Shadowverse: Maura Abelard Story Arc

by Kanon58

Events took place before the main plot of Shadowverse. Maura soak in the streets like a damp cat, Leon pick him up and gave him a home. Not knowing despair awaits when he had hopes they were family. A Dedicated Mauro/Maura Fanfic

6. Tattoo of Age Ceremony

Shadowverse: Maura Abelard Story Arc Kanon58

Summary: Events took place before the main plot of Shadowverse. Maura soak in the streets like a damp cat, Leon pick him up and gave him a home. Not knowing despair awaits when he had hopes they were family. A Dedicated Mauro/Maura Fanfic

Note: the Protagonist in CHAMPION'S Battle I decide to name them as Shuyaku Maru and Shuyaku Mio. They are cousins here so do not be surpise if female and male MC-NPC is interavting with Maura/Mauro. I will also minus the age just...well its for the plot. Also at the last episode of Shadowverse ANIME EPISODE 48 Kagura and the MC- Male and Female appeared at the crowd seats clapping when Lucia won against Hiro at the time they battled with Legendary Cards so its official that they are actually in same universe except the Champion's battle is more like Alternate universe concept for the plot to become mellow. I prefer the anime for obvious reaaasons it has evil Papa Leon Aurenche and badass Mauraaa.

Therefore this fanfic is living up to that setting. Hope you like the merge!

ENGLISH SUCKS BUT DONT BOTHER, JUST ENJOY THE STORY.
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Glossary:

Chapter 1 Soak Stray, his name is Maura
Chapter 2 Meeting other Orphans
Chapter 3 Grooming his IT
Chapter 4 Disliking Hiro and Kagura
Chapter 5 The Prince of Shadow
Chapter 6 Tattoo of Age Ceremony
Chapter 7 Tree of Woe's Sacrifice

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Chapter 6: Tattoo of Age Ceremony.

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TIMELINE: 13 YEARS OLD MAURA

"Hello there fella~ are you free right now?"

Maura's voice can be heard in the dark alley.

Blackhair in ponytail up with white ribbons and blue linings. Blue eyes and wearing a Tensei Academy uniform, a female student.

Shuuyaku Mio.

She stops walking the moment she spotted Maura at the corner of this alley in cross arms suddenly blocks her pathway. Carefully approaches Mio, Maura initiated his suspicious lines. "You see am quite the lonely boy. Care to join me to the underworld~?"

It just happen the sun is bright, Yonazuki Lucia whose on the way to the Underworld pathway stops real quick.

He heard Maura's voice and even saw Maura seems to be hitting on a girl from Tensei Academy. 'Is that Maura...wait what is he doing?'

Lucia spies a little bit out of curiosity if Maura doing something mean to the poor girl to encounter a creepy person like Maura.

"Oh come on~ I'm sure you'll have fun with me~"

Lucia almost chokes. 'I thought he is only flirting at me? I guess he flirts with everyone.'

He noticed Maura showed his Shadowverse gauntlet. "There ya go~" however every movement Maura makes is always alluring.

As if he is indeed flirting.

Lucia could only manage to look at the scene before him. 'Why is he so seductive?'

Maura does his habit of twerk position. His off shoulder exposing his chest or whatever, the girl awkwardly steps back. "Its fine if you can't bet anything~ I bet myself most of the time~" he opened his eyes to see through the other's pupils. "Hehehe~ the pressure to put attention to Maura.

Lucia feels like he is having another headache for watching this. 'Why is he seducing people for...?'

The girl seems to agree due to the fact she nods at Maura.

Maura then stops his flirt posing into a cross arms position. "Now I'll tell you whose going to be your match~"

Lucia is do done, he started to walk away. It seems like Maura is just being his mischievous self. As long Maura is not invading the girl's private space Lucia doesn't have to stop them.

'I should really stay away from him...'

Unfortunately Lucia did not heard the next words.

"I present to you the Prince of Shadows~"

That Maura is not selling himself but rather selling Lucia to thirsty players.

...

---

An hour later since the scene from the dark alley where Maura looks like a hooker waiting for customers.

Location: Underground Casino

"Hello, good evening Prince of Darkness~!"

Maura blocks Lucia's pathway at the staircase. Yonazuki Lucia is going up while Maura going down and purposely Maura surprise jump him.

Lucia is spiritually surprise but he remain unfaced outside when it terms of physical view.

Slight narrow in his red eyes. "I thought it was suppose to be Prince of Shadows?"

Maura taken back before he happily says. "Ara~? You actually like the nickname you were given?" Nodding to self and Lucia of course does not get it why it made Maura felt complimented. "I see~ I see. That's good."

Lucia rolled his eyes. "If you are doing this rapport for the same reason. I want to make it clear, I don't want to battle you-"

Suddenly Maura shoved him a weird toy.

"For you~!"

Lucia eyed the item, it has a pink ribbon wrapped on it. The shape is strange, its color wood and has 2 black hollow pupils and an oval shape black mouth.

Sweat drops.

"What is that?"

Maura delighted how Lucia ask, this means he got the Prince of Shadow's attention.

"Its a Friend shape Item fresh from the overseas~!"

Lucia not sure what to make of it. "Friend...shape...?"

Because the shape...It looks like a dildo.

Maura Abelard with pink cheeks forcefully took Lucia's hands and handed the wooden voodoo looking item. "From the bottom of my heart, Please accept it~" Lucia pulls his hands away before Maura could even land the item at his palms. "I don't need it."

Maura pouts. "But I want you to take it~"

Lucia looks at the weird shape one more time. He can tell it look like an antic item carved by ancient times.

It looks cursed.

But then again, he can see the clear wide smile and anticipation of the watermelon.

"If I take it, will you stop bothering me?"

Maura frowns. "How mean~ That is unfair!"
Lucia gave him a known look. "You are being forceful."

Maura suspiciously behaves and says. "Ok, I will stop bothering you." He holds Lucia's hands insert the lost treasure item in between. "Just promise me you'll keep this to your room."

Lucia heavy sighs. He knows the only way to get rid of this nuisance is to agree for now.

"Fine." He accepted the friend shape item. "Happy?" Maura claps for himself, he rejoices.
"Very much~!"

Yonazuki Lucia looks at his hand with the wooden toy. It seems to be a female enigma due to the pink ribbon. Unnecessary thoughts came out of his mouth. "What am I supposed to use it on?"

Maura raised an eyebrow before another bad idea came into his mind. "Oh you want to use it~? Let me know when. I'm free anytime if its you." Winking.

Lucia furiously blushes. "You-" But Maura cuts him off by twirling away giving them distance. "With this, we are finally cursed to each other~!"

Lucia tightens his hold to the wooden figure. "Cursed?!"

Its too late, Maura hops away. "See you around Prince of Shadows~!"

Gone.

Maura left just like that leaving him stressed.

Lucia shakes his head. "...He likes giving me a headache." Then going back to the curse item it seems, kinda skeptical since he does not believe in those kind of superstation. "This isn't really cursed right?"

On a better look, it's quality is well refined for a wooden sculpture. Since he has no use for it nor had means to keep it. "...Can I sell this?" Remembering Maura's words. "He did say its from overseas then it should he expensive..."

On a second look, it did look a bit cute.

"Maybe Shiori will like it...?"

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---

As if he achieve something, Maura enters their unit happily closing the door and set foot all the way towards the living room.

'La~la~la~' Maura's mind singing. He read a book that when you have friends, you should give them gifts as a sign of friendship. According to the friendship book he recently finish, remembrance is the key to keep the friendship forever.

Although Lucia doesn't see him as a friend, but Maura truly believes he can change that perspective of Lucia.

Delusional that they can be good friends.

Which is why Maura gave away his favorite toy, the Wooden figure called Bulul or Chehoma.

It's what tribes usually carves on their free time to make toys for their kids or otherwise to create lucky charms...or simply just to make gods out of it.

The Chehoma figurine is found by Leon and his team during the exploration. He is not good on handling kids, lazy as it seems Leon just decided to give Maura every single artifacts they find whether is it curse or not.

Leon Aurenche knows it won't affect Maura. After all Maura came from a special civilization of Abelards who have serve and protected the seal in the Tree of Woe all of those ancient centuries.

Although Maura is not aware of it nor did really care about his origin.

What important is he is able to give away his favorite gift from Leon and entrusted it's care to Lucia.

Hoping they would be friends forever even if just through a curse...

Maura decided to re arrange his books and one thing caught his eye. "Forgotten Folktales...?" There's a disclaimer and it was tiny. "Stories originated from Nekome-cho. Compilation of True stories hence you believe fiction." Maura does not remember having such book. But the problem is...it is just one page. It's not even a book, just really a ripp off page.

"...Did Leon-sama gave this to me when I was younger?"

Maura looks at the page, it's an old one and there is a drawing on it.

"This symbol...have I seen this before?" Something resonates. It looks like a morning star but with hands on it. No...rather roots that resembles a tree.

"Huh...?"

Maura flips the page to see if something written behind and there is.

Maura read's out loud. "...the Morning Star appears in Aleister's sky as a prelude to Nexus's arrival in Aleister. The seven protagonists are taken for different reasons to the Morning Star, where they witness the appearance of Nexus and are later trapped in an idyllic dream world. After breaking free and defeating Nexus, Nexus disappears through the Morning Star, leaving their world trapped in a dream."

But since it's one page, there is no continuation.

Maura loves reading and is always curious.

"I like this! I want to read the rest!"

Maura then folds the page and hide it to his pocket.

Perfect timing.

Click.

Maura heard the door open. "Leon-sama is back." As always he has to hurry and greet him.

"Welcome back Leon-sama, another tiring day at job? How is your business today?"

Leon Aurenche does not seem happy but rather he looks serious.

However Maura always know that if its his birthday, Leon will spoil him. So he changed the topic. "Leon-sama, there's a book that I would like to read."

Leon who finally switched face from tired and serious into nice ones. "Sure Mauro, tell me what it is."

Maura drops the bomb. "The Book of Forgotten Folktales in Nekome."

Leon eyes slightly widen before he went silent.

"..."

Unknown to Maura why Leon acts strange tonight.

"Leon-sama...?"

Leon Aurenche thinks. 'I see, he finally discovered the ripp page I left hidden to one of the books I kept giving him. That took so long meaning...the arrival of Tree of Woe is coming very soon.'

Fate is moving itself.

The reason why Leon purposely hid a one rip out page for the Book of Forgotten Folktales due to hopes that if Maura is fated to know his mission on the right timing.

Since Maura knows the page existence, this is a good sign for Leon to make the next move.

To make Maura curious to find the rest of the story.

If so...that will put Maura in his place to take his duty more seriously.

"Mauro."

"Yes?"

Leon pretended strict as he had those analyzing eyes against the innocent Maura. "You can read all the books you want except that one."

And it is effective, Maura genuinely confused. This is odd...Leon never rejected his wishes before.

What could be wrong?

"Why? Is something the matter about the book Leon-sama...?"

Leon walks away to remove his business outfit as he continues to talk to Maura. "Its about the forbidden truth." With a stern voice and a intimidating look. "I do not want you to be reading it before your birthday."

