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???’

Duke Carl just ignores Alex's shocking expression and continue his story.

Eighteen years ago, before Luis was born, everything was normal. Leon was a boy that full of spirit, imagination, and cleverness. He 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 born, Leon become 5 years old, as a child with many curiosities, he finds 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 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 outside starts avoids him, to ensure they won’t slip out the truth. 

The fact that he was adopted.

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

Maybe that's how 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 avoiding him, the child finally stop questioning. But… he's not only stopped question 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 the answer for overall”

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

He ignored our question with a smile and sometimes he just finds an excuse to avoid, though the excuse he has given was unbelievable, he didn’t care and just used it. Just like us, his parent who did 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 changes 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 confronting 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 nor 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 until he was eight, we ask help from a doctor from time to time for his counseling but… that’s 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 itself.

For three years, the child didn’t give any explanation regarding the way he behaves to a doctor but in the final three years… 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 meeting 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 says 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 walk to his mother. Duchess Julia patted Leon’s back as she bites her lips a little to holding in her emotion. She felt a little emotional starting from hearing Leon's voice from behind the door.

As it’s been years since she last heard Leon trying to talk to them and when she sees his smile, she felt the urge of crying, but she holding on.

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

“yes Leo... mother want 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 pause as he looked at both his mother and father, waiting for their answer. His father reply…

“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 always there for his younger brother, and out of everyone in the family, Luis the only one Leon treat nicely like how he was before everything that happens. He could be the way he 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 expressions. Leon ignores those gazed. And trying to continue but

“what do you mean by that Leo??”

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

Smirk*

Leon smile slightly watching his parent's 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 with Leon's answer. Leon 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!!*

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

To be continued...

To be honest, I had a really hard time telling this part to the readers... because I'm afraid that some of you might don't understand Leon's attitude and overall... but... if I need to explain more regarding it, it might just be exposing the overall plot of the story so... please bear with any question that might arise in your head regarding this story in later dates... because I promise you... that you guys will understand everything along the way...