Chapter 8: Reality

“Why are you daydreaming?”

Amanda's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. 

I turned my attention back to my plate.

We were in the midst of having breakfast before leaving the house definitely.

“Sillath?” She continued.

I didn’t bother to answer her. I couldn’t speak or look at her as I feared to recall what happened last night.

She seemed to wonder why I acted this way, but after seeing that none of her words were getting through me, she gave up and didn’t pursue the matter further.

We continued to eat in silence until my grandfather entered the dining room.

“Hurry up, Sillath. We can’t lose much more time.”

“I understand.” I replied with an indifferent tone.

I pushed my still untouched plate forward.

“Are you alright Sillath?”

Her voice was full of worry, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. The voice that comforted me so many times and that I learned to love was now unbearable to hear.

It only served to remind me of the disillusion I created to comfort myself during all those years.

I continued to ignore her and stood up from my seat.

I had to follow and obey them until I became strong enough.

I wouldn't remain their puppet forever.

She tried to grab my arm, but I simply evaded.

“I’m ready, grandfather. Let’s not lose more time.”

He seemed perplexed about my change of attitude, but he clearly didn’t care enough to ask me about it.

We silently left the house that was my prison for four years and entered the carriage pulled by the same mounts that brought me to this place.

Once inside, the coachman shrieked and immediately the carriage pulled by those monsters from another world left at a frightening speed.

It wasn’t as fast as a car, but it wasn’t comparable to the speed of a common animal.

This reminded me that this world used everything it possessed to compensate for the lack of technology.

In a world where only the strong could live, humans of different regions chose their own path to survive.

Some isolated themselves from the rest of the world as others chose to live under the protection of God.

Some chose the way of the sword while others, like in the Dornell kingdom, put their faith in magic.

However, even with every child taught magic, the number of useful mages was far too low, so humans used their ingenuity to compensate for it.

It wasn’t with electricity, but with magic circles.

Hundreds of years ago, Humans found a way to use fearful magics by injecting mana into circles drawn with complicated patterns. Many mages have spent their entire lives researching this kind of magic, but most of this knowledge was already lost after the Great War. It would apparently take at least several hundred years to reach the same level.

However, even if most of these magic became and were known as ‘Lost magic’, Humans still used the remnant of their knowledge on objects to improve their lives.

Those artifacts wore small magic circles on them. By adding mana to it, you could trigger the magic stored inside without the need of knowing how it worked.

This way, it was possible to use other kinds of magic even if the most powerful and mysterious were completely lost.

Those various artifacts helped humans to fulfill their needs.

Some were personal artifacts bearing the magic of your choice, while others were common ones used by all.

It was the case for the carriage I rode.

We were moving at a frightening speed on the roads. Something no carriage made of wood and steel could support without magic. However, by using artifacts placed under the carriage and inside the wheels, it was possible to trigger earth magic to protect it. It was expensive but incredibly useful for traveling.

It was the same with the nameplate at the side of Arthur Waldemar.

It was an artifact well known among the nobles. It allowed its wearer to write and transfer the sentences to the nameplate desired if the distance wasn’t more than a few hundred miles. In a world where letters could take weeks or months to be delivered, it was priceless.

Of course, it was necessary to put in place a relay system, but it was nevertheless useful especially when you wrote to the King to inform him of the moment of your arrival.

It was the first time I’ve seen those artifacts, but I immediately recognized them from the lessons of Gandalf. It was one of the very first things he ever taught us.

I tried to distract me from my two traveling companions with useless thoughts, but it wasn’t working.

“Why are you annoyed Sillath?” Amanda asked.

“I’m not annoyed.” I replied in a slightly irritated tone. I was forcing myself not to lose my temper. 

I knew my words were clearly telling lies that was revealed by the tone of my voice, but I didn't care. I just didn’t want to see her face, hear her voice or look at the hair I once found dazzling.

“You barely spoke since this morning and you haven’t looked at me in the eyes since yesterday.”

Her questions became irritating.

I didn’t want to answer any of them.

“Leave him alone Amanda. It doesn’t matter.”

I looked up to see his face. When our eyes met every noise and images of last night, instantly popped up in my mind.

“I know it must be difficult for you to change house again, but I’m sure you’ll love my mansion.”

I simply ignored him and his wrong assumptions as I turned to look outside of the window.

After hours of riding, the carriage finally stopped at a small clearing.

We were near the Great forest of the West. The coachman planned to go around it after a small break to eat.

We sat on a fallen tree trunk while eating in silence the food prepared by Amanda beforehand.

The first one to break the silence was my grandfather.

He was chewing on a small piece of meat before speaking as if he was continuing our previous discussion.

“I know you’re not happy about this, Sillath. You have gotten used to the house, but the mansion is larger and much more comfortable. It’s a little empty, but when your sisters arrive, it will become just as lively as if you were with your parents.”

He finished the rest of the dried meat on his plate, and then he stopped talking.

“What… What did you just say?” I asked out of shock.

He looked at me with confusion written on his face.

“I told you that they will be joining us soon in my mansion. What is it that you didn't understand?” He asked.

“Master, I think the young master wasn’t aware of the fact that he has two sisters.”

His face finally showed a look of understanding.

“Ah, right. I haven’t told you. Well, you have two twin sisters called Sellysse and Llinadia. They are around four years old and will be living with us in a few weeks. I need to meet the King and prepare some things beforehand but in around six weeks, I will be ready to welcome them. I’m sure they will become fine women.”

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My breathing sped up after hearing his calm declaration.

For years, I wondered about my sibling, but after all this time I simply lost any hope of hearing any news.

