Chapter 10

Muriel didn't like Fiona.

The reason was simple: she had taken Matthias away from her. Matthias, whom she had always admired like an older brother, had started paying attention only to Fiona and stopped spending time with her. She was so angry she couldn't stand it.

Muriel had fought Fiona on the battlefield several times. It would be more accurate to say that she had been attacked one-sidedly.

Fiona's attacks, as the wielder of a holy artifact, were terrifying, and there was no way to defeat her.

Fiona was a strong, beautiful, and dignified solitary magician, which was the impression Muriel had of her.

Then, during a battle, Fiona collapsed. Just moments before, she had been calmly casting a massive spell, and no one on the kingdom's side had even managed to scratch her.

Fiona, who had fallen forward, was caught by Matthias, who had rushed to her side. He placed her head on his lap, had Luke put shackles on her, and then lifted her up.

He ordered the kingdom's magicians, "Take care of the remaining enemies," and then disappeared from the battlefield.

Muriel chased away the enemy magicians as she was told. Recalling the scene she had just witnessed, she thought, "I've never seen Matthias look at anyone like that before," as she cast her spells.

It was the first time she had seen him look at a woman with such affection.

When she returned to base after completing her mission, the situation with Fiona was revealed to the members of the First Magic Corps by the commander.

That she had been bound by a servitude curse for years, and that while attacking them as an enemy, she had also been helping them.

Muriel finally understood the things that had seemed unnatural to her.

There had been several times when she had been saved by a spell cast by someone when she had thought she was definitely going to die.

She felt sympathy for Fiona, who had suffered so much. But since she had arrived, Matthias had stopped paying attention to her. When they met in the hallway, he only greeted her.

Her frustration gradually turned into anger.

They used to eat together occasionally, but he stopped coming to the cafeteria. When he finally did come, Fiona was sitting next to him. Her frustration and anger grew.

The next day, Fiona began training with the First Magic Corps, and when she introduced herself, Muriel was shocked.

What, this absent-minded girl? She doesn't have a trace of the dignified presence she had on the battlefield.

How could such a dazed girl have taken Matthias from me? And now she says her magic is sealed. She's just a useless burden with no redeeming qualities.

She cursed inwardly.

However, Fiona worked hard to improve the magic of the corps members with her sharp observational skills and knowledge. Muriel herself was also pointed out and recommended a pattern she had never seen before.

Though she was frustrated, she reluctantly accepted it to improve her abilities as a member of the First Magic Corps.

One afternoon, she saw Fiona in the courtyard.

With her long sky-blue hair flowing freely, she was sitting on a bench in a blue sleeveless dress, gazing at the sky.

Just that alone was so beautiful, it made Muriel's heart boil. So she splashed her with muddy water to dirty her.

Fiona didn't get angry; she just looked confused.

Then, she calmly asked, "If possible, I'd be happy if you could pour water over my head."

Muriel, irritated, ran away without a word. But soon, she became curious and decided to secretly watch from a distance.

After a while, Graham passed by and cleaned up, which made her feel a little better.

Now, Muriel had to spar with Fiona, who could use a tiny bit of magic, and she was utterly defeated.

Fiona's speed and accuracy in constructing magic formulas were incomparable to hers, and she couldn't fight back at all. It didn't matter whether she had a holy artifact or how much magic power she had; Fiona was just strong.

Tears welled up in her eyes from frustration.

"No, I hate you. I hate you for monopolizing Brother Matthias."

Muriel said to Fiona with a trembling voice.

"Brother Matthias... You mean Matthias?"

Fiona asked quietly, looking a bit troubled.

"Yes. He was like an older brother to me, but ever since you came, he stopped paying attention to me. He even stopped eating with me."

"Stopped paying attention..."

Fiona put her hand to her mouth, looked down, and thought for a moment, then looked up at Muriel.

"Are you not hating me because I was an enemy? You don't resent me?"