Maura felt bad. He never saw Leon be mad for something like this. The cold gaze Leon gave him when he ask for the book is truly unusual.

"Wish for something else please." Leon covers up with a gentle smile.

Maura not sure why he made Leon upset, only if he knew Leon is pulling him into a trap to chase it.

"Uhh...Ok..." Maura looks at his room doorway and it's left open. He sees his display is empty after giving away his Female Chehoma that he calls it Friend-shape. "I guess another Friend shape, this time I want a male one please."

Leon a bit surprise, he now notice the display in Maura's room which is visible from this living room...the wooden dildo-shaped toy is missing.

"What happen to the female friend shape?"

Maura blushes as he shyly reveals. "I gave it to someone...I think I made a friend...hehe."
Leon narrowed his eyes dangerously however Maura is looking at the floor so he did not saw how unhappy Leon is to hear that possibility of Maura trusting another human being besides him.

Alarming.

"Is that so."

Leon of course swift to agree to make sure Maura will not be aware of his true colors.

For now.

"Very well, I shall get you the gift."

Leon left Maura and went to his room to get shower.

Maura silently follows Leon by his eyes before he question the weird behavior Leon showed him tonight. 'Why won't Leon-sama allow me to read that book...?' Little did he know...that book will be the one to shatter his hopes and dreams once he completed reading it.

"A morning star..."

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---

BLINK!

Lucia never gave his phone number to anybody except the school's principal.

So it is very strange he would receive a unknown number.

The heading says: Hello My Prince of Darkness.

'I think I guess who it is...' the bad feeling he has, Lucia likes gambling. It was a gamble to view the anonymous message he got either a virus, scam or its plainly...

PRESS.

"I knew it."

It's a personal message from Maura Abelard.

["Good morning, it's my birthday tomorrow. But I would like to celebrate this one in advance with you. The actual date of my birthday May 27th is of course I will spend to my family. Please come meet me at the Tea & Beans. The parfait is delicious there! If you like to have a take out for your sister I'm willing to pay over it. Just please come."]

Lucia thought he was done. His original plan is to ignore it but he receive a new pm.

BLINK!

["P.S. if you do not wish to take out any of the food, you can take me out. I shall entertain your cute sister. Maybe she is bored at your emotionless face. Joke! I look forward to meet you at the morning- you have early out due to a special occasion. You don't want me show up to your school do you? Hehe!"]

"First pleading...not blackmailing."

Lucia left out a tired sigh.

"Why did I get involve at this stalker for real...?"

...

---

Next in the morning: Location Nekome-cho Cafe district, Tea & Beans.

"You made it~!" Maura taps at the table he had saved from them two.

Yonazuki Lucia just braced himself and with his typical stoic face he walk towards Maura and sat down across.

Maura highly in good mood, he even place an elbow to the table so his chin can rest to his palms. Eyeing Lucia up and down he asks.

"So what do you want to order~?" Lucia can tell it is Maura's treat. So he did not bother to ask who'll pay nor get his app bank.

And because he is a cheap steak.

"Water is fine."

Maura shakes his head and pouts. His hands tapping at the table like a child. "Come on don't be a killjoy. It's my birthday! You have to make sure am happy~!"

Lucia shot him a look. "Your birthday is tomorrow to be exact. I'm not obliged to make you happy either."

Maura sighs and smiles back. "Let's do it this way~" he suddenly cross his legs and straighten up his back as he seductively suggests.

"Do you want...Coffee? Parfait? Or Me~?"

Lucia's ears went smoke. "Can you not early in the morning?!" He knew Maura was messing with him right on spot with those ridiculous words.

Maura proceeds to laugh at Lucia, it was truly entertaining to him. "Hahaha~! Adorable expression! I'm very luckily to see the flustered face of Prince-"

Lucia cuts him off. "Don't call me that in public."

Maura made an 'oopsie' face before he lower his voice with genuine confusion. "Oh...nobody knows you play Shadowverse~? Was my research wrong~?" He place a finger at his chin, he does this when he thinks truthfully of a situation.

Lucia explains. "They know I play. But they don't know I play in the underworld." With a threatening red glare. "Behave or I will walk out of here."

Maura lifts his hands as a sign of pleading for Lucia to stay. "Ok-ok~ I don't want you to be that upset towards me..." then he grabs the menu at the table set. "So you take coffee~ I'll the tea~" Maura decides for them two. "Good~?"

Lucia saw the menu as it flashes to his eyes, he did feel a bit hungry so why not take advantage of it. Because he knew if he does not appease Maura, this watermelon might really proceed to destroy his image. The blackmail part is there and knowing him being a prankster in a sense.

"I want a strawberry parfait and one take out of strawberry shortcake boxes."

Maura nods in approval as he snap his fingers to take attention of the waitresses.

Humming in happiness, Lucia sees the purity in Maura's eyes. "Marvelous~ we can finally start our first date~" he giggles. "What a happy thing to be alive~!"

Lucia sighs. "You are exaggerating..."

A bit later the order arrive. One parfait strawberry and a coffee for Lucia, Maura has a milk tea and a sandwich then the take out box.

Lucia expected Maura will eat a lot, but those two combination seems like a diet.

Like all those ornaments at Maura's body, Lucia genuinely judged Maura as lavish.

But he was not.

Interesting.

'I judge him too fast.' Outstanding point two. 'Is this dude that concern on his body size..?' It's not like Lucia did not entirely care about this fanboy or stalker. Bit by bit he is liking Maura's entertainment and fascination to him. Although most of the times it makes him creep out.

But Lucia he is a big brother. He can tell Maura is actually lacking attention so he acts like a spoiled brat. The flirtish part though, Lucia is not sure why Maura acts like he is a whore of some sort aside from being a sadist. Maura is acting like a masochist whenever he gives him cold gaze.

Lucia cannot understand why Maura enjoys his company so much when he knew himself he is boring.

Wait...

Maura is also staring back at him, no...at his hand.

"What is it?" Finally he urge to know.

Maura tilts his head with a hungry smirk. "Is that strawberry parfait yummy~?" Lucia really hope Maura is pointing at the parfait in his hands. But he can be stingy too.

"Order one for yourself, you'll find out."

Maura went ahead and call him names. "Don't be stingy~! Even if I have endless money I still make sure not to over budget. After all I don't carry any money with me~"

Lucia raised an eyebrow. "I will allow you to take a bite if you tell me the truth."

To his surprise Maura oblige. "Go ahead and ask~"

This is the opportunity to unveil whoever Maura is and why him is chosen as a entertainment. The apple of the eye in this strange fellow.

"What is your true name? You know my real name. It should be fair for me to know yours."

Maura sips his tea and calmly interjects. "I already gave you my real name. You are the first person I gave my genuine name at birth."

Lucia gave him a doubtful look.

"...How can I believe that?"

Maura says firmly. "MAURA." As he gently puts down his tea cup. "As my memory can barely recall...My mom gave me the name Maura." Somehow there resonates loneliness. "But she and my original dad are all dead."

Lucia himself can relate how he also lost his parents too early. So there is actually a proper reason why Maura acts childish despite looking so mature in front of others except towards him.

Lucia he knew his questions were too sensitive.

"Sorry."

Maura waves his hands in a silly manner. "Oh do not be sorry~! My master found me and took me in~" he sparkles.

Lucia gave him a disgust look. "What are you a stray?"

Maura took a sandwich and bites it. Swallowing. "How about this, Tell me what you knew so far about me then I will say if its correct or not~?"

Lucia game on it. "Sounds fair."

The Prince of Shadows reveals his investigation so far about Maura Abelard. "You live inside the Genesis Company building and...as I went on a bit research about you. It wasn't that hard to guess you are possibly the son of the CEO."

Maura perks in anticipation. "Why you say so~? At what concrete proof?" How amusing.

"You can access the admin base of Shadowverse. Only owners can do so." Lucia concludes.

Maura grins. "What if am just an employee~?"

But he couldn't sway Lucia's accusations. "If you are an employee, you wouldn't be hanging around the casino in idle. You'll be inside your building 27."

Maura nodding to admit Lucia's words. "Yeah that's true~" then he deviously widens his grin. "But one thing you have missed. Am just adopted."

Silence.

"..."

Lucia did not think of that. Since he never seen the face of the Shadowverse CEO.

Maura finishes up his sandwich. "My name got change after I got adopted. So I tell you the truth, my real name is Maura Abelard. I hope you won't forget it...and I hope as well only you and you will be calling me by my real name~" with a relief smile Lucia had never seen. "It has been centuries since I heard my real name. Even my master does not call me by my birth name."

Lucia can only feel pity but his face betrays him that has emotionless appearance.

"I see, you have a complicated life."

But Maura can feel him despite how you can judge his facial expression are nothing remained unfazed.

"Oh~ do you feel sorry for me?" The way Maura acts like he is teasing him again made Lucia roll eyes and switched his attention to drink his coffee.

Slurps~

"I have no right to feel anything about your situation."

Maura leans to the table with the teasing smirk. "So you don't have even a bit of feelings for me-"

Suddenly someone hit his elbow. "Ow!" Causing his tea to splash off to the ground.

CRASH!

The teacup shatters. The man who hit Maura's elbow is a Yankee looking one. "You are in the way..!"

Lucia automatically alerts on guard. 'Gangsters...' the Prince eyed Maura whose contemplating the situation. They both watch the three Yankees went to the counter and starts yelling in demanding voice.

"Hey! We wanna order! Hurry up bitch!" Lucia thought Maura will let it slide.

But no.

"...Excuse me sir~"

Maura politely says, taking the attention of the Yankees.

"What do you want?!"

"If you bump to someone you are suppose to apologize~" Maura smiles.

Ah oh, Lucia knows that smile. Maura is pissed.

The leading Yankees walk forward back to where Maura is sitting. "You think you can order me around?! You don't know who you are talking to!"

Maura creepily giggles. "Hehee~" revealing his daunting purple eyes of despair. "Ohh~ trust me, you also don't know who you speaking to." Maura taps on his fingers at the table. "Fine if you do not wish to apologize, please apologize to the staff for making such a mess."

The Yankee was angry with his daring attitude. "Shut up you shrimp!"

That's it.

Maura reveals a vein pop.

"Shrimp? You call me a shrimp...?" Dark chuckles. "Ehehe...!" Maura takes a deep breath. "Ara~ara~" Maura clutches his own face. "Ahh~ this is the problem with scumbags. No manners."

Lucia sweat drops as the situation unfolds.

"What did you say?!" The Yankee slams the table of theirs.

BAM!

"You wanna mess of me!?"

Maura snaps.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU LOW LIFE DRECK!"

Shocked.

"eeek?!"

Lucia stood up to control the situation. "Maura calm down-" but Maura is totally crazy mode. "YOU DON'T BELONG IN THE SOCIETY SO STOP ACTING LIKE YOU OWE THE PLACE!" His evil laughter. "AHA~AHAHAHA!"

The Yankees were freaked out. "The fuck this creep...!"

Maura sighs and went back to his stable mode. "Now~now we have to give you a taste of despair you maggot."

