbringing," he said coolly, gesturing toward the empty seat.

Kron inclined his head and sat.

At a subtle signal from the butler, the maids stepped forward and began serving the meal.

Father and son ate in silence.

If an outsider were present, they might never guess the two men had been separated for five long years.

Yet as the scene unfolded, the old butler—who had served House Belloc for over six decades—could barely restrain the tears welling in his eyes.

It was a moment more than five years in the making.

"Why are you back?" Baron Belloc suddenly asked as the maids cleared their plates and served the next course. "Have you finally decided to act like a proper noble heir?"

"Let’s finish the meal first, Father," Kron replied calmly, meeting his father’s gaze without flinching. "It seems we have a great deal to discuss."

A flicker of surprise flashed across the Baron’s eyes—so brief it would have gone unnoticed by most. He masked it almost instantly.

"Very well," Baron Luth said after a moment. "I will wait and see whether you have gained anything of worth during these past five years."

The two resumed their meal in silence once more.

***