Chapter: 221
Exhausted and on the verge of collapsing, Sylvia finally returned to the mansion after attending an emergency meeting. She lay on her bed, staring blankly, lost in thought.
“I’m so tired.”
It felt like she could collapse at any moment.
Yet, despite her fatigue, sleep refused to come.
“I’ll let it slide this time. Just remember to think twice before saying things you can’t take responsibility for. Responsibility is a heavy burden.”
“Ugh…”
Thoughts kept swirling in her head.
She couldn’t stop replaying her own silence when told to kill Scarlet.
Was she regretting it?
It was ridiculous.
What was she supposed to do, anyway? Even when she asked herself, she couldn’t come up with a proper answer.
Just as she was biting her lips in self-deprecation, a distant “bang, bang” echoed, the sound of something exploding from afar.
At that sound, Sylvia looked out the window with a hazy gaze, as if she might extinguish any moment.
The sky was bursting with unexpected fireworks.
In normal circumstances, she would have enjoyed the rare sight, but now, she felt no desire to appreciate it.
How could she?
Because she knew what those fireworks meant: that Scarlet was in danger.
With a grimace, Sylvia pulled the curtains shut.
Even though the view outside became obscured, the sound of the explosions didn’t cease.
Covering her eyes with her palm wouldn’t make the stars or moon disappear; the fact that Scarlet was in peril remained unchanged.
The sound seemed to taunt her, as if intending to make her feel guilty.
It was hard to bear listening to it, hoping her heart could find even a little peace amid this torment.
With that thought, Sylvia squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her ears closed.
And so, silence descended.
However, despite the absence of sound, her anxiety only intensified.
What if, by blocking her ears, the sound ceased altogether?
It was a truly contradictory feeling.
“I don’t want to hear it.” Yet, at the same time, she wished the sound wouldn’t stop.
But there was no escaping the reality that if the sound ended, it meant Scarlet no longer needed to be chased.
But instead of checking, it was as if her hands were glued to her ears out of dread.
Sure, she felt anguish from listening to the sounds, but…
What if she removed her hands and the silence held true?
“Ugh, ngh…”
And thus, Sylvia wept quietly, shivering with her ears still blocked.
How long did time pass?
Lying on her bed, feeling as if she’d fainted, Sylvia sensed something vibrating nearby and slowly sat up.
[─────]
After a long time with her ears blocked, a familiar beep seeped through her relaxed hand.
It was the communication device’s call.
When she opened her eyes slightly, she saw the device vibrating on the floor, making the sound.
Wondering if it was urgent, Sylvia hesitated briefly, then put down her hand from her ears and picked up the device.
[—Aah, can everyone hear me…?]
Then, Mei’s voice rang through the communication line designated for first-years.
After confirming enough people had connected, she started speaking.
[I think everyone who can come is here, so I’ll begin. You remember when I asked Dwight to follow Jesse earlier? I was worried she might do something reckless. Before we parted ways, Dwight cast a sight-sharing spell on me.]
Upon hearing Mei’s words, Sylvia gasped reflexively.
[Thanks to that, I just saw… Scarlet, that child.]
She inhaled sharply without realizing, worried something had happened to her.
In a panic, she focused on the device as Mei continued.
[…I felt I needed to inform you too, so I called you. I’m going to tell you what I saw, so—]
The ensuing story from Mei was enough to leave Sylvia utterly flabbergasted.
Scarlet, who had been attacked by Jesse but didn’t fight back.
Scarlet, who had stopped Jesse from attacking again even while overexerting herself.
[What I saw ends there.]
The Scarlet Sylvia knew hadn’t changed at all.
It was a story that stretched credulity.
She had completely lost control and even harmed Yoon Si-woo, trying to burn herself too.
[…She looked just like the Scarlet I know. Seeing that made me wonder if what happened to Yoon Si-woo was just a terrible accident. But if we let this slide, Scarlet will be captured and executed…]
But, if what Mei said was true…
If Scarlet was indeed the same person she knew…
What was she supposed to do—
[…So what are we supposed to do about it?]
At that moment, someone muttered from the communication device, as if their thoughts had spilled out.
In response, Mei offered a hesitant reply.
[Ugh… I just think if she’s still our friend, we shouldn’t let her die…!]
[So now we should help her?]
A voice that felt even colder than ice pierced through, and a brief silence followed.
As the moment of silence ended, the voice of the student, who had just spoken, resumed.
[Everyone needs to wake up! Mei, I know what you’re feeling…! But Scarlet is a witch, and we’re supposed to take her down! You’re suggesting we commit treason! You know how serious that is!]
The student’s words seemed to hammer at those confused by Mei’s statement, wanting to illustrate just how ludicrous the idea of aiding Scarlet was.
Mei responded, her voice layered with hesitation as if she understood.
[I know… But, but…!]
[But what! Why should we risk everything to help her?!]
Before Mei could respond, the student erupted in frustration.
That was reality.
Scarlet, who had once been invaluable to them, even if they now desired to help her.
But the fear of what consequences would follow forced them to face the truth.
They didn’t have the luxury to act recklessly.
It wasn’t shameful; it was just the way things were.
It was the reality they lived in.
[But…]
Mei, unlike anyone else, declared.
[There’s a reason…!]
She proclaimed that giving up was not an option.
[It’s in the hero’s oath. Heroes must never abandon their comrades, no matter the situation.]
Her words were idealistic.
People dismiss such notions as mere folly; they wouldn’t be taken seriously.
Yet, Mei spoke those ideals.
