Chapter 31: Asterion Blackwood.

Chapter 31: Asterion Blackwood.

Southern Helia.

Yosen Magic Affiliated Academy.

"Hello Shane Creed. My name is Asterion Blackwood, pleased to meet you."

Standing in front of the golden-eyed male was the heir of the Blackwood, who extended his hands towards the golden-eyed male.

Some time back. After approaching Damian.

Damian had brought him over to Shane.

The day had passed quickly. And for the third child—

Today was peaceful. Too peaceful even.

The terminator—as he'd call her—wasn't in school today, and other than the normal training, nothing much had happened.

Obviously, as the class representative, he was in charge; however, the extra duties that came with helping his instructor out weren't there.

'Ahh… I want to quickly return home~~~.'

There was no serious reason.

Shane had always been the geek type. In fact, there was one thing Shane loved more than anything.

That is a Gundam!

Having watched certain shows, Shane had begun to love the idea of a Gundam.

But according to the male.

"Obviously, the technology is available, but those damn people are just doing as they like. What a waste!"

Having studied the current world's technology, along with absorbing other knowledge available, Shane had come to see how disparaging this was.

'A world without mecha should as well be a dead world.'

He would lament at times.

Naturally, his laments would just be passed off as a phase when it came to his brother.

However!

With the research materials he had stolen… ahem, well, acquired from the camp, along with the device they had taken under the Affiliates noses.

Shane now had a chance of broadening his research.

Having studied throughout the entire night, Shane is now able to use other magic types.

Especially the ones that belonged to the "Otherside."

'Of course. I can't use Phantasmal Magic or Blood Creation; however, if I think of it, Damian's [Material Creation] is similar to [Iron Forge] of the Celestials.'

'However, the principle of creating steel is almost the same but its obviously different.'

Classes were now over, and he had rallied with Kaiden and Lucas.

They always waited for Enma and Damian like this and then would always head home together like that.

Anyways, having rendezvoused with his brothers, he had found himself lost in his own world when.

"Shane, you have a guest."

The approaching Damian had suddenly brought another person into the class they were waiting at.

The person walked forward towards him, standing in front of him as they introduced themself with a stretched hand.

"Hello Shane Creed. My name is Asterion Blackwood, pleased to meet you."

"Blackwood… that is—"

Shane paused, looking at his outstretched hands before looking at the male.

Then, with a subtle nod, he shook the male's hand.

"You may already know me, but I'm Shane. Pleased to meet you too."

Having done that, Asterion had let out a smile.

"Would you like to follow me somewhere, I promise not to take too much of your time."

Then came a sudden request from him.

Shane had looked over to Damian, Kaiden, and Lucas, who looked at him back.

Then, they averted their gaze as if they hadn't been listening in on their conversation.

"Alright."

Eventually, Shane nodded.

Perhaps it was because of his "Blackwood" name, or perhaps because of another reason entirely.

But that didn't matter.

Like that, Asterion had taken him up the stairs, towards the roof where they now stood.

"It's nice, isn't it? The wind is up here."

Asterion said that, moving up to the guardrails, he looked down as the cool breeze blew.

"..."

Shane didn't reply. However, doing this made Asterion laugh lightly.

"Forgive me, I was just curious about the student my elder sis took a fancy to."

"...You speak as though I am a thing with the instructor."

Asterion blinked, then his lips slowly parted.

"Of course not. You may not know it, but that woman fancies you."

"Sure, if you call pushing all her work onto me, then you can say that."

Once again, Asterion burst into laughter.

However—

"What happened during the exercise? Was that the reason why she didn't come today? I'd assumed the board would have used this as an excuse. What was it, probation or some sort?"

"Whoa, you're even as scary as she says."

Yet, hearing that didn't seem like what Shane wanted to hear, evident by the unamused expression on his face.

"You're right. Once more, the great almighty boards have decided to blame Sis. However, the plan, it was yours, right?"

By the plan, he was referring to the plan Shane had come up with back then.

And hearing that, Shane didn't back down but simply nodded.

"Yes. Do you have any problem with it? I see… If so, feel free to hit me."

Shane had assumed that.

After all, in the end, it was his plan that led to this consequence.

Of course not everybody would be calm if they heard their children were forced to face a horde of monsters.

Hence, he'd assumed Asterion would have had it for him.