One of the Yankees stops being angry and his expression changed into terrified ones. "Ey d-dude." He tap their leader's shoulder whose still aggravated against Maura. "What?!"

The Yankee minion points out. "T-this kid has a weird tattoo!" The assumption. "I-It must be a Yakuza..."

Maura heard it and took advantage to frighten them trio. "Now tell me you three~ how would you like to despairingly disappear~?"

Cat walks.

"Eh-"

Badump, badump.

"Run!" The trio Yankees made the good call of escape time. "Let's get out of here!"

Lucia saw this familiar scene for the second time how people frighten to Maura and runs like a baby.

"Aaaahh!"

The shop is back at peace.

Maura shrugs. "They left." Then he approaches the counter. "Are you ladies alright~?"

The ladies were thankful yet kinda terrified as well on how Maura acted throughout the tension. "T-thank you..."

Maura knows it but he decided to be a gentleman. "I'll help you clean."

Only for the girls to flinch. "N-no! It's ok! It is our job! T-thanks!" They quickly finish to clean and went away from Maura as soon as possible.

Meanwhile Maura says nothing and just went back to his sit.

Lucia observing him, he heard Maura mutters.

"...Tsk, now am aggravated." Maura crosses his arms and legs with a grumpy face. The Havencraft using is erratic. 'Confirmed, he has a very short temper. Once he got pissed off its hard to bring back his mood.' He clearly sees how Maura's finger nails scratching his gold brouche that has been attached at his left waist.

Maura even talks to himself.

"Dammit, am so angry right now...grrr..!"

Yonazuki Lucia did not like how Maura is emitting a strong negative energy. It would be a waste to end the day in a bad mood.

Eyeing his parfait, come to think of it Maura wants to have a taste of his...

Lucia made up his mind, he called him out.

"Look at me."

Maura still irritated, did look at him.

"What?"

Shoving the parfait right at Maura's face.

"Eat."

It hit his mouth.

"Mmh!"

Lucia in a commanding voice.

"Swallow." Maura blinks as he heard the Prince tells him this once in a life time experience. "Quick before it spills the cream."

Maura follows his orders and slowly chums to swallow.

Gulps.

Lucia stares at him. Those cold gaze always gets Maura to feel thrilled.

"Is it yummy?"

Maura shyly nods in return.

"Y-yes it is yummy."

Lucia still remained stoic by face but Maura felt his genuine concern about his mood to get better.

"Ok, you happy now?"

Maura blushes upon the indirect kiss and sudden feed. How luckily!

There was a short silence before Maura spoke up back to his normal mood.

"You know..."

Lucia waited. "Hm?"

Only to hear the next words. "The strawberry shortcake you left back when you walk away. I actually ate the rest~" licks.

Lucia panics in disturbance. "That is a unnecessary information!" Already regretting his actions.

The watermelon boy is back at ruining his appetite. "You can't be wasting food you know~ So I swallowed everything for you even the last cream of it~" Maura lick his lips in a teasing manner again.

'Darn.' Lucia already narrowed his eyes, annoyed.

"You are making me loose my appetite." Closing his eyes thinking of changing the topic. "Also..."

Maura nods. "Hn~?"

Lucia opens his red eyes, Maura awfully fascinated by how his gaze are lacking the emotion of empathy yet his voice sounds soothing, how cool.

"When you are mad, I'll hang out with you to help you cool down."

Maura blushes more but this time not out of shyness but excitement. "What's with you suddenly worried about my temperance~?"

Lucia being honest, nothing too deep. "Whenever you are angry the world seems to shake." Adding the real reason why. "I just don't want you to be embarrassing yourself."

Maura sways. "Ahh~ My Prince~!" Lucia made a face. "I said stop calling me Prince in public-"

Then Maura puts a finger to hush Lucia's lips.

"Hm-"

"Ohhh just the two of us in our dirty little secret~ Yes I will shut my lips~" Maura whispers. "In exchange..."

Lucia moves away still having second thoughts if he did the right thing on comforting Maura's tantrums. "...What now?"

Maura proposes his agenda. "Join me stroll for the whole day~!" Grabbing his hands. "Please hang out with me!"

Lucia swat his hands. "I already said I will, no need to be so clingy." But Maura did not care and just simply happy with Lucia surrender to his fate on spending time with him.

"Yayy~! I'm very happy!" Maura rest his back to the sofa while his legs playfully moves. He was this blissful. "I wish we hang out more~ Lucia!"

Lucia somehow sees a child spirit within the mysterious Havencraft user. "Maura..." truly alike to someone he cares for. 'He is like a kid, kinda similar to Shiori.'

Lucia thought if Maura in hair down, he might look like Shiori in a sense. They kinda had similar body features too, except Maura is a boy and Shiori is a girl. Is Shiori going to be this cheerful yet naughty if she wasn't ill?

'Guess it won't hurt to spoil him today, it is his birthday tomorrow.'

But then again, it still bothers him.

"What makes you so obsessed with me?"

Maura thinks. "Hmm~ your cold gaze!" But the answer made Lucia dismay. "That's not really a compliment..."

Maura corrects him up as he carefully explains how he depicts Lucia within his vision. "I mean you are very handsome~! You look like a prince from a book! While my master looks like an angel~!"

Lucia not convinced enough. "You seem to have fetish on fairytale looking people then."

Maura puts his hands to touch his own cheeks, in fanboy mode. "I mean isn't wonderful~?" From the bottom of Maura's heart. "To be part of their world~ it is an honor!" Lucia having a headache at this point.

"You are such a strange stalker."

Maura out of nowhere stops being silly and went a bit serious. "My apologies by the way." Lucia can tell Maura seems to be struggling in a multiple persona, Maura has to be bipolar.

"Which one?" Trying to read the room. Maura admits his fault. "I lost my temper a seconds ago."

Nothing to Lucia. "Yeah you did."

Maura begins to unfold something more personal knowing Lucia will listen to his melancholy thoughts. "You see at home I always have to be a good boy. I always have to speak politely." Immediately Maura brightens up. "But when am talking to you I can be myself! Because it doesn't bother you~!"

Lucia shake his head to correct him. "Am bothered, I just don't have the energy to react." Biting back to his parfait.

Maura rest his arms to the table as he joyfully watches Lucia finishes his food. "But so far you are the only one who is not creep out of me~" Maura open his eyes with those loving looks only for the Prince. "You are special Yonazuki Lucia~"

Lucia says nothing as he chews.

"We both lost our true parents. I came from the dirt and I became rich. You are a prince who became a pauper. We both hate this world right~?"

Lucia also finishes his coffee and finally commented. "You sure talk a lot." He even said with a straight face. "Do you even stop talking?"

Because...Why is Maura so open to him? Just why?

Maura seem to ignore his question. Maura went to giggle again then he stood up from the sofa they had been occupying. "You know, am getting bored here. Let's go outside~!"

Lucia just sighs more tired than ever.

"Got it."

As they exit the Tea & Beans, Maura puts a hand at his waist demanding for a tour.

"Can you take me to an alley way I have never been before~?"

Lucia suspiciously eyed him. "Why would we go there?"

Maura harasses him. "I want to spend time to you didn't I say so~?" Or was it a misinterpret.

Maura did look genuine most of the time if not noticing his wrong choice of words. Lucia gave him a knowing look. 'I don't feel safe to be alone with him.' Then he had a better idea so he gestured Maura to follow him while carrying the take out box at his hands.

"Ok, let's go to the market place."

Maura is stunned Lucia is willing to think of a place to actually tour him to...

"Eh?"

And thus the two stroll around Nekome's Market place.
...

---

Here in Nekome Market, Yonazuki Lucia and Maura Abelard begin their tour.

As per Lucia's observation, Maura is a very curious cat.

He likes checking things out, he likes listening to other people's conversation. Lucia can see how Maura loves gossips and secrets. It seems to entertain him aside from of course spreading despair and inflicting humiliation to other people.
Lucia knows Maura is highly intelligent.

It is quite obvious since the CEO of Genesis Company adopted him as a possible heir once he had come to the right age. To see his Grand Master rank and how he does not take Shadowverse too seriously.

'...Hence what if Maura becomes serious, he might be undefeatable who knows?'

Maura just acts silly to bully him in a sense of trying to get his attention. Maura acting like a child when you tour him is...

'I admit it is quite amusing.' Lucia tells himself.

"Ice cream~!" Maura says in a glee. Pulling Lucia's arms without consent. "Nee~nee! I want to try it! Its white!"

Lucia eyed the ice cream stroll and gave Maura a suspicious look. "You act like you never seen ice cream."

Maura presses his arms to Lucia's as if cuddling. "I never got to try out white flavor~Pleeeassee~"

Lucia resigns to his fate to spoil the childish Maura. "Fine, let us get the ice cream you wanted to lick." Lucia punches his self mentally. 'Why did I just say that in a wrong way?!'

Seems like being with Maura can be a virus.

Ordering the two ice cream, unfortunately the cone version is sold out so they got themselves the ice cream cups.

Maura meanwhile fascinated at the ice cream appearance and begins to poke at it with the spoon. Needless to say, "You know this ice cream reminds me of you~"

Lucia poking the ice cream as well. "In what part?"

Maura grins. "Its soft...its white like your hair and yummy~" one eye peek a boo.

Lucia cleared his throat. "..Right. " by doing so he ended up poking the ice cream in the wrong turn and it cause to splash some of it's sticky cream.

Timing-ly stains Maura at the face. "Kyah!" It was damn cold. Maura says in such pleading voice. "Don't...Lucia!" It kinda sounded wrong.

Lucia panics inside but his physical self is still unnerving but with slight apologetic face. "Ah- sorry."

Maura wipes his face with the tissue handed by Lucia himself. Chuckling upon such a clumsy situation. "Hehh~ Its cold and sweet...just like the Prince of Shadows~" Maura licks the remains of the stain and proposed. "You know, if you want to stain me, we can schedule it~"

"I didn't intend it to spill on you!" Lucia forgot to lower his voice. Good thing nobody bat an eye.

Gulps.

Maura hushes him. "You cannot be doing this in the public eye~"

Lucia heavily sighs. This is another teasing of Maura...Better not to make a big deal out of it anymore. "That wasnt...my intention."

Maura laughs at him. "Hahaha~! How cute when you are embarrass~!"

Lucia closed his eyes trying not to be affected.

Before they knew the night is approaching.

They passed by a construction and the lights went on for beta testing.

It was Nekome's Amusement park on remodeling. The biggest area is off limits for the grand finale of its construction, but the rear view is still open for rides.

Maura had never seen one because Leon never brought him somewhere near where you can spend time having fun. Which is why he stops walking while Lucia following behind.

"What is this!?" Maura exclaims in pure admiration. Lucia reaches Maura's side and stop his tracks as well so he can gaze up the said magical land. "Ah, the newly open Amusement park." He says.

Maura looks at him with excitement. "Amusement park?!"

Lucia got curious now. "...Why you never seen one before?"

Maura simply tells him the truth. "I was always lock up inside, so yeah! I never got to go one!" He pesters Lucia to tell him more. "Were you able to?! What was it like...?"

Lucia thinks a bit before he answers. "...The last time I went is when our parents still alive."

