Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

"Mother, why do we never leave our village? I want to see the outside world, to experience the wonders that lie beyond our borders."

"My dear child. Our village holds secrets, secrets that tie us to this land, secrets we must protect. The outside world is not always as welcoming as it may seem."

"What secrets, Mother? Why must we keep them hidden?"

"My child…. We are happy as we are right now….. We only need each other to live… You will understand everything when the time comes…"

The words mother had spoken to me came into my mind.

'Why am I remembering about these again? It had already been a long time….'

I asked myself. Sitting in front of my window and looking at the stars and the moon had already become a hobby for me.

The night sky, adorned with countless stars, always sparked my curiosity.

"What secrets lie beyond our village? What do the stars know that we don't?" I wondered aloud, my gaze fixated on the celestial canvas.

The allure of the unknown beyond our village boundaries tugged at my heart. I had never set foot outside our close-knit community, and my curiosity about the world beyond intensified with each passing day.

The stories in the books I read fueled my imagination, painting vivid pictures of distant lands, bustling cities, and unexplored territories.

I longed to witness the wonders that lay beyond our borders, to experience a world different from the one I knew.

"What are you doing now?"

At that moment, a voice came from the side.

"Ah….."

It seemed I had already gotten caught. Standing before the door, a small silhouette stood there. Even though the room was dark, her presence alone radiated enough light for me to notice.

"Estelle," I said, addressing my sister by her name. She stepped into the room, her white hair catching a hint of moonlight streaming through the window.

"I thought I'd find you here, lost in your thoughts again," Estelle remarked with a playful smile. Her green eyes gleamed, reflecting a mix of curiosity and affection. "What wonders are you pondering this time?"

I chuckled, realizing that my contemplation hadn't gone unnoticed. "Just dreaming of what lies beyond our village, the stories in the books always make me wonder."

Estelle joined me by the window, her eyes also drawn to the night sky. "The outside world does seem fascinating, doesn't it? Sometimes, I also wish we could explore beyond our borders and see the places we've only heard about in tales."

"However….."

Estelle's voice trailed off, and I turned to look at her. She leaned her head on my shoulder, pushing all her weight onto my body. It was a familiar gesture, one that conveyed both comfort and weariness.ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ ɴovel(ꜰ)ɪre.nᴇt

I could tell she was tired from the constant training she underwent to harness the moon's power as her muscles seemed relaxed.

These useless eyes of mine made me proud in times like these.

"Sometimes," she continued, her voice soft and thoughtful, "what I wish for the most isn't to explore everything out there. It's not about seeing distant lands or unraveling mysteries. What I truly wish for is to stay beside you."

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Wasn't exploring new things the innate desire for us humans? I always ask this question to myself. Do these questions that always plague my mind are something that is only special to me? Am I the one that can never fit in?

But, in times like this, hearing her voice calms me down. I know for a fact that, in this world, no matter how hard for me to fit in, there is always a place that I could stay.

Smiling slightly, I felt like my worries slowly disappeared as the innate desire to explore the unknown was chained once again.

"If that is what you wish...then I will gladly put every other thing aside."

Unbeknownst to me, I mumbled, it seemed, my words reached Estelle's ears. Her expression shifted, and a hint of anger flashed in her eyes.

She looked at me sternly and spoke with a determined tone, "No! That is wrong. Astron, you shouldn't live your life solely for others. Your dreams, your desires, they matter too. Don't chain yourself to my wishes or anyone else's."

Her words lingered in the air, and for a moment, the room felt heavy with unspoken sentiments. Her concern for me was evident, but I got angry at her words.

While I was here, was she not working for the sake of other people? Mastering the powers of the moon while continuously training with the village's shaman. Wasn't this also selflessness?

How dare she tell me to stop dreaming while she was doing the same for our sake?

Annoyed by her words, I couldn't help but retort, "And what about you, Estelle? Aren't you sacrificing yourself for others too? How is that any different?"

Estelle's response was unexpected. Instead of matching my frustration, she smiled warmly and turned her gaze toward the moon. "You see, Astron, it has always been my dream to help people in need. I've read stories about Saintesses who aided others with smiles on their faces, and I wanted to be like them. The powers I'm mastering, the training I undergo, it's not just for the village; it's for the joy of helping and making a difference."

Her words carried a sincerity that disarmed my anger.

Estelle's dream wasn't just about selflessness; it was about finding fulfillment in making a positive impact.

'Fulfillment….'

The word that I could never grasp.

Her gaze lingered on the moon as if drawing strength and inspiration from its serene glow.

Estelle's eyes shone with determination as she continued, "That's why, Astron, I don't want anyone to give up on their dreams, including you. Everyone deserves to pursue what makes them happy to explore their own desires. What dreams do you have, Astron?"

Her question hung in the air, and for a moment, I felt a stirring in my chest.

I couldn't help but wonder if I truly had dreams of my own.

Aside from learning new things and seeing new places, what other dreams could I have? In this place, we didn't even know anything.

'But, if I were to choose one thing…..'

"Maybe being a hero would be cool..."

********

"Astron... T-they are... They are gone?" Estelle's voice trembled with sorrow as she clung to me. Her tears dampened my shoulder, and my heart ached at the loss we both shared.

