Chapter 12: Emma's POV(Edited)
A/N: Alex will be back after this chapter. Enjoy. :)
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[Emma's POV]
Emma swung her practice sword for the hundredth time. Her form was great, and her eyes were full of determination.
She had been doing this same move for 3 years now. And more than a habit, it had become something that calmed her down and allowed her to release any pent-up stress. It made her feel like she was back in her childhood, where everything was great. Where everything was perfect.
She had her father, and everyone was happy. She was happy.
But 5 years ago, her childhood was ruined when she heard of her father's untimely demise on the battlefield. The people telling the news boasted of how proud and fearless her father was at his end moments, how he faced death with open arms, with not a spec of fear found in his determined eyes. They went on and on about how awe-inspiring he was and how it was the greatest loss for the Empire.
Bastards!
Lying bastards!
Ignorant and lying bastards!
That's what those fuckers were. They spouted bullshit from their disgusting mouths while thinking of how to capitalize on her father's death. They thought no one noticed their cunning smiles hidden beneath their mourning façades as they looked at the now lord-less territory and the poor husbandless wife. But they were wrong!
She noticed it.
Even as a 10-year-old, she knew what they thought. She could somehow tell just by looking at their fox-like faces and hyena-like smiles. She hated them. She hated all men after that day. All men were scum, lecherous and disgusting, always thinking of power and women.
Luckily, she didn't have to see any men around her.
Well, except 'that' guy.
She frowned as she thought of a boy who shared more than the same hair color as her.
'… Damn wimp. Why is he like that?'
She was a strong-willed and determined girl who was following in the footsteps of her late father. She wanted to make him proud. So, she worked hard and practiced harder to show results. And she had already shown her talent in swordsmanship. She just needed to hone her abilities. To stand in the same place her father stood, at the pinnacle of swordsmanship. Then, she could finally wield the longsword her father left for her.
But 'that' guy. That stupid guy. That weak guy!
'He just had to be a wimpy good-for-nothing loser! Damnit!'
She swung her sword down hard.
He couldn't even hold a dummy sword properly at the age of 13. Whereas she was already training in it when she was 10. He had no sense of pride or an ounce of determination as a Maximus.
'Useless!'
She raised her sword and then swung down again.
Was he even her brother? She had at times refused to believe so.
And above everything, that position he was in with her older sister Olivia. That… disgusting, vile, infuriating position. And the face he was making…
She swung her sword hard while gritting her teeth.
'Damn it!'
She cursed.
'Why did he let her do that?!'
She had seen him scared but quiet as her older sister, who was already married, did such vulgar things with him.
'Why didn't he stop her!'
He could have told her to stop.
He could have run away.
He could have shouted for help.
She was there.
She would have helped him if he had just shown even an ounce of need for help.
She should have…
He just lay there, letting Olivia do things to him.
'Pathetic fucking wimp!'
He didn't do anything to stop it, nothing at all!
… And SHE too didn't do anything at all.
She stopped. Suddenly, she felt like all the energy she had inside leaving her body. Her body felt weak. Her head felt hazy. Her face felt hot. Her eyes… stung.
'Fuck… Why… why didn't I stop her?'
Why didn't she come forward and stop that mess? She was right there, watching everything, after all.
'Why was I so afraid?! Why do I keep blaming him for it?!'
In truth, she wanted to help. Alex was her brother and she liked him a lot. But she still couldn't come out and help remedy the situation.
'Why?'
Because she was scared as well. At the time, she couldn't go inside the room and instead ran away, leaving him on his own.
And then she ran away from reality, thinking the mess will somehow fix itself. Like some magic will erase it from reality.
It didn't.
She hated herself for being so weak-willed and scared at that time.
The face Olivia made, she couldn't handle it.
She avoided Olivia ever since.
But she also couldn't confront Alex— let alone Olivia— about it.
'Damn it. Damn it! DAMN IT! … It's all my fault.'
Energy started surging inside her and she felt something vile building up inside. Every time she thought about it, she could feel it emerging from deep within her.
'Why?'
She swung her sword after gripping it tightly again.
'Why?!'
She swung it again.
'WHY?!?!?!'
"HAAA!!"
She swung her sword one last time, but this time with all of her vigor, and with every ounce of strength she could muster. Her already toning muscles clenched as she gritted her teeth, her foot sturdy on the ground, maintaining a perfect stance.
*SWOOSH!*
A wake of energy was released from her wooden blade as it cut through the air, creating a swirling sound. And immediately after that, a snapping sound followed.
*SNAP!*
She had finally released her energy using the sword. A wooden sword no less. A feat that was only done by people who were about to reach an adept level in the swordsmanship she was learning. Her family's very own swordsmanship.
