“Is that right? That’s a relief. But why would Keith suddenly start crying like that...?”
“...With all due respect, young miss. Given that you had suddenly destroyed a previously locked door with an axe in your hands, before approaching the person within while still holding the weapon... How do you think Keith would react?”
“...Ugh... Th-That was...”
“If it were me, young miss, I would be screaming, crying in fright.”
“...I suppose I should apologize to Keith.”
“Yes, I suppose so. But do take care, young miss. Perhaps he would start bawling again at the very sight of you.”
Anne’s cool stare quickly caused my relief to dissipate. Thinking about it calmly, I supposed breaking down his door with an axe was indeed a little too much. I was too afraid of the Catastrophic Bad End... Why didn’t I think of just picking the lock with a needle?
But of course, I could not undo what was done — and with my head hung, I trudged over to Keith’s room, once again with the intent of making amends. Unexpectedly, however, Keith welcomed me with a big smile on his face, before going on to say, “You aren’t scary at all, Big Sister. Let’s stay together from now on!” Really, he was the cutest thing.
In fact, Keith even begged my mother for clemency on my behalf. Thanks to that, I was allowed back at the dinner table that night. My adopted brother is the absolute best — not only was he cute, he also had an exceedingly gentle soul.
And with this, the “Keith locked himself up inside his room?!” incident ended on a peaceful note. I made a mental note to spoil him and ensure that he would never be alone again in the future.
In the aftermath of this incident, however, my mother decided to send me for lessons on social etiquette...
With that, I avoided yet another Catastrophic Bad End, but was forced to attend stuffy lessons on the manners of nobles by my demonic mother.
★★★★★★★★★
On my eighth birthday, in the season of spring, my name became “Keith Claes.” This was the second time I had my name changed in my short life.
The first time it happened was when I was three years of age. Until then, I was told to keep quiet and sit in a tiny room. If I were ever just a little loud, I would be punished physically, or have my meals taken away. And that was how I spent my days quietly in that tiny room.
One day, however, a man I had never seen before took me away on a grand horse carriage before bringing me to a beautiful mansion. On that day, I met my father, along with my adoptive mother and brothers. Although I was still very young, I could tell from their cold stares that I was not welcome in the least.
From the rumors I had heard from the servants later on, it became clear to me that I was an unwanted child — my mother, who was a prostitute, pushed me into the hands of my biological father.
I could not ever refer to my parents as “Father” or “Mother” — I did not have that privilege. Similarly, I had to speak in a formal tone of voice to my brothers. In the beginning, I did not know how to speak formally, and as such was punished many, many times. I did not have a seat at the familial dining table either — I ate alone in my room.
My so-called parents largely ignored me and pretended I did not exist — that much was acceptable to me. My brothers, however, saw me as something that should be bullied, and persistently stuck to this belief. They would punch me, kick me, and occasionally even lock me up in the storage shed for an entire day.
As such, I tried as best as I could to avoid my adoptive brothers, and this was achieved by staying in my room for most of the day.
After a while, however... that happened.
I remember the day well — the weather was fair. From the window of my room, I could see some small birds building a nest on a nearby tree.
Becoming somewhat engrossed in watching the bird on account of its nest-building fervor, I forgot my own place and slowly wandered out of the house to get a better view. Soon, I found myself beside the tree outside.
Unfortunately for me, my brothers chose that moment to exit the house as well. My adoptive brothers soon surrounded me, verbally and physically abusing me. “You son of a whore!” they taunted as they kicked and punched me. I curled myself up as usual, enduring the pain as I waited for it to pass.
That was when it happened: one of my abusers noticed the small birds nesting on the tree.
“Hey. There’s a bird there, see.”
“Oh wow, yeah I see. Who gave it permission to build a nest on our land? Cheeky little bugger. We’re knocking it down!”
My adoptive brothers started hurling rocks at the bird. Soon, the nest that the birds had worked so hard to build was destroyed in a shower of pebbles. The birds themselves also fell victim to the projectiles, emitting a pained series of chirps.
“...Stop this!!” I shouted without thinking. As the words left my mouth, something hot and searing seemed to pour forth from the depths of my heart and body.
Without warning, some large objects fell from the sky — before I knew it, my adoptive brothers were on the ground, their arms and legs pinned.
Scattered across the ground were some oddly-shaped pieces of packed dirt, approximately the size of an adult fist. I supposed these bits of compacted earth were the objects that had fallen from the sky earlier on.
The bits of earth were quite hard — they had left small craters where they had landed. It would appear that my adoptive brothers had been hit by some of these hard pieces of earth, and were injured.
What was all this? I could only stand there, shocked.
After a while, my brothers were carried to their rooms by some servants who had come out to check on them. A doctor was called. From his diagnosis, it was discovered that my brothers suffered from multiple impact wounds across their bodies, along with some terribly broken bones.
The one who had injured them was none other than me. To be more precise, it was my earth magic that had awakened, and I had used said magic.
