14: truth about the real Wolff Bane

I gathered enough strength to stand up and leave the study immediately. Pakiramdam ko ay tuluyan na akong masisiraan ng bait kapag nanatili ako roon at pilit na iisipin kung ano ba talaga ang gustong mangyari ni Wolff.

Wolff was still sleeping when I went back to his room. His face showed he was suffering from whatever was afflicting him. Kapag titingnan siya sa ganoon ay hindi mo iisiping may mga bagay siyang ginagawa na hindi labis maisip ng kung sinuman kung ano ang kanyang motibo.

I went to the kitchen and Sage was already preparing the food on a tray. Bahagya niya akong sinulyapan at marahil ay napansin niya ang biglaang pagod na naramdaman ko dahil sa natuklasan.

"A-are you okay, Dani?" nag-aalalang tanong niya.

I took the liberty to open Wolff's fridge at naglabas ng bottled water. My grip on it tightened when I realized it was the same brand of water I had at Odin's office. Yes, it's the distiller owned by the Glass and having them around every household is normal but it still stirs the anger in me. 

"D-dani?"

Huminga ako nang malalim bago sumagot. "Sorry, I'm just tired."

"C-coming with m-me is a bad idea, isn't it?" nakayukong sabi niya. "F-from the looks of it, you looke e-exhausted after delivering the files to Cielo Rosa and now..."

The job itself is tiring, but the things I discovered along the way are making me too exhausted. Gayunpaman, ayaw kong isipin ni Sage na dahil sa trabaho ang dahilan niyon.

"No, it's okay," bawi ko. I don't want him to feel burdened about me. "Can I ask a question?"

He blinked at me. "S-sure."

I hope he doesn't feel offended by this. "What kind of person is Wolff?"

He looked surprised. "W-what do you m-mean?"

"You know him, right? Anong klaseng tao siya?"

Sage hesitated a bit.

"If asking about it is too much, you don't need to answer that," mabilis na bawi ko. "I was just curious, that's it."

Sage looked down. "D-do you want to know the t-truth about the real Wolff Bane?"

Do I?

Sure, I'm curious but will I be able to handle it? But hey, I've come this far in having crumbs of what is exactly going on, why not sprinkle these crumbs with truth from someone who knew him personally?

Desididong tumango ako kay Sage.

"W-wolff is a lonely man," he said with a sigh. "The problem with people who have everything is they f-feel a v-void inside them. His intelligence is astounding; he can e-easily obtain wealth and p-power, but then these just p-provide more c-complications to human life. In W-wolff's case, he's searching for s-something... something that may s-seem impossible, but he has t-to try and use all p-possible resources he can to j-just fill that void in him."

Sage said those words sadly, and right there, I knew he understood Wolff more than anyone. The way he described him, it seemed like he knew all his sorrows and all the hardships Wolff endured just to become who he is right now.

But I still think playing like this is no good. What's his motive in having three personas—if that's really him? I want to dismiss the idea that they are different persons, and I also want to dismiss the idea that they're just one, but looking either way, it's hard to fathom what he really wants.

Kung hindi si Wolff si Seven, how is it possible to have exactly the same face and unique features? Yeah, cloning may be possible but they're hardly clones. At kung si Wolff man sina Seven, what's his motive for doing this? How is he even doing it? AT dumagdag pa sa isipin ko si Odin. Posible kayang si Wolff ang tumulong sa kanya at nagbigay ng mukha? Kung oo ay sa anong dahilan?

You see, either path to believe would only lead to more confusion.

"I see, you really know him well, right?" komento ko.

Sage forced a smile, but his eyes looked lonely. "H-how about you, D-dani? What kind of person are y-you?"

Napatingin ako sa kanya. I wasn't expecting him to fire the same question I asked about Wolff, but then, anong klaseng tao nga ba ako?

I recalled every fragment of the past that led me to what I am today. I can use the lonely kid card. The fact that my mother would deny me is enough to say my childhood was not always rainbows and butterflies, but when I learned about other people's lives, I think my backstory doesn't matter at all.

"Nothing interesting about me, but I assure you, Sage, I am a good person."

I've never seen Sage smile so genuinely. "Just as I thought." He had finished putting the food on the tray. "I'll b-be feeding W-wolff so he could take his medicine."