Maura did not intend to bring bad memories. "Ohh...I see."

He thought Lucia would stop but the prince kept sharing. "It has been a while to me since. It feels magical in a sense. My little sister love it a lot too." Somewhere in Lucia's eyes there were nostalgia and desire to trace back the past.

However Maura offers a new window of opportunity that he himself never tried before.

"Then can we go together~?"

Lucia looks away rejecting Maura already. "I'm not willing to spend money for fun-"

Maura goes near his face with the brightest idea ever. "I'll pay! Just join me pretty please~"

Lucia can almost see Maura's chest due to the off shoulder.

Why is Maura so...naked for some reason.

"Uhhh..." Lucia felt the urge to answer or else-

RING! RING!

Save by the luck, Maura's smartphone alarms for crew few.

Realizing this. "Oh snap!" Maura panics and opened his phone. "It is this late already...?!"

Lucia who had been guarding time because after this he had to visit Shiori. "Yeah, I thought you knew."

Maura looks stressed. "W-why you did not told me?" To Lucia's surprise, Maura ditches him. "Oh no, no...I have to get home!"

Lucia guessed. "...You have crew few?" That's kinda surprising in a sense due to seeing Maura always wandering around whenever he wants and you are saying he had strict rules to follow of going home early?

Maura said with a sad smile as his hands trembles. "Yes. My master will be mad...I have never gone this late my entire life! Am in trouble!"

Lucia just follow the flow. "Then I guess we part ways." As he checks the take out box at his hand. "I still have to visit Shiori at the hospital after this."

Maura just agrees. "Ok! I must go!" And runs away.

Lucia turns his back but then...

"Yonazuki Lucia!"

Maura calls him from afar, looking at Maura's view.

"Yeah?"

Maura Abelard smiles sweetly.

"Next time lets have a date at the Amusement park~ please promise me!"

Lucia blinks and for whatever reason he ended up agreeing.

"...Ok, I promise. Now go home."

Maura waves. "Thank you for today~! Be careful on your way to the hospital~!"

Lucia did not wave back nor smile but his voice did sound caring.

"Same back at you...Maura."

...

---

Back At Genesis Company.

SLAP!

Maura is greeted by an angry Leon he had never seen nor experience. Leon Aurenche just spank him, more like a real hard slap for being a bad child.

"Mauro, you are late from the crew few." His voice is unnerving. "I thought I made sure you'll not disobey me." Maura slowly touches his right cheeks went red from the slap. "Where were you?"

With shaky voice out of fear, Maura automatically lied while his intentions are pure.

"P...Playing...Shadowverse at the Underground casino."

Leon narrowed his eyes.

"Liar."

"Eh?"

"Did I ever teach you to lie on me when reporting?"

"U-uhh..."

Oh shit, Maura remember now. Leon show his phone and it's tracking device. It has the monitoring results of where Maura went. He did not went to do Shadowverse, he roamed around Nekome market after the Tea&Beans.

Maura cold sweats as he slowly gulps down.

"I thought I teach you to always tell me everything." He is now having a mental debate. 'Oh no...Leon-sama hates me now! I..I broke my promise to go home early! What should I do? What? How do I-'

Leon's commanding voice. "Come here."
Maura squeaks. "Uhhh...!"

Only to meet an embrace.

"Eh...?"

Leon pulls him closer, Maura's nose can smell Leon's perfume...his beloved scent.

Leon Aurenche tells him the words he wanted to hear for so long. "I was a bit worried about what may have happen to you. Don't do this again."

Maura still fearful, he stay still as he apologizes. "I-I'm sorry...! P-please forgive me...Leon...sama...I...I..." Since Leon knew where he had been to be this late, he spill all the beans. "T-the truth is...I went out with my friend...umm..."

Leon heavily sighs. "I guess this is what it feels when your child grows."

Leon knelt down his level. "Forgive me Mauro. I did not mean to hurt you." And proceed to caress his face.

This usually gets Maura to be damn submissive, Leon knows how to pet him well enough.

"I-I'm the one at fault Leon-sama. I promise I will notify you if I will exceed the crew few!" Maura shut his eyes while still legs trembling. He regret his actions the moment Leon got mad at him and...Leon never got angry at him so that shit was scary for Maura.

Also the fact he physically smack him.

Leon suddenly switches the mood. "It's ok now...Tomorrow is you'll turn 13th."

Leon walks away and Maura remained traumatized.

"The time has come for me to tell you everything about this world anyway."

"Truth...?"

Leon grins at Maura as he declares. "The truth of Shadowverse." Maura repeats back trying to understand Leon's words. "The...truth of Shadowverse...?"

Leon looks to the glass window where you can see the dark sky and moving clouds.

"You'll see tomorrow. For now sleep well Mauro~"

Maura sadly looks downward and oblige.

"...I understand Leon-sama."

As Maura went to his room, his room felt lonely and he cannot understand why a simple act of spending time with a friend he always wanted and because he got late...things left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Maura sees the calendar at his room.

"Tomorrow is my birthday...but why I don't feel excited?"

...

---

The next night at the Underworld...

"How unusual...that guy is not here." Lucia phase around to find a watermelon head. Nope, none.
"Around this hour he would be pestering me to play with him."

Lucia couldn't admit to himself he did like his nuisance sometimes to add spice to his boring daily life. "Maybe he got tired." He also looks at his phone calendar. "Ah right, it is his birthday."

Deciding to just open his game apps.

"Guess today will be peaceful for me to play Shadowverse."

...

---

Maura at his room, his phone gave him a notification.

BLINK!

Maura reads the following.

"Come to my office at noon."

He types back. "I'm on my way Leon-sama..."

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

---

Mauro's POV

Leon-sama told me to visit him at the office sharp noon. This is very unusual. Whenever it is my birthday, he always spends time with me early in the morning until the day ends.

Although as I get older it becomes less... For of course because he is a busy man, he had duties to attend to and I understand that fully.

However what greets me was a task.

The story he had always pended to tell me every time it comes from his mouth.

But now...

Yes...

Right now...

['My despair begins.']

I stand before Leon-sama, here at his office.

"Mauro, rejoice!" He says.

SNAP!

"Hm...?"

Leon-sama snap his fingers and thus reveals the image I have seen back then, to the paper page and now this hologram screening.

The Morning Star.

Leon-sama introduces it to me in his chairman mode. As if he is discussing me a project of some sort and yes...he truly does.

"Mauro, this is the Tree of Woe."

I was staring at the screen, I felt my stomach turn upon seeing the clear image of the so called destroyer of the world.

"When it awakens, the world will freeze and everything will disappear."

The atmosphere starts to become heavy and the screen where the Tree of Woe is captured in a photo, Leon-sama walks in circles around me.

"Before that happens..." It was then Leon-sama goes to my back and purposely press the pressure points at my both shoulders.

"You have to stop it."

I was not comprehending this shit.

"Me? How?"

I always thought it was a joke, I always thought this man saying nonsense whenever he tells me the tragic incident about his childhood friends x co workers.

Ryuugasaki Eiji.
Ryuugasaki Asagi.

Those who lost their lives for their experiments.

And how a whole village was devoured instantly...gone.

Leon-sama slowly creeps his face from my side. "The Legendary Card alone can only temporarily seal it." His breath sending shivers to my neck. "To get rid of it..."

Leon-sama whispered at my ears as if that is the most best plan he ever came to conclusion. "One must take the Empty Shadows into their body and gain a greater power." I frozed on spot as I awaited his last sentence. "With that person's power, the Tree of Woe can be completely destroyed."

Shakily I questioned him.

"What...will happen to me?"

Hold up, I thought it is my birthday so why are we talking about this?

Just why?

But my vision on how Leon-sama used to be an angel got shattered as I saw his devilish face.

Leon Aurenche smiles dearly, and it was making me terrified.

He simply says without emotion yet his smile looks evil in my eyes.

"The person you are will cease to exist and a savior will be born."

I gawks.

Leon-sama walks away, hands at his back as he phased towards the glass windows. The sunset at it's peak, everything feels dizzy.

"Mauro, why are you here?"

Leon-sama words felt heavy and daunting.

"Do you remember our first conversation?"

I was hesitant.

"Uhh...I..."

Leon-sama made me recall where all of these expectations came from. "You wanted to die that time, I find it wasteful." He is right, I should be thankful. "So I decided to give your death a purpose." It does make sense. "A merciful meaning."

Leon-sama tells me in advance. "Happy Birthday Mauro 13 to 14th...Matter not anymore. For the 10 years we are together, I was hoping you had enjoy it."

Leon-sama revealed his intense gaze towards my irises that had been wide awake from shock. "So I ask of you..." he drops his smile. "Are you ready to die now?"

I repeated his words. "Die...?" To make sure I was not hearing things. "Are you telling me to sacrifice my life to save this world Leon-sama...?"

Leon Aurenche the man who was sparkling in my eyes had been replaced with darkness as he drops the bomb of truth.

"That is indeed correct."

I Gasps.

"But...Leon-sama...w-why me?" I couldn't stop to question more about it. Because...why? Why?!

"The tattoo at your face."

"Eh?"

Leon-sama approached me once more and he touched my cheeks, as if am forced to look at him straight in his eyes that I no longer recognize.

Has Leon-sama eyes been this detached...cold...and evil...?

"It means Love and Sacrifice."

He explains very well to me. "I groom you to grow up as a proper offering to the Tree of Woe. Where the God of Shadowverse Nexus in it's deep slumber...while it has no choice to feast on Ryuugasaki Hiro's mother while Eiji became it's protector...because the time it awakened and is hungry, you were not nearby nor equip to be offered either. So Asagi ended up becoming the sacrifice."

I thought Leon-sama is friends with this Eiji and Asagi, so why does he speak like it is nothing how the two were devoured right before his eyes.

What is happening...?

Where is my Leon-sama..?

Who is this person...?

"Mauro, this is a special job only you can do." Leon-sama passionately says so.

But hey...

I...I cannot...

"I-if I do not want to do it, w-what will you do to me...?"

I was hoping to hear something else yet Leon-sama pretends to empathize but I knew he did not care. "Even if you decline this mission, I truly understand. You are young and there is a lot to learn." He look at me as if I owe him everything and I should pay it back. "However Mauro...it has been 9 years. Isn't enough?"

I counted...

Oh no...

The next year will be my complete 10 years of living...However Leon-sama sounded like he was guilt tripping me and I was in an awe.

"Why don't you share your blessings to others?"

My heart stops. "B-blessing...you call this a blessing?" My soul is terrified.

"Yes."

How Leon-sama just looks like a stranger to me all of the sudden.

"I-Isn't a curse instead Leon-sama? To grow up just to die at a certain age?"

It has to be a bad joke.

Please...please tell me it is a prank.

But no...

Leon-sama's eyes amused on how I keep talking back. "Hohh~?" He drops the biggest point. "But you gave up on life once."

How am suppose to argue on that?

"Y-yes...however...I mean..." I tried to find words, I wish to reason with this plan. "B-because even if I do my best, the Shadowverse...the knowledge I gained from reading and writing...if you are telling me all those are meaningless since I will loose myself once I get devoured by the Empty Shadows...then...then..."

