A Selfish Devotion
"Selphy. I love you."
Abel had always been by my side, ever since we were children.
My father had worked as a member of Abel's father's mercenary band when he was young, and our mothers were close friends. It was only natural that Abel and I grew up playing together.
Abel was... how should I put it? He had a remarkably kind smile.
His smile was so pure and innocent that whenever I saw it, I couldn't help but smile back.
He was a boy as gentle as his smile.
He always tried his best to give me whatever I wanted.
As long as it didn't involve hurting or badmouthing others, Abel would go to any lengths to get me what I asked for.
"Selphy. I brought the flower you said was pretty the other day."
"I tried drawing you, Selphy. What do you think?"
"I carved this Selphy out of wood. Does it look like you?"
He did everything he could to keep me from being bored, doing whatever it took to make me happy.
I saw the cuts on his fingers from using a carving knife, and the scraped knees from falling while trying to pluck flowers from high places.
There were so many traces of the hardships he went through for me.
To think he would go to such lengths for my sake... Honestly, it made me incredibly happy.
Then, a question crossed my mind.
"Abel, why do you always do whatever I ask?"
I still remember how flustered he was by that casual question.
"T-That's... because you're my pr-precious... friend, Selphy!"
Seeing him turn bright red and quickly change the subject, I realized it.
Abel likes me.
Thump...
In that instant, my heart began to pound furiously.
Abel liked a girl like me?
Honestly, I was shocked.
Every adult in the village praised Abel as a genius, saying he would grow up to be the guardian who protected our home.
He wasn't bad-looking either, so almost all the girls in the village had a crush on him.
On the other hand, I hadn't even awakened my Mana Road yet.
I was just an ordinary village girl, the daughter of Mr. Alter, who worked in the fields.
I was thrilled... and I liked Abel too.
I admitted it to myself. Abel was always by my side, a kind person who constantly tried to make me happy. How could I not like him?
"Abel, I heard the Flora flowers are absolutely beautiful..."
"Abel, can't you sneak me out on a carriage?"
"Ugh... Mom nagged at me again..."
After that, I treated Abel with complete ease, without any hesitation.
Since Abel liked me, it was only natural for him to grant my wishes.
I probably whined and begged him for more things than I ever did with my own parents, throwing unreasonable tantrums and acting stubborn.
"Sure! Let's do that, Selphy."
No matter what I asked of him, Abel always smiled and tried his best to make it happen.
"Wow! Abel, look at this! It says there's a lily of the valley that glows at night. I think I saw a flower like this in the forest before!"
"A flower that glows at night...? The forest is too dangerous after dark."
"But... I really want to see it."
At my request that day, Abel wore a rare, troubled expression.
I knew he was just worried about my safety.
"I want to see it, I want to see it... Are you going to ignore me just like Mom does, Abel? I'm so sad."
It didn't actually matter if I saw it or not, but I was being stubborn.
Because he had always granted my requests, his refusal made me want to act spoiled.
"Then... let's just take a quick look. But if it gets dangerous, you have to let me carry you on my back right away, okay?"
"Really?!"
I was thrilled that Abel had finally given in.
As expected, Abel would do anything for me.
Howl—! Howl—!
"N-No...!"
And then, I regretted it.
Just as the adults had warned, the forest at night was terrifyingly dangerous.
"Selphy! Stay right there! Don't move!"
Keeping me behind his back, Abel rushed forward to fight the giant black wolves.
Crunch—!
"Urgh...!"
Even as he was bitten and wounded all over his body, he kept fighting to protect me...
"Abel..."
He looked just like a knight from a fairy tale. He was so cool that even while trembling with fear, I felt safe.
Abel would protect me, no matter what.
"Selphy...!!!"
Suddenly, I saw Abel look toward me, his face turning deathly pale as he screamed.
The moment the question Why? crossed my mind—
Crunch—!
A massive impact slammed into my flank, followed by a searing pain that felt like being branded with hot iron.
Ah—...!
Thud—!
My body was thrown into the air, and I felt a sensation of weightlessness before crashing heavily onto the ground.
"Selphy—!! Selphy...!!! Selphy, wake up—!"
I could see Abel crying and screaming my name.
As my consciousness faded, a single regret lingered.
I really liked Abel so much... To think my first regret is that I won't get to marry him.
"Incredible. To think she survived this. Hmm..."
When I opened my eyes, I was in front of the village healer.
He checked my condition several times before speaking with my parents.
"Healer Ranga...! Is our daughter going to be okay?"
"Yes. Perhaps because mana is circulating through her, there are no external injuries. A massive amount of mana seems to have healed her wounds."
"What? But our daughter hasn't even awakened her Mana Road..."
"I find that highly unusual as well."
According to the healer, my Mana Road was now active.
He explained that while my pathways were originally too narrow to ever awaken, parts of them had somehow been replaced with powerful, wide channels.
Honestly, none of those words registered in my mind.
"Mom... Dad..."
"Hmm? Sera, what is it? Are you hurting somewhere?!"
"Where is... Abel...?"
Perhaps because I had thought of Abel right before dying, my first concern was his well-being.
"My goodness, you..."
Though she sighed as if I was hopeless, Mom told me about Abel.
She said Abel had suffered severe injuries while protecting me, which had damaged his Mana Road.
She also mentioned that Abel had claimed it was his own stubbornness that led us into the forest at night.
"Ugh... *sob*... Abel..."
An overwhelming wave of guilt washed over me.
It was because of my stubbornness that Abel got hurt.
And a damaged Mana Road...? I didn't know much about it, but I remembered the adults saying that the Mana Road was delicate, and any damage to it was a disaster.