From that day on, I became even more isolated and ostracized in this mockery of a home that I lived in. Unless it was absolutely necessary, I was prohibited from leaving my room, and my adopted brothers gave me a wide berth. They were, in fact, absolutely terrified at the sight of me, running away with screams of “monster!” and the like.
This not only applied to my brothers — even my adoptive parents and their servants avoided me. While they did not run away like my adoptive brothers did, their fear was reflected in their eyes.
I was tormented by their gazes — and so I kept myself cooped up in my room, being as quiet as possible. Days, months, and eventually years passed. Then, another man I did not know came to my room.
“In recognition of your high magical aptitude, it has been decided that you will become the adopted child of Duke Claes’ household.”
And just like that, I was packed into yet another horse carriage, to be brought to yet another place. Although I had lived at my previous abode for five years, not a single person came out to say goodbye.
As soon as I arrived at my destination, it became evident to me that this manor was in a class of its own — it was bigger and grander than my previous abode ever could be. From the intricate vases to the carpets and rugs lining the hallways, the very manor itself exuded an air of refinement.
My new father was none other than the master of the manor, Duke Claes.
“Hello, are you Keith? Welcome! Welcome to the Claes family,” he said, addressing me with a smile. I had never been welcomed in such a way in my life — caught unawares, I stood, perplexed and at a loss for words.
Almost immediately, the duke set about introducing me to the rest of his family. Madam Claes seemed somewhat aloof as she regarded me with a cold gaze. And then there was her daughter, the Duke’s only child — Katarina Claes.
My adoptive brothers in the past bullied me on an almost daily basis — honestly, the very concept of having siblings terrified me. If possible, I wanted to give my new
adoptive sister a wide berth, or at the very least just stay out of her way.
After a short exchange of introductions and pleasantries with Katarina, I was brought to my new room, and told to have some rest. Due to my sudden journey from my previous abode, I was terribly tired, and soon fell asleep on this large, foreign bed.
The very next morning, I sat at the breakfast table with the Claes family. This was the very first time I had partaken in a meal with other people at the same table. The food was impossibly delicious — more delicious than anything I had ever eaten in my life.
My heart was filled with a strange sense of warmth. After my meal, I made to return to my room when...
Unexpectedly, Katarina approached me, offering to show me around the grounds. If possible, I would have wanted to steer clear of her... I did not expect her to approach me instead.
“I will show you around the garden, Keith,” she said.
Instinctively, I responded formally. “Thank you very much, Lady Katarina.”
“Keith, we are brother and sister, you know. You should call me Big Sister! Also, you can drop the formalities with me,” she said.
I was overcome with surprise. Up until now, I was not allowed to refer to any of my family members in such a manner — not even my siblings. Then, as if to reinforce her point...
“Ugh, we’re siblings, Keith! It’s fine! Also, I’ve always wanted a younger sibling to call me Big Sister. It is one of my many dreams!”
It would seem that Lady Katarina wished for me to address her as “Big Sister,” and so I obliged. Katarina, seemingly greatly satisfied by this, responded with a happy smile.
With that, the two of us stepped out into the manor’s gardens. Katarina, deciding to take advantage of the pleasant weather, led me around every corner of the gardens.
After speaking with her for a while, however, I came to realize that Katarina Claes was a little... different than most noble little ladies.
“I’m pretty good at fishing, you know? We should try it together next time!” she said, extending me an invitation. Before long, she was off on another tirade, explaining passionately how she had tilled the earth and planted crops in some fields.
Although I had been cooped up in rooms all my life and had never fished or tilled the earth before, I did not recall seeing my previous adoptive brothers do anything of the sort. In fact, it occurred to me that most other noble children did not engage in such pursuits. All I could do was maintain a somewhat surprised expression as these thoughts raced through my head.
“I’ll show you my favorite place next!” Katarina grabbed my hand, running off in one direction or another. Before long, we were standing before the tallest tree in the garden.
“The scenery you see from up there is the best!” Katarina said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She then went on to tell me about how she was particularly skilled at tree-climbing.
I, in turn, told her that I had never done anything like it.
“Well then! I will teach you all I know. First, observe my movements...”
Katarina kicked off her shoes and hiked up her dress. Before I could respond, she was off, climbing the tree earnestly.
I could only stand, still shocked at what I was seeing. Katarina was making good progress, though the mental strain of being almost able to see up her dress as she climbed took a bit of a toll on me.
Katarina, however, paid this no heed, continuing to quickly scale the tree’s trunk — and then, right as she was in the middle of her journey, she turned to me, waving with a big smile on her face.
And then... it happened. Katarina lost her balance and swayed dangerously.
“Watch out!” I shouted as I ran up to the tree.
With a sudden thud, Katarina landed — right on top of me. The impact of her fall passed through my being, and for a while, my consciousness seemed to fade.
After a while, however, I came back to reality, only to find myself in Katarina’s arms.
“KEEEEEEITH! DON’T DIE!!” Katarina wailed, over and over again, until she finally noticed that I was all right.
“Keith?! Y... YOU’RE ALIVE!!” she shouted, hugging me with incredible strength.
I froze up on the spot. It was the first time I had been embraced by anyone.
