Chapter 681: Life in the Burn House

Near the borders of Redhaven City and Solcrest City, in Thornwick, a portion of the Crimson Sea flowed between the territories of the two great cities.

The waters met along their borders, forming another stretch of crimson sea around the island where the rulers of Thornwick Estate resided.

The island stood apart from the mainland, surrounded by the red waters that gave the sea its name.

It was here that the powerful House of Burnwick had established its residence, a place befitting the Duke House who ruled over Thornwick Estate.

Inside the main mansion of Duke Aldous Burnwick...

"Ahhh."

Cyrus let out a tired sigh.

He sat on his knees upon a scarlet cushion decorated with golden patterns of flames.

His back had begun to slump, and he looked as though he would rather be anywhere else in the mansion.

The cushion beneath him was soft enough, but that did little to improve his mood.

He had been called away from something he enjoyed, and he had yet to discover why.

At the center of the group sat Sasha, also kneeling on a scarlet cushion.

She occupied the place beside Cyrus, while Ravenor sat on her other side, his posture steady and his attention directed toward the space in front of them.

The three younger children of the Duke were seated in the front row.

Behind them were two of their older siblings, both of whom also attended the Royal Academy.

One was a Second-Year student.

The other was a Third-Year student.

Together, the five children had gathered in their father’s training quarters, waiting for him to arrive.

At least, most of them were waiting patiently.

Cyrus, on the other hand, seemed to be struggling with the simple task of sitting still.

"Why are you sighing like that, Cyrus?"

Sasha raised an eyebrow.

She turned her head toward her half-brother, examining the expression on his face.

His drooping shoulders and the look in his eyes made it seem as though he had been forced to attend an event he despised.

Considering how loudly he had sighed, she found it difficult not to ask.

Cyrus glanced at her.

"I was enjoying my time listening to music while resting on my bed when I received the call that Father wanted all of us here."

He spoke as though someone had personally ruined the best part of his day.

His face showed a hint of grievance, and he made no effort to hide it.

"What does he want from us at this time? Haven’t we trained enough already?"

Cyrus let his shoulders fall again.

"Ahhh."

Another sigh escaped his mouth.

Sasha watched him for a moment, her raised eyebrow remaining in place.

She had asked a simple question, yet Cyrus had turned it into another complaint about being summoned.

Before she could respond, a sharper voice came from behind them.

"Cyrus, you should just keep quiet and stop whining."

Matilda Burnwick, the eldest daughter of the Duke and Ravenor’s older sister, spoke with clear irritation.

Her eyes settled on Cyrus, and her expression hardened.

She had little patience for his complaints, especially when the summons had come from their father.

It was not as though their father had called them here for no reason.

Whatever he intended to discuss, it was his right to gather his children, and Matilda saw no point in making a fuss about it.

What annoyed her even more was the way Cyrus complained.

He sat there with his shoulders lowered, speaking as though the entire household had inconvenienced him simply by asking him to attend.

Matilda did not appreciate it.

"If you don’t want to be here, then get out."

Her words came out harshly.

Cyrus looked at her.

For a brief moment, neither of them said anything.

Matilda’s irritation was plain on her face, while Cyrus wore the same careless expression he had shown Sasha.

Then he drew out a long, sarcastic breath.

"Ehnnnnnnnn..."

He stretched the sound deliberately, making it clear that he was not taking her warning seriously.

"Trust me, I would have left if I knew any better."

His reply was straightforward.

There was no attempt to soften his words or pretend that he regretted being there.

He simply looked at Matilda with an unbothered expression, as though her anger had failed to make the slightest impression on him.

Matilda stared at him.

Her lips parted, and she seemed ready to answer with another harsh remark.

"This..."

Before she could speak.

"Now, now, Matilda."

Ransley Burnwick, the Duke’s second son and Sasha’s second older brother, moved his hand in front of Matilda.

His gesture was calm but firm, stopping her before she could continue the argument.

He looked between the two of them.

"We are in Father’s training quarters. We shouldn’t be fighting."

Unlike Matilda, Ransley did not raise his voice.

He spoke with a measured tone, making it clear that he expected both of them to settle down.

The location alone should have been enough to remind them of where they were.

These were their father’s training quarters, not a place for his children to argue over something as trivial as a complaint.

Ransley had no desire to let the disagreement continue.

Matilda clicked her tongue.

"Tsk."

She folded her arms across her chest and turned her face away, still annoyed.

Even so, she did not continue arguing with Cyrus.

Ransley lowered his hand once he was certain she would stop.

Meanwhile, Cyrus seemed entirely unaffected by the exchange.

He had no intention of arguing further, but neither did he look particularly concerned about the trouble he had caused.

His expression remained lazy, and his posture suggested that the matter had already slipped from his mind.

Ransley noticed it.

His attention shifted from Matilda to his younger half-brother.

