Side Story: Adieu

," making Raphael feel so upset that he wanted to cry.

Father clearly loved Sister a lot. No matter what curious materials Charlene asked for her experiments, Father would find a way to get them for her as soon as possible.

But Raphael didn''t even dare to let Father hear him playing the violin. He was afraid that if Father heard how well he played, he would think Raphael hadn''t been studying his proper lessons.

Raphael knew that his timid and gloomy nature wouldn''t make the grown-up dote on him. However, Father could have shared him some love too, if he wasn''t the heir.

Raphael vaguely remembered that he once had an older brother named Andre. Andre was the firstborn in the family and was said to look a lot like him. But they were also different. Andre had a smart and early-maturing mind, a well-mannered demeanor, just like Sister. What''s more, he was outgoing and skilled in horse riding and sword fighting, like a true man.

This older brother was truly deserving of being the heir of the family. Unfortunately, he got smallpox around Raphael''s age and tragically died.

As Raphael timidly entered the study, he felt his father''s gaze fixed on his face, as if lost in thought, but also filled with some tenderness.

He knew that Father was looking at him but seeing the beloved eldest son who died young. Raphael understood that the more he disappointed his father, the further he seemed from resembling that bright older brother, causing his father even more pain.

Sure enough, when the Count''s eyes shifted down to the culottes and stockings that Raphael hadn''t cleaned up yet, that distant look immediately disappeared.

"Well, looks like you''ve really grown up, Monsieur de Saint-Clemont!" Father sneered. "I wonder what kind of affair, young master, got you undressed in the open field?"

Raphael looked up at his father blankly. He couldn''t understand. Was it such a huge sin to play in the str