Residence—Count Alexander family.

“Nathaniel Alexander. Do you know why I called you here today?”

It was a cold winter night. The family had just finished dinner and returned to their own courters. Nate was seated in a chair in his father’s office. He was ordered to come here immediately after dinner was done.

Cold red eyes stared down at him in the darkness of the room.

“I…disgraced this family…” Nate lowered his head.

“Specifically, how did you do that?” His father was showing unnatural calmness regarding the situation. Most parents would’ve abandoned their children for shaming their household.

“I…did something that mages abhor.” Nate said in a small voice.

His father’s gaze sharpened. “Are you being vague on purpose, boy? Speak clearly!”

Leonard’s mana pressured Nate heavily into his chair. With cold sweat dripping down his chin, Nate stuttered as he spoke.

“I-I-I took d-drugs to…to..” He couldn’t force the other words out. His father’s face resembled a demon’s. It was the kind of expression you shouldn’t show to your children.

“Enough. Tell me something, Nathaniel. Who are we? What do our name represent?”

Nate lifted his head and spoke. “T-The name of the dragon our ancestor defeated. H-He took the name after killing the dragon with his superior fire magic.”

“That’s right. At least you know of our history. How the great Albert slayed the Eternal Flame Dragon and took its heart to gain its power.”

Leonard stood up and circled around his desk. He stood behind Nate. It gave him the shivers.

He could feel the eyes of a predator staring at his head.

“The head of the Sterling family has cut off all connections we had. Do you understand the dire situation we are in, boy?”

As Viria wasn’t married yet, Leonard pushed her father to allow her to marry his worthless son, Nate. It was the only way to unite their families since his other children were only female.

This had been going on for a decade by now and just a few months ago, he finally received a reply.

I’ll think about it.

That was all Viria wrote in the letter.

Although it was short, it was at least something. Leonard had done everything to make his son presentable to her. He even allowed Nate to attend Graponia.

This was so that he could be closer to her.

Now all that planning had all gone to waste.

“I cannot stomach how your mother could give me a son like you. I have grown tired of only receiving daughters from my wives. I’m being honest when I say that I was looking forward to your future. Your actions caused drastic consequences, and now I must fix it. Do you understand the shame you have brought me, boy?” each and every one of Leonard’s words pierced Nate’s heart. It was the first time he had heard that his father hated him this much. It was hinted at several years now but he wasn’t sure before.

His father poked his head.

“Is there a brain inside here? Did you use it before you took that drug?”

“….”Nate bit his lower lip. “T-The assignment was---”

“Too hard? Hahahaha!” His father laughed. It was a laugh filled with mockery.

“When I was your age, I could complete a stage 5 exam and score an A every time.” He pointed at the diploma he received from the academy when he was young.

Leonard Alexander, Diploma of Magic Arts

“Why is it so hard for you to do the same? I’ll tell you why.” He bent down. “Because you are trash, Nathaniel. Trash that doesn’t deserve to be called an Alexander.”

“…..” Tears forced to come out of Nate’s eyes.

“I killed a monster with my own power when I was seven years old. I passed a stage 3 test before I even entered in the academy to pursue my path as a mage. Tell me, Nathaniel. What have you done?” Leonard circled around the office. “I was disappointed when I heard you never even changed after the disaster this kingdom went through. Did surviving in another continent not affect you at all?”

“I….”

“I bet that lady Arielle, Clyde and her highness’ knight Helen were the only ones who were useful.”

‘You’re wrong!’

Nate wanted to shout that but he couldn’t. His throat was trying its best to swallow the saliva that built up. His knees were shaking. His arms felt heavy. Cold sweat could be seen dripping off his face.

“Why aren’t you saying anything!?” Leonard slapped Nate in his face. The latter flew halfway across the room. “You disgraced me so and now you’re cowering when you must face the consequences!? What part of you is a man!?” He kicked Nate on the head while he was down.

Nate tried to block the assault.

“Tch.” Leonard stopped. “Stand up.”

“….”

“Stand up!”

“EEK!” Nate tried his best to put strength into his legs. He stood up, albeit slowly.

“Cast a high rank spell.”

“W-What?”

“Must I repeat myself? You have Alexander blood in you. So cast any high rank fire spell you know. Third year is the year all the students practice high rank spells. That was how it has always been. Show me if I was right to waste my money on you.” His father crossed his arms.

“….” Nate looked down at his hands. Could he do it? Could he cast such a spell?

“Well? If you’re worried about this office then don’t be. I have installed the highest magic defense on the market.”

