A Change In Perspective

Rumius looked around, bewildered and weary eyed as he glanced around at his surroundings. Memories of the previous night were blurry. But one thing was painfully clear. 

Rumius grabbed his head, groaning softly as he tried to blink away his fatigue. Naturally, it was futile.

' Holy shit , I definitely did not get enough sleep last night.'

Rumius remembered trying again and again. He focused even harder than he thought he could but alas, it was useless.

No matter what he did, he couldn't get any further than feeling out the Mana source. Its heat ebbed faintly in his chest, a sort of commemorative prize for his efforts that seemed more mocking than encouraging.

Rumius raised his arm and looked at it with somewhat accusing eyes.

' Tch. Mana leaking?'

 'Where?'

With a huff, Rumius shoved the thought to the back of his mind. He would deal with it later tonight. Or perhaps mull it over during the course of the day. Any time would be good but just not now. 

Rumius let out a yawn and his arms stretched out with the sound just as Rennie entered the room in her customary maid uniform.

She curtsied then made her way over. She reached out and covered his mouth.

Rumius jumped a little and looked sheepishly over at Rennie. Just as he laid eyes on her, memories of the previous night flooded back and he stiffened.

An awkward silence suspended between the two of them like a thread that 2as almost palpable. Then, Rennie broke the thread.

" Young master, is there something on my face?" Her eyebrows furrowing as she brought a hand up to touch her face.

Her voice just as always, unhurried and casual. So much so that Rumius kicked himself to follow her lead, forcefully trying to stuff the apprehension that clotted his throat back down to whence it came.

" Er..no. No! Not at all!"

His delivery was both hurried and harried and he wanted to scream his panic.

Rennie nodded slowly, one of her eyebrows raised, questioning, but her expression remained warm. That alone prevented Rumius from cracking under the building anxiety.

" I see. In any case, I came to wake you up but.."

Gesturing to nowhere in particular and smiling.

" It seems you are already awake."

Her hands moved to point towards the door.

" Should we go then? The mistress is waiting for you in the hall."

" Oh..er yes! Let's go!" His reply came hurried still.

Her smile not leaving her face, Rennie picked Rumius up by his arms and lifted him cleanly from the confines of the crib. She set him on the floor.

She turned around and her hands flew as she straightened out the blanket and laid it nicely on the sheets.

Rumius was no longer in the habit of being unable to control his bladder. Rennie's job was now thus a lot easier,

" Let us go shall we?"

Rennie opened the door, waiting till Rumius passed before slipping out herself and closing it behind her.

The two reached the stairs and walked down in silence, Rumius still too on-edge to say anything other than sneaking the occasional glance in Rennie's direction.

Seeing how she seemed carefree, Rumius tried to dismiss the swarming thoughts and focus on something else. His gaze darted around the surroundings.

Anything would do. Anything at all. Anything but the book and the sheet that Rennie had smuggled him and magic. The thoughts wouldn't stop.

' That's right. Maman has never called me down to the hall before. Or anywhere before.' He thought suddenly.

' Was something happening today?'

He turned around ask Rennie, but as he did so, a scene on the manor's first floor caught his eye. Rumius froze in his tracks and gazed down.

 Upon the flat white marble floor lay a grand assortment of things, stacked up and pushed up so as to collect at the near side of the stairs.

Rumisu remembered how the first floor of the manor had been, in his own mind, most boringfloor of the manor. Having spent much time exploring it, all he had found was a lounge, a foyer and a large, empty hall that seemed to never be used for as long as he had been here. Albeit which was not very long. 

But now, it appeared that he would soon be able to see what it was used for.

The stack of objects were fully draped in red cloth but Rumius could still see the edges of tables, the rounded backs of chairs poking out from within. 

' We're hosting a party.' 

A fuzzy, tingling feeling welled up in him and suddenly, his body felt supercharged with energy.

' A party! Like a noble's party! A ball!'

Rumius turned to Rennie, his shining eyes met her knowing smile.

It was like she'd read his mind. " The mistress will tell you more. Shall we then?"

She gestured down stairs, palms showing and completing the gesture with a small bow. It was one of those ceremonial curtsies that servants would do to usher guests into the hall where a bustling ball would await in the books. Rumius was in cloud nine. In an instant, he was descending the stairs two at a time and rushing so fast Rennie was afraid he'd fall.

At Rennie's instruction, Rumius came to stand before a large door on the second floor. Like most doors in the manor, it was made of the same dark wood and had a handle too high up for Rumius to reach. 

