episode_0002

After quickly tidying up her tousled hair and changing her clothes, she stepped outside.

In the early hours of the morning, perhaps due to it being spring, the sun had not fully risen yet, casting a slightly dark shade of blue in the sky.

The dawn breeze blew refreshingly cool, making it a perfect day for exercise.

“Well then, shall we start with some warm-up exercises and go for a run?”

….

Apart from Bern Flame, there was also Elisha Isis, the silver-haired beauty who practiced magic in the park.

As the youngest of the Isis family, she came to the park every day to practice magic.

Her guardian, Kane Isis, gained high status and great rewards in a past war with a neighboring country through his ice magic.

Kane, thinking he would live a happy life with his wife Karla and children after their third child was born, was soon faced with tragedy as Karla succumbed to a curse of frailty shortly after giving birth to their youngest child.

Before her death, she named the child Elisha and left a message saying, “Please don’t resent this child. Please care for her with love. I’m sorry,” before departing from this world.

Following his wife’s wishes, Kane raised Elisha, who resembled Karla, with utmost care and love, while her siblings poured affection on her to shield her from the sorrow of growing up without a mother.

Though motherless, Elisha grew gracefully under the care and love of her father, brothers, and sister.

To repay her family, she diligently practiced magic and studied every day from a young age, eventually gaining admission to the top academy.

Even after entering the academy, Elisha did not neglect her training and maintained strict self-discipline.

With her talent, good self-discipline, and pleasant personality, she had excellent relationships with her peers.

Showing exceptional skill in ice magic akin to her guardian, she secured the top spot in her second year.

Despite being the most popular girl in her second year, appearing as pristine as a blank sheet, she too had her flaws.

That flaw was Bern Flame, her fiancé.

She seemed flawless in every way, but had she inherited the curse of frailty that plagued her mother in the past?

Born with a fragile body like Karla’s, she had faced many close calls from a young age, causing the once strong Isis family to falter.

Without regaining strength, it was only a matter of time before they were devoured.

Unable to avoid it, Kane arranged for Elisha to be engaged once she turned six and could lead a normal life.

It was a strategic engagement to restore the family’s power.

Having matured beyond her years, she understood the situation well from a young age.

And then she met Bern Flame.

He wasn’t always a troublemaker.

Initially shy and smaller than her, he grew up alongside her like a sibling.

However, everything changed when he turned ten.

It was when his mother, like Karla, succumbed to the curse of frailty and passed away.

A curse, literally a calamity and misfortune manifesting upon a person.

There was no known reason why one would be cursed or how to undo it.

With Bern’s mother succumbing to the curse and him gradually changing, retreating into his home for months after her passing.

After several months had passed, he was different.

The gentle smiles disappeared from his face,

replaced by a shadowed, expressionless visage.

It would be fair to say that Bern Flame underwent a 180-degree personality shift after losing his parents.

Once someone who never showed anger towards servants, he now assaulted them at the slightest provocation,

or shot flames at the chef for claiming the food was tasteless due to an issue with his tongue.

He gradually distanced himself from others and became isolated.

What was once a warmth he reserved for his family was now directed at the servants, turning him into a troublemaker even towards his own family, eight years having passed since he became alone.

At first, she tried to comfort him and make things right like before, but what she received in return was insults and disregard.

Understanding the pain of losing parents, she continued to make efforts, but when no change occurs despite one’s best efforts, people tend to get tired.

Thus, Bern Flame, who even turned his back on her, ended up alone. Although they both entered the same academy, they hadn’t had a proper conversation in a year.

Occasionally meeting on the street, they exchanged superficial greetings and parted ways.

Upon hearing rumors of his involvement in accidents, she could only sigh lightly. That was all.

It wasn’t like this at first.

Elysia sometimes thought that if she could go back, she would comfort him.

She wanted to embrace him, to alleviate his pain and sadness.

She used to have such thoughts.

But it was too late now.

Their relationship had drifted irreversibly apart.

Originally a strategic engagement, she thought the end would be good.

But that is now an old saying.

She was tired, and a happy ending with him had become an unimaginable dream.

She was exhausted and no longer wished to try to change him.

For Elysia, her own family was more important.

While thinking this, she met him.

“Bern?”

…

While running using magic, Bern met Elysia.

“I knew Elysia practiced magic early in the morning, but unexpectedly running into her like this…”

Bern Flame’s fiancée, Elysia Isis.

A second-year student excelling in ice magic.

Her silver hair was as beautiful as snow falling from the sky, and her eyes shone brightly like the blue sky.

Her features were so dense and beautiful that they could rival those of Korean celebrities.

“Bern? Where are you looking right now?”

“Oh.”

Having only seen her in illustrations before, seeing her in person, she was so beautiful that I unintentionally stared at her.

Was I spacing out too much?

“…”

Before I could say anything, she interrupted me.

“Enough. By the way, you got banned from school for hitting another student again? Isn’t it time you got your act together?”

“You keep doing this, tarnishing the family name,” she said.

Yes, Bern might seem naive and disgraceful to the family, but there is a reason behind his actions.

