18 Neither enemy, nor ally
I have to admit, I'm a little terrified.
After Johan's rescue, we reported to the authorities and the gang members were arrested. It was a bit difficult to explain Butch's strange death, but I feigned ignorance, and Johan didn't have to pretend, after all, we were just a couple of scared kids.
After taking our declaration, the marquis was informed and it was decided that Johan would stay at my house until his family came for him.
And now here I am, nervous knowing that that woman will come, even though she is not my enemy, she is one of the most dangerous people in this world, and I have learned to avoid her until I'm able to finish her with a single blow.
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I was in the dining room having breakfast with Johan, after escaping from his kidnappers he was quite affected, and hardly spoke or ate. But lately he has recovered his mood so he was eating with a big appetite, until a powerful voice boomed all around.
(Woman) JOHAN BABY, MOMMY HAS COME FOR YOU!!!!
The dining room doors burst open, revealing a woman who ran to embrace Johan, bursting into tears.
(Woman) my baby has suffered so much!!! mommy has failed to protect her child.
The woman cried inconsolably. But Johan, for his part, was more concerned about not being suffocated in his mother's deadly hug.
(Johan) Mommy, you're suffocating me.
(Woman) My baby, mommy is here, don't cry anymore.
The woman kept crying, while Johan struggled to free himself from the powerful embrace.
I had seen this scene before, and I knew that there was no force in the world capable of bringing that woman back to her senses, so I ignored it and continued my breakfast.
A moment later, a slightly upset Irma entered the room.
(Irma) Excuse me young master, I was not able to restrain that woman.
A solitary hair was showing on her forehead, and on her uniform there was a small dust stain, since I have known Irma, this woman is the only one capable of upsetting her.
A moment later a man came into the room, he was short of breath and looked like he had run here.
(Man) Honey, you have to calm down, we are on someone else's property.
(Johan) Daddy help, mommy is like this again.
(Woman) My baby, my babyyy.
Soon after two other young men arrived who were Johan's brothers, and between all of them they tried to free him from his mother's deadly embrace, but the only thing they managed to do was also to be trapped in her arms.
(Woman) My babies, at last they are together again.
At that moment I could see the father's heart break as he was excluded from the embrace.
I glanced at the strange scene worthy of a Renaissance painting.
On one side a loving mother embraces her three children, and these in turn, struggle not to be suffocated, meanwhile, there is a man with a broken heart to be left aside, and a transvestite girl trying to eat breakfast, a Dantesque scene if ever there was one.
It was a little more than half an hour, but the woman finally recovered her composure.
She regained her composure, and as if nothing had happened, she introduced herself.
(Eris) I apologize for having burst into your humble abode, I am Eris, mother of three wonderful children, and wife of Marquis Johansen.
Eris... You forgot your most important title...
(Leonora) I am Leon Lazaruz, son of Count Lazaruz, and I welcome you to my home.
(Marquis) It's a pleasure to greet you, I'm Marquis Maxi ....
(Eris) Yes, anyway, tell me little one, is your father well? I have to thank him for having rescued my little Johan.
The poor marquis was heartbroken when he was interrupted and ignored.
(Leonora) my father had to leave the city for work reasons, he has asked me to apologize on his behalf, for not being able to be here to receive you.
That was a good idea, the official version of the facts was, that my father had carried out the rescue and this way it did not fall more attention of the necessary one in my.
(Johan) but mom it was Leon who saved me, he fought with Butch and then his maid arrived.
You idiot...
Hearing those words, the woman's gesture changed and she rushed at me with the intention of hugging me, but Irma was faster and stopped her holding her by the dress, so she released her grip, and continued her march until Irma got in front of me, cutting her way.
I also have to say that all this happened the instant I stopped, so maybe things didn't happen that way, before me there is only an Eris with a slightly disheveled dress, and an Irma who used to be on the other side of the room cutting her off.
Why can't I do that? With that inhumanity things would be so much easier.
(Eris) I apologize, I lose my composure a little when it comes to my little ones, but I am greatly grateful.
