Ash de Boren Cyllia POV

I clenched the measly piece of bread in my hands and ran as far as my legs could take me.

There was no need to look behind me.

I knew they were there.

Their footsteps rung louder than my own racing heartbeat.

I need this stolen food to survive.

If I'm caught, I'll be beaten.

Heh.

When I was little, my life was easy. Actually, I was the rich heir to the baron family, a noble family.

It was the easiest time of my life.

When I wanted something, I got my hands on it. If there was something I didn't want, it was disposed of.

I never hated my life or struggled to survive. Life was too easy.

So, I received retribution.

Even though we were technically the lowest noble class, we had a lot of power and money.

Jealous nobles took action to destroy my family. They burned my house and stole our family heirlooms.

But even after all of that, they didn't stop.

At the very end of the fiery sage, they killed my two parents.

They tried to kill me, of course, but they couldn't.

I ran away with my magic, stealth.

Unlike the other magic attributes, stealth affects the user's body.

Basically, I could walk through walls or objects.

No matter how hard they tried, they could never find me because I would always run away.

But no one thought that I would survive anyway even if I ran away free. Actually, my whole family was pronounced dead including me.

So who would believe a random kid in tattered clothes that they are the sole survivor?

No one.

In the end, a commoner family was framed for the whole ordeal and was executed.

As I think back to that day, I realized that I didn't care about my parents' lives as much as I should have. In fact, I think I was only caring about myself.

I do love my parents. I just cared about my life more than theirs.

Simple.

But now that they're gone, I would give anything to see them again. I'm pretty stupid, aren't I?

I only care about myself and it's always been this way.

I'm selfish.

Right now, I ran through the slums and turned the nearest corner I could see.

After turning the corner, I would use my magic to run through walls in order for it to seem like I disappeared.

No commoner would believe that a person stealing their bread would have magic. Only nobles have magic and they wouldn't steal food.

After I couldn't hear my pursuers anymore, I stopped running and deactivated my magic. My magic was limited, after all.

I charged through one last wall before stopping. But waiting for me on the other side of a brick wall was a man wearing expensive clothing.

The man's eyes widened when he saw me appear through the wall.

I froze.

It was a nobleman.

"What do we have here? Hey, boy, can you use magic?" the noble said with curiosity in his eyes.

Should I lie? No...lying could get me a death sentence.

"Y-yes...s-sir..." I answered as if I was a typical shy boy.

The only thing I wanted to do right now was to punch this noble in the gut and run away. But that would lead to immediate death...

"No need to be so polite! Please act freely. So, what attributes do you have?" the mister asked.

Hmm...this guy seems gullible.

"I-I have t-two...st-stealth a-and p-plant..." I answered with a fake stutter. Truthfully, I'm not the best actor ever, but he seems stupid, so it should be fine.

"So you have rare and mythical attributes?!" the man said shocked.

"Y-yes, s-sir."

"What about your MP?"

"I-I b-believe it is 1,670,450..."

I enjoyed watching his shocked face.

During my noble debut, I was hailed as a genius. However, everyone thinks I've died a year ago, so they don't care anymore.

"Hey, what's your name?"

"I-it's A-Ash..." I answered clumsily.

That not my real name! Ash!? That was my dog's name when I was rich!

...Oh, this is going to be embarrassing.

"Ash...Hey, will you do me a favor?" the man said seriously.

"H-huh? Sure..." I accepted without thinking.

"Will you become my son and the heir to the duke position? You have the magic for it and you're pretty educated for someone in the slums..." he said calmly.

Wait...WHAT?!

Does he not know that I am a street rat?! I steal food and survive on the dirt!

"I-I don't understand..." I said truthfully.

I don't think that this is allowed! Dukes are second only to the royal family! You just can't randomly find a kid on the streets and turn them into one!!!

"You see, my only daughter is being married off to the royal family and I have no son...So there is absolutely no one to inherit my power," he said.

Who cares?!

Can't he just snuggle up with his wife, do some magic, and pop out another baby?!?!?!

I don't see why I need to be adopted!

"B-but... couldn't you just...have a son?" I asked.

"My wife was imprisoned for poisoning my daughter and died about a month ago. So, I can't just make a baby..." he said with a slight smirk.

Does he enjoy the fact that his wife is dead?

Looks like this family has serious problems...

...But this is my chance!

"I-I'll b-be happy t-to help you, sir..." I said.

If I accept, I could escape the slums!

"Really?! The king will take care of everything. So please be at ease," he said with a happy smile.

Then, he invited me for a ride to his home. To be honest, I was a little suspicious but he seems like a good(?) guy.

On the carriage ride back, he kept talking about how precious his daughter is and how I'll have to protect her like a big brother. Strange.

When I saw their huge house, I was excited. This was going to be mine one day!

