I’ve been called a failure by many. My master, my teammates, the people at the plaza, my mother’s friends, and the likes. Every time they speak to me, all I get are non-stop protests. Most of them say it right in my face.

You might think I’m sad, but I'm okay. As long as I’m doing my best, I know one day everything will be fine. I’m used to all the bad things they did to me; I’m used to all of the non-stop failures I had just because I have no talent. Be it physical or necromancy, I’m always last. But it’s okay, I’m used to all the bitter complaints towards my mother; I’m used to all the insults I get from other people; I’m used to all of these because it’s true.

That is… until I lost her.

---Emily---

Hiiro, please take care of Aria.

“Greetings, Emily Ojou-sama,” the butler greeted while bowing.

“G-good morning.”

“I’ve read Oliver-sama’s letter to the King. It seemed Marina-sama has adopted such a peculiar child.”

“Y-you know my mother?”

“Yes, Marina-sama and I met 50 years ago in Gapan,” the butler replied. “I would like to offer my condolences for her loss.”

“The battle between Emily Scarlet and Satrillo Stradivarius, now begins!” The gong was hit, signaling the start of the battle.

However, none of us decided to attack.

“Please Satrillo, do you know where my mother’s remains are?”

Satrillo looked at King Arthur and spoke, “Your Highness, can I have a request? Can Emily Ojou-sama and I talk it out for a bit?”

“Your request is approved,” King Arthur replied. “There’s no time limit in this battle anyway.”

Satrillo then looked back. “I’m truly sorry Emily Ojou-sama, I don’t know where Marina-sama’s remains are right now.”

“I see.” Looking down, I replied. “Then, how did you know my mother?”

“Before I met Marina-sama, I was a dying treant,” he answered.

“A treant?”

“Yes, when Marina-sama found me in the forest, she used her magic to help me,” he added. “I then decided to serve her with my life as thanks.”

“Mother...”

“Judging from that young skeleton earlier, I can say that you were the one who taught him Elemental Magic, yes?” he asked.

“Y-yes, I did.”

“I see, so you’re just like your mother, both of you use necromancy and elemental magic.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“My apologies, Emily ojou-sama.” Satrillo bowed. “I just thought that it’s quite unfair that I know a lot about you, my opponent, but you know nothing of me… That’s why I’ll show you first my power.”

As he flicked his fingers, his skin suddenly changed. It became darker, rougher and harder. His skin turned into bark; he became a wooden man.

“My intense training with Marina-sama turned my body into this,” Satrillo spoke drawing his sword. It was a long, single-edged blade. “This sword came from the country of elves, my home. We call this a katana...” Finally, from his back, eight wooden tails sprouted out.

“Let me introduce myself again...” Satrillo bowed. “My name is Satrillo Stradivarius; a treant, a master swordsman and a user of Wood Manipulation Magic.”

***

Standing, I was looking at him, waiting for an attack. Suddenly, his eight tails moved towards me, attempting to pierce my body.

Long range? And he didn’t even write a rune.

Quickly, I wrote an earth rune. “Terra Shield.” However, the wall was destroyed by his attack.

Good thing I jumped. He just destroyed mid-tier earth magic.

Suddenly, he appeared in front of me.

What?

He then slashed me with his sword; I blocked it using my scepter, yet my body was thrown away. However, I received no damage since I used Wind Magic to prevent myself from colliding with the wall.

First, I need to blind him.

“Sandstorm!!!” Suddenly, a tornado appeared carrying clouds of sand with it. Visibility became zero, however, using Terra Sense, I could sense him. “Phantom Hands!!!” Ghost hands then appeared below him and grabbed his feet, immobilizing him. Controlling the sandstorm with my hands, I compressed and concentrated it to his position increasing the spell’s speed and power.

“In… Infer… In...”

“Faker!”

A word suddenly came to my mind. The rune I wrote disappeared.

Suddenly, I sensed something below me. “Fly!!!” It was his tail, coming from the ground, and tried to attack me.

That was close.

“Lady Emily, you’re not the only one who can see in a sandstorm, you know.” He then swung his sword; the force dispersed the sand and destroyed the ghosts. “You might be confused, but we treants can use Wood Manipulation Magic without writing a rune,” he spoke. “Our body is something akin to a magic tool.”

That’s amazing.

Flying around, I was dodging Satrillo’s attacks from below.

This is bad. I can only fly for a limited time. I need to disarm him.

“Water Whip!!!” The whip went and attempted to grab his sword, however, he stopped it with his tail.

Fly magic’s time was up. Slowly, I landed on the ground. Satrillo used this opportunity to attack. He appeared in front of me and slashed my body.

“Ahck!!!” However, that was a trick. After the body melted into the ground, I cast another spell.

“Water Prison!!” Casting a spell, I landed far behind him.

“A water clone?” Satrillo asked as the water from the clone enveloped him.

“Water Whip!!!”

The whip successfully grabbed his sword and threw it outside the arena. However...