“If you do things like that to escape the family, you’ll look like a lunatic.”

Given Bern’s past actions, it’s better she doesn’t know, even if it makes him seem crazy.

“There’s no choice but to respond strongly like Bern here.”

I spoke to her with my usual stern expression.

“Get yourself together, stop fooling around, and start behaving properly. You’re a parasite clinging to our family because you have no power of your own.”

“Know your place, Bern.”

Did I go too far with my words?

“I’m sorry? Bern, you…!!!”

She’s angry. She’s really mad.

Her already fair skin turned as red as a tomato when she got angry.

She might explode at this rate.

But even I would get annoyed.

After not talking much since entering the academy, saying such harsh words would make anyone angry.

“If you have nothing else to say, then I’ll leave.”

I feel sorry for her.

I didn’t mean to be so harsh, but it feels like Bern’s true self is emerging little by little.

That’s why my tone and speech sometimes become strange.

“Oh, and now we’re done. It’s called breaking off the engagement. Goodbye then.”

Even when leaving, you have to say something.

Breaking off the engagement as soon as we meet might seem strange, but it can’t be helped.

Continuing to be involved with me or rather, our family, won’t lead to anything good.

Probably, the original Bern also chose to be alone for that reason.

Because he loved his fiancée more than anyone else.

“That’s nonsense…? Bern!! You..! Saying we’ll meet…!! How… how…..”

“Why such a reaction? Wasn’t this what you wanted too? Our relationship wasn’t something we desired from the start, right?”

“You talk too much even when I offer to erase your only flaw. We are too different and have drifted too far apart. Initially, it was an engagement for you to restore your family’s power.”

“…B-but! Still…. I…I…”

“The decision to break off the engagement remains unchanged. It’s over now. You are free. And never approach our family again.”

As words form on my lips to complete sentences, her eyes well up with tears.

I understand. I know too. My words hurt her.

I know she tried harder for Bern than anyone else.

Bern must have known that fact. That’s why I have to cut you off.

I took off the ring snugly placed on my ring finger and slammed it on the floor.

“Then I’ll go.”

“….”

Without looking at her face, I immediately left the place.

If I were to see her face now, I felt I wouldn’t be able to hold back.

Elisha was a character she quite liked, if not the most.

When Bern became the mid-boss and died, she remained the only character who mourned him alone till the end, not opening her heart to anyone else.

Even players couldn’t help but admire her.

She would prepare flowers for his grave every year on his anniversary, even if it meant she suffered and felt miserable for her deceased fiancé.

She was the one who silently tended to his grave, even if others criticized him as a villain and cursed the deceased Bern.

When no one remembered him and no one cared about Bern, she was the only one who did.

Though her fiancé had passed away, she stayed by his side until the end.

There is no reason not to like her.

That’s why it hurts even more.

So, now it’s inevitable.

I’m too weak. It can’t be.

Even if breaking off the engagement brings regret, even if it inflicts wounds that can’t be erased, we cannot be together.

Elisha was too kind, meddling excessively.

Huh? You might get into trouble acting like that.

I still don’t have the power to confront the family… no, the head of the family.

Only until then. When that time comes, you may not forgive me, but I can’t help it.

It’s all for you.

….

Feeling uneasy since morning.

By the way, I hope I didn’t get too hurt.

No, I couldn’t have avoided it. I must have been seriously hurt.

I’m sorry, Elisha!

I’ll explain everything when the time comes!

“By the way, she was really beautiful.”

This guy Bern becoming a mid-boss with such a pretty fiancée.

…What kind of life has this fellow lived alone?

Lonely, so lonely.

Today’s workout is screwed. If I run into her again while running, it’s really over.

The training room opens after all the academy classes are over… I have too much time left.

I should go back to the dorm and practice circulating the magic in my body.

After finishing the workout and returning to the dorm to quickly shower and change clothes.

“Sigh.. Running while using magic drains my stamina quickly.”

This pathetic stamina of mine.

To think such a feeble person becomes a ruthless boss, it gives me shivers.

“For now, I need to master basic magic circulation.”

Magic circulation.

Drawing refined magic from the ‘mana core’ present in the body and circulating it throughout the body.

It’s a basic skill that not only enhances control over magic but also slightly strengthens the body.

I tried circulating magic in my body while running earlier, and it was seriously tough.

Feels like my stamina depletes twice as fast.

Maybe there are things I can’t do, but my body is just too frail to begin with.

Low stamina, low mana, and the vessel of the mana core that determines the capacity for refining mana into magic within the body is small.

The vessel of the mana core continues to use magic,

As magic is completely depleted and refilled, the vessel slightly expands.

However, this is a highly inefficient act.

I plan to obtain Hidden Pieces to increase the capacity of the mana core.

Located on the island, the academy known as ‘Oasis Academy.’

Here, numerous dungeons exist.

Just the nearby mountains and forests alone have more than five dungeons.

I intend to go there.

“Well then, shall I prepare the necessary items?”

It’s time to conquer the dungeon.