Sympathy Side Character

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Miko knock on the duke's office before entering.

"I already know why you're here for." the Duke said while sitting on his office chair.

Miko bow his head before speaking. "I heard, that you, My grace, bought a slave? Would you mind explaining?"

The Duke laugh. "I can literally feel your sarcasm, Miko."

Miko sighed. "Your Grace, We worked really hard for your reputation. If—"

"Stop. Ok, first of all, that kid came from the wolf tribe."

His eyes widen. "What? But they're extinct!"

"He's the last one, he was found when he was a puppy."

"You using the word puppy kinda creep me out."

"That's not the point!"

"Anyways, if you're saying that he was found when he was a pup, who gave birth to him?"

"That... Well, it says that he's still five months old, basically equal to ten year old human."

"But the wolf tribe became extinct around six or seven months ago."

".... Right. That didn't came in my mind. But there still a chance that a pregnant wolf run away, gave birth to a pup after a month and soon died, leaving her pup behind."

Miko is in deep thought. It's not the first time the duke took someone home, and most of them have such tragic background.

Miko is one of them.

He grew up as a beggar, raising his siblings alone after their mother left them to marry a nobleman.

He want to give his siblings a wealthy life.

Miko train as an outstanding knight, his determination is one of his remarkable nature, he became the most respected knight in the empire.

Anyone would think that his life as a knight is easy, but it's not.

Despite of unending praises he receives, no one want him to be their knight.

The reason is his commoner background.

On his verge of breaking, Miko received a mission. The Duke of black Roses appoint him as his personal knight.

He supported him and his siblings without asking for anything and later became friends.

That became his reason, a reason to bestow loyalty and oath.

"Can I meet him?" he ask.

The Duke smiles and nod. "Yes, of course."

**

Etelle stare at her hands. She's almost as pale as a paper, her nails are also long and sharp.

"Geez... I'm bored..."

She's alone so speaking is not a problem. "I might end up being mute for real..."

That jerk that they call The Duke, he seems normal for her.

But she still hates the way he acts and speak, as if he understand her, when he clearly don't.

"I'm going to behead that fucker when he pat my head again." she touch her own head, remembering how the duke pat her there.

Strangely, her mouth does not seem to go numb even when she had been chewing candies.

Strawberry candy.

It smells nice and tastes nice. She can't deny that it really does calm her when she panics.

"It also have the same color with my hair and eyes."

She stood up from the bed and walk to the big mirror.

Her hair is messy but still looks good. Her face... It's entirely different from her real face.

"Mom..."

Tears started to flow from her clear rubellite eyes.

She clench her fist. "Mom... I'm sorry..."

'What are you sorry for?' a faint voice only her can hear said. It's a voice similar to her real voice. A voice from her head.

'You should be sorry for everything! After all, it's all your fault!'

"..."

'She died because of you! And now you lost it! You lost the thing she value the most!'

"I said shut up..."

'She will hate you!'

She stare at her reflection in the mirror. She grit her teeth in anger.

She grab the book from the side table and hit the mirror with it.

It made a loud sound.

She fell on the ground, unconsciously sitting on the broken pieces of the mirror.

The door swung open reavealing the Duke and an unfamiliar man.

'... Glad I didn't scream... This is the worst!'

The voices in her head always brings unbearable pain.

The duke hurriedly went to check her. He saw the mirror's pieces on the floor but that's not what worry him, it was the way the poor wolf is sitting in on the floor.

"What happened... Here?" Mako asked, staring at the pink haired kid sitting with his head down.

The Duke didn't answer, he quickly carried the kid and lay him on the bed. "Miko, call the doctor."

The splinters went deep on the kid's skin.

Miko doesn't have to be said twice.

The Duke stared at the kid. "What happened?"

Will he answer him? No. But he's too worried.

Etelle saw how worried he was, she felt guilty. So she raised her hands and point at something. The mirror.

The Duke look confused. "What about it?"

The kid didn't answer.

"You hate the mirror?" He confirmed it when he saw the tears on the kid's eyes.

It's painful. But what could be the reason? Does he have bad history with mirrors?

He wiped her tears and pat her head. "I don't know the reason, but it will be fine. Everything will be ok. You're safe..."

Etelle wants to scream a 'no', because she know, nothing within this world or any world is ok, everything is basically fucked up.

"Let's forget about the mirror. I will tell my servants to take all the mirrors here." The Duke said. "What about name? Now that I think bout it, you'll need a name."

She's quietly praying he have a skill in naming someone. 'Cause the moment he come up with an ugly name, she'll make sure to go berserk in anger.

"... What about Etelle?"

'What...? He came up with my name?'

Well, it's better than having a new name.

The Duke pointed at her. "You. Etelle."

Etelle nodded, then she copy him, she pointed at him as well.

The Duke got what she meant. "My name?" he let out a chuckle. "I am Zion. Zion Zachary."

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