Copy Skills with Affinity!

Chapter 205

Recollection

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍first thing that surfaced from the far end of my memory was the scenery of a musty back alley.

From the album of scenes now buried beyond the drawer of memory, covered in thick white dust, the thing that still surfaced sporadically in my dreams was always the worn-down orphanage.

The world of Aiden Kellermain had always been filled with murky, colorless shades.

The world of a child found in a trash can with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck in a brothel district had always been like that.

“Look at this!”

To me, color had always been something different.

Always.

Even a small girl who came running as if she were bringing a precious gift, even if it was just moldy bread she had picked up from a trash can, had been like that too.

“Aiden, I think we won’t have to go hungry today!”

“If you eat something like that, you’ll get sick.”

The moment she heard that, I remembered the girl cutting off the moldy parts and only holding out the rest.

“Then you eat only the part that isn’t bad, Aiden!”

“……”

“I’m always sick anyway, so being a little sicker is fine!”

“……Let’s share it.”

Life in the slums, in the middle of war, at an orphanage that had been abandoned and forgotten with no support coming and no one visiting, had always been like that.

A relationship where we endured the passing years with nothing but each other’s warmth, since we couldn’t even light a fire.

That, I had called family.

“Someday, we’ll be able to live properly too.”

There had been a mother who said that in a hoarse voice.

An old woman who worked day and night with blistered hands, always trying to create a place for orphans with nowhere to go to return to.

“All of us, we’ll stay together until the very end.”

There had been a younger sister who said that.

“No matter what happens, we’ll stay together until the end.”

There had been friends who said that.

Until that night came.

▣

“So, when does the story about your fiancée come up?”

“……”

“……”

Sharp glares poured in from all directions at Katya Heinkel Craven, who had interrupted in the middle of the story.

She, who had said it, looked around in confusion.

It seemed she didn’t even know where she had gone wrong…

“……Uh, wait. Was that a part I wasn’t supposed to interrupt?”

At her words, Noel Astrea Simus gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders and spoke.

“I’m aware that you’ve been undergoing socialization training here and there since regaining your senses, Katya.”

“Yeah. So?”

“Let’s try a little harder.”

“……”

“I’ll help you as well.”

The words sounded warm, but somehow the feeling was strange, and Katya tilted her head.

Hmm, how should I put it.

It didn’t openly sound like an insult, but it was filled with a frightening level of sarcasm—

“……I’ll continue.”

Leaving behind the odd atmosphere, Aiden cleared his throat and continued.

▣

It was already well known that war was something that let you experience the very bottom of humanity over and over again.

Of course, even so,

how things came to such a conclusion through what kind of events wasn’t all that important.

What mattered was that oppression and coercion had reached even those filthy, pathetic, yet warm people who lived by relying on one another.

“Please, please—”

The old woman’s desperate plea, begging for mercy, was trampled beneath military boots.

There was only one reason the orphanage burned.

Because it smelled.

I clearly remembered the soldiers who had entered the occupied area giggling among themselves as they set the building on fire.

Even now, I couldn’t understand how humans could fall that far.

Whether the madness of war had turned ordinary people into that, or whether the ones I encountered there had simply all been such monstrous humans, I couldn’t know.

The girls were subjected to things too horrific to describe.

The boys who tried to protect them were subjected to even worse.

In the orphanage, painted red as if every drop of blood in every body had been spilled, I remembered hiding under some bed, holding my breath.

After that hell had swept through once, I crawled out and tightly held the hand of the girl in front of me.

She looked as if her breath was about to stop.

And in truth, it was.

“Aiden.”

I remembered the face of the girl who used to say she would eat only the moldy parts of the bread because she was always sick anyway.

She had been a child who followed me particularly well.

If I said I had never overlapped her face with that of Sisela, the younger sister I would later have, that would surely be a lie.

“Aiden.”

“……Yeah.”

“I’m okay.”

“……”

“I’m okay. Really.”

Nothing was okay.

Even so, I could clearly feel her trying to comfort me until the very end.

The sensation of her cold hand stroking my cheek had felt unbearably painful at the time.

“You know, Aiden.”

“Yeah.”

“Later, when I grow up, you said you’d marry me.”

“……Yeah.”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to grow up.”

“……”

“Right now… could you maybe do it for me?”

What did I answer back then?

Even now, it was a memory lodged in the darkest part of my mind, so I couldn’t remember every detail—what process led to it, what expression I had, or what tone I used.

