CH 4

Chapter 4: Tomorrow to grasp, yesterday to never return

“I knew you were going through a hard time. If possible, I wanted to help, but I couldn’t get involved with other countries’ situations. But now it’s different. Now, I can invite you openly without any hesitation.”

“B-But I…”

“I know better than anyone how amazing you are. I understand the greatness of what you have accomplished more than anyone else in this world. To me, you are a benefactor and a goal.”

“Me…?”

A goal?

It was the first time someone spoke to me like that.

I was happy.

From the bottom of my heart.

“Just because you’re excellent doesn’t mean anyone will do, okay? I want you to come because it’s you. I’ve seen you work hard without being overwhelmed by the malicious environment. That’s why I want you to come and be happy. So, will you take my hand?”

“……Yes.”

He acknowledged me.

Have I ever had someone who evaluated me so straightly before?

Not even my family who was always by my side bothered to look at me closely, but he praised me.

I took his hand because it was him.

“Thank you very much.”

“Yeah, that’s my pleasure.”

I thought happiness was just an illusion.

But with him by my side, even that illusion might become a reality.

Somehow, I had a feeling that it might be true.

❂❂❂❂❂❂

The royal palace that dismissed Aria.

A girl visited the laboratory she used to use.

“Fufu, the lab still looks charmless as ever.”

Her name is Celica Lawrence.

She is the daughter of the Lawrence family, a proud family of Transmutation Masters and Aria’s younger sister.

“I’m glad she’s finally gone. I can’t stand that commoner being my sister.”

That was the only reason.

She had been planning to trap Aria somehow because she couldn’t stand calling the child of her father’s lover her sister.

She had been steadily taking away her achievements, little by little, for a long time, taking away her small place.

And now, she had completely taken away her place.

“What a fitting end.”

Celica deeply resented Aria.

However, it proves that we did not look down on her.

Because Celica knew that Aria had the potential to be an excellent Transmutation Master.

Despite being the child of a mistress, her sister had talent as a Transmutation Master.

Moreover, it was unbearable for Celica that Aria had created a potion that was more highly valued than her own.

So she took it from her.

She took over Aria’s position, achievements, and everything else.

“Well, it’s fine. With this, I can become the greatest Transmutation Master both in name and reality. With all the research results here…fufu.”

Celica laughs, imagining her bright future.

“If she could do it, why can’t I do it?”

Celica knew of Aria’s talent.

She was confident that she possessed talent equal to or greater than Aria’s.

Therefore, as long as she had the research papers Aria left behind, she believed she could achieve the same results or even better results.

However, she did not know.

No, not only she, but many others did not know.

Aria Lawrence.

That her talent was not limited to just being called a genius.

That even a mere genius could blossom further talent through effort.

Those who had already lost it could not know.

And from now on…

They will come to feel the loss of her.