「Layton’s Memories, Age:14 」

“Luana! Please hear me out!” I run towards her but she greets me with her cold glare.

“We have nothing further to talk about milord,” her answers were short and pierced my heart like a sharp knife.

Several weeks ago, when we left the Garden, Luana quickly bowed to me, thanked me for my help, and left with Rodrick towards the market area. She never gave me a chance to explain what exactly had happened or what was the real meaning behind my words.

After that, I kept on visiting the capital as often as I could but I was never able to find her. Sometimes I could swear I would see her but then the person would disappear among the crowd, leaving me to wonder if I was beginning to imagine her figure instead of seeing it.

Today, much to my surprise I found Rodrick. He avoided me at first but he listened to me and understood the reason behind my actions. That’s how I am here now, standing in a secluded bar where Luana works.

“Please! I can explain!” without thinking straight, I place my hand on top of the balcony. For some reason, I was desperate for her acceptance, almost as if my body knew that without her presence, everything was nothing but pure emptiness.

“There is nothing to explain,” she replies while cleaning one of the glasses with a soft purple cloth.

I knew this wasn’t going to be easy. I’ve known it all along, ever since I first met her. She is not the type of woman who will accept a noble easily, especially after knowing how corrupt they are.

“Luana! Please... I just...!” as I was finishing my sentence, I am interrupted.

“Who is this rascal Lu? Your friend?” a woman in her late fifties appears. She was tall, strong and her face was painted with several scars.

‘Scary...’ I thought as I observed her body size closer. I knew she could turn me into mush in the blink of an eye.

“No,” Luana coldly responds while focusing her attention on cleaning the rest of the tableware.

“Well then, if you are not buying...” the woman’s hand is placed on the wooden balcony, making a loud sound that startled my whole body, “Leave.”

‘But I...!’ feeling her overwhelming pressure I got up and headed towards the door but, as I was about to open it, I make up my mind, ‘No!’

“I want the most expensive meal on the menu!” swiftly, my feet turn around and I sit in front of Luana once again.

“Do you? And how do you plan on paying it?” that woman appeared to be the boss of the establishment, thus her concern on serving such a dish.

“With this,” I quickly remove my old pouch and place it on top of the balcony. Several silver coins were inside and a pleased grin is displayed on her face.

“Well then, don’t make our customer wait Lu,” the woman’s rough voice is heard followed by a burst of loud laughter. A shiver runs down my spine once I notice her deep brown eyes glare at me intensely.

‘Did I do the right thing...?’ as usual, I found my mind questioning my body’s decisions.

It was clear I was not welcomed but, even then, I continued to exert my presence in the bar, forcing Luana to serve me. I knew she was displeased but I didn’t want to end things like this, I didn’t want to be hated by my savior.

As I was busy settling down my thoughts, my eyes begin to travel through the antique bar. Several round wooden tables were scattered throughout the room accompanied by several boxes that served as chairs. The customers were scarce but since it was the beginning of the night, that was to be expected. The environment itself was heavy since throughout the building the smell of alcohol could be deeply felt.

“Your order milord,” without noticing, half an hour had passed. Luana had placed a large plate of cooked meat, rice, and an unknown herb that looked similar to lettuce. On the side, there was a piece of cake and an abnormally large cup of beer.

‘I can’t finish all of this...!’ reality finally hit me but, as I was about to blurt out a comment, a shiver ran down my spine. Luana was glaring down at me, threatening me to be quiet and finish eating the food and beverage that had been previously prepared.

“T-Thank you...” is all I manage to say before digging into the plate.

“And that’s why I hate nobles, they think they can get everything with money,” Luana comments while removing the empty plate in front of me.

“Ah... I think I’m gonna be sick...” my head was leaning on the wooden balcony as I struggled to maintain a clear conscience. Everything was becoming blurred and begging to spin around.

‘I shouldn’t have drank...’ if I had known things would turn out like this, I would’ve ordered water or some sort of juice instead.

