Outside the bathroom, Orson was busy preparing additional accessories for Litte.
In the Empire, only nobles of ducal rank or higher were entitled to wear ceremonial attire bearing their family’s insignia.
The Stranick family, rooted in a martial tradition, prominently incorporated military elements into the design of their ceremonial outfits.
The family’s ceremonial attire came in two variations: one in black and the other in blue.
For formal occasions hosted by the Stranick family, the brighter blue attire was typically worn.
However, for more solemn and prestigious events, the dignified black attire was the appropriate choice.
Both sets of ceremonial attire had been crafted by the Empire’s finest artisans, achieving a balance of aesthetics and comfort.
By the time Orson had finished gathering all the accessories, Litte stepped out of the bathroom.
At this moment, his hair was still slightly damp, and the rising steam from his recent bath had left his small face tinged with a rosy hue.
Orson walked forward and took the towel draped over Litte’s shoulders.
“From now on, after every bath, you must dry your hair thoroughly. Especially with your hair being this long—if you don’t dry it properly, you’ll catch a cold easily.” While saying this, Orson carefully and meticulously began to help Litte dry his hair.
“Brother Orson... this... it’s too troublesome. I can do it myself...”
“It’s no trouble at all,” Orson shook his head. “Besides, Litte, you’ve just arrived, and there are still many things you’re unfamiliar with.”
“As your elder brother, it’s my responsibility to help you.” Orson said this as he continued.
Strictly speaking, both of them had been born on the same day.
However, in terms of appearance and temperament, Orson carried himself far more like an elder brother.
Additionally, in order to maintain Orson’s emotional stability, Lucius had long declared publicly that Orson was the elder brother and Litte the younger.
As a result, both had come to accept their respective roles.
“All done.” Orson returned the towel to the bathroom and then began attaching the ceremonial accessories to Litte’s outfit one by one.
Afterward, he picked up a pair of boots from the floor, held Litte by the ankle, and helped him put them on.
He even carefully tied the laces for him.
“Got it? From now on, you’ll have to handle these things yourself.” Orson, crouched on the ground, looked up at Litte, who was seated silently on the edge of the bed.
“Mm.” Litte nodded slightly. “Thank you, Brother Orson...”
“There’s no need for such formality between us brothers. You can just call me ‘Brother’ or ‘Orson’; we’re not that far apart in age.” Orson smiled and then took out the family crest.
“Listen carefully, Litte.” Orson retrieved the family crest from his pocket and handed it to Litte.
Vivian had just delivered it, saying that it was a gift from Lucius.
The Stranick family crest depicted a black eagle soaring against a blue sky.
Because of this, black and blue had become the traditional family colors.
“This is the crest of our family. Nearly all noble houses in the Empire have their own crests,” Orson began explaining its significance. “The family crest has many uses, but its primary purpose is to signify your identity. Most nobles in the Empire recognize each other’s crests. You’ve only just arrived, so there’s no rush to memorize them all. I’ll teach you gradually.”
“This particular crest was given to you by Father. While all of our family crests feature a black eagle on a blue background, the ones with a gold border signify direct family members—Father, Mother, you, and me.”
Orson continued explaining the various meanings behind the family crest in detail, but Litte seemed utterly lost in the explanation.
Seeing this, Orson smiled and reassured him, “That’s alright. It’s normal to not understand everything right away. You’ll get the hang of it over time.”
At that moment, the door to the room was knocked again.
“Come in,” Orson said.
Vivian entered.
Seeing that Litte was now fully dressed, Vivian spoke, “Young Master Orson, Young Master Litte, the Duke has already started calling for you.”
“Alright, Vivian, you can go now.” Orson nodded and then looked at Litte.
“That maid just now is Vivian. If I’m not at home and you run into any trouble, you can look for her or Butler Albert.”
“It’s about time. Let’s go downstairs. If there’s anything you don’t understand, just ask me.”
