Regrets of the past

Alcestrus Fenric, from the formerly noble House of Fenric, and ninth-level student of Leywright’s School of Magic. You stand accused of sexually assaulting one Aurelia Famis, from the Noble House of Famis…

I already knew it wasn’t you. From the moment that person approached me, I knew it wasn’t you, even if they wore your skin.

How? It’s simple, really. Because I was the only one in that school, maybe even in this kingdom, who knew who you truly were.

For this heinous crime you committed on school grounds… How do you plead?

Not guilty. You’re not guilty. Because I already knew where you were at that time. I was on my way there.

That impostor of yours was one of the assholes from a noble family. He’d been interested in me since we first met, and I already despised him since then. After rejecting him so many times, I guess he couldn’t hold back his teenage urges anymore. And he even made you a scapegoat.

I hate that guy for what he did, but what I hated even more was how no one would listen to me. I’ve been trying to tell them the truth, but they all just think I’m crazy.

…And if laying hands on her wasn’t enough, that disgusting wretch even had the gall to brainwash my sweet daughter! She’s been constantly trying to defend him, even going so far as to frame the innocent son of another noble family! Forcing his own victim to defend his crimes; Your Honor, I think the verdict is clear to us already…

I never understood why they hated you so much. Was it because of your family? Your low aether aptitude? Or their jealousy toward your talents?

Because everyone knew that even with all of your misfortune, even with all of the advantages they had… you were still better than any of them.

A better mage, and a better person.

I felt sorry for them. Their own ego had blinded them from discovering just how great of a person you really were. And if none of them would listen to me, it didn’t matter. I’d do everything I could to save you.

That’s why, for the past few minutes, I’ve been drawing this massive glyph in my room.

They were keeping me in the house, because they knew I would do everything to defend you. They even set up a glyph somewhere to stop anyone from teleporting in or out.

At least they didn’t set up a precaution against explosion damage, because if they won’t let me leave the house peacefully, I’ll just blast my way out. Blowing up half the house and riding the shockwave across the kingdom to reach your trial? I’m excited, honestly.

I’m on my way, Alcestrus. I won’t let them kill my friend.

…

“The defendant may now present his case and prove his innocence.”

He no longer bothered to answer.

“You now have the chance to prove yourself. Or would you rather just admit to your crimes now?”

He weakly shakes his head—the last vestige of his dwindling will to live.

“I didn’t do it.”

The audience responded with a subtle wave of scoffs, but he no longer felt pain. He no longer felt anything, really.

He had spent the last three days desperately pleading for his innocence in a prison cell, waiting for anyone, anything to save him.

But just before his trial, the guards told him something that snuffed out his final flicker of hope.

There was no one at the address you gave us. We checked the entire house, and it was empty. No sign that anyone lives there at all.

It was then that he realized…

He no longer had anything.

The judge sighed. “If the defendant no longer has anything to add, we shall move on to the next—”

His words were cut short by the sound of an explosion in the distance. The people in the courtroom looked toward the windows and saw a cloud of smoke rising from across the kingdom, and from that cloud, something flew toward them, leaving behind a trail of smoke.

They scrambled to get out of the way as Aurelia crashed into the courtroom, leaving a massive hole in the walls and ceiling.

She immediately found Alcestrus standing in the middle of the room, but when their eyes met, she knew right away that something was wrong.

Aside from the fact that no one sat at the table to his left, where his defense was supposed to be, something else was missing:

His eyes no longer held anything. Not even the faintest spark of hope.

Even after seeing her, they no longer twinkled like they used to—the one thing she always wanted to see whenever she found him tucked away behind his fortress of books in the library.

The emptiness fueled an even brighter flame in her heart, and amidst the uproar of her arrival, she poured her heart out to everyone. She shouted the truths they buried, forcing them to face what they’d been trying to ignore—the truth of the incident, and the worth of the person they were so eager to cast aside.

“Order in the court!”

The judge slammed his gavel, and everything obeyed his words.

The rubble reformed the broken courthouse, and the chaotic crowd was pulled back to their seats. Aurelia was restrained, unable to speak and forced to kneel on the ground by an unseen force. Order was restored.

“Obstruction of justice will not be tolerated, Ms. Famis.”

“I am terribly sorry, Your Honor,” her mother bowed. “As you can see, this is more concrete evidence that my daughter is under the influence of mind control. She would never do something like this on her own. Please keep her away for now.”

The two butlers behind her approached Aurelia and escorted her out of the trial.