I gave up the idea of being a part of their family and followed the order of this man so that they could be safe and live happy lives with my parents.

However, in the end, he was telling me this as if it was nothing.

Like it was a minor detail.

I clenched my fist in anger until I recalled his words.

“What do you mean by 'they will be joining us'?” I asked in a cold tone.

“It’s exactly what I meant. The operation to take them will begin in six weeks.”

My heart stopped beating after hearing his words. It was like my blood had stopped circulating through my veins, preventing me from thinking correctly.

“But… you promised. You promised four years ago!”

I retaliated in anger without totally understanding the situation.

“Yes, I promised you that I will not hurt them if you did what I told you. I will not hurt them at all. I will only make them into women of the Waldemar family.”

I clenched my fists tighter.

“You’re telling me that you will kidnap them. That’s not what we agreed.”

I stood up in anger.

He didn’t move a finger and simply looked up to meet my gaze.

Amanda didn’t stand up either.

“Why? You don’t need them. I will become a great mage and restore the name of the Waldemar family for you. They are just little girls who haven’t even passed the Elementary test yet. They are useless to you.”

“You’re wrong, Sillath. Women have other qualities than men. They are quite beautiful and will become perfect brides. The revival of our house will need alliances that I will seal with their marriage. Besides, do you think I would let girls with my blood in them reside with a traitor and his whore?”

I burned with hate and horror after hearing his cold words.

This man didn't care about anything besides his house and his name. He would let my sisters become prostitutes if it could serve his interests.

I wanted to scream in hate and indignation but I held back and simply fell on my knees.

“Please, grandfather. You don’t have to do this. You don’t need them. I will become the most powerful mage this Kingdom has ever seen. I will make sure the other houses kneel before you. Everyone will remember the greatness of the Waldemar house. I swear it on my name, so please, leave them alone.”

I begged him.

Again.

And again.

And again.

“Of course you will. It’s your duty as my grandson, just like it’s their duty to become brides and give birth to new members of the Waldemar family.”

“They are only four years old!”

“They will grow up. In less than ten years, they will start to bleed and will be able to bear children.”

“You can’t take other children from my mother. It will kill her.” I said in a desperate voice.

“I don’t care one bit about this whore.”

He stood up.

“I have heard enough, Sillath. You will do as I say, just like them. We’re leaving, go tell that to the coachman, Amanda.”

“Yes, master.”

Without giving me a single glance, she began to leave.

“How long will you stay on the ground like a beggar? Stand up.”

I didn’t move a finger.

I couldn’t.

“I told you to stand up Sillath.” Urged my grandfather with some anger on his old and tired face.

“I will grandfather.”

Still on my knees, I looked up to meet his eyes.

“I will if you promise me not to do this.”

“I already told you, I have heard enough Sillath. You will do as I say if you want your garbage of parents to live another day.”

“What’s the point? You will take their children away from them and let them continue living so that one day they could give you more children to kidnap. This isn’t a life I would wish for my worst enemy.”

“I’m your grandfather and you will obey me.” He raised his voice in outrage.

It was the first time I had ever seen him truly furious. From a distance, I noticed Amanda turning her head in our direction after hearing his sudden outburst.

“As you wish.”

I stood up without allowing my gaze to leave his.

I made my decision in a moment.

I knew it was the only way to protect them.

He turned heels and started to leave.

“You know grandfather…”

He turned back.

“… I swore that I will stop being a brute. I swore that I will never fight again and hurt other people for my own well being.”

“What are you talking about? You’re only nine years old and you’ve never fought.”

I continued without a care about his old eyes staring at me in confusion.

“However, it’s different if I fight to protect others.”

In an instant, I condensed my mana into my right hand.

*BAM*

I used my most powerful water spell to attack the man I hated so much.

He coughed a mouthful of blood before being projected a dozen feet away by the impact.

“MASTER!!!” Amanda screamed.

She rushed to his aid. She held his head as he continued to cough out blood.

“Why did you do that, Sillath!?”

“This man cares about nothing, but his name. He would allow my sisters to be raped if he could profit from it. He will destroy every person I have ever hold dear if I don't stop him now”

“I understand it must be difficult, but they will be happy as true members of the Waldemar house. They are a part of this family, even if they still don’t know about this. There is nothing you can do about it.”

I started to move forward as the woman I once probably loved desperately clung to the man I despised so much.

She was shedding tears for this man sake.

I finally understood.

It wasn’t wealth, honor or fame that made her want to train me.

It was out of love.

It was for the love of this man.

“You’re right, I can’t force him to not touch my family. If I had this power, I wouldn’t have to do that.”

“What do you intend to do?”

Her voice was full of worry and seemed to echo through the clearing as I heard the coachman shriek to his beasts leaving us three alone.

I looked at her then at him.

He stopped coughing out blood, but he didn’t try to get up. I must have broken some of his ribs with my previous attack.

A long silence followed.

My hair fluttered as it was brushed by the cold breeze. The feeling of the wind against my face was soothing. Under its influence, my thoughts began to calm down before I finally made my decision.

I turned to look at them square in the eyes before speaking again.

“I will destroy the Waldemar house.”

“Destroy? You mean that you will…”

My grandfather gave me a look of pure shock and worry as Amanda muttered those words.

“Yes. I will kill this man before his ambitions and madness devour my family.”

I followed this man's wish and trained bitterly for four years. All this in the hope of protecting my family.

However, he never cared about my wishes.

He never cared about my resolution, my feelings or his own promise.

In his eyes, we were just tools necessary to regain his honor and restore his noble house.

I finally opened my eyes.

I couldn’t run away. It wasn't possible to escape anymore.

It was time to crush this twisted reality.