Chapter 14: Glimpse of Blood

Back to the room where Leon was left behind with the kids

We returned to the room and saw Leon still talking with the other kids. He really is good at getting along with people.

'I wonder what they're talking about?'

"Alright, everyone, what about we play outside? I'm sure you're all tired of just talking, it would also be a good experience for Leo, and Leon." Clervie suggested.

Her demeanor changed back to the cheery older sister; it was as if she never cried earlier.

"Let's go to the river!" One of them said.

Everyone then ran to a shed that looked like a warehouse for some spear-like sticks. After that, they ran outside of the premises of the house.

We followed them until we reached a shallow river. The river isn't very far from the house and many Fatui agents are following behind us, including the guards Papa sent with us.

'What are we doing here? Take a bath?' I thought to myself.

Everyone started taking off their shoes and socks, then, they slowly walked to the water and held the sticks in their hands.

"Use this," I heard Peruere's voice behind me.

She held two sticks and handed one to me.

"Um... what is this for?" I asked.

"It's for fishing, this is how we play here," Clervie answered me.

"Fishing? Don't you usually use a fishing rod?" I asked confused.

"We use these spears to catch fish, the house doesn't have enough mora to buy fishing rods, that's what Mother said," Peruere said.

I don't know the situation inside the house, but I know that Papa supplies most things, so it can't be the reason why they are using this.

If I were to guess, I think it's for training them.

"Leo! Let's go catch fish!" Leon called.

I gently entered the river.

I stayed near the shores for safety reasons.

The river itself isn't deep. Peruere and Clervie; the oldest ones in this group, entered the river with us and the water only reached their knees.

'How am I supposed to do this?' I asked myself, not having any idea what to do.

I looked at Peruere asking for help, but her back was turned against me. I then looked at Clervie with the same look on my face.

Fortunately, she noticed and approached me.

"What's wrong Leo?" She asked.

"How do I use this?"

"Oh! Right, it's your first time." She then showed me how to do it.

"First, you hold the spear like this, then you..." 

She explained to me in detail. 

"Now, you try." She said, her spear already had a fish on it. 

"I'll try,"

I held my spear and waited for a fish to come past. 

I stood motionless for a few minutes, deeply focused on catching one.

I suddenly heard Leon laughing.

"Muwahahahahaha, I'm the greatest fisherman alive!" He boasted.

In his spear, 3 fishes were already impaled. 

I looked at him in disbelief, not understanding how such luck came to him, while I stood there for minutes without a single fish in sight.

I spent the next half an hour standing there until my legs gave up and I had to go back.

"It's okay Leo," Clervie comforted.

I gave her an empty look.

"Leo! Look! I got eight fishes!" He boasted while flailing his three spears full of fish.

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

We came back to the main building and changed clothes.

The kids took a nap after changing clothes. Leon did the same.

I know that kids our age need a lot of napping but for some reason, I can't sleep in day time.

I decided to take a walk around.

Our guards split in half; some are watching over Leon, some on me.

Walking around the house isn't very exciting, to be honest. It's not as colorful as the rooms nor is it as lively. Most of the kids are sleeping so I guess that's a given.

I reached a place that looked like an arena.

There are some people inside.

From what I can see, they looked like the same age as Clervie and Peruere.

The arena is built differently than the house.

There were no chairs or tables. The ceiling looked like one of those indoor botanical gardens in my past life and there were many entrances around the arena. The second floor has some empty rooms and a few stairs.

"Young Master, it's not wise to be in here." One of the guards said.

"Why?" I asked back.

"Lord Pantalone ordered us not to bring you anywhere dangerous, so please listen and go back." 

"Okay, but tell me the reason first," I said.

I already knew the purpose of this place. It's a dueling arena for the members of the House of the Hearth.Two people will enter, but only one will come out.

The guard pondered before giving me an answer.

"This place is used to punish the losers of duels. This is not an appropriate place for the Young Master to wander around." 

'You could have just told me the real purpose instead of twisting the truth like that.' I kept it to myself.

"Okay," I said and walked back to the main building.

On the way back, I looked at every person around; trying to look for the spy that Papa planted inside. But I didn't find the person, nor did I get any clue on who it was.

As we walked back, I noticed an open door. Clervie never took us to that room.

I walked my way to the door, expecting my guards to stop me. But they did not say anything.

Upon reaching the door, I peeked inside and what I saw shocked me.

Bloodied clothes with scissors and other sharp equipment were inside. There are also bloodied bags and a few nails on the floor. Upon closer look, I could see one of the bags moving slightly.

I was filled with horror and fear. For once in both lives I saw what I only watched in movies. 

My guards noticed my pale look and pulled me back. Then, they peeked inside the room and were shocked. 

"Get the young master out of here!" One of them ordered.

I was then gently dragged by them to one of the empty rooms.

I then puked and collapsed to the floor. All my strength left my body, then all went black.

The image of that room left a deep impression on me. The smell of blood mixed with metal, the fallen nails, and the blood dripping from the bags as they moved. The horror of that day was forever etched in my mind, and I regretted strolling around.

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

I woke up inside what looked like a hospital room. 

I examined myself and saw that I was wearing different clothes.

"He's fine, he just collapsed from shock." 

I could hear a woman talking outside the room.

