Bella's Topics (466)

Is this a rhetorical question, or would you like a spoiler? (▰˘◡˘▰)

Yes please

Unfortunately Damian gets bullied because he has hidden his status. Some kids pick a fight with him by ruining the cotton handkerchief that Vivian sent him, and kicking Asha the fox. Chris, a classmate, does step up and take his side. But since they punched first, they got suspended, stuck in their dorms, and the school sent letters to their families. The letter reached Vivian while they're preparing New Years and she was wondering if Damian would come home for a short vacation.

Vivian worriedly asks Hugh to fetch Damian in person, to show a parental support and investigate, since she's sure that Damian is not the type to start fights for no reason. Hugh reluctantly agrees, but inside, he's actually annoyed that Damian couldn't handle a simple bullying incident. Because of the couple's close relationship, there are rumors if Vivian gives birth to a son in the future, that boy will be heir. Right now, Damian is still a secret from society, but have probably heard of these rumors. Vivian wants Hugh to personally assure Damian of his status and invite him back home. Vivian will use this chance to have Damian's debut in society.

Damian originally asked Hugh to make sure he remains anonymous in school and to allow Damian to handle school affairs on his own. Hugh agreed and thought of it as a good test for Damian to handle high society. Hugh is skeptical of Damian's way of anonymity & allowing this bullying, but didn't want to spoon feed Damian either. Hugh does take note of the bullies' families, and he will personally retaliate against them in the future, regardless of Damien's plans.

Hugh arrives at the school and is received by the principal. The principal flatters Hugh and asks the purpose for the visit. Hugh replies that he's there to fetch his son which confuses the principal. The Duke of Taran has a son, and that son is attending his school??? Hugh shows the letter reporting the assault and said that his son is currently locked in his dorm. The principal pales in fear, and said that he must've made a mistake in punishing Damian and will personally fetch and release the child. Hugh refused and said he'll find Damian and ask the kid about the incident himself, since he also wants to see if the school used his donations for the dorms as Hugh wanted.

In the dorm, Damian & Chris have gotten closer over a week of being stuck in the dorm while everyone else went home for vacation. Damian apologized that Chris got dragged into this incident and is punished with him. Chris will also be reprimanded by his parents because of this incident. Damian knows that Hugh will respect his wishes to handle the situation, but is worried that Vivian will be disappointed in him.

Someone knocks at the door, and Chris opens the door. Hugh enters, and Chris is paralyzed in fear while Damian stands up alert. Hugh is disappointed by the simple dorm room and is wondering if he should investigate where the school used his donations, and maybe use his influence to replace the school management.

Hugh tells Damian that his suspension is canceled, he can come home for vacation, and that they're will be leaving now. Hugh finally pays attention to Chris and asks who he is. Chris is still petrified so Damian replies "he's my friend". Hugh is fascinated that Damian is capable of making friends since Vivian always nags Hugh that he should have friends (the King & subordinates don't count). Hugh tells Chris that he's free to go home too and that they will give him a ride home through the teleportation gate (which is expensive & for the VVIPs only).

During the carriage ride, Damian and Chris sit opposite Hugh, so Chris has a rare chance of observing Hugh up close. He's seen the Duke from afar in rare social events, and did wonder if he and Damian are related. But since the Duke has not publicly announced that he has a son, he didn't want to assume about Damian's lineage. Now that he's seen Hugh up close, there's no mistake that his introvert roommate is definitely Hugh's son. They look too identical.

Hugh finally asks Damian about the bullying incident. Damian explains about the handkerchief, and Hugh gets mad too. Vivian hasn't given him a hanky, but those stupid kids stomped on one?!

Hugh said that he's a bit disappointed. While Hugh did instruct Damian not to kill anyone while at school, it didn't mean that he should allow himself to be bullied. Hugh asks Damian if he's become weak. Damian assures him that if the situation worsens too much, he is still prepared to kill anyone. But Damian still deflates from disappointing Hugh. Meanwhile, Chris is terrified of the casual conversation of murder.

Hugh notices the boy feeling down and changed topics, explaining that Vivian is preparing for his society debut. Hugh asks Damien's opinion since the debut will destroy his anonymity in school. Damien assured him that if Vivian decided on his debut, he doesn't mind changing plans and use his status to his advantage in school. Hugh remembers Vivian's theory of Damian being worried about his status as heir. Hugh assures Damian that his status as heir will never change, and that he has faith that Damian is capable of living up to it. Damian brightens up a bit and thanks his father.

Chris finally relaxed after witnessing a rare warm moment between the father & son...but then Hugh goes back to stern mode & says "But if I hear you're being bullied again, heir or not, I'm pulling you out of school and sending you to the northern borders to fight barbarians." Which made Chris' clench up in tension again.

Poor baby I was hoping he's doing well at school but this is too sad
I'm glad he found a good friend tho

He's quite unbothered? He thinks the bullies are stupid and too beneath him to retaliate. The bullies thought Damian is a low noble or even a commoner because his lineage is unknown. They mostly used verbal abuse about how Damian doesn't deserve to be at the school and be near them nobles. Ruining the hanky & kicking Asha are the 1st time they've become physical, because Damian usually doesn't even acknowledge their existence.

We do get some catharsis. The bullies are present during Damian's debut. The bullies find Chris first & pick on him. Chris just rolls his eyes & threw some sarcastic jabs until they heard the announcement that the Taran family arrived. He dragged the bullies toward the Taran family.

Chris and his family were invited to the Taran home for dinner, prior to the debut, because Vivian was so happy that Damian found a friend. Since Hugh is busy most days, Chris felt less intimidated about visiting the Taran family, especially because Vivian is so welcoming. She's so happy to see Damian spending time with a friend. Chris spent most of his vacation at the Taran home.

So at the debut, Vivian sees Chris approach them with the bullies and exchanged pleasantries, signaling to everyone at the ball that Chris is a family friend. She notices the kids behind Chris and asks Damian if she's friends with them too. Damian stares down at them and says "I don't know them, mom, and I never will." Which means he's announcing that he's the Taran heir, and signaling to everyone to avoid the bullies (and their families), unless they wanna piss off the entire Taran family.

Nobles poison the king. So nobles control country long time. But our king poison nobles back. Nobles getting addicted.