Volume 2 Chapter 20: Extra Story 1: Wish on a Star

Extra Story 1: Wish on a Star

Within the dark, da~rk darkness, where there is no end in sight......however, on the path that is leading to a certain death , you appeared like a silver winged angel.

「If that's what Carla wish for, I'll kill you.」

「......Aa, how lovely. If I'm going to die one day, then I want to die from being killed by Aria.」

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The house of Count Lester is a famous house of sorcerer that has existed since the era of the old Claydale Kingdom until now.

Mother told my big brothers and me that our father, and grandfather, and even great grandfather were all the head of the royal sorcerers of Claydale Kingdom. She raised us while telling us all the time to become a splendid noble and sorcerer.

I who was born as the youngest daughter of that count house──Carla Lester had been imposed with sorcery training together with my three big brothers since I became old enough to be aware of my surrounding.

My father was strict but elegant. My mother was pretty and graceful. My big brothers were overflowing with talents......however, I wasn't as talented as my brothers. Even after turning three years old I could only make a small fire.

But, my brothers were kind. A lot of the servants in the mansion also consoled a failure like me.

Father and mother were also strict, but brothers and the servants consoled me saying that it was because they had high expectation from me, so I was able to endure the strict training.

But, I was wrong. Everyone's kindness didn't have that kind of meaning.

「Carla......I'm going to give you an operation.」

Father suddenly said that and began using me for various experiments.

I was made to drink various medicines that were created with alchemy. There were even magical seals applied on my scalp and organ that weren't visible from outside. In that state, the servants who were father's disciples showered me with magic power as a sorcery training. When I was at the death's door, I was healed so I at least didn't die under the name of light sorcery experiment.

Even among all those, father's main interest was to find out what would happen to a human who obtained all elements.

I desperately grappled with that training. As my magic power continued to increase day by day, no matter how painful, sad, and difficult it was, I desperately clung on my believe that my family still loved me.

As the result, I obtained all elements of sorcery when I was four years old. Father smiled slightly at that experiment result but, he was also disappointed at the same time.

Because in exchange of obtaining all elements, my body was in a state where it was unclear whether I would be able to stay alive until I became adult. With that I also wouldn't be able to be used as bargaining chip for marrying to other house and obtained political connection between nobles.

「Hmph, so you are useless now, Carla. Even so that's fine, the experiment is over. Even if you can't have any child, I've decided to send you to the royal family as the crown prince's fiancée to form a connection with them. Your last role is to survive until the crown prince's other fiancée can give birth to his child at the very least. Don't disappoint me anymore than this.」

「......yes」

Everything, was wrong. Everything that I felt was just make-believe.

Father wasn't someone with strict personality. He simply held no interest to anything else than sorcery and the prestigious Lester House.

As I turned into someone who often slept in bed due to my broken body, with my skin turning horrible and dark circles forming around my eyes like sick person, mother would scowl when she saw me as though she was looking at something ugly. She stopped giving me a hug anymore. Mother only wanted talented and pretty child as the head of royal sorcerers, to be an accessory to decorate herself.

Inside the painful and difficult agony that wouldn't heal where I was only ordered to live, I only sought how to die comfortably and ended up shutting myself inside the mansion's library.

Inside the library of an ancient house like Lester, there were thousands of books regarding sorcery. Although I was seeking death, I immersed myself in reading all kind of book to avert my eyes from the approaching death.

Father's disciples, the servants stopped showing smile to me after I lost my worth. They only continued to give me food to me who was shutting myself in the library as though they were just taking care of livestock.

And then after almost a year passed since I shut myself in the library.......

.

「Yo, Carla. You're really in this kind of place huh.」

「......Bro......ther?」

A hoarse voice came out from my lips that had almost forgotten of how to talk. It had been so long since I last met my eldest brother. The servants gossiped that he was in his last year in the sorcery academy that was attended by the noble youths and that he was the most talented person there.

「Bro......the」

*Slap......*

My hand that reached out toward my kind brother was heartlessly slapped away by his hand.

「Can you please not touch me with that dirty hand? You look ugly. Even an orphan from slum still has a better look than you.」

「W......hy?」

「Are you confused? This is only natural for us though. We can't gauge our own talent if there isn't a failure like you among us siblings right?」

The kindness of her brothers wasn't genuine from the start. But, did he intentionally come here just to say that to his dying sister?

「Father said to keep you alive but, even if you're going to die sooner or later, you will be at the crown prince's side as I become the head of royal sorcerers during his generation. I can't possibly bear lowering my head to the like of you....... And so, I'm thinking to make you Carla as my sorcery's practice target. That will be your final role.」

「............ah」

In that moment──"something" inside me completely broke.

There was nobody who loved me in the family that I loved. Something like that didn't exist from the start.

That's right. It was written in that book. It was also written in that book. Several books called banned books that were in that hidden shelves also had that written in them.

This world, was just an ugly and horrible place.

At that time, the 『human Carla』 inside me died.

