“Want more, Brother?” Maximo offered to Maximillian politely.
“No, thanks.” Maximillian blatantly refused with a straight face as he put down his cup. Maximo reached for his chest as if he was hurt.
“That hurts. You could have at least pretended pleased.” Maximo smiled dryly.
“Why would I need to do that?” Maximillian asked without any humour at all and made the latter frowned despite of lifted side of lips.
Maxineirah looked at them both and smiled brightly.
Maximillian’s expression immediately changed and smiled a little, only visible to his sister’s eyes.
“Want more, Brother Amo?” Maxine asked holding the pot.
“Yes, please.” Maximo replied so pleased and gave his cup to his sister.
‘She is starting to seem much better than these brothers of ours.’ Maximo thought as he lifted the cup to his lips and blew it a little while thinking that his brothers have not did anything satisfying.
“How about you Millian?” Maxine asked.
“Gladly.” Said Maximillian and lended his cup to her quietly that made Maximo almost choked on his tea after taking a sip.
He heard a crack sound in his sanity.
‘What the-! Brother is really – ugh!’ Maximo thought so sourly while looking at his older brother indifferently.
When it comes to them, Maximillian did not even show an ounce of warm from his face but when it comes to their sister, he was always active.
Something changed about him and it did not need to be said because it was too obvious. The air around him changes whenever it was about Maxine but it was becoming annoying.
Could Brother Maximillian at least hides his favoritism? They only get irritated to him whenever he was like that.
“Let’s go out in the last day of the festival.” Maximus said coldly and put down the cup. They abruptly threw their heads on his direction with a gaped mouths.
Maximus cleared his throat and looked at them blankly.
“What?” he asked with something stirred in his voice. Maximo shook his head to terminate his reaction.
“Really?” Maximo asked in awe. It would be the first time they would go out altogether for the festival that was celebrated every year.
They never gone out as a family in the days of festivals and only stayed inside their own rooms while their Knights and servants, together with their families were celebrating it downstairs.
The festive became a tradition in Asthal Empire, their Winter festival was always connected with their New Year.
Families of those who serve each Houses and each Lords were invited in the House they work. While the nobles and aristocrats either go to the Banquet -the Majesties have prepared- or stay in their own Fiefs, enjoy their own party with their servants or lock theiselves up in their own room.
In short, it wa on the person how would he want to spend celebrating the festinval slash New Year.
“Hmm. Since school year is about to start again.” Maximus nodded, his hand on his chin.
“Why? Its not like we were not going to see each anymore.” Maxlein huffed.
“You do not know, you might come back home as a cold corpse.” His Grace fired back. That statement gave shiver to Maxineirah, she suddenly remembered how the bodies of Maximillian and Maximo arrived at those nights. Pale white face and cold ice body.
“Please do not say it like that, Daddy.” Maxine pouted as her chest was thumping because of the heartbreaking memory.
“Sorry, sorry.” The Duke apologized.
Like they have planned, since early in the morning, they prepared themselves to go out. Around 8 in the morning, they mounted the golden wagon like last time to go in the capital.
They brought servants and Knights who did not have any families that would be going in the servant's banquet.
They took their breakfast at Del Constine because Maxine liked it there than any other restaurants.
After that, they wandered around the place and the Duke gave his children the prestige to spend money just this time. Instead of buying their own needs and wants, they have dealt to shop for Maxine non-stop.
They went in different stores just to buy her clothes from head to toe. They left stores almost without things to sell but the shop owners's eyes were twinkling because of the cheques.
Maximus and his sons were too pleased while Maxine has this nervous expression.
'Were they planning to spend all of Zachrono's fortunes just for me?!' Maxine thought almost insanity was taking over her.
Everything were sent back in the Estate and every noble ladies were looking at her with envy. She did not need to fit everything out because everything that her eyes laid on were instantly bought by either his father or brothers.
From dresses of her size were created just for her. Jewelries, bags, parasols, headdresses, name it, they all bought for their one and only sister and daughter.
All the time, she kept noticing Maxlein was looking at her with guilt in his eyes while Maxwell was looking at her, hesitant to say sorry because he did not know what to say.
It was parade after they ate lunch and Maxlein was uneasy because he remembered what happened last time but he was determined now. He approached Maxine and held her hand.
Maxineirah looked up to him with a smile on her face.
"I apologize again for what happened." Maxlein said but Maxine only brushed it aside.
Maxwell also held her hand on the other side while the people were starting to crowd.
