Duke Carl suddenly stops chuckling. His face and eyes turn cold.
'why did the air suddenly turn cold??'
Alex look at his Lord's face and flinched. He could see how cold his Lord's face and gaze were right now.
It's suffocated.
'something is wrong...why suddenly like this...it felt like, my lord was trying to kill someone.'
Except that someone might be his son.
Alex turns his face to look at Leon's relaxed expression.
'ah... this oddball... didn't he know how dangerous his father's expression was right now?? why is he so chill???'
Alex starts to think that Leon is really a weird young master.
'it's not like he is not weird from the start... ah let's not get involved...'
Alex thus ignores the situation and looks away from the duo. He felt like, he wants to run away from there.
"Leon Fronti... are you being serious right now!!!??"
Duke Carl's body trembled as he shouted in anger. He felt angry just from remembering that 'promise' they, no... to be exact, promise that Leon makes. Leon ignores his father's angry gaze and just gazes back at his father as calmly as possible. He doesn't plan to hurt his father's feelings, but... the story needs to go as supposed to be, and he doesn't plan to change any of it. And so, he affirmed his resolve.
"yes... I'm always serious, father... from back 10 years ago...till now I'm 18... I'm still serious about our talk back then... and mother is the witness for that vow... so I'm not going to step back from that promise now."
He looked at his father, determinedly, without backing out. No matter what, he will fulfill his promises, and no one can stop him. His father saw how burning his gaze was and finally sigh and lean back.
"I thought you....not serious back then..."
He says as almost whispers to himself. But Leon still could hear it and reply,
"I'm not joking, father... I thought I already show you how serious I am at the time and I even make sure mother become the witnesses... though I know how breaking her heart is..."
His words at the end seem almost whispered. He felt ached in his heart just remembering his mother's desperate cry towards him. But at that time, his firm was resolved, so he need to make sure not to be shaken here or... it will be all useless for Leon.
When he thinks about how hurt the boy Leon at that age of 8 is, he can't stop but keep going. Leon already fighting his own desire of wanting to always be a part of this Duke family, so the adult Leon like himself can't back out now and destroy the child Leon's effort.
It's sad but, it must be done. Maybe not by real Leon as he might already die but... at least, it must be done by him who stole this body of Leon.
"ahhh...Leo I... I know I was worthless as your father.... I know I should stop you back then...but... even when I know how stupid my adult self at the time, I couldn't help, but agree with your resolve... because it was for the best at the time......."
Duke Carl put his hand onto his closed eyes and his left arm was on the chair armrest. He felt teared up and fearful. He never thought that this day will come when his child, Leon would bring back up this subject that he buries deep into his memory. He really doesn't wish to face this day. He felt tired all of sudden with this subject in his hand.
"It's okay, father... it's not what you desire... it's all my own decision... so it's fine... I just hope... when the time comes... you will keep your promise... and I, as I vow back then, will live my life quietly and disappear with no one noticing... that's all... thank you for meeting me today... if there's nothing else... I will take my leave now"
Leon say as he walked away to the door. His father still closed his eyes and put his right hand on his eyes without saying any words to Leon. His father's secretary, Alex sneaks a peek at his lord with a pitiful expression.
'ah... I felt like, I hear something that I shouldn't
"ah right father...see you at the dinner..."
Say Leon nonchalantly as he opened the door and was about to leave. Duke Carl then opened up his mouth and say.
"Leon...isn't now... that promise can still be changed??"
Stiffened*
Leon turns back and faces his father who is still the way he was before. His face turns to a frown.
'haih... it might still can be changed but...as I say, I won't... it's such a hassle you know...'
Leon's face swapped to a stoic one as he thought that. He opens up his mouth to speak.
"no father... even if there's a way... it's not in my option... I rather choose this way... if I change my way now... what the use of all the experiences I've been thru these passing years???"
"That......"
