The assassin ‘Black Rain’ first noticed he was not normal when he was seven and put his hands on his father.
It was before he abandoned the name Julio Roughnir, given to him by the one person he trusted, his mother.
He was beaten again and again by his father, as always, and hit his back hard against the wall. Underneath his blonde hair, his well put together face twisted with pain.
“Damn kind! I’m outta booze ’cause you ain’t bringin’ any money!”
“Gaha… Uu…”
Julio was born into a family that was poor even among the other families in a poor village in the territory of the empire. And he was not blessed with a good father either.
His father led the wealthy Roughnir family into poverty in just one generation with his gambling habit. But despite being destitute, he never forgot his life of luxury, and the difference between that and reality around him made him despair to the point of tears.
He made his wife and son work to earn money to drown his sorrows with alcohol, and would not stop complaining about why this misfortune befell him.
Julio’s father had an unseemly fat belly, and he scratched his long hair while spitting.
“Why do you think I’ve been raising you!? Go shine some shoes or something you free-loader!”
“Guh… Ah…”
Along with his words, came his legs. Despite being drunk, he still kicked like an adult. The impact was severe enough to make the six year old Julio hold his breath without thinking.
(…Why… Why is this happening to me?)
Julio thought that every day, any time his mind was unoccupied. He would be happy if it was just him and his mother, he thought. Why was a guy like him his father, he thought. They would live in peace if he was not around, he thought.
Julio staggered to his feet, put his weight on the wooden door that no longer fit properly, and left.
The piercing cold of that winter morning hit the poorly dressed Julio like a weapon, but it was much better than staying home.
He walked down the main street, crouched down, and listlessly watched people pass by.
(…Everyone looks so happy.)
It was not as though everyone reflected in his eyes were smiling, but they still looked happier than him.
He felt that the fact that he was the only one sitting on the cold ground was proof enough. He could not help but feel miserable, as he forced his aching body to get up. But he soon realized there was nothing for him to do, so he sat back down.
People passing by him all had a place to be, but he did not.
He ended up enduring the cold until his father fell asleep in a drunken stupor. That was another essential part of his daily life.
◆
All he had to support his heart was his mother.
“Julio… I’m sorry.”
It was late at night, and as the tyrant of the Roughnir family slept, Alicia held her son and apologized.
“I’m fine, mom… Don’t cry.”
When Julio was held by his mother’s thin body covered in faded clothes full of patches, he felt a big sense of relief, and a little sadness. And enough anger to burn away both of those feelings.
If the man snoring loudly did not exist, his mother would surely be wearing nicer clothes. She would shine like the others walking around town. She would not have those painful looking bruises.
“Mom… Let’s run away. Let’s forget about that guy.”
Pleaded Julio as he cried in his mother’s chest. Alicia held him tightly, and shook her head slowly.
“I’m sorry Julio… But… He can’t live without me…”
“He should just die! Why does he have to hit you!?”
“I’m sorry… I’m really sorry…”
This back and forth was nothing new. If only Alicia nodded, Julio could leave this tattered house behind, but she never did. This made Julio very sad.
He loved his mother, but she liked the man he hated. Even though he was more violent against her than against him, he was still important to her. She wanted to be with him, even though her son was so covered in wounds.
Julio felt something he could not stand, the feeling that she cared more about his father than about him. Even though she was all he had. He wondered just how one-sided those feelings were.
“Uu… Sniff…”
“Ah… I’m sorry Julio… I’m so sorry.”
They were clad in the same tattered clothes, and had the same bruises all over their bodies, but cried for different reasons.
◆
About half a year later, Alicia died from an illness, and Julio’s life was headed to a big turn.
“Dammit… Why did’ja die? What about my money…!?”
It was morning, and he was drinking and muttering.
(She didn’t just die… You killed her…!)
It was an infectious disease that was running around that took Alicia’s life.
This disease gravely affected the respiratory system, but was not fatal with the proper treatment. A good light sorcerer or healer could treat it quickly.
But… Alicia died.
She received no healing magic or medicine. In the end, she died on tattered cloth that could hardly be called a bed, as Julio held her and begged her not to go.
“I’m sorry… Be happy.”
Were the words she left with Julio.
(…I understand, mom. I’ll be happy…)
Julio raised his head, and looked at the man slovenly lying on a bed. The bottle of alcohol that was bought instead of the medicine his mother needed was next to him.
“…”
Even Julio was surprised by how calm he felt, as he picked up the bottle, and swung it down as hard as he could at the man’s head. An indescribable feeling of joy spread throughout his heart.
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So we are getting some back story as a teaser for the next chapter. Nice 🙂