Chapter 55: Leo is told about his past (2)

Glancing at Lena, who remained silent, Bruno turned his gaze back to the flickering flames once again.

“I once had an Elrandic. But Hannah changed it to a Weitz-like name when I settled in Weitz. I accepted it, but… truthfully, I didn’t want to be called or named anything like Bruno,” he said, with his thoughts lingering on that matter, something he had never shared with anyone around him.

Yet somehow, Leo had keenly discerned it. It was probably then that Bruno truly allowed Leo into the inner recesses of his heart. After that day, Bruno found himself spending more and more time with Leo. However, Bruno continued,

“As you know, Leo is quite popular around here. Laughter never fades in his presence, but once he’s gone, even the disciplined Hannah Orphanage swirls with envy. So… Some people who were uncomfortable with Leo being monopolized by unknown refugees came to me one day and said, ‘Enough is enough. Do you understand why Leo is with you?'”

Lena listened intently, her lips curling slightly at the corner. Being confronted frontally by those who adored Leo was an experience she herself had endured. If it were just jealousy among children, it could be brushed off, but if it persisted, it was thoroughly unpleasant and left wounds in the heart.

“What did they say?” Lena inquired.

“They said it was out of pity. That Leo was with me because he couldn’t leave miserable refugees alone,” Bruno replied, inhaling sharply. After a brief pause, Lena uttered with a stern expression,

“How despicable.”

For proud Lena, such remarks were the most humiliating. Lena could understand exactly how Bruno, who was also thought to have high pride, must have felt at that time.

“If it were me, I’d burn the hair of whoever said that with chemicals and freeze their scalp forever. And I’d never speak to Leo again,” Lena declared.

“We share the same sentiment. Since I had no knowledge of concocting chemicals, I just ripped his hair out with my bare hands. Just as blood was about to spill, the director, who noticed the commotion, doused us with water. Honestly, I still don’t get it,” Bruno said, shaking his head.

Whenever these two conversed, it seemed to lack a moderator, often veering towards a grim direction. Yet neither of them seemed to notice, as Bruno continued matter-of-factly,

“After that, I distanced myself from Leo. Understandable, right? I couldn’t forgive those who said I was miserable, but I also couldn’t forgive Leo for making me appear miserable at that moment.”

“I understand,” Lena nodded. “It’s difficult to distinguish between the anger of wounded pride and the sadness of a wounded heart.”

“…Indeed,” Bruno chuckled softly, his gaze shifting to the flames as he absentmindedly picked up a few twigs and tossed them into the dwindling fire.

“At that moment, I thought I was angry. So, I thought I had to vent that anger. That’s why… even though I was silent again, Leo kept dragging me around. But one day, I pushed him into the church pond. I got fed up.” He confessed

“I don’t want your pity. I have parents who risked their lives to save me, and I am more loved and blessed than you will ever be!” I screamed at the pond. 

“It was early  winter at that time.” Bruno recounted, and Lena couldn’t help but swallow a bit nervously.

Should she praise him for it, or admonish him for his recklessness? She debated internally, ultimately opting for silence.

Bruno, recalling the scene by the pond at that time, stared at the outline of the flames intently.

“I thought he would come out soon. But he didn’t surface at all. After counting to around ten, maybe a hundred… I thought I might have killed Leo.”

He had never intended to kill him. He understood there was a line he shouldn’t cross here. But images of Leo laughing heartily over trivial matters flooded his mind, and Bruno grew pale.

“But…” Bruno chuckled softly, prompting a puzzled expression from Lena. The meaning behind that smile became clear with his next words.

“Afterwards, Leo emerged from the water with great force. Gasping for air, he wore a wide grin on his face. Can you guess what he said?”

“Look! Look look look! The offerings in this pond have sunk like crazy! Look! Here! Copper coins! Cooppeerrrr coinnnsss!” Bruno mimicked Leo’s excited voice.

