Zach woke up to the sight of Elias's ridiculous sleeping face, mouth slightly open, drooling onto the pillow. He smirked.
"This guy…," Zach muttered under his breath, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
Moments later, the door creaked open, and in came Mia, as expected. Behind her, Sebastian, the ever-reliable butler, stood with a polite smile.
"Big bwother! Wake up!" Mia squealed as she climbed onto the bed.
Zach chuckled before a mischievous thought crossed his mind. He leaned toward Mia, whispering something into her ear. The little girl's eyes widened before a giggle burst from her lips.
"Sebastian," Zach called. "Could you fetch me a pen?"
Sebastian's lips twitched upward in amusement. "Of course, young master."
Moments later, Zach held the pen in his hand, grinning. He carefully leaned over Elias's sleeping face and began doodling. A mustache, some odd squiggles, and a few funny symbols later, Zach leaned back in satisfaction.
"Perfect," he said, handing the pen to Mia. "Your turn."
Mia eagerly grabbed the pen but hesitated, tapping her chin with a thoughtful expression. "Big bwother, what should I draw?"
Zach smirked. "Anything you want. But make it special."
Mia grinned, then carefully leaned over Elias, her tiny hands steady as she began her masterpiece. She stuck her tongue out in concentration as she drew little stars and hearts across his forehead, then proudly added cat whiskers to his cheeks.
"Done!" she whispered excitedly. "Now Elias is pwetty!"
Zach had to stifle his laughter. "Yes, he looks amazing. Maybe we should show Mother later."
Mia gasped. "No! She will scold us!"
Zach shrugged. "Maybe. But that's part of the fun."
Mia giggled but quickly covered her mouth. "We should wun!"
"Agreed," Zach whispered, and the two of them slipped out of the room.
Breakfast was lively as usual. Zach sat beside Mia, suppressing his laughter as he waited for someone to notice Elias's decorated face. The boy himself was still oblivious, chatting about food with full confidence.
Mia kept sneaking glances at Zach, barely able to keep a straight face. She nudged him with her elbow. "He still doesn't know!" she whispered between giggles.
"Patience," Zach whispered back. "It'll be worth it."
It wasn't long before Vivian, seated at the head of the table, gasped. "Elias, dear, what happened to your face?!"
Elias blinked. "What?"
Mia burst into laughter, unable to contain herself. Zach quickly looked away, pretending to be very interested in his plate.
A maid hurried over with a hand mirror, and when Elias saw his reflection, he screamed.
"ZACH!"
Zach finally let out a laugh, holding his stomach as Elias shot up from his seat. "You-----You did this to me?!"
"You slept too soundly," Zach replied smoothly. "I figured you needed some… decoration."
Elias groaned, rubbing at his face to no avail. "MIA! Did you help him?!"
Mia gasped, pointing at Zach. "Big bwother told me to!"
"Traitor!" Zach exclaimed in mock betrayal.
Elias fumed. "I can't believe you both ganged up on me!"
Vivian, however, was not amused. She shot Zach a glare. "Zach Ravennest, that was very improper! Apologize to Elias right now!"
Zach held back another chuckle and cleared his throat. "Alright, alright. Sorry, Elias."
Elias crossed his arms. "You better be."
Just as the scolding subsided, the front doors of the mansion opened, and Vincent entered with a weary expression. Beside him stood a man with a confident stride, his broad shoulders relaxed as he let out a hearty laugh.
"Ah, nothing like a long day to make breakfast feel rewarding!" the man said cheerfully.
Elias turned, face still scribbled with ink. "Father!"
Leo Frost, the lord of Frosthold, stopped in his tracks the moment he saw his son's face. A heavy silence filled the room before Leo suddenly burst into laughter. "Hahaha! What happened to you, Elias? You look like a battle-hardened warrior!"
Elias fumed. "It's not funny, Father!"
"Oh, but it is," Leo chuckled, ruffling his son's hair. "Zach, was this your doing?"
Zach, who was about to take another bite, froze mid-air. He could feel Vincent's gaze slowly turning toward him.
"You did what now?" Vincent said, rubbing his temples.
Vivian, arms crossed, added, "Yes, Zach decided to use Elias's face as a canvas for his little pranks."
Vincent sighed heavily. "Zach, what did I tell you about acting properly?"
Zach tried to play it off. "That having fun is important?"
Vincent gave him a flat look. "No."
Leo waved a hand. "Come now, Vincent. It's just some harmless fun."
Vivian, however, did not share the sentiment. "Harmless fun turns into bad habits, Leo." She turned her attention back to Zach. "I don't want to see this kind of behavior again. Understood?"
Zach nodded quickly. "Yes, Mother."
Leo, still grinning, looked at the table and noticed some scribbles on the tablecloth. "What's this?"
Elias quickly brightened. "Oh! It's a game Zach made. When we played, he drew it in the dirt. It's called Snakes and Ladders."
Leo hummed, intrigued. "A game of luck and strategy, huh? This could be quite the entertainment for noble gatherings."
Vincent, rubbing his chin, nodded. "If properly made, it could be sold in town."
Leo leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful smile on his face. "Zach, you might have stumbled onto something big."
Zach shrugged. "Just having fun, Lord Frost."
Leo smirked. "Fun that could make a lot of money."
Vincent chuckled. "A family of businessmen… now that's something to consider."
Vivian gave them all a tired look. "Please don't encourage him."
With that, they finally began their meal, the atmosphere light and filled with conversation.