「I was able to learn level 3 sorcery even before turning adult. The teachers said that it has been dozens of years since there was such brilliant achievement but, it's only natural. After all I'm the eldest son of Lester House, the family that is famed for its sorcery. Father might be angry if I kill you Carla but, surely I'll be forgiven if I tell him how indispensable someone talented like me is. Now, look, this is my sorce──」

Brother pointed his hand at me and started chanting his sorcery. Fire Javelin──it was a level 3 fire sorcery that could kill human easily. But──

「──What-!?」

The Fire Javelin that brother shot was stopped by the magic power that was released from my hand.

Why......? Is that it? Why can you only form this kind of shoddy sorcery structure?

Even though everything has been explained in the writing of the books. Even though you should understand everything after experiencing the sorcery with your body.

The pain of burning skin. The anguish of being chilled to the bone. Sloppy healing that is accompanied with intense pain.......

The terror of your own body breaking.

The despair of your loved ones brushing away your hand.

Even though you can understand everything if you get hit by sorcery yourself.......

Just what have you been studying until now brother......?

Even though breaking someone is as easy as flipping a book.

Even though the banned books contained a lot of sorceries solely to torture and kill human.

Aa......my lazy and adorable brother. I love you even with how pathetic you are.

It must be painful for someone pretty like you to live in a world this ugly and filthy right?

I'll teach you the "lesson" that I received, just for a bit.

「──Fire Javelin──」

「Hih, GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!?」

The Fire Javelin that I fired without chanting swallowed brother's fire sorcery. Brother was turned into a living torch.

「I'm sorry brother. It's my first time, so I can't adjust my strength.」

To burn alive like this, it must be really painful. I held back because I don't want to destroy this precious library, but I couldn't do it well.

「But, you're also in the wrong brother. It was so adorable how you chanted choppily like that. It made me unconsciously worked up. Please forgive this unskilled sister of yours.」

Brother has been burned until his lungs and he can't make any voice anymore as he writhed around. I watched him with a warm smile.

「What are you doing? You will burn to death if you don't cover your whole body with magic power you know? If you can't make any voice, you will feel nothing but pain unless you use sorcery without chanting you know? Even this talentless little sister of yours can do them, so my talented must be able to do better......I wonder if you can't hear me anymore?」

Even though I only burned him slowly without rushing, what a hopeless brother. I kept watching over brother while smiling until he can't move anymore. Then I stepped down on his head that has become ash.

「Then, fare thee well, brother. I want to become your sister again in the next life. Let's have a continuation of today at that time. Surely it will be fun.」

Right after I muttered that......I wonder if they heard brother's voice. I heard multiple footsteps running toward this library.

*Bam!*

「What's going on-!?」

「Corpse!? This shoes!」

「Young master!? You, did this-!」

To be able to identify the corpse from the remaining ankle, what capable servants. But, it's a minus point for calling your master's daughter 'you' rudely like that.

「──Dust Stone Shot──」

I created two compositions inside my head at the same time and fired them. I blocked their sight for an instant and then smashed the servants' heads with stone bullets as they stopped moving.

「It's great isn't it? With this, father won't scold you anymore no matter how bad of a servant all of you are.」

I'm glad their blood doesn't touch the books. I picked up my scorched brother and got out to the blood soaked corridor. Then I began to look for mother and my other brothers who should be in this mansion.

「──Guillotine──」

There isn't any change to the outside of the library even though it's my first time coming out after so long. Even so the scenery that I can see is different since I started growing from magic power.

「Or perhaps, the world is looking a bit bright because I have changed? You are also thinking the same right?」

I asked so to the servant who is only a head now after he attacked me when we bumped with each other.

But, even though I'm taking the trouble to meet with mother, I'm dirtied with soot and blood right now because of brother and this servant.

Even though I had cleaned myself with Clean because I was dirty, what am I going to do now? No, her daughter had gone through the trouble to go meet her while bringing some toys, so surely I'll be forgiven.

「Now, let's go, brother.」

I started walking through the corridor again after talking to brother and the servant's head.

And then I arrived at the courtyard while carrying brother and the servant like flower bouquet. Mother who was enjoying tea at the gazebo let out a shrill voice seeing her daughter that she hasn't met for so long.

「Y-you-」

It's a nice timing. My two brothers are also there. My youngest big brother is cute like a girl, so he is mother's favorite. But, youngest big brother? It's really pitiful for oldest big brother and the servant that you're looking pale just from this much. I think mother will also feel sad if you look like that.

That's why──

「──Ice Lance──」

「──Gih」

The face of youngest big brother is gone due to the ice lance. Seeing brother losing his head, mother and middle big brother froze in a strange posture. Do you want me to lend the head of this servant in its place? I won't mind.

And then, mother looked down on the head with a stiff movement like a doll. The next moment, she let out an improper scream that echoed through the mansion.

.

「My, father, welcome back.」

「......Carla, you-」

Someone among the servants must have notified father. Father who only went home once every three days rushed home in panic.

