Chapter 34
Chapter 34: The Lead Filaret La Volgograd
“That was a very foolish action…
What would happen if a person gets surrounded by flames? Moreover, he was the one that triggered the fuel . It was logical, even children would understand what would happen this foolish scenario . Naturally, that person would perish .
Of course, the ultimate result would be his death . Yet, it wouldn’t be an instant death . The whole body would burn, the internal organs would boil with heat, and he would be unable to breathe . He would die with the worst possible pain . Yes, very foolish . Even children would’ve known this . The men that held us captive were in distress . Even they knew that fire could be that dangerous . Even so, why he did this…
…why did he do this much and risk his life?
I didn’t understand . I really didn’t understand the reason why . We weren’t close . I, Filaret La Volgograd, never treated him as my friend . Neither did him . I was a mediocre person . I had no power . So, it was unimaginable to think that he did this foolish action just for my sake . ”
Confusing thoughts swirled insanely through Filaret’s mind .
Filaret was considered mediocre within the Volgograd family .
The Volgograd family was a famous household of sorcerers . No member that bore the family name was allowed to be an ordinary person . They were talented geniuses that belonged to a distinguished bloodline . Their education was strict but surrounded with privileges . They grew up in the best of all environments . To be considered mediocre by their standards meant that a person lacked the qualities of a sorcerer . A failure . A poor product . Wicked .
She wasn’t truly like that . Yet, she was regarded as mediocre . A wicked and useless person . She never stood out on her own . She wasn’t able to get rid of that nomenclature .
“Ah, since when . Since when it all started?” Filaret had no idea when she started to realize that she had no talents . She had no early memories of it . But, she remembered the feelings from that time . She felt despair and frustration many times over her failed experiments .
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She wouldn’t be able to live in the Volgograd household if she remained mediocre . So, she managed to trick others to think that she had some sort of problem or disease . She did that to hide her lack of talents . A sickness that didn’t allow her to display her brilliant qualities .
Although she worked harder than anyone else did, all her efforts went to waste . They never bloomed, and she was never rewarded for her efforts . It was insufficient even if she devoted herself entirely to witchcraft .
A sorcerer was a person who knew the laws of harmony in nature . A sorcerer was also a person who could rewrite the structures of this world by enchanting philosophical techniques .
Therefore, her efforts were commendable . But, the results were small . Filaret suffered from her own misery . She couldn’t do what the other sorcerers were capable of doing . Her powers were shortsighted . She gave all of herself, all of her efforts, for nothing . It didn’t amount for anything .
…Filaret thought the following . “The others in my family were like gold, talented . Yet, I couldn’t be like gold . I was a lead (metal), and nothing more . That’s why I worked harder than anyone else to become someone worthy . ”
That’s why she sought difficult tasks . As a Volgograd, she would chant continuously to try and earn the title of a sorcery master .
However, that was an almost impossible magical task to accomplish . A conceptual idea that blew away any sort of reason . There weren’t any precedents… The world never saw an untalented person become a sorcery master . It could be a path of delusion . Her childhood was engulfed by failures and fear . It was a fact, not mere conjecture .
Everyone outside of her family also called her an imposter, an oddity, and a swindler . Filaret was ridiculed constantly . She felt “hatred” from a very young age .
That didn’t change even after she enrolled in the prestigious institute in Garoua Maria . Even though she enjoyed some privileges because of her parent’s house, she couldn’t distance herself from the prejudice of other people .
She was an outsider and the failure of the Volgograd family . Many people avoided contact with Filaret . It was only Helot Stanley who remained close to her .
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“…Ah, that man . So, he was what people would call a gold person . ”
It wasn’t all about a strong presence . He had the ability to attract other people . He was skilled and learnt everything brilliantly . Ah, such frustration . How much she wanted that talent of his . How could she gain all of that?
Dazzling . Yes, his existence was too dazzling . One could burn the eyes if they stared directly at him for too long . However, that was a good reason to follow him . To stand by his side .
It was a gamble . To be with him was a choice . But, it was a choice that could provide an opportunity to shine, or maybe not . But, it was the only prospect she had . What else could she do if she wasn’t blessed with any skill whatsoever?
*slashing sound*
A neck was cut and the robust soldier was beheaded on the spot . In front of the body, stood a man . A different man . The adventurer called Lugis . He didn’t waver . The place where they held us as prisoners was engulfed with flames . It was this man’s idea . An idea that also exposed his body and his life . He went face to face with death .