"Also, Cyrus, you shouldn’t talk like that to your older sister. Even if she’s your half-sister, you still have to show respect."

This time, there was more seriousness in his voice.

Ransley looked directly at Cyrus, his expression firm.

He had already stopped Matilda from escalating the argument, but that did not mean Cyrus was free to speak however he pleased.

Being annoyed did not excuse his behavior.

And being half-siblings did not remove the respect he owed his older sister.

Cyrus met Ransley’s gaze.

He did not reply immediately.

For a brief moment, he simply stared at his older half-brother, his face giving little away.

He seemed to be considering whether to answer, make another sarcastic remark, or ignore the warning altogether.

Sasha quietly watched the exchange.

Her eyes moved between Cyrus and Ransley as she waited to see what her half-brother would do.

She knew how easily Cyrus could say something irritating, even when there was no need for him to speak at all.

Will that idiot make another troublesome comment?

Or will he just let the matter pass?

She remained silent, waiting for his response.

Ravenor, however, did not seem interested in the dispute.

He continued looking forward, his attention fixed on the space where their father was expected to appear.

While the others had become caught up in the argument, Ravenor had remained focused on the reason they had gathered in the first place.

The disagreement had nothing to do with him.

Cyrus and Matilda could argue as much as they wanted, but it would not change the reason they were all here.

Ravenor saw no point in involving himself in a matter that did not concern him.

So, he waited.

His posture remained steady, and his expression revealed little interest in what was happening around him.

Eventually, Cyrus broke the silence.

"I’m sorry, sis."

He spoke politely, turning his attention toward Matilda.

His tone was much more respectful than it had been moments earlier.

Whether he was apologizing because he genuinely felt he had gone too far or simply wanted to end the argument, he did not explain.

For the moment, the apology was enough.

Or at least, it should have been.

"Humph."

Matilda turned her face away.

She did not look at Cyrus, nor did she acknowledge his apology.

Her folded arms tightened slightly as she continued to sulk.

Clearly, she was not ready to let the matter go.

Ransley noticed her reaction.

"Matilda."

He called her name, looking at her with a firm expression.

He did not need to raise his voice.

The way he stared at her was enough to make his expectations clear.

Matilda’s eyes shifted toward him.

She felt the pressure of his gaze and quickly understood that he was not going to let the matter end with Cyrus being the only one expected to apologize.

For a moment, she resisted.

Then she gave in.

"Okay, okay."

Her response came hurriedly.

"Apology accepted."

She spoke with some hesitation, still refusing to look directly at Cyrus.

The words had barely left her mouth when Cyrus raised his eyebrows.

"And..."

He leaned forward slightly, directing his attention toward her.

His expression changed just enough to show that he was expecting something more.

He had apologized, and Matilda had accepted it, but the way she had handled the situation made it seem as though she believed she had done nothing wrong.

Apparently, Cyrus was not satisfied with that.

Matilda’s mouth tightened.

She bit her lip, clearly reluctant to say what he wanted to hear.

Her eyes remained turned away, and her arms stayed folded across her chest.

Ransley’s gaze, however, had not left her.

He continued looking at his younger half-sister with the same firm expression, silently reminding her that the matter would not be settled until she acknowledged her own part in the argument.

Matilda held out for another moment.

Then she finally gave in.

"I’m also sorry!"

Her apology came out as a shout.

The words were louder than necessary, and her expression made it clear that she had not enjoyed saying them.

Still, she had said them.

Cyrus immediately nodded.

"Apology accepted."

A satisfied expression appeared on his face.

He seemed pleased with the result, as though the entire exchange had been worth the trouble simply because he had managed to make Matilda apologize as well.

Matilda’s irritation deepened.

She looked as though she wanted to argue again, but she could not find a reasonable way to counter him without restarting the very dispute Ransley had just settled.

So, she held her tongue.

Ransley, meanwhile, looked pleased.

"Good."

The firm expression he had worn a moment earlier disappeared almost instantly.

A bright smile spread across his face, as though he were satisfied that his younger siblings had finally resolved their disagreement.

He seemed to consider the matter settled.

At that same moment...

The entrance to the training quarters drew attention.

The Duke’s Personal Butler walked in.

He lowered his head respectfully as he entered, greeting the children of the Duke before proceeding with his announcement.

His arrival marked the end of their brief exchange, and the five children turned their attention toward him.

The butler maintained his formal posture.

Then, in a calm voice, he announced.

"The Duke makes his entrance."

The change was immediate.

All five children lowered their heads toward the floor in a gesture of respect.

The casual atmosphere from moments earlier vanished, replaced by the formality expected in the presence of the head of House Burnwick.

"Greetings, Father, Duke of Burnwick."

They spoke together.

Their voices overlapped in a single greeting as they bowed before their father.

Duke Aldous Burnwick walked into the training quarters with a calm stride.

His expression was composed, and he showed no sign of being affected by the exchange that had taken place before his arrival.

