After we won the battle, there was no reward as we never decided on one, simply retreating back outside and meeting up with our people, everyone congratulating us. When I took off my helmet in front of Alice and the girls, their smiles froze as their eyes opened wide in shock.
“Ghyaa~! Leon! You’re bleeding!”
““!!!””
“W-wait. Mira?!”
Marina shouted terrified after seeing how my left eye was bleeding profoundly and was already bloody-red. Ana and John remained frozen for a moment while Mira passed out, having Alice quickly catch her.
“Eh? Is it that bad?”
Maybe because of the adrenaline still rushing through my veins, I couldn’t feel anything while I was still able to see clearly, the only inconvenience being my eye that was a bit moist and sticky. Now I understood the feeling was coming from the flowing blood, a cut being formed right above my eyeball. I wasn’t even aware how I dodged losing an eye by only a few millimeters.
“Bahahahaha~! Go check the doc, idiot! You got a sword’s guard to your eye! Of course it’s bad! Bahahaha!”
My uncle laughed loudly and seeing them still look at me horrified and with pale faces, I did as told, leaving from the doctor with a plaster on my eye shortly after.
“God damn it… How inconvenient…”
Being now blind on one side, I couldn’t help feeling annoyed by how many times I bumped on things thanks to having my eye covered, needing Alice to walk me while holding my hand like some helpless kid.
I was able to get used to it more or less, but until then, it was quite troublesome.
“Better be thankful that your eye it’s still useful. You scared me to death when you took off your helmet.”
Alice sighed as she walked by my side spiritless. I held her hand and felt her fingers cold.
I guess she’s really concerned for me, eh?
I wasn’t sure how to feel about this as I almost forgot how it feels like to have someone worry for you. I then simply sighed and said with a smile,
“I understand… I’m sorry for making you worry.”
She glanced up at me with tired eyes, but after seeing my apologetic smile she started feeling better, smiling back and holding my hand more firmly. As we still had a bit of time, we went looking around the festival together and at that moment, the bards were singing their last songs. Hearing the music, I knew that it was the type in which two people would dance together. I looked at Alice and she glanced back as if knowing exactly what I wanted to do. I smiled then bowed in front of her with one hand to my heart, imitating the nobles of the old eras.
“My lady, would you grace me with a dance?”
“My lord, please guide me gently.”
She also pinched the edges of her shirt and bowed politely like a lady. She then offered me her hand and we slowly started dancing according to the music’s rhythm. I gently spun her, caught her, then lowered her backward only to lift her back up according to the song, both dancing and feeling the rhythm on an instinctive level, never actually dancing like this before.
Dancing with a partner inside a ball-like environment like this was a first for both of us, but weirdly enough we were able to easily accommodate and instinctively resonate with one another, our moves flowing with ease, leading Alice throughout the dance as I spun her, pulled her back in then releasing her again, while she left herself easy when needed and grabbing my hand again when she was supposed to, our smiles wide, surprised by ourselves at how easy and good we were able to move together.
While Alice and I had our fun near the dancing spot, my uncle who just took off his armor as well, went for another drink and went to the three men that were now having a hard time walking normally, their heads still ringing as bandages were covering them, one of them even going with an improvised casket on his right arm.
“Bahahaha~! How are the three fools of the night doin’? Still feeling like messing with the brat?”
Michael jeered at them amused while taking another gulp from the wine, already swaying a bit dizzy.
One of the three took a step annoyed and shouted at him,
“Michael! Just what the f*** is that brat?! He played with us like we were nothing!”
“Bahahaha~! Hard times toughen a man. Unlike you three, he ain’t no pushover.”
“We aren’t pushovers either. And by taking him down, we’ll prove that.”
Another one from the three said irritated as well then my uncle thought for a bit and asked,
“So in the end, you still want to target him?”
“Are you going to be in our way?”
The third and the quietest from them asked while glaring at uncle threateningly.
“Hahaha~ no, no. I have nothing to do with the brat. However…”
“Hm?”
“Why not let him be the leader of the gangs eh?”
““What?!””
All three of them stared at uncle baffled then the third one asked again irritated,
“Are you expecting us to bow to a kid? Michael, are you mad?”
“A kid much stronger and wiser than the three of you put together.”
“Tsk, I refuse.”
One of them clicked his tongue irritated but the other two considered this decision.
Until now we’ve been proved that the Roils are ridiculous characters… The cop almost exterminated us, the brother formed us, while the son might be the next factor that could bring our gang’s rebirth or complete demise.
After a bit, the three of them started talking between themselves but were unable to reach a conclusion. Seeing them like this, uncle threw to them a dice, attracting their attention with his actions and looking at the dice that was now rolled at their feet.
“Do the three of you believe in Fate?”
“Huh?”
Uncle smiled as if thinking about something amusing then continued.
“Let’s do it like this… it shall be 2, or it shall be 5. One round. No tricks, no lies… If it’s 5, then you’ll do as I said, but if it’s 2, you can do what you want. We will let your guardian angels tell you what is better to do…”
“What? T-then, what about if it drops another one from the two faces?”
