Leon's facial expression resembled that of someone who had just been handed a death sentence.
"Grandfather, I-I implore you to reconsider your decision to disown me. I give you my word that I will make amends for my actions and behave in a manner befitting of our house. Please, do not sever our ties so harshly," he pleaded.
"Your actions have brought great shame upon our household, to the point where I cannot even consider not disowning you. I cannot overlook the dishonor you have caused. My decision stands, and I shall not retract my words. Leave this estate at once. I shall summon you when the official disownment procedures have been completed," Lord Leonidas declared in a frigid tone.
Leon's gaze fell to his feet as he clenched his fist and bit his lip so tightly that it bled. "Is there any way for me to make you reconsider?" he asked, desperation lacing his voice.
Lord Leonidas didn't even bother to look his way as he spoke with a stern and cold tone, "Make me reconsider? Don't make me laugh, Leon. Your behavior has become increasingly problematic, and I have already forgiven you too many times. I cannot afford to further damage our reputations by allowing you to remain here. If I were to reconsider not disowning you, it would not benefit the Asura house in any way."
Lord Leonidas stopped for a moment, waiting for a response that never came. Without further delay, he spoke in a cold tone, "Your presence here is hindering my work. Leave at once."
Leon made another attempt to speak, but he quickly realized that his words would not sway Lord Leonidas, his grandfather, in the slightest. Thus, he fell silent and simply stood there, motionless.
"What is the meaning of this? Did I not order you to leave at once?" Lord Leonidas turned his head slightly, fixing a cold and steely gaze upon Leon. His voice remained just as frigid as before, if not even colder now.
"I..." Leon's voice trembled as he began to speak, his palms pressing firmly against the polished wooden floor, and then he lowered his forehead in a gesture of submission. "I...I'm sorry," he said, his tone desperate. "Please, I beg of you, don't disown me. I promise it won't happen again. I'll do better in the future, I swear. You won't be disappointed with me anymore."
Leonidas let out a deep and prolonged sigh, indicating his waning patience. "You are just like your father," he snarled, his voice cold and unforgiving. "Six years ago, he too prostrated himself before me. Witnessing such a display again turns my stomach. It is a disgrace to see a member of the Asura household, let alone my own flesh and blood, stoop to such a lowly position."
Turning to face Leon, who was still prostrate on the ground, he continued, "I have said this once, and I will say it again: you are no longer one of us. It is time for you to pack your belongings and leave the estate. I will not waste any more of my time attending to you. As the leader of the entire republic, I have pressing matters to attend to that are of far greater importance than your presence here."
Lord Leonidas's decree was absolute and unalterable, and no amount of pleading could sway his judgment. Nevertheless, Leon found himself rooted to the spot, his body racked with sobs, incapable of movement or speech.
"What is the meaning of this? I gave you an order to leave. Or do you intend to persist in your futile efforts to alter the inevitable?"
Leon remained silent for a few moments before speaking up. "No. I'm afraid there's nothing I can do if that's what my grandfather wants. I'll start packing my things and leave immediately," he said, his voice barely concealing the hint of sadness in it. Tears threatened to spill over, but he managed to hold them back.
"With that settled, I see no reason for further discussion. Leave my presence and this room immediately, and ensure that I never have the displeasure of seeing your face again," Lord Leonidas pronounced, his frigid stare infused with both disdain and disappointment.
"I understand," Leon said as he stood up, turned around and walked towards the door. As he extended his hand to grasp the doorknob, he glanced back at his grandfather, who was now seated in the chair and writing something.
After a moment's pause, Leon shifted his gaze back to the doorknob and twisted it. With a soft click, the door opened, and he stepped outside the room.
I turned my gaze to Lord Leonidas, who was in the midst of writing something. As soon as the sound of the door closing echoed in the room, he paused and set down his quill. He let out a gentle sigh and spoke, "No matter what fate has in store for you, —————."
I managed to hear everything he said at the beginning, but his final words were garbled, like a sound bubbling up from the depths of the ocean. I couldn't make out what he said, and even if I strained my ears, it remained indecipherable.
"Hehe," I heard a stifled giggle from behind me. Turning around, I saw the same mysterious girl who was sitting in the middle of the courtyard. Now she sat in a chair by the fireplace, holding a cup of tea, and her fingers were pressed delicately against her lips as if to stifle her laughter. "How interesting, this memory of yours," she said with a playful lilt in her voice.
As she stood up gracefully from her seat, she poured the remaining tea from her delicate porcelain cup into the roaring fireplace, causing a pleasant crackling sound to fill the room. In a sudden movement, she materialized right in front of me, leaving me taken aback and instinctively stepping back.
"Now that you have witnessed this event, pray tell, do you finally recognize your own identity?"
I found myself at a loss for words, not out of choice but rather due to a constriction in my throat that made it difficult to speak. The sensation was akin to a lump that refused to budge, rendering me mute.
"Still no response? How peculiar. But it seems my plan is effective, for behold, tears fall from your eyes."
Tears? What in the world was she talking about? As I tentatively touched my cheeks, I realized that they were indeed damp with tears. I wasn't particularly shocked by the fact that I was crying; after all, it was not an uncommon occurrence. However, what stunned me the most was that despite the fact that this was merely a dream, I could still sense the dampness and coldness of the tears. What in tarnation is going on?
"Well, if this isn't sufficient to jog your memory, then I suppose we must proceed with viewing another one of your past recollections. Let us move on to the next memory, shall we?"
With a snap of her fingers, I suddenly found myself in a completely different location.
As I looked around, I realized that I had found myself in the grand hall of the Asura estate. The retainers standing at attention on either side of the room resembled a row of noble knights, ready to serve their liege. And truly, that's what they were, sworn to loyalty and duty to the Asura family.
One of them suddenly posed a question, "What do you think is the punishment for our 'half-breed' young lord?"
The other responded by asking, "What do you think?"
"I just hope that he can be prevented from causing any further damage to our family's reputation. Last time, his behavior was an embarrassment to us all, and this time, he has done the unthinkable. Attacking the lord of the Lios house is a heinous act, and his conduct is nothing short of disgraceful."
"His very presence is a disgrace. As much as I am loyal to the main family, his incompetence and lack of talent are dragging our good name through the mud. The main family has always been known for producing skilled and capable individuals, and it's unfortunate to see such a stark contrast with him. Even his father, a talented swordsman in his own right, was excommunicated, but never was he considered talentless like his son."
"Indeed. But despite the father's talent, he disgraced our family by having a child with that demi-human. To be honest, both of them are a stain on our family's reputation."
This conversation was happening...while Leon was hiding himself against the wall.
With shaky legs, he finally summoned the courage to walk into the hall. As he entered, his footsteps were almost silent, betraying his nervousness.
The retainers who had been gossiping amongst themselves quickly fell silent, but their eyes spoke volumes as they scrutinized him with disdain.
I could sense Leon's inner turmoil. 'Why are they looking at me like that? Those cold, judgmental eyes...'
The weight of their contempt bore down on him heavily, and he trudged on ahead, feeling utterly lifeless.