He did not comment on it.

Instead, he looked at his children and gave a simple command.

"Rise."

His voice carried the same calm, composed tone they were accustomed to hearing.

The five children raised their heads but remained seated on their cushions.

None of them stood up.

They waited quietly as their father approached the place prepared for him.

A butler had already placed another cushion on the floor for the Duke to sit on.

Duke Aldous took his seat.

Once he had settled down, he looked across the group of children gathered before him.

His gaze moved from one face to another, and the room became quiet as they waited for him to speak.

Cyrus, who had complained so much about being summoned, no longer said anything.

Matilda kept her arms folded, though she had stopped arguing.

Ransley sat calmly, while Sasha and Ravenor remained attentive.

With everyone settled, the Duke began.

"First."

He did not waste time on unnecessary remarks.

"I want to congratulate all of you on your hard training in preparation for the next semester, which starts at the end of this week."

His tone remained even as he looked at each of his children.

The next semester was approaching quickly.

Their time spent preparing for it had not been without purpose, and Duke Aldous wanted them to understand that he had taken notice of their efforts.

However, his words were only the beginning.

He had called all five children here for a reason, and he intended to speak to each of them in turn.

His gaze settled on Ransley.

"Ransley, you will be finishing your academic life and will soon begin your true journey into adulthood as an Alchemist..."

He paused.

Ransley looked back at his father.

Although he tried to maintain a composed expression, a trace of nervousness showed in his eyes.

This was an important stage in his life.

He was a Third-Year student at the Royal Academy, and his academic journey was nearing its end.

Soon, he would have to move beyond the life of a student and begin facing the wider world as an Alchemist and an Adult Noble of the Kingdom.

The Duke allowed the words to settle before continuing.

"Although your ranking isn’t that spectacular, I wish you good luck on your finals."

His assessment was direct.

He did not pretend that Ransley’s ranking was better than it was, nor did he dwell on the matter longer than necessary.

He acknowledged the shortcoming and then offered his good wishes for the final examinations.

With that, he concluded his remarks about his second son.

Ransley lowered his head in response.

"Thank you, Father. I will make sure to retain my ranking among the top twenty Third-Year students at Royal."

His answer carried genuine determination.

He wanted to meet his father’s expectations, and he was not willing to let his current position slip away.

Even if his ranking was not especially impressive, he intended to maintain his place among the top twenty students in his year.

Duke Aldous gave no immediate comment on his answer.

Instead, he moved his attention to his eldest daughter.

"Matilda, you are doing well. You must make sure to keep your head held high and remain vigilant. Don’t make any silly mistakes that could cost you your academic record, or even your life."

His words were calm, but the warning behind them was clear.

The Duke did not need to raise his voice to make that point.

His composed expression remained unchanged as he looked at his daughter, leaving her to understand the weight of his warning.

"Yes, Father. I will do my best."

Matilda replied calmly.

She lowered her head in acknowledgment before raising it again.

The irritation she had shown toward Cyrus earlier was no longer visible in her manner.

Before their father, she answered with the respect expected of her.

Duke Aldous accepted her response without further comment.

Then he turned toward Sasha.

Sasha straightened her back, knowing it was her turn.

The Duke regarded her for a moment.

"I have examined your growth during these past few weeks of training. You have improved compared to the person you were during the Combat Festival."

Sasha listened carefully.

The words were an acknowledgment of her progress, and she lowered her gaze slightly as she took them in.

Her training had not been wasted.

Whatever shortcomings she had possessed during the Combat Festival, she had managed to improve upon them in the weeks that followed.

However, the Duke was not finished.

"But the other students will also be growing stronger as we speak. Make sure to work hard and use your talent properly to improve your ranking."

His advice was straightforward.

Sasha’s progress was a good thing, but it did not guarantee that she would climb the rankings. The other students would not remain idle while she trained.

They, too, would be working to improve their abilities before the next semester began.

If Sasha wanted to rise higher, she could not rely on her recent growth alone.

She needed to keep working.

She also needed to make proper use of her talent instead of allowing it to go to waste.

The Duke had made his expectations clear.

"Yes, Father."

Sasha lowered her head and answered calmly.

She did not argue with his assessment or offer excuses.

She understood that her improvement was only part of the process, and that she still had to compete with the other students who were working toward their own goals.

Duke Aldous turned his attention to Cyrus.

The moment their eyes met, Cyrus felt a strange sense of awkwardness.

His father’s expression had not changed.

It was still calm.

Composed.

And serious.

There was nothing particularly unusual about the way Duke Aldous looked at him.

Yet Cyrus could not help feeling awkward under that gaze.

He had been so comfortable complaining while waiting for his father that he had almost forgotten the reason they had all gathered here.

Now, with Duke Aldous looking directly at him, Cyrus found himself sitting a little more stiffly than before.

He still couldn’t help but feel awkward.