Chapter 24

[Wil, the academy asked if you could assist them. They want you to be the instructor for the heroes.]

"Well, I was already expecting the letter. I'm already within the academy, can you please inform them that

I'll accept the job?"

[Okay~]

"Also, I want to add some of my terms and conditions about the job. I'll visit the royal palace after I'm done with

my work."

[Okay~ But leaving that aside, why didn't you tell us that you're already in Gressaia?]

"I was busy mom, I'll be sure to visit you don't worry."

[All right then, I'll inform your father about this, babush~]

Wilhelm decided to accept the job because of the reward that was offered with it. A few books fresh from the kingdom's

treasury and a couple of thousand mana crystal and magic stones. The crystals and stones aside, books from the treasury

had taken Wilhelm's interest the most. The king really knows how to hire somebody. With him accepting the job it can't be avoided

that he'll stumble at Celestine in the academy.

He was hoping that she won't make a fuss about him sending her back to Meltiz without her consent. Also, now that Celestine has the

book he left in the library, things have gone out of his hand. She must have read some of the notes that are embarrassing to recall.

This is all thanks to the silly old fox that wanted to play with him. Now the girl will expect that he likes her. Not that he doesn't but she will

undoubtably do something.

Wilhelm was focused to the job he had in hand. He wanted to finish Lagus' request first so that he can focus with the next job.

Runa on the other hand was about to leave the academy's premises when the guards in charge blocked her way.

"Riding a tamed monster within the city is not allowed. We advice you to make him wait for you here." Said the guard.

"O-okay." Runa unmounted York. She heard some good comments about him. Like how beautiful York was.

"Can you wait for me here?" She asked.

York then lay near the guard house. The guards looked like they were friendly people. They even let Runa borrow a map of the city.

Now that she was outside, she now doesn't know what to give Wilhelm. Buying a gift became difficult. What should she give him?

Wilhelm likes books so she went to a book shop. All the prices were thrice bigger than her salary and they weren't even the most

expensive on sale. Almost every book inside Wilhelm's study began to look like treasures in Runa's eyes.

Since her money was limited she skipped the book shop. So she was left to think what Wilhelm would like. She couldn't think of anything

other than books. She saw a tailoring shop by the distance. Runa came up with the idea to make Wilhlem a handkerchief. With that being

said she needed to weave threads in order to make one. She wasn't sure if she still knew how to make a piece of cloth. Practice would be

enough to relearn weaving. She used her money to buy the things that she needed. Using almost all of her salary she was left with a couple

penny.

Luckily the shop wasn't far away from the gates. The guards saw her and offered some help. Of course she began to panick as soon as she was

surrounded. Runa is cute and has a bunny like vibes. It gave them the urge to help her. York noticed that Runa started feeling scared because

of them and decided to step up by grabbing Runa's things and intercepting the space between them, creating distance.

One of the guards noticed that Runa was not comfortable with their sudden approach it reminded her of her past. He pulled some of his coworkers

and told them to stop. He explained that the girl may be shy around men. They apologized about it. Although, they find it pretty cute and decided

to better ensure to not startle her next time.

"Wasn't that girl a cutie?" Said by the guard.

"I know right? Looking at her made me feel like I needed to protect her!"

"Aren't the two of you married? I'll tell your wives about this"

"Hoho! Don't you dare tell my wife about this or else I'll be sleeping outside our house tonight."

"Oh? Lucky for you that's the only punishment you get! If my wife heard what I said a while ago then I'd surely won't have dinner for a week!"

"Is that so~? Then why don't you guys treat me out tonight? A couple of beer is enough to make me quiet hahaha!"

York was speeding up, he noticed that Runa was gripping his fur tightly as if she was very afraid. He wanted to avoid the stares of other humans

directed at Runa. He would avoid using paths with people in it, he doesn't want to add . Runa wasn't affected by York's speed and before she realized

it they already arrived. Runa placed her hand at the head of the staff and wasa teleported on the island where Wilhelm's house was at.

