Mobuseka: The Black Heron.

The boy, who was, just now, immersed in a letter he was send. For a very brief once, trembled violently, as if his soul had left his body.

...

"Hmm... A? ... letter?" He mumbled to himself.

And, maybe because he did not understand the contend when he first read it, he began to scrutinize what was written.

After he reread through it once again, he moved his head and glance around the room in awe, as if it was the very first time he laid his eyes there in.

The dimly lit room was filled with the musty odor of stale air.

The bugs scattered all over the room, dancing around the light like the happy little sentient particles they were.

Selfishly trying to devour the single light source that grace everyone underneath.

Then again he stared at the letter once more, which seems to had previously haunted him.

"Ugh."

But... like the previous suddenness. His right hand blurred, it was to cover his right eye.

To compliment the current weirdness. An unanticipated giddy sensation invade his eye, which spread all accross his head from the front, and focus on his crown.

As he lowered his head on the desk, a memory... No! Two parallel memories flash in his head.

He violently, and selfishly inhale the air that surrounds the little hut.

Because his head hurt very much, perhaps to distract the pain somewhere else, he shook it up and down left and right, or sometimes he hit his crown or the back, and continued that way for a while.

And, after a while he finally spoke while hitting the back of his head, like a massage continously, "Haaaah!... hmm... Haaah ... Interesting"

And, after a few minutes, he straightened up, cracking his neck and knuckles like some in turn ghoul who was abducted on a date back in tokyo.

He followed those movement with a devilish smile. One that portray no selflessness or benevolence.

Standing up, he decided to take a walk, to greet the world that had recently dared surprised him.

Right now the man had three intertwining memories... Paradoxically, and why is that a paradox you ask??

Because memories are what we are, but if that is the case, what is this boy? Who have 3 memories inside his head, alas only one of them complete.

As he reached the edge of the land after walking for a few minutes, he smiled through his previously monotonic face, greeted by a floating masses of islands, rocks, and farmlands.

"Hehe... So... So very amusing."

Perhaps the land suddenly appear there in the middle of the night? Such questions, as expected were to be asked, of course.

But... No.

It was always there. The complication in this case was with the boy who greet his surrounding with a venomous sneer to the non intelligible rocks that floated around the sky in a systematic manner.

'For now lets take a rest, tommorrow is the day, I believe.'

He, like he had done something profoundly greag, proudly nodded and turns around, as if he was the world bemused him positively.

Without a second thought, he turns and went back to the lively cottage with a blank face.

The road back was serene, it was not disturbed by the pollution of noise like somewhere in the planet.

He hadn't even noticed!

When he initially decided to check around the area, but now that he focus on the path itself, he truly love the calmness of the night, that had no contrasting noise and very little light.

As he reached the little hut, very quietly, he open the door, as if not to woken up someone sleeping inside the room and rest comfortably.

"Tch... The stench... though."

He couldn't sleep for hours, which wasn't unusual for him, as he and his memories were having a very productive discussion.

The very next day as he anticipated a wild orc in the form of a women appeared in their mansion.

It was the first time the boy had laid eyes on his step 'mother'.

She has a blonde locks reminiscent of a sunbeam, albeit a faded, overexposed one.

Her presence, akin to a vixen's allure, is paradoxically marred by an unrefined and unsightly aesthetic.

Her existence in its entirety was a space that had no positive feature to compliment.

While he was assessing everything inside the study room of his father, a very timid and docile voice of a man rang.

"Try to understand from the boy's side zola. Nobody would want an age gap of almost 40 years!"

"Quiet Balcus! Just rejoice that your son shouldn't have to be a leftover."

As her words settled in, the subdued father faintly look at his son with a resigned, tired eyes.

Alternately gazing at the boy in front of him and the photo which was laid in fromt of him. Quiet bluntly, 'it' was unsightly.

He couldn't bear to think of the future of his little boy with the women in the photo, if you could call 'it' one.

While he was agonizing, tortured by the cruel proposal by his supposed 'Wife'.

The boy who had been very quiet and unusual, began to laugh, like he have finally found the funniest joke that have ever existed, and will existed.

It starts with a quite giggle then it turns into a full cackle.

"Hmm hmm hmm hmm... Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha."

Both the father and the 'wife' looks at him. Astonish and angry accordingly, for it was natural to show such reactions.

One was suprised while the other believed she was belittled.

Yet, neither one of them were ready enough to silence him. It was the last thing either of them expected.

"heh heh heh... So, what if we had the money for the academy, 'mother'?"

He stare at her, expressionless. But his eyes were full of hostility.

Still angered by the previous matter, and now the boy's demeanour, the women frown and sneered at him, the cup on her hand trembling.

