"He doesn’t appear impressive at first glance, but surely having him become yours makes things much more interesting. Rather than taking him to the Simmons manor, think about keeping him here. Establish a facade of security. This way, he’ll definitely last longer than a month, right?"
These were Alan's whispered words to Leonard. Combined with the apparent ineffectiveness of his high-rank aura barrier against Elric, these words sparked a mix of fascination and irritation in Leonard. Unable to resist, he agreed to Alan's twisted plan; the idea of turning Elric into a pawn for his amusement held a peculiar allure. Besides, who was there to stop him?
Satisfied with what the day had given him, Leonard released his grip on Elric’s hair, causing Elric’s bloodied head to harshly hit the ground. And as he always did after playing with his toys, Leonard left one last look of arrogance. He soon followed his two friends and made his way towards the entrance of Vailee, leaving Elric alone in his battered state.
Elric laid still, Leonard’s chilling words incessantly echoing in his mind. The sun-kissed afternoon had morphed into a deep indigo dusk, where the stars above extended solace, embracing him in the arms of the night.
“Elric?”
Hanna’s cautious voice had called out for him, but it was too hard for Elric to move.
“Elric.”
This time, Hanna's voice resonated closer. Elric managed a feeble smile. Amidst the challenges of the day, he was grateful that at least he was able to protect Hanna. He found relief in the realization that he was the one lying in such a pitiable state and not such a young girl like her.
“I found you,” said Hanna, now standing above him. She couldn’t stop her tears from falling as she witnessed Elric’s impaired condition. “I’m so sorry, Elric. Because of me…” Her weeping muffled her next words.
Mustering up the meager strength he had gathered, Elric reached out his hand. Without hesitation, Hanna quickly seized it. “Yes, what is it? What do you need?”
“Please keep what happened today a secret.”
Hanna wanted to immediately decline, but the desolation in Elric’s eyes made her think otherwise. How could she reject the request of her savior?
“Alright…” She responded. She then assisted Elric in standing and did her best to support him as they headed towards his parents' inn.
It could have only been an hour once he arrived home before Elric could hear the door of his room open. He had covered his entire bruised body in the shabby brown blanket he’s had since childhood.
“Elric? Are you alright? You’re usually up and about during this time,” Serena’s gentle and concerned voice emanated from the hallway.
“I’m just not feeling well,” Elric mumbled.
Serena crossed her arms. He was obviously lying. “Are you really not going to tell me? The Elric that used to propose to me all the time would’ve definitely told me.”
“......”
Serena furrowed her brows in worry. That usually got a rise out of him. “Fine… I won’t press any further. Just remember, I’m here for you, okay?”
Once he could hear his door shut, Elric removed his blanket, revealing his pained face.
‘I'm sorry, Aunt Serena,’ he thought. ‘I was wrong; I'm not stronger than I look. In fact, I'm not strong at all.’
* * *
SNARL.
Elric, now at the age of fifteen, was immersed in his hunting training, standing resolute before a young shadow panther.
"Now!" commanded Tip with a booming voice. Elric swiftly extended his spear in response to the sudden appearance of the shadow panther on his left side.
GROWL!
The wounded mana beast could no longer conceal itself in the shadows as blood began to seep from its body. Its yellow eyes glowed with a mix of ferocity and pain as it circled Elric, its tail lashing in agitation.
Elric tightened his grip on the spear, his senses on high alert. The forest echoed with the sounds of their confrontation—the rustling leaves, the distant whisper of the wind, and the tense breathing of both hunter and prey.
With a sudden burst of speed, the shadow panther lunged at Elric, claws extended. Elric sidestepped the attack with practiced agility, narrowly avoiding the razor-sharp claws. He countered with a swift jab of his spear, aiming for the beast's rear.
The panther yowled in pain, but its resilience showed with its immediate retaliation of deeply grazing Elric’s shoulder. Undeterred, Elric pivoted, bringing the spear down with calculated precision.
