Determination

A boy slept under a shady tree, looking comfortable but also tired as the sweat on his body penetrated his shirt. The boy had black hair, which was also covered by a black hat. Although it was a very hot day, he wore winter soldier clothes and a long black scarf.

Someone was approaching him. A woman wearing white one-piece clothes. Her hair was brown, and her eyes were dark green.

"Allen, Lady Felicia called you; she said we need to prepare for the dungeon," said the woman.

But Allen didn't listen; he remained asleep. The woman reached out to Allen's body, trying to touch him to wake him up. But just as her hand reached his head, Allen suddenly opened his eyes and grasped the woman's wrist firmly.

"Ah!" said the woman in pain because Allen was grasping too tightly. But even though she was in pain, and Allen was already in full consciousness, he still grasped it firmly.

"Don't touch me!" he said, with an angry face.

His anger wasn't just the vague anger of disliking humans; it was because he hated that woman personally, from the bottom of his heart.

"So-sorry, I didn't mean any harm-"

Allen let go of the woman's hand roughly; he stood up immediately, walking past her. Not caring about her apology or believing a single word she said.

After a few steps, Allen stopped and turned his head.

"In the future, never speak or show your face to me again, Miss Lavinia.

As much as you hate me, I also hate you from the bottom of my heart."

After saying that, he walked away, leaving Lavinia under the tree.

…

The Boldenville Residence

It was located in the southwestern part of the Wildenhall kingdom, one of the towns closest to the capital city of the Wildenhall kingdom.

About a week ago, Allen was found sleeping with severe injuries behind the Boldenville residence.

At first, when Rachel brought Felicia home, Felicia told the gatekeeper to look around the house every day to see if a boy with black hair was coming.

Then a day later, the gatekeeper found Allen at the back of the house, still with his head covered by a scarf, holding the Boldenville's knife in his hand.

The guard immediately told Rachel about it, and then Rachel told Felicia and Lord Boldenville.

"We won't accept anyone, let alone an escapee from a traitorous family."

"But father! He was my lifesaver!"

"No! We won't add more trouble to our family. Moreover, that child has not only black hair but also white hair. I'm sure there will only be trouble that child will bring."

Inside the room of the head of the Boldenville family, Reynold Orabella Boldenville. Felicia was arguing with him about Allen, who had just come to her house in a badly injured state. Of course, Reynold rejected Allen, whose origins were unclear and whose hair would definitely cause much trouble. But Felicia persisted, argued with him, and forced her father to accept Allen into the house.

"Father... please, I've never once disobeyed you. He's my friend, my only friend, and I've been friendless because of our family status. There's no way I'm abandoning him after he went through all the trouble of coming here."

"Nonsense, if you want to save him, we just need to take care of him for a few days, give him some money, and release him in the city. There's no need to destroy this house just to save that child."

"No, father. I made a promise to him as a member of the Boldenville family."

"What do you mean?"

"I gave him our family's artifact. I have decided to choose Allen."

"You... what a fool! I gave you that so you would choose your own knight to protect yourself! Not to give it to a trouble-making slave!"

"It's too late, father...

Even if I ask for your permission, I'm sure you won't accept it...

I know you will never listen to my requests.

Even though I always listen to all your orders.

About my engagement with Mr. Waldo, it turns out that the Barkaley family has connections with Archbishop Benedict and Prince Leofric. You made me betrothed to Lord Waldo only to exalt your connections.

I thought you were thinking a little bit about my happiness.

I know you never saw the true me from the beginning.

I doubt you even saw me as your daughter."

Felicia walked out of her father's room. Leaving without wanting to hear what her father had to say again.

"I thought if I let her get engaged to Waldo, she'd be more obedient. I now saw her as a burden. Daughters sure are troublesome. It makes me want to tell her about Waldo's fate."

Reynold felt a headache from Felicia's treatment. Then he went to his chair and sat down, letting out a long sigh.

"Honey, this is the first time that girl has wanted something so badly, more than when she asked you to betroth her with Mr. Waldo."

It turned out that someone else was in the room; it was Ayde, Reynolds' wife. Who did nothing but watch Felicia argue with Reynold.

"Don't lecture me; all you have to do is rest and eat lots of meat. Then don't ever start walking with your left foot; it's said that if you walk with your right foot, your child will be a boy."

"I thought you didn't care about rumors."

"I'll do anything for a son. If Felicia becomes the head of the family, I'll be embarrassed."

The night he was found, Allen was temporarily asleep in Rachel's room. At that time, Allen was unconscious for three days. Felicia visits him sometimes, just to sit there and look at Allen's face. Meanwhile, it was Rachel who took care of Allen.

In the morning, when Felicia coincidentally visited Allen, he woke up. Felicia had plenty of time until the Whitmoon Festival because she had no sword or amnis training.

When she saw Allen open his eyes, Felicia's face was both surprised and happy. She briefly smiled in relief. That smile only lasted for a few seconds when Allen's eyes saw her.