“That’s….”

“Do it! This is your last chance to redeem yourself!”

“Y-Yes!” Nate’s spine straightened in surprise. He rolled up his sleeves and held his hands in front of his chest.

His father gazed silently. He infused mana into his eyes to see if Nate was not using an item or another drug to cast magic.

‘Seems like he has nothing.’

“….The cinder that blazes in the pit of the dragon’s heart….” Nate closed his eyes and chanted the most recent spell they learned at the academy. It was in the category of the Destruction Spells Series.

It was made up of two magic circles which would manifest on tip of each other. The magic circles would expand and form a flame in the middle. The flame should burn the brightest color in the spectrum. Which was white-blue.

It was the hottest known variant of a flame. As such, the spell was one of the most powerful spells in the advanced rank.

Blaze.

It was Clyde’s favorite spell as of late since it didn’t need difficulty understanding.

It was actually the same for the vast majority of the third years.

However…

“Huk…!!!” All of Nate’s mana was sapped without mercy. It went over the required amount needed to cast the spell. By this age, he should’ve been able to control his mana usage efficiently.

It wasn’t that he slacked off. No. It was more like he worked ten times harder than the average student just to end up with the same results.

A small flame lit between the magic circles.

“Kuh!” Nate was struggling to keep that one flame ablaze.

Gone.

The flame was suddenly gone when he opened his eyes.

“….Huh?” His eyes blanked. As if on instinct, his head creaked towards Leonard.

“…..!” Nate staggered backwards.

His father’s eyes were filled with a quiet rage that was being contained just barely.

“This is how to cast Blaze.” His father lifted a finger.

!!!!!

Extreme heat filled the office when his father’s magic circles manifested. Nate thought he heard a roar similar to a dragon.

The two magic circles spiraled rapidly. A dark flame emerged instead of a white-blue kind. It was the flame his father invented on his own.

The Eternal Flame.

“Do you see now, Nathaniel?” The flame represented the rage and hate he had for this worthless son of his.

It was so hot that Nate felt like he would faint immediately if he didn’t hold on. His eyes shakenly looked at his father.

It might’ve been the extremely heat but he imagined that he was seeing a dragon stare down at him.

….

..

..

“Haaah….Haaah…” Nate was suspiring for air. His lungs were robbed of its oxygen. His clothes were wet with sweat.

‘It’s…over?’

He saw his father’s shoes he approached.

“Tell me, what do I do with someone like you who disgraced my name? You have lost the chance to redeem yourself.” Leonard bent down and whispered next to Nate’s ear. “No one would care what I do. Because you are trash. I’ll give you a choice. Face proper punishment or leave. I should’ve jumped at the chance to adopt that boy when I heard of him. Clyde Astley, was it?”

‘Kuh…’

He stood upright again. Nate felt a heavy pressure disappear from his body.

“Well?” His father spoke calmly. “What is it that you want? It is beneficial either way. For me that is.”

“….”

Nate knew what those words meant.

His father wouldn’t just slap him on the wrist.

“I….”

◇

Aimlessly wandering the night through the cold. A lone figure was seen walking in the rain. His coat was soaked in rain and his hair was sticking to his face.

He walked as if searching for his new purpose in life.

Was life even worth living anymore?

“Ah…Why did I come here of all places?”

Thunder boomed when he looked up at the bedroom window of the house he came to. It was a rather small mansion big enough for a few people to live in. It was located in the noble district, Zupiart.

‘Why did I come to Helen’s house!? What’s wrong with me!?’

He thought with shame in his heart. He couldn’t just ask the person he was in love with to let him stay with her for a while.

It was something no man would do.

Then again, he didn’t have many friends. Rather, he only had one.

But…the one friend he had was someone he hated with every fiber of his being.

Clyde Astley.

He tightened the grip around his bag’s strap.

Nate picked up a small rock and aimed it at the bedroom window. Since there was no security, there was no need to be careful of being detected. Besides, Helen was a swordsman close to Master level.

She could protect herself.

‘Here goes.’

◇

Helen heard a noise come from her window. She was asleep for only two hours since she came home late last night. She went out to drink with her colleagues since she hadn’t let loose in a while.

They had drunk so much that she had a headache when she got home.

“Tch.”

The noises didn’t stop even as she tossed and turned.

“Does this bastard want to be cut down?” Helen jumped out of bed and grabbed a sword from under her bed.

She threw the window open and yelled: “Who the fuck are you!? Do you want to die!?”

“Eeek!?” The person throwing the rocks fell on his butt.