The sight of the house calmed her as soon as she went inside the house she headed to Wilhelm's study and saw him picking a book in his shelves.

He just came back from the academy's facility. Wilhelm saw her paled expression and fast breathing. Wilhelm let the book at the tip of his finger

go and walked slowly towards Runa. He slowly extended and opened his arms. Runa quickly jumped to his arms ang hugged him as tight as she

could.

"What's the matter?" He asked. With a mere quesion Runa's eyes were building tears.

". . . I-I thought that-- that I've gotten used to it but whenever I'm alone and got surrounded I-- I always remember my past... I-I'm sorry...

Even though you helped me overcome my fear I-- I'm still scared..."

It was different when she was working at Rachel's store. She had experience talking with strangers but all of them are acquainted with Rachel.

She was trying her best to socialize.

Talking with store clerks weren't a problem but being ganked at was. The moment when she was feeling small by the presence of men always reminded her of the scum who inflicted trauma to her.

Each time she recalled the eyes of those who abused her slowly projects those that are around her. The voices became distorted and she could

hear their evil laughs. As if those that are around her were the ones that hurt her.

If only Wilhelm was around her all the time. Only by his presence she could muster the courage to face her fear. Without him by her side makes her feel insecure. Becausse for Runa, Wilhelm is

the only person she could trust. The only person who could make her feel safe.

Runa realized, now that she's with Wilhelm her emotions were once again resurfaced. He is like a ray of light that has reached her at the pits

of the abyss. Now that she has clung to that hope she couldn't help but to selfishly want to stay by his side.

Along with her hope was the emotions

she once abandoned. The emotions that were buried through hopelessness. Her biggest fear as of now is that she might get sucked back to the

hell she came from. Away from Wilhelm. Away from a painless life.

Wilhelm gently patted her shoulders. He was troubled, her trauma was rooted way too deep within her heart. Wilhelm never wanted to interfere

with how the human society works because of his pursuit to magic.

He never once took a deeper look with how things are if it's not related to

magic. However, Runa is his student. He couldn't just let her act weak whenever she's being surrounded by humans that are inferior to her.

Once you become a mage you must have a standing of your own. To support yourself. If she easily crumbled by the like of being surrounded

then it might become a disadvantage. For example, once she faces an opponent that uses mind magic then it'll be an easy win. Showing her

fears would be enough to drive her in a hopeless state.

Wilhelm was sure that she'll never make it if he goes by normal means. He wanted to tamper her memories using magic. Two more weeks and the

semister will start. As he hates to lose he has no choice but to lose the bet he had with Lagus, to not use magic on Runa.

He won't completely tamper her memories only a part of it. Just enough for her to not pale herself up whenever people flock around her. But wouldn't it be better if she were to completely forget about her past?

"Runa, do you want to forget about your past?" He asked.

It took Runa a moment before she decided to anwer. "I don't want to remember anything..."

"Very well then."

Wilhelm used his magic to forcefully make her sleep. He carried her back to her room and undressed her.

"My parents did ask me not to do something that will endanger someone's life but since it was not against her will and I'll make an exception for

my student's well being. I'll justify my promises later."

Wilhelm began to narrow his focus. He focused his mana to the tip of his finger and started to write on Runa's body. As soon as his finger left the

surface of her skin, marking with sharp symbols appeared. Now that Wilhelm took a good look at her body. He noticed that she gained some meat

the last time he took her in.

Wilhelm raised his hands and small threads of magic was coming out from his hands. Each thread connected to the edges of the sharp symbols.

"And now for the brain." he threads were thicker and was carefully placed at the back of her head, to her temples, and the forehead.

"Activating magic... [Mind Control]"

There was a magician back in the days that used this magic to take control over the target's brain. With this magic an evil magician was able to build an army and caused severe destruction to Gressaia. With his interference of the target's state of mind, every enemy has become their allly and every ally was their enemies.

It bought confusion within the defending army and had to

sacrificed some of the soldiers that had been taken over by this magic. It was called 'mind control' but Wilhelm discovered that the magic is mainly

focus in tampering the target's state of mind.

