Chapter 30. The Cause

It was ironic that despite his death, we didn't have time to mourn for him. Both of us stood up in search of her mother.

And we found her… crushed under the wooden rubble that fell from the roof because of fire.

"Aunty…"

I couldn't believe that the funny aunty whom I talked to everyday died so suddenly.

"N-no, it can't be true! That's right, there is no way mom and dad are dead, right?"

She looked towards me with hollow eyes, and I couldn't say anything in return.

"Miria…"

I couldn't find any words to console her. I went and grabbed her, and hugged her as tight as I could.

And soon instead of those hollow eyes appeared tear filled eyes, and she roared with sadness holding me tightly.

"K-Kurt…"

"Don't worry. I am here."

My words made her grip on me to be more tight and after that she went on crying inside the burning house of her memories.

—

Her eyes were swollen due to excessive crying, but at least she is a bit sane at the moment.

"Let's take mom and dad out of the house. I don't want them to burn in this house."

"Alright."

I know that she said those words with a lot of courage. And I will support it.

I grabbed her hand and Miria grabbed it in return. 

It was my way to tell her that I am with her, and her way to reply that she knows it.

Both of us carried both of their dead bodies, and came out of safety with no injuries. My magic was out of juice, but still it wasn't a problem.

And we emerged, making the gatherers surprised to come unscathed from inside. But still all of them looked at us and the bodies behind us.

"Her parents are dead."

"They were really nice. I remember them helping me once."

The gossip went on, showing pity on me and her, but one comment out of them caught my attention.

"So, what if they were nice? This is what happens if someone defies a noble! Don't tell me, do you also want to become like that?"

'Noble… What is he talking about?

And his one comment made the murmurs about noble come out one after one like falling dominos.

"I don't want to become like that."

"Yeah… Who told her to hit the nobles like that!"

"They didn't even spare and burned them alive. Never mess with a noble!"

I couldn't understand anything about it, but Miria's eyes widened in response. And I understood that she knew something about it.

She fell down on her knees with tears forming around her eyes despite all that cries, yet I was still away from comprehending it.

So, I grabbed her by her shoulders and shook her asking about it.

"What are they talking about Miria? Tell me, Miria!"

"I-It's all because of me."

All I could hear were her vague words blaming herself and crying with it.

"Mom and dad died because of me! I shouldn't have… I shouldn't have attacked that noble!"

"Noble… Miria, don't tell me…"

And a jolt passed through me, and finally I joined all the pieces together.

Propose, Noble, Attack…

All of them joined in with me and I finally understood the gist of it. The clichest story that could happen has happened in her life.

Miria was proposed by a certain noble, but naturally she refused it. But the noble was pretty persistent, and used force to coerce her. And in return, she also used force and gave a beating to that noble.

But she didn't think that her action would bring bigger consequences. That noble went on and used his power to burn down this house, leaving both of her parents alive to show her his superiority, his dominance - He showed her and the rest the consequence of messing with a noble.

The nobles in Earlshide are mild and normal, so it didn't come to my mind. But I am in the Bluesphere and the nobles are the people's greatest enemy in this nation.

'I overlooked it. If I thought a bit more…'

I let myself get carried away and forgot that I need to be cautious about everything.

In the midst of me reflecting myself, a sound of wheels came towards the house. It was a carriage made up of exquisite elements, and being a noble myself I knew that it is a noble's carriage.

"Oh… It has burned very beautifully."

The door opened, and from within came out a man, ugly and fat but his clothings suggested that he is not one to be judged by his looks.

"The noble is here!"

"Is he here to punish us as well?"

And then I understood that he is the noble, the bringer of that fire.

"You!!"

Miria looked at him with unexplainable hatred, and was about to dash and tear him into pieces but I grabbed her and stopped before it could escalate.

"Woah… Sure, she is furious. But you understand, right? If you obeyed me, then this wouldn't have happened! Hahaha!"

And he laughed in front of her, making her feel that it was her fault for disobeying a noble.

"Is it really my fault? If I agree to it… they are mom and dad…"

Even I could see her crushed by her guilt, and despite being a villain it couldn't be seen by me.

'If I fight here then…'

I knew the consequences that might occur because of my actions, but still I stepped up to do it.

'It's all because of that promise.'

I remembered his words, her father's words to take care of her.

'Even the devil keeps promises, and as a villain how can I ignore it?'

I stepped forward, and stood in between the sight of Miria and the fat noble.

"Kurt…"

"Don't worry, I will take care of it."

Patting her head, I turned my attention towards the noble who looked at me with quite an arrogant gaze.

'What does he have that confidence? Is it because he is noble?'

"Who are you, kid?"

"Kid? Oh, I still look like that. I completely forgot about that."

In the end, I still haven't reached even ten years of age. No wonder, he called me a kid but…

"But it seems you don't know the latest news, Mr. Noble."

"Latest news?"

"Yeah. It's that I, Kurt, don't like it when someone calls me a kid."

And with a streak of white light, I appeared behind him with my new mana saber.

"Wha—"

And the noble's head was sliced in one clean strike, and it fell down even before he himself could know it.

"And anyone who called me a kid don't exist."

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