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Bermuda Chapter 55
🕑 Added 2024-04-15 12:21:15 +0000 UTCChapter 55
Grand historical paintings depicting the long history of the Council adorned the high ceilings of the Council's corridors. They were so majestic and immense that they seemed to excel at evoking a sense of awe in the viewers and boosting the pride of the members.
As Leonardo followed Hugo toward the building in the Council's inner courtyard, gazing at the paintings, he suddenly heard the sound of people coming from outside the window. He slightly leaned his head out and looked in that direction. In the vast inner courtyard, there were easily over a hundred members standing in formation.
As Leonardo quietly observed the scene, feeling a renewed sense of emotion at the large crowd, Hugo also stopped and directed his gaze to where Leonardo was looking.
While scanning the faces of the members amidst the bustling troops, Leonardo spoke in an admiring tone.
"Their morale is good. There's no fear at all."
At his words, indicating his ability to read the morale of the members, Hugo glanced sideways and answered subtly.
"Since it's an expedition for the Empire and its people, they will consider their duty honorable and never be afraid."
Leonardo, who had been staring straight ahead, glanced at Hugo with slightly furrowed brows and a rather bitter look in his eyes. As he turned his gaze forward again, Hugo realized what he had said that had struck a nerve with him. As if trying to provoke him further, Hugo continued.
"Leonardo, you also said that saving the people of the Empire is your job."
However, the other party didn't answer, as if trying to ignore him. It was then that Hugo opened his mouth again.
"Then, with this expedition as an opportunity-."
"Don't force it."
Before Hugo could finish his sentence, Leonardo abruptly interrupted him, furrowing his brows and holding his forehead, as if he had sensed Hugo's underlying intention.
He rolled his eyes without turning his head much. His gaze, which had become sharper, fiercely met Hugo's once again.
"I said don't force it. Whether I save someone or not, that's for me to decide. It's no longer my duty."
At the low voice and thorny words, Hugo looked down at him quietly. Although Leonardo seemed to not want to hear any more, Hugo carefully brought up what he had been deeply thinking about regarding him, wanting to discuss it.
"Leonardo, where do you plan to go after this matter is over?"
"...It's none of your business."
"I'm not asking because I want to recruit you into the Council. I'm just concerned about you."
Leonardo's brows furrowed miserably. However, as he didn't get particularly angrier, Hugo felt there was room for conversation with him and continued.
"Within you, there still remains the belief and pride to protect someone."
"..."
"Even if not necessarily in the military, I think you can fully utilize your abilities in another institution for the Empire."
"..."
"So, as a way to atone for your past mistakes, if you show loyalty to the Empire again, the perception of you will also-."
"...Ha."
Leonardo let out a hollow laugh. That laugh felt as cold as a deep frost, causing Hugo to stop speaking.
Although he didn't say a single word, the many things implied in it heavily pressed down on the air between them.
Leonardo looked coldly at Hugo, who was gazing at him as if he truly pitied him. Then, blinking slowly a few times, he asked Hugo,
"You. Have you ever killed someone with your own hands?"
At the sudden question, Hugo narrowed his brows. Thinking that Leonardo was talking about something completely unrelated to what he had been saying, Hugo didn't answer.
When he remained silent, Leonardo continued with a sneer on his lips.
"You haven't, right? As the esteemed Duke and the Commander of the Council, immersed in peace, there's no way you would have directly killed someone with those hands."
Hugo still remained silent. However, seeing the emotions in Leonardo's gaze threatening to burst out at any moment, Hugo simply listened quietly instead of reprimanding his disrespectful words. Leonardo spoke again.
"Then, how many people have I killed on the battlefield?"
"..."
"...Hundreds? Thousands?"
He spoke calmly while raising his hand as if looking at a terrifying killing weapon.
"No, I've killed countless humans with these very hands, to the point where I can no longer keep track. And their restless spirits and curses lurk around me, haunting me while I'm alive and waking me up even in my sleep. They are eating away at my entire body and mind."
