The Weak (1)

In the past, Charlotte Eshrelt's rampage had been entirely predictable.

She had been paired with teammates whose movements lacked even a shred of efficiency. Frustrating though it was, she had been forced to endure their company for that single assignment. And then there had been the weakest vanguard, constantly picking fights and looking as if he might turn his blade on his own allies at the slightest provocation.

Even back then, the future of that team had been bleak.

Charlotte had stepped in once to mediate, delivering a sharp, unequivocal warning to the four ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of them: carry on like this, and their shared grades would sink to the very bottom of the roster. But the man on the frontline had broken under the relentless discrimination and tyranny of his peers, ultimately drifting away from the group. Recognizing the blatant injustice of it all, Charlotte had left shortly after.

Had the giant Kud Rats appeared back then as well? The answer was yes.

Ambushed nearby, Charlotte and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Junon had joined forces. Yet without a neutralizer, and without the presence of mind to pace themselves and conserve their strength, they had been driven back, helpless. Pushed to the brink of becoming feed, there was no way the two of them could easily bring down those monstrosities.

And so, Charlotte's berserk state had unfolded in that previous life just the same.

Though triggered by similar reasons and progressing in the exact same manner, fortune had smiled upon them back then: four others had followed Junon deep into the forest, giving them enough hands to pin her down. In the end, the entire Tembris Party had subdued the rampaging Charlotte together.

That was how she had come to join the Tembris Party in her past life—and it was the very first memory that surfaced the moment she accepted Junon's mana.

Recalling those alien memories, Charlotte ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠looked back upon the person she had become, walking through the distant future of the Principality.

"Why... why did I hate you so much back then...?"

In those memories, she had been the weak one.

Driven by the desperate instinct to replenish her hollowed-out mana, she had devolved into a mindless beast, throwing herself into the fray without rhyme or reason. Unable to control even her own impulses, she had been forced to cling to others just to anchor her sense of self after that first incident.

And yet, that pathetic, fragile version of herself in her memories...

Steeped in fury, she had sneered at Junon.

She had told him she could never acknowledge him.

She had spat that he was pathetic and weak, ordering him to leave the party.

She had blamed him, claiming he was the reason their party had fallen apart.

"Really..."

She had been utterly, deplorably foolish.

"Why? Why on earth did I say such stupid things...?"

How could she have dared utter such vile words to a man who sacrificed himself to save another's life? That was the bitter question gnawing at her soul.

"Even if that was me, what an absolute fool. Having learned so much, how could I have been so blind?"

Gazing down at the senior who lay unconscious two years ahead of her, Charlotte continuously measured herself against him.

He had parried incoming strikes without wasting an ounce of energy, conserving his strength to keep damage to an absolute minimum. Undaunted by an insurmountable disparity in power, he had subdued his opponent. And in the end, he had sacrificed his own flesh and blood so that another might live.

Class E or not.

Regardless of the disgraceful titles that trailed in his wake.

He was far more remarkable, far more enduring, and undeniably stronger. This man was the epitome of genuine strength—unlike a certain incompetent weakling who couldn't even master her own body.

Charlotte gently enveloped the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠patient's arm in both of her small hands, staring into his closed eyes.

"Thank you, Senior. I'll come back to see you in a little while."

For now, she had to explain the circumstances behind her rampage and settle the medical expenses, requiring her to step away for a moment. She prayed he would be awake when she returned, so she could offer him proper gratitude and bow her head in sincere apology.

She resolved never again to dwell on what the past Junon was like, or how he had been treated within the Tembris Party.

Those words, spoken by the burly man named Goden at the heart of the Tembris Party, echoed through her mind from those foreign memories. She agreed with them down to the marrow of her bones.

If the Tembris Party from those memories were to form again under these conditions, no one would be weaker than her in her berserk state. After all, the very boy she had once dismissed as frail had subdued her more decisively than anyone ever could.

Slowly, Charlotte settled Junon's hand back onto the mattress. Savoring the lingering, comforting warmth of the mana that had trickled from his wrist into hers, she turned and slipped quietly out of the infirmary.

Every inch of my body throbbed.

It felt as though I had been flogged across every limb fifty times over with a wooden club. Having focused entirely on transferring mana without relying on unique magic, I had taken Charlotte head-on... so it was hardly a surprise that my muscles were screaming in protest. Still, the sheer agony made it impossible to even shift an inch.

The moment I cracked my eyes open, a stark white ceiling greeted me. Based on past experience, this was unmistakably an infirmary ward.

It wasn't like anyone was around to lend a hand, so I'd have to sit up on my own and figure out what happened. But my body refused to cooperate.

"Junon! You're finally awake!"

"Ugh..."

