The dining hall was silent for a while, broken only by the clattering of plates. Eleanore accidentally dropped the wine she was sipping. "What was the meaning of that?" Rex flinched visibly at her words but concealed it. Sarah pursed her lips before speaking, "What do you mean, Lady Eleanore?" Her eyes remained fixed on her meal.
"She's referring to the nonsense you and that brainless fool tried to pull," Lenor replied instead of Eleanore. Sarah's brown eyes twitched. "I was merely giving the boy a taste of what his 'new life' will be like." She twirled her wineglass without breaking eye contact with Lenor. "Tell me, Lenor. Is that a bad thing?" she asked innocently, as if having no ill intentions. The word 'bitch' was the only thought that crossed Lenor's mind when she heard that question. Before Lenor could respond, Eleanore shifted the subject. "What is the purpose of the child, Collins?" At that, everyone at the table turned to look at the head of the family. He had said nothing since arriving; even during Leon's attack, he had simply eaten without reacting.
Even Cedric, standing beside him, leaned closer to hear what he would say, but it wasn't until a full minute after finishing his meal that he finally spoke. "It was as I said. He is to be my heir." His voice resonated throughout the room. Eleanore scrutinised his eyes, seeking more. Eventually, she sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Fine. I quite like the boy anyway." Collins then stood up and moved to leave the hall, but paused at Martha's seat. "Martha," he called.
"Yes, Uncle," she answered with her head bowed.
"Don't forget our lessons later," he said. Martha quickly nodded. Seeing this, Collins smiled before leaving the hall.
"I suppose that's that." Immediately, Collins departed, and Lenor followed with Martha behind her. Rex left a couple of seconds later, furious that he had not been able to put Leon in his place and that Leon had withstood his spiritual pressure, even if it was not at full force. "I'm going to train," he said. Sarah adjusted her dress and followed her son.
Only Eleanore and Cedric remained at the table. Eleanore remained seated, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the table as if lost in thought. "What do you think, brother?" she asked after a moment of silence. Cedric, who had his eyes closed for a moment, opened them slowly. His deep blue eyes, reflecting his strong connection to the water element, shimmered faintly. "I don't know. However, I believe that whatever Collins's reason for bringing him in, it will benefit the house." Eleanore appeared dissatisfied with the answer but chose not to comment.
Cedric sighed; he knew she wasn't satisfied with his response. He would be lying if he said he wasn't concerned about what Collins had done, but he trusted him enough. He understood that whatever he did was for the family's benefit. "Whatever the case, I will speak to Collins and keep an eye on the boy," he said, trying to ease Eleanore's mind. At that, she offered a soft smile before leaving the hall. Cedric sighed again before he left.
---
The door to Leon's room swung open as he stepped inside. His breath was ragged from Rex's intimidation, though it was not as intense as Collins's. He moved into the washroom, his body trembling with each step. He paused, bowing his head over the sink. "I-I-I can't do this." His voice trembled as he spoke. "Why do I keep getting pushed around like this?" he shouted, punching the mirror above the sink in frustration.
His hand bled from the cut inflicted by the glass, but he paid it no mind.
"We can end this," a voice whispered.
Leon lifted his gaze to the shattered mirror. His reflection stared back, but deep inside, he knew it wasn't him. The reflection wore a sinister smile, its eyes a piercing shade of crimson.
"We can transform you into someone who never has to kneel before anyone again. Free from fear of their authority. Instead, you will be the one commanding from above."
Leon stared at the crimson-eyed reflection, his bleeding hand dripping onto the sink. The voice was right. He was tired of kneeling. Tired of fear. Tired of being the boy everyone pushed around. He swore vengeance upon the world, but will he be able to do it with the way he was? A simple yes and he would have the power to crush them all.
But something held him back.
"And what's the price?" His voice was quiet. Hollow.
The reflection's smile widened. "Does it matter?"
"Yes." Leon's jaw tightened. "Nothing is free. I learned that the hard way."
The reflection chuckled—a low, dry sound that didn't match Leon's, whenoice. "Clever , whenhe price is simple. You let me take control when you can't. When you're afraid. When you're weak. I do what you can't. And in return..." The red eyes gleamed. "You survive."
Leon looked down at his bleeding hand. The cuts were already closing. Healing. He hadn't even noticed.
"I'm not making a deal with you," he said.
"You already did. In the Veil. When you said yes to power." The reflection tilted its head. "I'm not asking permission anymore. I'm being polite."
Leon's blood ran cold. He remembered. The voice in the darkness. The choice. He had said yes.
"You're not real," Leon whispered.
The reflection laughed again. "I'm more real than you want to admit. And one day—soon—you'll stop fighting me. You'll beg me to take over. And I will."
Leon raised his fist to punch the mirror again, but his hand stopped mid-swing. Not because he chose to stop. Because something else stopped him.
The reflection smiled. "Not yet. But soon."
Then the red faded from its eyes. The smile vanished. Leon was looking at himself again—tired, scared, alone.
He lowered his hand. His breathing was heavy. He didn't know if he had won or lost.
But he knew one thing.
The voice wasn't going away.