BERN MILITARY ACADEMY
LEO, WHY DID YOU SUDDENLY DECIDE TO CUT THE SCHOLARSHIPS?
DO I REALLY NEED TO JUSTIFY MY ACTIONS TO YOU?
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, I CAN CUT THE FUNDING WHENEVER I SEE FIT.
THAT'S TRUE. BUT I'M ONLY ASKING BECAUSE I'M WORRIED SOMETHING MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED TO YOU.
OR MAYBE YOU'RE JUST WORRIED ABOUT THE MONEY?
YES, YOU LITTLE RASCAL! I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE MONEY TOO.
SUPPORT FROM THE IMPERIAL HOUSE IS CONSTANTLY BEING CUT. IF YOU ABANDON US TOO, HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO SURVIVE?
WE HAVE SO MANY CADETS WHO ARE COMPLETELY DEPENDENT ON THESE SCHOLARSHIPS.
THIS IS ONLY TEMPORARY.
I'LL RESUME THE PAYMENTS SOON, SO DON'T WORRY.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHY IT SEEMS SO SUSPICIOUS.
WHY SUSPEND THEM RIGHT NOW OF ALL TIMES, AND WHAT DO YOU NEED THE LIST OF RECIPIENTS FOR?
HAVE YOU EVER KNOWN ME TO ACT
I WON'T DISAPPOINT YOU, SO YOU CAN REST EASY.
AND YET...
THERE'S A BOY HERE WHO IS THE SPITTING IMAGE OF YOU DURING YOUR CADET YEARS, AND MY HEART BREAKS FOR HIM.
YOU KNOW YOURSELF HOW STRICT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE TO RECEIVE YOUR SCHOLARSHIP.
PERFECT ATTENDANCE, AS WELL AS RANKING FIRST IN MILITARY SCIENCE, MARKSMANSHIP, AND DRILLS.
AND THIS BOY SOMEHOW MANAGES TO HANDLE IT ALL. YOU CAN'T ACHIEVE THAT WITHOUT INCREDIBLE PERSEVERANCE.
JUST LIKE YOU USED TO.
BUT IF THE FUNDING STOPS, HE MIGHT HAVE TO DROP OUT.
WON'T YOU RECONSIDER YOUR DECISION?
I FEEL SORRY FOR THE STUDENT, BUT...
RIGHT NOW, THAT BOY IS NOT MY PRIORITY.
UNLESS HIS SISTER...
DOES THIS HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH YOUR FATHER?
LEO, YOUR OLD MAN HAS ALREADY BEEN SEVERELY PUNISHED. IT'S OVER, THERE'S NO REASON TO SEEK REVENGE ANYMORE.
FORGET ABOUT IT AND LIVE YOUR LIFE.
I HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED YET, AND YOU'RE ALREADY TELLING ME TO DROP EVERYTHING?
THIS WILL ONLY MAKE THINGS WORSE FOR YOU.
AT LEAST THINK OF YOUR MOTHER.
A FEW YEARS AGO
WHO IS THIS WOMAN? ANSWER ME RIGHT NOW!
THE WOMAN I LOVE.
YOUR LAWFUL WIFE... IS ME...
WE DIDN'T MARRY FOR LOVE ANYWAY.
HECTOR...
MOTHER?
OH, WHAT A LOVELY ROOM! AND THE VIEW OF THE GARDEN IS WONDERFUL.
CAN HUGO AND I TAKE THIS ONE?
OF COURSE! THIS IS YOUR HOME NOW TOO.
NO. THIS PLACE IS A SANCTUARY FOR LEO AND ME.
MAKE THEM LEAVE RIGHT THIS INSTANT!
YOUR GREED GOES BEYOND ALL LIMITS. THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER BEDROOMS HERE.
IS IT ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO ACT LIKE SUCH A PETTY AND ARROGANT DUCHESS?!
THEN WHERE DO YOU EXPECT CLAIRE AND HUGO TO LIVE?!
CLAIRE GAVE ME A CHILD AND RAISED HIM ALL ON HER OWN UNDER HARSH CONDITIONS. AND I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT FOR EIGHT YEARS.
IS IT REALLY A CRIME TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE WOMAN I LOVE AND MY SON?
L-LEO IS YOUR SON TOO...
I HAVE NEVER NEGLECTED MY DUTIES.
WHY? FATHER'S FAMILY IS SUPPOSED TO BE MOTHER AND ME...
IT'S TOO BRIGHT. COULD YOU DRAW THE CURTAINS?
YES, MOTHER.
MY LEO.
YOU LOOK SO MUCH LIKE YOUR FATHER.
IT'S TRUE... WAY TOO MUCH.
MOTHER...
DON'T COME NEAR ME!
IT'S HARD FOR ME TO LOOK AT YOU RIGHT NOW.
I'M SORRY, LEO.
LOOKING AT MY FATHER, WHO TURNED INTO A VEGETABLE OVERNIGHT,
PEOPLE WHISPERED THAT IT WAS DIVINE PUNISHMENT.
BUT I HADN'T EVEN BEGUN TO TAKE MY REVENGE YET.
AND HE COWARDLY HID AWAY INTO OBLIVION.
SO I, THE VICTIM, WAS LEFT TRAPPED IN THAT MOMENT...
UPON WHOM AM I SUPPOSED TO UNLEASH MY WRATH NOW?
SOPHIA, IT LOOKS LIKE YOUR FIANCÉ IS SECRETLY WORKING AS A SHOE-SHINER.
WHAT IF IT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT... WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THEN?
END THE RELATIONSHIP, IF HE TRULY IS CHEATING ON YOU.
WHEN THE BETRAYAL OF A LOVED ONE LEAVES A WOUND,
IT'S YOUR OWN REFUSAL TO LET GO THAT CAUSES IT TO ROT.
BUT IF HE REPENTS...
IT CAN BRING PAIN TO THOSE WHO TRULY LOVE YOU. ARE YOU PREPARED FOR THAT?
BRING PAIN TO THE PEOPLE WHO TRULY LOVE ME?!
DON'T COME NEAR ME, LEO.
IT'S HARD FOR ME TO LOOK AT YOU RIGHT NOW.
WHAT COULD SHE POSSIBLY UNDERSTAND, TO SPEAK OF IT SO LIGHTLY?
AFTER ALL, SHE WAS BETRAYED TOO.
THAT SORT OF THING... IS AN UNAFFORDABLE LUXURY FOR ME.
END THE RELATIONSHIP, IF HE TRULY IS CHEATING ON YOU.
IT'S YOUR OWN REFUSAL TO LET GO THAT CAUSES IT TO ROT.
HOW CAN SHE BE SO CONFIDENT IN HERSELF?
UNLIKE MY MOTHER!
At the Bern Military Academy, Leo suddenly cuts off the scholarships and, despite the official's insistence, says the payments are temporary and asks for the list of recipients. A hardworking student who looks exactly like him is at risk of being expelled. Then his father Hector's betrayal and his mother's devastation are recalled; while Leo struggles with feelings of revenge, Violeta's words about betrayal come to mind.
