Chapter 2 - Part 1

Chapter 2: Fate

Part 1

TL: Xean

ED: Shish99

“Ha! Sei! Ku!”

“Theo-kun, there’s more to come! Do your best!”

It had been 3 days since the time that instructor Miya allowed me to return.

I was visiting Sharon, a.k.a. Lori the blonde, and we were sparring.

Before I could go meet the instructor, I’d chosen to go over to Sharon’s house for a brief sparring session.

“Hah! Yah!”

“You can do more than just that. The Theo I knew was a lot stronger! I’m sure you can do more! Fight harder!”

I responded to Sharon, who was provoking me, as we exchanged our fists.

But I had reached my limits and my body began to give in to fatigue, so I couldn’t help but fall to the ground.

I used to be able to fight for three days and three nights without a care in the world and now this is all I can do.

It just solidified further the thought that I’m just a shadow of what I used to be.

“Theo, nice work. Here’s some milk. Let’s take a break.”

Unlike me, Sharon, who is still very much alive, pressed a milk bottle against my cheek.

It’s cold and refreshing.

“Just why can’t I move like before?”

“It’s not like you to worry, Theo.”

“But I say, you’re really fast. As expected of Theo-niichan~”

“Hn, I’ve still got skills and experience under my belt, don’t I?”

Following Sharon, several children approached me as I laid down on the ground. Children ranging from those entering nursery school to those about to graduate from elementary school.

Their hair colors varied and their faces were nothing alike, but they all had one thing in common. All of them had red eyes.

They are the so-called “abominations”, who, like me and Sharon, are half-human and half-demon.

This place is the orphanage where we grew up. One which me and Sharon manage.

So if I did practice sessions in the yard, of course we would be noticed and surrounded by curious children.

“Hey! You guys should go eat your breakfast. The soup is going to get cold if you’re going to continue watching me and Theo.”

C1: “Bleh, flat-chested— “

C2: “Shut up! Horizon-onna.”

C3: “But mine’s already bigger than Sharon-neechan.”

C4: “Kuu, I’m gonna pull ahead in one of these days.”

S: “No you won’t–”

Uwaa… Sharon’s red eyes widened and a sudden gust of wind flew by. The timing was really perfect.

It was a coincidence, but it shows how even nature would bend to Sharon’s anger.

“Good grief, I told you to eat your breakfast! If you don’t, you’ll have no food for lunch or dinner! “

C1: “Higyah!”

C2: “Wrath of the Earth!”

C3: “Horizon-onna shouldn’t feel any anger.”

C4: “That’s funny.”

S: “Hey, seriously, I’m going to take away your lunch and dinner! Get ready for it, you four runts!”

After a bit of fuming, Sharon turned her pouting face to me.

“Hora, how long will you sleep. Get up now.”

“Otto.”

I stood up in reply, only to lose my balance when I did.

“Umph-.”

Sharon yelped in surprise but still managed to catch me.

“Sorry, Sharon. Thanks for the help.”

“You didn’t do it on purpose … did you?”

“If this was on purpose, don’t you think I would become a great actor?”

“Then go ahead and get some rest for a while. Take it easy. Please.”

Sharon looked at me with concerned eyes. She took me to the corner of the orphanage, laying me down. Then Sharon herself sat down in place and laid my head in her lap.

“…… You don’t need to give me a lap pillow.”

“Just shut up and accept it.”

Her tone of voice was so strong that I did what she wanted me to do.

I couldn’t say it out loud, but the sensation of Sharon’s lap felt so good.

After a moment of bliss, I regained my composure and stood up.

“It’s okay. Let’s get back to practice.”

“Are you sure you’re really okay?”

I nodded at Sharon’s worried words and moved to the front yard of the orphanage.

“Yeah, I’m fine. So let’s do it. I’ll definitely make my comeback.”

“Then you won’t mind sparring with me?”

A man’s voice unexpectedly interjected.

I was taken aback when I looked at the gate of the orphanage, and there he stands – a man with ash-gray hair!

He was a young man.

He smiled widely and walked up to me. His blue military uniform was waving in the air.

I knew him but we weren’t really close.

“Why did you survive? If you died on the frontlines, you would have been a man of age. You really are an unlucky b*****d to survive death.”

He suddenly lunged at me with a knife.

“Theo, get back.”

As Sharon screamed at the sudden attack, I skillfully avoided his knife attack, grabbed his arm and plunged the knife off.