I ended up sounding so weak. "Are you telling me there is no happy ending for me to be together with you forever Leon-sama?"

Leon-sama chuckles I was confused as hell.

"Silly Mauro. We'll be together forever."

Heck no.

"But you just said I will disappear! My very existence will cease to exist-"

Leon-sama cuts me off with one unshakable promise.

"I'll be by your side once you become the savior. Together we will save humanity, I told you before right...?"

I was speechless.

"Leon...sama..."

Why is the world I depict to be shiny is now getting replaced with blurriness...?

"Don't be selfish Mauro."

My ears are ringing.

"Next year the Tree of Woe will awaken thus Asagi the current vessel of Nexus will order to swallow the whole world."

The reality strikes at me.

"If you don't do your duty, everyone of us will die."

Leon-sama's words echoes.

"And everything will be for nothing..."

As my body stops shaking but inertly my soul is hurting.

"All of the things you have save and collected will be no more than a memory."

Why do I even question the man who took me in? Gave me everything? And now...as a heir I must fulfill my duty.

My responsibility.

The time I should be paying back his kindness.

I swallow my words as I gaze down the floor.

"I...I understand."

Badump, badump.

My heart felt anguish when I just obeyed.

More like force myself to say so... Leon-sama's gentle voice resurfaces.

"Do you promise?"

I was swoon over.

"...I promise Leon-sama."

Leon-sama suddenly went up his sit and goes towards me. "By the way, I almost forgot here is your requested gift." He got something in his pocket, the male friend shape Chehoma I wanted.

"This is your last gift, hope you like it."

There was hesitation within my hands reach but I forced myself to accept it with humbleness.

Putting it at my chest.

"...Thank you very much Leon-sama."

Leon-sama pats my left shoulder. "Hope you understand Mauro. I love you so much that I need to sacrifice you. Just like in Christians when the God of theirs gave his one and only son."

I slowly look up and my eyes opens to see through this man's intentions. "This is a holy role Mauro, you should be proud of it." Leon-sama is serious about it. "You who is sinless shall take all the sins in the world and you will purify us all." He sounds like a cult. "This rotten world will be redeemed." Making me his object of worship.

I cannot help it. "Why...does Leon-sama care about the world so much? What did it gave you...?" I dared him. "What is your ambition Leon-sama?" The ugly thoughts I kept has been spoken out. "Is it truly to save this world or to save yourself?"

Leon Aurenche drops his smile but somehow there was heaviness within his eyes.

"My past does not matter Mauro. What matters is you do your job. Understood?"

It was futile to find out.

"...Yes."

...

---

Going back to my room, the whole conversation felt surreal.

I sat at my bed with eyes wide open, my pupils dilates to ponder the words I heard.

...Of why am taken by him.

The reason of my existence is just to be raise and to be sacrificed for the sake of everybody?

As in...?

So...

"Am gonna die...soon..." My hands starts to shake, and I looks at them.

Memories of fun flashes before my eyes and it hits me home.

"If I die...I won't see Lucia anymore." I don't like breaking promises, if I have good attribute that is for me keeping my promise.

"Our promise to go to an amusement park won't be fulfilled...anymore?"

But you know...I made two promises.

One for Leon-sama
One for Yonazuki Lucia
And One promise for myself.

Then my heart and mind quarrels loudly.

No, I refuse.

I want it.

I don't want it!

"Ahh...aaaAahh!" I screamed at the top of my lungs genuinely horrified.

Is death had been this dark?

I was in a brink of death one time and I felt peaceful...but now...

Telling me how many months I have left...is seriously...

"Maura you have to die. Leon-sama's words are absolute! For sure that is the only way...the right best course of action is to..."

I clutches my head and pulls my hair. My brain is itchy. I replayed the words hoping it won't be bad as it sounds. "Die...Maura you have to die for his sake and for e-everyone."

I was in a spell.

"Die, die, die, die."

Yet.

"Eh..?"

I was feeling bitter.

"HAhh...AAAAHH!" I yells at the floor yet for cruel reasons my voice is fading. It was hard to cry ever since I got my tattoo. As if some vein in my eyes that causes tears has been damage.

Now...am crying but no tears at all. Simply noises and grunting in refusal to accept this nightmare.

'Help...help...!' My mind is noisy. My voice is inside my head. It was not coming out so well that I look at the mirror I had in my room. I talked to my reflection.

"Why? Why do I feel so s-scared?" I forced myself to smile. "My body won't stop trembling..." I embraced myself. "Stop...stop...this must be a bad dream. It should be...its a joke...a prank..." I want to deny it.

I want to defy it!

Too much trembling my smartphone fell out of my pocket.

It lit's open and I remembered a reason to live.

"Lucia... I need Lucia...he will understand me...he will save me right?"

I just got a friend, so why...why now?

"Together we will...see the world meet its end and we will be laughing about it...right?"

I was indenial state.

"You hate this world too...right?"
With my broken voice I slowly hurled down as I give myself a tight hug.

This cannot be happening!

"...A world that has showed you nothing but despair."

I grit my teeth with anger.

"Am not the only one who wants to curse this world right...?"

I start to laugh now.

"Ahaha~ I haven't even played Shadowverse with Lucia..."

I mocked myself.

"If am going to disappear...I want him to be my first and last Shadowverse..."

I look up the ceiling where my lights are on.

It blinds me but my eyes is seeing something else.

I see Leon Aurenche...the day he took me from the slums.

He was my light in this monochrome world.

So why...why I cannot see that Leon?

What is this anguish?!

"Do I really have to die...?"

I ask the ceiling.

"Is Leon-sama telling the truth?"

I asked myself.

"Why am having second thoughts?"

I hissed at the floor.

"He is never wrong! Y-yes...everything he taught me is always correct...so...why...why..."

I couldn't stop feeling so painful.

"Why am hesitating to say yes?"

I bang my head.

"Ahh...ahhh...ahhguh...!"

I was screaming but my voice is weak. I can barely hear my own...

"I can't! I have to think...! There has to be another way...a proper reason."

I whispers and give myself a time to calm down.

...

---

Outside POV.

At the Hallway of Genesis building, Maura Abelard with blank state walks like a zombie.

Step... step...

Maura mentally talks to himself.
'Why is the world colorless again?'

Sluggish steps to the point his shoulder hits the wall time to time.

Did not hurt.

Did not matter.

Is it worth it...?

'Why does my feet feels heavy every time I walk?'

His body never felt his heavy before...no wait...it is familiar to how he wad starving out the streets and barely even able to walk straight.

It was haunting him.

Suddenly a Shadow Knight appears at his vision, it was Ein seem to be approaching his direction.

Not because she wants to talk to Maura, rather she was summoned to go visit Leon at the office where Maura came from.

Maura stops as he reveals a deadly glare. "You guys knew about it didn't you? That am a sacrifice."

Sounding like he blames the Shadow Knights, Ein huffs at him. "I see, Leon-sama finally told you the true meaning of your purpose." With an awful remark that may trigger Maura's anxiety. "You better do a good job."

Maura hisses at Ein with a sarcastic response. "Haa~ If you like it so much, why don't you guys die for the means of this world instead?!"

Sounds so desperate Maura's voice but Ein pauses, for a second she was hurt. Not because of how Maura treats her but because they failed on their mission to the ruins. "We wanted too...However the Legendary Card rejected us." She gives Maura a knowing look that they the Shadow Knights has the same ambition as Leon.

To save the world even if it cost their life. "Also we are not capable of a vessel unlike you do." It just so happen they weren't chosen ones. "I guess I can say this in advance."

As a slight revenge, Ein purposely daunts Maura as she walks away from him.

"Enjoy your last birthday next year. Once you turn 14th, the Tree of Woe shall awaken as per the calendar data Leon-sama and the research team have calculated."

Maura screeches, he burst out of anger. "GAHH! SHUT THE HELL UP!" Angry fists. "Don't tell me what to do!" Ein continues to walk away as Maura set on his tantrums. "You are not in the place to do so!"

Ein simply says her parting advice. "The Shadow Knights will do their duties till the very end...and we wonder if you will do the same."

Sending Maura a glare as well.

"Don't betray us, do not betray Leon-sama."

Maura shaken up. "Be...tray...?" He hold his head and thinks about other stuffs he might have just noticed. 'C-Could it be the reason Leon-sama does not want me to read the book...because maybe...The solution to escape my dark fate actually lies there...?!'

For whatever reason he recalled the one rip out page at his room.

Oh...

It has the Tree of Woe drawing on it known as Morning star.

That was it...!

A small hope flickers inside Maura. 'I have to find that book.' He believes this is not the end. 'There has to be another way to save the world without me dying...right? Right...?!' Maura must do something to change his fate like how he did before...when he accepted Leon to his life to save him.

Getting back his self awareness for now. "This will be the first time I will go against his will. But...if am able to show Leon-sama a different way to save the world he could be happy as well!"

Sounding so positive.

"That is right! Leon-sama loves me...he loves me...there is no way he would just..."

Maura set to go out and find the book.

Ein who actually didn't went away completely peeks at the corner and saw Maura running away to reach the elevator.

Ein proceeds to meet Leon as she drops her report.

"Leon-sama, Mauro is planning to find the book." Thinking outside the box. "Should we go ahead and have him lock up?"

Leon at his table just looks at the data of Nexus, with a small confident smirk he says...

"Let Mauro read the book. By then he will fully understand his fate, his mission~"

Since the Shadow Knights did not really like Maura at all, it does not matter if Leon is mean right now.

"The Book of Forgotten Folktales will open his eyes to embrace his duty~ I'm sure of it."

...

---

At the Alley...Near by Shadowverse Underground area.

Here arrives...

Shuyaku Maru and Shuyaku Mio are a transfer student as Tensei Academy, who transfers to the school after their parents are sent to work overseas. They are in 1st year Japanese middle school student (7th grader), meaning they are likely 13 years old, the same as other members of their class such as Hiro Ryuugasaki and Mimori Amamiya at this timeline setting.

The cousins big wish is to bring back their school's Shadowverse Club. They don't talk much, but they can always be counted on in a pinch. Aside from that, their personality is up to interpretation and determined by the events and people they talk to. They are that of a generic type of people.

One day Maura saved one of the cousins. He saved the male one, Shuyaku Maru during the encounter of the Underworld. Where Maru's smartphone almost snatched into a force Shadowverse battle.

"Ah its you perfect timing. Are you free right now~?" Maura greets Maru as he is the one who called out Maura's attention.

Because Maura seems to be in a deep thought, since Maura saved him at the underworld...Maru thoughts to help out.

And Maura indeed needed something. "I was wondering if you could show me around town actually, there is something am looking for."

Shuuyaku Maru who is a nice person in general just agreed. "Happy to help you Mauro! You save me after all...!"

Maura chuckles shortly, he did not think it would be this easy to put someone in debt to do his biddings. "I appreciate it. You see...am searching for a book a Forgotten Folktales." A sense of urgency is there before Maura switch to lighten up the mood. "Word has it. The book contains stories that originated here in Nekome! Doesn't that sound intriguing~?" Maru though questioned it because it sounded a bit silly. By judging Maura, he may look like bored but...really?

