First Friend

"Why does she keep pestering us?"

"I don't even want to talk to you, Ellie."

"Yeah, no one among us likes you. With your pitiful personality, always looking like you're asking for sympathy makes me want to hurl."

"Just leave us alone and don't ever approach us anymore, Ellie."

Several noble kids then left after spouting rude words at the trembling girl.

Ellie Glaus, the girl who was being ridiculed so badly.

She was also the younger sibling of Emmanuel Glaus, who was undoubtedly the center of attention.

Due to Ellie's E-rank skill, her family solely focused their attention on their eldest son and slowly forgot about their youngest daughter.

"Why does everyone hate me?" Ellie mumbled in her head.

Her eyes started shaking, slowly tearing up due to the hurtful words she received from the Noble kids.

In spite of her excellent facial features and rose-colored silky long hair, her personality was a bit broken.

Due to the influence that surrounded her, being mistreated repeatedly, and being compared to her older brother, her confidence shattered, and she slowly became unsociable.

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Earlier, Anastasia talked with her daughter, Ellie.

"Listen, Ellie. Today's your brother's celebration. I want you to act nice towards the guests, okay?" Anastasia spoke with a cold demeanor.

Ellie gulped as she lowered her head. "Yes, mother."

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I just wanted to act nice towards our guests by following my mother's words. But why do they all hate me? Ellie murmured to herself while trembling and pretending to be okay.

Yet her delicate heart could not handle it anymore, and she was about to cry.

But before her tears could come out of her wavering eyes, a hand suddenly grabbed her shoulder.

"Huh?" She uttered in a surprised manner while flinching.

"You don't need to act strong every time. Sometimes you need to let it all out. So that you can feel much better."

When Ellie turned around, she noticed the young boy with shiny emerald hair that she met in her room earlier was standing behind her, gently holding her shoulder.

"It's you, right? The one that got lost and ended up inside my room?" Ellie asked.

"Yes, I'm sorry about that. Anyway, wanna go and tour me around your place?" Axel asked in a gentle tone.

Ellie wiped off her tears and nodded. "Sure," she replied.

They both immediately went out of the ballroom and headed towards the hallway.

While Axel walked carefree but in a more modest way, Ellie slightly shot glances at him.

Who is this boy? Why did he suddenly go towards me? Everyone hates me, but how come he still asked for me to give him a tour? I'm still feeling a bit sad about what happened, but somehow I feel at ease right now walking beside him." Ellie pondered, Following beside Axel.

"Uh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name's Axel Echevalier."

Echevalier? Is he perhaps related to... emerald hair!"

"Are you perhaps Duke Damian's son?" Ellie asked in a shocked manner.

"Yes, but you don't need to shout, Ellie." Axel replied with a soft smile on his face.

He knows my name. I haven't even introduced myself to him." Ellie wondered.

"Sorry, I just got surprised, that's all. By the way, Axel, how did you know my name? I haven't yet introduced myself to you."

"Oh, I heard it when those lousy noble kids tried to ridicule you. Sorry for overhearing."

"It's okay; I already know that I'm nowhere near like my brother. I'm an E-rank skill user after all." Ellie said in a slight saddening tone.

Yes, that's right. Everybody hated me because I'm an E-rank skill user, unlike my brother, who obtained a C-rank skill suitable for combat. Mine's a support type that could only make flowers bloom." Ellie pondered with a dissatisfied expression on her face.

"Why are you so displeased about it?" Axel asked.

"Huh?" Ellie quickly replied after hearing Axel's words.

"I asked you, Why does it bother you? An E-rank skill is still a skill anyway." Axel spoke in a confident manner.

Without them realizing it, they were quietly standing in front of the terrace and had the beautiful garden in front of them.

"You don't understand. E-rank skills are completely marked as useless. You'd only understand it once you were the same as me." Ellie said as she slowly lowered her head.

"What are you talking about? I'm an E-rank skill user too." Axel replied, without hinting at any reactions on his face.

Ellie immediately flinched after hearing Axel and uttered, "Eh?" Completely in a daze.

She then held her head up and stared at Axel and mumbled once more, "Eh?"

Several seconds passed after Ellie awkwardly stared at Axel and said, "Ehh!?" She bluntly yelled out loud with a shocked expression.

Axel instantly giggled after seeing Ellie's expression, while Ellie could not believe that the Son of an Unrivaled Swordmaster would be an E-rank skill user.

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Then, after several minutes passed, both of them were seen chattering nonchalantly, sitting on the balcony chairs, and giggled several times, sharing funny stories with each other.

"I mean, I practically trained and gathered mana for like several years, hoping that it'd help me gain an S-rank skill." But what did I get? A freaking E-Rank that's only good for sewing." As Axel grumbled with a frown.

While Ellie continuously laughed at Axel's stories, she said, "I can't believe it. If you hadn't shown me your skill status, I wouldn't believe your words. Haha!"

"Well, us E-rank users have no choice but to live on with the skills we've received until our breath ceases to exist." Axel said, giving off a heavy sigh filled with dissatisfaction.

"Yes, you're right. I guess I just felt inferior and jealous about the others, especially when only commoners are able to acquire E-rank skills." Ellie said.

"Huh? Only commoners? Then that means we're adopted?" Axel said with a surprised look on his face.

Both of them stared at each other and burst into laughter.

"You really are funny, Axel. Haha!" Ellie said it bluntly as she laughed.

Axel gently smiled and stared at Ellie, who was continuously laughing so hard.

I guess she now feels better." Axel mumbled in his head.

The sun was already setting. It was nearing night time while they continued sitting on the balcony and talking about trivial things.

"Ellie, I think my mother and I have to go back now." Axel said.

"Eh? Can't you stay for a bit longer?" She asked while pouting.

"I don't know, but my mother told me that we'd be going back when it's nearing nighttime." Axel responded as he stood up from the chair.

"Oh, too bad. Will I be able to talk with you again?" Ellie asked, gently grabbing Axel's wrist.

"I don't know yet, but I'm sure we'll meet again someday. And don't feel inferior anymore, okay? Ranks can't gauge a person's true capabilities, so make sure to train harder." Axel replied with a gentle smile that brightened Ellie's mood.

Axel's words conveyed deep meaning to Ellie, which made her blush and softly reply, "Okay. Then, farewell, Axel." Slowly waving her hand at him.

Axel smirked and waved at Ellie as he slowly walked away, while Ellie stared at Axel's back as he continued walking away from her.

"Axel Echevalier, I hope we meet again soon." She mumbled while blushing openly.

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Meanwhile, Axel and her mother, Alexandra, They bid their farewells and congratulations to the baron and his wife, and soon after, they left the baron's household and returned to their home.

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Then several days had passed, yet it was another bright, sunny day.

Some knights were seen badly injured, while others were lying on the ground lifeless. The silhouette of Damian Echevalier was vividly seen while he stood in front of a giant grizzly monster beast that was nearing ten feet tall.

Its body was covered in blood, while its fur thickened and sharpened like needles. Its mouth had two large sabertooths. While its sharp paws were completely drenched in blood.

Damian gasped as he stared at the frightful being in front of him and tightly held his sword, pointing at the grizzly monster beast.

Chapter End.