Side Story
Side Story – My (My) Secret
── I was afraid that people would hate me.
When people around me found out that I was a child born between a human and a spirit, they hurled insults at me.
‘I can’t believe that a human and a spirit got together and married!’
‘That’s disgusting! You are not human!’
The words thrown at me back then, even now, would haunt me when I close my eyes, and I feel like crying.
I left the village with my father and moved to a faraway place where no one knew about us.
There, I tried my best. I acted cheerful. I plucked up the courage to talk to other children, and even if I did not know what to say, I tried my best to get along with the people around me.
That’s because I did not want to see Father and Mother’s pained faces anymore. I even made many friends there.
I was happy. But then, another thought started to take hold of me.
── I want to see Mother.
I wanted to see her and say, ‘Thank you for everything’.
And so, I decided to attend the Magic Academy in the Royal Capital.
I thought that here I could find a clue to the ‘Magic City’ where the spirits are supposed to go after their death.
I do not care if I have the unfortunate magic power. After all, it is the magic power I have received from Father and Mother. I would never deny myself, and I was determined to do so.
But when I arrived at the Royal Capital, I was suddenly tangled up with scary-looking people.
I was scared.
I was too scared to use magic.
── Ahh, maybe I should not have come here after all.
Just as I thought that, I heard a voice.
“It doesn’t seem like you guys are just picking-up girls. Even then, weren’t you guys being too pushy? That girl doesn’t seem to like it.”
The bad guys were defeated in the blink of an eye, and he saved me.
At that moment, I thought to myself.
── Ahh, the prince has come to save me.
Apparently, his name was Kurt.
I was very lucky to have met him and made another friend.
“I-It’s just a handshake! D-Don’t get me wrong!”
Marise is a little dishonest. But she acknowledged me as a friend, and I felt happy.
I know we could do well together in this Magic Academy. When I held hands with Marise-chan and Kurt, I felt that way.
However, I was always afraid. If I told Kurt the truth, would he come to hate me? After all, a child born between a human and a spirit is creepy.
I was too anxious to sleep at night when I thought about it.
So I made up my mind and asked Kurt out on a date.
“Why would I hate you? There’s no way I’m going to hate Lara for that reason.”
Kurt laughed at my insecurity.
At that moment, I felt tears welling up in my eyes.
── Mother, thank you for giving birth to me.
But I should not cry. I should smile when I am happy.
“Kurt!”
Before I knew it, I was kissing Kurt.
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── I will definitely prove it to them.
That is what I thought.
I was born into the Sizenosna family, which is famous for its magic. So I thought I would become a great mage, stronger than my older brother and sister.
But as soon as they found out I had an inferior magic power, the people around me started cursing at me.
‘You are a disgrace to the Sizenosna family!’
‘Why were you born at all?’
It was frustrating. No matter how hard I tried, people around me never acknowledged me. My older brother and sister were always above me in everything, and I felt as if there was a high wall that I could not get over.
I cannot go on like this. I must prove it to my family.
Nobody was looking at me, so I continued to work hard on my own.
However ── a sudden emotion that I did not quite understand kept me up at night.
And so, I decided to attend the Magic Academy in the Royal Capital.
I thought that if I graduated first there, my family might acknowledge me.
Fortunately, I, who was hated as an unwanted child, was removed from my house as if to get rid of a nuisance and went to the Royal Capital.
I will definitely reach the top.
With such passion burning in me, I took the entrance examination.
There, I met that person.
“Allow me to show you the true Holy Sword.”
It was a complete defeat. No matter what magic I used, that person returned it with a more powerful spell.
It was frustrating. But when I saw his magic, I felt something different.
── I want to be like this person.
Apparently, his name was Kurt.
I did not like him from the beginning.
From the first day of school, he would write the magic formula for lost magic on the blackboard and look unconcerned.
Kurt is a hindrance to my plan to graduate at the top. If so, what should I do? It is frustrating, but I would not be able to defeat Kurt the way I am now, even if I challenged him a thousand times.
So I decided to watch Kurt’s magic up close and steal his skills.
I did not mean to become his friend, as I have grown stronger all by myself until now. I just wanted to take advantage of him.
However, in the labyrinth, a girl called Lara saved me and said to me,
“I want to get to know you better, Marise-chan.”
The first thought that came to my mind was, “Why?”.
Shouldn’t we take advantage of each other?
But ── what is this happy feeling?
I shook hands with Lara and Kurt but was too embarrassed to make eye contact with them because I was not used to doing that.
It did not change the fact that Lara was trying to help me, so I just wanted to express my gratitude.
I know we could do well together in this Magic Academy. When we held hands, that feeling gradually grew inside of me.
One day, Lara fell asleep, and I was left alone with Kurt.
I didn’t know what to say in this situation. When I talked to Kurt, Lara was always there, acting all cheerful.
“Whatever the reason. In my eyes, Marise looks so beautiful trying her best.”
When I told him I wanted to prove it to my family, Kurt acknowledged me.
I was happy but, at the same time, relieved. And I couldn’t help but feel overwhelming love for Kurt.
── If I stayed here any longer, I might fall in love with Kurt for real.
Thinking that, I tried to leave the room as if I were running away.
But then it happened.
“I’m sorry to have disturbed you ── Kyaa!”
Before I knew it, I was kissing Kurt.
◆ ◆
I (I) kissed Kurt.
It was the first kiss in my life.
But I won’t tell Marise-chan (Lara) about this.
Because I (I) wanted to keep this a secret between Kurt and me.
The wholesomeness of this chapter is fantastic.