Chapter 178: Dragon's Eye, Human Heart (42)
Chapter 178: Dragon's Eye, Human Heart (42)
Emma had no surname.
The reason was simple: Emma was a commoner.
A family name, symbolizing honor and power, was the exclusive privilege of the nobility. As the daughter of a poor herbalist, the distance between Emma and aristocratic society was as vast as the distance between heaven and earth.
That was why, every time she thought of the man she loved, she was reminded of that reality.
Ian Percus. As his name proved, he was the second son of the House of Viscount Percus.
He was a lower-ranking noble from the countryside, a rank considered somewhat inferior among the aristocracy.
But a noble was still a noble. From birth, his status was fundamentally different from that of a commoner.
Whether or not he would inherit the title was uncertain, but given his recent exploits, his future was a paved road of success. Even without lingering over a mere commoner girl, his options were limitless.
That fact hurt her deeply.
Because she loved him, Emma didn't even dare to confess her feelings. It was enough for her to remain at a slight distance, devoted to him.
However, the fever of a first love sometimes breathed a strange heat into one's heart.
It was around that time that Emma, who had spent her life reading only books on alchemy, began to read romance novels. They were stories bordering on delusions, commonly sold in the marketplace.
Stories of a mere commoner woman being saved by and falling in love with a noble man of outstanding ability and handsome looks.
In reality, it was nothing more than an impossible dream.
A noble could not live as a complete individual. Each of them was a cog and a tool for their family.
Marriage was the only means to forge blood ties with another noble house.
Naturally, one had to choose a spouse with extreme care. In the distant past, a commoner could be executed simply for the crime of spending a single night with a noble.
Nevertheless, romances between nobles and commoners were not entirely non-existent.
Love, as they say, knows no barriers.
The wall of social status was no exception. Nothing in the world could suppress the most primal of emotions.
The most famous cases involved those who abandoned their families to elope for the sake of their lovers.
Every few years, rumors of such "romances of the century" would circulate. Except for the fact that most of them ended in tragedy, they weren't bad stories.
After all, they breathed impossible dreams into the hearts of commoner girls.
Emma couldn't help but wear a bitter smile as she read those novels, realizing she was indulging in the same delusions as the girls she once thought were foolish.
In truth, Emma was blameless.
Originally, she hadn't even imagined loving a noble. She knew the gap between a noble and a commoner better than anyone.
She simply thought that as she lived her life, she would eventually meet a good man.
He wouldn't be a noble. But as a graduate of the Academy, Emma's success was practically guaranteed, and even if she married another commoner, they wouldn't have to worry about making a living.
There was plenty of time. Getting to know someone slowly and then marrying them—that was the future Emma had envisioned until recently.
But then, a man named 'Ian Percus' had suddenly burst into her life.
And he had done so by paying 10,000 Gold—a sum far too extravagant for the life of a single commoner.
Emma's eyes grew hazy for a moment as she recalled the memory of that day. Her slender hand snapped the book she was reading shut.
Yes, Emma owed Ian a debt of gratitude she could never repay.
Therefore, it was only natural for her to be devoted to him. She was simply doing what was right, she told herself, as she began to walk.
It was a path a short distance from the temple.
There, she saw a familiar back. It was a noblewoman with blonde hair and blue eyes, her limbs still trembling piteously.
Lady Ruphesia.
She was the woman who had once slapped Emma, only to lose both arms and a leg to Ian. Since then, Emma had been visiting her regularly.
The reason was simple.
She hoped that doing so might soften Ruphesia's heart, even if only a little.
Emma was already aware that most of the Academy was currently hostile toward Ian. She hoped to reduce the number of his enemies by even one.
Surprisingly, Lady Ruphesia hadn't been able to push Emma away forcefully.
It was because she realized that Ian's presence loomed behind Emma. Out of fear of Ian, she didn't dare treat Emma poorly.
Though their relationship had been awkward at first, seeing each other repeatedly had inevitably led to a spark of rapport.
The proof was that Lady Ruphesia had begun to converse with Emma.
Though her voice was often blunt and laced with sighs, Emma was relieved that she no longer mocked her as a 'commoner girl.' At least, that was what Emma thought.
"…You're a fool, aren't you?"
"Huh? Why?"
At the sudden remark, Emma could only tilt her head and ask back.
Normally, she should have addressed her formally as 'My Lady,' but the memory of that day seemed to remain a nightmare for Lady Ruphesia.
Instead, Ruphesia seemed to find more stability when Emma treated her as an equal.
Because of that, the two of them looked for all the world like close friends.
Of course, the fact that Emma possessed a radiant beauty that rivaled any noblewoman's also played a part.
"Do you think that man will even look at you just because you do this? Nobles have their own society. He won't give a commoner girl a second glance… unless he's using you as a toy."
