Chapter 25: Old Friend (2) Chapter 25
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Chloe Liam Ashmont.
Chloe Liam Ashmont, the eldest daughter of the Ashmont family, possessed the greatest magical talent as a prodigy.
However, her life was not as lavish as one might expect.
"Have you heard? Marquis Ashmont fled from the battlefield."
"What's the point of being a magician if you can't use it in war?"
Her father, Marquis Liam Ashmont, was destined to be the court magician and ranked among the most powerful, nearly reaching the level of the Archmage.
It was natural for him to be called to the battlefield.
He was supposed to be the mage who succeeded Elundir. It should have been easier for him to cast spells on the battlefield than eating a piece of cake.
Magicians were considered the pinnacle of the battlefield, and except for Elundir, Marquis Ashmont was the greatest magician of all.
His path to success was wide open. Everyone speculated that perhaps a new duke would emerge for the first time in 200 years.
However…
"…I'm sorry, Your Majesty. The magic… my magic won't come."
Marquis Ashmont failed. With his magical abilities, he could have wiped out five thousand or perhaps even ten thousand at once.
Yet, he hesitated to even cast a simple fireball. Even the reason was trivial.
He was simply born with a weak constitution. So fragile that he couldn't even kill an ant on the road.
It was impossible for someone like him to cast magic recklessly towards hundreds of thousands of troops.
"Not everyone can massacre tens of thousands. I understand, Ashmont."
Empress Astria did not rebuke Marquis Ashmont, who failed to manifest any magic in front of a large army.
But there was no greater punishment for Marquis Ashmont.
"But don't even think about putting your foot in the middle. Ashmont. Manage your own territory. You'll live like that for the rest of your life and then wither away."
After that, the Ashmont family rapidly declined.
The land, which was the size of an average kingdom, had half of it taken away, and Marquis Ashmont's position among the central nobility narrowed.
He was even deprived of the position of court magician's successor. Because a magician who couldn't kill a single person couldn't hold such a position.
"Must you go to the Academy, Chloe?"
"…I'm different from Dad."
By the time Chloe was fourteen years old.
Marquis Ashmont opposed Chloe's admission to the Academy because he was worried about how she would be treated.
But Chloe and Liam were different.
"I will go to the battlefield and prove it. I will rebuild the prestige of the Ashmont family that has fallen to the ground."
Unlike the fragile Liam, Chloe was ready to demonstrate her abilities.
And so, she entered the Academy.
But the reality was not much better.
"Ashmont…?"
"What kind of face did you come here with?"
The title of fleeing from the battlefield was the worst disgrace for a noble.
What is the difference between commoners and themselves? Why do they hold wealth and power and collect taxes from them?
Nobles take responsibility. They stand at the forefront of the battlefield to protect them instead of commoners.
To Marquis Ashmont, who couldn't even follow this basic logic, other nobles showed no mercy.
The Ashmont family was still in a powerful position as great lords, but this was not a problem at that level.
"Dirty blood."
"Coward."
"Trash."
Everywhere Chloe walked, she heard whispers of gossip.
At first, she got angry and even used her position as a great lord.
But the criticisms only intensified, and eventually, she was labeled as the 'Villainess of Larden'.
While others were called 'just', 'light', 'invincible', 'saint', and 'genius', Chloe was called 'villainess'.
Although Marquis Ashmont was a coward, his heart was kind. He knew how to take care of his people, his wife, and loved his daughter.
It was difficult for Chloe, who grew up under such a father. Only then did Chloe remember her father's worried eyes.
"Chloe, are you okay?"
During the vacation, when Chloe returned to her family, she burst into tears and hugged Liam.
"I'm sorry, Dad… I want to quit."
Ambitious aspirations to restore the fallen honor of Ashmont were no longer present in her. She felt it was impossible, a realization that cut deep.
'This isn't where I belong. No one wants someone like me. Building a reputation? I can't even salvage my own honor.'
All that remained were these negative perceptions.
After Chloe had finished her studies, she started packing to return to the academy.
However, before she could leave, a young boy appeared before her.
"You'll truly become a coward if you continue like this."
Sena Birkender, someone loved by everyone, unlike herself.
He always wore a smile, ready to help even those who insulted him or committed misdeeds. He knew how to sacrifice for others and show respect to everyone, drawing everyone to him.
Chloe envied and admired Sena. When even she was called a coward, Chloe became angry.
"What do you know to speak like that?"
