Chapter 32 - Connection
"Manager Doug, send the money the young noble paid us back to this lady and find some people to escort her home." Leon said, seeing that the lady was physically fine and was probably just traumatized. He was prepared to send her away since she was already safe.
"Yes, boss." Manager Doug complied but inwardly grumbled that the new boss was incompetent. He was just informed of the new rules, but he could see that the gang would fall apart if it was followed. Offending noble houses and giving away money. How were they supposed to function? They weren't going to make money that way. This wasn't a hero game. But he didn't dare complain and just kept these thoughts to himself. The strong makes the rules. "This way, miss."
Aria wasn't willing to leave and just grabbed onto a corner of Leon's shirt.
"T-this… What should I do, boss?" Manager Doug wasn't sure how to approach this situation.
"It's fine. Just attend to your own work." Leon sure either and asked him to leave for now.
"Ah… yes, boss." Manager Doug gave him a knowing smile before leaving the room.
'It's hard to refuse a beauty of that quality. That boss is still a boy after all.'
Leon wasn't planning to do anything to the girl but couldn't be bother correcting Doug's way of thinking since he didn't said anything. It would just look like he was guilty if he tried to explain himself. Even if he was planning to do something, it wasn't going to be in the room with a busted door, where people could walk in freely. He wasn't an exhibitionist.
Leon scratched his head and look outside the windows. He finds it uncomfortable to be stared at so passionately by such a beautiful girl.
"Can I ask why you are staring at me... like that?"
Aria didn't expect to see that boy again in this sort of situation. She had many things on her mind but didn't know where to start.
'You… don't remember me?' She mentally though.
Leon understood her thoughts and was immediately confused by it. Do they know each other? It would be hard to forget a person this pretty, but he doesn't seem to have any recollection of seeing her before.
Noticing Leon's confusion, she wanted to slap her head for thinking that way. Of course, he wouldn't know her. They have never met face to face, let alone talk to one another. She felt embarrassed and started covering her face with her hair to hide her embarrassment.
When her face was covered, Leon felt like a light bulb had lit up in his head.
"Are you the stalker girl from middle school?" He said in a hurry. Aria wanted to find a hole to crawl in when she was asked that, but since there no hole, she could only put on a cold face to hide her emotions. Leon had an illusion of the temperature dropping.
"Sorry, I didn't mean that." Leon apologized right after. He felt it was inappropriate to call such a pretty cute girl a stalker.
If an ugly person was stalking, then it would be creepy and repulsive but if the person was pretty or cute then it was acceptable. Such existing contrast in treatment is unfair but it is just how things are. Cuteness is justice.
Leon remembered her because she left an impression on him. She was quite clumsy at hiding, while he was studying in the library. Or maybe she wasn't trying to hide at all? He had discovered her quite early because of it. He wasn't sure why she would watch him every break time, but it made him uncomfortable at first. However, he eventually got used to her presence until he would find it weird if she wasn't around to watch him study. There was a sort of tacit understanding, intimacy or connection between them that couldn't be described with words. It seems to transcend the planes. They were both pleasantly surprised to meet once more.
"You… don't want to go home?" Leon asked. Aria shook her head.
"You… want to stay with me?" This time, Aria nodded. She blushed as Leon's words as if there was an implicit meaning behind it.
'This is going to be hard…' It was difficult to communicate, when the other party was unwilling to talk. His brain was working overtime to understand her thoughts.
"We haven't properly introduce each other before. I'm Leon. What is your name?"
Aria looked left and right around the room. Leon wasn't sure what she was looking for until she held his hand and wrote on his palm with her finger.
"A-R-I-A… Aria?"
Aria nodded with a smile, when Leon got her name right, but he didn't notice because he became absentminded at the name.
There was someone who had also shared the same name as Aria. The person was his maid in his past life. He wondered how she was doing back in the Divine Realm after both him and his father was murdered. She was the person closest to him after his father.
The thought that the two Aria could be the same person never crossed his mind. It was already miracle that he was able to reincarnate. No one really understood how the cycle of Samsara works. Divine Kings were able to possess a newly forged body or fetus when their own body is destroyed to gain another chance at life, but their life span would not change.
What he experienced was a true reincarnation. His memory was supposed to be wiped clean and start his life anew, but it was most likely protected by his father's power and the Book of Life collectively.
Leon shook his head of irrelevant thoughts and looked at Aria. He decided to check her pulse again, in case he missed something. He did a thorough sweep and realized she had vocal problems that impeded her ability for speech.
He looked at her with some pity. No wonder why she didn't say anything, she couldn't. It was such a great loss. Someone who was born beautiful should also be born with an equally beautiful voice. He decided he would treat her vocal problem when he gets the chance. He would have to borrow Lynne's acupuncture needles again or find an opportunity to forge his own customized acupuncture needles. There was no problem with Lynne's needles, but he wishes to own a set of needles with better conductivity towards his energy. It was more convenient for him that way.
His silence had made Aria concerned. When he noticed that, he felt a bit apologetic for having his mind wonder off.
"Sorry, I was just thinking about some things. I just noticed that you are unable to talk, but this would not be a problem much longer with me around. I can cure your vocal problem."
Aria was surprised when she heard those words. What had he been doing in the past few years? Did he change his study to medicine? She was a bit skeptical how far he could progressed in the study of medicine in a few years considering it was a profound subject, but she ultimately chose to believe his words. She knew just how hardworking he was.
"I know you want to stay but you have to go home. Your parents would be worried if they don't see you come home. You can always come back tomorrow to see me."
She struggled between her decision inwardly but still ended up listening to his words. She nodded.
"That's a good girl." He gave her head a rub and took her downstairs to the ground floor. She pouted at being treated like a little girl.
"Manager Doug, you can arrange some men to escort, miss Aria, back home safely now."
"Right away, boss." Manager Doug got to work right away, and two members of the gang arrived to escort Aria home. Her eyes showed reluctance and insecurities before she left. Leon had given her a reassuring smile. After She was gone, Leon headed back to the underground floor to deal with Snake.
…
When Snake regained consciousness, He noticed that the floor was empty, and he couldn't move his body. In his immobile state, anyone could threaten his life. He could manipulate the earth, but it had limited uses at his level. He wasn't aware that all the top members of the gang had already submitted to Leon. He decided to use his ability to manipulate the earth to split apart the concrete floor and controlled the broken concrete pieces to move his body. He had better control over the earth than Arlo and Gower and wasn't afraid he would accidentally pull the earth element from the ceiling to him, but it was already the limit for someone at his level.
Bloodline ability required training to be able to control elements well, but it also becomes relatively easier to control the stronger the awakener was.
As an awakener, his body was stronger than normal people and was able to regain consciousness much faster. When he was making his way to the stairs leading up to the ground floor, he saw Leon walking down from it. His expression turned ugly and was worse than crying.
Leon had immediately notice the conscious Snake before Snake noticed him. Leon immediately closed the distance and knocked him unconscious again.. Snake wanted to threaten Leon, but his vision turned dark before he could voice his threats.