"Why did you not lock the door?! If Pantalone heard of this the consequences would be ugly!" I heard a familiar voice of a woman shouting.

"Lord Harbinger, forgive me, I will make sure this will not affect the House of the Hearth!"

A voice of a man pleaded.

Three people were talking from outside the room.

I got up and walked to the door, gently opening it.

Outside, was Crucabena with two other people I hadn't seen.

"Leo, how do you feel, are you alright?" Crucabena asked me.

"Ye-yes, I'm fine."

"Tell me Leo, what did you see inside?" She asked.

"..."

I stayed silent.

Just remembering what I saw inside makes me pale.

"Child, what did you see." She asked again; her eyes and tone were different from the usual one she used to speak to the children.

Suddenly, someone came.

"Knave, I never thought you were this careless."

I heard Papa's voice coming from the entrance of the building.

"Regrator, my apologies, It was my subordinate's mistake that this happened, would be so kind as to keep a blind eye on this?"

"Oh my, Knave, do you take me for a fool? I don't know how traumatized Leo was from what he saw, and you believed that I won't take you accountable for it?" Papa said. His voice took a hostile tone.

"..."

Crucabena didn't answer and just glared at Papa.

"Leo, come here."

I ran to Papa's side and hugged him.

"Now, Knave, would you like to discuss the reparations that you will give Leo for this incident."

Crucabena bit her lips hard, causing it to bleed.

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

"Leo! Are you okay?!" Leon asked worriedly.

"I'm okay, Leon," I said.

"Leo, what happened? Why did you pass out?" Clervie followed behind Leon.

"That's..." 

I didn't want to answer it in front of Leon. He isn't like me who has Memories of my past life, the shock will be too much for a child like him.

"I was just dehydrated, I forgot to drink water." I made an excuse.

"Dehydrated? What's that?" Leon asked confused.

"I see," Clearvie replied.

Clervie then explained to Leon what dehydration is.

Peruere got close to my side and asked me in a low hushed voice.

"What did you see?"

"..." 

I pondered what to say and end up deciding to tell the truth.'

"Blood and nails on the floor with some bloodied ba-" 

"I see, so you saw it."

Before I could finish, she interrupted me. 

I felt like puking again, thankfully, she didn't let me finish.

"Ohhhh, so it's a bad thing!" 

Clervie finished explaining to Leon, what dehydration is.

"Leo, always drink water or else you'll die!" 

"..."

'Sometimes, you piss me off Leon,' I kept this thought to myself.

"By the way, where's Papa? I heard his voice earlier." Leon asked.

"Papa is inside talking to their Mother."

We talked to ourselves, waiting for them to finish.

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

A few more minutes passed and Papa with Crucabena came out of the room.

Papa was still smiling, while Crucabena wore a huge frown on her face.

"Mother, is everything alright?" Clervie asked.

"Go back to your rooms."

'Oh, she's pissed.' I thought.

We left the orphanage right after that.

Back at the hotel, Leon was munching on some sweets while a doctor was checking up on me.

Papa doesn't trust the doctor at the orphanage.

"He is very healthy, nothing is wrong with his body Monsieur."

A Fontainian doctor examined my whole body and took some tests.

"That's good to hear." Papa then paid the doctor with a hefty amount of mora.

After the doctor left, Papa took me to one of the tables inside the hotel's reception while the guards formed a circle around us. 

"Leo, what you saw inside the room should not be known by anyone, not even Leon, do you understand?"

"Yes, Papa."

"Before this, did you tell anyone?"

"..."

"Leo." His voice carried a hint of authority.

"Only Peruere."

"She's the unique girl with Crucabena's biological daughter right?" 

"Yes..."

"I see."

Papa, then leaned back on his chair, thinking about something.

"Leo, thanks to your curiosity, I managed to pressure Crucabena on letting Leon and you visit from time to time and even exchange letters with anyone in the orphanage. I would say that you owe me one, Leo."

Papa said. He looked amused.

"Now, Leon, it's time for you, to do something for me."

Papa looked at me as if he was looking at a prey and said.

"I want you, to get close to a child inside the house, and make that child, replace Crucabena in the future." 

I did not expect to hear this.

"But, why me? Papa can easily do it." 

"Your words make me happy Leo, but I can't do it."

He then reasoned.

"Among the Harbingers, I'm someone who holds an irreplaceable position, you can say, that the power I have can mold the whole organization's decisions, and that makes them weary of me. Every time I move, it's always monitored, so if I make any move to replace someone, everyone will oppose it. The more power I have, the more dangerous I am in their eyes."

"But, I'm just a child." I tried to reason. 

"And that's why they won't see it coming. Crucabena will now pay so much attention to you, thinking that I am plotting something. This will make you, the prime target for them. They will try to get as much information from you as possible. But all you have to do is choose the strongest one amongst her children and make them strong enough to replace her. I will make some decoys on the sides to try to make them believe that I intend to weaken her side and then toss a helping hand and make her organization a puppet of mine, using you as a way to get someone to infiltrate and weaken them from inside. But in truth, it's not my true intention. Instead of weakening them, I'll use their strongest weapon to overthrow them from inside!"

 A shiver runs up my spine

He thought of this plan right after he heard that I fainted. '

"Leo, make them in debt to you, that way, when the time comes, we'll have them in the palm of our hands."