A shine lost.
Salvation destroyed.
Yet, even thrust back into nothingness, I am not left with nothing.
I still remember that face. That smiling, weeping face.
Rheinhardt Crossline was always strong and trustworthy. He was a man who shone brighter than any star.
“How can you be like that?” I once asked.
“It’s the power of love,” he’d replied.
“…Love? What’s that?”
His words were a mystery to me back then. But in time, I came to understand.
“I love them both, don’t I?”
And when I realized that, I hated myself. I only ever took from them and never gave anything back.
“What’s the matter, partner? You’re oddly serious today.”
“…I want to be strong like you and Master.”
I needed to. So that I could stand by their side proudly when the time came.
But when I told him that, he laughed.
“You’re plenty strong already, partner.”
“…You’re lying. I’ve only been dragging you down.”
He patted me reassuringly on the chest and said, “Partner. You fight for others. That’s all you need.”
His golden eyes stared straight into mine.
“Stand tall. You’re family. Our pride.”
Our master, watching us spar, nodded approvingly.
“Your strength matters little,” Rheinhardt went on. “What matters is trust. Whether we can count on you to do what’s right when the time comes. And in that respect, Leon, there’s no one I’d rather have at my side.”
They trusted me. They believed in me. In a weak, pathetic ghoul.
But I failed them.
“…I will grow stronger, I swear. Strong enough to protect both of you.”
That was the oath I’d made to myself.
“One more round, Rheina. This time, I’ll land a hit on you for sure.”
“Heh. That’s the spirit, partner.”
For their sake, I felt I could do anything.
For their sake, I would even die.
That was what I thought.
But I…
The day after returning to town from Karna Village, Leon awoke to the sound of birdsong.
“…Guess the girl’s still asleep.”
Alice’s ordeal had exhausted her, both physically and mentally, so she didn’t come to wake Leon up like she had previously. She was still sound asleep in her room.
Leon sat up and got out of bed.
“Hwoooooo…”
Breathing deeply, Leon focused on his limbs. This was martial exercise, a popular workout routine with roots in ancient combat techniques. To many people, that was all it was, but those who saw frequent battle used it differently.
Following the forms exactly as prescribed demanded razor-fine control over one’s body, and by repeating them daily, the movements became subconscious, resulting in a trance-like state. At that point, no amount of emotional unrest could destabilize a fighter in battle. It was possible to stay focused on the destruction of one’s foe, no matter what happened in the midst of combat.
And Leon was at that point already. He wouldn’t have believed it possible, back when he was training with Rheinhardt and Claire.
“Whoa… No offense, but that’s awful.”
“W-well, I’m sure if you keep practicing, you’ll get better at it one day.”
Leon thought back to those times. The other two executed their movements with practiced grace, while Leon always seemed as clumsy as ever.
But something had changed since then. And it wasn’t hard to guess what.
The people Leon was trying so hard to catch up to were gone. Yet, if anything, that only made him strive harder.
“Loss brought me anger. And that anger propelled me to where I am now. To where I once aspired to be. Could there be anything more ironic?”
The grief did nothing to impede his movements. Over the last four years, he steadily became a master of the art.
At least this, he could do right.
“Hwoooooo…”
The forms complete, Leon exhaled one last time, then muttered to himself, “I need to be alone. Nobody can stand by my side.”
Leon’s tragic memories of the past denied him a happy present. He could only submit to their demands as he walked over to Alice’s room.
“Wake up.”
“Mmmnh… Mmm… Oh, Master… You’re appearing in my dreams now… That’s nice… Ehehehe…”
“This isn’t a dream. It’s real life. Now get up.”
“…Wait, you’re real?”
Alice quickly shook off her drowsiness.
“Aaahhh! M-my pajamas are all scruffy! And my hair’s a mess! Aaahhh!”
Her cheeks flushed pink, and she flew into a frenzy trying to make herself respectable.
“I’m a man of my word,” Leon said, ignoring her. “So I intend to keep my promise to you, though I might not like it. You can be my apprentice, but that means…”
Leon pointed a finger at the girl.
“…I have a duty to make you work. So we’re going to—”
“—start training at once?!”
