From the very moment he had been born, Shindo was strong.

Even as a fetus, doctors could sense the immense amount of magical energy he possessed. Before he was even born, the doctor proclaimed him a prodigy.

His parents, and the Miyamoto family especially, were all excited. The perfect heir to the Miyamoto family.

Without a doubt, this child would become the head of the 10 grand magic families of Japan, and he would lead the Miyamoto family to unparalleled fame and glory.

This child's fate had been decided before his birth. With this kid, Kanzaki Miyamoto and Kohaku Miyamoto would rise to power.

Even though Kohaku would tell Kanzaki over and over again, to not plaster expectation upon his unborn child, Kanzaki was having none of it.

This was his breakthrough. His excitement was unreal. It couldn't be restrained.

"In the very end, he is still a person you know. You shouldn't force your own expectations upon him." Kohaku told him, in a conversation that they repeated every day. "That being said, I have no doubt that he will choose to lead the Miyamoto family to fame, because he was her child. She looked down at her stomach affectionately.

However, there was a mistake.

It was the sort of slip-up that you would make on a math test.

Misreading a part of the question and then using the wrong formula.

That was the best analogy for the mistake that was made.

However, unlike the math test analogy, this mistake had much more catastrophic effects than just missing out on a few points.

This consequence of the mistake was death.

When the doctors had originally analyzed Shindo's mana levels, they had actually given an understatement. They had assumed the excess mana that they were getting from their readings belonged to the mother, Kohaku. After all, there was no way a baby could possess such high mana levels.

That was impossible.

However Impossible, was the word that described Shindo's very existence.

Childbirth within those who possessed mana was very different from regular childbirth.

In this case, the baby would take some of the mother's mana as it exited the womb. This was because although the baby possessed mana, in order to open the arteries which allowed mana to flow through the body, it must take some of the mother's mana.

This usually never lead to any problems. However, in cases were the baby possessed an extraordinary amount of mana, a separate method was used similar to circumcision. This was because if birth was done normally, there was a chance that the baby would take all of the mother's mana in order to open their arteries.

However, that was an extremely rare case. The number of times it had been documented could be counted on both of your hands.

And so, because of this miscalculation, and because of the doctor's assumption that Shindo could not possibly possess this much mana as a baby, they did not use the correct method.

And so, Kohaku Miyamoto, passed away during childbirth.

It was a silent death. She was in no pain whatsoever.

In fact, all of the machines inside the room were silent. They had been broken. Shindo's aura was so strong that it had destroyed the function of the machines, making it impossible for the doctors to have pinpointed the exact moment she died.

There was silence in the room. Except for two sounds.

The sound of a newly born Shindo crying, and the sound of Kanzaki shouting in grief, desperately trying to wake his wife.

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"A murderer."

"Did you hear that he killed his mother."

"They say his birth nearly killed everyone in the room."

The mutters were always there. Calling them mutters would be an understatement.

The words were always said as if it was normal conversation. Spoken in a regular tone.

Right in front of his face.

No matter where he went in the house, he was followed by the words. The accusations.

No matter where he went in the vast halls of the Miyamoto estate, Shindo could not escape his mantel.

A murderer. One who had killed his very own mother.

Steps that didn't make a sound. Words that were heard by no one. However, whenever he entered a room, the air froze, and the tension was palpable. He was invisible in every factor but presence.

Like a phantom. A ghost, invisible to even his own family.

He was neglected in every sense of the word. Even when he was shown care by servants, the next day, they would be gone. Removed from service, he could hear his father say during dinner.

Dinner was another moment where he was neglected.

He was always well fed, with his food placed on the table.

Except he had his own separate table. Off to the side. Facing away from where his father ate.

No siblings. His father would never remarry.

Any time Shindo tried to initiate a conversation of his own, he was neglected as well.

There was a time in which he would come home from school, excited by the fact that his teacher had praised him.

She had said "he was the strongest person she had ever seen."

When he rushed to share the news with somebody, with anybody, all of the servants would avoid him. Everyone would avoid him.

"It's said that anyone who talked to him as disappeared."

"It's better you keep away. After all, you don't want to disappear, right?"

School as another thing completely. He was always changing schools for one reason or another. It didn't help that there was a limited amount of top tier academies for children. The common occurrence was that before a school changed, his father would be called in

He didn't have many friends, because other students avoided him. No matter how nice he was. Well, at least he wasn't bullied. They seemed to apprehensive about him to do anything like that.

His teachers were always changing too. Every other week he would get a new teacher. It confused him. But he decided that it would not get an explanation.

After all, nobody cared enough to explain it to him anyways.

In terms of his relationship with his father, it was terrible. He could count on one hand the number of times he had a genuine conversation with his father.

Even the number he thought of might have been an extreme exaggeration.

Ever where inside of the Miyamoto estate, he was invisible.

A phantom, whose presence chilled the atmosphere.

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There was only one place where he could find any sort of respite. That place was a certain outside area, just a bit off from his home.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

He couldn't relax properly in his own backyard, as he could almost feel the stares from window shutters that closed when he glanced in their direction. He couldn't relax there.

