I opened my eyes and looked upwards.

It was already afternoon and the sun was glaring at me, as if it was angry.

When I...saw the memories of Raphael, I realized how messed up the world truly is. Whenever Cornil's spikes would pierce Raphael's body, I would feel a deep pain in my heart. Only after going through that experience again did I finally realized, how much pain I had inflicted on Raphael.

Sigh...I am such a fool...

CHAPTER-06

When I looked at the source of the voice, I found out that it was a middle-aged man with a Chinese mustache and beard, he was standing at a distance of around 10 meters from me and he was looking at Cornil with a playful expression on his face.

There was one weird thing I noticed about him, the man obviously looked powerful to me but he wasn’t emitting even a bit of mana. Who is this guy?

According to most of the stuff I have read in my previous life, this guy should be so powerful that someone at my level can’t even try to comprehend the depths of his power.

“Who are you? What do you want?” Cornil looked at him with caution in his eyes

“I am no one, just a passerby. I am just saying that there is no need for you to kill that kid, you know. You shouldn’t be so cruel against your own people.”

“My own people? He is just a commoner rat and he dared to raise his head in front of me, I even gave him a chance to redeem himself but instead of appreciating my kindness, he still attacked me! Why the hell should I spare a person like that!?” Cornil said in a half-crazed voice.

“Redemption? Do you mean when you asked him to give that aphrodisiac to someone called Sister? I doubt something like that could be called ‘a chance to redeem himself.”

“Th-that’s…” Cornil wasn’t able to say anything more.

Bastard!! So he really did try to seduce Sister by using that aphrodisiac!!

“By the way kid, how did you know that it was an aphrodisiac? No, a kid your age shouldn’t even know what an aphrodisiac is, how did you know that it was something dangerous?” The man looked towards me and asked

“His facial expression. He had a very dirty grin on his face, Sister told me to be vary of people who make such dirty expressions.” I answered the question 'honestly'

“Hmm…I see. Well, kid, I have got an interesting proposal for you.” the man looked at me and said with a smile.

“What is it?”

“I will save you from this guy and heal you, in return, you have to become my student.”

Become his student? But why? I am not so naïve as to believe that this guy got impressed by me and hence he wants me as his student. Stuff like that only happens in fantasy stories but sadly this is real-world and I won't get a plot armor like that.

But still, if I can use this guy to get rid of Cornil, then everything would turn out fine in the end. In the worst case, even if I were to die because of some scheme this guy might be brewing in his head, Sister and my family would still be safe

I have to cash this deal!

“Hmm…although the deal is tempting but, no, the conditions aren’t sufficient to make me accept your deal,” I said in a confident tone

The man looked at me with a surprised expression and then asked, “Then what do you want?”

“Instead of saving me, kill this guy and I will become your student.” I declared to the man in front of me.

He looked at me…no he looked me in my eyes for a moment and then just nodded his head.

Seeing the two of us talk so casually about his death, Cornil got angry and started shouting like a madman, “Stop talking about me as if I am already dead you fuckers. I will…”

But before he could finish up his sentence, the man who wanted to take me in as a student appeared just beside him and placed his hand on Cornil’s shoulder.

“I am sorry, please don’t blame me.” The man said and just in a moment Cornil’s body inflated like a balloon and burst into pieces.

“Bam!!!”

It was a horrible sight. There was a huge crater where Cornil was previously standing, his remains scattered here and there. The air had a foul bloody smell which was making me nauseous.

I had already lost a large amount of blood and there was no sensation left in my arms and legs. The man approached me and said, “I kept my end of the deal, now make sure to come and meet me in the forest, I will start your training tomorrow.”

After that, I lost consciousness.

The next morning,

I woke up and found myself laying on the bed. There were no wounds or bruises on my body but I don’t know why, for some reason, I was feeling sad.

What happened yesterday, should never have happened. Because of my foolishness, I put my entire family in danger, especially Sister Beatrice. I don’t even want to imagine what would have happened to her if I were to mix that aphrodisiac in her food.

