Chapter 4: Wounded

 

Cais, seeing Serena before his eyes, found it difficult to calm his startled heart.

“My, my opponent isn’t you.”

Flustered, Cais even stammered.

The name he had confirmed on the list was definitely not Serena. It was another student.

He wasn’t so foolish as to confuse something like this.

“Hmph, that’s none of your business.”

Serena scoffed, then retorted as cold as ice. She then drew her sword without hesitation and took a stance.

“Draw your sword, Cais Raynalsword.”

In fact, Serena had already identified and approached the other student who was originally scheduled to spar with Cais.

And with a small bribe and a request, she had changed the opponent.

Cais, completely unaware of this hidden truth, was simply confused by Serena’s sudden appearance before him.

“Serena…”

Memories of the past flashed through Cais’s mind.

It was what she had told him at the train station before he received the letter and left for his hometown.

[We’re practically family to you!]

How much comfort and solace that single sentence, spoken by her as he boarded the train, hiding his anxiety and unease, had brought him.

That’s why he was able to endure even while the funeral was being held at home.

Could the girl standing before him now truly be the same person as that child?

“Are you going to forfeit?”

Cais snapped back to reality at her voice, laced with contempt.

‘Serena is serious…’

Seeing that sharp gaze, it seemed she genuinely intended to fight him.

Cais had never once won against Serena in swordsmanship. Even though they were in the same year, there was a huge gap in their skills.

‘You know my skill better than anyone, so why are you acting like this, Serena!’

Cais cried out in his heart. He wasn’t afraid of losing to her.

Within this twisted relationship, the hostility and hatred Serena directed at him were unbearably painful.

But even if he asked for a reason, she wouldn’t readily answer.

With the spar about to begin, there wasn’t enough time.

Cais reluctantly drew his sword.

“Start!”

Simultaneously with the referee’s shout, Serena charged with fierce momentum. There wasn’t an ounce of hesitation in her sword.

It was filled with the sole will to defeat her opponent.

‘To you, I’m truly nothing now.’

Cais suppressed the surging anguish.

Composing his scattered thoughts, he tried to defend against her sword strike that immediately followed.

“Clumsy!”

Serena shouted that, shattering Cais’s defense in an instant.

Gasps of admiration flowed from the stands.

“As expected of the Crawford family’s young lady.”

“His defense was quite good, but she immediately found the opening!”

Even as Serena heard these remarks, she showed no sign of joy.

Her eyes were fixed solely on Cais.

Serena’s merciless attacks rained down on Cais’s body, now that his defense was broken. There was not a shred of hesitation in her strikes, stabs, and slashes.

Cais groaned in pain, but her sword showed no sign of stopping.

This was no longer a spar. It was a scene of violence, where someone with overwhelming skill unilaterally brutalized a novice.

‘Serena…!’

Cais was tormented by the very fact that she was swinging her sword at him.

The mental anguish was far greater than the physical pain of being struck by the sword.

Serena’s sword struck Cais’s shoulder with a dull thud.

“Ugh!”

A painful groan burst from Cais’s lips from the intense pain that felt like his bones were vibrating.

Even though Cais, her childhood friend, was in agony, Serena’s expression remained unshaken.

Instead, she pressed her advantage, mercilessly striking Cais’s arms and legs.

The outcome was clear to anyone watching, but Serena showed no intention of ending her assault.

Cais couldn’t collect himself amidst the relentless flurry of attacks. Cold words pierced his ears like a dagger.

“A pathetic, weak worm! That’s what you are.”

Cais was now close to being unable to resist, but Serena’s sword remained fierce.

Soon after, Cais’s face contorted in agony, and a terrible scream erupted. Serena had precisely struck the hand holding his sword.

“Aargh!”

His practice sword flew through the air and fell to the ground.

According to the rules, the moment one side dropped their weapon, the match was over.

A stir once again spread through the stands.

This was because Serena’s attack continued. She struck Cais’s forearm and slammed her sword down on his thigh, even though he had lost his weapon.

