The Broken Man

I'm an orphan. In my world, it's kill or be killed. The rule of the jungle they say.

Klein Heisender is the name the sisters of the orphanage have given to me. They were very kind but because they can't protect themselves, they were harassed, overpowered, or ridiculed by the people who wielded much greater power.

They were killed.

I don't even remember their names.

I decided that I won't get ordered around by those people. Strength is what rules the world and it is still now applied.

Experiences made me what am I now. To survive, I have to get my hands dirty.

"Mister, you've smiled,"

I can't really put it into words. I seldom looked at the mirror, not even sometimes so I couldn't distinguish the reaction was I having.

I smiled, she said.

"Hehe, are you that happy about the gift?" The lady tapped Klein's shoulder, "I understand, I understand. It's your first time receiving a gift from a beautiful and sexy lady gift like me."

"…"

"Come on now. At least talk to me, mister. I've been waiting for you to talk to me and many years had already passed."

Glancing in her direction, I stayed quiet for a second before saying softly, "Thank you, Monica."

The lady, Monica, curled her lips upward before turning around and jumping on her bed, "This is the greatest time of my life. Hehe, mister, since we're on a speaking term now, I have a lot of things to tell you. Can you listen to them all?"

"Okay," Smiling faintly, I continued, "I'll listen to your stories."

Monica jumped right off her bed, brought a cup of tea to the table, began to pour it with hot water, and seated down as she gestured for me to sit down on the other available chair.

There, she began to talk about a lot of kinds of stuff I didn't hear or saw when I was watching her. At that moment and in our conversation, I attained peace.

It wasn't bad at all.

We keep seeing each other in her room every day, telling me stories that sounded interesting at least. Or maybe it was interesting because she was the one who talked about it.

Those who tried to harm her, I killed them. Those people who were going too far to the point that Monica was on the verge of losing control of herself, I killed them. Those people who didn't give her happiness, I killed them.

I'm doing the dirty work for her and even she was starting to notice since her competition had mysteriously disappeared but I didn't confirm or talk anything about them when we meet up.

Well, she was mostly the one who was talking so I didn't mind if she probes more or not.

"Mister, the place I govern is very… peaceful. There are no bandits coming here but well, the kingdom is there but still… Thank you, again," Monica smiled, "I'm not being good at you just so you could do those dirty things, really. It's very boring without competitions, you know?"

"I wasn't doing anything. We're just talking here, that's all."

"Hah… here we go with the ignorance again. Just say that you did it! I will not be angry, you know?"

"And what will change?"

Monica looked at me intently as she let out an exasperated sigh and changed the subject, "Tsk, anyway, There will be a gathering at the capital. I'll be out for a while. I can't trust my subordinates that they will maintain this place as safe as it is. You watch them over for me."

"You're ordering me?"

"Do I need to say please?" Monica spoke sarcastically as she fumed in anger.

Noticing her expression, I asked, "Why are you mad? I didn't do anything wrong."

"Mister, it seems you can't read the situation, so I'll just say it. It's been a few months since we talked every day and I was the only one keeping our conversation going. You only answered everything vaguely…

"I don't even know your name… As if we're strangers when in fact, we've known each other for years. I wanted us to get closer, you know? You are… family to me. The only one left. And… I'm very afraid that we'll get distant from each other again. I don't want it to happen, mister…"

She keeps saying what's on her mind that she didn't stop speaking.

'Family… huh,'

I never knew what that word meant in my entire life. Maybe, it's just to show the group the person belonged to but… at that moment, she was saying a different meaning.

"I-I don't know what to do. Will you leave me too, mister—"

"Klein"

Monica instantly stopped herself from speaking as she looked at me, dumbfounded. Tilting my head slightly to the side, I thought she didn't hear and repeated.

"My name is Klein Heisender."

All of a sudden, Monica bursts into tears as she heard it, run in my direction, and hugged me tightly.

It was unknown to me why she would suddenly cry and I was about to make a joke about it inside my head when she muttered.

"I'm glad… Klein. I'm very glad that you are here. When you saved me there, I just knew that my life will change… Sniff, thank you."

Frozen at my spot, I caressed her hair before hugging her also.

After she was done crying, she was brimming with life and ventured out towards that gathering with knights on her back, embarrassed by what she was done. Her face was clearly saying she didn't want to be there for a while.

And for the first time ever as I watched her left, I laughed.

…

"I'm getting married.'

Not surprised by the message, I smiled and replied, "Congratulations."

Monica was in a time when she could marry anyone since she was at the right age. She is also popular amongst the nobles since she raised her land with her own strength and mind.

When she got back to the gathering, her face wasn't the same as before.

And after a few years of being like that, she finally announced that she is getting married which I'm aware of. I mean, if she keeps rejecting men from courting her, she'll become suspicious and the kingdom might put her in custody, questioning where her loyalties lay.

