Split Personality

"I wish we could've stayed longer, but we'll visit Maury again on a different day."

Eon opened the door for me once we arrived back at Diablo Manor.

"My relatives will be coming at three. You may do whatever you want until two forty-five," Eon informed me as I was handed my bag of macarons.

"You can eat these, but I ask you eat nothing else. My relatives like to feast."

"I'll be eating with you?"

"And my relatives."

"What will they think of me? I'm not... up to your level?"

"What level am I at?"

"...High."

"If my relatives have a problem with you eating with them, they can leave."

"Eon, this isn't a big deal. I can eat by myself."

"Do you not like eating with me?"

I paused immediately. Eon wanted me to say something stupid. Something he could punish me for.

But why would he? Eon was the same person who defended me when I was called a slave. Again, it seemed like Eon had a split personality. He could be kind and loyal one second and intimidating and dominent the next.

"Do you know how lucky you are to get three meals a day, Lumine?" Eon looked at me with cold eyes.

"I know I'm lucky, Eon. I just don't want to cause trouble with your relatives."

"Do you know how lucky you are to live here?"

"Once again, I do know. I'm very appreciative-"

"Do you know where you'd be if the wrong person bought you? If someone like Valerie Glen bought you?"

I knew the answer. Eon knew that I did.

"You would be dead. So many slaves are abused and killed daily just for complaining they are overworked. Here you are, complaining that you have to eat a good meal with good people I've known for years."

"Eon, I'm sorry."

"This visit means a lot to me, Lumine. If you don't want to eat with me and my relatives, don't bother leaving your room tomorrow."

"Eon-"

"Go."

"Please-"

"Go!"

I walked into the manor feeling scared and confused. What had I said that was so awful? Why did Eon get so upset?

Maybe a similar experience happened to him once before. Eon was a mysterious man. Talking to one of his servants could provide useful information.

I set off to my room. After eating my macarons I would look for a servant who knew of Eon's past.

It didn't help that Eon's room was next to mine. He could probably hear everything I did or said. Although he wasn't in their now, Eon's presence lurked nearby. In fact, it lurked everywhere.

The macarons were delicious. At first, I thought Eon wanted me to get two desserts so he could have one, but that turned out not to be the case. I wondered what he did with my peach. Maybe I would have it with the dinner with Eon's relatives.

I had to attend that dinner. If I didn't, I might as well just ask Eon to starve or kill me. Would he actually lock me in my room tomorrow if I didn't attend?

I swallowed the last piece of macaron. Now I needed to find a servant. The halls were empty but clean. Servants must be done here. The best place to look was the kitchen or outside. It was nice out.

First, outside. Any servants I saw looked busy. I didn't want to disturb them. The servants were tending to gardens, picking vegetables and flowers, and cleaning off the front of the manor. A man was carrying a box of vegetables. He sat them on the bottom of the manor steps and began to count them.

I approached him slowly. He didn't say anything.

"Hello." I stopped and put my hands behind my back.

"Hello," the man greeted me.

"I was wondering if you knew about Eon Diablo's past." Might as well get straight to the point.

"Hm. His past." The man looked up. One of his eyes was closed shut. A scar could be seen on his face.

"Eon," he began, "I've worked for him for years. I worked for his father when Eon was younger."

"There's just one thing I want to know. Has Eon always had a split personality? You know, he-"

"I know what you mean. The man's mood changes in the blink of an eye."

"Was he always like that?"

"No. He changed the day his father was shot and killed. Something strange happened. Something terrible and unexplainable."

"What happened?"

"The intruder, the man who killed Eon's father, was after Eon. At the time, I was his bodyguard. The man not only had a gun, but a knife. When I tried to defend Eon, the man slashed my eye. Even with only one good eye, I could see what happened next. The man shot Eon in the chest multiple times."

"What? How is Eon alive?"

"I don't know. A few minutes after the man shot Eon and escaped, I passed out. A few hours later, when I finally regained consciousness, Eon was up on his feet like nothing happened."

The situation sounded familiar. I had gone through the same thing.

"There weren't any bullet holes on his body, Lumine."

I felt cold. That man must have been pulling my leg. I felt like calling him out, but I knew deep down Eon's survival could be possible.