"you don't have a word for that right??? So, I will leave now... don't ever mention this anymore, father... I don't want to hear it... see you during dinner"
Leon's voices sound cold as he denies his father's intention before he turns his back and opens the door.
Click!!
Bang!!
Duke Carl finally opened his eyes with a sigh* after Leon left. He looked up at the empty space of his son that just now was here but gone. He sighs* more as he looks at it. The deep burying memory that he had then roamed into his mind.
'ah...I felt sick with this'
he remembered his wife's desperate cry. His 8 years old son serious's eyes. And he himself that just agree.
'what a stupid father you are...you really fail as a father.'
When the silence fills the room once again, his secretary breaks the silence.
"My lord, please forgive my rudeness.. I know it's not in my place to ask you this but... What kind of promises that you two talking about??"
Gripped eyes*
Alex closes his eyes tightly as he was afraid that the Duke will kill him for his impudent, asking this kind of question during this situation but, Duke Carl didn't answer as he still felt sorrow for his pitiful side as a father.
Alex gulped as he waited for the answer.
'what is this heavy atmosphere??, it almost seems like someone had died.'
Only after a few seconds passed did the Duke finally opens up and close his mouth a few times before telling the whole story slowly.
''Leon... he... make a promise to... disappear from this family when he turns 20...''
''what!!??"
***********************************To be continued...Alex couldn’t help but shout in surprise before closing his mouth with both of his hands. ‘disappear?? what the hell Young master Leon was thinking???’ But Duke Carl just ignores Alex's shocking expression and continues his story. Eighteen years ago, before Luis was born, everything was normal. Leon was a boy that was full of spirit, imagination, and clever. He is also a very well manner kid. Everyone in the mansion and outside really adores him. Until the day Luis was born. 3 years after Luis was born, Leon become 5 years old, as a child with many curiosities, he find something odd about himself and the rest of the family. As soon as he thought that… Everything change. “he started to question why he was difference… why he had blue hair and blue eyes…why he was not the same as the rest of the family??” Since those questions pop up quite often, everyone begins to avoid him. Everyone in the mansion including the outside start to avoid him, to ensure they won’t slip out the truth.
Both Leon's parents gazed straight at Leon with a shocked expression.“Leon Fronti!!!!!! what… what do you mean by that!!!!???”As Duke Carl realized what he just heard, he couldn’t help but shout to Leon in an angry voice. Duchess Julia watches the angry Duke with worry expression and turns back to Leon with concern.“Leon… why… why you say that….”Duchess Julia asks Leon with worry gazed. Her eyes were begging for Leon to explain.“Are you insane Leo--”“calm down darling… there must be an explanation for this… just listen first!!”Shout Duchess Julia as she faces Duke Carl, trying to calm her husband. Duke Carl shot Leon with a flaming glare while Duchess Julia turn back towards Leon who was silent while watching her husband with determined eyes.Sigh*“It's just as I said before... I plan on living isolated after this… I won’t take part in the heir study anymore… I’m just gonna live in silence now… then… when I reach the age of 20 and Luis reaches his age of illegible for him to b
Leon paused as his father interrupted him. Duchess Julia becomes anxious as she begins to realize this talk direction.“why for now???? why do you say we could live as a family only for now?? what do you mean… isn’t it enough if you live iso—”“darling you…”Gasp*Duke Carl quickly closes his mouth as he suddenly realized that he almost agrees with his son's suggestion.‘shit… this talk is following Leo's direction...’Duke Carl cursed inside of him. Duchess Julia becomes restless, she knows if she didn’t stop her husband just now… this talk will surely agree with her son. Then, she will lose her son.“for now, because… though we won’t fight… the one who already lose from the start… won’t have a place in this mansion…”Bam*But, without hesitating, Leon shoved both of his parents with the truth that they don’t want to admit. Yes… in a noble’s family, if ones lose position as an heir or do not become the lord, they don’t have any qualification to stay in the mansion, they will be sent