“Wha— Does it hurt somewhere, Keith??” Katarina asked, concerned at my behavior.
It was the first time anyone had been worried about my well-being. Again, I was perplexed... Bewildered. Honestly speaking, I was not seriously injured, and did not suffer from any excruciating pains. I was, however, unsure of what to do in such a situation.
Katarina, however, seemed to have mistaken my confusion for some sort of severe injury. “Wait here, Keith. I’ll get some help and bring you back to the manor right away.”
And with that, Katarina ran, not bothering to put on her shoes as she hiked up her dress. She raced towards the manor at an incredible speed. Looking at her rapidly shrinking silhouette, I was somehow filled with a strange warmth, just like I had been at breakfast.
That very same night, Madam Claes called us all into her room and asked the duke for a divorce. After some conversation, it became evident that she had misunderstood several things, and the two were soon lovingly together again.
After that incident, Madam Claes’ disposition seemed to change — indeed, she was gentle and kind towards me. Of course, Duke Claes himself was kind and loving too.
My adoptive sister, Katarina Claes, taught me many things. I was taught, for the first time in my life, how to fish.
“Keep this a secret from mother, all right?” she said as she taught me how to climb trees.
When I was praised by our tutor for my skill at the sword, Katarina was happy for me — as if she herself were the one being praised.
Every day was vibrant and enjoyable. I felt truly blessed... and so I forgot. I forgot that I was a monster who had hurt others with my magic — dangerous magic that could not be controlled.
That day, Katarina and I visited the fields after our swordplay training session. The various plants that Katarina had cultivated were finally starting to grow. As we spoke about the various aspects of fieldwork, the conversation shifted to the topic of magic.
“Yes! I’d like to try controlling an Earth Golem!”
An Earth Golem... The infusion of magic into a figure made of earth, and to subsequently control it — such was the nature of this specific ability. It was also the kind of magic I used.
I had, in fact, discovered it coincidentally. I was playing with some dirt, shaping it into dolls while cooped up in my room. In my previous abode, I hardly interacted with anyone. To compensate for this, I made these dolls and sat next to them as I had my meals.
I had, however, promised Duke Claes to not use my magic. Although I had strong magical aptitude, I did not yet have the skill to control it. Due to my history of having injured my previous adoptive brothers, the Duke said that he would find a suitable magic tutor who would in time teach me to control my own abilities.
Katarina, however, stared at me with such expectant eyes that I gave in — I decided to show her just a little bit of my magic. She, for her part, was greatly pleased with my little walking golem, and immediately asked if I could make it bigger...
And so I did, only to find that I could not control a golem of that size.
Swept up in her excitement, Katarina approached the golem despite my warnings, and was soon sent flying by the golem’s fist. Katarina’s small body soared through the sky.
This time, I could not catch her — she fell head-first onto the cold, hard ground.
After she was transported to her chambers by some servants, a doctor was called to give Katarina an in-depth check-up. I heard that she had just hit her head and passed out, but otherwise she was fine.
I looked at Duke Claes, who was watching over his unconscious daughter with a concerned expression on his face.
“I broke my promise to not use magic, and I also hurt my big siste
r with it. It’s all my fault, so I will accept any punishment. I am really, really sorry. Please feel free to chase me out of the household if you see fit...”
Duke Claes looked at me, visibly troubled. “About this incident... we should really wait to hear from Katarina after she has woken up. We will discuss it then. More importantly, Keith... You look really ill, as if you would fall over at any moment. Katarina will be fine for now. You should rest in your room.”
With that, the duke led me out of Katarina’s room. That night, I heaved a sigh of relief as I heard that Katarina was none the worse for wear. Although I wanted to go and meet her right away... I could not. I... I was afraid.
The very next morning, I could not leave my room. For the very first time since I had lived in this manor, I missed breakfast.
About when the family’s breakfast service had ended...
“Keith! It’s me, Katarina! You weren’t at breakfast... Are you perhaps unwell?” Katarina’s voice called to me from beyond the door.
“Big Sister...” Without thinking, I responded to her.
“Yes, it is I, your big sister. What’s wrong, Keith? Does your stomach hurt? Are you all right?” Although Katarina was the one who was injured by what I had done, she seemed more concerned about my well-being.
“...I’m fine... More importantly, how are your injuries, Big Sister?”
“Those? Ah, yes. I’m fine. It’s just a little knock on the head! It doesn’t matter. Keith... I’d like to speak to you. May I come in?”
I was relieved at how cheerful Katarina was. Honestly... I wanted to see her. I wanted to see her right away. But...
“I’m sorry. I cannot let you in.”
“Wh... Why?”
“...I can no longer be by your side, Big Sister.”
I wanted to see her. But no matter what I did, the image of Katarina passing out stayed anchored in my mind. I wanted to see that she was well and happy... But I could not do that. I could no longer be by Katarina’s side.
I, being the monster I was with my magic that was perpetually out of control, would only hurt Katarina if I remained here. Gentle, kind Katarina, who taught me many, many things. And yet, I hurt her.
My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!, Volume 1 Page 7