Alfred's past

Alfred - (Pov)

My name is Alfred Weidhad, I am 61 years old, and I was a cold-blooded killer.

I was born in a kingdom that was once a very beautiful paradise.

At one point in my life, I posed a threat to several countries. It didn't matter who the target was, if I was paid to kill them, I would do it.

Even if it was a member of the royalty or an important family, I would do the dirty work without a second thought.

However, every time I finished a job, I asked myself the same question: Why? Why did I stain my hands with blood? Is killing worth it?

Now, after so many years, I have left that past behind and found a new reason to live.

Although my past actions can never be erased, I am determined to do everything I can to redeem myself and help those in need of protection.

That was my way of living.

My past may be dark, but if you would like to hear...

I will gladly tell you.

My name is Alfred Weidhand, and I am a prince of a kingdom that was once a Utopia. Fifty years ago, that Utopia was destroyed, turned to ashes.

I was just a child when I saw everything that had happened. The burnt bodies, the ruined buildings, the smoke and the acrid smell.

But soon I understood what had happened. It was a war. A war that destroyed everything I knew and loved.

My father, the king at that time, had been murdered. And with him, a large part of our royal family and our citizens.

The citizens' bodies were burnt, some screamed in agony, others prayed to the Goddess.

What kind of sick person would commit such genocide? For power? For money? For fame?

At that moment, I didn't understand what had happened.

I was just a 12-year-old who didn't understand anything.

That's what drove me to become a killer. A cold and calculating killer who would do anything for the sake of his country and his family.

I trained with the best warriors and spies. I learned to kill without blinking, to manipulate and deceive. I became a killing machine.

But as the years went by, I began to question everything I had done. Had it really been for the good of my country?

I realized that I had been blinded by my revenge and thirst for power. And I decided it was time to leave my life as a killer behind.

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

"Son..."

Father touches my head.

"What's wrong, father?"

Father, he was wearing a robe adorned to match his golden crown, and a beautiful sword hung at his waist.

Father grabs my shoulders, and with a barely visible smile, it seemed like he was crying inside.

Father, along with his smile, embraces me while crying.

"Father?!"

In that very instant, I knew father was suffering, I didn't understand what was happening.

Because at that moment.

I was locked in a room with a horse ready to ride.

I have so many questions... but I know father won't tell me anything.

As father embraced me, he grabs my two shoulders again.

With his large and warm hands.

As he did, tears welled up in his eyes.

It seemed like he wanted to say something, but he didn't have the words to speak.

Seconds later, he decides to open his mouth.

"Son... I know I've failed as a father, that I wasn't there for you when you needed me most. I know I've been tough on you for not having magical attributes, and that I've kept you away from society. But that's not why I hate you, I never would. You are my son, you are the most important thing to me, the reason I go on every day..."

Father takes his son's hands in his own and squeezes them tightly.

"Forgive me for making you feel alone and isolated, for not giving you the love and attention you deserve. I hope you can forgive me, son. And I hope that someday you can find in your heart a way to forgive this old and foolish father who loves you so much."

When I heard those words, I didn't understand what he wanted to tell me, but I took that word as if he was saying goodbye.

As if we will never meet again...

Those impromptu words, but with heartfelt emotions, brought more than one tear to my eyes.

My father's words echoed in my head as I looked at him, trying to comprehend everything that was happening. The silence in the room was overwhelming, only interrupted by the sobs coming from his throat.

My eyes filled with tears as I heard my father apologize for not being a good father. It was hard for me to accept that my own father had been hiding his feelings for so long, and that this was the first time he was sharing them with me.

I tried to say something, but I couldn't. I just hugged him tightly, trying to convey all the love and forgiveness I had in my heart.

But at that moment, a sound echoed throughout the castle. It was a sound I had never heard before, a sound that sent shivers down my spine.

My father pushed me behind him, drew his sword, and headed for the door of the room.

Father had always been a just and kind man, but when he found out that I didn't have magical attributes, something changed in him. Suddenly, his gaze became cold and distant, and it seemed like he hated me for not being born with the magical abilities that his society valued so much.

He isolated me from society, stripping me of all rights and making me feel like a stranger in my own home. Every time I tried to talk to him, he ignored me completely, as if I didn't exist.

I felt lonely and abandoned, without friends or anyone to talk to. Even the few people I spoke to sometimes looked at me with disdain and talked behind my back. I knew I had no value to them, and that made me feel even more isolated and desperate.