“Bathroom’s to your right,” she quickly replies, understanding that I wouldn’t hold it for much longer.

“Oh... So you managed to finish it all? I’m impressed with you little rascal,” the boss appears from the kitchen with a happy smile on her face, “Since I don’t like you, I gave you a lot more than usual, I mean, I wouldn’t be able to finish it, you know?”

“Argh...” her loud and rough voice was digging deep into my head as if someone was hitting me repeatedly, in the same spot, over and over again. My eyes wander to the customers who had become exceedingly more than when I had first arrived.

‘What time is it...?’ I had been in this bar for far too long and, if I didn’t go back home soon, the consequences would be dreadful. In my head, I could already imagine my father’s face and angry voice, yelling loudly, punching those hurtful words deep into my brain, just like he always did.

The sound of a bell ringing is heard and I noticed that someone else had entered the bar.

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“He thinks he is so high and mighty... That’s why I hate the Verne’s, just because they earned the Marquess title, doesn’t mean they are better than us,” a small group of people sits next to me and I quickly turn my face around, facing the bathroom.

‘Oh god...’ my stomach was twisting itself as I struggled to keep the food inside.

“Everyone knows how they really won that title,” a boy proceeds with the conversation.

I could hear everything they were saying so recklessly. These were the types of nobles that I had grown used to. While talking with my family members they were polite and always smiling, however, once they were alone, their true colors would show. Their beautiful picture of perfect people would be shattered just by their greed and envy.

“At least we only need to be concerned with those two, the freak didn’t even manage to enter the Academy,” another voice states.

“What was his name again...? Laton? Liton?” they continued to try to guess my name, “Layton! That’s it, Layton!”

‘I’m done...’ slowly and quietly I get up from the chair. Even if I didn’t want to, I needed to throw up.

“Ah! Look who it is!” as I was about to enter, another boy belonging to the group passes through the bathroom door, making me bump into him, “Layton Verne in the flesh!”

“Did you say Layton?” the other members of the group approach me, “Oh indeed it is...!”

Their presence was overwhelming, making my body shiver in fear. I hated dealing with these people, I hated being the recipient of their anger.

“Were you eavesdropping? That’s not something the son of a Marquess should do, is it?” one of them says while pushing me onto the floor. A current of pain flows from my butt to my head, making everything spin around even further.

“Oh right... You whore of a mother slept with another man and had you right? You are not really the son of the Marquess are you...?” they laugh loudly, making my brain begin to shatter inside, “Julius is always bragging about it, how useless his half-brother is, isn’t that right fellas?”

“My mother is not a whore,” as I was struggling to regain my composure, I manage to speak up, “She is...!”

‘What are you doing...? Why am I...’ quickly I swallow up my words and look over to the balcony, seeing Luana working, unbothered by the situation, ‘...doing this...?’

“Uh? What did you say?” the large boy I had bumped into before grabs my hair forcefully, making my body stand on its knees, “I didn’t hear you, pig.”

‘Ah...!’ my whole body felt like it was about to give in. My head was a complete mess, my body had no strength left, and the desire of letting go of everything kept on accumulating even further.

“I guess we really ought to teach you a lesson,” he lifts his closed fist and I close my eyes. I knew I couldn't dodge it. Whatever I saw, I saw repeatedly, making it difficult to trace the truth.

“Ah!” suddenly, the sound of something hit a wall is heard and the boy lets go of me, “What the fuck do you think you are doing whore!? I’m the son of a Baron!”

“I’m sure you’d die as easily as someone like me, wouldn’t you say, dear customer?” Luana’s voice echoed in my ears.

“You little...!” I could hear their footsteps on the floor and how they froze in place with fear.

“Gentleman, I think you've had enough to drink,” that woman’s voice was heard and, not even some seconds later, they leave the establishment in complete silence.

I finally open my eyes and look at the wall next to me. Some drops of a red viscous substance were falling from a beautiful green dagger that was stuck within the wooden walls.