Now, granted it was a very faint wave and the damage wasn't that great. But the feat alone was more than praiseworthy for someone of her age group.
She, a 15-year-old, who had just formed her foundation mere months ago, had managed to release an energy wave. Not even the elite knights under the commander serving this estate that learned this technique could do it at age 15. Most would find it difficult at such an early age.
"Haa…"
She released a tired sigh as her form finally relaxed.
"Ugh."
She felt dizzy; she had used up her mana reserves.
Looking at her broken wooden sword, she found it to be completely destroyed.
She had been using it for over a year now after the first one broke in an accident.
'I'll need to get a new one. A more durable one if possible.'
She put it in her storage device as a reminder of sorts.
As she sat on the green grass she was standing on, she noticed that the surrounding flora had been a bit damaged due to the energy wave she had released just now.
'Ugh, fuck… Laura is going to lecture me about this, huh.'
She grimaced as a groan leaked from her mouth and she felt another headache building. The head maid was strict with EVERYONE, herself included. And while Emma wasn't afraid of her like Alex, she still didn't feel like antagonizing her either.
She might be naggy, but she always had a fair reason and an honest purpose.
And it really was Emma's fault for destroying the garden. She had been asked to not practice swordsmanship here, but she always ignored those requests.
Of course, she had the option to practice in the Maximus family's training grounds, but that was generally where the elite knights and the Commander trained or were present. And she didn't want to be near any men, if possible.
So, she chose this secluded spot to do her training privately. She rarely, if ever, needed guidance in her training. It came almost instinctually to her.
She stayed seated on the grass and, with unfocused eyes, looked toward the mansion.
She felt lost when she wasn't training to be like her father. She felt like she lacked something important. But she didn't know what.
Or rather, she knew, but wouldn't admit it because she was afraid.
But she had to do it. She had to talk to him. Just once.
She sighed, trying to remove these negative emotions from her mind.
Then she saw a figure moving a bit further away, seemingly going towards the training ground that happened to be in that direction.
Her eyes regained their focus and she looked at the figure properly only to feel distressed seeing a boy with red hair.
'Where is he going?'
She remembered after a moment.
'Right. Mother said his swordsmanship training will begin today. I can't believe he accepted it so easily.'
The thought brought back more recent memories about the boy she had referred to as 'wimpy' and 'good-for-nothing.'
She had found out from the maids talking with each other that he had been acting strange. That he almost changed since a week ago.
He started studying books in the library and not in his room. And more importantly, he had started doing training.
She scoffed, trying to imagine a wimpy Alex trying to train but failing.
'No way in hell.'
But that wasn't all. Apparently, he had had a personality change as well.
She remembered an incident from a week ago where he kept staring at her like an idiot. She had confronted him, but rather than getting scared and crying, he looked sheepish but still… normal. He didn't have the usual fear he had of her and most others except their mother whom he adored.
At that time she had found that new reaction from him nothing but frustrating and annoying as it brought back bad memories. But now she felt a bit confused.
'Didn't he try talking to me? Ugh, but I acted like 'that.''
During the past week, he had tried a few times to have some sort of conversation with her. From something as simple as a 'Good morning' to asking her to pass the salt. Simple, small conversations, but nothing more. Maybe seeing her scowl deterred him from further conversations.
But still, for that Alex to do so of his own volition?
'Strange. Yes, he's acting very strange.'
She now realized something was wrong. Alex wasn't being himself.
She frowned as she kept pondering this sudden change in her brother.
'…Is he really trying to change himself? Now, after all this time? … Why?'
Her questions were left unanswered as she tried to think of reasons but failed.
'Maybe I should talk to—… Ugh. No… I can't. … Can I? I don't know…'
She felt uncomfortable at her own suggestion.
Looking at Alex's back reminded her of that night she had seen him with her sister doing those vulgar things. Thinking of such things made her decision waver, but still. She had always been the kind to go through with it when she made a decision.
So she clenched her fists and steeled her mind.
'Fine! Let's see what's he up to. Then I'll go talk to him.'
Maybe it was time she finally confronted him about that incident… and got rid of the guilt she didn't know how to deal with.
…
After some time, as she watched him learning and implementing the basics of swordsmanship from the knight commander, she couldn't help but feel surprised.
'What the hell? He's… not that bad.'
Turns out, Alex could look determined.
'God, has he seriously changed? What gives!'
It only made her want to talk to him more.
She left the hidden stop she was watching him from and left to get fresh. She needed a bath to cool her head first before the confrontation.
[End of Emma's POV]
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CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
The_POZ
The_POZ Emma is struggling inside. Let's hope that MC helps her get over it, and maybe in the process steal her heart. ;)
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Creation is hard, cheer me up! Gimme Powa Stones! I need more POWAA! XO
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