"I'm not a coward. Why should I be treated like this for something I haven't done?"
"You too, you too… Is that what you think of me?"
Chloe spoke with emotion. Sena listened silently and then smiled when she finished.
Then he reached out his hand.
"I'll help."
"Let's try again."
It was said that people glow in hindsight, a falsehood.
But Chloe clearly saw it at that moment. It was Sena's radiance that shone behind him.
It was too bright, and that brightness…
From that moment, Chloe began to like Sena.
"To change perceptions, you have to change first. If someone speaks badly, and you react badly, you become the same."
"…What about you?"
"Huh?"
"Do you like people like that?"
"Um… do I?"
Sena likely didn't know. Following the advice given to change his perception was to earn Chloe's favor.
"It seems like I've misunderstood you. My name is Chris. Let's get along."
Just being by Sena's side made Chloe's perception of him better.
Of course, not everyone's perception could change. But now, Chloe wasn't alone. She had a friend to eat with and share stories.
That hellish academy was transformed into an enjoyable place in just one day thanks to Sena's intervention. Now, the cold night air in the mornings was no longer unpleasant.
But just one thing.
"Romance?"
"Um, well… for your information, I'm not engaged or anything. I'm considering dating and marriage."
"Oh, congratulations."
…Sena's obliviousness could sometimes be annoying.
Chloe liked Sena. From their first meeting, their closeness grew uncontrollably.
She still cherished the hairpin he first gave her.
Even so, Chloe could handle this much.
It was okay if Sena didn't choose her. Just continue smiling, conversing, and experiencing things together.
Being by his side was enough. If she had to be a little greedy…
'Once we graduate, shall we go on an adventure together? Now that I think about it, our party composition is good. One priest, one knight, one mage. Sena… helps with his good eyesight. Great, let's talk about it tomorrow.'
That's about it.
However, those hopes were shattered.
"Chloe! Sena's gone!"
"W-What?"
"Damn it, can't we do something? Like, tracking spells or something. Use dark magic!"
"It's impossible. Sena has no magical ability. But what are you talking about? Just yesterday, he left laughing with me."
Sena disappeared.
Aside from Sylvia's testimony that she had encountered him before he left, there was no trace of him, so much so that it would be appropriate to say that he had truly 'evaporated'.
"Sena wouldn't leave us. This is a conspiracy. He must have been kidnapped. Let's find him."
Serilda used the power of the church to try to find Sena.
Chris used his connections in the Knight Order.
Chloe hired a large number of mercenaries to find Sena.
"I'm sorry. There's no trace anywhere."
"He must not have told anyone, not even … Cruyff."
However, Sena was nowhere to be found.
Occasional rumors surfaced, but even if they were followed up on immediately, not a single trace of him could be found.
With his distinctive silver hair, he would stand out anywhere, which was strange.
However, this only revealed one thing: Sena Birkender had not been kidnapped. He had left the Academy of his own will, on his own two feet.
"Adventure… It must have been fun."
As time passed and they were halfway to giving up on finding Sena, the three met again.
"Sena will be fine. As you know, he's secretly strong."
Chris, who used to skip classes to drink and gamble, had become the Empress's Guardian Knight.
"Indeed. Chloe, don't worry too much."
Seria wandered around using holy magic to help the poor. If Sena was the Saint of Larden, then Seria was its Saintess.
Everyone was living their own lives. Chris achieved his dream, and Seria realized hers.
But Chloe…
"…So, Chloe, please stay healthy too."
"To be honest, I'm worried."
She became thinner.
It was also something Chloe didn't know. The presence of Sena that had settled in Chloe was bigger than she had imagined.
She could endure because he was there. She could envision a future and dream.
Now that Sena was gone, there was nothing left for Chloe. It just felt that way.
Four years passed since Sena left.
At first, she was confused. Then she was sad, and now she was angry.
So, if she were to meet him somewhere, she intended to express her anger.
Really, she wanted to be angry.
At the subject she had stopped herself from running away from, the subject she had stopped herself from.
In the end, didn't she run away? She would say bad things. She would tell him that she shouldn't have met him in the first place.
For four years. For a whopping four years, she had imagined. When she met Sena, she would say this, she thought.
"…Hello, Chloe. Long time no see."
But when she actually saw his face, Chloe couldn't think of anything. Her thoughts scattered like mist.
"It's really… you."
Now she was just glad she could see him.
"Sena is here."
Splat, Chloe's tears fell.
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