[ Monday, 11:14 AM — Valemont Estate ]
Inside the luxurious dining hall—
Kyle stood completely silent with his head lowered slightly like a criminal awaiting judgment.
And sitting directly across from him...
Was the one responsible for the pressure currently filling the entire room.
Evelyn Valemont.
The true matriarch of the Valemont family.
Despite her age, her elegant appearance and sharp eyes still carried an overwhelming presence capable of making even experienced businessmen nervous.
At this moment however...
Those sharp eyes were locked entirely onto her grandson.
"...One hour late."
Kyle silently looked away.
"...Grandma, technically it was only fifty-eight minu—"
"Do you want it to become two hours?"
"...No, Grandma."
Several maids standing nearby immediately lowered their heads, desperately trying not to laugh.
Meanwhile Kyle himself looked like someone who had completely accepted his fate.
"I swear I tried waking up early."
"Oh really?"
Evelyn gracefully placed down her tea cup before narrowing her eyes slightly.
"Then perhaps the six hours you spent fighting that ridiculous game boss had absolutely nothing to do with this situation?"
Kyle instantly froze.
"...Traitors."
He muttered softly while glancing toward the nearby guards.
Not a single one dared to meet his gaze.
After all...
These were the same people who spent the entire night bringing him snacks, drinks, and even giving him boss fight suggestions yesterday.
And now every single one of them had sold him out without hesitation.
"...I thought we had it..."
"...What was that? I didn't quite hear it."
"...Nothing, Grandma."
Kyle immediately replied with the sweetest smile he could manage before quickly pulling out a chair and trying to sit down.
"Waittt— who told you that you could sit? We aren't finished yet, boy."
Kyle's movements instantly froze.
At this exact moment, several horrifying childhood memories suddenly resurfaced inside his mind.
One particular incident stood out the most.
Back when he was still a child visiting the Valemont Estate, Evelyn had once decided to play hide-and-seek with him.
Unfortunately...
Young Kyle had gotten bored halfway through the game and wandered off to the kitchen after one of the maids offered him ice cream.
Meanwhile...
His innocent grandmother continued searching for him for nearly two entire hours.
And when she finally found him happily eating ice cream and roaming around the estate without a single guilty thought in his head...
What happened afterward had already become a dark chapter of history inside Kyle's memories.
Kyle quietly stood in place with his head lowered.
He knew very well that he was completely in the wrong.
After his mother's death, Evelyn had practically made it a rule for herself to spend as much time with him as possible.
And after Kyle eventually moved out to live alone despite the family's objections, she had made him promise her one thing.
Every first Monday of the month...
He would spend the entire day with her.
It was something Kyle had followed without fail for years.
Which was exactly why he felt even more guilty right now.
Because he knew very well just how much his grandmother looked forward to spending time with her grandson.
But unbeknownst to Kyle, who was already mentally preparing himself for another round of scolding...
What came instead was a gentle hand softly resting against his cheek.
Kyle slightly widened his eyes before looking up.
His grandmother was quietly looking at him with eyes filled with warmth and concern.
Almost as if a single glance was enough for her to understand everything he was trying to hide.
"You still shouldn't dwell on things too much..."
Evelyn spoke softly while gently caressing his cheek.
Her sharp aura from earlier had completely disappeared.
At this moment...
She simply looked like a grandmother worried about her grandson.
"What are you talking abo—"
Before Kyle could even finish his sentence—
"I know what happened with Amelia."
Evelyn quietly interrupted him.
The moment her name was mentioned again...
Kyle went silent.
His lips parted slightly as if trying to say something.
But no words came out.
"It's okay..."
Evelyn gently spoke while looking at him with soft eyes.
"I'm with you."
"And everyone here is too."
The surrounding servants and guards quietly nodded their heads slightly in agreement.
After all...
Most of them had watched Kyle grow up since childhood.
Some of the older servants had even once looked after his mother.
And hearing those words...
Something inside Kyle finally broke.
Without saying another word, he slowly sat down on the floor beside his grandmother before burying his face against her lap.
And what quietly followed after that...
Was the sound of suppressed crying.
Seeing this, several servants silently looked away while a few others couldn't help but reveal saddened expressions.
No one spoke.
The entire dining hall became completely quiet.
Only Evelyn gently stroked Kyle's hair while letting out a small sigh.
Looking at him like this...
She couldn't help but remember someone else.
'...You child.
Always trying to keep everything to yourself while pretending you're fine.
You really take after your mother in that regard.'
After a while, Evelyn gently tapped Kyle's head.
"...Done crying?"
Kyle remained buried in her lap for a few more seconds before his muffled voice finally came out.
"...No."
Several servants nearby immediately struggled to hold back their laughter.
Even Evelyn herself couldn't stop the faint smile appearing on her face.
"...How shameless."
Despite saying that, her hand continued gently patting his head.
For a brief moment...
The heavy atmosphere inside the dining hall finally lightened slightly.
Then Evelyn calmly looked toward the nearby servants.
"Bring the food before this brat starts crying from hunger too."
"...Grandma, I'm not five anymore."
"You were crying in my lap thirty seconds ago."
Kyle instantly went silent.
"...Heheh."
He shamelessly laughed as if nothing had happened.
"But how did you know about it?"
Kyle asked while quietly eating breakfast.
"Your father."
"...My father?"
Kyle blinked once.
But then...
As if some kind of realization suddenly struck him—
His expression immediately darkened.
And silently...
He cursed the true mastermind behind everything.
"...Addddaaammmmm."
....
Meanwhile—
Far away in Varen City.
A certain man suddenly sneezed loudly.
"Huh?"
Adam rubbed his nose slightly before grinning to himself.
"...Is Bella thinking about me? Heh heh."