Maximus woke up at dawn, around five in the morning with the sun still resting in the North.
Some of the guards roaming around who stayed awake all night to patrol saw His Grace got out in his room with his unfixed appearance, still with his night pajamas. His hair were in dishelved state and dark circles around his eyes were waving as if he did not get enough sleep.
No one knows what the Duke was thinking all the time after Maxineirah had been called -or rather visited, in regards of what the Duke thought.
Maximus' mind was filled with Maxineirah and her promise, 'Once you finish all the documents needed to be tend, I will come and play with you!'
'Once you finish all the documents needed to be tend, I will come and play with you!'
'Once you finish all the documents needed to be tend, I will come and play with you!'
'Once you finish all the documents needed to be tend, I will come and play with you!'
Those words kept ringing inside his mind, making him eyes wide open and excitement had turned into an ecstasy.
Those who saw him stopped from what they were doing just to watch the mighty and graceful Duke with their widened eyes.
The Duke was oblivious with their stares and proceeded to his study and left a light shut of the door after entering.
The servants who were scattered and saw the unnatural scene looked at each other and as if they understood each other's desire just by looking, they gathered infront of the Duke's ajar door and silently peeked in.
Without fixing thy self nor eating the breakfast first, Maximus started working his self with the paper works that has already filed up again in the table after hours of his rest.
He could burn all the papers around him with his fiery diligence and determination to finish all the tasks for that day. Servants have woken up to do their duties but only started to swarm around the Duke's door to peek in.
As minutes to an hour goes by, the crowd has increased to see the Duke in his ungracious but hot looks.
The door slightly pushed open by a servant and created a loud enough creak sound, as if all of them became a stone in their spots and their breaths stopped for a moment before turning their heads nervously inside the room where the Duke was.
They found the Duke not bothered at all and still focused in his works and there was still that imaginative flames around him.
They all sighed in relief. But suddenly,
"What are you all doing here?" said a grumpy old voice from behind, their breaths hitched for the second time but immediately pretended as if they were just cleaning around outside the Duke's study.
They were all deadpanned with the question and slowly walked away one-by-one until no one left infront of the door except for the Heinrich. His forehead creased and brows met in confusion.
'What is with those people?' he asked his own self in confusion. He was about to reach for the door knob when he noticed it was open so he just pushed it inside instead.
He entered with a bow, greeting, "Good morning, Your Gra-" he could not finish his words when he saw the Duke in that moment. He was startled to the point of fainting but opposite to that reaction, he felt proud!
It was as if he could die peacefully any moment knowing the Duke has this much energy to immediately finish half of the paper works for a day worth in just two hours all alone by himself!
At 9, the Butler was smiling so widely while the Duke was slumped in his desk as if his soul left his body. The door opened and emerged Maximillian, Maximo and Maxineirah.
Maximillian was carrying Maxine in his arms while Maximo had this embarassed smile while pushing the cart of midday snack on the side.
The Duke's head immediately lifted up upon hearing Maxine’s lively voice, greeting, "Good morning Dad!" Maxine went down from Maximillian's arms and her two brothers was able to greet their father formally.
They brought their right hand to their chests and bowed their heads 22.5 degrees. His Grace only nodded at them once before paying attention to his precious daughter.
Maximillian and Maxinmo, the two of them were already used in formality and Maxlein was starting to follow their steps and Maxillary and Maxwell would also, soon.
The Ducal House had been practicing formalities of their children towards their parents and it has been the normal way in every generation.
Originally, they were from a military family so they were practiced in military behaviors until now. But recently, their military bloodline had been decreasing and the only military left in the Empire was the Archducal House's.
Whilst, Maximillian was not quite sure if there would be someone in the family who would be breaking the rules for the first time in the history and he was obviously referring to his only sister -whom their father seem to did not mind the only Princess' behavior and manners.
Similar to that, the Duke seems to enjoy that rude manners towards him so they did?not gave their comments at all and just shut their mouths as they watch them cuddles.