Pain and loneliness were my only companions in those dark times, and I wondered why it had to be this way. Why did my father hate me for something I couldn't control? Why did I have to suffer so much for something that wasn't my fault?"

---Several years ago---

"Look, the useless prince."

"Hey, don't say that, he can hear you."

"What are you saying? He doesn't listen, I just spoke the truth... he's useless."

What... useless... huh? Can suicide be an option?

My heart, mind, and spirit were emotionally shattered.

For a clear example; it was like food, the more time passes, the more it decomposes.

Although I tried to cope with the situation, I couldn't ignore the comments and taunts I heard behind my back. Every day it became harder to get out of bed and face the world.

My dark thoughts were interrupted by the presence of a maid. Her short hair and green eyes hypnotized me for a moment, although she seemed to be just a few years older than me. She held something behind her back and approached to give it to me.

What does she have? What do you want?

"Alfred-sama, here, congratulations on your tenth birthday!"

She gave me what she had hidden in her hands, it was a small box wrapped in gift paper with a note that said "Congratulations!"

Could this be some kind of joke? Did you come to mock me?

"... If you're here to mock me, please leave."

I wasn't sure what to expect. A gift? A cruel joke? My distrust of others had grown so big that it was hard for me to accept any gesture of kindness.

It's the same old thing.

I turned around to leave.

"Awawawa! Aaaalfred-sama! Are you really that mean, you won't even open it?!"

The instant she saw that I was leaving, she turned passive-aggressive—restless, I would say, pouting.

How annoying...

I turned and stared at her, she was blushing like a tomato while being vigorous.

...I'll see what's inside, I won't expect anything from someone who just wants to mock me... I'm sure it's a note that says, "Die."

... Huh?

But when I opened the gift-wrapped box, I found a simple yet elegant necklace, with a note that said "Happy Birthday!"

But, to my surprise, the gift exceeded my expectations. It was just a necklace... but what seemed "simple" was something she clearly took a lot of time to choose, to see if it would suit me, to see if I would like it.

That necklace was enough to understand that she didn't really think of me like she did of other people.

My heart softened a bit as I realized that this girl had taken the time and effort to find a gift I would like. I felt a bit embarrassed by my defensive attitude towards her...

After Celia gave me the necklace, I was so surprised that I didn't know what to say.

I felt bad for thinking it might be a joke or something, because she looked so genuinely happy to give it to me.

"I know it's not a gift fit for a prince, but... if you don't like it, you can just throw it away," she said with a sad look.

"No, no! I love it!" I quickly replied, trying to reassure her. "Thank you, really, it's the best gift I've ever received."

Celia smiled in relief and told me, "Fufu~, Alfred-sama... That's good."

"What...?"

At that moment, the breeze came through the window, moving her hair like a wave, showing an angelic beauty. I stared at her with my mouth open, not knowing what to say.

"Fufu~ See you later, Alfred-sama~! Remember, no one decides your future!" she said with a smile, putting a finger to her lips.

"W-wait?!"

In that moment, the room opened a hidden door that led to the forest.

As we moved with the horse, I watched father disappear slowly.

With his hand waving goodbye.

Suddenly, a terrible feeling of emptiness overwhelmed me as my heart beat heavily.

Tears started running down my face as the horse galloped through the forest.

"Celia... What's going on? Why did father give me that?"

I asked Celia, trying to hold back my tears.

"I don't know, Alfred-sama... But what's important now is that we're together."

Her answer made me feel a little better, but the feeling of uncertainty still lingered in my mind.

Why did father look so sad? What did that gift he gave me mean?

My mind started wandering into dark thoughts, making me feel even more confused and distressed.

The horse continued moving through the forest, while I tried to control my emotions and stay strong in the face of the uncertainty looming over me.

When Celia was riding, I couldn't hold it in anymore and asked her what was really going on.

"Celia, what's happening?"

She didn't respond to me, simply ignoring me.

"Celia, I'm talking to you!"

But she continued not to respond.

As we passed through the forest on a hill, I saw our utopia engulfed in flames.

Heh... Isn't that right? Everything's a lie... right?

I was speechless.

Heh... Isn't that right? Everything's a lie... right?

I was speechless.

"Ha... ha, who... caused all of this?"