On this day, I swear that unless and until it is not absolutely necessary, I will never pick up a fight with anyone stronger than me.

There was also the fight between me and Cornil yesterday. Let alone killing anyone, in my previous life, I have never even punched anyone with the full force of my fist but yesterday against him I had abandoned all sense of humanity I possessed. Yesterday, I tried to kill a man.

I still remember the sensation of cutting his flesh with my sword’s blade, at that moment I was enjoying it. Whenever my sword would pierce his body, whenever my sword cut through his skin my heart would start beating faster and faster with excitement.

Why? What happened to me? Have I turned into a criminal? What will happen to the old me, I don’t ever want to become someone who would enjoy hurting others.

What should I do!? Mummy, papa what should I do? I am not a criminal and I don’t want to become one either but yesterday I committed a crime. Oh god, what have I done? What am I gonna do? What am I gonna do? What am I gonna do!!!!?

“Sniff sniff aah! Aahhh! I am sorry! I am sorry! What have I done!!?” I couldn’t control my emotions anymore and started crying. My entire mind and consciousness got enveloped in a deep sense of crisis.

Darkness surrounded my mind like thick fog on a chilly winter morning, my breathing became irregular and my stomach started aching terribly. I have never been so confused in my life. I promised myself that this time I am going to live a happy and peaceful life but due to my inflated ego and foolishness, I put myself and my family in danger

Is my resolve really this shallow?

Have I really changed over the course of time?

Am I really becoming a better human being?

I asked myself these questions, to be honest, I knew the answers, I knew that I had failed to change, it's just that I didn't want to face the reality.

I got so used to living in my dreams that I completely forgot how I should survive in the reality.

I truly am worthless

And I truly am hopeless

“What happened to you Raphael!? Why are you crying?” It was only then, did I notice Sister Beatrice. She was standing at the doorway and was looking at me with worried eyes. I couldn’t control myself and run straight towards her and hugged her.

“I am sorry Sister, I am sorry, I am sorry!” I started apologizing to her as soon as I hugged her

“What happened to you? Come on stop crying and tell me.”

“Sister because of me you…” I stopped midway. Telling sister about the thing that happened here wouldn’t be the right thing.

“ 'Because you what?’ Complete your sentence Raphael, tell me what happened.” She urged me to continue

“Sister would you…enjoy hurting your enemy?” I asked her in a vague manner

"What's with this question?"

"Please answer me"

“Hmm…let me think…I...hate the idea of hurting people” Just as I thought

“But, if someone were to harm you or anyone in my family, then let alone hurting, I wouldn’t even mind killing him.”

“Huh?”

“What? Are you surprised? It’s only a natural reaction to do whatever you can to protect the people you love.”

“But Sister, killing someone is a bad thing right?”

“If it’s for the people you love then it’s not entirely wrong to kill your enemies. You know, I think there is a very minute difference between a Murderer and a Protector. They are like two banks of a river, you just have to make sure to not cross to the other side.”

Two banks of a river?

“Sister…if I were to cross…to the other side, then, what would you do?”

“Simple. I will team up with Tracy and Mike, then the three of us will beat you to pulp and drag you back to the right side.” Sister said with a smug.

“I don’t want to get beaten up.”

“Hahaha then make sure you never cross to the other side, and if for some reason you do cross to the other side then, don’t forget that we will always be there to bring you back. Got it?”

I was wrong

I was so wrong!

I always thought that I could live alone, I never placed any value in the people around me and took them for granted in this life, but it was only yesterday when I finally realized how much these people mean to me. The sight of my two siblings falling unconscious and the thought of Sister Beatrice getting violated, these things caused me to push forward and fight that man with my life on the line.

"I promise you Sister, no matter what happens I will protect all of you!"

I don't why I said that, I guess I just wanted to make a statement in front of Sister so that I can never back out from this promise.

"I...no all of us will protect you too, Raphael my child"

With that, Sister hugged me and kissed me on my cheek

I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote this chapter.

Shit, I kind of feel embarrassed now.