What if Abel's Mana Road was completely ruined?
Anxiety and dread consumed me, keeping me awake at night. I couldn't even bring myself to go see him.
Sure enough...
Rumors quickly spread throughout the village that half of Abel's Mana Road had been destroyed.
The village elders lamented bitterly.
They wept that the boy who was supposed to be the village's future had his talent cut short.
Every other adult in the village pitied Abel as well.
I felt suffocated.
Because of me... It's all because of me...
"It's okay, Selphy."
That was when Abel came to visit my house.
"It's not your fault. I'm really fine."
"Abel...!! *waaaah*...!!"
As he approached and patted my back, I burst into tears like a small child.
...I will make Abel happy for the rest of his life. I swear I will!
I made a silent vow.
I would become Abel's wife and make him happy forever.
Since Abel ended up in that state because of my selfishness, I would make up for whatever he lacked.
That was what I had planned, but...
"You must marry Abel. And you, Sera, must treat him well for the rest of your life."
"You heard your father, right, Sera? Keep his words in mind."
At some point, my parents started repeating those words constantly.
Before, they had said it lightly with a laugh, or out of pity for Abel.
But from a certain point on, their tone became heavy and serious.
It was as if I would be committing a heinous sin if I didn't comply.
"Sigh..."
It started to annoy me.
I was already planning to marry Abel and treat him well.
But having everyone around me force it upon me felt like they were trying to dictate my future, and it rubbed me the wrong way.
"I'll! I'll take care of it myself!"
I had only shouted that out of irritation.
"Sera!"
My father yelled, wearing a terrifying expression I had never seen on him before.
"You must do this, without fail."
He spoke as if delivering a stern warning.
...!
Bewildered by my father's reaction, I looked at my mother, but she only closed her eyes and shook her head.
"Ugh—!"
Slam—!
I slammed the door and ran outside.
Why is everyone acting like this? I was going to make Abel happy on my own anyway...!
Frustrated and angry, I took it out on Abel.
"Abel. I want to drink some ice water."
"Huh...? Ice in this weather... I'd have to go to Aunt Celine's house and ask her to make some with magic..."
I was deliberately being difficult to Abel, who was only trying to be sweet.
"I said I want ice water!"
"It's too far..."
"But you're still fast at running, aren't you, Abel?!"
The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted them.
I had just poked at Abel's sore spot—the fact that he had lost most of his abilities along with his Mana Road.
Abel's eyes widened. What if he got angry...?
"Yeah... Okay. I'll be right back."
But Abel simply offered his usual gentle smile, turned around, and ran off.
I felt a surge of anger.
Anger at myself, and at the situation that kept spiraling in directions I couldn't control.
"Lady Seraphina is the Saintess chosen by the Goddess."
Then, a massive change occurred.
The priests of the Goddess Church arrived in our village.
Their leader, an elderly man holding the rank of bishop, delivered the news to my father: I was the Saintess.
Me... the Saintess?
The Saintess from the fairy tales, who stood alongside the cool Hero to defeat the evil everyone feared?
I felt a mix of fear and excitement.
Defeating the Demon King was terrifying, of course, but if I became the Saintess, I could leave this tiny village and be revered by everyone, couldn't I?
Wait.
Then... what would happen to Abel if I became the Saintess?
"Selphy. Meet me at our usual spot."
Following Abel's request, I went out to the pond where we always met in secret when night fell.
"Selphy. If you want, I'd like to leave the village with you."
Seeing Abel speak with his usual comforting face, tears welled up in my eyes.
To think he would go that far for me...!
But soon, conflicting thoughts began to clash in my mind.
...If I run away with Abel, the Holy Knights of the Church will definitely hunt us down.
...We might be branded as heretics for defying the Goddess's will and face severe punishment.
I didn't want that.
Between becoming the Saintess to defeat the Demon King, and running away with Abel only to be punished as a heretic...
Defeating the Demon King was likely far more dangerous, but...
A Saintess usually just stayed in the back and healed while the Hero and the combatants fought. It didn't feel like I would be in direct danger.
Plus, I would receive the fame and adoration that came with being the Saintess.
But running away with Abel meant facing the consequences directly. And if the chances of getting caught were high...
"They said it would be a disaster to defeat the Demon King without a Saintess... So, I'll do my best..."
It was better for me to become the Saintess in many ways.
This was surely the right choice for Abel too. He wouldn't have to be branded a heretic.
"This is for the best."
I said.
"I... I understand, Selphy. If that's what you want, I'll support you."
Abel spoke with a smile that couldn't hide his deep sorrow.
Things moved quickly, and soon it was the day before my departure.
"Abel, you must never look at another girl! And you have to write to me regularly, okay? Promise me!"
Realizing how difficult it would be to return to the village, I grew worried about leaving Abel behind by himself.
Abel was so kind, and he had many attractive qualities when you looked closely. I was anxious that he might start seeing another girl while I was gone.
"I will never, ever forget you, Selphy."
Abel held my hand tightly, his dark eyes shining with sincerity.
It was a selfish and wicked thought, but...
At that moment, a passing thought crossed my mind: perhaps it was a relief that Abel had lost his abilities.
Abel was too kind. If he still had his talents, other girls might have approached him for his strength, only to discover how sweet he was.
Abel's kindness belongs to me.
Chu—!
"S-Selphy?!"
"Wh-When I return and we get married, we can do more than this..."
Only after seeing Abel nod with a bright red face did I finally feel at ease.
After saying my final goodbyes to my parents, I left Magia-Bel, the village where I had been born and raised.