That father, he looked toward mother whose complexion is so bad, even worse than me......or not, perhaps it's only about the same? He looked toward mother who is leaning on a chair and middle big brother who is nursing her with a pale face. Then father glared at me strongly.

Middle big brother finally can glare at me with father's return here, but he stiffly averted his gaze when I smiled at him. Oldest big brother is gone now, so middle big brother will be the next head now. You're happy right? You can become the only son of our beloved mother, so it should be fine even if you rejoice more......perhaps he is a shy person? This is a new discovery.

「Carla......why, did you do something like this?」

「My, father. Even though you are the one who raised me to be like this. Fufu.」

I laughed elegantly while covering my mouth with my hand just like a lady, but father's complexion turned dark red in fury.

「You-」

「Is it alright?」

I called out like that when I felt magic power gathering in father's hand.

「......What?」

「If father is going to dispose me here, I'll kill brother first.」

Killing brother before father killing me first is possible you know? The half unconscious mother opened her eyes wide when I said something with such meaning. Brother's complexion also changed to ashen color splendidly.

「Father want to marry me to the crown prince as your pawn right? Are you going to restart from zero again after losing your pawn and heir at the same time here?」

「......What do you want?」

Father's face turned utterly red from my words. He is gritting his teeth so hard they might break, even so he spoke with a growl.

「For now, can you allow me to do as I please? Don't worry. I swear that I'll properly marry the crown prince and carry out my duty as a noble lady splendidly.」

「Where did you obtain the knowledge for that?」

「What are you saying......? Obviously it was from "studying". The only good point of someone talentless like me is my diligence.」

After all I properly learned after I studied so hard like I'm going to die, literally.

「......Do as you please.」

「My, how delightful.」

Father loved Lester House and keeping appearance in the society. I thought that he would definitely agree. He is wearing a very heavy frown but, I wore a heartfelt smile from the bottom of my heart, thinking that it will give father solace.

Now then.......

「I want to take a bath. Someone」

After I said that and looked around, the pale looking servants simultaneously stepped back. Now there isn't any servant who acted rebelliously but, how rude of them......how can they look at me like looking at a bloodthirsty killer. They should be able to make a small joke at least.

「Milady Carla. I'll prepare the bath for you.」

Then one old butler stepped forward from among them.

If I remember right......he is the steward Joseph I think? I remember him. Among the servants, he was the only one who ever urged me to return to my room and eat.

Joseph who doesn't have long to live must be trying to take the place of the other servants as a sacrifice, but with how pale he looked, even his short remaining life will decrease even further. But, it's fine. Because I think I'll be the one to die earlier than him anyway.

「Show me the way, Joseph. Also I don't care about their background, just gather some usable servants for me. Train them well beforehand okay?」

「......Very well.」

I followed behind Joseph and left that place while the gazes of everyone who is trembling in fear and father who kept standing still stabbed my back.

I need to become stronger....... If father, a rank 5 sorcerer seriously think to remove me, I'll die for real. Dying is my wish but, I can't die without killing father first.

I'll kill my family, the servants, and everyone involved with Lester House.

Especially father. I need to have him die in the middle of despair from seeing his very important Lester House vanishing and gone.

I'll die. There is no changing that. But, those who toyed with my life, my beloved family, and this Claydale Kingdom that approved it, I'll have them accompany me in death.

Aa......I can't wait. I wonder how many people I can kill before I die. If possible I want to slaughter the whole country including all the people in it but, what should I do so I can do that I wonder?

But......if possible, I don't want to die by anyone's hand.

Especially by some disgusting fellow who tried to kill me in the name of justice or whatever. I absolutely don't want to be killed by someone like that.

That's why as I lie down on my tidy bed that is giving off the smell of death, I made a wish to the star, praying so that my prince will appear.

「I wish, that one day, someone lovely will kill me......」

Believing that someone will surely stop the insane me.......

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Three years after that......I carried out the minimum amount of responsibility as noble lady while continuing to dive into the large scale dungeon possessed by the royal family in Lester territory.

I can't dive until deep floor because I can't party with anyone, even so my way of using sorcery has improved remarkably. It will be a bit easier if I can become rank 4 but, it's difficult with my eight years old body even though it has grown from magic power.

I'm diving into dungeon partly because I want to meet the dungeon spirit that is said to be able to grant a wish at the lowest floor. Perhaps the spirit can even change my fate.......

I had also met this country's crown prince, my fiancée, but he was a really cute person. To think that a boy whose head is filled with flower field like that will be the next king, it's like playing house. Compared to someone like that, the princess who has the same age like me is still going to be better as the king.

Even so, the chance of being able to dirty such cute prince terribly in the future gave me an incentive to keep living from here on too, just for a bit.

Even so, he isn't my "prince".

Because someone like him won't be able to stop me no matter what.

One day for sure. The prince only for me that I wished to the star will surely appear.

At that time, with the burning capital as the stage, we will kill each other.

Surely my prince will appear.

Surely.......

And then......at the adventurer guild that I visited in a whim, I encountered my destined one.

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「Hey, how about I show you around inside the dungeon?」