But this place, it was perfect. He always came here. It was easy to sneak away, considering he was a literal ghost in the eyes of all those in the estate.

Sometimes he would stay in this place the whole night. No one would come for him. No one would question him when he came back.

It was beautifully meadow, filled with white spider lilies. In the fall, the orange and red of the leaves which fell served to create a beautiful atmosphere. All around, the trees parted to form a perfectly wide circle where the sun could shine down.

He trained here. He rested here. He though here.

It was the closest thing to a "home" he had.

He was sitting around, contemplating the reason behind his latest school change, when he heard a voice from behind him.

"Should I start asking you to pay rent, considering how much you come here."

Shindo didn't respond to the voice, in fact, he didn't even turn around.

He had been conditioned, after all, to know that nobody would take the time to talk to him.

However, then he felt someone grab his shoulder.

Immediately he tensed, and without thinking, reflexively grabbed the arm that had grabbed him, flipping the person over and slamming them onto the ground.

Immediately Shindo let go, realizing what he had just done.

"S-sorry!" He spoke, and his voice was husky from unuse.

The person he had just slammed into the ground was a girl of medium height and white hair that matched the colors of the flowers below her. She had storm gray eyes which were currently wincing in pain.

"Jeez dude. You ignore me, and then when I try to grab your attention, your body slam me into the ground? Has no one taught you any manners?"

"No, not really. I kind of learned myself." Shindo responded.

"It was a rhetorical question dude!"

"Rhetorical que-?" Shindo shook his head however, deciding not to waste any more of this person's time. "Sorry again." He turned to leave, but to his surprise, she grabbed him again.

She had recovered relatively quickly from behind slammed into the ground.

"Where exactly do you think you're going?" Her tone was icy, the same tone that was used when someone did spare the time of their day to talk to him.

"I was going to get out of your way. After all, you-"

"I didn't say you could leave! After all, you body slam me, apologize, and try to run?" Her voice was rising and Shindo winced, realizing what he had caused.

"I'm so sorr-"

"The next time you apologize, I'll might actually punch you."

Shindo stood in momentary shock. Not only at the fact that the girl in front of him had just threatened to punch him, but also at a realization he had just made.

This was the longest conversation that he had had with anybody. No one else had been willing to talk to him for that long. It felt like they always strayed away from him in fear. Was she not scared?

What felt like the first conversation he had had in forever. And it was just a girl saying she was going to punch him.

Shindo couldn't help but let out a little giggle.

She looked at him as if he was crazy. Well then. You certainly are a character." A bit of her anger seemed to suffice, but she was still looking at her as if he was a bit eccentric.

"Jeez when you start smiling like a dunce it makes it hard to stay mad at you." She scratched her head and smiled nervously at Shindo. "That being said, I still can't forgive you for your overreaction. I won't ask what that was all about, but as compensation, you have to help me take care of this place. It also makes sense, considering you here even more than me."

And without even knowing it, Shindo had been dragged into helping this girl out in caring for the garden of white spider lilies.

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Her name was Sayako. She was a lot of things.

Stubborn. Kind. Caring. Pretty harsh at times.

However, it made for a fun time, as they both cared for the garden together. It took Shindo three days of this to finally muster up the courage to initiate a conversation with Sayako.

"So uuhh, why do you decide to take care of this place?"

Sayako smiled at Shindo, as if this was something she was waiting for. "Well, its beautiful. And because of that, I think it would be said if it got destroyed, no?"

"But if others don't care or notice, then what's the point?"

"Does it need any other point besides me wanting too."

Shindo didn't have an answer to that and returned to his duties clearing trash from the surrounding area.

"I think you missed a spot." She gestured over to a section where there was still trash on the ground. Shindo immediately straightened, realizing his mistake. "Ah, sorr-"

He caught himself before Sayako could say anything.

She just sighed. "Seriously, lighten up a bit dude."

Eventually, Sayako also joined his daily training in the field. She could never beat Shindo, however Shindo had always found it fun to spar against her. She moved with grace, but her movements were also creative and unexpected.

As they lay on the garden next to each other, tired from a long session of sparring, Sayako spoke to him.

"I will beat you. One day. And then, I can tell everyone else that I beat my unreally strong friend!"

"Friend?" Shindo paused at her calling him her friend. Were they really that close after only a few weeks together?'

She feigned a hurt expression. "So all this time, you really didn't think of me as a friend?" She pretended to be on the verge of tears.

"Ah, no, I'm sorry, it's just. No, we are. We're....Friends."

After giving probably, the most heartfelt confession of his life, Shindo received the punch he had been promised.

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It was a Sunday afternoon. Shindo was preparing to head to the garden once again when he noticed a piece of mail on the floor. It must have been dropped when the maids were bringing in the mail to his father.

He considered just dropping it off in front of his father's door, but he decided that he would give it to him in person.

Why that was, he didn't know.

After spending almost 10 minutes standing in front of his father's door, he was finally about to knock when he could hear his father shouting.

"Don't fuck with me Daisuke! I asked for you to send your best man. I'll pay you even more than your asking!"