"You are finally awake, Allen. I thought you were dead. Well, actually, I don't care whether you live or die, but I'm glad you're awake. Be thankful! It's all because I saved you," Felicia said, turning her face away.

Allen was silent, still confused by his situation.

"This isn't my room..." Allen said.

"Of course, this is Rachel's room. You were unconscious for three days. Don't you remember anything that happened at Isabelle's house?"

Allen's face immediately changed, as did Felicia's, when she saw that face.

"So that's it... It wasn't all a dream," Allen said.

"Isabelle... I left her alone in the cold, dark forest," he continued.

"Though finally, I felt that warmth again."

"But now everything is cold."

"I don't understand..."

"I don't understand humans."

"They repeatedly destroyed everything I had."

"Don't humans just hate monsters? Why did they have to attack Isabelle?!"

"In the end, I didn't understand what mother was saying."

"Neither did I understand what Isabelle said. I don't understand why she gave me the order not to kill humans when other humans kill other people so easily. Killing all her slaves."

Felicia didn't understand the face Allen put on

'Why... why do you have that face? What really happened?'

Sadness, rage, hatred, love, vengeance. Everything could be seen on Allen's face. He was surely angry; his heart was full of hatred and resentment, but tears did not stop coming from his eyes. He realized the warmth in Isabelle's house, which he could finally feel after losing them. But humans had taken that warmth from him once again.

Now he refused to conform anymore.

Shutting himself off from humans and thinking only of his grudge against them—those who had ruined his home—both his homes.

Allen remembered the faces of each of those he had not killed.

"I will kill them! I will definitely kill them all! Humans!"

'What have you seen, Allen?'

Felicia was terrified. She felt afraid of Allen, who repeatedly muttered about his hatred for humans.

Even though she was also human...

But the hatred in him was no different from the monsters.

Felicia clasped her trembling right hand with her left. She was terrified.

Amid her fear, Felicia remembered Waldo.

The night she met Waldo, she told him how much she hated his world and wished she could just die. But Waldo's words that night touched her heart, praising Felicia's god blessing and saying that Felicia could save many.

Then she remembered Allen's face when she first met him.

His eyes were like a dead fish, sad, full of hatred, full of sadness, and he couldn't bear to see Allen like that because Allen looked like herself before meeting Waldo.

'Mr. Waldo, please give me strength,' as Felicia thought as she slowly extended her right hand to Allen.

-Grab

and held Allen's bandaged right hand.

"ALLEN!" Felicia shouted.

Allen stopped mumbling and looked into Felicia's eyes.

"That's enough... Don't say things like that again... Auntie Isabelle wouldn't want you to be like this."

Allen could feel Felicia's hand trembling in his.

"What do you think Isabelle wanted from me? When she died, she told me to live. According to her wishes, I will live. This is the life Isabelle gave me, and it is to avenge her."

"No! That's definitely not what she wanted! Isabelle just wanted you to continue your life happily!"

"How do you know such a thing?!"

"I know! I know anyway!"

"Your words are baseless."

"You don't need a basis to know something like this! Isabelle's affection for you is genuine. There's no way someone who loves you would ask you to take revenge..."

"You're wrong! She just asked me to learn the sword! That means she agreed to let me take revenge! This life must exist to avenge her!"

"No! That's impossible! That's definitely not the reason!"

"That's right! Swords only exist to hurt others!"

"Then why did he forbid you to kill?"

Allen was silent... It was one of Isabelle's commands that confused him.

That night, she could have taken her orders from Allen, as she said she wanted to save everyone. She even allowed Theobald to kill others, so why couldn't he?

"You wouldn't understand what Isabelle was thinking anyway," Allen said, taking his eyes off Felicia.

Felicia then pulled Allen's hand to make him look at her.

"Allen, didn't I promise... I'd show you a sword that can help rather than harm people. I'm sure Isabelle asked you to learn the sword so that you can protect others... People you care about... Whether it's your mother or Isabelle. Even if you fail now, she wants you to be able to protect others with your sword in the future.

For now

Protect me.

Come with me. Follow the same path as me until I can fulfill my promise to you."

Allen couldn't argue with anything Felicia said. Now he was confused at Felicia, who had gone so far as to contradict Allen.

'Why does this person care so much?' Allen thought.

At first, Allen thought that her actions had something to do with her high noble pride. But the trembling in Felicia's hand that Allen felt in his hand couldn't exist because of pride alone, which made Allen even more curious about Felicia's motives.

"Well...

I won't change my mind about revenge. I'm still going to do it. But I will also watch over you and protect you until you can fulfill your promise. The deadline is until I kill those people. Try to stop me if you can."

Allen said with a resigned face, giving in to Felicia's words.

Felicia smiled. Maybe this wasn't what she wanted, but for now, this was what was needed.

"I won't let you kill anyone else," Felicia said.

Then, in his heart, Allen thought

'There's no way she can stop me, but I'll follow her for now. I still need to utilize her until I can kill them all. I will kill every soldiers in this kingdom!'