My mind was in turmoil.

As I tried to understand what had happened, I was completely lost.

My home...

It's being destroyed, citizens are being massacred...

"The sky turned dark..."

She sighed before speaking.

"It's a coup d'etat. Someone wants to take the throne and is willing to do anything to achieve it. Even burn down anything that represents a threat."

Do they want... the crown? Crown...

"Father!" I exclaimed in anguish.

N-no, it's a lie... It's all a lie...

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My home, my father, everything was in danger. I felt a mix of fear and anger.

"Celia, let go of me! Father is in danger!"

I tried to get off the horse, moving in all directions.

This caused us to fall, rolling down the hill where we were moving.

As we fell, Celia and I managed to somehow not hurt ourselves much.

But the horse, which was innocent in all of this, ended up dead.

"Are you okay, Celia?"

"Alfred-sama, I'm fine. Are you okay?"

"Y-yes!"

"There they are!"

We heard a shout from above the hill, where the commotion was spreading through our bodies.

We looked around and saw the dead horse.

When I wanted to run towards the horse, I felt a vibration behind us.

It was one of the attackers from the kingdom.

"The... at... tack... beh... ind..."

The kingdom's attackers came running towards us with swords in hand, and Celia drew hers to defend us.

I tried to help her, but my hand was trembling with fear.

"Alfred-sama, stay behind me!"

Celia positioned herself in front of me with her sword raised, ready to fight.

But I couldn't just stand still while father was in danger.

"Celia, please, let me help!"

Celia didn't wait and quickly attacked, attempting to slash with her sword.

But he repelled it as if it was a normal attack.

He spun with his lance, delivering a quick blow to Celia.

Celia blocked it with the blade of her sword.

"Ummm, looking at you closely, it would be better to test you before killing you!"

"My body and soul already have an owner."

She replied seriously.

"That brat?"

"..."

"Well, whatever. Let's get on with it."

The battle started again.

The attacks they were making were so fast that I only saw flashes.

"I want to help... but..."

I can't let Celia do all the work.

I want to fight.

But if only... If only I could use magic.

To hell with it! I stretched out my hand in the direction of the scum and started reciting.

"Goddess who resides in the heavens, bless me with your holy power, give me the strength to fight and stand up no matter—!"

"Poor kid... Die!"

He lunged at me, cutting my chant short.

When I thought these would be my last minutes of life.

Celia stepped in and took the blow.

Red...

For the first time, I saw the crimson red of a person.

My heart was slowly breaking.

"No, no, no!"

I moved desperately to tend to Celia's fatal wound.

"Celia, don't die, don't die, don't die, don't die! DON'T DIE!"

A thick smell of blood reached my nose...

She's dying.

"My master... I'm sorry to say this... but I don't have much time left, please live, don't let anyone decide your futu... ro..."

"Celia!"

I held her in my arms and tried to stop the bleeding.

"Don't give up, Celia, please!"

I tried to keep her awake, while tears continued to fall down my cheeks.

But she couldn't keep her eyes open anymore.

"Alfred... you are... my dream come true."

Her last words echoed in my head as I watched her slip away.

In her final words...

She died in vain...

For the first time, I saw a person being killed right in front of my eyes.

And that person was the first one to accept me.

To see the girl I loved most being killed by me, because of a useless person.

To see her die with my own eyes.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!"

Alfred's screams.

They turned into shrieks, and tears streamed down his face.

Into anger.

I was already dead inside.

But in an instant, a mysterious woman with a purple aura appeared before his eyes.

"Do you want to avenge your beloved? Or die?"

Her voice echoed.

"——?"

He said quietly. "What's the point of living... if you have nothing left." she looked at him and said "Yes, that's true... this world is unfair, isn't it? But... will you die just like that? Didn't she tell you to 'live'? What a poor soul..." She questioned.

Alfred simply looked at the mysterious woman and chose the first option.

"... Please... give me power."

With a slight smile, she responded, "As you wish~. My dear apostle!"

And this little encounter between the mysterious woman and Alfred came to an end.

The boy, who had been silent for a few seconds, got up.

"Hahaha! If she had accepted to be mine, I would have let her live! But too bad she's dead!"

"..."

Alfred picked up the sword.

And step by step, he moved forward.

"I will avenge you, Celia. I swear I will avenge you."

"Huh? You want to fight?"

"Die." He responded coldly.