“It seems you forgot something, Emily Ojou-sama,” he said, slashing the spell.

“It… it can’t be” Looking at him, he was holding a wooden sword.

“You forgot that I can use Wood Manipulation Magic; I can manipulate all kinds of wood, even my own body,” Satrillo explained. “That also includes reshaping them into anything I want.”

“T-this is actually my first encounter with this magic.”

“Is that so? My apologies then,” he replied.

Suddenly, another sword appeared in his left hand.

“Dual wield?”

***

---Hiiro---

Troubled by this feeling inside me, I was walking left and right inside the recovery room.

Emily...

“Hiiro, you’re worried about Emily’s fight, right?” Aria spoke while looking at me. Her form was back to normal due to me having given her back her necklace a few minutes ago.

“Yes, to be honest, I feel uneasy right now. It feels like something bad is happening to the arena.”

“Then, maybe you should go and see her,” she added.

“But… I can’t just leave you alone.”

“You don’t have to worry about me.” She stood up to console me. “I’m okay now.” However, she still fell down. Good thing I caught her.

“Don’t push yourself, you can’t even stand.”

“Don’t worry, I’m okay,” Aria replied while I assisted her to bed. “It seems my energy still hasn’t fully recovered but I’m okay.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Actually, I’m also worried about Emily right now. I… I have a feeling that something’s troubling her and she couldn’t fight well,” she responded. “Please, go to my sister.”

Looking at her eyes, I couldn't say no. “Ok, I’ll go see her. We’ll visit you soon.”

“Okay. I will wait for you two,” Aria replied. “Also tell her I’m okay and she doesn't have to worry about me.”

“Okay”

***

---Emily---

Catching my breath, I’ve been dodging all of Satrillo’s attacks for a while now.

He’s too strong.

“What’s wrong, Emily Ojou-sama?” Satrillo spoke. “Don’t tell me you’re going to surrender now?”

“I-I will not give up!” I shouted, writing a rune. “I call thee from the land of the giants, Summon: Earth Golem!!!” Suddenly, an earthquake occurred as a huge golem came out from the ground; before lumbering forward and attacking Satrillo.

Using Fireball, I attacked Satrillo while he was being distracted by the golem. However, he blocked all of my attacks with his swords and tails. Suddenly, he appeared in front of me and slashed me with his sword. However, being a water clone it merely melted back into the earth as it fell, my real body being on top of the golem.

“Hoh. So you’re the type of person who uses the same spell.” Satrillo leapt away from the clone

“Hurricane!” While writing another rune, a giant tornado appeared and sucked him inside. “Combust in the gale... Firestorm!”

I’m not the same as before… I am stronger… I can do this.

Writing another rune, I instructed my golem to punch him into the ground.

“Life Drain!”

Using life drain requires the user to touch the target, however, it will also activate if I use my familiar.

While draining my opponent, I jumped down from the golem and wrote another rune.

“I summon the flames from the pits of hell. Help me create this destructive spell. Annihilation comes to all my enemies. From the ground, burn all of their bodies!"

“Faker!!” A voice in my mind stopped me for a bit.

“I… I am not a faker!!!” Satrillo then slashed the Golem’s hands, destroying it. However, I already managed to finish my rune in time and cast it on point blank range. “Inferno!!!” It was the strongest fire spell I know.

***

---Hiiro---

“I finally made it.”

Gazing in the arena, I saw a giant golem punching the ground. Looking at it carefully, I saw Emily jumping from above.

She landed near the golem’s fist, just before it was destroyed by something. “Inferno!!!” she shouted, followed by a huge explosion engulfs the arena, away from her position. She then jumped back while catching her breath.

As the explosion subsided, a silhouette of a human appeared, standing. The smokes then disappeared as a wooden man with eight wooden tails come into view, his top clothes scorched by the fire.

“A wooden, eight-tailed mannequin?” I asked, looking at him. “Damn those abs, he’s so macho!”

The man then spoke, “Too bad, Emily Ojou-sama.”

Ojou-sama?

“My body became sturdy from training with Marina-sama for 40 years,” he added. “That also includes her using Fire Magic every fight.”

Marina-sama?

“No, this… This can’t be.” Emily fell on her knees.

“EMILY!!!” As loud as I can, I shouted at her.

“Hii...ro?” She looked at me.

“Aria said you don’t have to worry about her. She said she’s okay and you don’t have to worry so just fight seriously.”

“Sorry, Hiiro.” She apologized while looking down. “I… I don’t think I can win.”

“Why? Don’t lose hope! You can do it!”

"I can’t!! It’s because…” Emily said, softly. “It’s because I’m just a faker!!! Thea is right. I’m just a pretend necromancer!” Emily added still looking down. “It’s no use, I’ve already used my strongest fire spell. I’m useless… Sorry for dragging you and Aria into this. I just put Aria’s win to shame.”

“You’re not a faker! You’re authentic! Stop letting others dictate what you really are! You are real.”