The words were indifferent, but they were advice offered with a degree of sincerity.
Lady Ruphesia didn't particularly care about commoners. It was rare for her to even spare a word for one.
That was how much Ruphesia lamented the situation inwardly.
To be honest, she saw no reason why a kind woman like Emma should fall for a psycho like Ian.
Of course, 10,000 Gold was a staggering amount by commoner standards.
But the size of a fortune didn't translate directly into love. Especially a woman of Emma's gentle nature—she didn't suit that man, who reeked of the scent of blood, at all.
Above all, the wall of status was too high.
If things continued like this, only scars would remain. Emma didn't deny Ruphesia's words.
She simply left a single remark with a bitter smile.
"…What else can I do?"
That short sentence represented Emma's entire heart.
Lady Ruphesia, who had been trudging along the path, sighed once more.
A faint flicker of pity crossed her blue eyes, but she didn't argue further.
Love was originally like that.
One only had to look at Emma to know. Love was a truly helpless emotion.
The silence between the two women was shattered by a sudden scream.
"Aaaaaah!"
"Ugh, aaaaaaaah!"
The two women, lost in thought, were instantly pulled back to reality.
Their eyes met. Both were filled with panic.
In the distance, people were fleeing.
Their faces were masks of terror. To anyone's eyes, they were being hunted by something.
Emma and Lady Ruphesia instinctively stepped back.
Emma was non-combat personnel to begin with, and Lady Ruphesia's injuries hadn't fully healed, leaving her limbs weak. She wasn't even armed.
Neither of them had any ability to respond to danger.
Fortunately, one of the fleeing people ran toward them. He shouted in a desperate voice.
"W-What are you doing! Run, now! The Homecoming Festival procession was attacked by demonic beasts… some of them are already at the Academy… Gwaaaaah!"
But he couldn't even finish his sentence.
A cat-like demonic beast the size of a house snatched him away. The man couldn't even offer a proper resistance against that lightning-fast pounce.
And that served as the most graphic warning possible.
Emma and Lady Ruphesia, who had been standing frozen with wide eyes, immediately turned and began to run. Fortunately, they were near the temple.
The temple housed not only priests but also Holy Knights. If they could just reach the temple, their safety would be guaranteed.
But the problem was Lady Ruphesia.
She was in the middle of rehabilitation, trying to regain muscle. She was already unsteady while walking; trying to run suddenly made it impossible for her to maintain her balance.
It didn't take long for her to go tumbling onto the ground.
To make matters worse, the demonic beasts weren't only coming from behind.
They were falling from the sky as well. Some of them even self-destructed, forcing Emma to roll on the ground several times alongside Lady Ruphesia.
She could have just kept running.
But Emma couldn't bring herself to leave when she saw the despair on Lady Ruphesia's face. If she left, Lady Ruphesia would surely die.
Of course, Emma's presence wouldn't be of much help.
Realizing this, Lady Ruphesia screamed in desperation.
"G-Go get help…!"
She seemed to judge that their chances of survival would be higher that way. But by the time Lady Ruphesia made that judgment, it was already too late.
Several cat-like demonic beasts spotted their prey and surrounded the two women.
Lady Ruphesia's face turned ashen. She tried to stand several times, but she eventually collapsed back onto the ground, trembling.
Her body refused to move, paralyzed by overwhelming fear.
Lady Ruphesia began to shiver violently where she lay. Emma bit her lip and glared at the approaching beasts with fierce eyes.
If it was too late to run, she had to save her.
Emma was just a commoner girl. On the other hand, Lady Ruphesia was the precious daughter of a high-ranking noble family. Emma's sacrifice would be recorded as a paragon of commoner virtue.
Then, perhaps, Lady Ruphesia's resentment toward Ian would soften.
Her life had been forfeit once before anyway. If the chance of survival was slim, it wasn't bad to throw it away for something more valuable.
For Ian.
He would probably forget the death of a single commoner girl before long.
Having made her firm resolution, Emma didn't hesitate.
She stood with her arms spread wide in front of the two leaping cat-like demonic beasts.
Even so, she couldn't help but squeeze her eyes shut.
Even in the moment before death, Ian's face came to mind.
I wanted to see you… just a little more…
What would it have been like if she had realized her love a little sooner? If she had, she could have spent her days in a daze, thinking only of one person with a fluttering heart.
She could have realized sooner that she could be happy just with that.
It was a futile thought.
At least, it was until a fishy-smelling liquid splattered down on her.
Emma's eyes drifted open.
She didn't know why, but the heads of the two cat-like demonic beasts that had been lunging at her were gone.
She thought to herself.
If she were the protagonist of a romance novel, this would be the moment that man arrived.
Her trembling gaze turned toward the space behind the beasts.