Julian originally planned to wait a little longer and then throw the Phoenix heart in the fireplace to attract the Duke, but he had a change of heart.
Even if this was going against what everyone was doing, he didn't care. As far as he was concerned, there was no rule that stated that no one was to give the Young Lord a gift or offer him cake.
Everyone just 'assumed' it was like that because the Duke paid no attention to him and the mourning was more important.
But Julian wasn't going to be like them. So, before the affection level dropped any further, he was going to act.
He made honey cake in the kitchen earlier on, and knew it was now time to bring it out.
Julian walked out from behind the shadows of the pillar with a small sized—bento sized—honey cake in his hands.
They were eyes on him, following his movement as he walked towards the end where Lucius was sitting.
They whispered, asking who he was, what he was doing, and why he had a cake on such an ominous event.
All of their words, of course, were filtered in Julian's ears until he got to the stairs leading up to Lucius's 'throne'.
Lucius did not look up. He was deep into his dark thoughts to notice what was going on until Julian called out to him.
"Lord Lucius," Lucius snapped upon hearing his teacher's voice and immediately raised his head to see his teacher holding out a cake with a small lit candle on the top.
Behind him were whispers, awful and dark whispers... So as much as it brightened little Lucius's heart that his teacher did this for him, he worried that he would drag him into the dark with him.
He clenched his fists on top of his little knees and bowed his head, his eyes tearing up.
Julian understood the boy. He understood his worries and why he refused to lift his head.
"I told you before, didn't I, young Lord?" Julian asked, taking a step up the stairs.
Everyone went silent, as if waiting for what would happen next. Like there was a spectacle before them.
"Good boys get gifts like this. You're such a good boy, so why should I hold back in doing something for you?"
Julian climbed the stairs, feeling a weight so heavy that his heart nearly dropped but he kept going.
"And since you've been such a good boy for all the seven years you've lived," he finally got to the top and knelt on one knee in front of Lucius, the cake set before him. "You deserve a little something, don't you think?"
Lucius looked at the cake, the scent of honey flavor and sugar filling his nostrils, and then at the little glowing candle.
He didn't even know when the tears he had been desperately holding in his eyes rolled down and he cried like a child.
Lucius's shoulders shook with silent, racking sobs. The tears dripped onto his expensive velvet sleeves, leaving dark stains. The guests' whispers turned into a low, buzzing static of disapproval and Julian's ears caught these words this time.
"How dare he?"
"The Duke will have his head for this insolence."
"To celebrate a birth that caused such death..."
But he turned off his listening ear and looked at the Young Lord, his eyes on the affection level above his head.
>[Target: Young Lord Lucius — Affection: 19%... 21%... 25%... 30%!]
>[Status: Overwhelmed / Deep Emotional Release]
It kept increasing until it stopped at 30%.
This time, Julian didn't take action just to increase the affection level of the boy, but rather to see the boy happy.
In the short time he has taught this child, he might've grown attached to him. His loneliness, his brilliance, his silence, and the weight on his shoulders.
"Now, now, we shouldn't cry." He said, his mismatched eyes filled with a gentle softness. "First, blow the candle and then have some cake."
Lucius looked at the flame. It was the only light in the world that didn't feel cold. He leaned forward, his small chest hitching, and with a soft whoosh, he blew out the candle.
Julian smiled.
"Congratulations, Lucius," he whispered, reaching his hand to his hair and messing the perfect, brushed-back hairstyle.
Lucius laughed quietly and gently.
"Now," Julian took out a fork. "Time to eat. But first," he took out another fork and decided to act as a poison taster first. There was no telling what could happen.
Once he had tasted it, he hummed to the delicious taste, feeling how he had outdone himself.
"Go ahead and try it. It tastes great."
Julian watched as Lucius took a shaky first bite of the honey cake. The boy's eyes widened, the sweetness hitting a palate that had likely known only the bland, salt-heavy flavors of the North.
Honey was rare in the North but it was possible with a system that provided survival necessities.
He was sure Lucius would love it.
Another tear slid down his cheek, but this time, it was followed by a tiny, almost imperceptible tilt of the lips.
[Target: Young Lord Lucius — Affection: 35%]
[Status: warm/touched]
Julian felt a surge of warmth in his heart, seeing the happiness on Lucius face from just a taste of the cake, but his expression quickly turned serious. He glanced toward the empty seat at the head of the table.
If only things could end like this, but no. It wasn't over. He has to bring the Duke here to mark this a complete quest and receive his reward.
And for some reason, he wanted to smack some sense into the Duke for being such an irresponsible parent.
If he used the Phoenix heart now and the Duke did not come out, staying in that study, drowning in wine and sorrow, it would all be for naught.
'I need to lure him,' Julian thought. Then, he turned to Lucius. "I'll need to go take care of something now so eat up and have something to drink, okay?"
He saw Lucius pout but it couldn't be helped. He was going to bring the finishing touch to this birthday.
He walked down the stairs, eyes still on him, but he kept his shoulders high until he walked out of the hall.
As soon as he stepped into the dark halls, he heard a voice,
"You did something unnecessary," he stopped walking but did not turn his head, knowing who that voice belonged to.
"Really?" He asked with a strict and somewhat mad tone. "I didn't know it was considered unnecessary to give a child cake on his birthday... butler."
In the shadows, the butler stood, his eyes peering through and his monocle glinting with the single ray of light in the room.