"Haah. What do you take me for…? If anything, I'm thankful to you. Thanks to you, she didn't have to face that all on her own."

"So, you also assumed the worst?"

"I know… I shouldn't have thought about it. But I couldn't help it. With Sis's condition, I don't see her surviving that long."

Asterion ruffled his hair, pulling it back as Shane saw the evident frustration on his face.

"Why? Why does it have to be, sis? Just what has she done?"

Shane, however, when hearing that, tilted his gaze away.

He imagined it must have been worse for Asterion.

From the way he spoke, it was obvious he cared for Celeste; however, with the way other people treated her, he was sure of this.

"Even in the Blackwood family, is Instructor being ostracised?"

Shane had asked that, prompting Asterion to look straight at Shane.

His hands had momentarily paused as he stared at the male in front of him with a half-opened mouth.

Then slowly, Asterion began to regain his cool.

"Haha… My expression gave it out, no?"

Shane nodded.

"Then, tell me, Shane, do you like my sis?"

"What are you doing? Trying to matchmake us or something? Tough luck with that—"

"No, no, it's not that. I'm just asking if you like her as a person."

Once again silence fell.

Shane felt the tiniest bit of embarrassment as his mouth hung open.

But quickly clearing his throat.

"Ahem. I wouldn't say I dislike her. At the very least, I wouldn't act toward her like others do, so rest assured."

'He dodged the question, huh? So… that's the type of person you are, huh, Shane?'

That answer was satisfactory; at the same time, it was not.

But for now. That answer will do.

"Your right, Shane."

Asterion suddenly looked upwards.

"Sis is being ostracised. She has been kicked out of the Blackwood, albeit not formally. Sis herself left the house. It was unbearable for her."

Mana deficiency.

Or so it was called.

Back then. When Celeste had risen up the ranks, becoming one of the few youngest Enlightened-Above individuals.

As such, a dungeon raid had been designated for her team back then.

Should Celeste and her team clear it, there was no doubt the Blackwood family would have risen in fame.

The entire Blackwood family was counting on this.

After all, they hadn't had any powerful Awakened come from their family in years.

And as a result of this, their power was slowly dwindling.

With this raid.

Not only would the Blackwood name be renowned, but people would also want her to join larger factions, which would in turn boost their name.

Organisations like Entropy and Clandestine would notice them.

Yet.

"The raid failed. A monster who was not supposed to be there… appeared."

One at the upper ranks of the Enlightened-Above.

One close to the levels that would be no doubt called a True Awakened.

Such was the monster they had faced.

Having to choose between fame and her life. Celeste chose to flee.

It wasn't a stupid decision in any way.

If anything, that was the BEST and optimal situation. To run.

However, that was a beast, you know.

Some of them couldn't run due to the overwhelming despair in front of them.

"Then, in order to save them, Sis decided to face the monster on her own to buy her teammates time to flee."

She decided to face that monster alone. Battling it right there.

"In the midst of the battle awakened the Black Flames right there. I'm sure you must have seen it that day, no?"

"Yeah."

During the climax of the battle in camp. Against those monsters, Celeste had unleashed those flames as the final attack.

"Heh. But it was no doubt that it was thanks to that power she won that fight."

However, such a power was not to be awakened at that stage.

To pay the price, such limits were imposed on her in the form of mana deficiency.

"She would never, in her life, reach the heights of a True Awakened, an ascendant." 

"Yet, our family cared more about their name than their daughter, disgusting!"

Blackwood said as he slammed his fist against the guardrail.

Extreme silence befalls Shane.

He could imagine the rest.

No wonder she was called a failure.

However, by no means was Celeste a failure.

"Instructor is by no means a failure. Mana deficiency. It's not something that can be easily solved with the drugs she takes. In fact, such a thing shouldn't even work in the first place."

Saying that, Shane had turned his back against Asterion, walking towards the door.

"It's like the instructor herself is battling her deficiency."

"Such a woman like that, I like very much."

As he said that, Shane tilted his head a little, enough for Asterion to see that smile on his face as Shane took off slowly.

Asterion who was left here, blinked a couple of times with a bewildered expression on his face.

Then, slowly, he burst into laughter.

"Hahahahaha!"

He kept his hand on his head as he let out a wry laugh.

"Shane Creed, huh? What an interesting student you have, no? He acknowledges you, just like me…"

His voice trailed off as he stared into the evening sky, with a satisfied expression on his face.