Twenty-eighth day
God hasn’t answered my prayers. It was a very selfish wish, so it’s understandable.
But… The situation is so bad, that just thinking about it makes my chest hurt.
Unfortunately, the stories about Mister Zenon cutting people down… Were true.
He cut people being controlled by a monster armor beast, and has been telling other students that it was unavoidable in that urgent situation.
He is right, and he dulled his sword with magic energy, but he didn’t think about people dying from blood loss, and the other students are not as good as him at controlling their magic energy, which led to more casualties.
Considering the situation, he is not being charged with a crime, because he did not actively seek to kill people… But people’s impression of him could not be worse.
Basically, Mister Zenon gave other students instructions to kill people. There is no defending it.
The fact that Mister Yuugo took people down while making sure they were only unconscious, further pushes it in a bad direction.
A vicious boy who does not hesitate to kill others, and cares less about people than even the one called scum… Yes, that is how people see Mister Zenon, as they watch him from a distance.
People have also been telling me I should get away from him… It makes sense to feel afraid after seeing that sort of thing.
Just a week ago, Mister Zenon was being called a hero, and the ones who praised him like that flipped around so quickly.
Can people’s hearts really change that easily? I can’t believe it.
People are warning me to get away from him exactly like how they did with Miss Melt. Now I really understand how she felt when people told her to get away from Mister Yuugo because he was dangerous.
…But considering it was Mister Zenon who did that, I find it very ironic, and can’t say anything.
The whole reason why I became free, was because he won a duel against Mister Yuugo. His violence was allowed because he was strong, and displayed the power worthy of the successor of the Clay family, but that stopped being the case after Mister Zenon beat him.
And to protect the honor of the Clay name, which had fallen into the mud, Mister Yuugo’s father decided to disown him.
That led to our engagement being broken off, and me becoming free… In the end, that was what it was.
What is built by power alone, is destined to be destroyed by an even bigger power.
Mister Zenon took me away from Mister Yuugo by way of his power, and after losing to that monster armor beast, he can’t show off his power anymore.
That means I am probably going to lose my freedom, and go back to being treated as an ornament.
Actually, my father, who has been silently watching Mister Zenon to make sure he was the right one, has contacted me to order me to get away from him.
He told me to butter up to a student that has been getting stronger here in the academy, and is seen as a candidate to be a hero, and serve by his side.
Several people made contact after Mister Zenon lost his honor. They called me to join their groups to do assignments and quests until Mister Zenon got back on his feet…
I have been able to say no, using my father’s orders as an excuse. I haven’t repaid my debt to Mister Zenon yet, and I intend to stand by him until I do.
But… I know this stubbornness won’t hold forever.
If Mister Zenon can’t recover, and continues to mope… My father will decide he is not worthy of me being with him, and will start moving in earnest.
No, I’m sure he already is.
There is a good chance he is already contacting the eldest sons of noted families, or people hailed as prospective heroes.
All I can do is continue to try to encourage Mister Zenon. Just believe he will get it together, and continue to support him.
If he still can’t recover… Those days where I am treated like a trophy await me.
I’m sure this time the competition will be even more fierce than when I was taken from Mister Zenon.
After all, Mister Zenon established that precedent.
In the end… I was never free to begin with. I was happy when I was freed by Mister Zenon, but it was all make-believe.
I am a bird in a cage. A framed cage. I can’t go anywhere, or do anything.
I got to dream about freedom once, so now my heart has sunk into the darkest depths of despair.
Anyone. A noble, a hero, a demon, a destroyer, anyone.
Please get me out of this cage…!
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This girl is kinda pathetic tbh. She simply waits for things to happen and for someone to save her, but takes no action herself to do anything. Melt defeated a boss herself without Yuugo helping her. They both have equal opportunities but one simply chooses to stay in the cage
I wish to be the Devil’s advocate here
If I’m not mistaken, Melt comes from a commoner background while Claire comes from a notable Noble house.
There is a difference in their marriage expectations.
Claire experienced Learned Helplessness due to traditional roles expected of her station and presumed supporter healer vocation.
Melt instead does not, this enabling her to assume frontline fighting role in combat, hence capabilities to defend civilians and defeats monsters.
How is Claire supposed to conquer her family – and also all the political and armed forces of her family? Because short of that she does not have any options other than to become disowned (and the dishonor that comes with that) or to eventually submit to her family’s orders. What she wants – and thought she had in Zenon – is a middle-ground, where she could be herself, could follow her dreams (of healing others), and yet also have the approval of her family due to her suitor being strong enough (in politics and/or arms) to impress them.
And simply seeking to become disowned would not be a realistic solution either. She does not have the skills to live a life as a commoner. Likely soon after being disowned (if her family even allowed such) she would become a street begger – and probably soon after that she would be forced (by circumstances or by force) into pr*stituti*n in order to eat. She is intelligent enough to realize the futility of seeking this path, and so she seeks an acceptable (to her) path within her very limited (by society / culture) options.
Worse for her, she tasted freedom. For a short time she knew the feel of having what she most wanted – only to have it suddenly torn away. That makes returning to her prior situation all the more horrifying to her. If this were a darker series I would worry about su*c*de, but I am guessing something will happen that will save her. Best guess: she will be forced to leave Zenon and become engaged to another; she will have a breakdown (maybe publicly); and Yuugo will end up saving her – likely in a reverse of the original situation, by dueling whoever (with her family’s permission) had claimed her.
She’s going off the deep end.
You can easily say she is shallow but damn does it hit hard when people become disappointed in the image they have got of you.
Yuugo js someone who has been all of those and more
I’m afraid she’ll become a crab. I hope someone saves her before that comes into fruition. Maybe she could become the yellow ranger