“…”

As expected, Lena’s eyes turned as lifeless as those of a dead fish in response to this typical sense of disappointment accompanying Leo’s antics. Up to this point, the narrative had been rather serious, yet it all vanished with this moment.

“I want to show you, Lena. Leo, trembling with cold, lips turning purple, yet still clutching copper coins with a smile,” Bruno said.

“…I’m fine, thanks. I can already vividly imagine it,” Lena politely declined, causing Bruno to shrug lightly with a “Fair enough.” Ultimately, with that single word, Bruno felt greatly deflated, and everything seemed ridiculous.

It could be beautifully expressed as the tension easing from his shoulders. 

An excited Leo forcefully pulled Bruno into the pond as well, saying “Help me gather the coins!” 

The two, like two wet, trembled as they made their way back to the orphanage.

“On the way back, I felt completely calm in my heart. I thought I could apologize sincerely now,” Bruno said. So he whispered in Elrandese, unfamiliarly, to apologize.

“Leo. What I said about parents was a slip of the tongue. …Sorry.”

“Hm? Sorry, didn’t quite catch that. Did you say, ‘Money is everything in this world’?” 

“No. I was boasting about my parents. Sorry,” he repeated slowly, and Leo finally seemed to understand his words.

He blinked as if understanding, then casually responded, “Oh no, no. I was actually happy to know there are parents out there you can boast about in this world. Made me feel good, you know? Like, wow, there really are parents worth bragging about in this world. It’s heartwarming.”

“I felt like I got slapped across the face by those words. In the end… I couldn’t say anything more than muttering nonsense like, ‘You might be adopted someday too,’ something that wasn’t even a consolation. Then, I couldn’t say anything anymore,” Bruno confessed.

“…,” Lena unconsciously furrowed her brows. It was similar to a conversation they had in the orphanage hallway before. Leo didn’t know his parents, and he thought parents were forever out of his reach. So even if he knew someone else had them, he neither envied nor resented them. It was something completely unrelated to him, engraved in his mind. For Lena, it was painfully obvious how he accepted it as a simple fact.

“He can’t understand the concept of unconditional love. Because he’s never received it. He believes kindness is only given when he gives something in return… as payment,” Bruno said, bringing his knees together and leaning forward, directing his gaze quietly at Lena.

“Being loved and loving back… never crossed his mind. Even if Emilio and I pour out our friendship, he just thinks, ‘They look after me, so they must be fond of me.’… No, that’s fine. But what’s worse is, even when someone he’s not paying attention to shows him affection, he can’t even notice it. When I said he’s living by cutting off affection, that’s what I meant,” Bruno explained.

“…”

“Believing them to be a selfless saint, tirelessly offering their incomprehensible affection to the people of the academy… That’s why I can’t help but feel a bit sorry for them,” Bruno said, cutting his words short, then suddenly glanced up at the sky.

The sun had completely set, and the night’s veil had descended upon the surroundings. He exhaled and shrugged his shoulders lightly.

“No resting for us, it seems. We’ll have to camp out here tonight. It’d be better to descend the mountain all at once come dawn. Lena, gather a few more branches and dried leaves…”

“Bruno,” Lena interjected quietly, cutting off the boy who was about to continue with his plans in a matter-of-fact tone.

“I understood Leo’s story well. Thank you,” she began with a gesture of gratitude.

Initially, she hadn’t expected to hear such deep reminiscences about Leo. This man named Bruno seemed to be quite the storyteller. Thanks to him, she found herself getting absorbed in the conversation, almost forgetting the main point of it all.

“But, there’s something I’d like you to tell me,” Lena continued, lifting her gaze to meet Bruno’s. She stared straight into his black eyes and questioned, “Why did you tell me this story?”

“…Because you seemed curious. Throughout the journey, you kept giving off signs that you wanted to hear about my background. You’re not completely clueless about reading the atmosphere,” Bruno replied in his usual tone, devoid of any inflection.

However, Lena sensed that if she didn’t delve into it now, she might miss her chance altogether.

