Am I always bullying those who are kind to me?
This can't be right; he doesn't want to accept such things. Compared to admitting his mistakes, he'd rather choose the easy way out.
So he cursed Alessia, trying to drive her away with foul language.
Then he concluded that they were after something, that after seeing his vile side, they would also fear him!
Alessia cried, driven to tears by Albert's harsh words.
She sobbed as she returned to the church.
Albert thought he had won once again, using the meanness he learned from his cruel father to protect himself.
Yet, somehow, he couldn't feel any joy. In his mind, it was always Alessia's sobbing.
Alessia came back.
Just a few hours after Albert had cursed her away, she returned with dinner.
She still carried a book. That book contained many stories that one might find warm and healing.
To Albert, the stories in that book were just tales because the world wasn't like that.
But when Alessia began reading again, Albert pushed open the door:
"What are you doing? What are you doing! Do you think I wouldn't dare to hit you!"
Alessia cried again, because Albert was too fierce.
But she didn't flee, she only said:
"Because... fearing you is easy, changing you is the right thing."
"Mother said, one should do the right thing, not the easy thing."
"Albert... I... I'm not afraid of you!"
These words brought a great shock to Albert. He stood there, as if struck heavily.
He had seen many tough individuals begging for mercy under his fists.
But he'd never seen someone so weak that they'd cry just from a glare, yet say they weren't afraid of him with a terrified expression.
"Even if you hit me, I would still bring food to you every day... Albert, I can't let you freeze to death here!"
Albert didn't understand:
"Why? Do you want me to apologize to you?"
He was stuck in his logic, but soon, he realized perhaps there was no why.
Perhaps, for Alessia, this was doing the right thing.
Doing the right thing doesn't need a reason.
Alessia said:
"If one day, you apologize to me, I'd gladly forgive you, but... but it's okay even if you don't apologize, because, Albert, it's not your fault for becoming like this."
No one had ever said these things to Albert.
Many people have also never heard these words.
This world has many people who will accuse you, question why you are so bad, so useless, so unworthy.
Albert had heard many such words, once they caused pain, but gradually, he became numb.
Words, others' malice, could no longer shake him, because he cursed more harshly and would respond with stronger fists.
But this time, he began to feel panic.
He had never heard anyone say, it's not your fault for becoming like this.
After that, Albert began accepting the kindness from Sister Martina and Alessia.
Fearing that such kindness might disappear, he intended to reciprocate it.
Occasionally, he would rob other kids for money and then buy small trinkets to please Alessia.
Alessia would be glad but would ask Albert how he obtained them.
Albert knew this little girl's moral standards were too high, just like Mother Martina.
So he lied, saying he picked them up.
Alessia just said:
"Albert, finding things is always easy, but... it may not be right, we should return it to the owner."
After several times, Albert gave up.
If the gifts can't reach others, it wasn't necessary to even obtain them.
He began to realize he needed to do things that were difficult but right.
Albert started to stop using his fists and instead paid with his physical effort.
He began working, striving to earn money.
He also started to learn in his spare time because Alessia might go abroad to study in the future. Mother Martina always said Alessia was a smart, good child and would go far in life.
He couldn't bear to be away from Mother, but he wanted more to see the world with Alessia.
A boy's growth often happens in an instant like this.
Alessia was a fragile girl, if according to Albert's previous logic, anyone who could be knocked down by him with a punch was fragile.
But gradually, he realized that Alessia was not fragile at all.
On the contrary, this girl who grew up in the church was extraordinarily resilient.
She always did the right things, which Mother Martina taught her.
Under her and Mother's influence, Albert began to believe in this principle too.
Even, unknowingly, it became his mantra.
The nuns in the church began accepting the changed Albert.
Even the kids in Isaac City began to realize that Albert had changed.
At fifteen, Albert was no longer synonymous with evil.
On the contrary, people began to describe him as a genius because he always learned things quickly and deeply.
He had talent and was willing to work hard. Those kids once scared by Albert were now his followers.
They didn't submit to fists but to Albert's leadership charisma.