“Aaaaargh!”

Cais’s chilling screams echoed repeatedly. Unable to watch any longer, a teacher rushed forward, shouting to intervene.

“Serena! Stop! The match is over!”

But Serena ignored him, continuing to unleash her attacks.

Serena slammed her sword down on Cais’s shoulder, then spun her body once. She channeled that rotational force into her sword and struck Cais’s waist.

Cais’s eyes widened in pain as his ribs were directly hit, and saliva drooled from his mouth.

“Huuuh… Cough…”

Despite Cais’s pained groans, Serena brazenly continued her assault.

Who would dare think their relationship was that of childhood friends? They looked like sworn enemies harboring long-standing hatred and resentment.

Cais, who had been swaying and barely standing, fell to his knees on the ground and toppled forward.

Thud.

Only upon seeing Cais lying limply on the ground did Serena finally withdraw her sword.

A chilling silence fell over the arena.

“Truly disgraceful. Your swordsmanship is an insult to the sword. Never pick up a sword again.”

The teacher, who belatedly rushed onto the stage, shouted furiously and warned.

“Serena Esther Crawford! This is just a spar! There’s no need to go this far against a classmate!”

The teacher sternly reprimanded her.

But Serena didn’t even bat an eyelid, as if it were nothing.

“I will gladly accept any punishment.”

Her voice sounded resolute, as if she had already prepared herself. It seemed she had approached Cais aiming for this from the very beginning.

Serena looked down at Cais, collapsed on the ground, with contempt. Soon, she raised her voice towards the surrounding spectators.

“It seems there might be some people who mistakenly believe that this person and I have some special relationship, so I will clarify it here.”

The surroundings fell silent at her declaration.

“I have no relationship with this loser! The match just now proves it!”

Her cold and resolute voice echoed loudly and clearly throughout the entire sparring arena.

The students in the stands buzzed and whispered, a mixture of surprise and curiosity on their faces.

Cais, lying on the ground, also clearly heard that cruel declaration in his ears.

A humiliation that pierced his entire body and a desperate sense of betrayal.

His body trembled faintly from the sorrow and pain that he couldn’t possibly bear while sane.

‘If I cry here… it’ll only be a mockery. Endure it.’

He admonished himself, desperately swallowing the tears that threatened to burst forth.

“Cais Raynalsword.”

Serena turned her gaze to Cais.

“Never again… never again try to act familiar with me. If you do something like that again, you’ll experience something far worse than this.”

It was a sharp, biting warning to the very end.

Serena did not even offer a perfunctory “Are you okay?” to the sprawled Cais.

As if her business was done, she turned abruptly and walked away without a single glance.

Watching her receding back, Cais couldn’t say a word.

Publicly humiliated by his childhood friend, Serena, and his body battered and bruised from the severe beating.

Laughter erupted and chaos ensued in the stands.

“Look at that guy.”

“Wasn’t he abandoned by Serena? How pathetic.”

“Can’t be helped. Who would hang out with a bastard like that?”

Listening to the torrent of ridicule and contempt, Cais weakly scratched the innocent sparring arena floor with his fingernails.

[System Magic Loading 34%]

At that moment, another window appeared in his vision and then quickly vanished. But to Cais, cornered mentally, it was a matter of complete indifference.

****

Now, the only childhood friend he could place his hopes on was Valeria.

Lucia had that man, and Serena had publicly declared their estrangement in front of everyone.

‘Valeria…’

But approaching her wasn’t easy. Then, by chance, an unexpected opportunity arose.

During mealtime, Cais happened to encounter Valeria in the dining hall.

Valeria avoided making eye contact with him and moved as if she had no business with him.

‘Am I really that repulsive to her…?’

A corner of Cais’s heart ached.

Still, he knew that doing nothing would solve nothing.

‘I have to do something. There must be a misunderstanding, surely some misunderstanding…!’

