He could hear the other side replying to the knight's announcement. The door then opens.

He could see an old man wearing a butler outfit was the one to open the door, and between the door, there was a table facing it, and behind it, a man in mid of the 40s was sitting on his chair and sitting upright, looking at him with a serious face. But,

"Welcome my son to my office"

Star~smile*

 A sudden shout with a dazzling smile on the man's face toward Leon broke entirely the seriousness that he created just now. 

Leon thus smiles back at him gently as he walks into the office, staring at the man before slightly gazing at the other two men that were at the right side near the man's big office table with a greeting smile.

'hmm... Luis Fronti and... secretary Alex Levin'

His gaze then fixed back on his father.

"Greeting to my lord, Duke Carl Fronti"

Stiffened*

Silence thus descends on the entire office. All of the people in the office stiffened from the greeting that Leon give to Duke Carl. They then gaze at him with odd expressions. Only the sound of the office door closing breaks the silence.

Click!

"ah... my son...why did you call me like that??? ha... your father here felt distance if you did that??"

Duke Carl smile awkwardly at him as he scratched his temple.

Smirk*

Leon smiles slightly at his confusing father before answering. The other two just watch the duo in silence.

"well... my lord... I was informed by the servant to come to your office because of some matters, so I assume that you are not going to meet me as my father, but instead as a lord of this mansion..."

Leon explain as he smiled slightly. Duke Carl sighed. The other two people just smile awkwardly.

'I did tell the servant that I had a matter to meet Leo but'

"I'm here not as your lord but as your father... I want to meet you... can't I??"

Duke Carl look into Leon's eyes as he tries to convey his feeling to him. Leon sighed as he avoided his gaze.

'hah... this really pain in the ass...'

"no father... of course, you're allowed to meet me... I kind of wanted to meet you too, father"

Answer him with a smile, genuinely.

Duke Carl and the other two then immediately flinched as they saw Leon's genuine smile. 

It came as a shock for them as it's been a long time since they last saw Leon's genuine smile towards them. Thus Duke Carl couldn't help but feel slightly emotional. But he holds his feeling quickly. The other two also try their best to hold on to their disbelief expression but their wide eyes give away their feeling right away.

'brother....smile??'

Luis who can't take his eyes off his elder brother, couldn't help but think like that.

"ahem"

But the moment Duke Carl let out a fake cough to release the silence that started to fill up the room, everyone's senses return.

"So, you had something to talk about with me??"

"yes, father but... I'm hoping to talk only with the two of us..."

"oh...hmmm"

Duke Carl makes an expression of contemplation before someone cut off their conversation.

"then father... I will take my leave now... thank you for having me here."

"ah... ok ok Luis... see you at the dinner."

"yes, father."

Luis gestures a bow slightly to his father before finally turning to look at his brother and smile. Without much thought, Leon smiled back casually at him to which he replies with parting words,

"see you later big brother"

But, as he tries to walk past Leon...

"yeah... see you later too brother"

Stiffened*

An unexpected reply suddenly come from his big brother together with a nonchalant smile, quickly causing his eye to open wide and stiffened,

'This-this is....my brother's first response to me after that time...'

Before this, Leon had long since not interacted with him like this.

That's why he instantly felt emotional with this kind of reply from his brother as he always missed his brother who is close yet seems far from him.

He almost wanted to shout to him how missing he felt. But he held back his feeling. Cause he can't show this side of him to his brother.

'I already make my own resolved... so I can't turn back now.'

he shakes his head as he wanted to stop himself from feeling more emotional. He then takes a peek at his brother secretly as he continues thinking, but.

'how cruel you are...bro...'

Leon in his eyes seems not affected at all by his word towards him and just casually looks back toward their father after replying to his greeting. Hence Luis felt slightly disappointed and his head drop instantly.

But while that happens, of course, as usual, Leon doesn't seem to realize how complicated his younger brother's and his father's mind is right now because of his tiny new gestures and just stare calmly at the Duke. 

While on that same time, secretary Alex who had watched this scene the entire time can't help but just shake his head, looking at this trio of father and sons with complicated and pitiful eyes.

'how poor both of you, Lord Carl and young master Luis... aigoo ... young master Leon doesn't seem to even realize this...huu...what a pity.'

Soon afterward, Luis quickly walks away to the door. 

But, as soon as he near it and hold on to the knob to open it, his ear suddenly picks up his father's voice saying...

"do you want to go to the Royal Event???"

Stiffened*

His hand on the doorknob thus stops and his very existence also freezes. Silence immediately fills the room.

Gasp*

the secretary could feel the air become tight as he looked at this situation. He could still see Luis in front of the unopened door. He could also see Leon frowning face as he heard his father's sudden question. Then finally the secretary looked at his Lord's face who had a serious gaze.

'I don't understand what are you thinking my lord... just now... aren't you already state for young master Luis to go... why now like this??'

As the secretary thought that, he immediately heard the answer from the body to who the question was directed...

"no... I don't want to go there!!"

'instant answer!!! nice!!!'

With that, the heavy air thus lifted. The secretary quickly shifted his eyes to Leon and saw his serious gaze before instantly feeling relieved. Duke Carl also thought the same and he finally smile. While Luis on the other hand smirked as he heard it and quickly open the door.

Click*

and left.

Bang!

Behind that closed door hence left only three people in the room. Duke Carl then spoke,

"do my secretary have to go before you can talk about the reason for you meeting me??"

"It's fine, father..."

"ok... so... what is it you want to say??"

Looking forward to his son's reason for confronting him, Duke Carl put his intertwined hand on the table, as his body leans forward to hear it all,

"But father, first...why don't you tell me the real reason you told me to come??"

And so, his father finally sighs*

'really, this son of mine...'

"I just want to meet you actually... and, I also want to ask you to come for dinner tonight... 

but usually, when I ask you to meet me, you always won't come... so I didn't expect you to come today..."

Leon hence frowned upon hearing his father's words.

'ah...Leon don't come when his father told him to do that?? ...hoo...'

He then tries to remember this guy from the novel.

'ah... yes, if I'm not mistaken it's always like that... he always running from the duke and duchess...'

His expression then keeps on changing from the sudden realization.

'hooo...so I make a mistake I guess... but, this situation is not that bad...'

While that, Duke Carl who's watching him from the side, couldn't help but wear a wide smile on his face as he saw his son's odd expression.

'I guess Kelt send my words to Leo as Leo was still half asleep...huhuhu... that's why he was like this.'

He also chuckled as he thought like that. Leon then snapped back from his daze as he heard his father's small laugh.

He shakes his head a little as he thought,

'haih... I guess he found my reaction funny'

Then, with a stoic expression plastering on his face, his mouth suddenly says to his father,

"well, if dinner, I don't mind at all... I will see you at that time then, but... I came here to meet you because... I want to make sure to remind you, in case you forgot about... Our past promise..."

Stiffened*

"!!!"

************************************