Maura is able to read his thoughts and present his reasoning. "Why am looking for this book~?" Though there is spice of spike in his tune of voice. "...Well, think of it as a favor for a certain someone. In anycase, I need it. Do you know where could I find something like that?"

Hoping the fella would drop asking and just freaking help...it worked.

"Maybe in my school there is a library." Maru suggested.

Maura twinkles up. "Library? Of course...! What better place to find the book! Let's give it a try~!"

...

---

Shuuyaku Maru and Maura Abelard had reach Tensei Academy's gate way.

Maru now remembers since the library here is not for public, he needed permission from the student council president.

"Wait here Mauro, I'll get you a gate pass-" however confidence transparent to Maura and his words.

"No need~"

Questionable face, Maura answers Maru.

"Your student council president is an acquaintance of mine. Surely she would let me in~"

Maru doubt that is the case.

But then.

"Hn~ you in for a tour?" All of the sudden Kirisame Kagura is on her way to reach the school gates.

Such coincidence. How deadly.

With her student council mode she strictly eyed Maru before her eyes landed to Maura with a knowing gaze.

"Ya~ how have you been doing?" Kagura want to roll her eyes but she also did not want Maura to expose her secrets.

So she just walk towards Maura and handed her a gate pass. "Do as you please, but do not play Shadowverse to any of Tensei students." It was a warning.

Maura chuckles as he promises. "Am just here to find new books~ no need to he so wary~" accepting the gate pass, Maura shows his gratitude. "Why thank you for being compliant~ this helps me some trouble. I owe you..."

For some reason the last sentence has weight in it and Kagura did not have time to wonder why.

"I'll be on my way then...Mauro..." she left.

Shuuyaku Maru is shock how Kirisame Kagura the scary student council just easily allowed Maura in when she was very strict in general.

'Who on earth really is Mauro anyway?!'

Maura giggles at him and propose to move on. "What are we waiting for? Let us get moving~"

...

---

At the library...

Maru and Maura begin the search.

As the Tensei transfer student observes Maura, it look like this is a very important mission so he tried harder to search within the displayed books.

Until.

"I-I found it!" He exclaims.

Getting Maura's attention right away.

"Really?!"

Quickly the two huddle up at the corner to open the book contents.

"This is it...this is the Forgotten Folktales in Nekome..." Maura sweat drops.

His finger touches the book's material and knew it was old.

'Its legit.' Due to Leon's influence, Maura can decipher difference between a real artifact or a fake one.

This one is real.

Anticipation knocks at their stomach. The moment Maura opens the first page it was rip off.

"Eh? The page is gone?" Maru felt bothered by it. However Maura actually had the missing page at his pocket. "No, it's fine."

Maura reveals the rip off page and perfectly match it up to the first page panel.

"Ohh so that is the prologue..." Maru says.

Maura though focus on what is unfolding before him. "I shall read it then~"

"Ok!"

...

---

Few minutes passes... Until an hour came by...Maura is a fast reader. He love books so its very easy to finish half of it. Since...he only went to read the highlighting parts. Maura have skip of course the silly chapters and trials and went ahead to finish the book's message completely.

Disappointment emerges at his face. "Hmm...So that's how it is. This is just what I expect from him." It clicked to him the fact he was not lock up to go outside...that he might run away from his fate after knowing the truth how he is in line of a slaughter house.

'I see now...'

Leon Aurenche is confident he won't try to leave the city.

Shuuyaku Maru worried. "Mauro...?"

Getting a bit dramatic, Maura felt like sharing his feelings to Shuuyaku Maru. "...I've long dreamed of freedom. To be unshackled from these chains...Now I see he sent me to a mission to finish this book. It is to put me in my place."

A desperate short chuckle escape Maura's mouth. "Hehe~" as he heavily sighs upon seeing the text at the book he had just finished. "The boy in the story meant to be me I'm sure of it. And it must be this boy's fate to never be free from his curse..."

Until it becomes a despairing laughter to pity himself. "Ahahaha~ Frankly speaking this was all a lot more trouble than all it was worth."

With a sad note and final look at Shuuyaku Maru.

"But...the time I spent with you isn't so bad."

Maura smiles with departure.

"This is where the story ends..."

He slowly turn his back.

"Goodbye."

Instinct to not let Maura feel alone.

"W-wait up!"

But Maura walks away without looking back.

The Tensei transfer student told himself.

'Whatever Mauro is having issue with, I cannot let him give up hope just like this! I have to repay him somehow...!'

And so Shuuyaku Maru asks Shuuyaku Mio's help to find the second volume of the book.

...

---

The next day...

Shuuyaku cousins Mio and Maru went together to the underground casino.

Where obviously Maura lingers to hang out.

Maura find it strange Leon has not said anything after the unveiling of his fate.

Still felt like the world have crash down against him, Maura just snooze up to the casino. He was not doing any Shadowverse at all, just simply he crosses his arms, his nail scratching his golden brouche that he cherish the most.

Even though Leon is sending him to his deathbed, the brouche he loved still helps him calm down his mental unstability.

Then suddenly...

He noticed the cousins Tensei transfer students approached him.

What happen yesterday is nothing more than a mere story.

"Oh, hello...If it isn't the Tensei transfer students~ how can I help you?" Maura acts like he is upbeat but the the Tensei duos can tell he is quite sad.

Shuuyaku Mio told Maru. "Come on, tell him what we found for him!"

Hesitation...

Maura just waiting for them to spill the beans.

"Yes~?"

Since Maru lost guts to say it outloud, Mio took the initiation. "The Forgotten Folktales...is it the end? You...allow it?"

Maura raised an eyebrow and it felt too personal to he ask straight from his fresh wounds. "You are asking if that is really the end?" He shake his head and let out a mocking short chuckle. "Please~ of course that is the end of the story and for me."

Mio insisted there is hope. "It cant end this way!"

Maura finally got pissed, he shot her a look.

"What does it matter to you?"

Maru joined Mio's power to talk it out with Maura. "W-were friends!"

Maura sighs. "You know~ you really are a soft touch. And that's exactly what makes you an easy prey~" he crosses his arms.

Maru shoves him the remaining pages. "Got the pages."

Maura gain interest. "There were more pages to the book?" He suspiciously eyed the contents in the Tensei cousins hand. "...And what does that has something to do with me~?" Feeling spiteful. "It changes nothing."

Maura became very bitter. "The boy is doom to live his life out in despair. That's there is all to it right~?"

Mio is pushy though. "Read it! Please!"
Maru bowed. "Please Mauro!"

Maura made a sour face before he click his tongue and resigned to give it a try while whining.

"Tsk, This is such a waste of time~"

Does the curse boy reads the remaining pages of the book of truth.

---

-Read the following-

The Book of Forgotten Folktales:

The Morning Star also know as Tree of Woe is an ominous symbol that appears in the sky above worlds when the world is set to be destroyed by a Keeper. When the time comes, the symbol becomes a door that the Keeper walks through to end the world.

And that is called the Love and Sacrifice. A vessel from the eons who shall bare the child of Nexus.

Nexus will offer the world the paradise of dream in a eternity through Eldora.

The words is absolute like a verse of shadows hence you call is Shadowverse.

Shadowverse the language of crafters who shall protect, recreate or destroy the humanity and the otherside of the world.

Here you must known the Book of Lost Tales.

The evil god told the boy, "This is all a trick for all of my design! There never was a fable jewel hope for you. There is only despair for you."

The boy cannot gain his freedom. His life is doom to be never be free forevermore.

- End of Reading -

---

There was more onto the pages but Maura refuses to read the rest.

"I can't." He says in despair. "Let's stop this."

Mio and Maru looks at eachother then back to Maura. "There is more in the back of it's page-"

Maura snaps. "I SAID QUIT IT!"

The two took a step back. Maura breaths, he tried to compose back himself as he declares.

"Please...do not give me false hope. I don't want to be so selfish..."

Maura then left the Tensei cousins.

As Maura took his lonely steps he found himself to the pun side of the Underworld and decided to drink.

"Bottle please."

...

---

Lucia's POV

'Date: May 28, Maura's birthday have ended.'

I read the calendar at my phone.

Thinking for a bit. 'Is he going to be here now though...?

For whatever reason, I gain interest to look forward on seeing Maura today.

However what greet me was...

"Areeee~ Prince of Shadowverse~ Hehee~?" A drunk watermelon at the pub side of this Underworld.

I saw the label of the bottle, it was Red Wine and he already finish almost 2 bottles.

Like...what the heck.

I approaches him with a distasteful look.

"Are you drunk?"

Maura being in his character to play silly and dumb, he laughs in a wiggly tone and told me. "Drunk~? Whats that~?"

I points out. "You are underage. How come they allowed you to drink?" Like...seriously how does this person always break the rules as he pleases?

Maura had never made an offended tune comeback at me yet he did. "Rich kid privileges' duhh. How stupid~"

Ok...

'He's...different today.'

I guess he is that drunk.

Maybe I should do him a little shred of kindness to comfort him, but it's NOT my forte.

"I dont know what is your problem but getting drunk is not the solution." It came out bland as I thought.

Maura stared at me, he seems to be reading me. I cannot blame him...I never try to care on someone elses problem aside from Shiori.

It just bothers me that...

'He did not seem to have enjoyed his birthday yesterday...?'

I was about to just stare back at him since I don't know what else to say...

Then Maura all of sudden ask with such serious manner.

"Then will you take me..?"

I was confused.

"...?"

Maura opened his eyes and I saw there were traces of sadness.

"Will you take me away from here Prince of Shadows~?"

Is he going to play a prank again at me or he is genuinely asking me this?

I decided to throw back a question. "Why do you keep saying things that does not makes sense?"

I just cannot comprehend him most of the times.

He is weird.

And as expected Maura proceeds to laugh like a crazy person he had always acted.

"Makes...no sense right~ Ehe, ehehee...Aha...aha...hahahahaha!"

And then...Maura embraces himself in a dramatic manner as if he feels so cold and lonely.

The sense of defeat escaped his lips.

"I feel dirty, I need you to clean me~"

Ok, maybe he is just acting.

"Stop messing around will you. It's annoying." I warns him.

But Maura is unyielding.

"...So even you won't want me in this world, I see~"

"Eh?"

That took me off guard.

Maura then tells me the drama of his life. "You see my entire life has been dedicated to serving this certain individual. Him, and him alone. But I've long dreamed of freedom. To be unshackled from these chains~"

I listened to him.

"All the luxurious things you may see is not really where my happiness lies...It was all for nothing but lies."

Does this mean he had an arguement with his adoptive father about his future or something? It sounds to me he is being dictated upon using his own words...so it could be possible during his birthday he got upset with his family.

But you know, does that anything to do with me? Is he seeking an opinion from me?

"I don't get what you are saying. Why are you even saying this to me?" I wanted to tell him what I really think of him and his actions. "You are frankly a strange person." I never encountered someone like Maura before.

A person with multiple split personalities or is he just simply very unnatural.

"I cannot even say for certain if all the things you told me, you have shown me were the truth of you."