“Then neither is the answer and you shall leave the kid alone.”
“… I understand leaving it to chance. But what does the guardian angel-whatever have to do with this?”
The third guy asked annoyed and my uncle laughed out loud.
“Bahahaha~! You morons! Leon’s fate it’s much stronger than you three together! If we simply throw the dice, the one who would decide would be his fate, and not yours. Meaning, the three of you could simply die and turn into his stepping stones, just like meaningless pawns of his destiny. At least like this, letting your angels decide, the result will show whenever you can live for a bit longer.”
“What b******* are you saying, Michael?! Destiny? Angels?! How old do you think you are to talk about such fairy-tale s***?!”
“You think it’s a joke, but tell me; How many coincidences in your life weren’t that much of a coincidence, eh? Appearing more like someone placed their hands in the middle? A divine hand even? The simple fact that my nephew, a Roil, it’s your enemy, shows just how ridiculous all these coincidences can be, don’t you think?”
“Tsk. You’re just mad. Guys, let’s go.”
“…”
As the revolted man turned to leave, the other two stared at the dice then at Michael who was drinking amused, curious about what their next move will be.
He might be mad… but he’s also the one who created the greatest gang in our country and the one who attracted the attention of that woman… His madness might not be as simple as we think…
““…””
They looked at each other then nodded lightly. One of them took the dice and threw it with his eyes closed.
“Now~, let’s see which path you’ll take.”
“What are you-…”
-tac tac tac…-
The third guy turned after hearing my uncle’s amused words and saw the dice drop three times then start spinning wildly, making even him stare deeply at it. As it spun longer than expected, my uncle started grinning, talking amused,
“It’s incredible how much the spirits are fighting even for you three useless idiots.”
“Hmph! What rubbish.”
““…””
The third guy snorted annoyed but the other two continued to gaze intently, observing how the dice was slowing down.
“It’s going to fall on 2!”
One of them said while feeling their hearts jump, then suddenly the dice started spinning closer to a little pebble, hitting it and turning on another face, landing with a 5 on top.
“?!?”
The two of them remained baffled at the coincidence and even the third guy frowned as if thinking that something wasn’t right. Uncle on the other hand grinned widely and separated his hands as if in presentation,
“The results have been shown! God has spoken. Now, the three of you can do whatever you wish; listen to Him, or ignore His words.”
“… What if we ignore the results?”
One of the two asked conflicted and my uncle’s benevolent smile seemed to mock them now, as he said in a mean tone,
“Then you’ll die like idiots. The old world is dying while the new one’s yet to be born. We’re living in the middle, and nobody is going to take care of us if we ourselves can’t take care of ourselves. We are offered signs that push us to survive, but we are ignoring them, distracted by our egos and the bubble we live in.”
“What the heck are you saying?”
“Morons will die, while the ones able to see the signs will continue on living. What’s so hard?”
“Swallowing all your b*******, that’s what’s hard. Guys, let’s go… It’s time to make a call.”
This time the third guy really left as the other two looked once again at the 5 on the dice, then at my uncle who got down to take it, his eyes deep while his smile mysterious. After turning around to leave, the words that he left behind made the two feel a shiver down their spine,
“It was nice meeting you. Farewell~.”
.
While distancing more and more, Michael took out his phone and searched through his contact numbers, stopping at one person that was listed with the letter S. He then wrote a message to him and sent it, the next second a reply appearing,
[Michael: Kid. It’s time to repay your debt.]
[S: … Tell me what I need to do.]
Decisive and on-point, the answer pleased Michael and after giving the person more orders, a wide smile appeared on his face while staring at the sky, his eyes deep as if able to see what normal people were unable to observe,
“The gears are finally starting to assemble… Two pieces will now be tightly connected, remain for the third one to join so the machinery will be set in motion.”
An unknown plan forming in his head, a sense of confidence and even excitement making his dark eyes kindle with a mysterious fire.
.
As my uncle left the three and Alice and I just finished dancing for another song, the festival was coming to a close for the day and so we prepared to group up. As the festival ended, my uncle, I, and Alice took a taxi while Ana, Mira, and Marina went in John’s car.
“I didn’t expect for him to have a car.”
“I know, right? I almost forgot that he’s 24 years old this year.”
“Woah- 24 years old?”
I looked surprised at Alice as she chuckled amused,
“Ana it’s 20, soon to be 21. She’s already in university, you know?”
“Hmm~…”
I thought for a moment then looked out the window.
“University, will you go as well?”
“Yes. I’m thinking of going to a law university.”
“I see…”
Hearing my lowered tone, Alice looked my way then a sudden thought struck her as she saw my dispirited face. She smiled knowingly then leaned on me,
“No matter how far away I’ll go, you won’t get rid of me that easily.”
“…”
I said nothing as I just smiled. I placed my arm over her shoulder and pulled her closer, embracing her tightly with one hand.