A voice on the phone spoke, but Shindo couldn't discern what he was saying.

"Don't try and tell me it's overkill! Y-. You haven't seen that monster!"

Shindo's eyes widened. He didn't even have to think to know that his father was talking about him.

His father continued to shout, cutting off the voice on the phone.

"Just do what your asked and take the money dammit! When did KnT have morals!"

Silence. The call ended.

Shindo knocked.

"Come in." His father's voice was haggard, as if he was stressed.

When Shindo opened that door, and his father saw his face, his eyes widened.

They widended in fear.

In shock.

In hatred.

His father looked at him with such hatred it felt like his gaze alone was trying to strangle Shindo.

Shindo couldn't even breathe. His father didn't breathe. They just stared at each other.

The door closed behind him with a click.

"Her- I- I sa-"

Holding out the mail, Shindo tried to formulate words.

"What the hell are you doing here." Kanzaki said, a dark tone in his voice.

"S-Someone dropped this."

He handed the mail over, and his father snatched it out of his hands.

Reading it over, he must have seen something he didn't like, because anger completely overtook his visage.

"Again, and again and again!"

He slammed his hands into his desk so hard that Shindo flinched backwards.

It's just thing after thing! Without fail! Without a sign of stopping! It pisses me of!" He then looked up at Shindo.

"All because of you. Every time You appear. You. YOU!" Before Shindo could react, his father had grabbed him by the neck and was strangling him.

"AKk. UGhh! ACK!"

Shindo was choking as his father's fingers slowly crushed his windpipe. Saliva creeped down his mouth. He struggled, but not as much as he could. For some reason, his body seemed content to meet its end there.

"You killed Kohaku! You took her from me! You are the one who shattered the Miyamoto dream! Your birth took us out of the race! It's your fault! ITS ALL YOUR FUCKING FAULT! YOU MONSTER! YOU MURDERER! YOUR THE ONE WHO TOOK MY DREAM AWAY FROM ME!"

Just as quickly as he had grabbed him, his father let go.

Shindo hit the ground and immediately grabbed his neck, coughing out. There was a massive purple ring around his neck.

He coughed out saliva and writhed on the ground in pain. He could still feel the fingers around his throat. The pain had been engraved in his soul. He would never forget it. Ever.

His father looked at the writhing mass of his 10-year-old son in disgust. In shock.

But mainly, in fear and regret.

Turning away, he said, "Get out of my sight."

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That night, Shindo did not go to the garden. Instead, he had gone to his room.

He didn't sleep at all that night.

The next day, when he went to the garden, he was greeted by a horrifying sight.

A man dressed in black, was holding a blade to the neck of Sayako, who was struggling as best as she could. He was interrogating her, for information.

Stepping out of the underbrush, Shindo was going to pounce and take the man on from behind when he was stopped in his tracks by the man's words.

"Move a single inch and she's dead kid."

Shindo froze. Sayako turned back to look at her. "Shindo! Don't worry about me! Just run!"

"So, this is Shindo, huh?" The man analyzed Shindo with cold, calculating eyes.

Shindo looked down in horror for a few moments. This man. He was looking for me. And because of that, Sayako. She almost. She almost died.

"I- I can't run!" Shindo shouted back.

What good was all of his strength of he didn't Use it. It was worthless. Meaningless. He was a monster, right? So, at the very least he could fulfill the title his father had given him.

Sayako's expression fell, as she grabbed for her lance off to the side.

In the same instant, the man flicked his fingers, and a knife was being launched at her throat.

She wouldn't be able to dodge. However, Shindo was there to push her out of the way just in time.

"Sayako! He's after me! Just run okay!"

However, Sayako just shook her head fiercely. "No way! What about you!" But the look in Shindo's eyes told her that this was serious. For the first time, Sayako looked scared. It must have been his fault. He had finally scared away his only friend.

"Okay, but I'll be back with help as soon as possible."

She left. Turning back to face the assassin, Shindo readied his weapon. At the time, it was a sword.

The assassin smiled at the kid. "Turning your back on the enemy really isn't smart you know."

"You wouldn't have been able to kill me anyways."

There was a slight tick in the man's jaw.

"The bounty on your head. For a kid. Its insanely high. It almost makes same feel bad killing a kid. But there's so much money I can excuse myself.

The man unsheathed his knives.

With that, the duel in the garden of white spider lilies began.

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The battle ended quickly. The victor, Shindo.

He had cut his opponent down mercilessly. In fact, taking a look at the scene, one could have called it overkill.

Motivated by more anger than anything, Shindo had slain his opponent. The scene was brutal. It was so bad, that all of the white spider lilies in the garden, had changed colors.

It was now a garden of red spider lilies.

Inside the forest Shindo could her the crunching of leaves as someone ran away.

He turned, to see a retreating figure.

immediately, he thought that it was Sayako. It had to have been her.

He had finally scared her away. She had seen Shindo for the monster he truly was, and she finally left.

After that day, Shindo had never seen Sayako again.

And why would he?

Who would want to spend their time with a monster like him?