Chapter 5: Chapter V: The Retirement from His Fate (IV)

“Take him to a room. Then, come back here. It is time we find out the truth.”

 

 

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In a room that was not his own, Midnight laid on the bed like that of a sleeping beauty: straight body with his hands on his stomach. If one were not to look close enough, they could have assumed he was a lady. For the man that accompanied the sleeping male however, it wasn’t that much of an issue. In his eyes, Midnight was the most beautiful person he had laid eyes on.

 

“It would have been nicer if you weren’t concerningly skinny,” murmured the man as he had his hand placed on the side of Midnight’s head. 

 

With such a shameless man hovering over him like that, it was no wonder it bothered the sleeping man. He had eventually woken up, eyes slowly opening and vision clearing after a few blinks.

 

“Good morning, sleeping beauty! Did you rest well?”

 

Imperial red eyes shot open and reflexes were inevitable—He pushed the man away whilst sitting up. “What were you doing?” He had no panic in his voice but it was evident he was shocked.

 

The man scooted away a bit, “I was just looking at your face. Did you really have to push me when I was just appreciating your beauty?”

 

“.........You're strange.”

 

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” he smiled, quite optimistic unlike Midnight.

 

With a sigh, he took a moment to remember why he was in this room. Realizing who it was for, he immediately recalled earlier occurrences. Right, my powers almost triggered. And those two…. They acted so differently from what I remembered.

 

“Midnight, dear, your brows are touching each other– Relax a bit, will you? You just woke up after all.”

 

Said man’s thoughts were disrupted because of the one trying to capture his attention.”Francis, may I ask, why are you here?” Yes, that is who this stranger was.

 

“Oh, you know my name?”

 

“They mentioned it earlier.”

 

“Ah, right, I do recall them mentioning who I was. Too bad, I was going to tease you for it.” Midnight could only sweatdrop at his eccentricity he was all too familiar with.

 

As expected, Midnight actually knew who Francis was: the business partner of his brother, Nathaniel, the owner of the room he was in. 

 

Francis Williams, a baron well-known for his eye for beauty. He could find the true value of each art piece he laid his eyes on. Every item he appraised had led to nothing but bags and bags of gold coins, thus when the opportunity arose, many other nobles called for him to appraise their latest or newest form of art. His services even reached the palace a few times, only further solidifying his fame and reputation. 

 

The appraiser eventually partnered with his brother for business, taking into account Nathaniel’s trade in auctions and selling the rarest of items. Of course, there was also another reason why and that caused his brother to simply agree without question.

 

In his previous loops, Midnight had instances wherein he met this man while he was awakened as the demon god. One can say…it was always an interesting meeting. Well, he’s the same as ever… Then again, I can’t be fooled, he could be different just like Nathaniel and the Lord.

 

“You’ve gotten silent, are my good looks too much for even a beauty such as yourself?” Nevermind, he’s definitely the same old Francis.

 

Speaking of his brother, Nathaniel was a man similar to their father. A "carbon copy," almost. The only thing that defined them apart was his magic; he was the most powerful descendant of the Carwyn by far. It has taken to a point that he became the sole candidate to inherit the High Priest title at the Holy Yevian Church. It was the main reason why Midnight's little scene subsided easily. It helped that holy magic was used to combat the demonic magic in him; Not enough to dispel it, however as this magic is imbedded into Midnight's whole being.

 

Although he was supposed to be the next High Priest, his personality wasn't exactly the most suitable. He was still his father's son: stoic and silent. Much different to the man before him.

 

"Oh? Are you that enamored?"

 

Midnight ignored his statement, dragging his legs to the side of the bed, ready to hop off. So full of himself.

 

“Ah, he ignored me,” despite the pout Francis gave, his golden yellow eyes shined at him. Ohh, so graceful, so beautiful! How can a person have such delicate beauty? I am truly blessed. Midnight didn’t need to guess what he thought, it was written all over him.

 

“Why am I here in Nathaniel’s room?” 

 

With a snap of his fingers, Francis remembered, “Right, your brother brought you here after you fainted.”

 

“He brought me here…himself?”

 

“Indeed. He said something about you suddenly feeling so much pain?”

 

You are reading story The Time of Midnight at novel35.com

“...I see…” Midnight looked troubled yet again; wasn’t he scum? Just why would his brother treat him like this after all this time? I thought I knew it all. Turns out there’s something else about this loop…Was it because I actually mentioned I wanted to leave?

 

The frail man thought this was the only logical reason why their reactions didn’t match up to the past loops. In all of them, they despised him to the bone. He was so sure of it! Otherwise, why would have they’d scowled at him then? The look of rage and fear in their eyes, he could never forget. When Midnight was overflowing with such demonic magic, they did all they could to eradicate them. Heck, Austan’s reaction was the most accurate to his previous loops.

 

Ah… Could it be?

 

“There you go again! You’re going to get wrinkles early if you furrow your brows so intensely like that, Midnight.”

 

“It’s none of your business—” As he once again pulled himself down from his thinking, Midnight was going to face Francis. 

 

Turned out he didn’t need to, he was literally near his face. Midnight put a hand on his face and pushed him away, “You don’t know the concept of personal space, do you?”

 

Taking his wrist in a surprisingly gentle manner, the black-haired man smiled quite dashingly to make any heart throb—It didn’t really work on Midnight though. “But you were so serious and deep in thought, I doubt you’d listen to what else I have to say if I didn’t do this.”

 

“My ears are sharp enough to hear you regardless so you could have just said something. No need to be on your knees and near my face like that.” Yes, the man was looking at Midnight on his knees, their eye-height honestly perfectly aligned since Midnight was never a big guy to begin with.

 

“Still, it was an opportunity to look at your face more.”

 

Absolutely shameless.

 

“Enough with that, tell me what it was you wanted to say.” As the grip on his wrist was neither harsh nor firm, he was able to take it back without a lingering pain at the end. It was strange. He held him as though he was a fragile porcelain doll.

 

Francis stood up, “Nathaniel said you need not to worry anymore, he’s taking matters into his own hands with your father.”

 

Midnight’s eyes were wide. “What do you mean by that?” 

 

With a point to his chest, Midnight reacted defensively, covering his top half with his frail arms. “You were clutching your chest in pain so he checked. You were scarred all over.”

 

 

 

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Nothing is making sense..!

 

To think that his choice of approaching his father would drastically change everything in this new loop of Midnight’s. In this case, this can’t even be considered a loop due to this new path he took. He thought everything will play similarly to the previous lives, knowing how fate favored him becoming the villain.

 

“Midnight, slow down! You shouldn’t be rushing like that!”

 

Did that one choice I make really leave a huge impact? Although he should be happy this was a sign he could live a different life, it didn’t feel right. After being told by Francis what his family were doing now, he had quickly left the room to go to his father’s study once again. He was going to see with his own eyes what was transpiring.

 

The second he was by the door, he opened them.

 

On the other side, he saw his supposed father and brother in the room. With them, Mathilde and a few servants who were always at her beck and call. “....?!”

 

He had an irking she was going to be there, what he didn’t expect was her on her knees, apologizing and begging.

 

“I fully admit to the crime I have committed on your son!! Forgive me, my lord!!”

 

Midnight stood there, almost frozen. “What’s….the meaning of this?”

 

Nathaniel, who was similar to his father in more ways than one, approached the confused brother of his, doing the unthinkable; giving him a hug. Another, apparently undelightful, surprise, Midnight stiffened. Without any strength to push him away, he just stood there with mixed feelings.

 

 

 

“I’m sorry for everything, little brother.”