As the shadow panther recoiled, he seized the chance to strike once more. His motions resembled a survival dance, each step a calculated response to the relentless assault of the creature. With a final, determined thrust, Elric executed a decisive blow, penetrating the shadow panther's heart. A haunting growl escaped the beast before it crumpled to the forest floor. Elric stood there, panting, both victory and humility coursing through him due to the intensity of the battle.
Tip smoothed back his navy blue hair and observed with a blend of pride and concern. Despite it being only a few months since he began Elric's training, Elric had shown exceptional growth. “Wow, your sense of instinct is amazing,” he said as he approached Elric.
‘Of course it is,’ thought Elric as he superficially bandaged up his shoulder. ‘I’ve had to deal with the attacks of a psychotic swordsman for the past four years.’
“I still need to train. An adult shadow panther wouldn’t have fallen for such shallow strikes.”
Tip rolled his eyes at the young boy who could never accept a compliment. "Yeah, whatever. Hurry home before Serena chews my head off again."
Elric paused in his shoulder bandaging. Tip has been visiting the inn a lot these days. "Hey…" he nervously began, "do you have a thing for Aunt Serena?"
Tip's face immediately reddened. "W-what?! No, I–" He sighed in defeat. "Is it that obvious?"
Elric grimaced. “What?! You actually do?!” There was no one good enough for his angelic aunt.
“What’s with that face? I’m not that bad!”
Elric’s face of disgust remained.
“Why you little–”
Just as the two were going to engage in a scuffle, a familiar tension filled the air abruptly. Their attention turned to the forest's edge, where Serena stood with an intense, fiery gaze. "It’s two hours past dinnertime, and I come to find my nephew with a huge wound on his shoulder. Care to explain, Tip?”
Tip nervously gulped. “Ahaha… It’s nothing serious, just a small scratch.”
“Small, you say.” Serena's words were as cold as ice.
Tip shot Elric a desperate glance, silently pleading for assistance. However, Elric was too busy surveying a rock that looked a little too grey.
“You just have to join us for dinner,” Serena said, her smile sending shivers as she firmly pulled Tip by the ear. “And you…” Serena's stern gaze shifted from Tip to Elric. Unfazed by his aunt’s intimidating tactics, Elric was already on his feet, briskly making his way home.
‘Well, she was angelic most of the time,’ Elric mused.
*
After returning home and having dinner, Serena's anger appeared to fade away. She focused on correcting Elric's poorly done shoulder bandaging, all while Tip peacefully slept on the inn’s kitchen table.
“Seriously, Elric, you'll be the death of me one day. It’s like you can’t avoid getting hurt,” she remarked in exasperation.
A heavy silence filled the room, and Elric hesitated, his remorse deepening as Serena's concern heightened his guilt. After a moment, he finally spoke. "I’m sorry."
Serena sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose before continuing to adjust the bandage. “I know you’ve become a young man now and are no longer a child, but it’s disheartening to see you continue keeping everything bottled up.”
Elric met her gaze, conflicted emotions evident in his eyes. “I know. It's just…” His voice trailed off as he recalled Leonard’s monstrous strength and the dangers he had to shield his aunt from. “There are things I must hide from you."
With the bandaging finally in order, Serena sat back, giving Elric a look of understanding. “We all have our secrets, Elric. Whenever you're ready, I'm here to listen. You don't have to carry the weight alone.”
Elric nodded in acknowledgement, and a compassionate smile touched Serena's lips. “You smell like outside; wash up, then go get some sleep. I’ll take this one home.” She gestured to the still-sleeping Tip.
As Serena and Tip left, Elric made his way into the washroom. His bare body hovered over the wooden bathtub, adorned with hundreds of scars—both new and old.
For three years, he had painstakingly hidden the wounds inflicted by Leonard, only recently using hunting training as an excuse for his countless scars and injuries. Leonard's routine inspections of Vailee seemed to intensify since his initial visit four years ago. And, as if he closely monitored Serena and Elric's parents' schedules, Leonard made his presence known only when they were absent. Regardless of the unsettling motives behind Leonard's actions, Elric was just relieved that his family remained unaware of the hidden struggles he bore,
Even if the weight of his secrets threatened to crush him.
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