[We’re aspiring heroes. So, we, who are Scarlet’s comrades, can’t abandon her…!]
But no one could laugh at her words.
A slightly above-average talent couldn’t label her a genius.
Yet, she had persistently pursued her goal of becoming a hero more seriously than anyone else.
They who had seen her steadfast progression down this path understood her struggle.
[Regardless, I’m going to do it alone. No, Dwight said he would too, so at least the two of us will.]
Certainly, she must feel some fear.
Still, with resolute determination, Mei declared.
[……You’re really crazy. How do you plan to deal with the aftermath?]
A student called her crazy.
Sylvia thought the same.
How could they bear the aftermath and take responsibility for such actions?
Simultaneously, she wondered how anyone could act that way.
Yet, the answer to that lay in what Mei had just said.
‘A hero should never abandon their comrades, no matter the circumstance…!’
She could see why, for Mei thought of Scarlet as a comrade.
That is, she believed in Scarlet just as much.
Finishing her thoughts, Sylvia muttered to herself.
“……I have so far to go.”
She smiled wryly.
When was it?
Was it when she tried to save Scarlet from Sator’s abduction?
Back then, realizing who Scarlet truly was, she had told her the same thing as Mei.
A hero never abandons their comrades.
Even though she had been confident in her belief in Scarlet, she found herself in this situation.
Belief.
Yes, belief.
Why had she come to distrust Scarlet?
Because she lost control, trying to burn herself and harmed Yoon Si-woo.
At that moment, Scarlet was not herself.
That was a fact beyond dispute.
Yet, if, as Mei said, Scarlet had regained her senses afterward…
Surely it was due to the effort put forth by someone who believed in her just as much as Sylvia did.
Sylvia recalled Yoon Si-woo, who walked straight into the flames without hesitation to keep his promise to Scarlet despite her warnings.
The belief she held in Yoon Si-woo, knowing him as a comrade who understands Scarlet.
He would not have so frivolously lost to a witch.
In fact, it made more sense that he had strived this hard to bring her back, willing to endure whatever befell him.
It was only a wishful thought, but somehow, she felt that way.
Once that thought crossed her mind, she felt her own absurdity.
Yoon Si-woo and Mei.
Everyone believed in Scarlet.
“……I can’t just stand by,”
Sylvia muttered, taking a deep breath.
It felt as if the fog in her mind was clearing up.
Manipulating the comm device, she spoke.
“It’s true. Mei’s right. For a hero to abandon their comrades is absurd.”
[Si… Sylvia?]
As she sided with Mei, shock rippled through the students, and Sylvia chuckled softly.
She detested being halted by the weight of responsibility.
The heir of Astra, that title forced her to act like an adult, yet she was still a student.
So now, she could speak without hesitation.
“I will help Scarlet.”
Realities and ideals could collide without remorse.
“For I am Scarlet’s comrade.”
If students don’t dream of ideals, no one in the world will dare to discuss them.
After saying it, she felt a surge of relief inside her.
But that wasn’t all she wanted to say.
“I also have a request.”
Sylvia made her request.
For those students who could not voice it as she did.
“Just once, can you believe in Scarlet?”
To join with their ideals, she urged.
[……What are you all planning? If you do this, it’s not just a minor crime; we’ll all be criminals.]
Of course, the reaction wasn’t positive.
This was not a level of action that could be done recklessly.
But Sylvia was perceptive.
She sensed they were all hesitating.
They simply couldn’t muster the determination to act.
So, she proposed,
“I’ll take responsibility. Would that be alright?”
Sylvia said it again.
Making herself their catalyst to finally decide.
Responsibility was truly a terrifying word.
But hadn’t she told Scarlet before?
That when the day comes she needs assistance, she would help her with all her might?
She had not forgotten.
And suddenly, it struck her that now was that time.
[Even if you say that…]
The indecisiveness among them lingered.
They surely knew that saying they would take responsibility didn’t mean it would be easy.
It was not a statement made with firm resolution.
Still, her face bore no uncertainty as Sylvia asked.
“So, what will you do?”
*
Time had come.
Sylvia drew the curtains back and gazed out the window.
What lay beyond was a pitch-black night sky.
At first glance, it seemed desolate and lonely.
[Everyone, now!!!]
[Alright, fire!!]
[Damn it, let it be! Whatever happens, happens!!]
With voices ringing from the device,
Boom!!!
With a loud explosion,
Dozens of fireworks burst into the night sky.
It was a spectacle created by everyone’s combined efforts.
Persuading the children?
Was there truly a need to fret about that?
[Wahaha!! Hey, look at the sky! Who could possibly look away from this?!]
[……Hey, you. Didn’t you say something earlier?]
[That was then and this is now! Since we’ve come this far, we gotta make it count!]
They had hesitated, yet fundamentally, they were aspiring heroes.
Naturally, they pursued ideals.
These were mavericks; if they weren’t, they would’ve never aimed to become heroes in the first place.
[Do you think Scarlet got away?]
[You think Dwight wouldn’t take care of her? Hey, after doing all this, when we see Scarlet next, she better treat us to a meal!]
[She better do that if she’s got any conscience! I’m worried about the aftermath now that we’ve done this…!]
[Alright, stop being a killjoy and enjoy yourself!]
All the responsibilities and repercussions loomed large in the background.
Yet for some reason, at that moment, her heart felt extraordinarily light.
Hearing the raucous voices, Sylvia chuckled, admiring the soaring fireworks as she softly murmured,
“See you later, Scarlet.”
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.