Doubt them, question them, suspect them, and take a good long look into their hearts. Humans are the kind of beings that can’t put their pain into words. But Emily is different. She’s real. A shy but honest girl. All her of actions, her words, her gestures, all of it feel so real. That’s why… I’m unable to hate her. Because she’s not a fake. Yes. Just like her. Just like Haruka.

“You can do this! I believe in you!”

“Hiiro… You’re right…” Emily spoke as she stood. “I am real. I should not let other people mention my ‘self’. If I can be changed by a few words, then that wouldn't be my ‘self’. I am real. I am authentic. Thank you, Hiiro.”

“Emily Ojou-sama, are you finished now?” the macho mannequin said.

“Yes, Satrillo, I’m ready,” Emily replied.

Wait a minute. That’s Satrillo?

Satrillo then dashed, more like teleported to Emily. However, Emily defended with a Barrier. “Hoh, you’re using a different strategy now,” Satrillo spoke.

“Flame Burst!” Suddenly, flames blasted in a circle with Emily at the center. Satrillo jumped away. “Water Whip! Water Whip! Water Whip!” A large number of whips then appeared from the runes.

But, Satrillo slashed everything using his swords and tails.

“Oh, spirits who are unable to rest, help me with this quest,” Emily chanted. “Summon: Purgatory!!!” Suddenly, a portal appeared behind her and call forth a lot of ghost-like creatures which struck Satrillo. “I AM A NECROMANCER!”

***

---Emily---

Satrillo is amazing. Each of the ghosts has life drain, however, it seems he’s not affected by it.

While the ghosts distracted Satrillo, I ran around the arena and wrote a rune. “Hurricane!!” A tornado then sucked Satrillo with the ghosts. He was having a hard time fighting with them inside the tornado. “Firestorm!!” The tornado was filled with fire; the place was so bright and hot, I could hardly see what’s happening in the arena. However, he just slashed everything like nothing happened. He fell to the ground and continuously attacked me using his tails from afar, yet I dodged them all. He then blinked in front of me and tried to slash me, however, he was stopped.

“What?!” Satrillo asked.

It was a Water Mine I planted while running.

Hiiro, I used to always cry and give up… I made many wrong turns… But you… You helped me find the right path…

Jumping away from Satrillo, I plunged my scepter to the ground then wrote several runes using both of my hands. “Water Prison, Phantom Lock, Hurricane, Sandstorm...” As fast as I can, I cast a number of immobility spells.

I saw you struggle while learning magic. Until the time you succeeded in creating a new type of magic... I know... Because I’m always watching you…

“I summon the flames from the pits of hell. Help me create this destructive spell. Annihilation comes to all my enemies. From the ground, burn all of their bodies…” “

I want to walk beside you all the time… I just want to be with you… You’ve changed me! Your words are what saved me!

“Execute Loop Program: Inferno!!! Set X to infinity…” Several runes then appeared around Satrillo.

“Demonic Barrier!” Dullahan shouted realizing what I was casting so as to protect the people outside the arena.

Thank you, Hiiro.

“Fire!!!”

The explosion was too strong; the shock waves almost destroyed multiple barriers that I cast to protect myself. While the smoke was dispersing, a silhouette of a man was seen standing.

“It… it can’t be.”

However, as the smoke finally cleared, the man fell down, unconscious. “The winner of the final match, Emily Scarlet,” the host announced.

“I… I’ve finally won...”

***

---Hiiro---

“Emily, you did it!” Immediately, I ran to her. She then smiled at me and collapsed, but, I caught her. “Good job, Emily.” King Arthur then instructed the guards to carry Emily and Satrillo to the recovery room, however, I requested that I would carry her.

On the way, Emily woke up. “Where… Where am I?” Emily asked.

“Good morning, the fight is done and you won,” I spoke carrying her princess style.

“H-H-Hiiro, w-w-why are you carrying me?” She blushed.

“Oh. I’m sorry, I’m carrying you to the recovery room. You can’t stand with all your mana drained right now, yes?”

“I hate you,” she said, pouting. “After I told you to take care of Aria, you left her.”

“I’m sorry. I was worried about you.”

“But... I’m also happy that you came and see me,” she smiled. “T-thank you, Hiiro.”

“You’re welcome.” She was blushing when we saw the guards smirking in front of us.

Oh yeah, I totally forgot about them.

***

---A certain Treant---

“Master Satrillo, you let her catch you, right?” a succubus spoke. “There’s no way you would fall from that trap.”

“Well, the King did say to hold back. After all, he was planning to keep them after he read that letter.”

“Yeah, I think he’s just bored and organized a trial anyway~” the succubus laughed.

“Ahahaha. Unfortunately, Robyn couldn’t control her anger.”

“Well, it was a five-year grudge all poured out in that battle,” the succubus replied. “By the way, Master, the lottery too was rigged, right? I mean there’s no way they would be paired with the three strongest generals of this castle by some random chance.”

“I don’t know. I think you should ask the King himself. Still, Lady Marina’s daughter is amazing, and also very beautiful.”