Chapter 55: Bartforth men(2)
In the office of Baron Bartfort, better known as Barkus, chaos reigned supreme. Towering piles of papers reached the ceiling, turning the room into a labyrinth of parchment, ink, and wax seals. There was practically no free space — even the desk, once meant for work, was buried under a sea of documents. The air was stale, filled with the smell of old paper, ink, and sweat. Barkus hadn't left the office in days, hadn't slept, and barely ate. His eyes were bloodshot from exhaustion, his face covered in stubble, and his hair stuck out in all directions, making him look like he'd weathered a storm.
He looked utterly worn out: dark circles hung under his eyes, and his trembling hands betrayed the depths of his fatigue. Barkus tried to keep himself awake, but eventually, he collapsed face-first onto the desk, groaning:
"Why me?!"
It had all started with Leon. Barkus couldn't deny that, thanks to his youngest son, their family had gained fame. Leon had saved them from Zola and brought glory to House Bartfort, a level of renown they could have only dreamed of before. But with fame came an avalanche of new responsibilities. The documents that now required his attention seemed to multiply endlessly. Among them were even proposals for marriage to Leon. Instead of addressing the young man directly, suitors and their families were trying to achieve their goals through Barkus.
"That little upstart," muttered the baron, letting out an exasperated sigh. "Sure, he saved us, but now I'm suffering because of him."
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in," Barkus said wearily, not even lifting his head.
The door creaked open, and into the room stepped the very person whose fame had brought about this misery.
"Hey, Dad! How's life? How are the kids?" Leon called out cheerfully, a wide grin plastered across his face.
Upon seeing his son's smug expression, Barkus had to summon all his restraint to avoid throwing the nearest stack of papers at him.
"I'm suffering, Leon," he said, his irritation barely contained.