‘Is that...’ I couldn’t quite understand what it was but my gut kept on repeating the same word, over and over again, ‘Blood...?’

“It’s not like you to meddle into this kind of affairs Lu,” she asks, “Why did you do it?”

“Beats me,” Luana replies and soon I feel her presence next to me, “Come on... One... Two...”

‘If you do that I’ll...!’ I knew the outcome of my actions. I needed to lay down for a while otherwise the worst would happen but, even then, I couldn’t tell her. I couldn’t even find the strength within me to move my lips without a disaster occurring.

“Three!” as she lifts my body, everything comes out. A loud splash is heard as a big pool of barely digested food appears on the floor. Shame begins to settle and tears gather in the corner of my eyes.

‘Why...!?’ I felt utterly useless.

“Ahn... No...” I mumble as she helped me walk towards the exit.

“I’m ending my shift earlier,” she said while opening the large wooden door.

“Take care Lu,” the boss declares before laughing loudly.

✽✼✽✼✽✼✽

「Several hours later 」

“So, what do you want to talk about?” Luana sits with me on a bench close to the market area which was now completely empty.

Several tall buildings were seen and, at their bottom, large stalls sold their products. I had been here before, I had seen all of this on my earlier visits. The soft wind made the cloths covering the products flutter and the moon enlightened the stones that covered the dirt floor.

‘It’s late...’ I wondered as I felt my body beginning to sober up with the help of the cold night breeze.

“M-My name is Layton Verne...” after several minutes of silence I finally gather enough courage to speak, “I’m Marquess’s Verne second son, that’s why Boris didn’t...”

“I know,” her lime eyes look into the empty stalls surrounding the dark wooden bench, “I heard the whole conversation back there.”

“O-Of course you did...” I bite my bottom lip, understanding how foolish I had been.

‘How stupid... Couldn’t you have said something better?’ my eyes glance over at her and see her beautiful milk chocolate hair flow with the wind as her honey skin appeared to sparkle.

“Beautiful...” without realizing, I mumble softly, “You are beautiful...”

Hearing my words, Luana faces me while her eyes looked at me in shock. Her cheeks were slightly blushed.

“What...?” for the first time, her voice trembled slightly, displaying her insecurities born from my words.

“D-Did I say that out loud!?” my body temperature began to rise as my cheeks became flushed, “I-I meant to say t-that... That shirt really suits you! Yes!”

‘You stupid...!’ frustrated, I strongly grab my clothing, turning my pale knuckles even whiter.

Surprisingly, Luana begins laughing loudly, to the point where tears began falling down her eyes. I only watched as the typical feeling of inferiority and self-guilt disappeared from my chest.

“You’re one strange noble,” she finally manages to settle down but her cheeks were now extremely red and, from time to time, a small hiccup would leave her body.

“I-Is that bad?” now knowing the nature of her words, I questioned her.

Ever since I was born, every nickname, name, or characteristic that had been given to me were nothing more than negative words, meant to bring me down. Strange had always been one of them.

“Layton shouldn’t be a Verne, he is such a strange child,” I heard the conversations between the maids. The word strange had stuck to me like glue.

“How could I be normal? How do I stop being strange?” I found myself thinking on these questions repeatedly, like a broken record hoping to be fixed by someone.

But now, as I sit beside Luana, no matter how I saw it, her words don’t seem to bear any harm or ill-intentions. In fact, it is almost as if all her words harbor the truth of her feelings, not hiding them like the majority of people around me. It’s as if...

“I don’t know yet, only time will tell,” her eyes begin looking at the wide night sky, filled with unknown fireflies that kept on shimmering over and over again.

“Does that mean?” my eyes widen at her remark.

“Let’s talk a bit more, Layton Verne,” Luana smiles warmly while locking her eyes with mine.

At that moment, everything seemed magical, as if the world had finally given me something precious, someone that maybe I would be able to rely on. Back then, little did I know of how much that girl would grow into my heart, piercing every inch of me with all she represented, and how easily she would become my misery.