5. Older Brother

Bjern was confident in his grasp over people. But he could not read the human boy before him, 'The Future? Is that the organization he hails from?'

Hearing him speak with such nonchalance. His overall attitude. Even his ability to use Martial Force with such a fragile frame. He was an enigma that he could not understand, 'I've met him several times before. But it seems like my earlier assessment of him have been wrong.'

Bjern had seen Louie cry and beg. As observant as Bjern was, he collected enough information to know what kind of person the boy was. Though it was also true that he had no interest in the boy outside of his desperation. To see him act so differently all of a sudden. An idea popped inside his mind, and his lips curved into a smile, "I thought it was me who was observing you, but, it appears that I was wrong."

He released a deep sigh, somehow a mix of disappointment and relief that he needn't act any longer, "So, what gave my identity away?"

To which Louie responded with scrunched expressions, "Believe what you want. More importantly, are you going to accept it or not?" 

He was aware that there was a misunderstanding of some kind. 

Louie saw no merit in pursuing the matter. 

Across him, Bjern once again laughed to himself, 'He has no intention of telling me. But, I do not have to push him any further. If he's not my enemy, and right now, he's my ally. Those Vekks already got a head start, but I do not know what he wa— '

"Stop thinking too deeply. I don't have any schemes. I just don't want your brother to have it. So, are you going to accept this deal or not?"

Bjern could easily kill Louie in a moment's notice. 

That Loiue was painfully aware. As a human not gifted with a Gift. He was nothing before a member of the Frost Giant Race. Even his Martial Force would do nothing. But, he acted brazenly without fear. 

He stood before the line of fire until Bjern gave his answer.

'5… 4…' Louie counted down in his mind, '3… 2… and—'

"Okay, I'll make the deal with you."

"Okay, with our words, a promise is made. May the Great Fire watch over this binding of vows." Louie brought out the knife he had been hiding and cut his right palm before offering the knife to Bjern, "It's not much, but this should make you feel a little better, right?" a cheerful Louie claimed.

"You—ho….nevermind." Bjern could not even begin to understand how he even knew the vows of Giant, "You're quite unpredictable."

Laughed Bjern before taking the knife from Louie and coated it with his own Martial Force to allow it to cut his hand before shaking hands.

This was the lesser vow of words. It was no magic. Only an act practiced by the Giants under the guidance of the Great Fire kindled by the Burning One. But even if it was not affected by magic. The honor of a Giant was on the line and it was to be kept. 

But such a vow was rare even for Giants. After all, anyone asking would be questioning the honor of the counterpart possibly offending them. But because the dealer was the one who initiated the transaction, it was his pride that was on the line. And having a human do it made it even more interesting even for Bjern that he could not help but smile in amusement as they shook hands. 

"Okay, with that over, I'll send you the file later where it is exactly. But for now, just to make you feel better, I'll give you this." Spitting out the last blood on his mouth, Louie brought out his phone and started fiddling with it before sending him a file. 

"Is the BjernOddJobs_01, you?"

"That is my account, yes—a file?"

"Accept and open it."

Bjern did what he was told and when he opened the file, he raised his brow. The file contained a crudely illustrated map that was barely readable if not for the words on the landmarks, "...what's this?"

"Oh come on, it's not that bad. I'm no artist, but the notes should be enough to understand what I meant." Louie was quite offended.

"That's not what I meant." sighed Bjern, trying to clear up the misunderstanding, "I mean, what is this map about? What are these circles? These restaurants with stars?"

"Oh? That? They are bases of the Dark Ice Syndicate. You're working with them to find them, right?" Louie casually said as Bjern looked at him stupefied.

===

[500,000 Gold Bit has been deposited to your account]

"That scrooge actually gave me this much?" 

Louie was actually in shock seeing the amount he was given. 

Louie received the money from Bjern not even an hour after they separated. Bjern told him that he would send Louie compensation for the information. Louie expected it to be around 100,000 not 500.

From his memories, Bjern was a real money pincher. To think he would give this much was bewildering, "He must really need that information at this time. This should even out the race for a good while."

The two of them had a much more complicated connection than one might perceive. 

In truth, Bjern was Louie's benefactor. 

After the stampede and Lena's death, Louie was thrown into despair. He languid from day to day. He was thrown out of the evacuation area and wandered around. The Dark Ice Syndicate then found and captured him to either be sent to the mine or be carved up for his organs.

Bjern was with them at the time and he took pity on Louie and paid his debt for him. 

The Giant took the pitiful boy into his home. 

But the human boy, even when offered food, could not bring himself to eat. And Bjern, did not hurt him or anything. 

He talked to Louie, told him that he heard what happened to him and his sister. Said that he was sorry, that he understood the pain of losing someone. 

From his words, Louie flared in anger. He struck the Giant with strength he did not think he possessed. Holding him by the collar of his clothes, Louie screamed at the Giant, blaming him for his misfortunes. 

"This is all your fault! If you didn't hound us for money! I could have brought her out of this hell hole! Then she would have been alive! If you were going to pay for my debt you should've done it when my sister was alive! 

"Heh! I know! You did it because you wanted to make yourself feel better, don't you!? Even you knew that! You must have felt guilty and that's why you threw money my way and brought me to your home! That's it! You did this for your own sake! You fucking dog! You hypocrite! Well you shouldn't have! I don't need help! Especially not from you! You should've just let them take me! Let them do whatever they want! You should've just let me die!"

Tears fell from the young Louie's eyes. 

"Let it out kid. Don't fight it. Let it out." Bjern whispered softly to the boy who had only known hardship. 

And at that moment, the young Louie balled his fist to hit Bjern.

But, he couldn't.

He stopped as he wiped his tears away.

"I…I…"

He was full of anger that he could not release. 

He wanted to tear the world apart. To claw at the one who wronged him. All that caused his sister's death. To point fingers, but at the end, "It's all my fault."

All the fingers was pointed back at him.

"I wasn't there…I… I could've saved her… but I wasn't…." his tears could no longer be stopped, he could only cry as he said, "She didn't deserve to die…I did… I did… so… why her?"

With tears streaming down his face, Louie asked Bjern, "Why did it have to be her!?"

To which he answered, "I don't know. But…I know that if it was you, she would be asking the same thing. And if that is true, what would you tell her then?"

"...it's not her fault."

"And it's not yours either. So live for her as well."

At that time, Louie did not know what it meant. But… to hear such words, it was enough.

It was much later when he was accepted at the odd jobs after Louie begged to be accepted for work that he was taught by Bjern how to fight and survive. And he helped him in many fights and many things. This lasted until Louie was 20, when the fight ended in Bjern's defeat.

And that was how the person who terrorized and later became somewhat of an older brother to Louie came to an end.

The madman that Louie became was paved by many losses and tragedies. 

From his sister, to the family he found, to the friends and companions who walked with him. 

Many roads he walked were drenched in blood.

And many of them did not belong to his enemies.

This time, he was already moving. Making sure to help those who help while he still can.

"I won't make the same mistakes I have done in the past."

He said as he was preparing to enter the school at the dead of night.