It was strange . An unbelievable occurrence . Filaret shook her dark hair and touched her eyes repeatedly . She couldn’t believe what was happening . But, everything was real . Lugis was about to be exposed by the scorching fire .
“…He was supposed to be just like me . ”
The human being in front of her should’ve been an ordinary person . He wasn’t a genius . There were traces of anguish on his demeanor . A similar emotion that she felt on her skin before . She thought the following . “He was like me” . Or so she thought .
Why did he risk so much for this? He didn’t have to work that hard . Giving up wasn’t that bad . Difficult tasks should be entrusted to geniuses . Ordinary people just had to keep living with their heads held down .
Death . Ordinary people could die by acting unreasonable . They mustn’t try too hard . Downfall could be the price to pay when ordinary people chased after talent and recognition .
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“Ah . Yes, I don’t like it . I hate it . I absolutely hated it” .
She kept saying to herself . “He wouldn’t have to do that if I was able to enchant my magic” . There was definitely a better way than doing that risky move . Because, in the end, he could die from his own actions .
“…I, Filaret La Volgograd, couldn’t let that happen . It would be my responsibility if he died” .
She continued . “I couldn’t consent this . Such results were unacceptable . The worst emotion that my mind could feel was regret” .
Yes, he was definitely an ordinary person . Probably what the world would describe as lead or copper . Even so . How could the world describe such person when he tried to risk his own life in order to save mine?
That man, Lugis, was doing his best . And yet, this world tried to give him a pitiful ending .
“Don’t joke with me . This was outrageous . I was like that man . Yes, an ordinary person like him but one that wanted to live even if he wasn’t like gold . To fight against the prejudice of this rotten world” .
“…I shall make us like gold myself . Even if we had to rewrite the ways of this world” .
Filaret’s spirit twisted back . The anger against the people and the world they lived in was manifested through her determination . It was enough . Yes, enough of being beaten, trampled and abandoned .
So, no more of this . Filaret’s throat emitted a sound . The surroundings were burning with fire and some of the guards tried to extinguish that fire by using buckets with water . But, her life was not safe as long as she remained inside the blazing room .
However, Filaret didn’t move an inch . She had little desire to run away . She thought . “I won’t lose someone’s life because of my incompetence . Rather than saving my own skin, I would rather try to save the one who risked his life for mine . There was no way that I’ll let a human die in front of my eyes . I absolutely won’t” .
Her body was overheated and the throat was dry . She wished for something more, a power within her . To use everything that she got even if it was just a little talent . This was the moment . The only way to escape from this hell . To escape from the flames, and from the hatred of this world . In Filaret’s eyes, Lugis still held the sword surrounded by fire . The field of vision gradually disappeared . Everything was filled with distortion, except the one that truly mattered . The walls, the floor, the other soldiers, even the flames were distorted on her eyesight . Only Lugis was visible .
“…Hopefully, a windstorm will extinguish the fire that burns his body” .
It was a ritual of magic, and not a mere enchantment . It was called the Sorcerer’s Breath . That magic was invoked with deep feelings . The ultimate desire to rewrite the ways of the cruel world .
Filaret ordered the entire body of Lugis to be covered by a windstorm and attack the fire burning his entire body . The magic was so powerful that it could attack Lugis as well . But, it was the only way to keep the fire away from him, and to alleviate the scorching flames inside the room . Under normal circumstances, the flames combined with the windstorm would rip the body apart . Blood would be splashed mercilessly, without leaving any traces of a living being . The power of the infinitesimal windstorm .
Nonetheless, there was no way that she’ll allow that . Filaret wouldn’t dare to hurt Lugis . She promised not to . She made an oath with him before coming to the underground temple .
“…I swore that my magic would never hurt Lugis, ever” .
Her breathing was hard, and her heartbeat couldn’t even be heard on the midst of that pressure . The flow of magic didn’t stop . The eyes didn’t blink, but the hands shook tremendously . Filaret didn’t know if she was sane or crazy anymore .
Nevertheless, she did her best not to be distracted with external factors . Her eyes were extremely focused on that person . She never blinked or diverted her eyes . She vowed to herself not to be defeated, but to prevail until the very end .
Her magical powers continued fervently . She went to the boundaries of her limit in order to succeed . Then her magical power stopped and everything became clearer, Lugis lost his consciousness and fell down .