:::Side stories that occur before Chapter 31 which gives a time skip:::

  "Your manners are deplorable," Cassandra ented, watg Orio at their table with disdain.

  Orion burped, looking down at himself, fused. "What?"

  Caitlyn giggled, gng sideways at Orion. Cassandra's eyes narrowed at her before she smirked, "This is a good opportunity, Caitlyn, to educate a guest."

  "What? Me? He's not doing anything that wrong!" Caitlyn excimed incredulously. Her eyes went wide, dartiween her mother and Orion, her gaze sing him and furrowing her brows.

  Disapproval fshed across Cassandra's face as she wiped her lips with a napkin. "Really? Perhaps you need a refresher on table etiquette."

  "Ugh-"

  A disgruntled noise emitted from Caitlyn and she received another hard stare from Cassandra before she turned abruptly to Orion. Rather than telling him, she reached for his hands, quickly sing the fork and knife. Now his left hahe fork, and his right held the knife.

  "Bsphemy!" Orion excimed, staring with disgusted shock at his hands as if they had beutated abominations.

  Before he could protest further, Orion's elbows were pushed off the table, followed by his shoulders being pushed back, forcibly straightening his posture.

  Orio Caitlyn, his eyes narrowing in defiand she avoided his gaze, clearly displeased with the task. Cassandra, however, looked very displeased, kieacup on the saucer before speaking with a raised voice.

  "Caitlyn! That is not how a dy behaves!"

  Caitlyn shot a defiant gre at her mother, her hand and voice rising in protest and frustration. "Does it matter? It's not like he will attend our family's occasions!"

  Orion tilted his head at her to didn't carry the sharpness of an insult, but more of a disgruntled pint.

  Cassandra returned Caitlyn's gre, her expression unyielding, and her voice firm. "He is a training partner, Caitlyn. That is all. But if that were to ge- If I were to permit him to beore involved with our family- his manners are currently er than those of a pig."

  Wing at the remark, Orio it cut deeper than expected. His aarted to bubble after that, ying down his knife and fork.

  "I didn't know Kiramman manners included openly insulting guests," Orion said slowly through gritted teeth, his voice tight with restraint. He tried not to express his aoo openly. This was still the Kiramman house and what he had was a luxurious privilege.

  Cassandra pursed her lips as her gaze shifted and bore into Orion, "Respect is earned, not given freely." Standing up, the chair scrapped angrily behind her as she tinued with disdain. "A guest is expected to meet certain standards of the house that provides for them. If you find that insulting, then perhaps you should sider why."

  "We've known him for over three months! Why are you being so harsh?!" Caitlyn stood abruptly in equal defiand protest, her voice raised dangerously high.

  "Precisely that, Caitlyn," Cassandra responded, her toeady and posed. "Three months. In all that time, he hasn't once observed the table and adjusted himself appropriately."

  "I didn't think those manners were required for a casual meal," Orion interjected dryly, sarcasm ced in his words. "Guests e from many different pces, after all. Are you going to s-"

  "Three months, Orion." Cassandra cut off his sarcastic remark with a cool and dry tohe lohis tihe less you are sidered a 'guest.' And it is being corrected now." She added at the end, her eyes flig to Caitlyn, noting she was about to protest.

  "Don't." A single word carrying heavy weight, and sharp enough to shut Caitlyn's mouth.

  "I've tolerated much, Caitlyn. Even now." Cassandra said, her voice cold and stern as her gaze pierced Caitlyn who shifted unfortably, hands unsciously folding behind her as her posture straightened.

  A tense siletled over the room. Caitlyn's eyes were nervously darting around, and Orion noticed her hands fiddling nervously behind her. 'Her nervous tick,' Orion noted internally.

  Cassandra, however, maintained her no-more-nonseare with tightly pursed lips, her gaze flickeriween them.

  "Perhaps," Tobias Kiramman, Caitlyn's father, interjected, his voice calm and measured. He had been there silently enjoying his food but now his gaze meets Cassandra's. "We have failed too. We've allowed this to tinue for too long- under our knowing watch."

  Cassandra's gaze flicked to Tobias briefly before dropping downward with clear hesitation ahought. Relutly, she sighed aurned her focus to Orion.

  "You're right," Cassandra admitted relutly, though the words were directed at Tobias. Her voice was firm as she tinued, "Starting today, and every time you visit iure, you will be taught basic etiquette. Should you fail to meet these standards- or feel insulted- you are free not to return."

  'What the actual fuck?' Orion thought, utterly bewildered. He struggled to keep his rea in check with a ral, uanding nod but couldn't stop a few involuntary twitches.

  "It appears Caitlyn wants to have a word," Cassandra said curtly, her sharp gaze Caitlyn's growing distent and upset. "If you would leave us for a moment."

  Orion nodded, not wanting to stay in the room anymore himself. As he stood, his eyes flicked down and caught sight of Caitlyn's ched fists.

  'It's aional rollercoaster with her hands' Orion noted internally, slightly amused but still eager to leave. As he reached the door, the argument had already begun.

  "Why do you-" Click. The door shut, cutting Caitlyn's words into muffled, aggressive murmurs.

  Sighing, Orion walked back toward his room, muttering under his breath. "Family drama... Don't miss it in the slightest."