With an expressionless face, Monica looked at me and said, "You are happy…?"

"Who wouldn't? You finally have someone that could be there for you."

Monica pursed her lips as she looked at me directly, "Klein, state your honest opinions, okay? Am I attractive?"

Bemused by the strange question, I answered, "Yes, you are. When are you getting married?"

Actually, I know what is going on but I acted like I didn't. After she came back from the gathering, I looked into it and saw that she was forced to marry a man, and like every family in there, combining forces would result in much stronger forces.

Monica was young and unmarried. The man he was supposed to marry is young and unmarried.

Standing up in her place, Monica thump her hands on the table as she shouted, "I hate you, Klein! You are so fucking dense!"

She runs straight toward the door and before leaving, she left the words, "I will marry the man I don't know next month! Are you happy now?!"

Without knowing how to react, I was left stupefied and we didn't talk after. Time passed, and the day of the wedding came.

…

"Congratulations." Walking her down the aisle while holding her arm, I said once more and saw her face becoming more and more emotionless.

There were confused faces around as to who was walking Monica through the aisle but for now, I removed those gazes to make sure I was happy with her but she is the one making me uncomfortable.

After doing my part, I moved to the side where the bride's family is placed and watch everything with a warm gaze.

The priest commenced saying a few words before saying, "Does anyone who is against the wedding?"

I looked around to see if there are any against it. I will just have to look at them and be done with it but suddenly, short gasps kept coming from the visitors as they looked in one direction.

I shifted my gaze to where it was coming from but only to see Monica raising the hand herself, turning around as she looked at me.

"I'm against it." Monica paused, "The person I wanted to marry is that man and no other more. If you have any disagreement, we can talk—"

Chak!

That wasn't the only thing that happened on that day. Much to my horror, my face contorts but unable to do so, feeling a slight pain in my abdomen.

"Sigh, and here I thought we could end this without any hitch." Sticking a dagger at Monica's chest, his groom weirdly formed a wicked smile, "I've been waiting for so many years. Why can't you just die on yourself?"

He looked at me, "And I can finally the reason why. I don't know who you are but you can marry your beloved in the afterlife."

That day that was supposed to be the best day for her and for me… turned out to be the worse.

Monica died and I couldn't do anything to protect her.

…

"That's all."

"Eh? How did you survive? I wanted to hear more." Isaac, who was unlike his normal self, instantly shut his mouth, upon seeing that he was crossing the line of privacy, "Forget that I mentioned it."

"Ahaha. Well, I've exacted my revenge on that family and anything that was related to them. The moment I was done, I was pursued by the official organization The Arbitrators. I was heavily injured but I managed to kill them since they were after my life. On a side note, those official Ruiners who chased me belonged to that family so I didn't feel any guilt.

"I accepted my death on that day when Verl was on the street attending some business. He was still a baron title at that time and when I thought he would ignore me, he helped me without any exchange. He was a very kind person.

"I don't understand why I keep meeting people like them. Their kindness didn't deserve me a bit," Klein looked at Isaac and smiled faintly, "It was also at that moment that I was attentive to outsiders. I have never trusted any intel about them and would decide my opinion when I have done my interrogating."

"Ah, you're the one who sent those threatening letters in my room that says leave?" Isaac, who finally find the crux of the problem, asked and saw Klein nod as he shakes his head.

Klein, instead of answering, then looked at one spot not where Isaac was sitting but just an inconspicuous spot, and said, "Come out, Noelle. There's no need to hide anymore."

Flinching on his spot, Noelle came out with a wry smile on his face, waved at the two, and saw Isaac was the only one surprised.

Instead of harboring ill intentions, Klein stood up and bowed slightly.

"Young master, I would like to resign as your butler. What happened here is beyond repairable and I was the one who started all this. I will not show myself at Duke tomorrow. Please say my regards that it was a pleasure serving someone like him—"

"Klein, it's all right." Noelle spoke with a serious face, "Continue serving the duke. You also don't have to tell him anything about your past either."

He paused, "I'll handle this. Although what you did is unreasonable doesn't mean it doesn't have a valid reason."

"Hmm?" Klein looked at Noelle with a warm gaze as he mused, 'Young master… you've definitely changed. You are always avoiding my gaze but now… sigh. You are the reason why I'm telling Isaac about my past, you know…? Well, I don't need to tell you this.'

Feeling glad about this, Klein smiled, "All right. I'll be in your care, young master."

Just like that, Klein, who thought he was leaving because of his vulgar actions resulted to this, stayed.

Isaac didn't harbor resentment after the blatant accusation of being a spy or some sort since he can fully see the whole picture of it.

Though, it bugs him since if other people keep coming at the duke, Isaac was afraid that this kind of 'interrogation' would happen to them and they sure wouldn't like it.