[BL] Guardians of Fate
Chapter 108 - 23: Breaking Off These Chains [4]

Chapter 108: Chapter 23: Breaking Off These Chains [4]

Eight years ago...

-

Sixteen-year-old Leon sat at his desk in his room, writing a letter.

He missed his friends so much that he wanted to hear from them again, even if only by mail. Since his father had forbidden him to use the old commcrystal and replaced it with a new one, Leon had no other way to reach Evan and the others.

He wondered how they were doing right now. Was Evan an official Summoner now? How were Elyana and Mathias doing with their magic so far? Were they more skilled than before?

Surely they were much stronger than he was now, right?

Leon stared down at the sheet of paper on his desk and stifled a sigh. He had already covered half of the paper with his handwriting. He had so much to say that he feared a single letter would not be enough.

He was a teenager now, but he still felt lonely. There was no one his age here, and no one he could really talk to. The kids of the nobles who came to visit occasionally were all either too snobby or too introverted.

There was Mirona, but the Duke had assigned her other duties than being in the castle all the time. Leon suspected that it was because of him, but there really wasn’t anything he could do about it.

Like always, he just needed to endure it.

Until I become the next Duke, he thought bitterly. Even though I don’t want to be one at all.

I just wish that Father would understand how I feel for a change.

Leon was so deep in thought that he didn’t hear the door to his room being opened and footsteps approaching from behind.

Before he knew it, his letter was snatched away, and the Duke was standing there, staring at it with narrowed eyes.

"What is this?" he said gruffly.

Leon felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead. He had been too careless!

Of all the people to catch him doing this, it had to be his father.

"Father, I—"

"I said, what is this?" the Duke demanded, crushing the letter in his hand. "I told you not to associate yourself with the Prince and his friends again. Yet you dare to disobey me? You have the nerve."

"No, that’s not it. I’m just—"

The Duke raised a hand, interrupting Leon’s words. "Stop. Don’t talk. I don’t want to hear your excuses."

He then crumpled the letter, tore it in half, and threw it into the trash can.

"Ah!" Leon stared forlornly at the letter that he had spent an hour on. "Did you have to do that?"

Duke Alfred sighed in exasperation. "Listen to me, you fool. The sooner you realize that you don’t need any friends in this world, the better. If you learn from me, you can manage Stormhaven all by yourself! Friends and bonds are useless. They will only bring you down. They are a weakness. Remember that!"

Leon felt his heart sink. Not only did a small part of him break down inside at the sight of his letter being torn up, but his father’s words also made him feel depressed.

It wasn’t the first time he had heard such things from the Duke, but this time it was different. It was as if his whole world crashed down upon him with the realization that he could not escape.

"Do you understand?" the Duke repeated. "Nobody is your ally in this world. I am the only real family that you have. This is your home. You can never leave it behind. How many times do I have to drill this into your head?!"

Leon’s lips stretched into a thin line.

"...I understand, Father."

-

As the memory flashed through Leon’s mind, he bit his lower lip, feeling conflicted.

Even though a small part of him still loved his father, there was no denying that the Duke could be unbearable most of the time.

It was so difficult to love him, but it was also so hard to keep betraying him like this.

["I am the only real family that you have!"

Is that really true? Leon wondered, shutting his eyes. Will I really be all alone in the end?

"Don’t just keep silent, boy! Come over here right now! What in the world do you think you’re doing?!"

The Duke was practically screaming at this point, his face red with rage. Leon had never acted like this with him before. Even though he had often sensed that his son was unhappy with some of his orders, Leon had remained passive and obedient. The Duke knew that he could keep his son under control.

But now it seemed that he had expected too much from Leon. That had always been a mistake, and now he was paying the price for it.

Meanwhile, Leon was just staring at him, as though he were now looking at a different person.

It’s time to let go, a voice inside of him said gently.

He will never change.

"No," he said simply.

The Duke was rendered speechless. "What did you just say?"

"I said... no," Leon repeated.

"You—!"

"I’m sorry, Father," Leon said slowly, like he always did, but there was a different note to his voice now. A tone of determination. "But I’m leaving. I can’t stay here anymore. Not after what has happened."

His words infuriated the Duke even more.

He couldn’t believe what was happening. This was his only son, the one whom he had invested in his entire life.

Just the thought of the failure that Leon had become pained the Duke. He was so angry that his veins were about to burst.

"I knew that the moment I saw that mark on your body, you were going to be bad news. I should’ve given you away after your mother gave birth to you! I should’ve never even expected that you would grow up to be an honorable and dependable son!" Duke Alfred barked out. "I have raised you from birth to be my successor. After all that I did for you, you just throw all that away and go on a different path?!"

Leon flinched visibly, but he did not waver. "I don’t think you’re an evil person, Father. But what you’re doing is wrong, and I want no part in it," he said resolutely. "I’m sorry, but I’m no longer going to take orders from you."

"What?!" The Duke felt like his blood pressure was reaching a boiling point. "You... You failure...!"

But Leon was no longer listening. He was watching the iron gates, as if his mind was working out a quick strategy.

It wouldn’t be easy, but there was still a way for them to escape from here. He would make sure of it.

"Leon!" The Duke’s thunderous voice seemed to drill into Leon’s core. "Return right now, or you will be branded as a traitor!"

A stunned silence followed afterwards, with the soldiers stiffening in place at the declaration.

Leon Hartengrove, the only son and heir of Duke Alfred Hartengrove... a traitor?

It was incomprehensible!

At that moment, rapid footsteps approached, and Leon spotted the two guards that he had fooled earlier in the carriage house. They stopped a short distance from the scene, gaping in shock. They looked at the Duke in fear, but fortunately, the latter did not even notice them.

Leon felt sorry for them, but this was his only chance to escape.

This was also his only chance to stand up to his father.

For years, Leon had endured countless rebukes and dismissals, all to put his royal duties before himself. But something had shifted in him as the path ahead, the road to freedom, dangled within his grasp.

Leon met his father’s eyes once more, and he knew then that there was no turning back.

Even if it meant being branded a traitor.

"I will not be your puppet anymore," Leon said calmly. "My will is my own. From now on, I am going to do things for myself. You can’t tell me what to do anymore, because I’m not going to listen."

I’m finally breaking free from these chains.

The Duke was absolutely stunned.

"Very well, then," he snarled after quickly regaining his composure. "You have made your choice. I hope you don’t regret it." He turned towards the soldiers that were guarding the gates. "Seize him and the carriage. Now!"

Leon closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

Gathering the magic in his palm, he turned to face the approaching soldiers, his eyes glowing a bright blue.

"Move out of the way!" he shouted, extending his arm and causing the ice to erupt into jagged spears from his hand. The magic reached the gates, encasing them in blocks of solid ice. The soldiers cried out in shock and horror at the sight, scurrying to the side before the spell could catch them.

A concentrated wave of frost erupted over the iron barricade, spreading across the center. Then, Leon clenched his hand into a fist, and the gates exploded in a burst of tiny ice crystal shards.

The soldiers gasped and covered their eyes with their arms.

The Duke, on the other hand, was furious.

"Go. Go!" Leon said as he stepped back into the carriage and closed the door behind him. In an instant, the carriage came to life and moved forward into the town without slowing down.

"After them!" the Duke roared. "Don’t let them get away!"

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