He talked to me in his office before asking a servant to escort his daughter.

I tried to guess what she would look like before she came. I bet she'll look like the noble girls that were at my debut: cakey makeup and shiny dresses.

This guy obviously spoils her...

If anything, I doubt that we'll ever speak to each other again after today.

I'll be treated like a piece of scum from the sewers...

But it's okay.

I've always been alone.

So, there will be no change...it just...stings...

Suddenly we heard three knocks and a small click when the door opened.

Then an angel walked in.

Literally.

She was literally an angel.

What the heck?!

This person was the nobleman's daughter, Cordelia?!

There was no trace of makeup on her and she was wearing pajamas. Perhaps she was in bed before this?

Humph.

Just because she's pretty doesn't mean she's nice.

We greeted each other awkwardly.

Then, she frowned. My heart dropped at the same time her smile dropped.

I bet she's thinking about how to destroy my life...

She begged her father to take me outside and he accepted.

As she dragged me along, I saw her contracted dragon on the way out. Her father was talking about the dragon for a long time in the carriage ride so I was only a little surprised.

She pulled me to the farthest place in her backyard at a sickeningly slow pace.

I bet she never ran before.

"U-umm...sorry for b-being a bo-bother...W-why am I h-here?" I asked her.

"You don't have to pretend around me," she told me when we stopped.

"H-huh? I don't know what y-you mean..."

Is it possible she knows my real personality?! No...that's impossible.

"Don't tell me that! I know you're lying!" she said loudly.

How did she know that I hate all of their guts?

"How did you know?" I asked loudly.

"I could just tell. You can't trick me like my father or my maids!" she said proudly for some reason.

"Humph. So what's a brat like you going to do now that you know? I bet you're just going to blackmail me or tell your father that I am unsuitable to be the Duke's heir," I angrily replied.

This girl could take my position away if she wanted. Now that she knows my personality, she is an extremely dangerous person.

"No way! I won't do that! What do you even think of me anyway?!" she yelled.

Even though she is pretty, her personality could say otherwise.

"I think that you are a spoiled noble that won't be able to understand me no matter how hard you try!" I yelled.

"I'm not spoiled! If anything, you are a pretty big brat yourself!"

"That's not true! Just shut up and let me peacefully become the heir!"

"It's too late for that now! Whether you like it or not, you're going to be my older brother!"

"I don't want to!"

"No! You're going to be the perfect brother!"

"Huh?"

"You're going to be my perfect older brother!"

"Wait...What?"

Does she want me to be her older brother?

"...I said...YOU'RE GONNA BE MY PERFECT OLDER BROTHER!"

"...?"

Now, I was confused. Does she actually want me to be a part of her family? Impossible.

"Wouldn't you want me to become your personal plaything? You could blackmail me to become your slave...I have little choice to-" I tried to explain before she interrupted.

"Why the heck would I want that?! It sounds like too much work and not a lot of fun," she answered cheerfully with a small giggle.

"Huh?"

"I think you are pretty dumb," she said in a matter-of-fact tone.

I am not stupid...Does she even understand how much I went through?

"...I'm not dumb. You don't know anything about me and yet you keep acting as if you do! So shut up and leave me alone!" I yelled.

I ran away from her.

Deep down, I realized I was acting immature. But I don't care.

This girl acts as if she knows exactly who I am.

Who does she think she is?!

But...if she tells her father, no doubt that I would be jailed for insulting a noble.

I debated my options. It would be best not to go back to the house. So, I looked around the garden to find a place to go.

Then, I realized that the whole place was surrounded by a thick forest.

Perfect.

It was better to get away as soon as I could. If I was caught...I don't know what would happen...

After sprinting for a while, I made it deep in the forest. But just in case, I ran some more.

About an hour passed since I ran.

Heh.

All I have to do now is to steal food and find my way to survive. As I was planning out the rest of my life, I heard some growls in the bushes.

I quickly froze.

Out came a pack of forest wolves. Each bared their fangs and prepared to hunt their prey, me.

Shoot.

I wasn't almost out of magic...but that doesn't mean that I'm not in danger.

My magic has one flaw.

I can walk through walls, boulders, trees and more, but I can't fall through the ground or walk through living things.

Meaning, if the wolves catch me, I'm dead.

I stumbled backward and ran as fast as I could, but wolves are fast creatures and I'm only a kid.

In my panic, I tripped and fell, which earned me a few scratches on my palms and knees.

This definitely the end.

If you remember, I have two types of magic: stealth and plant.

Stealth can't help me now and neither can plant magic.

Plant magic allows me to grow any type of vegetation I can imagine, but I never learned how to use it.

I don't want to die!

...I shouldn't have run away...

I watched as one of the beasts readied to attack.

But, my eyesight was completely blocked by a cute little girl.

She had an adorable worried face on as she covered my eyes and ears.