(Leonora) things were not as Johan says, I was also in trouble, and I was just a little lucky that everything turned out well.
The Marquis regained some confidence, and finally spoke.
(Marquis) but it's also remarkable to be able to think in a risky situation, if I hadn't been there things could have had a different outcome.
(Leonora) it's not as impressive as they think.
(Marquis) In any case, when your father returns, he must know that the Johansen house owes him a great debt.
(Leonora) I will convey his message.
After a series of compliments from her family, and promises of support in the future, I said goodbye to them and they were about to leave, but she stayed for a moment.
(Eris) I really appreciate what you have done for my family, Leon? Don't you? Hmm I feel that name doesn't fit you, it's too masculine maybe?
(Leonora) you don't choose your own name.
Before leaving she stopped in front of Irma.
(Eris) Sorry honey, I didn't catch your name.
(Irma) My name is Irma, madam.
(Eris) oh Irma, nice to meet you dear, I found this and I think you dropped it.
She reached out her hand, and she had one of Irma's uniform buttons.
This damn woman, she can see through my disguise at a glance, if it weren't for her obvious weaknesses, she would be one of my greatest enemies.
Irma looked slightly at the button in her hand, and took it.
(Irma) Thank you very much ma'am, but I have the impression that this is yours.
Irma held out her hand, and there were three buttons from Eris's dress.
(Eris) oh thank you very much, Irma dear, you are very kind.
She turned around, and left to go back to her family.
I for my part was only able to think.
FREAKING SUPERHUMAN!!!!
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A few days after the rescue, a letter arrived addressed to the count, whose provenance was from the lord of these lands, inviting the count to his residence.
The biggest problem of Leon Lazaruz's identity is obvious, the non-existence of a Count Lazaruz, I knew about this, but Leon's identity brings too many benefits to face the danger involved.
That's why I ask Irma to prepare a series of gifts to accept the invitation of the lord of Quarel, Viscount Lenua.
So we headed to his mansion in the north of Quarel, traveling in two carriages, in one was Irma and I, in the other gifts for the viscount.
Viscount Lenua, was a man of tanned skin and a bushy beard, a great fan of good food which had given him a big belly to match, but the viscount was a fair and benevolent man who ruled Quarel with wisdom, that was another reason why I decided to place myself here.
We sat down in an elegant room and Irma prepared coffee for both of us, the viscount became a fan of coffee as soon as he tasted it, his good taste was another reason to come to Quarel.
(Leonora) My father apologizes greatly for not being able to come with us today, he is a very demanding man and likes to supervise the construction of the factories and the plantations himself.
(Viscount) No problem young Lazaruz, I understand that your father is a busy man, and I would like to continue doing business with him in the future.
My father means money, even the biggest idiot could understand that, but only a smarter man understands the true value of my father's inventions, the end of the monopoly of magic.
In this world with magic they do everything from planting to processing, to medicine, this would not be so bad except that less than 10% of the population is able to do magic, making even basic medical services almost impossible for simple commoners, and shooting the prices of products through the roof.
Among the inventions, not only are there other ways to process raw materials without the need for magic, but also medical knowledge to cure the basic diseases who take a worrying number of lives a year, all this brings to the table the possibility of a world that works without the need for magic and Viscount Lenua knows this and supports the idea of such a world.
(Viscount) anyway young Lazaruz, I have been in contact with your father through letters for a couple of years, and today's visit had a different purpose.
(Leonora) Yes, I'm informed, and I will accept my father's decision.
(Viscount) I am glad to hear that, Aisha you can come in.
At that a girl entered the room, she was a girl with short black hair, and caramel colored skin, anyone who sees her can know that she will grow up to be a woman of incredible beauty.
This was one of the main reasons to come to Quarel, Aisha was one of my best allies.
(Aisha) Good afternoon, I introduce myself, I'm Aisha Lenua, I hope we will get along well in the future.
(Leonora) I'm Leon Lazaruz, it is also a pleasure to meet you.
(Viscount) Well, if there are no objections from any side, then it is decided, I hope you will visit us again soon my future son-in-law.