"Don't push yourself! How did you get hurt like this...?"

I had half-expected Professor Jake to be standing over me ready to nag, but the voice clearly belonged to a girl. It was a familiar voice—one I had been hearing quite often lately. In a room I had assumed would be completely empty, Sylvia was sitting right beside my bed.

"Ah, wait, were you resting comfortably and I woke you up...? I-I'm sorry."

"No, it's not... cough, cough..."

I tried to assure her it wasn't her fault, but a parched dryness seized my throat as if a drought had swept through my windpipe. Forcing words out right now was clearly a bad idea.

"Where are my manners...! Here, let me get you some water first."

Sylvia quickly poured a glass without spilling a drop, but unfortunately, I lacked the strength in my arms to even hold it. Seeing me struggle, she hesitated for a brief moment.

"...Excuse me for just a second."

With an expression of sudden resolve, she rose from her chair and leaned over the bed.

Sylvia... don't tell me...

Realizing I couldn't move, she intended to nurse me herself. I wanted to tell her I was fine, but I couldn't even manage a polite lie. My limbs were as stiff and heavy as stone statues.

Sylvia slipped one arm behind my pillow, grabbed my opposite shoulder with her other hand, and strained with a quiet grunt to hoist my upper body upright. With practiced care, she adjusted the pillows to prop up my back. Thanks entirely to her support, I finally managed to swallow a mouthful of water that tasted like pure holy nectar.

"Thanks. Feels like I'm alive again."

"No, please... it's nothing..."

It might have seemed minor, but having someone visit me in the infirmary and tend to my needs was something I couldn't help but feel grateful for.

"More importantly, Junon... how on earth did you get this badly injured...?"

Sylvia must have seen the state I was in when I was carried through the doors. Which meant the faculty had been alerted during the Start-of-Semester Evaluation and hauled me in.

"Well... things happened."

Mercifully, Sylvia let out a slightly subdued "I see" and didn't pry any further. Instead, she reached into her bag and began rummaging around.

Scrape, scrape—

The crisp sound of peeling echoed through the sterile room. With nothing else to look at, my gaze naturally drifted toward her hands. The peel of a plump, ripe apple coiled away beneath her blade, revealing the pale, glistening flesh underneath.

"...An apple?"

"Yes. For you. You haven't had anything to eat, have you?"

"What do you mean? Didn't we just have lunch together less than three hours ago?"

Glancing at the wall clock, it read 3:46—barely an hour and forty-six minutes after the practical exam had begun. We had eaten lunch together around 12:30. There was no reason for me to feel starved, and yet... my mouth watered the moment I laid eyes on that fruit. Why?

"Right... of course you wouldn't know. I didn't think about that."

Didn't think about what? What was she talking about?

Sylvia finished peeling the apple with neat precision and set the paring knife aside on the nightstand. Skewering a slice from the plate with a fork, she held it out toward my lips.

"You didn't sleep for a few hours, Junon. You've been out cold for two whole days since they brought you in."

"...What?"

The clock reading 3:46 wasn't the afternoon of the exam. Two full days had already passed.

"Do you have any idea how much weight you've lost in just two days?"

Sylvia pulled a small hand mirror from her pouch and held it up. Only then did I see my reflection. My cheeks were completely sunken. Was I looking at a human being or a skeleton? My appearance was a total wreck. No wonder a simple slice of apple looked so mouthwateringly appetizing. I had assumed my weakness was entirely from the pain, but starvation had played a major role.

"Here. You can't move anyway."

"I really appreciate this. I'll make it up to you later."

"N-No, please! Don't talk about making it up to me... Considering what I did to you in the past, this isn't nearly enough—"

"Down the hatch."

There was no need to dredge up the past anymore. That was the only reason I cut her off. Sylvia quietly fed me the bite-sized piece, patiently waiting until I finished chewing before offering the next.

Before long, the first apple was gone, and she was already peeling a second. Seeing her peel it so deftly—when she used to cut her own fingers because she couldn't handle a knife—brought a faint sense of pride. Teaching her practical skills had actually been quite rewarding.

Her face was capable of showing so many expressions now. The doll-like girl who wore the exact same blank mask and parroted the same rehearsed lines was nowhere to be seen. She knew how to admit her faults to others, how to lower her head, and she had accepted someone as unremarkable as me as a friend, even coming to visit me in the sickbay. She had truly changed for the better.

"W-Why are you staring like that...?"

Oops. I must have been looking at her too intently. Staring was rude, after all. I hurriedly shifted my eyes toward the fruit.

"Just watching you peel. That's all."

"I'm still clumsy, so I can't do it as fast as you. Just give me a moment and it'll be ready."