"Ooh? Why have I never heard of your resourcefulness?" She asked with a side glance.

"..."

There was no answer. She has become even more angry, angry enough to tremble and approach him, while raising her hand.

Unmoved, the boy stared at her apathetically, and the father intervened before she could act.

While the women struggled with her anger, the boy asked the same question in a tone which completely lacked emotion, perhaps to mess with her little head again.

"So? what if we have the money for the academy?"

Zola was angry, partly because of the disrespect and partly because of the boy's demeanor, which suggested he thought nothing of her.

"Why did you think your academy fees should be enough?!"

"What a disgusting way of thinking."

"You, you little!!!"

The boy again laugh in provocation.

Because Balcus father feared the development. He answered in the stead of his boy, so that he could push her button no further.

"Give us some time zola."

"Train your animals better, balcus!"

She left with those words, leaping out of the room, huffing and puffing.

"Haaaah... Why are you provoking her?"

"I have a plan, father."

"Even so..."

...

"What?!"

"I have a plan."

"... Provoking her was part of it? I assume?"

"..."

"Haaaah... So? What is your 'plan'?"

The boy placed his tea down gracefully, which the father find suprising and stared wide eye, because from what he could remember, his boy had no semblance of etiquette.

Balcus's eye was straight, and the boy also stared into his father's eyes. Neither of them looked away.

The room was as still as a calm sea as they locked their gazes for a long while.

Perhaps sensing that his sincerity had been conveyed, the boy nonchalantly averted his eyes and sip his tea again.

"I will go on a journey for about 4 month."

"..."

There was no response; he gave his father a side glance without moving his head, who, unsuprisingly was showing a demonic expression.

....

The boy nodded and continued.

"I will come back with treasures."

He gazed at his father again for a long time.

"Haaaah."

Rubbing his temples, the feather eased his expression and sank onto his seat with a thud.

"So What will you need?"

"Before I answered that... hmm..."

He glanced at the calendar for a moment and spoke again.

"I will leave the day after tommorrow."

Of course, his decision was predetermined, his little action just now was implemented only to reassure his father.

Balcus rose from his lazy posture in a quick, swift motion.

"W-wha... what? You need a thorough preperation, you understand?!"

The boy contemplate for a moment and nodded, he appears to regard the advice....

At least thats what he appeared to be.

"You are right father. Then... 5 days from today, perhaps?" The boy finally reached the conclusion he desired

"Haaaah..." Rubbing his temples, Balcus slumped again in his chair, his legs dangling powerlessly below.

"So? what do you want?"

The boy closed his eyes for a moment, openin one of his memories, and listed all the things he judged necessary for the expedition.

~ Leon's POV ~

The whole process was simpler than I had imagined... but convincing the Mother was the most difficult part.

"But I didn't hate it," I mumbled softly to myself.

As I walked towards the little ship my father had prepared for me, the only thought I had was "Wow!"

Glancing back at my father, mother, and my little brother Colin, I couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.

This body had a terrible relationship with his sisters because of his biased, so they didn't come I assume.

Although it would've been nice if they did.

Rasing my hand, I moved my finger and gave them a reassuring smile.

Unlike what I anticipated, they were suprised, very~ suprised in fact.

"W-what?... That's the only thing we could prepare... given the short notice."

Hmm.... Interesting, they thought I wasn't satisfied. My smile hadn't change since the previous life, it seems.

"No..." I tapped the exterior of the ship. "This is enough."

Afraid to startle them any further, I locked them with an apathetic face that seemed devoid of all muscle.

Of course, my smile had caused me various problems before.

Some thought it was sarcastic, some thought it was grim, and cousin thought it was psychotic.

The reactions I received from this family were nothing new. So, the solution I came up with was simple: just "Don't smile."

That has been my motto for a long time.

As I opened the door and prepared to get inside, a voice filled with concern cut through the silent atmosphere.

"Leon, come back before your birthday, okay?..."

She was holding back, her voice was hoarse, deep and barely audible.

But, to me, it was loud and resonant.

I couldn't describe how positively pleasant a voice filled with motherly concern is.

Perhaps this body had heard it many times before; I didn't know because not all the memories had assimilated into my head yet.

Regardless, it was the first ever time for me.

I was a person who was very rarely swayed by emotions, but... Right now suppressing the desire to run towards her for a hug was a dreadful ordeal.

I didn't look back this time. "Of course... I promise."

"You have really matured, Leon," she said, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her cloth.

In a voice they couldn't hear, I uttered. "Hmm... Really... 1 and half a year older than me huh."

I will consider that as my payment for the new life. Although it feels like I killed the host and replaced him.

Regardless, I will do everything to cling onto this life.