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.

The fact that he was adopted.

“but we as a family never directly avoid him, but whenever he asked that type of question… we decide to shift to another topic, avoiding his question”

Maybe that was our first mistake as parents started. Because instead of confronting the problem, we choose to ignore it. Thinking that he won’t remember, he won’t always be questioning. And yes, after a few months of avoiding, the child finally stop questioning. But… he not only stopped questioning that question… he also STOPPED QUESTIONING EVERYTHING.

“since that one mistake… that child that always full of curiosity and trying to find an answer for everything… he stopped asking a question or looking for an answer for overall”

The child became quiet.  He stops asking anything and just follows without objection. No more questions about why we do this, why we do that. When the people in the mansion and outside were curious why he became like that… Just like how we avoid him, he avoided us.

He ignored our questions with a smile and sometimes he just finds an excuse to avoid us, though the excuse he has given was unbelievable, he didn’t care and just used it. Just like us, his parent who were doing the same as him before.

“he did the thing that all of you did to him??”

“yes…he did exactly the same… as we realized why he change like that… after a few months… we decide to confront him, in the hope, he will return to his usual self but…”

We are too late… as we start questioning him and hoping he returns to the usual him, he finally decided… to avoid us completely. Whenever we try to talk to him, he avoided it or he will listen but, that’s all. He's not accepting our excuse or our explanation at all. He chooses to live in the world of silence on his own.

“then because it’s happened for a few years. When he was 7 years old, we finally decide to ask help from a doctor from time to time for his counselling but… that was our second mistake…”

We hope that he will open up to a doctor and at least tell him the reason why he was acting like that, but… instead of receiving an answer from the doctor, we received a direct hit from the child himself. For three years, the child didn’t give any explanation regarding the way he behave to us nor did he says anything to his counsellor. But, by the time he was 8 years old… he finally confronts us…

“I still remember what he says to us when he meets us after dinner at my office… while I was with my wife talking…”

**************

Ten years ago, at Duke Carl's office.

Knock!! Knock!!

“father, mother… may I come in??”

Flinched*

Both his parents flinched as they don’t expect Leon to come and meet them.

“Leo??”

“yes, mother… so may I come in??”

Both of them look at each other and his father nodded his head.

“come in Leo”

Duke Carl say as he smiled slightly at his wife. His wife Duchess Julia smiles back at her husband.

Click

The door opens and both of Leon's parents watch him going inside and smile at him.

“Leo… come here darling… come to your mom”

“yes mother”

Leo smiles and walks to his mother. Duchess Julia then patted Leon’s back as she bites her lips a little to hold in her emotion. She felt a little emotional starting from hearing Leon's voice from behind the door. As it’s been a year since she last heard Leon trying to talk to them and when she sees his smile, she felt the urge of crying, but she held on.

“Leo is there something you want to tell us??”

“yes Leo... mother wants to hear too”

“Father...mother… I… for the past 8 years… I always did my best in everything… I did everything you ask me for… study, sword art, ethics… everything… isn’t that right father???“

Leon paused as he looked at both his mother and father, waiting for their answer. His father replied…

“yes… you did… Leo…”

“and as an older brother for Luis… I give my all for him to grow up… “

“yes… you did a good job as his older brother… mother know that too”

Duchess Julia patted slightly Leon’s head. Leon smiled bitterly. Both Leon's parents couldn’t help but agree with Leon's statement as even though Leon ignores others, he was always there for his younger brother, and out of everyone in the family, Luis was the only one Leon treated nicely like how he was before everything that happen. He could be the way himself before only in front of Luis.

“emm… and I plan to do that till his age reach 8”

Stiffened*

Both his parents looked at Leon with an odd expression. Leon ignores those gazes. And trying to continue but,

“what do you mean by that Leo??”

“yes, Leo… mother don’t understand… why only till 8??”

Smirk*

Leon smiled slightly watching his parent reaction.

“because 8 is the age he will learn to be an heir… I can’t spoil him like right now when that time comes for him, right??”

Gasp*

“ah”

Duke Carl and Duchess Julia both nodded to Leon's answer. Leon then continues with a stoic voice…

“and because after that time I… I will also stay isolated myself just like I did the past three years…”

Flinched*

Baam!!*