Maura sweetly smiles still drunk, but I can see the change in his mood. "Hehe~ being strange means being special~" I think he is aware of our conversation. He may not be entirely drunk then. "Ahh~Anyways~"

Maura finishes the last bottle, his eyes are close again.

Whenever his eyes are close while smiling, he is very hard to read. I cannot tell what is he thinking nor planning next.

All he does is always surprise me and make me off guard. Making my emotions down right the terror of seas. He gives me discomfort in all aspects specially when he just let his skin get expose. How careless.

Like why does he act like this badly..?

"My prince~ my prince~ ...I'll stop bothering you for a while, but for sure you will seek me and if you do...I may not lend a hand anymore~"

He walks away and whispers.

"It must be nice to have a sibling~"

Hey, I heard that. I got mad. "Stop bringing my little sister with your selfish wish to battle me."

Maura laughs again but with less energy. "Ahah...You dont know what real pain is~"

Maura touches his diamond tattoos, his eyes were glimmering in loneliness as he explains to me something he shouldn't be even sharing at all. "Screaming at the top of your lungs, jacking off your feet while your wrist are bound to cold chains..."

What the hell did this person went through?!

Before I can follow up Maura Abelard excuses himself.

"Farawell Prince of Shadows~"

Ok...That is a lot to take in.

"Hmm..."

In the end I understood nothing. He clearly had a problem, a weight in mind but I still don't have a single clue what it was even he spoke to much unnecessary details that made me flusterred again and again.

"...His origin is still a mystery to me. I think there is something he has not said entirely. Will he someday be normal...?"

I glance at my phone. 'Maybe I should investigate more about him and how truly strong he is in Shadowverse...'

Am debating if I should take up his offer for the battle he always longed for...but I know my own strenght. It is dangerous to battle someone like Maura.

Maybe I'll find someone else that can excite me with my Dark passion.

"Who will make me feel passionate for Shadowverse other than Shiori...?"

I now walk to where the other players are waiting in line to dare me.

'If that day comes will I be able to have fun doing Shadowverse...?'

I scanned my opponents appearance, all seems weak. My mind is still occupied with Maura too.

'What about Maura, does he also not sure if he likes Shadowverse? Is he also doing it for obligation..?'

Would I ever understand him?

I shake my head to shrug off these thoughts.
They do not matter if it does not help Shiori.

"I should mind my own business."

...

---

Outside POV

Leon Aurenche had his spy cameras watch over Maura after he revealed his fate. Making sure Maura won't be escaping.

He seen Maura went to emo mode and is talking to a familliar candidate.

The strongest and bests in Shadowverse, Leon reviews the data he collected. "I see...Mauro's friend is Yonazuki Lucia." It seems like Maura had been helping Lucia financially by selling Lucia to other players.

This can be useful.

"Its not the time for them to be friends." Priorities must come. "I have to seperate them."

Because Leon wants a certain kid to be close to his property. "If Mauro has to be friend with someone..." the picture of Red headed happy boy who recently started schooling in Tensei Academy.

"It has to be Eiji's son. Ryuugasaki Hiro."

Leon called out some numbers to do his plan to break the two up.

"Hunt down the Prince of Shadowverse."
...

---

In a dark alley...

"Oi."

Lucia turn his head upon a big voice. He is about to go visit Shiori as he got done with the Shadowverse battles.

When he entertained the voice, there were three hoodloms blocking the escape path. Meaning he is cornered at this dark alley.

Bad decision?

"Are you the Prince of Shadows?" They snickers. Lucia already did not like their approach. "What do you want?" He eyed them up and down. 'They dont look like they are here for Shadowverse.'

They look like they are up for trouble.

"We heard your name from the mysterious Havencraft user." They tells him. Lucia at first did not know they were reffering to Maura. "You are pretty luckly that person favored you."

Confused. "What do you mean?"

The three suspicious men laughs at him. "Oh you didn't know? So he never told you?"

Lucia narrowed his eyes. "About what?" He thinks its just a trap, better to ignore. "If this is a waste of time, leave me alone. I have no relationship with that person-"

"He leak your Shadowverse account that's why a lot of people knows you that you are the Prince of Shadow."

Lucia stops.

"He gave you a name because he favors you."

What are they saying now?

"Who?"

They finally tells him. "Mauro Abelard, he walks around as MAURA in the Underworld."

Lucia's startled but he remained unfazed. "Mauro?" Within his mental thoughts. 'So...his real name is Mauro.' So that was Maura's fake name. Mauro. Seems no effort though.

"Mauro is a highly important person to the master, an asset for Genesis Company." They were clearly threatening him. "Leave him alone or you'll get real pain."

Lucia told himself to be on alert mode now. "...What are you guys going to do about me?" He look at their pockets, no weapons but they were pulling something out.

Ahh, smartphone.

"We'll play Shadowverse. If we win you loose a lot of money. That's all."

Lucia can tell this is fishy but it is better than violence. "...If I won you guys leave me alone will you?"

"Bet ya of course!"

"Alright, I'll take you on."

With that he agreed.

"BATTLE! SHADOWVERSE!"

But then...when he started playing his internet connection keep messing up until it auto conceeds.

"Impossible..." The battle ended with him getting a default lost. It was not suppose to count but the agreement is if he lost thats it. "I lost ...?" The fact his smartphone while playing Shadowverse is unstable...clearly this is hijacked game.

"You guys are cheating?"
The three hoodlom laughs again. "I told you right? Your information is leaked by Mauro." They were pushing this idea that Maura betrayed Lucia since the very beginning.

Looking back, Lucia put the pictures together and it does make sense.

How all of the sudden someone calls him with such nickname, then next people have been hunting him for bet. Lastly how Maura is feeling close to him.

It all puts to one conclusion, Maura is the mastermind of his popularity and income through Shadowverse. "Tsk." He surrenders his money for the day. "Fine, take my money and stop bothering me."

The important thing is he is unharmed. He can still win more battles...but he needs to talk to Maura about this shit.

"Of course, we have no intention of seeing you anymore as long as you stay away from that guy. The Genesis Company needs him to be focus on his mission."

Lucia waited for them to just go away.

"..."

And glad they did.

Finally breathing without tension. "I knew it, he had been lying to me all along. A very dangerous person."

Should have known better.

The fact Maura knows his phone number even without giving it to him.

The text message of Maura is there at his records so he knew Maura's number now. Lucia saves it just incase something bad happens to him for evidence.

"If this is how he want to play with me..."

Yonazuki Lucia made a decision how all his suspicion being with Maura is actually really a bad idea.

"It is time to cut ties."

---

...

Back at the Underworld Casino Shadowverse.

"You again."

Tensei transfer students Shuuyaku Mio and Maru one last attempt to pester Maura not to give up hope.

"Will you leave me alone if I entertain this false hope~?"

The two nods.

Maura made a tired sighs out of annoyance he took again the last pages.

"Fine, I shall read it. But this is the final."

---

-Reading the last pages-

Yet the boy did not despair, for he did in fact had hope. That hope lay in the bonds he forge with the traveler and friends. A treasure much more important than the jewel could ever be.

The evil god ask him, "Why do you not despair?"

"Because my journey would never end!"

With that the traveller and the boy held hands and disappeared from the evil god's sight.

For years to come their smiles are never fading.

-The END of Forgotten Folktales-

---

Maura stunned for a sec. "I cannot believe it. Can he have known the true ending all along...?" He is reffering to Leon Aurenche his master.

Like...the story still has a sad outcome but atleast it was not that bad as it was before. Maura understood the book is trying to say as long as he had genuine friends or comrades, he can truly fight against laws of fate. But is it really the solution?

Maura start to doubt again. Knowing he sucks at making friends because Leon never supported him on making one. However the Tensei transfer student duo really did a good job on this effort.

"Nno...it can't be..." Setting aside the outcome of the book's conclusion. Maura decided to thank Mio and Maru. "You simply exceed my expectations. You really are a foolish one always bending for the sake of others~"

The cousins knows it was a compliment from Maura, they both smiled at him with blushing cheeks. Feeling proud of this achievement to at least sooth Maura's heart even just for a bit.

"And yet I find myself in your debt. Thank you...hehe...now the story is truly complete." Maura handed back the rip pages. "I leave the book in your hands. Think of it as a souvenir of our adventure together~" then he gets his smartphone from his pocket. I also like to give you one of my card~" Maura still knows he is still going to die, so he wanted to just display his sincerity of thanking the Shuuyaku's.

"I wont be needing some of it since its nearing my last. Take of it as a token of appreciation~"

Maru and Mio eyes widen and accepted the gift not really understand the words of Maura were pretty dark if they knew the truth he is up for a death sentence.

"Thank you!"

Maur smiles.

"You are welcome~"

Mio then asks Maura's next steps upon this issue. "So what happens now to your story Mauro...?"

Maura thinks. "Hnn~ guess I do see one friend I like. Or rather...I wanted to be friends with." The book mention about a cat, a traveler then the fable jewel.

The cat may symbolizes his lost journey.
While the traveler is the friend he desired.

The fable jewel is referring to passage way out of the cursed situation.

"Who is it?"

Maura Abelard cheeks went red as he says proudly. "The Prince of Shadows~ the one I always help on collecting strong preys with healthy wallets~! Or...more like I decided to do for him because he fascinates me in a sense..." But then at the end of his sentence there is uncertainty in Maura's voice, so the cousins asks. "Why you do not sound sure if he is your friend?"

"Err..." Maura crosses his arms. "You see he is trying to use me, but he isn't using me very well~" as if love is painful. "Even though am the one who gave him a title to belong at this underworld...I gave him preys to win more money!" Feeling disappointed at it. "Yet he still won't look at me~"

Suddenly Lucia's voice echoed above. "So it was you."

The three looks up and found Lucia had been eavesdropping at them.

"Hm?!"

Lucia grabs the rails with known anger. "The one spreading my name as the Prince of Shadows." Specifically he is glaring down at Maura. "You were the culprit all along Maura Abelard." The disgust in his voice. "Or should I say Mauro."

Maura not knowing Lucia is mad at him, he was happy to reveal more. "Ahh~ you finally collected the clues and have reach the truth!"

To his friendship meter shatters when coldly Lucia says.

"And so?"

"Huh?"

Lucia's voice were harsh. "You expect me to thank you?" He even click his tongue. "Listen, it's a nuisance."

Looking down at Maura. He addresses his discomfort and danger. "Things have recently escalated because of what you did."

One thing Maura fears that Lucia will hate him and he heard him well. "Therefore I won't be hanging out in this Underworld anymore." The prince reasoning is good. "Shiori wouldn't want me to be in trouble." However...

Maura's good mood got replaced with painful desperation to justify his actions working behind Lucia's back. "But why?! I did everything for you!"

Lucia felt like Maura toyed him. He became a puppet in a sense for being bait, even though that had help him financially.

However Maura is truly dangerous. Lucia already made his conclusion to no longer involved himself to the Havencraft user.

"I didn't ask for your help."

Sting.

"You did it on your own accord."