Before he began to tamper Runa's memories. He had to dive deep into her consciousness to determine which memories he'll erase. But by doing so,

he was able to view all of Runa's history. Because of the sudden surge of information that overflowed. Wilhelm smiled,

"Absorbing too much information can seriously burden the user." It was different from his case. If he just wanted to control her mind showing her

scenarios in her mind would be enough to tamper things but he wanted to destroy the roots. Which forced him to carefully inspect every memories she have. By entering her memories he too was able to experience what she had gone through...

Runa's experience in Gressaia. The time she spent with Rachel and Patricia. The time she spent training her mana. Their first meeting. And finally,

her dark past. Chained under a basement.

The faces of her masters. Not a single one of them were decent. All of them abused her using violence. As if she was a stress reliever... They beat her up, the sound of fist pounding on the flesh, and the bruises and blood that was spilled off her face...

They whipped her, the sound of wind getting cut, a different form of pain that kept stinging her, despite her covering up...

They burned her skin, the glowing hot metals that pressed to her flesh, the sound of sizzling and intense pain...

They raped her pinning her down, forcing themselves to her, destroying her body as they please despite her struggles to push them away, the feeling

of being violated, the feeling of hopelessness, and the unwanted pleasure, a distasteful feeling...

The taste of bland food... She was starved...

not giving her water, she was thirsty... And the spoiled food that comes after starvation... The disgusting flavour that will make you vomit even just

by the scent of it...

Then the memories when she was sold by her beloved father, the feeling of being betrayed by the person you love... The scarring memories of the

death of her mother in the hands of his father... The start of her hell... Then followed by her sweet memories of childhood...

A sweet child, pure and innocent... A kind and lovely child she was... She did nothing wrong to be tortured that way... How could they be so cruel? This was the dark side of humanity... Some are monsters in human skin... What's worse is that they are crueler than any monster Wilhelm had encountered...

Wilhelm now knows what part of her memories that he'll have to erase... The part where she was violated... It was the most disgusting feeling he

experienced... And it was one of the roots of her trauma... It was what made her react by being surrounded by people... As if the hands of those who

violated her are still holding her even now, a feeling as if they were still pinning her down... He remembered all of them... The faces that had harmed

her...

"I'll keep these memories... They should never be forgotten... I will keep your despair... And everything you had in your past are all bad dreams..."

"I'll also fix her lower body since I'll wipe her memories about being violated... It would be strange if she were to find a husband and she's not a virgin. Restoring her lower part wouldn't be a problem since it's just like fixing wounds after all."

Wilhelm changed her memories, replacing everything that created her trauma. Some memories were still intact so that she would not forget who

she was.

Especially the death of her mother... Her being a slave was just a nightmare that she dreamt... And the suffering her body experience were

revised as training to improve her mental strength... With that she'll be different... But was it the right thing to do?

Everything that was done so far was just their selfish desires. Wilhelm who wanted to help his student and Runa who wanted to forget her disdain.

The people who knew Runa may notice some changes on her character.

Wilhelm was prepared to confront some questions if she ever did change.

Not everyone knows her past... Not everyone she knew had a glimpse of what hell she had been through... All they know is that Runa suffered and

is being taken care of Wilhlem or she's just her timid student that lives within his house...

What he performed was nothing more than inflicting a partial amnesia and to ensure that they won't comeback Wilhelm kept them for himself.

Making him live in her hell. But it wasn't enough to affect Wilhelm... He himself created his personal hell to improve his mental strength...

But the feeling of being raped was new to him...

He swore that Runa will never experience such a thing in the future... In order for him to keep the promise to himelf of not letting his emotions take

a better out of him. Or else, he might actually use his magic to destroy someone... It will not affect the name of magic if he kill someone since

killing is also a way of using magic... He just stubbornly don't want to take a life so easily.

"She''ll probably wake up an hour after midnight. I'll add some sleeping magic to extend her rest. Everything will only be just a dream... Sleep well."