"I'm not rushing you. Just... thinking it would have been pretty boring if I'd been stuck here alone."

Sylvia's hands paused mid-slice, her eyes blinking in surprise. For a fleeting second, it seemed like she had something she desperately wanted to say, but her naturally timid nature kept the words caught in her throat. I simply told her to speak her mind freely.

"Then... would it be alright if I came back tomorrow too?"

"I'd be grateful if you did, but... are you sure it's not a burden?"

"Of course not! I'll bring something even more delicious tomorrow. So... please make do with this for today."

Sylvia beamed, wiped the paring knife clean with a handkerchief, sheathed it, and slipped it back into her bag. I felt a pang of guilt seeing her essentially turned into my personal caretaker. It had to be eating up her free time. When I voiced that concern, she brushed it off casually, claiming she didn't have anything better to do anyway.

"This might be a little hot. Phoo, phoo..."

After checking that I had no trouble digesting the fruit, she produced a thermos of warm porridge. She must have saved the money we earned previously to buy the fresh ingredients and simmered it herself. To think I was being fed a homemade meal... I really was going to have to repay her properly next time.

As the quiet mealtime passed with me leaning entirely on Sylvia's care, visitors arrived at the door.

"It appears you have finished your meal. May we come in for a moment?"

"Professor Muniherr...?"

Stepping through the threshold was Professor Muniherr—and trailing closely behind him was Charlotte.

How had Junon and Charlotte been discovered?

There had been Junon, collapsed in a pool of blood, and Charlotte standing over him, drenched in what appeared to be his gore. The witnesses, Noel and John, had testified that Charlotte had devoured the rats' hearts without warning before turning her fangs on Junon.

The other witnesses—Goden, Michel, Senia, and Erika—had arrived too late to do anything more than relay the aftermath. According to the report from Erika, the healer, the wounds across Junon's body carried traces of Charlotte's mana, strange as that was.

And Charlotte had admitted to everything without offering a single excuse.

Professor Muniherr was a man who had dealt with countless culprits attempting to squirm their way out of trouble. When a student confessed so cleanly to a grave offense, there was almost certainly more to the story. Yet with a severe lack of information regarding what had actually transpired on that clearing, they had no choice but to interrogate the parties involved directly.

Thus, Muniherr had reached a conclusion.

"It is difficult to pass judgment after hearing only one side of the account. Therefore, why not speak with him directly?"

"Pardon...? But if I go near him, I might lose control again..."

"No, I have my suspicions regarding why you lost control in the first place. So long as you wear Mana Restraints, an interview should present no danger."

On the condition that he accompanied her, of course. With those terms, Professor Muniherr had permitted the three-way meeting.

Before long, they had arrived outside Junon's hospital room. But to their surprise, the door was cracked slightly open.

"Um... would it be alright if we waited a moment before going inside...?"

Professor Muniherr showed a flicker of curiosity at the request, but nodded nonetheless.

Did someone come to visit him...?

Tense from head to toe, Charlotte leaned forward and peeked through the gap to look at the boy inside. Just as she had sensed, Junon was not alone.

"Does it taste bad...? It's my first time cooking... so if it's awful, you can just spit it out."

"No. I'm actually surprised by how good it is."

"Really...? Ahaha... that's a relief."

It was a female student.

Rather than cheerful or energetic, her demeanor was quiet and mature. Unlike Charlotte's own tightly styled ringlets—fashioned after high-society noble trends—the other girl's straight, unbound hair complemented her doll-like beauty flawlessly. Though invisible from the front, the back of her neck was flushed crimson, hinting at a deeply bashful nature.

Yet none of that truly mattered.

Charlotte herself couldn't even bring herself to approach Junon so easily. The terrifying dread that she might snap again and harm him kept her frozen; even with Mana Restraints locked around her wrists, the anxiety refused to fade.

Still... I'm glad.

She had been terrified that no one would come to visit him. Anyone willing to stay by Junon's side like that had to be someone who recognized his true worth. That girl... no, Sylvia, was someone who could support him. Charlotte felt a profound wave of relief.

Watching Sylvia gently lift Junon's immobile frame and feed him bite by bite with food that was easy on his stomach, Charlotte offered a silent prayer of gratitude.

After some time had passed, Professor Muniherr lowered his voice and spoke to the young girl beside him.

"Well, I intend to head inside now. Would you prefer to wait a little longer? You are welcome to simply listen from out here."

"..."

With Professor Muniherr watching from the corridor, Charlotte couldn't delay any further. With Mana Restraints firmly secured and the professor standing guard, right now might be her only chance to face Junon properly. And so...

"No. I will go in with you."

Reverting to the mindset of a child, she permitted herself a small indulgence of greed.