44 - The Victim of the Academy

Chasing the Rabbit (2) “Is it a remedy…?” From a glance, Ariel's condition seemed perilous, though it wasn't her that was in danger. “Oh dear.” I'm the one at risk, exposed to the repercussions of her unleashed abilities. Every piece of furniture in Ariel’s room was levitating in the air, responding to her thoughts as if they had a mind of their own. Just a moment ago, a large wardrobe flew straight at me when Ariel tilted her head in curiosity. “Hoo...” Ariel herself, the source of this disturbance, was utterly unaware of her surroundings and the chaos she was creating. I felt as if I was walking through the eye of a tornado as I approached her side. “Allow me to be clear: this medicine can cure you, Lady Ariel, but it comes with side effects.” At first, I had considered handing it over without mentioning the adverse effects. If I had said, "This medicine has no side effects, and it won't bring you any harm," the conversation might have been much simpler. However, deceiving her would have been utterly meaningless. What good would it do to save her if she'd just resent me afterward? Better not to do it at all. There is nothing more frustrating than being criticized for doing your best. “If you take this medicine, your growth will stop—not physical growth, but rather the wall of your potential.” Ariel turned her head away without a word, shaking it silently. “Well, I never thought Lady Ariel would accept this medicine willingly.” I took a step toward Ariel, who was seated on the floor. With just that motion, the floating furniture and items around us began to stir more violently. Her instinctive rejection of the idea was manifesting through her abilities. “In truth, Lady Ariel, you must know that you can be more useful to Lovelia than any single spell you might create.” Even if she were to become a great mage and establish new spells, they would not surpass the power of abilities she could wield herself. After all, the essence of magic is making abilities like hers accessible to others. In particular, adapting it for someone with Lovelia's agility would likely sacrifice much of its effective power. Besides, I already know the kind of magic Ariel intends to create. “Nonetheless, I believed Lady Ariel would pursue creating magic, even at the cost of her life. Do you know why?” Ariel’s magic, "Leap of Freedom," allows the user to move freely even in the air. A remarkably simple enhancement spell. But, depending on the skill of its user, it can be a tremendous asset. Especially for someone like Lovelia, who can move with lightning speed, it would be ideal. Essentially, it’s magic crafted precisely for Lovelia. No doubt it's outstanding magic, but it still won't surpass her innate abilities. “Because Lady Ariel focuses on being helpful by dying rather than surviving.” Bang! A massive piece of furniture slammed against a wall, shattering it. Her agitation was showing physically. It was truly terrifying. If she were to lash out in anger, someone could easily get hurt—most likely me. The fact that she remains oblivious to the situation is what’s even more alarming. Ariel's power could end my life without her even realizing it. “Lady Ariel has lived in a blessed environment.” “Me...?” “Yes, you've been surrounded by good people, from Princess Lovelia and beyond.” Perhaps her past was fraught with difficulty, but at the academy, she made numerous friends—friends who respected her and were kind. “But that can also be venomous. Even those kind people must have flinched at the realization that Lady Ariel is a demihuman.” Ariel always wears a large witch's hat, concealing her rabbit ears—the mark of a demihuman. But why? Was she scorned, or exposed to indiscriminate hatred? No, she was shown consideration. “In the midst of such consideration, she must have felt even more wretched.” “Ha...” Even those people, when unexpectedly confronted with Ariel, cannot help but flinch, their eyes locked on her rabbit ears. It's a deeply rooted instinct unrelated to a person's goodness—it's the primal fear of demihumans. Because for a year—or rather, even before she was born—the “Spear of Fables” has been committing atrocities. They were cruel and brutal, committing unspeakable evils far removed from humanity. “Aren’t you exhausted, Lady Ariel? Questioning your existence and becoming cynical of reality?” Indeed, Ariel is weary. There are things that cannot be changed, no matter how hard one tries. The more she is shown kindness, the more acutely she's aware of that. She escaped her cage and experienced the world, only to learn that it wasn’t purely beautiful. To her, it was especially harsh. “You seem to know quite well... Yes, I’m a bit tired. But my desire to be helpful is genuine.” “I’m sure it is.” If she was merely exhausted and wanted to give up, she’s had plenty of chances to do so. The reason she has endured thus far is because she wants to leave a meaningful mark. Thus, convincing her was bound to be difficult unless I removed the very basis for all excuses. “So, could you not just leave me be?” “Don’t you understand that I’m saying all this precisely because I know it all? Lady Ariel, surely you know this isn’t merely me listing known facts.” “Sir Johan, your tone is always so harsh. You’ll end up being avoided by everyone around you.” “I know. But unlike you, Lady Ariel, I’m not one to be swayed by others.” “....” Whack! Was this my comeuppance for pushing her too far? One of the airborne objects struck me squarely on the head. Damn it... I should have grabbed a weapon or something. I couldn’t fend it off. But at least I managed to protect the vial without breaking it. “I understand wanting to quit from exhaustion. I’ve been there myself, many times. In fact, I've given up quite often.” A chilling voice responded, affirming my belief that everything was proceeding as I had planned. "Sir Johan, you don’t understand. How could you possibly know?" Bang! Her emotions surged violently, sending a large drawer crashing against my body. Though I had anticipated her reaction and somehow endured the impact, the pain was excruciatingly sharp. "It’s unsettling." I nodded inwardly, recognizing how patronizing my words might have felt. It was deliberately done to provoke true feelings from her. The furniture clashing around us was an unconscious manifestation of her emotions—her genuine feelings. How could someone like me, not a demihuman, ever truly understand the struggles faced by someone like her? There’s an old saying: Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times. I could easily guess that whatever she had witnessed firsthand was far