THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR - Chapter 200

“Have you calmed down now?” After five infinite minutes of crying and praying in silence. The heroes finally stand up with Lanuvel. Noticing that Rose is crying, she wipes her mother’s tears but they continue. Wiping them again, she notices that she is looking at something and turn around, stumbling upon me.

“What?”

“She is looking at you.”

“I don’t think so.” I move from where I was and go somewhere else but Rose’s eyes don’t leave me at all.

“See?”

Shit…

“Yeah, I am not blind.”

“Mother, this is Kevin Dragonroad. He is the one who saved you.” I didn’t do it alone, girl.

“Ah…Ah…” Rose’s mouth opens and sounds start to come out but no words are pronounced. Only groan-like noises leave her mouth. The tears have stopped, though.

Seeing you like this, I still can’t believe it. The prideful and gentle Rose I remembered. Your smile and devil-like face when you were angry. I have one more reason to burst Veronica’s head open now.

“Excuse me, I believe she will need a bit more rest now.”

The butler from earlier intervenes after Lanuvel presented me to her mother. Surprisingly, Lanuvel accepts and silently leaves the room. I thought she would make a fuss about it. Followed by Roxcia, we also leave after them, leaving the butler who makes her lie back down on the bed.

“She is really diminished.”

***

The day goes on with a weird mood all around. Nobody seems in the mood to speak or laugh. I don’t understand those guys. Why are they so down about this? I mean, I can understand if it was Lanuvel but every single one of them, even Keltia, seems so affected you would believe it is their own family’s member. That’s stupid.

“This is really…” Let’s go and train.

I go outside but find Lanuvel and the heroes, training already. Did they find that mood too heavy for them as well? Without disturbing them, I take a wooden raizen from the butler and start swinging. Not only Farner but even Lanuvel’s swings are incredibly powerful today. They make the air screech violently every time they bring their swords down.

After about twenty minutes, Lanuvel comes in front of me, sweating heavily. I don’t need to read her mind to guess what those eyes mean.

“A fight?”

“Yes, please. With all your strength.”

“Why? You don’t look like it is just for the sake of training.”

“Eh? Wait, you of all people, who ask for a reason to fight?”

“I just wanted to know. It is fine if you don’t want to tell me.”

“It’s just that…I want to see. I want to know. Why it was you and not me. What is it that I am lacking. Only then will I be able to grow.”

“I see.”

Lanuvel jumps a few meters back and after the heroes have all reached the butler who is far enough from us, she unleashes her aura and activates her ice script.

“QUEEN OF ICE!!” The whole part of the garden where we are is frozen. Most of the snow has melted but no, the flowers, the grass…Everything has turned into a case of ice. Her wooden sword as well is enveloped in ice. It looks like the teeth of a wolfider.

“Please, show me your true strength, just I will show you mine.”

My true strength?  I don’t want to use draconic energy here for several reasons. But I guess I can at least use Angas to its fullest. It won’t be as much trouble, I am sure.

“Okay. Fuu…” I release the auras of all Angas types at once. Like an explosion, it sweeps through the whole garden, breaking Lanuvel’s ice everywhere it meets it. The tree near us shakes violently as well. The ice on Lanuvel’s sword instantly disintegrated and I see her staggering, almost falling on her butt.

She looks at me with despair and admiration at the same time. She looks like she is about to cry and laugh at the same time. It seems I broke her hopes.

“Is it enough?” I ask her while stopping my aura. The heroes are whispering behind me but I don’t think it is anything bad.

“I-it is. Thank you.” She stands back up but her legs start trembling and she falls on her butt. As I approach, I notice that even her hands are shaking. Did I really shatter her dreams?

“Sorry. It seems you had hoped you were stronger.”

“No. I didn’t really.” She tries to take my hand but hers is shaking so much she can’t even grip mine. I grab her by the wrist and pull her up.

“Then why are you trembling so much?”

“Because…I am afraid.”

“Afraid?”

“Yes. You are so strong and yet, you almost died to save my mother. Then if it was me, I wouldn’t even have been cannon fodder.”

“Isn’t that why we strive to become better every day?”

“It is. But…”

“If you can’t find a foothold, I will be the pillar to push you up. If you are walking on the darkness, I will be the light to guide you.” Lanuvel look at me with such sweet and shining eyes you could lose yourself in them.

“Hm-mhm. This is what somebody told me one day, when I needed support…”

Saying so, I turn to the side and show the heroes to Lanuvel. I don’t know how she sees them right now, but I do remember that Farner was shining to my eyes when she was saying that.

“So, perhaps you should seek refuge in those who have sworn to protect us, no matter what.” Lanuvel looks at me instead.

“And what about you?”

“Sorry. I cannot be your light.” I notice Farner’s face darkening from the corner of my eye but I don’t want to lie. My path is mine alone and I cannot be followed.

“Why?”

“Because my path leads nowhere near happiness. And I alone must see through it to the end.” Nobody can achieve my revenge for me. Nobody should have to do it for me.

“But, I…”

“Lanuvel,” I maintain her at distance while grabbing her shoulders and look at her straight in her wet, teary eyes, “this is the one thing I must do alone. So that I can face you all one day without regret.”

“Face me? Fufu, you don’t need to be so manly with me, you know.”

“It’s not a matter of being manly, It’s more about my regrets.”

“Does that mean it is your regrets that made you so strong?”

“No, but they remind me of my weakness every time I tend to forget how weak I am.”