As much as she tried, she couldn’t resist the judge’s power within his courtroom, and she was peacefully teleported back to their blown-up estate.

But before they carried her off, as she desperately looked at Alcestrus, their eyes met for the final time, and there was one last emotion she found in his eyes:

A hint of longing. A silent farewell, tinged with gratitude. Thanking her for trying, even when everyone else had already turned away.

…

But she never gave up.

Later that night, before the execution tomorrow, Aurelia resorted to her last option.

She stood in front of her window, wearing her pointed hat as she talked to someone she knew could do the job.

“So all I gotta do is bust this kid outta prison?” the man said.

“Yes. Before they can execute him tomorrow. Do you think you can do it?”

“Now why are you even askin’ that, little miss? You’re talkin’ to a Dustwood mercenary. Of course I can do a little prison break.”

“This isn’t just a prison break. I’m asking you to get him out of the kingdom, out of Thevros. There’s nothing here for him anymore, so I want you to give him a new chance at life.”

“What, you’re asking me to adopt him too? I already got my little

Langston at home, I can’t just take care of another kid!”

“I’m not asking you to adopt him! Just give him a new place to stay. My friend is the smartest person I know, so I’m sure he’ll find his own way eventually… I just need you to give him a little support before that.”

“Huh… so that’s why you’re willing to pay so much.”

“And if you do want to get paid, make sure you succeed in your task… or you will learn what it means to disappoint the daughter of House Famis.”

The mercenary met the girl’s sharp gaze, surprised at the danger hiding behind her eyes. He smiled and shook his head in disbelief, before placing his hand on his chest.

“Relax, Lady Famis. You have my word. A Valiansteel does not take a job he cannot finish.”

The man disappeared into the shadows, and the following day, a search for the missing criminal started all over the kingdom.

…

The memory ended, and their surroundings returned to their original, cursed state. A blue disk emerged from the air in front of them.

Under the shade of the umbrella, which had expanded its veil to fit their sofa, Solenne caught the disk while looking at Naoya, who was leaning forward in his seat, completely absorbed by the memory.

“Since then, I realized that it didn’t matter if I was right, because people only listen to those with power. So for the next few years, I played the part of a loyal daughter, using everything my family had to prepare for my future, and when I no longer needed them, I disappeared. I changed my name, removed every trace of my connection to them and this kingdom.

“I traveled the world searching for you. I learned so much along the way, I even joined Cassius’ adventuring party… but I never found you. That is, until we heard the news of what you did here, to Thevros, and how you became the Demon Lord.

“We ended up saving a lot of people from your army, and they started calling us the Hero Party. Towards the end of the war, Valebryn invited us to join the last remaining kingdoms’ united forces, and that gave me the perfect opportunity to finally confront you.”

Naoya stood from the sofa and stepped forward, his back turned to her and Ori.

“When we were kids… why did you risk everything to save me? Why did you even befriend me in the first place?”

“Because… you never deserved any of the cruelty they showed you, and I couldn’t just stand by and watch it happen. Call it pity if you want, but the more I got to know you, the more I realized what an incredible person you truly are—and the more I hated what they were doing.”

The purple flame in Naoya’s chest ignited, trailing behind him.

“Look around you, Aurelia. This was just one of the countless cruelties I cast upon the world. So why… even after everything I’ve done… why did you decide to give me a second chance?”

“Because you deserve it. I wanted to give you another chance at a normal life. For your sake… and as my form of atonement.”

Tears formed in her eyes as her old friend stood in front of her, finally giving her the chance to let go of all regrets and feelings she had hidden for decades.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t defend you that day, and I’m sorry for letting myself be used to frame you. I should’ve been more careful that day… I should’ve realized just how much they hated you… I could’ve protected you better, I could’ve stopped them… I could’ve… been a better friend…”

Solenne burst into tears, unable to hold back her remorse. A heavy burden finally began to lift from her chest, yet every sob carried the sharp sting of guilt, her desperate desire to undo the past, and the aching hope that somehow, he might be able to forgive her.

The warmth of that person, and the purple flame in his chest, embraced her like her favorite blanket. He gently stroked her head, reassuring her that everything was fine now.

“You never needed to apologize. You were, and always have been, the best friend I ever had. Thank you for being kind to me, Aurelia.”

His words thawed the frozen remnants of pain in her heart, and countless emotions overwhelmed her. After holding them back for so long, tears cascaded freely into a wave of relief and longing, as the young, curious, and kind-hearted girl finally reunited with the person she treasured the most.