Maura clutches his heart as he yells with intensive angry look at Lucia's. "I see~ You are like him. Every single one of you just see me as an object..!" He sparks his tantrums again. "Am so satisfying to break?! TELL ME PLEASE!"

Lucia's ears hurts, but he kept his stance. "Yeah, say what you want." He turned his back and that made Maura cry inside. "Stay away from me."

His affection is now replaced with resentment. Maura curses him. "Yonazuki Lucia, you'll pay for mistreating my kindness for you...You will regret this." He points above Lucia's direction. "Remember this. You will be my first and last battle in Shadowverse! And at that time...I will defeat you and you'll be mine, my prey...!"

Lucia only threats back. "If that time comes, I will hang out with your hothead. But then again means I will end you. You will never play Shadowverse again afterward. I'll make you quit as everyone else did." Completely declares his departure on cutting ties with Maura for his own benefit. "So long Maura, if we cross paths. I'll pretend I never know you and do me favor, you better do the same."

That was it.

Lucia is gone.

Maura grit his teeth. "Tsk...grrr..." and stomps at the floor. "DAMMIT TO HELL!"

The Tensei duo stops him. "M-Mauro!" But Maura swats their hands and fiercely pleaded with super angry mode. "GET LOST! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"But-"

It came out in wrong saying as Maura despairs surfaces. "Don't ever show your face again on me...!"

Maura trembles upon the reality he lost his potential friend. His voice sounds crying but no tears to be found. "I just used you as well like I made myself useful to him..." Maura making sobbing sounds but still no tear droplets. Just exhaustion. "Please stop making me suffer."

Hugging himself, he does this to protect his remaining sanity. "Please go away."

Shuuyaku Maru and Mio knew they had used all their cards to comfort Maura and if they got too pushy the Havencraft user might break.

"I'm sorry Mauro..." as the cousins turns their back.

Maura whispers. "Farawell. Our story maybe short but I admit It was enjoyable...and Thank you for finding the book pages for me..."

The two heard it but never look back as they also reply in a faint whisper.

"Goodbye Maura...I hope you defeat your cursed fate."

...

---

Night time took over...

Back at Genesis building, location penthouse.

Leon found Maura at the floor, whimpers were at the bot. "Are you crying Mauro?"

Maura looks up with eyebags but he is not crying. "Le...on...sama"

Leon assumed. "Do you fear death now?"

Maura sniffs. "Leon-sama...The book...I have read it. About my origin." The boy says himself. "My village had always serve the Lord Nexus. To appease its hunger, every 10 years they offer a sacrifice to be it's reason to go back at slumber."

Maura puts the summary of his fate. "The boy is curse to do his duty for the sake of many." Leon pats his head as he pulled Maura to a possessive embrace. "Poor thing~ Mauro, I told you not to read it." The evil smirk unseen in Maura's vision. "Now you know what lies ahead." The chilling in his ears as Leon tells me. "You have disobeyed me."

Quickly Maura shivers. "F-forgive me Leon-sama." Trying to protect himself at the last minute. "But...I don't have my friend anymore. I broke it." Confessing his sins.

"Why is that?" Leon plays along

"We had an argument and he got so mad at me."

Leon then turns Maura to face him and lift up his chin. "Forgive that person Mauro. Remember you'll become a god soon...Then all these bad people you can recreate them into a better person." He continues his brainwashing method. "This isn't just about saving humanity. Also to honor your ancestors who protected this world from being devoured by their Lord Nexus."

Explanation is right off the open window.

"Nexus is very greedy to vessels."

Maura feeling weak to even struggle in vain. "Leon-sama...You think I will succeed on obtaining the Legendary Card and the fusion to the Empty Shadows?"

Leon caresses Maura's face. Maura can feel the gloves are warm but not comforting anymore.

Leon feels cold.

"Of course you would, I honed you that way Mauro. So make me proud. Make me not regret for taking you in." The lingering angelic background Maura had eyes for Leon. "You are my protégé."

Maura decided to accept it. "Alright...I will do my best...to work on my role as a sacrifice from this day on."
Finally they see eye to eye. "Great answer."

Leon pulls away and had the proper master and servant distance.

"Do you promise?"

Maura is bound by promises.

"Yes I promise."

He took his loyalty down his guts.

"I promise to die for your ambitions as your protégé, Leon-sama."

In reality...Maura fall deeper into his agony.
...

---

Maura's POV

Why?

Why did I fail this person's expectation?
He gave me everything...yet...

I failed to become a being he wanted me to be.

All this time...

He raised me...
He guided me...
He was my light in the shadows...
His words are my verses...
His ambition is my mission and vision...

Yet...

Why God?

Why did it turn out this way?

This world tried to destroy me...

But Leon-sama gave me everything.
So I must do everything for him.

Yes...

Everything I've done has been for him.

I wanted to be loved, to be a good boy so I won't loose my home that I lost once.

This world who made me who I am!
This world made me evil...!

Eversince then I was always...always...

It's always...It's always...

Ever since the start it is always been the same.

Am alone.

I suffer alone.

I experience hunger when I beg for food.
I freeze up and my skin hurts me so much that I can't even cover myself anymore.

It hurts...it hurts...

Am sad.

I thought this was the miracle turns out it was a curse.

I'm not like everyone.

I was given such important mission.
I have a job to do.
An important job that someone important gave me.

The person I love the most that I couldn't careless about this world.

The Legendary Cards alone can't stop the Tree of Woe.

To destroy it, a sacrifice is needed.

And that sacrifice is me.

My origin...the Book of Forgotten Folktales...that was my background. My roots!

We are a bloodline of sacrifice that serves as vessels and guardians for the Lord Nexus.

This is a special job Leon-sama gave to me alone!

A job that only I can do!
A job for only me!

Ahaha...haha!

So I have to do it?

The answer within me suddenly splits.

I found another feeling within me besides loving Leon.

I have learn to actually love myself.

This feeling has made me suffer for so long...

Why did I never realize before? Or was it because am in denial?

I want to live now.

I wanna live.

Damn, damn, damn!

I want to live! I want to live! I want to live!
I want to live! I want to live!
I want to live!

Yes! I just want to live!

Haaa...

Is this my fate...?

Is this the punishment for giving up life once?

Aha...haha...ha...

If it is...

I'll never forgive it!

I refuse to forgive this world!
I refuse to forgive this fate!

What I needed was a single unshakable promise!

Yes...my promise with Leon-sama.

But...I betrayed him the moment I felt something else in my heart.

I broke my promise, no, no, no, no!

I...betrayed Leon-sama...!

I could have! I should have!

This is my karma. I wanted to embrace death. Now it haunts me back!

My heart couldn't obey my reason.

Leon-sama did nothing wrong!

But you see...I do not want to be punish.
Hence am innocent.

God...please...show me some mercy...

Even just one more promise...
I'll stop cursing...
So please...
Don't let me get devoured.

Only 1 year left before I get eaten.

...

---

Outside POV

Maura's mental instability keep going on and off at this point of his life.

Talking to self, whining then crying yet sounding happy to the irony.

"Am nothing but a sacrifice since birth and even afterlife...I won't have a place to be in and I shall be cursed to be alone forever."

Head hurts. "No...I don't want that...!"
Heart can't focus. "YES YOU HAVE TO!"

Maura looks at the mirror and he touched his tattoo then he embraced himself to convince and trick himself.

"Am a sacrifice."

Preparing himself for the remaining days he has on earth.

"You are raised clean as the lamb, to grow healthy and be appetizing offering to the Tree of Woe. The empty Shadows...to be devour by Nexus. To make Leon Aurenche's ambitions bears into fruit. Finally your role will be complete and you can finally pay the man who gave you a second chance to live."

Maura Abelard manage to create a polite smile.

"Am Maura...or Mauro...in the end Am still a sacrifice."

.

.

.

.

.
.

.

.

---

Tree of Woe. Leon, Eiji, and Asagi were investigating this mysterious power together, hoping to use it for the benefit of humanity. However, Leon became seduced by the power and desire to become a god to remake the world himself. To this end, he foresaw that the power of the Tree of Woe would eventually spiral out of control, resulting in Asagi becoming Nexus' vessel and Eiji ending up trapped in another world.

TIMELINE: 14 YEARS OLD MAURA

DATE: DEC 19 2025

Location: Genesis Corp building.

For a brief moment the sky interludes into void-ness before it returned into a normal sky. Unknown to the people who is doing whatever they want in their daily lives.

Except Genesis building, it has implanted machines to detect if there is any abnormality to the Tree of Woe who had been in deep slumber for all these Ten Years.

The office shake everything is rumbling.

Maura happens to be drinking tea here at Leon's office. Leon just at his chairman seat browsing some documents.

Both looks above the ceiling where the light flickers. Maura says softly. "Earthquake...?"

The door slams open.

"Leon-sama!" It's Marguerite. She looks frantic. "The Tree of Woe has met its first phase awakening!" She reveals the tablet at her hands and showed the radar. "The system detect Ryuugasaki Eiji's smartphone turned on."

Leon narrowed his eyes in delight. "Which means...The smartphone left for Hiro is also going to turn on and will definitely call him."

He then eyed Maura who is unable to finish his tea cup time. "Mauro get to the lab with the Shadow Knights, we'll have a meeting."

Ever since Maura was told how he is a sacrifice, he became much more submissive, because he is no longer suppose to struggle in vain.

"Understood Leon-sama." Just like that Maura followed the hallway where the lab is located without anyone guiding him.

Maura enters the elevator and pushes some buttons as he talks to himself.

"So...the loom of my fate has started just because the Tree of Woe guardian Eiji had awoken and call upon his son to take his Shadowverse phone."

Anticipation, Maura reaches the floor to the lab.

"Hmm...Ryuugasaki Hiro have found his smartphone and has awakened his Dragoncraft deck now."

Walking.

"Fate is really moving forward to its end." Maura took the opportunity to stop for a bit and gave himself a hug.

Nerve...wracking.

"Meaning I...I'm going to die soon."

The more he says his death is coming soon the more it feels less and less impacting.

Or so he thought.

"Just the the curse boy in the book. It was me." Mocking himself. "Hehe, the prophecy has been set and is going to be fulfilled..."

Eyes opens and reveals his anger and despair mix. "But Leon-sama wants be to be nice friends with him."

He saw Ryuugasaki Hiro's photo from Leon's desk. The boy with red and brown hair smiles like an idiot and full of life.

How dare he.

"Never."

Maura Abelard walks forward towards the Shadow Knights who awaits for him.

"Over my dead body."

Maura swears to at least avenge himself to satisfy his despair. Determined to bully Hiro on even considering playing Shadowverse.

The sacrifice smiles deviously.

"I'm going to put him at his place."

---

To Be Continued.

---

End Notes: As you notice or maybe you did not...I mix actual lines from Champion's battle and extended the drama. This chapter is the longest but I think the finale chapter will be the much longer than this...! Hope everything felt intense. I struggle a bit to portray Maura's happy life to shatter and despair. Hope I did it well! Thank youuu...~

**IF I CANNOT FINISH THIS DON'T BLAME ME, IM DOING THIS TO SPREAD MORE LOVE TO MAURO UNTIL I GET TIRED OF THE ANIME**