“That’s right, Bruno. I was trying to pry into your… personal history. So, why did you deflect it into Leo’s story, behaving as if the conversation had come to an end? What’s the reason behind that?” Lena inquired.

“Hah… Lena, are you really that… interested in me?” Bruno hesitated, trailing off.

“Yes, I am. I can’t help but be intrigued,” Lena affirmed, refusing to take the bait. While she didn’t lie, she raised an eyebrow at Bruno, who attempted to evade the topic.

“So, will you tell me?” she pressed.

“…” Bruno fell silent instantly, his expression turning slightly guarded, emitting an aura of rejection. Perhaps Leo would retreat at this point.

No, Leo might not even think to pry into someone else’s past in the first place. But Lena was different from Leo. If there was a mystery in front of her, she couldn’t resist unraveling it.

She wouldn’t let any intellectual curiosity be obstructed by anyone. With a spark and a crackle as the fire flared up, Lena leaned forward slightly.

“If it’s difficult for you to talk about, shall I go first? How about discussing the recent findings from my research? Remember? I’ve been investigating about the Shrine Maiden of Blessings. I’m quite good at analysis,” she suggested.

While researching about the Shrine Maiden of Blessings, Lena became interested in the formation of the kingdom of Elrand. As she delved into the lineage of Elrand, she learned about the nature of the spiritual power that supported the country. At that moment, Lena felt a stirring in her heart, a sensation she always remembered when she subconsciously grasped something. And as she listened to Bruno’s story, that sensation gradually took shape and became clearer.

There was something she absolutely had to know.

“The Kingdom of Elrand is a religious state. In Weitz , a Grand Priest occupies a position equivalent to nobility, and a king is established as their leader. That’s why in that country, those who are close to the royal family or hold high status tend to possess strong spiritual power and adhere to strict religious precepts,” Lena explained.

Bruno remained silent.

Lena continued, unfazed. “In Weitz, the teachings have relaxed since they first arrived, so they didn’t resonate as strongly. But the original scriptures contain various decrees: avoid lying, maintain emotional detachment, speak the language of spirits whenever possible. In the presence of spirits, avoid animal scents and remain pure.”

Bruno’s steady, unemotional way of speaking aligned with the tenets of the original scriptures.

When they approached the border of Elrand, he had jumped out of the carriage. If he disappeared for the week leading up to the festival, was he undergoing purification at the church?

“When Leo possessed a piece of the anti-magic fragment, you seemed to sense it immediately. It’s unusual for someone without magic to detect it so readily.”

How could a non-magic user perceive another’s magic? Intense training? A past with magic?

Or, a strong spiritual power that inherently shunned magic?

That explanation fits perfectly. “Is it possible you possess a strong spiritual power that instinctively rejects magic? If so, that would explain a lot.”

“According to the scriptures, those favored by spirits sometimes exhibit the color of the spirit in their eyes.”

Lena met Bruno’s gaze, looking directly into his onyx eyes. “Elrand’s kingdom is divided into ten clans, each worshiping a different spirit. The closer to the core, the stronger the spirit they worship. Seven years ago, the king’s brother and his family, who prayed to the spirit of darkness, meddled in Weitz.”

As Lena spoke, the fire seemed to lose its brightness, as though the night was consuming it. Darkness thickened around them.

Lena ignored the cold sweat forming in her clenched fist and forced a slight smile.

This was a battle.

She couldn’t afford to be overwhelmed.

Losing in any conflict was unacceptable to her.

“So, what do you think?” Lena tilted her head. “The king’s brother had many mistresses and numerous children. It took quite an effort to investigate it all. So many questions I wanted to ask, yet you kept disappearing. You wouldn’t even tell me your name. You’re cold, Bruno, aren’t you?”

Bruno’s black, sharp eyes stared back at her like a knife.

Darkness growled.

The night weighed heavily on her skin.

Still, Lena maintained a faint smile.

“Or should I address you differently? Bruno, or should I say, Burdul Norlius  Al Elrand.. a descendant of the dark clan?”