Sumama ako sa kanya pabalik sa kwarto ni Wolff. Dahan-dahan niyang ginising si Wolff samantalang pumwesto naman ako sa gilid ng silid, observing Wolff from a distance.

Sage went through all the trouble of preparing him a meal, feeding him, and taking care of him. Lucky Wolff, he has Sage who truly cares for him. And Wolff, just who exactly are you?

I hate it when people have different personalities. Why not just stick to one and not make it complicated? I mean, if Wolff decided to be the cocky version of him, so be it. He doesn't need to have another face—and that's the kindhearted one, if he ever has it.

"It's hard to chew my food if you keep throwing glares at me like that, Dani," sabi ni Wolff kaya napatigil din si Sage sa pagsubo sa kanya at napatingin sa akin.

"Just don't mind me," sagot ko.

Sage resumed feeding him but he still continued to speak.

Wolff smirked. "You look like you have a lot to ask me; fire away."

I shrugged. "If I don't get an honest answer, asking would just be a waste of time."

"You're absolutely right," sagot ni Wolff. "But look, I'm here to answer your questions as much as I can. Take it as a reward for your generosity in taking care of the weak me."

Taking care? Why does he put it that way?

But with that said, I can ask some questions.

"Can I take your word for that?" tanong ko, mabuti nang sigurado.

"I don't lie in these kinds of conversations, Dani," sabi niya. "Isa pa, I don't want to feel indebted to you."

Guess I can hold on to that.

"Then who are you?" tanong ko.

I think he just choked on his food. Mabilis siyang inalalayan ni Sage sa pag-inom. When he finished drinking, he slightly laughed.

"That's too straightforward."

I scoffed. "Hindi iyan ang gusto kong marinig na sagot." I'm so done with all these mind games Wolff Bane is trying to play. Normally, I cannot just say these words directly in this tone because it would be so rude, but like I said, I am so done.

"Even if I tell you, you wouldn't believe me," sagot niya.

Good point, because I wouldn't really believe him. "But still, I want an honest answer."

He nodded. "Then I am someone who wants to set things right in everything I do. That's the only honest answer I can give you."

Do I believe that? I'm not really sure. Maybe he wants to set things right—as long as it aligns with his chosen path and he can benefit from it.

Gusto ko pa sanang magtanong pero nagsalita si Sage. "Y-you should t-take your meds, Wolff."

The latter scowled, making it obvious he hates medicines but he had no choice but to comply. Ininom niya ang mga gamot na iniabot sa kanya ni Sage bago ito tumayo para masigurong nalunok niya iyon. Tumayo siya at nagpaalam na dadalhin sa kusina ang pinagkainan ni Wolff.

When Sage left, the room was enveloped in silence. I'm still throwing glares at him, but he doesn't seem to mind. Mayamaya ay tumingin siya sa akin.

"With how your anger doubled from what I've seen when you arrived, I can only assume you entered my study," sabi niya.

Ah, so he realized that.

I did not directly say yes. "What are you up to, Wolff Bane? Or are you really Wolff Bane?"

He looked straight at me. "What do you think?" This man, you really cannot draw conclusions by just looking at him. I think he's the word mystery, personified. "Sorry for doing this, but I've looked into your history, Dani, and we have something in common."

"What is that?"

His eyes scanned me. "Our mothers are physically present, but we never felt raised by one."

Napakuyom ang kamao ko. He doesn't have to rub it in my face, pero anong sabi niya? We're the same in that matter?

Nagpatuloy siya sa pagsasalita. "Governess Emily, your grandmother, raised me. You were also raised by her, so that's another similarity we have. Governess Emily is an amazing woman; kung hindi dahil sa kanya, I would have gone astray and taken the wrong road as I grew older."

Yes, that's what my grandmother is like. She's a woman of virtue and raised me as one. It's not surprising that he upholds those virtues whenever and wherever, so Wolff must have learned a lot from her.

Nalungkot ako nang maalala si Lola at kung paano kami naghiwalay na hindi man lang naayos ang samaan ng loob. Or it was just me. She would never hate me, but I said words that she shouldn't have heard from me. Hindi man lamang ako nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na humingi ng tawad dahil sa pagrerebelde ko.

I raised my head high. "Get straight to the point, Wolff."

Wolff looked so determined when he said the words with emphasis. "I want you to breach Zone Z."

He what?!

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