“Hey what’s this. I heard you’re weakened, but you can still deal with this level of difficulty? Well, you still have the skills and experience.”

“What’s your problem, Galesciano?”

Galesciano Elvador — my former classmate in the academy.

We were in Instructor Miya’s class at the Muskeeters Imperial Academy. I was always first in the class while he always stood second. For me our relationship was like that of acquaintances but he thinks of me as more of a rival.

“What do you mean, what’s my problem? Isn’t that what you think it is? I’m here to torture you, the hero Theo Fordout, weakened by defending Miya-sensei.

“You really are …”

“This feels good, Theo. At last you’ve fallen. How long I’ve been waiting for this.”

With a pleasant smile, Galesciano brushed my hand away and picked up the knife again.

“There’s one thing we can learn from you now. You can’t stay in first place forever. Ain’t that right? You were so strong, but now you’re so weak that even a little girl is worried about you. Pathetic, huh? So how about you stop trying in vain to get back into the game and just retire here.

–First and second place.

—The ranking during the academy days.

It has been dragged out for far too long and Garesciano is still holding on to it.

Obsession and a blazing inferiority xomplex.

He’s probably using this moment, now that I’m weakened, to work off a long standing, selfish grudge.

Why do I have to get into all this trouble in the morning …

“Come on, Theo, get ready. I’m going to add some red color to a beautiful morning. With your blood, of course?”

“…… You are now a member of the royal family’s elite unit, << Paladin Garden>>, right?”

A symbol of the <<Two-Winged Shield>>, which is the symbol of the Esterd Empire, is embroidered in the blue-like uniform. This is evidence that proved that Galasciano is a member of the elite unit.

“So what’s of it?”

“You’re an elite man now. Is it okay for you to have this kind of problematic behavior?”

“Oi, stop that. You’re not looking out for me, are you?”

He said that while half-smiling—

“I really hate that part of you.”

Galesciano’s smile faded, and a blue mark appeared on his forehead.

“I don’t know what’s your game, but you always strike me as a bit of a jerk.”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry about that.”

“You still think you’re on top eh?”

I can see his eyes becoming narrower, his hand gradually tightening in the knife’s grip.

“Now you’re just a small fry that’s doing the good work of the Association to keep the <<Seven Wings>> title alive. You small fries should behave like small fries and be afraid. Understand?

“I don’t know.”

“You …”

‘’I may be a small fry now, sure, but that doesn’t mean you’re strong. You’re still halfway there. You won’t get stronger even if I get weaker. Why should I be afraid of you? Tell me about it.”

I wasn’t in a very good mood after having my morning ruined. I was annoyed so I said that sarcastically, and as a result, the words seemed to have hit Galesciano critically.

“You want me to tell you? Ah, okay? That’s what I was going to do from the start. That’s why I came all the way out here to reduce your weakened body to a mangled rag. You can cry about it, but I won’t let you. Regret it in the afterlife!”

Holding the knife in his backhand, Galesciano lowered himself to the ground.

–The battle-ready state.

When Sharon saw this, she tried to rush over to me, saying that she couldn’t overlook it, but…

“Stay there.”

“What are you saying? That person is the <<Five Wings>>, which is superior to me! There’s no way Theo could match him in this condition—“

“All right, keep quiet and watch. Stay there and keep the kids out of the yard.”

Before long, the children had gathered on the edge and turned into onlookers .

Galesciano smiled sharply and —

“Do you really want them to watch your bloody death?”

“Let’s see if you can do what you say?”

“— Of course I can!”

As if those words were a signal to start the battle, Galesciano started moving.

He vanished . . as if the figure it had been before was a mirage, his presence was erased.

But he didn’t really disappear, of course, he just moved quickly using the Shukuchi* technique — .

“Die!”

A surprise attack like this would instantly dampen the speed Shukuchi* technique for the attack. If you observe and read the movements carefully, it’s not much different than being hit from the front. That’s why I easily blocked the knife attack by grabbing Galesciano’s wrist.

“Ugh!”

Galesciano looks shocked.

“You… so you can see through that one eh!”

“The answer is, you said it yourself earlier. I still have skills and experience left in me, you know.”

Sure I’m weakened. I’m helplessly weakened. But as long as I’m focused… I can still use my skills and experience that I’ve got.

I have skills and experience but my physical strength and power are gone.

In short, I lack the ability to continue the fight.

The longer the battle lasts, the worse the odds would become for me.

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