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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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The Demon King’s minions periodically invaded the continent.
Merely one, sometimes two, but those minions, or rather, demons, possessed enough power to drive countless humans to despair.
They devoured magic and deflected weapons.
They showed no regard for surrender, capturing and torturing people for sport.
We had captured weaker demons before, attempting to interrogate them about their motives, but the answer was always the same:
“Because it’s fun.” or “Because the Demon King commanded it.”
The sight of a demon, smirking even with its life in our hands, was the epitome of terror.
I was the last to join the group formed to eradicate the demons and the Demon King. As a mage, I couldn’t help but feel a bit awkward around the others, who had already faced life-or-death situations together for quite some time.
But that was neither here nor there.
My personal awkwardness wouldn’t hinder our mission to eliminate the demons.
I just had to do what I did best.
At first, we traveled the continent, vanquishing demons summoned to wreak havoc and plunder, saving nations from destruction.
I, too, was inspired by Rain Garden, the self-proclaimed hero wielding the power of light—the paladin—and burned with a sense of justice.
Although our roles on the battlefield differed, I had witnessed Rain fighting on the front lines.
She was the embodiment of a trustworthy comrade.
Despite being the same age, despite facing hardships that would make anyone want to give up, she remained calm and composed, carrying herself with a gravitas befitting a leader.
But that was Rain on the battlefield.
In everyday life, she put in a different kind of effort.
I hadn’t realized it back then.
Ron.
Even now, just thinking about that short name makes my heart race.
His combat skills weren’t anything to write home about, but he possessed an unmatched talent for reconnaissance and survival.
And despite possessing such talents, he was an incredibly diligent man, always busy, always moving without hesitation.
At first, I didn’t think much of him.
I hadn’t truly understood the importance of his role.
He was the first one Rain had recruited.
They must have been through a lot together—that thought had filled me with a sense of anticipation.
But after observing him, I realized that his talents, in my opinion, were… lacking.
He couldn’t use magic.
He couldn’t wield divine power.
His swordsmanship was clumsy, his movements awkward, whether he held a sword, spear, or staff.
During battles, it was hard to even tell what he was doing.
As if he was trying to avoid the real fighting.
It irritated me, but Rain, Odrox, and Lian seemed unfazed, their eyes reflecting trust in him.
Weren’t they angry?
He barely showed his face during battles or even in town, always off doing his own thing.
I doubted he even understood the meaning of camaraderie.
First impressions are hard to change.
I didn’t like him.
Time passed, and after defeating all the demons scattered across the continent, we set our sights on the Demon Realm.
I still hadn’t accepted Ron as a comrade, and the atmosphere within the group remained strained.
Even before joining them, I was a renowned mage on the continent.
I came from a prestigious family, but I had chosen a different path, for my talents lay not in swordsmanship, but in magic.
I took pride in forging my own path, refusing to follow the one laid out for me.
That pride, that arrogance, was probably the main reason for the distance between us.
Odrox would sometimes steal glances at me, trying to gauge my mood.
Lian would avert her gaze, breaking out in a cold sweat whenever our eyes met.
Even Rain seemed ill at ease.
Of course, we still talked, especially since we had to work together, but the awkwardness persisted, and it was starting to wear on me.
We were about to embark on a perilous journey to the Demon Realm, a journey with no guarantees.
With such an ambiguous level of trust, even minor disagreements could escalate quickly.
“Hey.”
So I said it.
“Why do you all look at me like I’m some kind of monster? Am I not your comrade?”
The words left my mouth were laced with arrogance, the worst possible way to address someone.
Up until that point, I had never had a proper conversation with someone my own age, let alone anyone else.
Seventy percent of the people who approached me had ulterior motives, hoping to gain something from my abilities.
The other twenty percent were too busy showering me with praise to even listen to what I had to say.
“Ah… No, Lady Al Sola, that’s not…”
Lian stammered, averting her gaze.
Her words said otherwise, but her expression betrayed herr.
Odrox avoided my gaze entirely, while Rain, attempting to mediate, kept glancing in my direction.
Magic.
The manipulation and release of internal magical energy was considered a fundamental discipline in this era.
But when its destructive power was off the charts, people reacted differently.
They had been wary of me since I joined, but it wasn’t like this.
It was after they witnessed my magic, after they heard my incantations, that they started to distance themselves.
My approach to combat wasn’t about destruction, but eradication.
Spells that obliterated enemies, leaving behind no trace, instilled a different kind of fear compared to those that merely dismembered or pierced.
But did they have to react that way, even though we were comrades?
Wouldn’t they prefer it if the battles ended quickly, if no one got hurt?
We were supposed to be equals.
Why did they look at me like that?
…Like I was some kind of monster, just like those people back then?
Pride and arrogance, too rigid to bend, can only be broken.
Tears welled up in my eyes, but I fought them back, turning my gaze to him, the man who seemed unusually quiet today.
“Did you just speak?”
His jet-black eyes met mine, their depths reflecting my tear-filled vision.
I hastily wiped my eyes with my sleeve and glared at him, unsure of what to make of his question.
Then, he reached out.
His hand, devoid of any ill intent, gently cupped my cheek before his rough palm began to stroke my hair.
“…What are you doing?”
“Just comforting our mage, who must be exhausted from enduring this awkward atmosphere.”
His fingers, calloused from years of wielding various tools, weren’t exactly gentle.
But his touch, and the fact that he had dared to touch me at all, seemed to shock everyone else more than it shocked me.
Odrox’s eyes widened as he stared at us, while Lian gasped, stumbling backward.
I wasn’t a monster.
I was just a person, their comrade.
My growth might have been stunted by the side effects of my magic, but I was still human.
I got angry, I cried, I laughed.
I mourned when I couldn’t save someone, and I rejoiced alongside my comrades when we overcame hardships together.
“…Get your hand off me.”
But in that moment, I pushed him away.
Because it felt like he wasn’t treating me like a comrade, but like a little sister.
Like he saw me as someone beneath him, not as an equal.
Looking back, it was a selfish reaction.
I hated being looked down upon.
I craved equality, yet I hated being the butt of a joke.
I hated it when those around me treated me with reverence.
My thoughts were entirely self-centered.
I yearned for comrades I could open up to, yet I still considered myself the center of the universe, blinded by my own brilliance.
That’s why I hated his casual touch, the way he ruffled my hair as if I were a child.
I hated that he had barely acknowledged my presence until now, that he had never bothered to speak to me, and yet here he was, suddenly acting chummy, a smile on his face.
“You… you’ve been ignoring me this whole time, not even bothering to talk to me, and now you suddenly act like we’re close?”
My voice cracked as I spoke.
He didn’t seem surprised by my reaction, his soft eyes curving into crescents as he replied.
“Because you looked like you were having a hard time.”
I didn’t respond.
I simply swatted his hand away and stormed out of the room, leaving the rest of the group behind.
A strange, talentless man.
That’s what I thought of you.
And because of how I treated you, the others seemed to distance themselves from me even more.
You had a strong bond with them, even if I didn’t understand how.
I was different.
If it weren’t for Rain, I probably would have left a long time ago.
Rain was always there to mediate, to soothe my frayed nerves.
“Let’s just do our best until we defeat the Demon King.” she would say, or “They’re good people at heart.”
And so, with an awkward tension hanging in the air, we finally set foot in the Demon Realm.
I winced as a wave of demonic energy washed over me.
Glancing around, I saw the same reaction on the faces of my companions, even Rain and Lian, who were said to possess the power of light.
We had entered the Demon Realm, and already, after taking a single step into that desolate and grotesque land, our minds were under attack.
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