Immortal Kingdoms

"Keeping the blame to himself?" Leonardo repeated the sentiment with a calm expression, his dull eyes observing the swirling wine of his second shot at the bottom of the glass.

Lucas washed his second shot down his throat as well, but his expression was as absentminded as it always was, his blue eyes shimmering in the refraction of the firelight as he spoke his mind, "I don't know about you guys, I didn't think that deeply about it I guess..."

Sitri and Misaka gave the pretty blonde a weird look, but his expression was genuine.

Sitri narrowed his eyes and spoke after a moment of hesitation, "Thinking about it... When did you even join Grim and Reaper?" Sitri came to the startling realisation that he had no impression of this Lucas person, be it hobbies, fighting style, personality, aspirations, none.

Misaka seemed to come to the same conclusion as shock rippled through her mint green eyes, looking at Lucas in disbelief. Observing their expressions, Leonardo felt intrigued as well and thus anticipated the answer.

"Oh? Ah... When was it?" Lucas began to scratch the back of his head, looking down at the golden liquid swirling about in his empty glass before muttering, "I think I remember..."

Thud!

His face then smashed right into the table's surface, seemingly knocked unconscious from the alcohol. The other three simply gaped in disbelief at this spectacle, not knowing to react exactly. Thinking about it, even Leonardo couldn't remember what or how this person behaved throughout the entire journey, which was a frightening aspect in and of itself.

This could only be attributed to an innate martial intent, one that Leonardo couldn't see through just yet. Of course, just because he couldn't, that didn't mean no one else could. For example, Aria was also gaping in astonishment at the blonde youth who seemingly passed out.

Only she knew that he was suffering a backlash from his own martial intent. However ridiculous it sounded, that was the hard fact, as such cases weren't rare in the least. For instance, Leona is one example, when knocked unconscious from the heavy toll her inability to affix the incoming psychic waves wrought upon her immature mind.

"Did this guy seriously knock it off with two shots?" Misaka voiced out her suspicion, but Leonardo shook his head to dismiss the notion as the young man had displayed no symptoms of alcohol affliction.

"You really can't remember anything about him?" Leonardo asked Sitri and Misaka.

The former's eyebrows creased tightly as he tried as hard as he could to recollect whatever figments of memories he had about Lucas, but it was all just a blur of inconsistent thoughts. Judging from Misaka's expression, she was the same.

It's like they have been overlooking his existence all this time. If it weren't for Leonardo's interference, they might have been oblivious to this fact as Lucas was simply too withdrawn from involving with anyone else.

"Forget it!" Leonardo waved it off and poured some more wine for the two and himself, feeling a bit tipsy already...

For now, this mystery remains unsolved. Little did they know that by the time they woke up the next day, whatever conversation they established with Lucas would be nothing but a vague memory, as though the young man dropped dead unconscious from his first shot, and they would attribute it to his pitifully weak alcohol tolerance.

Only Aria would remember this night, but it remains unknown how she would handle this delicate situation. One thing is certain, she felt pity and regret on Lucas' behalf as such an innate martial intent was doomed to confinement in the physique of someone limited to the heights of a saint.

Lucas would make the perfect agent to infiltrate an enemy base and practice espionage, more so than Pandora could ever be. However, as always, heaven is fair, or is it?

"You can go wash your face now by the way," Leonardo seemed to mention this casually, but Misaka snapped back to her senses, and with the influence of alcohol and being flustered, her facade of calmness in regards to her looks crumbled as she rushed out of the hall to her own room.

Well of course, which woman wouldn't care about her looks?

Sitri watched the flustered woman skid away and sighed helplessly, finding himself alone with the so-called new leader.

"So Leo... Did you perhaps plan to isolate us into engaging in one on one conversations with you?" Sitri brought the wine to his lips, washing it down his throat for the third time. Of course, Leonardo did the same, but the tipsiness began eating at his conscious acts little by little.

"First of all, hic! I'm glad you dropped the formalities..." Leonardo swayed lightly as he struggled to pour yet another wine glass. However, Sitri reached out to take the bottle from Leonardo's hand, inadvertently making physical contact with the latter.

When that happened, Sitri acted as though he was stung by an electric shock as he quickly withdrew his hand, although it was already clothed by layers of bandages, the young man seemed keen on maintaining distance from other people.

Leonardo didn't seem to notice as he hiccuped before blurting out his thoughts, "You see, I don't mind people with a bit of malice in their hearts... Hic! In fact, those are the people I need at the moment..."

Sitri raised a brow as he poured in some more wine into the empty glasses, wondering as to what Leonardo meant by that and thus he was quick to inquire, seemingly as sober as he could be.

"Why is that?"

"Thanks!" Leonardo thanked the man before taking the wine down his throat in one go, not bothering to put up any resistance as he knew that no matter what, Aria was present so no one could pull any dirty tricks, even with his cultivation currently locked down by the desolate intent.

"Why you ask?" Leonardo seemed to mutter in a soft voice, and just like Miko, Sitri could swear that he saw the illusion of Leonardo's eyes flashing crimson and it was not mere refraction of the cinders and smouldering wood.

However, he couldn't simply point out whether he was hallucinating. Nonetheless, Leonardo's next words captured his attention as his pupils constricted...

"Because I need such devious followers who accompany me on a path of senseless slaughter..."

"I'm not looking to practice the arts of war, playing political games, or acting as a nobleman. That path is no longer any good for me," Leonardo spoke of how the will of Arcadia is suppressing his natural growth. Of course, Sitri had no idea about that.

All Sitri could see was a young man drowning in alcohol and spilling out the content of his heart. However, he spoke of no ambitions, no dreams, no aspirations, he simply spoke of slaughtering lives for the sake of it.

He didn't justify this act of terrorism with any superfluous noble cause, no excuses, no sugar-coating, simple and direct; go and kill for the sake of killing.

Leonardo didn't wish for this either, but the will of Arcadia left him with no choice. If he could cultivate peacefully in the shadows while putting on the mask of a harmless diplomatic prince, a cunning businessman, then by all means he would. However, he wouldn't stun his own growth for the sake of a peaceful noble cause.

He would simply manipulate the various forces of the planet to either act aginst him in open hostility or bow to his rule. Sooner or later, in five years, this planet must fall under House Grace, and by extension, House Hestia.