“Now that I think about it…” I muttered, watching the fading scorch marks left by my fire star blade. “Maybe I should just stick with the original blade magic. No need to overcomplicate it with star shapes, right?”
I lowered my hand slowly. After seeing the sheer absurdity of Selena’s magic—the ridiculous fire shuriken that tore through countless trees like butter—I couldn’t help but feel a tinge of self-doubt creeping into my heart. Could I really stand shoulder to shoulder with soone like her?
But instead of answering directly, she brushed her silver hair over her shoulder, her golden eyes glinting in the morning sun.
“Well,” she said lightly, “if you just want to be a normal person, then that’s fine.”
My gaze snapped up. “Huh?”
She tilted her head slightly, the breeze catching her hair as she folded her arms. “Tell , how do you think people earn a nickna and beco recognized by others?”
I blinked. “Uh… because of their strength?”
“That’s part of it,” she nodded. “But strength alone isn’t everything. There are plenty of B-Rank and even A-Rank adventurers out there who’ve never earned a nickna.”
“Really? Why not?”
“They lack sothing that makes them stand out—sothing people rember,” she said. “Without that, they’re just stronger versions of soone else.”
“I see…?” I murmured, not fully getting it.
She noticed the confusion on my face and smiled patiently.
“So people get their nicknas from heroic deeds. Others from possessing sothing rare, sothing unique.” She straightened up. “Want an example?”
I nodded.
Selena’s voice softened slightly as she continued, her golden eyes turning distant.
“There was this girl I heard about while I was staying in the Empire about a year ago. She was just an F-Rank adventurer at the ti, but she did sothing that made people talk.”
“An F-Rank?” I tilted my head. “That low? What did she do?”
“She charged alone into a horde of monsters—thousands of them—just to deliver potions to the injured trapped at the center. She wasn’t strong, but her water magic bought enough ti for others to recover. It’s said her courage helped turn the tide of that battle… and saved dozens of lives.”
Selena smiled faintly, a mix of admiration and quiet nostalgia flickering behind her eyes.
“They called her Valor of the Ocean Flower. I thought it was just a nonsense rumor at first, but I heard it from more than one place.”
My breath caught.
F-Rank…?
Water magic…?
My heart skipped.
It couldn’t be—
No… it’s just a coincidence. There’s no way.
I forced myself to breathe, steadying the rush of thoughts swirling in my chest.
“She must’ve been… really brave,” I said softly.
Selena nodded. “She was. I don’t know her na, though. The story spread far, but not the details. Still, it just goes to show—strength isn’t always what earns respect. Sotis it’s courage.”
“Right…”
I looked away, hiding the tightness forming in my throat.
Could it be…
No—there’s no way to know.
Not yet.
But for the first ti in two years, a tiny spark of hope flickered deep inside .
Maybe…
Just maybe…
One of them survived.
And the world hadn’t forgotten them.
“Anyway.” Selena continued. “It’s not just about strength or deeds. It’s about uniqueness too.”
She flicked her fingers and the white fla appeared instantly.
“There are people who gain a nickna because they have advanced elents. Well, I don’t have a nickna because I don't appear in public too much. But, if I want, I can gain fa solely because of my heavenfire elent.”
“Is it because having two basic elents is already an uncommon occurrence, making advanced elents even rarer?”
She nodded. “Correct. By having two basic elents doesn’t an they are able to combine their elents.”
“There are also people who use unique weapons to gain fa,” she continued. “But for you…”
The white fla then disappeared and she gestured to the scorch marks that I made earlier on the trees.
“Star magic. If you can develop it into sothing useful—sothing yours—it could beco your signature. Your identity.”
I looked at her. “...But I never say I want fa.”
Her expression shifted subtly—less teasing, more serious.
“Didn’t you say you want revenge?”
My breath caught. “...Yeah.”
I did say it yesterday.
“Then let ask,” she said, stepping closer, “how do you plan to do it?”
I hesitated.
“I… haven’t thought that far ahead.”
She sighed, placing a hand on her hip. “Haa… Don’t tell you thought you could just waltz into the empire and take down the nobles yourself?”
“Well, no… I an…” I rubbed the back of my neck. “Honestly, I’ve been too focused on getting stronger.”
“...You little kid.” She sighed.
“Revenge is more than just swinging a sword or launching magic,” she said. “With the right fa, the right connections… you might never need to lift a weapon at all. Just get close to them—gain their trust. Then when the ti is right…”
She made a stabbing gesture with her fingers, then flicked them away casually.
“No one sees it coming.”
My eyes widened. “That’s… a little scary coming from you.”
She smirked. “I’ve t a lot of slaves. So wanted freedom. So wanted revenge. Well, most of those who succeed in revenge usually have dark elents and trained themselves like an assassin, though.”
She turned, her silver hair catching the wind.
“But that’s not what I’m worried about.”
I frowned. “Then what?”
She glanced at from over her shoulder.
“You don’t seem like soone who truly wants revenge.”
Her words hit harder than I expected.
“Your hatred feels… half-baked,” she added, her voice soft now. “You can choose another path, you know. You don’t have to drown yourself in it.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but—
【What she’s saying is right, Master.】
Aza’s voice echoed in my head, steady and knowing.
【Have you forgotten what you once said? When I asked what you'd do if you were ever freed…?】
I recalled that mory, the day where I decided to train myself.
It was also the day she asked that question.
