It was a pitiful sight that they returned to. The door of the hut hung on one hinge, the shed half collapsed, even the garden that he had carefully cultivated uprooted and left to wither. The three bowls within the hut had been thrown out into the 'yard,' smashed as they hit the dirt. Inside was no better, jade bottles were scattered everywhere. Though they were stronger than glass from his home world, some had chipped and cracked. The chest was no longer under his bed, the empty books that it held were ripped to shreds and the cauldron had been tossed to one side. Even his cheap bedding had not been saved from the culprits wrath. His charms had been torn down, the more fragile ones snapped in two, their splinters covering the floor. "Oh."
Jin Li glanced over at the boy, who was so dumbfounded he could only sound out that lone word. Even he was not so hard hearted to notice the upset the break in had caused. He said nothing for a moment and glanced around to see what could be saved, but Leon had had little to begin with, he had even ridiculed him for it. He picked up one of the few jade bottles to survive the devastation and placed it upon the shelf, only to find that that shelf loose, unable to support anything.
His brows furrowed and he sounded a click of irritation. Who was the fool to tamper with the belongings of his servant? He would cut them down at once! With this thought in mind, he turned to face Leon, who was picking up the torn shreds of paper. Droplets of water dripped down upon them.
"You are crying," Jin Li stated, frozen in mid step.
Leon brought his hand to his cheeks in surprise. "I am," he agreed. He turned his attentions back to the books. "M-my grandfather m-made these b-b-books for me," he whispered. Leon understood, it was the remnants of Leo sorrowful for the loss of the gift that was the reason for his tears.
Jin Li felt his anger rising once more. Disrespecting an elder, he thought, how crass. He had some affection for his own old grandfather, though his mother's father was nearing a thousand years and was full of mischief enough to make his father and brothers despair on many occasions. "Who did this?" He demanded to know.
But Leon could only shake his head. He could only think of those bullies, but Caprian had moved to the inner school and he did not believe this was the work of Tor, it would not be that black hearted person's style, he seemed to be the observing time, enjoying the pain of others without getting his hands dirty. Virgal was likely, but he was also physically weak and a minion, would not have the strength the tear down the door. Leon could not accuse any of them without evidence, who knew who else might be involved?
"I w-will g-g-go t-to the school," Leon as he picked up his cauldron, which had also cracked noticeably. "I n-need a n-new c-c-c..." his stutter had worsened to the point he could no longer force the words out, so gave up.
"I will go with you," Jin Li stated, but Leon shook his head. "Why not?"
"C-c-can't know y-you are h-h-here." Jin Li began to grumble beneath his breath. "P-p-please!" Leon did not wish to risk being kicked out. He may have lived in this world for several months, but he knew he would not survive easily outside of the little protection that being in the school provided.
"This Lord believes that you are not worth this Lord's patience," he said bitterly and walked outside and left him alone to deal with the mess.
Leon could not see hide nor hair of Jin Li once he stepped out of his broken hut. Had he finally decided to part with him? The boy simply sighed and made his way to the pavilion and to the Herb Hall. Each step felt heavier than the last as he wondered where best to sleep tonight; he did not wish to return to the mess, not ready to deal with it yet. He was also uncertain on how to deal with the matter.
The last time he... or rather Leo had suffered a break in, he had been moved to that isolated place and then forgotten. If he reported that there had been another break in, though nothing was stolen, would he have to move again? He did not want to. The small hut being far removed was beneficial to him, the outsider who was trying his best to fit in. He could hide there, learn to be a Cultivator without the distraction of trying to be someone else or live to expectations that others had for the person who was not him. He sighed, undecided until he reached the Halls.
Teacher Sagi happened to be there this time. "Leo! I have not seen you in a while!"
"I-I went d-d-down the m-mountain," Leon said, "for n-n-new cl-clothes."
The man frowned, noting that Leon's stutter was much worse than when they last spoke. "What is wrong?" He demanded. "Have you suffered another deviation?" He grabbed Leon's wrist to check his pulse point, but realised with relief that there was nothing wrong. In fact there were clear signs of improvement.
"N-no," Leon flushed, slightly, fidgeting under the scrutiny. "S-s-something h-h-happened a-and m-my c-c-cauldron c-cracked." His eyes glanced at the small cauldron in hand, not willing to look at the teacher in case he pushed him to speak further.
The man gently took the cauldron from him and saw the crack. It was clearly made by the use of force against it. His eyes narrowed, he knew it was not in Leo's nature to abuse his tools. In fact, he had witnessed the care the boy had given the small, cheap pot once in the past. The boy had sat and cleaned and polished it outside his hut for an hour, while others tossed it to one side once finished with it. "I will get you a new one," Teacher Sagi told him. "You are too thin! Go get something to eat in the meantime!"
Leon did as he was instructed, wandering into the near empty Food Hall without thought. The grey haired kitchen woman saw him enter and called over to him. "Hey, there boy!" She waved cheerfully. "'Ere to eat? You be forgettin' yer rice from last time!"
"Oh, yeah," he replied, recalling the whole thing with the mushrooms. How could he forget? It was where he found Jin Li after all.
"I'll getcha summin to eat," she stated. "You look like a fresh breeze could whisk you away!" She slipped back into the kitchen and brought back a tray of hot rice porridge filled with beans and peas, a plate of sliced rabbit meat in some brown sauce and fresh hot bread. His mouth instantly watered. He felt a little guilty that he could not share this with Jin Li, before remembering that the man had left him now. It would be quiet without him, he thought, but at least he could sleep in his own bed... once he fixed it.
His stomach was round like a ball by the time he had finished and he also store away the remaining bread into his pouch, noticing that he had yet to empty it of the purchases he carried. There was barely room to squeeze in the bread, but he dare not leave his things in the house. He would have to think of how to protect his things, he decided as his hands became occupied.
The grey haired woman came to take his tray away and noticed the little wooden rabbit charm just carved by his hands. "How cute," she commented and he blushed as he realised he had fallen on old habits to settle his nerves again.
"Here," he said, handing it to her. The little shape had been carved with a symbol for good health, though she was not aware of this. She was startled, but took it with good grace, before indicating the large sack of rice. He did not think it would fit in his pouch, so she let him borrow one that her son used.
"Tha' boy! No sooner did he drop off th' supplies, he be runnin' off somewhere else! Don' he think I know he be jus' tryin' to get outta chores!" She muttered as she made her way back into the kitchens.
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