"Why are you here?" the Duke asked confusedly, trying to hide how pleased he was for knowing that his daughter went to see him. The Butler and the brothers almost snorted when the Duke's face was so obvious, contrary to what he just sounded.
"You did not joined me again for breakfast! Almost no one did if I just had not seen Brother Millian and Amo." Maxine sounded sulking in her voice. She pouted and frowned. Maximus chuckled on Maxine's expression.
'How adorable' he told himself as he rested his chin in his hand leaning on the table. Seeing Maxine, it lifted up his spirit and his tiredness suddenly vanished as if he did not felt it.
He was clearly purified.
"Sorry, I just finished all the works." Maximus reasoned out and Maxineirah only stared at him with her mouth open.
Maxine could not believe she heard the Duke apologized to her. Was she dreaming?
"Maxine?" the Duke called.
"Did you just apologize, My Lord?" the Butler butted in.
"Huh?" Maximus tilted his head to look at the Butler but he saw the old man in gaped with his two sons with their shock face despite the coldness.
"What is with your unfathomable faces?" the Duke was irritated for not knowing the reason why did they have that kind of expression.
"Maybe you should see your face in the mirror." Maximillian whispered with contempt. Everyone in the room did not heard what the latter has said except for Maximo whose smile was distorted.
"What?" the Duke grimaced. Maximus and his first son stared at each other with both indifferent.
"He said we would be leaving now, Dad." Maximo cutted out between the heated staring contest of the two.
He grabbed his brother's shoulders and forced him to turn around, Maximillian even left a final blow of his deadly stares at his father as if saying that they were not done.
Maximo signaled something to his sister and Maxine got the message he wanted to say.
'Ha! What a rude kid.' Maximus scoffed on his thought after the door closed.
"I heard from the servants that you woke up earlier and did not get anything to eat or drink nor took a bath so we decided to brew you tea thinking that you might be hungry by now." Maxine said happily and Maximus was eventually moved by that.
'For the first time, the servants were useful.' Maximus thought.
"But brothers walked out. Should I call them over again?"
Maximus did not like the thought of having tea with his oldest son right now because Maximillian sneered at him and made his father pissed but he could not turn down his daughter's wish.
His thoughts were spinning when he agreed to his daughter with an exasperated expression on his face.
In the end, it was not just Maximillian and Maximo who came over to have a tea with them. His three other sons came over when they heard Maxine would be brewing the tea herself.
Maximus was stiffened at the sight. How could these children have so many carefree times in their hands? How about the classes they need to partake?
'Do not tell me, the money were only spent on their leisures?' His Grace thought but the truth is, he did not want them all to be there because he wanted to solo his daughter so no one other than him could take her attention.
They prasised the Duchess for the delicious tea she brewed. It really worth everyone's appraisal.
Little did they know, she mastered it after a long time of serving their Majesties, the Emperor and Empress in the past.
She originlally made the recipe for his father and brothers to enjoy because she knew how tiring the work they had but they never took a sip of it. It only turned cold in the cup without anyone touching it.
The tea was openly rejected and so, Maxineirah treated the Majesties as if they were her own parents because the two of them also showed how they cherished her.
They shared their warmth on her that her own family could not give.
Prince Aspall, Prince Caston and Prince Apregio were the ones who stood up as her brothers.
But who would have thought that in this new life, they would be able taste what they just ignored in the past.
Instead of feeling bitter, Maxineirah felt glad that this time, they would not ignore it anymore rather fighting over a cup for her to pour.
“Maxine! Give me another cup!” Maxwell said with his eyes shining as he placed the cup infront of her to pour.
Maxlein evidently showed his annoyance and spitted, “Do you not have hands?”
“Are you now blind brother?” Maxwell sneered with a smirk on his face. He even showed his two hands infront of him.
“Do you want me to cut that for you?”
“Can you?” Maxwell challenged that only made his brother’s complexion worsened.
While the two of them were at it, Maxillary silently asked for another cup and Maxine gladly poured his cup.