Chapter 60: Leo told the rest (2)

“An epidemic…?”

Lena, who had been silently listening, furrowed her brows in confusion.

“Wait. This happened seven years ago, right? I don’t remember anything like an epidemic spreading, and it shouldn’t be recorded in the empire’s history books.”

“That’s true. Who would record an epidemic that broke out in the same year the sacred land of Elrand was attacked? Moreover, the deaths caused by the epidemic were limited to a small part of the slums, and most citizens just thought it was a bad cold going around.”

The illness was highly contagious, but the symptoms were simple.

Violent vomiting and fever.

For most, as long as they got enough water, nutrients, and rest in a warm room, they’d recover in three days.

The ones who faced danger were children without much strength or the very poor.

However, the place where many such children resided was none other than the orphanage.

“To be precise, their cause of death wasn’t the disease. Do you know what it was that drove the children to the brink of death?”

“…No.”

“Cold. Fearful of infection, many children from the orphanages were thrown out into the cold, unable to get proper nourishment or sleep, and froze to death.”

Lena gasped.

Bruno, his gaze shifting away from her, narrowed his eyes towards the flickering flames of warm colors, recalling the scene from seven years ago.

A cold winter night that froze to the bone.

A boy huddled alone in the attic, glancing sideways at the snow he’d never seen in his homeland.

On the exposed floor without carpets, there was straw instead of bedding.

It reeked of sweat and vomit.

A chilly draft blew mercilessly through the poorly fitted walls.

Without glass windows, only an old piece of cloth covered the hollowed-out window from which snow dripped, drop by drop.

Unlike other orphanages, Hanna staunchly refused to throw out sick children.

However, careful nursing was required to prevent the illness from spreading to other children, which further strained the orphanage’s already tight financial situation.

There was no money to replace the vomit-stained sheets, no funds to buy more firewood to warm the room, no money for nutritious food, or warm and clean pajamas.

Well, there had been some money at one point.

Hanna and Leo, skilled in raising funds, had managed to scrape together enough through pleas for help and using their savings to keep the death toll at bay.

But—when their savings ran out and they could no longer borrow more.

Just as the end of the epidemic at Hanna’s orphanage seemed within reach, Leo, who had been working tirelessly, succumbed to the illness.

The boy huddled in the attic was—Leo.

“Leo, …I’m coming in. I brought fresh straw.”

Bruno, his mouth covered with a cloth, entered the room. Leo, lying on the floor, looked around dazedly.

“Sorry…I wanted to puke in the corner to minimize the mess, but…it ended up everywhere. …You shouldn’t be here. You’ll catch it. Just leave it there.”

His speech was more childish than usual, though he normally spoke like an adult. His voice now was hoarse and weak.

As he tried to stand, his body wavered. Bruno pursed his lips under the cloth.

Ignoring Leo’s protests, Bruno entered the room forcefully.

Leo, trying to keep warm, was wrapped in straw, shivering violently.

“Heh…it’s cold. I can’t feel my fingers. Will I be okay for tomorrow’s embroidery work?”

Despite his sickly complexion, Leo talked about his concerns.

Bruno changed the straw with a grim expression and muttered into the darkness of the room.

“Why…?”

“Eh?”

“Why…?”

Why did misfortune befall this boy of all people?

Leo’s brown eyes looked up at him, holding a curious expression.

His freckled cheeks and hard-working hands seemed nothing but good.

He ran around for his companions, managing scarce funds to prepare their beds.

Why did he have to face his end here, on this poor floor?

Unconsciously clenching his fist, Bruno felt his nails break his skin, drawing blood.

Leo, lying back in the straw, suddenly spoke up.

“Hey, how’s this?”

Bruno turned to him.

Leo, always brimming with ideas to make money, now stared blankly into space.

“Oh, great spirit, thank you for blessing me…for warming my cold, shivering body and leading me to a miracle…”

“What is that?”

“Isn’t it the line said in front of the priest when an adoption is arranged?”

“…”

Bruno widened his eyes.

It was a phrase that every orphan dreamed of, a line of perfect words.

But the idea that Leo would fantasize about such a scene…

Leo, sensing his surprise, shivered and smiled awkwardly.

“Remember when you told me I might find my own family someday? So I thought about it. What would be a cool line to swear to the spirit?”

Bruno had no idea his offhand encouragement had inspired this, and he stiffened.

And he couldn’t understand why Leo was telling him this now.

Without looking at Bruno, Leo continued in his hoarse voice.

“Of course, the spirit I’m talking about isn’t one of light; it’s the spirit of gold. …And then, the vow: ‘To protect this miracle, I dedicate my entire being to you, precious radiance.'”

“Leo. …Why tell me this now?”

“With this humble prayer, I ask for your blessing.”

“Leo.”

“Let your radiance guide me to new parents.”

“—Leo!”

Finally, Bruno shouted.

Leo exhaled weakly and turned his face towards Bruno.

“Well…I thought about it. Instead of working on the embroidery.”

Leo still wore a playful smile, but his skin had lost its color, and his sharp brown eyes were losing focus.

“It’d be a waste to keep it to myself after all the time I spent not working…”

And with that, Leo curled up and began to retch violently.

He took labored breaths, punctuated by whimpering cries.

But there was nothing left in his stomach to vomit.

All he could do was suffer, shiver, and await death.

“Leo!”

Bruno grabbed Leo’s body, then quickly released him in shock.

Leo was feverish, but his body was ice cold.

A faint breath escaped Leo’s lips.

He went limp and stopped moving.

Bruno, pale-faced, checked his wrist.

The pulse was there—for now.

Staggering to his feet, Bruno stumbled out of the attic.

Downstairs, Hanna held the crying children in her arms in the dark room, unable to light even a lamp.

The children called out Leo’s name, searching for him like a parent.

“Where’s big brother Leo? Big brother, where are you?”

“It’s cold. He said he’d sleep with us.”

Hanna didn’t answer but pressed the children’s faces into her chest and clenched her teeth, releasing a low growl.

“Damn it…damn it…”

Her hair, neatly tied a few days ago, was now cut short.

She must have sold it.

Bruno knew she had tried to sell not only her hair but even her teeth.

The black-market doctor had refused to take the old woman’s teeth.

“Why is this happening…!”

Unable to listen any longer, Bruno slammed the cloth onto the floor and ran out of the orphanage.

He sprinted, kicking up mud and snow.

It’s your fault, Leo.

He cursed his friend in his heart as he struggled to catch his breath.

Because you said that prayer uncharacteristically.

That’s why the snow is falling, and Hanna is crying.

The orphanage Bruno knew wasn’t like this.

Leo used to laugh foolishly, clutching his money, while Hanna would stay energetic, shouting and punching.

The children were cheeky, sometimes a bit jealous, fighting, making up, and laughing together.

It had to be that kind of place.

Passing through the poorest district, Bruno ran past the modest yet solid houses.

He glared at the glass-paneled windows that emitted carefree, warm light.

His destination was deathly silent.

“Spirit!”

He kicked down the locked wooden door and shouted.

His voice echoed through the stone-built sanctuary and gradually faded.

“You’ve arrived, descendant of Norlius.”

A shadow stirred in the snow-lit interior.

Standing in front of the spirit-cloth-draped altar was—a spirit of darkness.

The spirit, in the form of an old man, grinned wickedly, resembling an inverted crescent moon, and tilted its head towards Bruno.

“Have you made up your mind?”

“I offer.”

Bruno interrupted the raspy voice.

“I offer. My prayer and my body. —To the spirit of darkness, I offer.”

Dragging his snow-soaked, tattered clothes, he walked towards the altar.