Leon did not expect her eager reply. Surely she was still worn out from the day before. Who would want to train under those conditions? But Alice almost seemed to have been waiting for the suggestion.
“…You know, I’m not a kind teacher.”
“Yes, Master!”
“I’ll work you to the bone, until you’re begging me to stop.”
“Yes, Master! Thank you, Master!”
“If I hear one little complaint, you’ll be out on the streets. I don’t have time for imbeciles. Do I make myself clear?”
“Of course, Master!”
The ghoul sighed. Deeply. He’d been hoping that his “harsh master” persona would turn the girl off somewhat, but if anything, she seemed more eager than ever.
“Time to train! ♪ Time to train! ♪ Time to train, train, train! ♪”
Leon almost felt warmed by the pleasant light radiating off her, but he steeled his heart for what was to come.
I need to make her leave by any means necessary. It’s time to be as strict as I possibly can.
Alice followed Leon into the basement, oblivious to his true motives.
“It…it’s a little empty down here, isn’t it? There’s no fighting dummies or anything. Is it just a running track or something?”
“No. This is a state-of-the-art training arena.”
Leon placed his hand on a spherical apparatus near the stairs and channeled his Source into it. Immediately, several shooting targets appeared in the center of the room. Alice’s eyes went wide.
“Wh-where did they come from?!”
“This device is programmed to summon a number of illusions,” Leon explained. “That lets us carry out all kinds of training simulations… Before that, though. I want to test your abilities. We’ll start with marksmanship.”
Leon put some commands into the device and a variety of projectile weapons appeared in front of the girl. She picked one up, a short bow. Perhaps she sought to impress her teacher by picking a weapon she was most comfortable with.
Her optimism would be short-lived if Leon had anything to say about it.
“I’ll start the test. Get ready.”
“Yes!”
I’ll set it to the highest difficulty. She won’t hit a single one.
Then he could say she wasn’t fit to be his disciple, then cast her out. It pained him to be so cruel, but it had to be done.
However, things went very differently than expected.
She hit them all…?!
Leon’s task consisted of twelve targets moving at high speed. Alice shot all of them in just seven seconds.
“Um…how was that, Master…?”
Alice’s angelic face lit up with hope, but Leon couldn’t possibly entertain her. He had to find fault somehow.
“…Nothing special,” he replied. “You still have a long way to go.”
“I… I see…”
Alice hung her head in disappointment. Leon felt an unbearable guilt and shook his head to dispel it.
There’s nothing I can fault with her ranged techniques, and she’s not bad in close combat either. But I can’t have her sticking around. I need to get rid of her, no matter what.
A devious plan came to mind. Leon had no other choice.
“This device,” he said, “can also summon fiends. They’re not real, of course, but I think a Class Four mistborn should be around your level.”
Alice was startled by the sudden appearance of a kobold in the center of the room. Perhaps it had brought some unpleasant memories to mind, just as Leon hoped it would.
“I want you to take this guy on. Unarmed, if you don’t mind.”
“Huh? Y-you want me to fight…without weapons?”
“It’s important to test your mental capabilities. Or we could stop now, if you prefer?”
Of course, Alice surely knew that such a choice would invite immediate dismissal.
She trembled with fright, but still a fire burned in the young lady’s eyes.
“I-if I win,” she said, turning to Leon. “D-do you think you could…pat me on the head?”
“Sure. If you win.”
Leon was confident it wouldn’t happen. The girl had talent, to be sure, but she lacked the mental fortitude to command it.
“…Begin.”
“Y-yes, Master!”
Dripping with sweat, quaking with fright, she stared down her foe. Leon saw himself in her stance.
She’s a coward at heart, just like me.
And just like me, she can summon up courage when she needs to.
But…she can never pass this test. Because we’re so similar.
The kobold may have been a projection, but its fighting prowess and terrifying presence were no less than the real thing. And Alice had to fight it bare-handed.
She’ll only embarrass herself…just like I did.
…Or so Leon thought.
“Uh…ah…AAAAAAAAAAAAGH!”
Even as the tears streamed down her face, Alice stood her ground and emitted a wild battle cry. That was already beyond Leon’s wildest expectations.
“…Im…possible…”