"Huh!? Of course not. You're not an enemy anymore. I felt sympathy for your situation. I'm frustrated with you regardless of that! Stop monopolizing Brother Matthias."

Muriel shouted, raising her eyebrows.

"I see... It's not about that..."

Fiona sighed in relief and smiled, even though she had been shouted at.

"What are you smiling about!?"

"Because I'm relieved..."

"Why are you relieved?"

"Well, when you ask me that..."

"Get a little angry at least."

"Well... I don't have a reason to be angry."

"There are plenty of reasons!"

"Okay, okay. Let's continue this after training. Move out of the way!"

Muriel's shouting was expected, but the intense argument began. Reyla, seeing that it was getting out of hand, stepped in and shouted at them.

They hurriedly returned to the waiting area. Fiona walked to the left, and Muriel went in the opposite direction.

"Fiona, you were amazing."

"Really. Your rapid-fire spells were small, but your casting speed was insane."

Nina praised her, and Graham, despite his blunt words, was impressed.

She also received compliments from others, and Fiona blushed a little and smiled.

Muriel stood far away, arms crossed, with a sullen look on her face.

As she watched the other members spar, her frustration gradually subsided, and she began to feel a sense of resignation.

When training ended, Muriel quickly returned to her room, so Fiona missed the chance to talk to her.

With no other choice, she returned to her room, took a shower, and changed clothes.

Then she went to the fourth floor and arrived at Muriel's room, which she had asked Reyla for the location of.

Knock knock

"It's Fiona. Is it okay now?"

There was no response, but after a few seconds, the door slowly opened, and Muriel appeared, squinting awkwardly.

"What is it?"

"I want to talk."

"Alright, come in."

The door opened wide, and Fiona entered the room.

Muriel closed the door with a thud and leaned against it, then spoke, avoiding eye contact.

"I'm sorry for splashing you with muddy water. I won't pick on you anymore. I won't do anything to bother everyone, and I want to work together as a member of the First Corps."

Muriel apologized, though she was sulking. She was aware that she had a quick temper.

She also had pride as a member of the First Magic Corps and didn't want to cause trouble. She knew that Fiona hadn't done anything wrong.

"Thank you, Muriel. I also want to get along with you. Actually, I came here to apologize for monopolizing Matthias."

Fiona bowed her head.

"Matthias was my supervisor, so he had been taking care of me. Even though I no longer need supervision, he still cares for me and eats with me, but I'll tell him that it's no longer necessary."

She didn't really want to say that, and she would feel lonely if she couldn't spend time with him anymore. But she had to let go.

She wouldn't rely on his kindness anymore and would return her precious older brother to Muriel. The one who came later had to make the sacrifice.

Fiona smiled a little sadly.

"Let's work together from now on. See you."

Fiona headed for the door, but Muriel didn't move from in front of it.

"Um, it's not that... I don't mind if you and Brother Matthias are close. Isn't he important to you too, Fiona?"

Muriel asked, looking down a bit. She wasn't so petty as to interfere with their relationship.

It was obvious to everyone that Fiona and Matthias were in love.

"Yeah, you're right. Matthias is like a mother to me, and he's very important."

Fiona said without hesitation, smiling softly.

It was an unexpected response. Muriel had said he was important, but not in that way.

"Huh? A mother... I mean, at least an older brother?"

"No, a mother. No one else but a mother."

Fiona didn't flinch. At this point, Matthias was a mother to her, and that seemed unshakable.

Muriel suddenly felt sorry for Matthias. She also wondered why she had been so angry at this girl.

"Ah, yeah, I see. If that's the case, we don't have to make any sacrifices. He's your brother and my mother."

"Right. We have different roles."

Fiona nodded in agreement with the forced logic, which made Muriel feel even more deflated.

"I must be an idiot."

"Huh? Why?"

"Ah, yeah. It's my problem, so don't worry about it."

"??"

Muriel worried if this absent-minded and dull girl would ever accept Matthias's feelings.