After getting his meal, he squeezed out his last remaining courage and headed towards Valeria.

She was sitting at a table with her friends, eating.

Cais cautiously approached and sat across from her.

Instantly, Valeria’s laughter abruptly ceased. She glared at Cais with a gaze full of undisguised displeasure.

“Um, excuse me…”

Cais opened his mouth with difficulty.

Due to the previous day’s match, Cais had been severely beaten by Serena, leaving his face bruised and his lips swollen.

However, even after seeing the pathetic state of Cais, who was once her childhood friend, Valeria showed no concern or sympathy.

Her attitude remained one of thorough disregard, as if he were invisible.

“Um, excuse me… about me.”

Seeing Cais trying to strike up a conversation, Valeria exchanged a brief glance with her friends.

Then, without a word, she got up and moved to another table.

Cais, left alone at the long table, quietly picked up his spoon and silently brought it to his mouth.

He tasted nothing in the food.

A few days later, Valeria’s birthday approached.

Cais felt desperate, thinking this might truly be his last chance.

He prepared a small bouquet and a heartfelt letter, written through the night.

And instead of the birthday party venue, he waited for Valeria to emerge in a deserted hallway after classes ended.

Just then, she appeared alone.

Valeria’s expression hardened coldly when she saw Cais. Cais was saddened to be seen with such eyes, but he feigned indifference.

“Valeria, happy birthday.”

Cais, with a trembling voice, cautiously extended the gift he had prepared.

“What is this letter?”

It was a blunt question.

“I hope you’ll read it. Please. Please don’t tear it.”

“Don’t tear it?”

She scoffed, then tore the letter Cais had offered into shreds right there and scattered them on the floor.

An earthquake struck Cais’s eyes.

“And who asked for these pathetic flowers?”

She mockingly threw the bouquet she had received onto the floor.

“Stop it…”

Cais mumbled softly, his voice sounding as if it would shatter. But she didn’t seem to hear him.

Valeria conjured a small flame with a flick of her hand.

What she burned was painfully obvious.

Cais watched in despair as the bouquet turned to ash and crumbled away.

It wasn’t over there.

Slap!

With a sharp sound like tearing flesh, a stinging pain flared on Cais’s left cheek.

“I told you not to loiter around me, didn’t I?! Why can’t you understand what I’m saying? Did you forget what I told you? Huh?”

Valeria forgot her usual polite speech and shouted in casual, emotionally charged language.

She glared at Cais with hatred-filled eyes. Cais had reached his limit.

He felt like he was going to go crazy.

“If, if I did anything wrong, I’ll beg here. Please forgive me. Huh…?”

Cais even bent his last shred of pride and knelt.

“I was wrong about everything. I was bad about everything. I won’t disappoint you again. So, so… please…”

He could no longer bear being shunned by his childhood friends. But Valeria was utterly cold.

She frowned deeply and shrieked fiercely.

“If you didn’t understand, I’ll tell you again here. You and I are nothing to each other. What’s the meaning of bringing me these flowers and letters? Such gifts are disgusting. Who asked for them? Don’t make me uncomfortable and get out of my sight right now!”

“Valeria…”

Tears welled up in Cais’s eyes. Seeing them, Valeria was momentarily flustered, but that was all.

“If you loiter around me one more time, I’ll report you as a stalker to the academy! If you want to be locked up in prison, go ahead and try coming again.”

Cais held his stinging cheek, unable to say a word.

There was not a trace of hesitation or pity in Valeria’s gaze or tone.

‘I’m truly hated.’

Cais could no longer say anything. He simply let his shoulders slump and turned away weakly.

‘Now, nothing matters.’

On his way back, the strange window appeared again.

[System Magic Loading 89%]

“It’s that window again…”

Cais mumbled numbly, his eyes vacant.

There was no longer any will to live discernible in his eyes. There was no emotion there.

Only an unfathomable emptiness remained.

He no longer cared about strange phenomena appearing before his eyes.

He was slowly dying.