"I am sorry too, for what happened to you... because of me.... you... I was careless." Maxwell apologized like a sad puppy.
Even tho Maxine still did not know what was that liquid and only have presumption on her mind, she accepted the apology.
Before the parade started, they were already infront of the crowd while Knights gathered around them to guard per the Duke's command.
When the parade started, the Archduke was there again. He was waving his hand on the citizens but after seeing the cold Duke from the crowd together with his sons and daughter, he froze with a shock written on his kind face.
'The Duke is here?! Unbelievable!' he thought unable to accept that a person like Duke Zachrono would go to something like this.
When Duke Zachrono saw him, he smirked as if teasing the Archduke who was sitting in the open carriage like a display.
The Archduke was obviously pissed by him, thinking that Maximus should be on the carrige instead of him.
That afternoon, they bought snacks and street foods while resting under the tree beside the town plaza and wandered again after they gathered their strength until night.
When the night has come, they gathered at the central plaza, sitting on the side roads while waiting for the dance and fireworks.
"Have you already heard the 'Tale of a Hundred Times'?" Maximus suddenly asked his children while sitting altogether.
They all replied, 'I have.'
"It is such an intriguing tale." Maximo commented while Maxineirah was just silent, smiling and yet, her eyes written on sadness.
"What was that about, Father? Have you any idea?" Maxillary asked.
"Of course."
"Then?" Maxwell asked excitedly.
"Tales of a Hundred Times. It was a tale of reincarnation." Maximus said that made his children turn their heads to him.
"What nonsense-" Maxwell could not finish his words when his father glared at him.
"After the war between the human race and the Gods, Frite broke the pathway but God of Dark stayed in the Human Realm."
"What?"
"It is my first time hearing that."
"God of Dark loves the humans so much that he stayed back despite of knowing that the longer he stays at the Human Realm, his powers would slowly decrease. After sealing the pathways, the God of Light could not accept the fact because..."
"Because?"
"Do not be a cliffhanger, Dad!"
Maximus chuckled.
"It was because the God of Light already fell inlove with the God of Darkness." Maximus said with a smile while Maxine had her head lowered all the time and gripping tightly on the cup she was holding.
"They angered Frite because two of his or her Gods were in the Human Realm."
"His or her?"
"Frite's gender is not revealed since he or she is a God. She cursed the both of them that they should prove their love for a hundred times of reincarnation-." before Maximus could finish what he was saying, Maxineirah who was silent the whole time spoke up.
"No, Daddy. It was not like that. They were cursed by Frite that they would reincarnate a few times not until they find the solution how to undo the curse.
"The God of Light will be the one who would be reincarnated with all of their memories of their past lives while the God of Death will be reincarnated with no memories at all but he will always and only love the God of Light.
"Once the God of Dark knew that the God of Light loves him, after 3 days, he would knew their past lives then after a week, God of Dark will die.
"If the God of Light did not showed and said her love for him, God of Dark will live and will only remember all of their past lives when he is already dying.
"But in their past lives, God of Dark always sacrificed himself to save the God of Light because he truly loves her."
All eyes were on Maxine and even their servants and other bystanders near them was listening to her.
Maxineirah's face was serious as she told the story and her brothers and father could not help but to be in awe while looking at Maxineirah.
"And how did you know that?" Maximus asked but Maxineirah suddenly smiled cheekily and said, "Just my hunch! "
They all chuckled but not Maximus and Maximillian because that moment, as they stared at her while laughing with the others, they knew that something...was not right.
The continuation of the Tale of a Hundred Tales was only known to the Ducal Houses once they reach the age of 12 and that continuation has many loopholes but Maxine's story was flawless that made Maximus to have an assumption to his self though he was not sure.
The dance started and Maximus and Maximillian studied Maxineirah, moreover when the dance started.
The dance was not that striking but Maxineirah had this painful expression on her face.
After the dance, everyone started to dance by group of by partners and Maxineirah's mood lifted up. They danced with the maids and Knight came with them and with the town's folks.
Things after things that happened in the Estate, they had a moment of joy and peace.
Fireworks were shot in the sky at midnight and Maxine could not feel more happy than she was now.
"Happy New Year and end of Winter, Brothers and father!"
"Happy New Year and end of Winter Maxine!"
"Happy New Year and end of Winter Kath!"
They greeted each other and after the fireworks, they settled in an inn and reserved the whole house, exclusively for Zachronos and for the servants and Knights who came with them.