【And now, look around. Hasn’t that reason finally appeared?】
【She offered her hand. Whether you love her or not… she’s giving you a future. A ho. And if not living with her, then the dream of your parents—to rise as a great adventurer. Or her master’s dream—to free slaves like yourself. Or her dream—develop magic and craft magic tools.】
【All of it is yours now. As an angel and your guide, I rely wish for your chosen path to bring you happiness.】
【The only question left is: will you choose it? Will you live for sothing more than revenge?】
I stood in silence, the wind brushing past us, the grass rustling gently around my feet.
I rembered the warmth of Selena’s embrace from last night.
Her quiet heartbeat.
Her silent strength.
Her words weren’t scolding—they were a lifeline.
And Aza’s words… felt like a gentle nudge toward sothing I didn’t dare hope for.
A future.
“...I’ll think about it,” I said at last, my voice quiet.
Those were the only words I could offer to both of them for now.
I exhaled slowly, the air cold against my lips.
Was this what an identity crisis felt like?
Not knowing who I was.
Not knowing what I wanted to be.
Not a slave anymore.
Not yet soone with a clear goal.
Just a boy… trying to find his place in a world that finally gave him choices.
“Well then,” Selena said cheerfully, brushing imaginary dust from her clothes, “let’s continue the training.”
After a short break, we resud.
“Yes, Master.” I replied.
I closed my eyes, gathering focus.
Alright. Imagine it—sharp edges. Five-pointed star. Spinning fast.
All at once.
I inhaled deeply, trying to pull the image together like puzzle pieces in my head.
And then—
*BOOM*
“Ugh…!”
“Heal. Try again.”
Her voice ca without emotion.
“Yes…”
*BOOM*
“Ugh…!”
“Heal. Again.”
I winced.
“Yes, ma’am…”
*BOOM*
“Ghh…!”
“Heal. Again.”
Again!?
At this point, I wasn’t sure if I was being trained or tortured.
I started to wonder if she actually enjoyed this. Is this the hidden hobby of beautiful won in remote forests? Blowing up small boys with good intentions?
She wasn’t even blinking anymore—just healing with one hand while sipping water from a wooden cup with the other like this was routine.
At first, I thought she was like my mom—worried whenever I got even a small cut.
But now?
Now she was definitely like that demon guildmaster, Karin—calmly clapping while I repeatedly fell from the running lap, shouting, "You’re doing great, keep going!"
By the ti the sun stood directly above our heads, I was sprawled on the ground like a squashed insect, arms spread, brain lted.
Even though she kept healing my physical injuries, my soul was not included in the package.
My body was fine.
My mind?
Fried.
I could practically hear the ga over music playing in the background.
“Okay, that’s enough for now,” she finally said, stretching a little with a satisfied yawn, as if we’d just returned from a casual stroll—not a magical training session that almost turned into fireworks.
“Ha… Ha… Ha…”
I was so tired, I couldn’t even lift my arms.
“You better freshen up with a bath,” she added with a smirk. “Otherwise, your sweat might flavor our al. For lunch, we’ll have at.”
“Wait—at?” I blinked up from the grass. “Didn’t you say yesterday we were out of stock?”
She smiled like a sly cat. “That was yesterday. Today, we have it.”
“…How?”
No, seriously—how!?
She’s been with this whole ti! She has been training since morning!
“Wait a mont.”
Without another word, she disappeared into the forest.
I stared after her blankly, mind still rebooting from training trauma.
Then, just when I thought maybe she’d gone to summon at from thin air with a snap of her fingers—she returned.
Dragging—no, carrying—a headless boar.
On her shoulders.
Like it was laundry.
It was huge. Easily three tis her size. And yet there she was, silver hair fluttering, expression relaxed, casually walking like she just picked up so groceries.
I stared.
I blinked.
I stared harder.
“…U-Uhh… Selena?” I pointed dumbly. “Is that… a boar?”
“Hmm? Oh, yes. A Frenzy Boar. C-Rank monster.” She shrugged like it was no big deal. “It was hanging from a tree branch, so I just picked it up.”
Hanging… from a tree?
My brain refused to process.
“…You an, so monsters hung it there?” I asked, unsure if I even wanted to know.
She glanced at , tilting her head like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“No. It was from one of my earlier attacks. I think my shuriken earlier must’ve sliced its head clean off, and the body landed in a tree. Must’ve been caught on a branch. Blood drained nicely too. Perfect for cooking.””
She said this like soone explaining an instant noodles recipe.
I opened my mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
Closed it again.
Her shuriken… earlier…
This morning…!?
The realization hit like a freight train.
My brain rebooted.
What the hell!?
This boar has been hanging there for HOURS!?
That’s not how gravity—or common sense—works!
Did the boar’s body bounce after decapitation? Did her magic curve mid-air!?
Then it bleeding out peacefully like a grotesque forest ornant!?
Wait—WAIT.
More importantly—
Didn’t she say her barriers are far away!?
And now her attack pierced through the barrier and hit sothing beyond it!?
That far!?
Curving like a boorang!?
THIS ISN’T NORMAL!
I backed away slowly, shooting a terrified glance toward the sky in silent prayer, not for the dead boar, but for my own safety.
I’m training under a monster disguised as a princess.
If I don’t master my star magic soon… I might end up as the next “at for lunch.”
“I’ll start the preparations.”
Selena chirped, whistling a rry tune as she laid the massive boar down with a thud, pulling out a ridiculously oversized knife out of nowhere like she it was a fun little afternoon hobby.
She’s not a princess.
She’s a walking natural disaster in princess skin.
And sohow... sohow, I live with her.
As I stood there, still shell-shocked, a voice suddenly echoed in my mind.
【at…! Finally…! Ah!】
Aza’s excitent leaked out so vividly I could almost imagine her drooling.
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