more intense than anything I had ever seen or heard. "What do you know about... about how insecure and tormented I feel…?" Crash! This time, a vanity with a mirror flew at me, hitting me hard. Although I’d braced for it, I hadn’t predicted the shards of broken glass. The splintering fragments cut through my clothes and into my skin, revealing the depth of her inner turmoil and vulnerability. Merely speaking to her now felt like a potential life-threatening risk. Still, I had to protect the vial. Holding onto it tight, I tucked it securely in my chest and hunched over. Saving a life really is this difficult… "Lady Ariel, did you know? I'm a coward." "What…?" I had revealed her vulnerability, allowing her to release deeply buried emotions. But that wasn't enough. It wouldn’t resonate with sincerity if I didn’t also stand on equal footing with her. Though, it’s a different place on the same level. "Perhaps you’ve noticed, Lady Ariel, but I tend to shy away from relationships." I laid bare my own flaws. "It’s because I’m a coward. After experiencing the pain of parting a few times, I became afraid of getting involved with others. Isn’t it pathetic?" It happened over ten years ago. I witnessed my fiancée perish in flames right before my eyes. What did I do then? As far as I remember, nothing. My own behavior afterward was even more appalling. "On the day my fiancée died, I tried to forget her. The memory of her was too painful to bear." I ran from the pain of loss, deliberately forgetting her face, even refusing to utter her name. Now, I can’t even recall her appearance. Afraid of experiencing such devastation again, I’ve kept running. "Since that day, I think I became quite a twisted person." And what about the previous life I lived? That person was no better. Losing my mother at a young age and then my father during school years meant I realized just how alone I was. The loneliness and despair were ever-present as I stood in that empty funeral hall. Surviving harsh realities alone, I gradually grew colder over time. It happened when I was just 17. "I was too afraid to reach out, haunted by what I had lost." I regained memories of my past life two years before entering the academy, at the age of 16. It happened by chance, and it surprisingly didn’t throw me into turmoil. Perhaps it felt more like my own memories because my past life bore an uncanny resemblance to my present one. No walls existed between us. "You have the right to laugh at me." "...." "Because of my pathetic self, I can’t possibly comprehend the depths of Lady Ariel’s pain." I don’t know her sorrow. I don’t know the suffering she endured. I guess I merely spouted what I knew from books. How could I possibly claim to understand her? The only thing I truly comprehend is my own wretched self. "Thus, how could I dare say I understand Lady Ariel? Your anger is justified." In comparison, Ariel is an admirable person, undeserving of being lined up against someone like me. She grasped Lovelia’s extended hand, striving to escape the world she had always known. Despite saving countless lives and facing a stream of prejudice and irrational fear, she never complained. She could have been angry at everything, but instead, she stood her ground, viewing it all as a mere fact of her circumstances. But I am not only cowardly but dishonorable as well. Therefore, I won’t try to persuade her. I don’t even have the ability. The bond between us isn’t strong enough. We stand on different grounds. "Ever since experiencing loss, I’ve wandered for a long time. Until just a few months ago, I kept running." Crash! The wardrobe hit my head. Clothes scattered, momentarily obstructing my vision. I couldn’t even tell when the blood started to stream down from my head. I am on precarious footing just by moving toward her. I am such a fragile person. "Honestly, I'm doing this to find some solace for myself. That day… the day my fiancée died… because I did nothing then, I want some proof that I’ve accomplished something now." A blue flame flickered in front of my eyes, reminiscent of the starlight that once enchanted me. "So I'm asking you, as someone stronger than me, for help." That day, I did nothing. Of course, there was nothing I could do. Yet still, I... "Could you live, if only for me?" I thought I should have begged her not to leave. "I need you." This is the best I can do at present. * * * Right there, within an arm's reach if she just extended her hand, was a vial filled with a pale pink liquid. Ariel looked up at the man who had placed the vial down. He was the same man who had admitted to being a coward. Clearly, he was endlessly fragile, unable even to protect himself. "Sir Johan..." He didn’t try to persuade her with condescending logic or platitudes. He just spoke plainly, admitting his own weakness. "I… I…" Not long after entering the academy, Ariel had taken to wearing a large witch's hat, meant to conceal the part of her that had always held her back and to spare others from discomfort. She knew that when students saw her ears, they would remember the barbarity of the "Spear of Fables," trembling in fear. They knew she was trying her hardest for their sake, so they pretended to be unaffected and offered her words of consideration. But she couldn’t be oblivious to it. "Do you really need me?" The awareness that her mere presence caused discomfort to others was always with her. She wanted to be helpful, assisting Lovelia, who had brought her out into the world, achieve her dreams. Yet Lovelia was remarkable—someone who would soar even without her. That understanding made Ariel feel inadequate, worry that she might only be a hindrance. "Yes, Lady Ariel." But there was a person out there who needed her. Someone who wasn't repulsed by her, who fought through the storm just to save her. Despite being battered by her abilities, the man who kept the vial safe in the cradle of his arms spoke to her again. "I need you." Someone needed her. Just by being alive, she was sufficient. "......" She couldn’t ignore that. Ariel finally accepted the medicine Johan offered. She didn't need to become a great magician. "If being alive can save you, Sir Johan, then I’ll do it." Just being alive was enough to save someone. Because she understood that fact now. Ariel drank the potion. As she did, she felt her senses, which had been floating aimlessly, start to return. Her tongue regained its sensitivity, her vision became clearer, and waves of previously elusive sensations began flooding back. ‘Ah.’ And as she saw the man before her giving a relieved smile, that pinkish remedy he had concocted was... "Well done." ...surprisingly sweet.