Leonardo's eyes gradually became bloodshot. His reddened eyes asked Hugo,
"But why did I kill so many people? Is it because I truly enjoy slaughter and drink the blood of the dead like a murderous demon?"
His voice was calm, but Hugo could clearly feel the resentment mixed in it.
Leonardo's breathing gradually trembled. With his expression becoming increasingly distorted, he gritted his teeth and spoke to Hugo, enunciating each syllable as if making him chew on them.
"...The reason I killed so many people and bore all the sins on this body is because I, more than anyone else in this land, loved the Emperor of this country, loved the people of the Empire, and devoted myself to them with utmost loyalty."
As Hugo fully received Leonardo's overflowing emotions, he felt like he couldn't properly face him.
"But what do I have left now?"
His trembling breath and suppressed anger reached Hugo's skin.
"My honor has fallen into an abyss from which it can no longer descend. My honor is now the dirty and unsightly thing that I stumble upon while walking on the street. And what remains by my side are only the desperate grudges of those who want to kill me and the curses they poured out before they died."
A menacing aura surrounded Leonardo, but his appearance itself looked as if it would shatter at any moment. Deep sighs continued to escape him. He glared at Hugo with golden eyes and brought up the main point he wanted to make.
"You have no right to demand loyalty from me. Not just you, but no one in this empire can demand that from me."
Leonardo stared at Hugo for a while, intermittently exhaling trembling breaths, then spoke to him with a self-mocking smile.
"And what do you expect from a dishonorable discharge?"
Hugo could no longer answer.
It was a story that everyone knew but no one could easily bring up in front of him, the most humiliating and worst ending a soldier could face.
Thinking that no matter what he added here, the already ruined atmosphere would not recover, Hugo closed his mouth. The deep anger and hatred the guy possessed were much heavier, profound, and more painful than he had dared to fathom.
Hugo didn't know that he would come to want to ask him, "Why did you disobey orders?" Why did someone who loved the Empire so much disobey orders?
People said that he had ruined the honorable deaths of the casualties in the battle with his personal, selfish emotions. And Hugo himself had not been generous enough to listen to his selfish reasons for ruining the Empire's victory.
However, because the guy's golden eyes before him were staring at him as if asking to be saved from the mire he had spat out himself...
Although Hugo knew that the feeling rising in his chest was petty sympathy and hypocrisy, he opened his mouth as if enchanted by something.
"I'll give you a chance."
"..."
At Hugo's words, Leonardo didn't particularly react, but he raised his head a little more to clearly look at Hugo. At that cold, arrogant, and desperate contradictory gaze, Hugo wanted to give him a chance as if he could truly become anything for him.
"I'm not forcing you. Whether you take this as an opportunity or ignore it, that's entirely up to your choice."
Hugo took a step closer to him and spoke, looking straight at Leonardo.
"Leonardo. You have sufficient ability to raise your once-brilliant honor that has fallen to the ground."
Leonardo's eyes wavered slightly. Seeing that, Hugo hoped Leonardo would grasp the opportunity he was giving him and spoke clearly, conveying the countless emotions between them.
"Make up for it. In this expedition."
Comments
Jesse Gibson
Sophie - I thought so too!!
Jesse Gibson
100%👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Bernie Jay
I agree wholeheartedly!! This smacks of some high level corruption and scapegoating and poor Leo paid for it. He owes them nothing!
Sophie
Same. And honestly, the council doesn’t seem to have a much better environnement. I mean, Hugo had to pay from his own pocket to make the higher up shut up. Then when they hear that Leonardo is a prodigy, they want to use him? Like come on?
Jesse Gibson
I kind of want to punch him in the face again. There MUST be a reason for whatever happened to Leo -whether he truly disobeyed or he was framed- either way, it is clear that Leo was betrayed and throw away by his people and Hugo has no right to talk like he can save him when he doesn’t even have a clue on what happened. It honestly just sounds like an arrogant prick making promises on someone’s pain while trying to talk them into joining their cause but he’s still asking Leo to become someone’s pawn again. I’m so angry.