As Duke Carl heard Leon shout toward his wife, he immediately went to her left side.“honey why do you bite your lips like that…”Duke Carl is also on his knees, and his hand quickly touches his wife's face and onto her lips.“it must be hurt… let me see it”Says him as he used his right hand to take a peek at his wife’s bleeding lips. She opens her tightened lips to allow her husband to wipe her bleeding lips. She could see how concerned her husband and son are as she gaze helplessly back and forth between the two. Her tears stop.“you’re concerned when I’m bleeding like this… so what about my heart that you cut just now”Stiffened*Both her husband and son stiffened as she says that. They both look at her before looking at each other.‘this duo is… really piss me off!!!’she thought.“mother I … I’m sorry but I will still do this even if you trying to stop me”Leon says with determined eyes. Duke Carl sigh after looking at his son's face and finally gazed back at his wife.“honey… i
Leon was the last one that arrived at the dining hall, that's why he hastily went inside. He already wearing different clothes now as his body was sweating from training his sword just a while ago. He was wearing simple blue clothes and pants while his back hair was tied up with blue ribbon.As he arrives inside, he could see from the place he was standing, his father, Duke Carl was at the end of the table, at the center, while his mother was at the right side of his father and his younger brother was at the left side of his father. It seems both his parents and younger brother still didn’t start eating yet, as they are waiting for him.“I’m sorry I’m a bit late father… mother and Luis”“It's fine Leo… take a sit… Let’s start eating now that Leo is here.”Leon takes a sit in the center across his father's sit as he hears his father's casual reply. There are six chairs that separate him from his father sit. He put his hand on the cutlery set on his table and nonchalantly ate the steak
Leon stops speaking. He looks at his mother who suddenly burst into conversation. The Duchess looks frantic and startled by his words.'is she still can't accept my leaving??'he looks at her with a casual expression and calm."ah"she gasps as she realized how frantic she was just now. She looks at Leon calmly."you... didn't you realize that you're still... not telling Luis about this right??"Gasp*'oh... right... I suppose not telling him yet but...'Leon glance at Luis who's wearing a calm face and still eating his meat elegantly.'he already knows...'smirk*he put on a smiling expression as he turn his head towards his mother's back, though his mother was wearing a calm face, clearly her eyes give away that...'she looks worried.'he stares at his mother's face with a warm expression."well... I will tell here then"Leon looks at all his family's faces, before adding on mo
Silence*Everyone's mouths remain shut as they listen to Leon answer. They understand precisely Leon's attention.'he didn't want unwanted variables in the future.''my son is too smart for his own good.''ah this scary brother is too meticulous'Those words ended up occurring in the mind of each of his family members. Leon knows too well that his family will be ended up thinking like that. And it was true. Though each of his family trying to put on a façade of calm face, Leon is still able to read their minds.'it was actually written all over their face'Leon sigh as he looks at each of his family members. But he didn't really care because he didn't have any intention to let go of the oath. He was prepared for everything as he walks to this dining hall. Even without his family's agreement, he will force his way thru."so... Father please ask Mir to bring your crest here only then I can proceed""huuu...alright I know I can't stop you..."Duke Carl put down his cutlery that he hold ti
After the oath is complete at the dining hall, he goes back to his room and immediately changes his clothes to the sleeping attired ones. He then sat on his single coach near the window and read a storybook. His face was frowning as he keep reading through it. 'This.. ' The content of the book on his hand really messed up his already complicated mind. Even so, that event that happens during the dinner still wins above all. 'to think that I would rush my vow there' Frankly speaking, he didn't really intend to make a vow there. Instead, he intended to make it a secret with only his family in his presence. But, when he was there with all of those people around, he can't help but change his mind and proceed to make the vow there. The vow he make at the time, in summary, had 3 points to be highlighted. 1. He will leave the mansion when he is 202. He won't ever be the heir nor the lord in this territory3. He will only be Leon Forti as long as he is inside the territory. Well, th