Rennie opened the door for him and the two walked in.

His mother was sitting at the head of a long table, most of it was empty but the area nearer towards her was decked with delicious looking foods.

The table was the only noticeable thing in the hall, save for two maids that stood by a distance from Reverie and three rectangular windows that lined each side of the rectangular hall. 

'It seemed that this area served primarily as a dining hall.' It was Rumius's first time here. He hadn't been allows into the room before since he was only permitted to roam the halls and certain rooms.

Reverie was chewing on her fork when Rumius and Rennie entered, her brows furrowed as she looked at a report in her hands. Hearing the doors open, she looked up, her attention landing on the duo and turned lively, a grin fast to brighten her face.

She set the report down and skipped over.

" Baby! How Maman missed you!"

She swooped down and pulled Rumius into her arms, lifting him off the ground. She gave him a quick kiss and pulled away, frowning as her smile turned to a look of slight scrutiny.

" Did you sleep well last night? Your eyes seem a bit dark." She reached out to touch his eye bags but Rumius quickly swatted her hands away.

 " I slept fine, Maman." He said. " Don't poke. It's just the lighting."

Reverie feigned a hurt look.

" Here I am worrying about you and yet.."

Her lips pressed together into a thin line, her eyes closing into thin slits as she looked at him. Perhaps it wasn't that feigned afterall.

Rumius, taken aback slightly, rushed to defend himself.

" It's not that I…it's not like that."

He was feeling guilty now. It was truly a bit mean to dismiss his mother's affection like that.

Rumius looked down.

" Okay, I'm sorry Maman."

Reverie smiled.

She skipped back to her chair, carrying Rumius with her.

" Why did you call me here today Maman?" 

" Did you have something to tell me?" Rumius asked, hopeful.

" Guess!"

" Does it have something to do with all the things laid out on the first level?"

Reverie looked at her son, her eyes wide. Her gaze shifted over Rumius' shoulder to Rennie who stood a distance away. She shrugged her shoulders.

" With respect, Mistress, I don't think it will be good if you keep on getting impressed like this."

Reverie nodded lu duly and turned back to Rumius.

" Yes it does!"

" Then, that means that we're having a party right?"

" Y-Yes, it does."

" What's the occasion?"

Reverie took a deep breath, recollecting herself. Her fantasies of toying around and having fun with her son were completely crushed. He was basically at the goal already!

" Guess." She asked tentatively.

Rumius, who was having fun up till this point, paused.

" Is someone important coming?"

"Nope." Reverie replied, the signs of a smile appearing on her face.

" Someone…..did something good?"

'" Nope, try again!"

" Is it just for fun then?"

Reverie paused, thinking.

"Hmmm..not really. There is a reason why we're hosting this."

" I don't know." Rumius raised his hands in surrender.

" Just try!" 

" Maman, just tell me!" He cried.

Reverie grinned widely and announced in a triumphant voice.

" Because it's your birthday!"

Rumius froze. He blinked once, twice, thrice, all the while ogling his mother with bafflement.

" M-my birthday?" He stuttered,

" Yes! It's been a full year since you've graced us and so of course we have to celebrate!" Reverie exclaimed.

" B-b wh-wha-what? Rumius found himself tripping over his own tongue as he scrambled for a response.

He had never thought of his birthday before, not since a long time ago and much less since he'd been reincarnated and found out that magic existed. There was just so many other things that took up his mind that the thought hadn't occurred to him.

' So… it's my birthday.' He suddenly realised with a smile. ' It's been that long already.'

' But still…isn't throwing a whole ball just for his birthday an overkill?'

Rumius raised the question to his Maman who immediately looked like he'd seen a ghost.

" Just a cake and some songs?' She repeated, her expression positively incredulous.

" No! No! No! How can that be?!"

Rumius tried to talk her down.

" But Maman..like, it's just me! It's too much to gather so many people here just for such a reason! Won't they think that it's a waste of time too?"

" WASTE OF TIME?" Reverie spat, her eyes just about to pop from her head.

" Child what are you saying?"

Rumius recoiled, surprised from his mother's outburst and wondering what this was about. He looked back towards Rennie hoping for help. 

Rennie looked at him, her expression also utterly puzzled by his remarks.

Then it dawned on him, and with considerably more impact.

He'd often taken this for granted since his time had begun here but it seemed that such was obviously not to be for long. 

' That's right, I'm a noble's son.'