The air felt heavier, and a pervasive sense of grief hung over our small village. The shadows of a relentless disease claimed our parents, leaving a void that echoed through our home.

"..."

No words left my mouth. What words could I even say in this situation? I asked this question again and again, but none of them was answered.

Estelle's sobs reverberated through the stillness, each cry a poignant reminder of the gaping void our parents' absence left behind. Her anguish was palpable, her questions echoing the unanswerable mysteries of life and loss.

"What... what are we going to do now, Astron?" Estelle's voice quivered with uncertainty, the weight of responsibility bearing down on her fragile shoulders. "Why did this happen? I'm not ready..."

Her words pierced the silence, carrying the weight of our shared grief and confusion. Yet, despite the turmoil raging within me, no words found their way past my lips.

What could I possibly say to ease her pain, to make sense of the senseless?

Instead, I held her close, enveloping her in a silent embrace.

My arms provided comfort, a stable anchor amidst the storm of emotions threatening to consume us. At that moment, words felt insufficient to express the depth of our loss or the uncertainty that lay ahead.

'I….I….'

I refused to succumb to tears, knowing that they could never mend the shattered pieces of our shattered lives.

Instead, I drew strength from the quiet resolve that bound us together, a silent promise to weather the storm as one.

"Astron…." Estelle's voice broke the silence, and she raised her tear-streaked face to meet my gaze. Her eyes, red from crying, searched mine with a mixture of vulnerability and desperation.

At that moment, her lips quivering, she asked the question that hung heavy in the air, "You're never going to leave me, right?"

Without hesitation, I affirmed, "No matter what happens, Estelle, I promise I'll never leave you. Even if the world breaks down, as long as I am still breathing, I will always stay with you."

"Really?" Estelle asked, her voice a fragile whisper as a small tear continued its solitary journey down her face.

I gently caressed her cheeks, showing a slight smile. "Really."

"It is a promise."

"A promise."

"If you ever break it down, I will haunt you to death."

"If I ever do such a thing, I will gladly accept your grace."

"..."

In the tender silence that followed, Estelle buried her face into my chest, taking in the familiar scent. Softly, she whispered, "Thank you. Thank you for being here."

Considering all the help she gave me, what I was doing here meant nothing at all...

Yet I couldn't hold this promise at all.

******

The days slipped away, each one blending seamlessly into the next as sunlight painted the surroundings with a vivid glow.

I found myself gazing out of the window. "Sister, when are you coming?" I murmured, my attention momentarily diverted from the greenery outside as I began cleaning the house.

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Alone within the confines of our home, I was left to manage the household while my sister fulfilled her duties. "She is always pushing herself," I observed, my eyes landing on a small picture of us smiling together.

A deep sense of responsibility urged me to complete my tasks diligently, hoping to provide a haven for my sister upon her return.

After the completion of my daily chores, I noticed the clouds in the sky and mumbled, "Ah, I need to stock firewood. Winter is coming." With that thought lingering, I left the house, embarking on a journey towards the forest.

The village, nestled close to the mountain range, allowed me a quick arrival at the forest, where I sought out suitable trees, mindful not to waste time and energy on the young and weak ones.

In the midst of my work, however, a sense of urgency disrupted my routine. "Huff... Huff..." My breath became ragged, signs of fatigue evident.

I leaned against a sturdy tree, catching my breath as beads of sweat formed on my forehead.

At that moment, a plume of smoke caught my attention, rising above the treetops and signaling danger in the direction of the village.

'What is this?'

Something ominous was happening.

Fear and worry crept into my consciousness, urging me to sprint back to the village, leaving my gathered wood behind.

With each step, my heart pounded, and as the village came into view, an unsettling feeling gripped me. Something was amiss.

'Don't tell me?'

Despite my physical weakness and lack of magical abilities, my senses screamed at me to hide.

'…..This stench….'

A horrifying presence descended upon the village, accompanied by an otherworldly aura and a stench of burning and iron. The stench was familiar to me.

'Where is she?'

Ignoring the pressure, I pushed forward, only to witness a nightmarish scene.

'Where is she?'

Black, twisted creatures, malevolent and monstrous, swarmed the village.

In the chaos, I desperately searched for my sister and finally spotted her, standing tall and determined, defending our home with powerful magic.

My heart sank as I realized the overwhelming odds against us. Still, instinctively, I moved towards the village, driven by a desperate need to protect my sister. But my actions did not go unnoticed.

'What?'

The magical restraints and bright white light binding my limbs halted my progress, pushing me back into the forest.

Confused and frustrated, I met my sister's eyes, realizing the reason behind my immobilization.

"NO!"

Tears streamed down my face as I struggled against the magical restraints, witnessing the horrifying onslaught of our village. She mouthed words I couldn't hear, her gaze filled with love and sorrow.

Helpless, I watched her turn back to face the demonic horde, her magic blazing brighter than ever. Yet, those vile creatures overwhelmed her, and my heart shattered as her light succumbed to their relentless assault.

Blood poured down my eyelids as I fought against the magical restraints, unable to close my eyes or divert my gaze from the gruesome scene.

"I'll kill you! I'll kill you all!"

From then on, my world lost its light.