Black Online

Chapter 224: Party Preparations

"...Hurry up, we need to have these in the oven already! We don’t have all day!"

The kitchen was like a warzone.

White-outfitted chefs were running around frantically, trying to get everything prepared in time, and everything was chaotic and loud.

"Huff! Huff!"

A blue-eyed chef quickly grabbed a bowl and started whipping up a batch of whipped cream that was needed for the dessert.

They all knew that today was an important day and they couldn’t afford to mess it up, as their livelihood was on the line.

They were food masters of the prestigious Fang Family, and if they were fired, it would also mean that they would just get kicked out of the village.

So would their family!

Meanwhile, a couple of female servants watched the chaotic kitchen through a small crack in the door.

The dining hall behind them was pretty much ready.

They were just waiting for the food to be ready and for the main attraction—a massive cake that would overshadow all other cakes.

It was supposed to be ten meters tall, like a tower made of sugar.

Each level was supposed to have distinct decorations. Such as swirls of icing, others would have fruit or thin lines of syrup running down the sides.

Either way, it was going to be majestic, and it also meant that it would be a lot of work to get it ready in time.

The news of this welcoming banquet came pretty late, and they barely had any time.

"This is truly shaping up to be an amazing party. I had no idea that Master Aizen would treat his homecoming as such an important event."

A brown-haired servant said.

"I know, right. Young master Raon was banished from the village, but now he is coming back apparently."

The red-haired servant said.

In that moment, they were both smacked on the head by a newspaper, which was wielded by the head maid.

"M-Madam Furious!"

They paled and straightened their backs.

"...If there is nothing for the two of you to do, the front yard needs some sweeping. Do not just stand here and be useless!"

Madam Furious shouted angrily.

"W-We apologize..."

They said sheepishly.

"W-We were just talking a-about young master Raon. H-His surprise return just came as a surprise, that’s all."

"...He was never banished. Master Aizen just sent him elsewhere to get treatment. The treatment seems to have worked, as his blindness is cured, and thus, he is coming back home."

Madam Furious said with a nudge of her glasses.

"O-Oh..."

The servants mumbled, but they then looked at each other with raised eyebrows, as if they didn’t quite believe that explanation.

It had always been an open secret that Master Aizen despised his youngest son, Fang Raon, and thus, he sent him away so he wouldn’t make the family look weaker.

"We need this place to be spotless by the young master’s return. Go and do something instead of standing here like a bunch of fools!"

She shouted angrily.

"Y-Yes, madam!"

The two servants hurried away, having to pull up their skirts so that they would not trip.

"Madam Furious!"

In that moment, another servant ran over. She was the younger one. Probably around eighteen or nineteen years old.

She looked like she was a maid-in-training.

"Where is Lady Sara?"

Madam Furious asked.

"...Over at the kindergarten, Madam."

The young maid said.

"You told her that young master Raon is returning home, yes?"

Madam Furious asked with a frown.

"...I did, and she didn’t have a reaction. It doesn’t look like she intends to come here to welcome his return."

The young maid said.

"...What a horrible mother."

Madam Furious walked to the window, opened the heavy curtains, and was able to see all the mountains surrounding the village.

And at the village, she was able to see the kindergarten with the children running about and giggling.

"They are not your children, Lady Sara. Your children are here. When will you realize that?"

Madam Furious continued, her voice dripping with anger.

...

Clash! Bang! Bang!

In the forest behind the Fang Mansion, wooden swords cut through the air and made contact with each other with a loud thud.

Whenever the wooden swords collided, it sounded like two heads were butting against each other.

"Huff! Huff!"

Raikou, shirtless, breathed heavily, and then he pressed forward and aggressively swung his sword.

Clang!

However.

Raizen nonchalantly parried the strike, and then he put his sword under Raikou’s sword and lifted it up.

The lift had enough force that the sword slipped from Raikou’s hand.

"Godspeed!"

Raikou moved really quick. And he managed to catch the sword before it fell. He then turned around and put his sword back into the stance.

"I’ve gotten stronger, haven’t I, brother?!"

Raikou asked with a smirk.

"...I didn’t notice."

Raizen said coldly, and then he stepped forward, but he moved so quickly that Raikou barely saw a glimpse of him.

"Your Godspeed is still lacking. It is slow. If Godspeed is slow, it means that you are weak."

Raizen whispered into his ear and then smacked his wooden sword at Raikou’s back, which sent him stumbling down to the ground.

"Argh!"

Raikou’s face touched the cold, hard dirt, and as he sat up, he noticed that his brother was already walking away.

’Why can’t he even once acknowledge my strength?’

Raikou gritted his teeth.

He was well-aware that he wasn’t anywhere near Raizen’s league, but he didn’t think that he was weak.

"...Young master Raikou!"

At that moment.

The head butler walked over. His hands were covered in very white gloves. His sleeves were sharp, and so was his gaze.

"What do you want, Sebastian?"

Raikou asked angrily.

"Your brother is arriving shortly. Your father wants you to be dressed properly and ready for the party. There will be a lot of guests, so you cannot be... shirtless."

Sebastian said.

Whenever he spoke, it sounded like he was always angry. Spiteful. Disdainful. And especially condescending.

"Hah, I am not going there. I’d rather do anything else!"

Raikou said with a laugh.

With a cold look, Sebastian grabbed Raikou by his throat and slammed him into the tree, which broke upon impact.

"I am not asking. I am telling you."

Sebastian said coldly.

"...You can’t do this to me... You are just a fucking butler!"

Raikou shouted angrily and tried to remove his hand from his throat, but he couldn’t, as if he were completely powerless.

"And yet, this fucking butler is doing this to you."

Sebastian chuckled and then let go of him, and Raikou dropped to the ground, wheezing for air.

"Wheeze~ Once... Once I am the head of this family... I’ll get rid of you first, bastard!"

Raikou screamed angrily.

"...You’re truly a stupid one. Haven’t you already seen it? This magnificent party—why do you think your father is doing all of this?

"It is obvious to me that he has already chosen his heir, and it definitely isn’t you... So I don’t need to act kindly towards you anymore."

Sebastian said with a cold smile, and then he walked away.

"..."

Raikou’s eyes were wide in shock, and he mumbled, "It can’t be," many times.