Huh.

Her face was kind of cute and her hands are soft...

Shoot.

What am I thinking?!?!

There's no way that I will care about this stupid brat!

...This is probably some sort of suspension bridge effect...

I'll admit that the brat's hands were soft and comfortable, but that's it.

After a while passed, she finally let go of my face and smiled.

That's not fair!

Why does she have to smile the moment I can see again?!

...Stupid sneak attacks...

I nearly blushed but I stopped myself in time.

I DON'T LIKE THIS STUPID BRAT!

"Hey, are you okay?" she asked me seriously.

"Y-yeah...Who?" I said while pointing to that scary looking guy behind her.

To be honest, I wanted to say that smoother but...apparently I was more scared than I thought.

"That's uh...one of my good friends!" she answered with a slight stutter. She couldn't even properly look me in the eye.

She's terrible at lying...

Whoever that guy is, he better not be laying a hand on my sister...

STOP!

I don't like this kid!

As I was lost in my thoughts, something strange happened.

Everything went dark.

I couldn't see or hear.

It felt comfortable though. It's like I'm sleeping, but I'm fully aware of my thoughts.

Weird...

Suddenly, it ended and I was able to see and hear again.

...But I still couldn't move.

Why?!

Now, I could see and hear, but my limbs were not moving. I wanted the brat to help, but then I realized something.

She was being chased by a giant beast.

It charged at her, but she jumped out of its way.

Wait.

I nearly wanted to throw up. Her leg was twisted horribly. There was a look of anguish on her face that hurt my heart.

I wanted to yell at her to get out of the way. Why was she still here!?

I'm already basically dead since I can't move and the other guy she brought with her seems unkillable anyway.

If only I could move!

For some reason, she didn't seem to be in as much pain as she should have been. Was the injury so bad that she couldn't feel any pain?

She dropped the knife that was gripped in her hand.

WHAT IS THIS IDIOT DOING!?

If I wasn't frozen, I would have walked over and slapped her.

She just stood there quietly with her eyes closed.

Was she trying to use magic?

She whispered, "Freeze."

To be honest, I thought it wouldn't work, but...the air got noticeably colder.

However, she didn't realize it after she opened her eyes.

The beast began to charge again.

RUN YOU IDIOT!

The beast charged again straight at her. This time, she picked up the knife and threw it at the monster.

I didn't expect much, but the knife landed squarely in the beast's eye.

Huh.

Miracles do happen.

The girl celebrated...until the beast stood up again...

RUN!!!!

"Ace! Ace! Please help! Ash! Wake up! Please!" she yelled in a scared voice.

Why can't I help this brat?! What type of loser am I?!

Suddenly, I was able to flail one of my arms.

I can move!!!

"Cordelia! Are you okay?!" I yelled.

Pfft. Who was I kidding? She was definitely not okay.

She turned to look at me and she widened her eyes in disbelief.

What...?!

I turned to see the beast look at me and slowly begin to charge.

Oh...I messed up.

The monster ran at me while baring its fangs. At this point, time seemed to move in slow motion and my life flashed before my eyes.

Heh.

My life was the worst...

I closed my eyes and braced for impact...but it never came.

"CORDELIA!" screamed the boy that Cordelia brought along.

Huh?

I opened my eyes to see her arm being ripped apart and a small smile on her face as she fell to the ground.

No...

"CORDELIA, NO!!" the other guy and I yelled.

In the corner of my eye, I could see Cordelia's "friend" become enraged.

His bright green eyes changed color to red.

What happened after that was...it...it was...

Everything...it...it was...all so...

Bloody.

The monster was ripped apart to shreds...its dead body wasn't spared either.

After obliterating the monster, he disintegrated the remains and yelled loudly in rage.

My description of everything is laughable. What that guy did was much worse than anything I could've described...

When he was done, he carried her back.

At first, I was scared to let the guy carry Cordelia since he was scary, but...it seems that this guy does care for her...

When we got back, the guy disappeared and I never found him again.

Cordelia's father, on the other hand, went crazy and called dozens of healers and mages to save her.

Her father shook his head after a day passed.

"She's in a coma...She can die at any time..."

Huh?! What the heck does that mean?!

Are you guys going to screw around like this?!

What the heck are those stupid healers doing?!

What do you mean that she might die!?

When will she wake up!?

My throat was dry as I saw her in her bed.

Why am I so weak? Is it because I am a kid? Or is it because I am selfish?

If she wakes up, I'll never let her go...

...But that doesn't mean that I'll fall in love with her.

I'll never fall in love with this kid...

Definitely...

...Maybe.

So...please...wake up...

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A/N: Sorry if you guys wanted to know if Cordelia was alive or not! You'll have to wait another week to find out~

By the way, THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR 1,000 VOTES!



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Word Count: 3053