I arranged a future meeting with Aisha, and returned to the mansion, with the factories on the way and my fiancée decided, my life as a Lion was progressing smoothly, or so I thought.
I was returning with Irma to the mansion, and we headed to the living room when Irma stopped me.
(Irma) Young master, she is here.
(Leonora) I know, but it's our house anyway.
When I opened the door, Eris was sitting in an armchair drinking tea, drinking tea in my house is already an insult to me, but I let it pass this time.
Unlike her son, whose hair is a dark blonde and almost never combed, Eris had platinum blonde hair, which sometimes looks white depending on the light in the room, despite being over 40 years old and with three children in tow, she had an enviable figure, and a soft and smooth skin that was the envy of women half her age, but all that is overshadowed by the fact that she is one of the most powerful people I've come to see in this world.
Just seeing this woman makes my blood boil, in the past she was responsible for some of my worst moments, and I have always held a grudge against her.
I sit in front of her and Irma serves me coffee.
(Leonora) to what I owe your visit, Marquise Johansen.
She smiles at me, and speaks to me with that childish tone that I find so annoying.
(Eris) you can just call me Eris, darling, but in return I would like to know how I should refer to you.
There was no reason to pretend ignorance, if you have come here is that you have found out enough.
(Leonora) Leonora, that's my name.
(Eris) It's not a very original name, the point of changing your name is that they can't recognize you.
(Leonora) I'm not really hiding, my name is an invitation to my enemies.
(Eris) oh it's surprising that such a little girl has enemies, but considering what you have achieved at such a young age it's not illogical.
(Leonora) You haven't answered me, to what do I owe your visit?
(Eris) you know, since my little Johan met you, I have never seen him so happy and constantly asking me for permission to come to Quarel to play with you, and call me overprotective, but I like to know what kind of people relate to my family, and more with my little baby.
She took a sip of her tea, and abandoned that childish tone, for a more serious one.
(Eris) And you know, I have never been able to find so little information about someone.
(Leonora) Let's say I'm good at hiding my tracks.
(Eris) maybe too good, that there is nothing about a person is too suspicious, it was a good idea to use a Tarrazzca noble as a front, with the civil war that's raging there it's very difficult to get information.
(Leonora) it's only suspicious if you know what to look for, and I have already told you, I am not hiding.
(Eris) yes, but a bad identity can attract more enemies than you want, when I tried to follow the count's money trail, it led me to a dead end, money doesn't just appear, I recommend you a more natural way to justify your fortune.
(Leonora) If more enemies come to my doors I will welcome them with open arms.
(Eris) I don't know what kind of life you have lived, but you have the eyes of someone who has faced death face to face more times than I could count, I never thought I would see that in such a little girl, it's terrifying and it makes me lose hope in the world we live in.
(Leonora) You have not answered my question, to what do I owe your visit?
(Eris) the fact that you can receive me so calmly, it's already something surprising even knowing who I am.
(Leonora) You have entered the lion's den, you are in my territory, and that gives me an advantage.
(Eris) It's true, I only came with the intention of talking, and I was convinced that I would take you by surprise, but I see that I was wrong, certainly, I'm in disadvantage.
She looked at Irma, who was still behind me, like an Alcon protecting its nest.
(Leonora) Answer my question, why did you come?
(Eris) I don't know what you are planning, but I have come to ask you to please leave my family outside.
(Leonora) I didn't mean to involve them, things just happened that way, or do you think I would voluntarily want to make you my enemy?
(Eris) It's hard to believe that things happen without you wanting them to.
(Leonora) Chance is powerful, and there is no such thing as a perfect plan.
(Eris) however it is, my little boy wants to be reunited with his friend, he has been through a lot these days, so I want to do something to cheer him up, and I don't want to give him the tragic news that his friend mysteriously disappeared.
(Leonora) I already told you, I don't want to involve Johan in my plans, things ended in a way I didn't plan.
(Eris) If that's the case, I hope for a long friendship between our houses.
Eris left, and that night I couldn't sleep.
Not really because of the content of our conversation, but rather because I had drunk 10 cups of coffee that day.
