Chapter 126: Home Is Where the Heart Is

LEO

"Mathias, when can I go back to my room...?"

I asked into the darkness.

I couldn’t see a thing except the mirror in front of me. Only because there was a small candle set in front of it, between me and the mirror.

I woke up God-knows-how-long ago. When I did, I was in the mirror room again, sitting on this chair. Completely dark.

The last thing I remembered was being in that criminal house. There were many people. My memories were vague. But they were all bad guys—Mathias reminded me. Then I remembered some scary-looking men taking out their weapons. That confirmed Mathias was right. They were bad people—bad people getting ready to attack me and my friends.

After that, my memory was blurry.

Mathias filled me in on the details I missed.

We were attacked, indeed, by those very bad guys. I—he thinks—passed out. It can happen when something super scary happens, Mathias said (it wasn’t his exact words). I felt a little ashamed. I couldn’t help my friends.

But they fought valiantly (Mathias’s word). They protected me. My friends were brave. They fought hard and kept me safe. Then the Royal Knights came to support us and we managed to capture everyone.

Everyone?

I remembered again, vaguely, that there was a man wearing dusty clothes. Someone I thought would thank—

Wait, but I remembered wrong.

He was a bad guy too.

It was all so confusing.

Especially more so in this dark room where I could see nothing else but the mirror and myself in it—Mathias reassured me that this time it really was me (who else was it then last time?)

"Just a while longer, Leo. You are doing very well," Mathias said.

I was a little disappointed.

Last time I fainted, I woke up in my special room.

It was so nice. So comfortable.

But wait—that was Blanche’s room.

Maybe that’s why Mathias brought me here this time. Maybe Blanche was there, sleeping. It must be late at night right now, after all, considering that it was already like ten o’clock when we raided the criminal house.

But funnily enough, in this darkness, sitting on this hard wooden chair, I was starting to feel a bit better. It wasn’t comfortable, but it was comforting. Maybe all the time I spent here had made this place feel homely to me—how many times had I actually been here, though?

Nevertheless, for now, I wanted to lie in my bed back in the dormitory.

"What are you feeling now?" Mathias asked me.

"I was thinking about my bed."

"No, Leo. I mean, what are you ’feeling’ now?"

"Tired."

"Not physically—but what’s the feeling in your heart?"

"It is... strangely comforting."

"The darkness?"

"Maybe."

"Do you feel scared?"

"No... but a little bored, to be honest. I’m sorry."

"That’s normal, Leo. Don’t worry about it. I’m sorry I couldn’t give you much time to rest, but what we are doing now is very important."

"What are we actually doing?"

"Training."

"What kind of training is this?"

"You are asking more questions than you usually do."

"I’m sorry."

"Ha! Don’t be sorry! I’m glad you are showing interest."

Interest.

But it wasn’t interesting, though?

"Look into the mirror again."

I did.

"There’s just me. And the candle. Where are you?"

"I’m irrelevant. Look into the mirror again. Keep your eyes on it."

I did.

"Focus, Leo."

I tried.

For a very long time.

Then suddenly, I heard Mathias snapping his fingers.

"Erase it."

"Eh?"

"What’s in the mirror now?"

I looked and—

"Nothing...?"

Then I felt Mathias’s arms embrace me from behind.

"Excellent, Leo. You are amazing."

I looked into the mirror again. There really was nothing. The candle was still burning, so there was enough light to see, but I wasn’t in the mirror anymore. Confusingly, even Mathias wasn’t in the mirror, although he was right behind me, facing the mirror together with me.

"Can I go now?" I asked, thinking that whatever Mathias wanted, he must have gotten it because he sounded really pleased now.

"Yes, let’s go."

With that, Mathias took my hand, blew out the candle, and walked me away from the mirror.

I didn’t know how he was managing to see in the dark, but his confident steps brought us to a door quickly. He opened it and we stepped out. He closed the door behind us.

"You can leave now. Rest well," Mathias said.

"Thanks," I said and turned to look at him, waving.

There was an owl sitting on his shoulder.

"Eh? Was he in there with us the whole time?"

Mathias didn’t say anything. He just smiled and patted my shoulder.

The black-clothed man with two swords on his belt was still standing by the door.

Finally, it was time to go back to my room.

The man led me upstairs, through the narrow hallway with many doors, and eventually let me out of the building.

"Good night, Mister," I said to him, although I knew he wouldn’t respond.

He never did.

Then I walked back to the dormitory. The moon was shining brightly tonight. I couldn’t tell what time it was, but it must have been quite late. I started to walk a bit quicker because I thought I’d better get some good sleep soon because tomorrow won’t wait, and I’d hate to embarrass myself again in class and fall asleep. That might make others think I fainted again!

On my way, I saw the silhouette of a girl standing near the little pond in the garden of the dormitory. When I got closer, although I couldn’t see her face, I was pretty sure it was Isabelle. I wanted to call out to her, but then my instinct told me that I shouldn’t. I remembered Mom once telling me that when a girl looks like she wants to be left alone, I’d better leave her alone. Isabelle looked like she wanted to be left alone. For now.

Good that I remembered what Mom said, then.

When I entered my room, I heard the familiar sound of Dimitri snoring. Briant, as always, was sleeping amazingly well despite the thunderous noise.

I giggled quietly, realizing that this snoring sound that used to keep me awake for so many nights at first now made me feel, ’I’m finally home.’

I was glad that I had friends who made me feel at home here.

I climbed onto my bed and closed my eyes.

Yeah, I remembered the saying now—

Home is where the heart is.