Chapter 41: You’re Exaggerating Too Much
As he walked down the street, Leonar kicked every can he encountered along his path.
One particular can shot across to the opposite sidewalk, striking a pole with a metallic clang that echoed for a few seconds.
His expression was grim, a slight frown accompanying his heavy steps. Although he tried to keep calm, each step made him appear increasingly irritable.
"Why are you kicking things? Have you turned into a child who needs to vent his frustration on inanimate objects?"
Leonar clicked his tongue but didn't reply immediately. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, but another can rolled in front of him, and he sent it flying with another kick.
"You wouldn't understand," Leonar growled, his eyes fixed on the ground as though searching for another metallic victim to unleash his anger on.
Eleonora let out a soft sigh in his mind, something Leonar could perceive as an echo in his own thoughts.
"Oh, of course. 'You wouldn't understand.' That's a marvelous excuse. Is it because I'm a being from a higher dimension incapable of grasping basic human emotions?"
"Exactly," Leonar replied sarcastically, throwing his hands up in an exaggerated gesture. "Why even bother asking?"
"Because I'm concerned about your behavior. By the way, shouldn't you be training?"
Leonar paused for a moment and looked up at the sky, as if seeking patience in the clouds.
"It's early, Eleonora. The day's just starting. I've got all the time in the world for that."
"Your idea of 'just starting the day' seems quite flexible."
Leonar snorted and decided to ignore her. His eyes landed on a small cybercafé across the street. Its neon sign flickered, almost dying, but he didn't care. He needed a distraction.
Leonar pushed the door open, the sound of a bell jingling as he stepped inside.
The café's interior was filled with a faint hum of computer fans and the clicking of keyboards. A couple of teenagers were playing some online shooter, while others seemed more focused on scrolling through social media.
Leonar approached the counter and dropped some coins onto the surface.
"One hour for now," he said to the employee, who barely looked up as he handed over a ticket with a computer number.
He headed to the assigned machine, tucked in a corner where he could have some privacy.
He turned on the monitor, and after a few seconds, launched his favorite online game. His eyes sparkled momentarily, almost excited, but that spark quickly faded when the login screen appeared.
"Password…?" Leonar muttered to himself, his fingers drumming on the keyboard.
He typed something, but the screen responded with a red message:
[Incorrect password.]
"Perfect…" Leonar said, leaning back in his chair. He tried again, changing a few letters, but got the same result.
"What are you doing?" Eleonora asked, her tone curious.
"Trying to remember my damn password," he replied, running a hand through his hair in frustration.
"And you need this password for…?"
"To get into the game. No point explaining it to you; you wouldn't get it."
Eleonora stayed silent for a moment before responding.
"I can see your memories, can't I? Why not let me look for it?"
Leonar paused, tilting his head slightly.
"Wait, you can do that?"
"Didn't I mention it before…?"
"You say a lot of things."
Eleonora sighed and replied, "I'll need you to tell me exactly what I'm looking for."
Leonar stayed silent for a few seconds, staring at the screen as if hoping it would magically solve itself. Then he let out a heavy sigh.
"The problem is you probably won't understand what computers, emails, or passwords are."
"Are they as complicated as you think?"
Leonar let out a bitter laugh, leaning closer to the screen again.
"I don't know, Eleonora. Maybe they're trivial to you. But to me, they're…" He stopped, searching for words, then sighed again. "Forget it."
Leonar clicked the 'recover password' option and was redirected to a page asking him to input his email. He quickly typed in the address, but upon reaching the next step, a knot of frustration formed in his stomach.
"I don't remember my email password…" he muttered, resting his forehead on his hand while drumming his fingers on the desk.
"It's impressive how far you've made it in life with such little organization."
"Thanks for the support," Leonar replied sarcastically, clicking his tongue.
Eleonora didn't answer, letting the heavy silence settle between them. Meanwhile, Leonar massaged his temples, trying to think of a solution.
Two hours passed quickly, and Eleonora's voice interrupted again.
"Did you know you've been sitting here the whole time doing nothing productive?"
Leonar leaned back in his chair, staring at the café's ceiling.
"Relax. I doubt the world will end today. There are plenty of powerful people to handle anything that happens."
Suddenly, an alarm sounded outside. At first, Leonar ignored it, assuming it wasn't important. But soon, a voice boomed through a nearby loudspeaker:
"Attention! All citizens not registered as hunters, please seek shelter immediately!"
The café murmured with unease. Some customers glanced nervously at the windows, while others kept typing, indifferent.
The employees behind the counter exchanged worried looks, and one of them cleared her throat before speaking.
"Excuse me, but… it seems there's an emergency. We can refund your money if you decide to leave now."
Leonar smirked ironically, watching as some customers hurriedly gathered their things.
"This is just a coincidence…" Leonar muttered to himself, resting his elbows on the desk and observing the light chaos unfolding around him.
"I told you earlier. Start training because time is running out," Eleonora remarked with a calmness that contrasted with the situation.
"You're exaggerating too much," Leonar replied with a tired smile. "Let's see how serious this is."