Helen jumped from two floors up onto the ground. Her landing made the ground rumble.

With a evil smile on her face, she lifted her sword in the air.

“You messed with the wrong person…Huh?” Helen was about to swing her sword, but then the moon appeared and illuminate the face of the intruder.

“Nate?” Her actions paused when she saw the average looking boy with red hair.

“He..hehehe…” He rubbed his head with a dry laugh. “L-Long time no see.”

◇

“Why are you out in the rain?” Helen set down a cup of coffee with a plate of biscuits. She took Nate’s raincoat and put it on a hangar. He blew the cup of coffee and sipped a little.

“….I…was kicked out by my father….”

Helen gasped. “So…he just threw you into the rain?”

Nate nodded. “I was told to leave immediately. The bastard didn’t even give me time to visit my mother.”

‘Not that I wanted a friendly goodbye.’

He was sure that his mother wouldn’t answer him if he were to walk up to her room. However, he wanted her to listen at least to what he had to say.

“You know what’s funny? When all of us ate together at the table, she was the only one who didn’t mock me or throw insults. Not just that, she didn’t even make any eye contact with me. Her expression was as dead as a corpse.”

Nate gazed into Helen’s deep blue eyes. Despite her rough appearance, she still looked beautiful to him. Her blue hair was messy and loose on her back. Her body was only covered by a thin night gown. It was as expected from a swordsman. Their bodies differed from normal people.

It was so cold outside yet she didn’t even shiver.

“I felt like a stranger. In my own home. Does that sound weird?” With a bitter laugh, he leaned back in the chair. He watched the candle’s light burn with a somber gaze.

Helen noticed that he had bags next to him.

“You don’t have a place to stay?” She asked curiously. Although she didn’t understand a lot about this drug he mentioned, she didn’t judge him. It must’ve been hard for him to even stay at Graponia this long without letting anyone know.

“Yeah…I was thinking of renting a room at an Inn but…” He laughed again. “I don’t have money…”

Helen sighed.

“It seems your father really has abandoned you.” She stood up and walked up to him. Her arms circled around his neck. With the back of his head close to her chest, she spoke. “Everything will be okay.”

“….Sob…” Nate finally allowed his tears to fall. He sobbed loudly. Helen stroked his hair and hummed.

He cried for a while before he calmed down. Helen returned to her seat and saw him wipe his eyes.

“Sorry for showing such an uncool side of me…”

“Just because you cried doesn’t mean you’re uncool. It’s human nature after all.” Helen thought for a bit before asking. “By the way…What do you plan to do now?”

Nate smiled bitterly. “I might quit the academy. I was thinking of taking the letter to miss Victoria tomorrow.”

Helen frowned. “Are you sure about this? Surely there must be another way?”

“I can continue studying even if my family name was tarnished but….” He remembered the expression on the face of everyone that knew what he did. “…I don’t think I can face everyone as I am now. It was easy in the past since I didn’t care but this is different. I was disowned, thrown away like a piece of trash that I am.”

What Helen found weird was how Nate could say such a thing with a smile on his face. It wasn’t a genuine smile of happiness. It was a smile of self-ridicule.

“I trained so hard. It was hellish training each and every day. I didn’t even have time for my social life. But look what I received in return for all that hard work.” He sniffled. “Nothing.”

With a cold glint in his eyes he said, “Only talent matters to this world.”

“What about becoming an adventurer?”

That was the path most people took when they had nowhere else to turn to. It had lots of dangers but you could become famous if you had luck by your side.

That was how Helen became an S rank adventurer.

“That’s….” Nate averted his eyes. “I don’t have what it takes to be part of a party...”

“Oh…”

‘This situation is more serious than I thought.’

Helen could see sadness in Nate’s eyes. He was trying to hide it with that smile of his.

“How about this. Why don’t you stay with me for the time being?” Helen smiled.

“Huh? A-Are you sure about that?”

“Yup. I only have three weeks paid leave so I wanted to train. There won’t be anyone to look after the house.”

“You don’t have servants?”

“I told the princess that there was no need for them to come everyday. They only come two times a week.”

“I see…”

“How about it?”

Nate still hesitated. It was plain pathetic how he was seeking help from his crush. Wasn’t this his intention for coming here?

“O-Okay. Thank you for having me….” Nate bowed his head.

“There’s no need for that. Friends should be there for each other, right?”

“Hahaha…yeah. Friends….”

Helen left a while later. Nate said that the couch was fine so he remained in the living room.

His red eyes glowed in the dark.

‘Friends…huh.’