"You alright kid?" was the first thing he heard when he woke up. He slowly opened his eyes against the light that dazzled his eyes.
"Who are you" Hayden answered as he tried to sit up. He wasn't able to feel his mana which was weird. He was alive so why can't he feel his mana at all?
"Lay down kiddo or you will open your wounds. And to answer your question I'm Leo Majo."
"Hayden L-... Hayden just Hayden."
'Telling the man my surname would only make things worse. The citizens are against the emperor and If he learns I'm- was his right hand... In this condition, I can't fight. Asking about why I can't feel my mana would also be dangerous as he may see It as a threat of some sort'
"Are you a runaway noble or something" Leo joked. "Anyway, you are lucky that Rin was strolling around there or you would have been dead."
"Rin?"
"Oh, my niece! The girl who saved you"
'If he is here relaxed like this, that means she is okay'
"Why was there a lion in the forest?"
"It was a magical beast, not an ordinary lion. I'm assuming It has something to do with that damned emperor."
'Guessed right.'
"Yeah, long live the hero," Hayden said with fake enthusiasm hoping It would be real enough for Leo.
Leo's response surprised him. "I don't like the hero," Leo admitted. "He's too pretentious. If he'd operated in secret, he might have defeated the emperor."
"You don't? But he is the hero."
"Hero or not It doesn't matter to me."
'He hates both the emperor and the hero... Then what about me? Do I hate or love either of them?'
"I think so too. The hero isn't that strong. He has lots of openings to attack. The only reason he isn't defeated is because of his allies."
"Well, that's a different aspect."
Hayden's thoughts raced. He had blurted out too much. Talking about attacking the hero—how could he make such a mistake? If the emperor was here...
"Hayden, you need to be careful of the information you disclose. Sometimes telling too much can be as bad as telling less"
No, I shouldn't think about him. Especially after everything he did. Hayden was always there for him and always sported him just like how the emperor had supported him when Hayden was a child. But he also used him as bait.
"Wyatt…" Hayden murmured, haunted by shadows of the past.
"Did you say something?" Leo asked.
Hayden replied "No"
"Rin went out to get some herbs. I have some things I need to do in the garden. Would you be okay If you stayed alone for a bit?"
"I'm not a child that I would need supervision."
"Yeah, but we are worried about your health so we want to make sure you are okay. By the way, I have a dog. You are not allergic or afraid of them are you?"
"I'm not." Quite the contrary Hayden loved dogs. He used to have a dog when he was little. Brought in by his stepmother to keep him company.
Leo patted Hayden's hair and gave him a small smile "Good now sleep a little so you can replenish your energy"
'Warm... It felt so warm'
As Hayden lay there, his body still weak from the ordeal, his mind churned with conflicting emotions.
Wyatt, the emperor, had been both his mentor and betrayer. Hayden had served him faithfully, believing in the cause, the vision of a better empire. But Wyatt had used him, manipulated his loyalty, and cast him aside when it suited his purposes. The scars ran deep, etched not only on Hayden's skin but on his soul.
And now, here he was, lying in a stranger's home.
As he closed his eyes, Hayden wondered if he could ever escape the past. The empire was crumbling, and he was caught in its collapse. His mana remained elusive, a void where power should reside.
Did he even deserve a second chance?
Hayden lay there, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. Thoughts of Rin, the girl who had saved him, swirled in his mind. And then there was Mr. Leo—the man who had surprised him with genuine concern.
"Yeah, but we are worried about your health so we want to make sure you are okay..." It was a simple statement, yet it resonated deeply. For the first time, someone cared without ulterior motives, without seeking favors or loyalty. Hayden wondered if this act of kindness could be a lifeline—a chance for redemption amidst the shadows that haunted him.
His life changed in just a day and he had made a promise to himself
"I had another chance to live so I won't try to please anyone. I will only fight for my good" he repeated his promise.
Maybe even he could be happy.