Twisted-Wonderland: Heart of the Night

Episode 2-27: A Prince With Naught!

The past memories of Leona Kingscholar is revealed...

Shedding light on his past misfortunes that would lead to his present self...

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~Leona's Past~

"From the moment I was born, there's been a boulder on top of me that's too heavy to move.", Leona.

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"Crown Prince Falena is such a bright and cheerful young man.  I don't understand why his younger brother has to be so moody all the time.", Attendant A.  "And he possesses such a terrifying power!  Imagine being able to turn anything to sand!", Attendant B.  "Both of you, cease this conversation right now!  What if someone overhears you?!", Attendant C.

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"I bet that if I were the crown prince, this is what they would have said: "Crown prince Leona is a judicious man-- look how he controls such powerful magic!  I don't understand how Falena can be so carefree."  This is all because I was born second.  They'd find fault with me no matter what-- just so they could use it as a pretext to praise my brother.  No matter what I do, I can never be the best.", Leona.

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"Leona!  Why weren't you at today's ceremony?", Falena.  "Ceremony?  Ah, you mean the self-indulgent party where you show off your son to the people?  Yeah, sorry I missed that.  I fell asleep.", Leona.  "Showing the people the face of their future king is an important affair.", Falena.  "Yeah, it's a happy day for sure-- also known as the day the despised second son loses what little claim he had to the throne forever.", Leona.  "Do not frame it in such terms!", Falena.  "Must be nice to be the firstborn, huh?  You can spend every day singing and napping and still become king.", Leona.  "Leona...  You may never be king, but you are still wise.  There is much you could do for this country.", Falena.  "And maybe if this country selected its kings on the basis of intelligence , I'd be motivated to do something with that wisdom.", Leona.  "Leona, wait!  Leona!", Falena.

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"Why do I have to spend my life feeling this way, just 'cause I was born a few years too late?  No matter how hard I study, no matter how powerful the magic I command...  From the day I was born till the day I die, no one will ever acknowledge that I'm better than my brother.  I will never be king.  Why did I have to be born second?  Why will I never, ever get to be the best?  Why?  Why?  Why?  Life is truly unfair.", Leona.

~~~~~Leona's Past End~~~~~

In the darkness, the past was explained. But the pain was still there holding on all these years. Only can they make it go away.... by realizing the potential within his strength alone.

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"Hey!  Wake up!", a voice called out to him, a familiar feline.  But maybe with the help of others he can sum to realize this.

"...Huh?', Leona.

"I did it!  He's awake!  I was startin' to think you weren't ever gonna regain consciousness!  Now hurry up and confess.", Grim says as he's on top of Leona who's barely awake.

"Wh...  What?", Leona.

Meanwhile, I grabbed Grim by the scruff to get him off.  "Sorry about him...", Kalin.

"Mr. Kingscholar.  Your negative energies accelerated your blot accumulation, inducing an overblot episode.  Do you not remember?", Crowley.

"Wait, ME...?  I overblotted?  No way...", Leona could hardly believe what he was hearing.

However, thanks to Lilia doing what Riddle told him to, he brought Crowley and a few of the staff members to help with the other students after everything happened.

"And more importantly, the Magical Shift tournament is about to begin.  I'm gonna need you to confess that you're the culprit , so I'm allowed to enter!", Grim.  "Grim...!", Kalin.  I still have in my hold but he still continues.

"Heh.  If this is a joke, I ain't laughin'.", Leona.

"The headmage got Grim's group to investigate the accidents in exchange for letting them compete in the tournament.", Jack.

"Whaaat?  THAT'S what this has all been about?", Ruggie was shocked.

"This was more in for Grim, not me.", Kalin.  "You bet it has!  And EXCUSE you?!  You were the one pushin' people down stairs for the chance at a little fame and glory!", Grim rebutted so actively, I almost lost my grip on him.

"Urk...  W-well...  Fair point, I suppose.", Ruggie.  When Ruggie looked to Grim and me, he noticed something else.  "E-ehhh...!  What's wrong?!", Ruggie talks to me.

"Huh?", Kalin.  Grim looks to me and made the same expression.  "Kalin, you're crying!  Just like that time with Riddle before.", Grim pointed out.

Then the attention of everyone else grew.  For starters...

"Oh, Kalin, are you alright?  You're not hurt anywhere, are you?", Crowley was growing frantic.  "It's nothing, really.  I'm fine.", I tried my best to reassure him I'm fine before he would burst into tears dramatically.  But to be fair, even though he was there with Riddle after his overblot, he didn't see this the first time until now.

"You sure you're not hurt, I mean it was a serious battle this time.", Ace.  Deuce didn't say anything, but he had the same look as last time.  Jack and Ruggie gave a look as they saw something strange for the first time.

"Look, I don't know why I'm crying but I can assure you I'm ok.", I finally told everyone.  I then feel my face and I could still feel the tears coming.  This time it lasted longer than the last time where it felt like a minute.  Meanwhile, the crowd still stared with concern, like they were searching where the source was.  I think I saw Leona looking this way too.  When I glimpsed at him, I saw him looking back and I immediately averted my eyes away, bringing my focus to wiping the tears off as they came down.

~Leona's POV~

I was still trying to bare my surroundings and remember what happened.  But when the herbivore brought attention on them by the crowd, I look to see.

I see the herbivore wiping their tears off their face.

*(!) Crying?  But why?  ...Ahh. (!)*

I recall to the times I encountered with them.  The first time where I was about to teach them a lesson for stepping on my tail.  The second time when we had a game of magift against their group.  And then the third time....

~Flashback~

I was trapped in the fire, and what's worse I had the brat's stupid collar on.  After seeing Taika cast the circle of fire around me, I caught a glimpse of Ruggie still on the ground catching his breath.  The next thing I see is the same herbivore coming to his rescue.  But before they left, they looked at me.  It was vague to remember this, but I remember that expression.  It was the same one they had the first two times.

It was like they had the expression of... pity.  Or...

~Flashback End~

*(!) We're they possibly... crying for me...? (!)*

~Kalin's POV~

Pretty soon, after giving some thought to seeing my condition, Crowley brought his attention back to Leona.

"Is he correct?  Were you responsible for the series of injuries sustained by competing players?", Crowley.

"...Yeah.  That was me.", Leona.

"Very well.  Then to begin with, Savanaclaw House will be disqualified from this year's tournament.  The rest of your punishment will be decided after I discuss it with the victims.  Are we clear?", Crowley. 

"...Understood.", Leona.

".........", Ruggie and Jack watched in silence.

"Headmage, wait.", Riddle steps in.