“Mm...” Litte nodded, then stood up.
After straightening his clothing, he followed behind Orson as they descended the stairs.
On the first floor, preparations for the banquet were already underway. The central long table was filled with food and drinks that Litte had never seen in the countryside.
At this moment, he could only timidly follow behind Orson, clutching the hem of his clothing and peeking out nervously.
Orson, on the other hand, didn’t think much of it.
In this life, he had attended countless banquets of this scale, and he was already accustomed to such grand scenes.
Moreover, the highest-ranking nobles present were no more than marquises—none of them held a title higher than his father’s. Under such circumstances, Orson felt even more at ease.
As for Litte, Orson could understand his nervousness. Being thrust into such a setting as a newcomer was bound to be intimidating.
But there was no helping it—people had to grow up eventually.
Orson came to a stop, but Litte, not paying attention, accidentally bumped into his sturdy back. Clutching his nose, he staggered back two steps.
This elicited a wave of snickering from the surrounding nobles.
Orson’s eyes turned cold as he glanced at those laughing nobles.
“Count Karls, is this amusing to you?” He called out, directly naming one of the laughing nobles.
“No, no, not at all,” Count Karls, who had laughed the loudest, immediately composed himself and shook his head.
He was only a lowly count and didn’t dare provoke the Duke’s beloved son.
Then, Orson turned to look behind him, and the icy demeanor he had just displayed immediately melted away. He patted Litte’s small head gently and spoke softly, “Litte, are you alright?”
“I’m sorry, I stopped suddenly.”
In truth, Orson was internally panicking.
He had merely paused to think about what to do next with Litte, forgetting that Litte was following closely behind him.
This collision wasn’t just a simple bump.
Making a fool of oneself in front of so many nobles could easily lead Litte to hold a grudge, believing that Orson had done it on purpose.
If that were the case, all of Orson’s efforts to build goodwill would have been for nothing.
Determined to salvage the situation, Orson decided that even if it meant slightly damaging his relationship with these nobles, he had to restore Litte’s dignity.
The real young master’s first banquet could not be ruined in any way!
“It’s... it’s alright, Brother Orson. I wasn’t paying attention when you stopped,” Litte mumbled, his voice muffled as he held his nose.
“No, let me check.” Orson gently pulled Litte’s hand away from his nose to examine it carefully. Only after confirming that everything was fine did he breathe a sigh of relief and nod.
Moments later, Lucius and Mary approached.
Seeing that the two brothers’ relationship seemed to be friendly, Lucius felt reassured.
He and Mary then shifted their focus to Litte.
After bathing and changing into proper attire—complete with the intricate accessories Orson had carefully arranged—Litte no longer looked as disheveled as when he first arrived.
However, his hunched posture and lack of confidence still robbed him of any aristocratic bearing.
If he were a noble lady, this might have been excusable. But he was Lucius’s biological son!
He was one of the future heirs of the Stranick family!
With Orson’s inheritance rights still uncertain, Litte could very well be the sole heir to the Stranick name.
Still, considering that Litte had spent so much time in the countryside, it was understandable that he couldn’t adapt right away. Lucius nodded in approval.
“Not bad. Take your seats.”
With that, Lucius led Mary back to the head of the long table and sat down.
Orson turned around and gestured for Litte to follow him.
“Orson, this isn’t proper etiquette,” Mary remarked from the table, frowning as she noticed the two sitting on the same side.
According to dining etiquette, after the hosts, the seats of honor were typically reserved for distinguished guests, then family. Litte and Orson should have been seated on opposite sides, but Orson had deliberately chosen to sit with Litte.
While sitting on the same side wasn’t strictly against the rules, the two adjacent seats were traditionally left empty for their future wives.
“Mother, it’s Litte’s first time here, and he doesn’t yet understand many of the rules. It’s better for me to look after him.”
“Besides, we’re at home, after all.”
“Very well,” Mary said, nodding as she looked at Orson.