But I remembered that I had made up my mind to do at least one thing for this child, no matter what it was.

“I’ll do it.”

I barely steadied my dizzying mind and held the hand of the child who had said that.

“-Hehe.”

I also remembered the way she smiled brightly even in such a horrific state.

“Thank you.”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t know about anything else, but I really wanted to try this at least once.”

“……Yeah.”

“You know, Aiden.”

“Yeah.”

“I, it hurts so, so much—”

“……”

“Could you, maybe help me a little?”

That bright smile, and at the same time her pale face as she complained of unbearable pain—

I remembered that too.

Even though I never wanted to remember it, it hurt every time as if a new wound was forming each night.

I knew exactly what she was asking me to help with.

It had already passed the point where treatment was possible, and to begin with, no doctor who could treat wounds would ever help orphans like us.

“……Yeah.”

What I did after that, even I couldn’t remember well.

Whether I had been granted the blessing of oblivion, or whether I had buried it myself deep beyond my memories, I still didn’t know.

▣

“……That’s what happened.”

Silence filled the surroundings.

In a stillness where even someone’s breathing could be heard loudly, I continued speaking in a calm voice.

“There was no need for revenge. Those bastards all died in the battle that broke out the very next day anyway.”

“……”

“Well, in that sense, I guess I did have a fiancée.”

As I finished speaking indifferently, Noel Astrea Simus, who had been quietly silent until now, opened her mouth.

“Then, your current family—”

“They’re the people who took me in and adopted me after I drifted out like that.”

“……”

Rania A‘Shan, who had been listening quietly, let out a deep sigh.

“……You’ve been carrying something like that all by yourself?”

“I wonder. I was planning to carry it alone until the end and die with it.”

I said that with a bitter smile.

Why would there be any reason to proudly talk about something like this to the world?

If it weren’t for this special situation, I would have kept my mouth shut about it until the very end.

“In short.”

I opened my mouth for a moment, then closed it again.

“So.”

Even I seemed unsure how to put it into words.

It looked like I was turning my thoughts over and over, trying to express everything I had done up until now.

And the more I examined it, reflected on it, and traced back to its origin,

the only thing I could say was—

“……I think a life where I can live peacefully with the people around me is a good one.”

A morning spent together. An afternoon where we build our lives side by side. An evening where we can laugh without reason.

I believed that everyone had the right to enjoy such things.

Within relationships formed as family, I believed that what I had gone through should never happen to anyone else.

“I hate seeing those things get trampled.”

I hated the idea of people thinking they could do that, believing they had the right to oppress others with force.

The things I loved were small, warm things.

Because I had lost them once, I knew that better than anyone.

“So it’s only natural that I hate the one who’s doing that on a continental scale.”

“……Is it because those memories have been rotting in your mind that you’re that sensitive to such concepts?”

At Noel’s deeply sunken voice, I briefly closed my eyes and answered.

“That’s part of it, but isn’t it obvious to begin with?”

The smile I showed as I said that was, even by the standards of those here, an extremely unusual expression.

Detached, and therefore sorrowful.

Something like that.

“……”

Noel, who had been quietly watching me, held her breath.

Perhaps it was the first time she had seen that kind of expression from me, despite knowing me all this time.

“……But.”

And the question that followed came almost from instinct.

“That person took the memories you had in the past and showed them to you.”

“……”

The expression on my face darkened even further.

It was as if I was trying to hide what I had felt when I saw that scene, but couldn’t, so it was forcibly leaking out.

“……”

Noel took a deep breath and stood up.

“……Good. Then shall we go right away?”

“…………Excuse me?”

At that abrupt statement with no context, I asked in bewilderment.

No.

Where were we going?

We had just shared my past here thanks to the advice of Elisha Gillias Craven and Bailey Varga, but rushing over there and starting a fight was an entirely different matter—

“It’s the same thing.”

“Ah, I agree.”

“Hmm.”

“……”

Hearing Noel cut in sharply, followed immediately by the others agreeing, I stared at them in disbelief.

No.

How was it the same thing? What stood before us now was a sealed Outsider that could bring chaos to the entire continent.

“I don’t know about that, but everyone else, including me, is probably thinking the same thing.”

“……What kind of thought?”

“I’ll never forgive the bastard who makes my husband wear that kind of expression.”

“……”

“Let’s go. Right now. We’ll crush him.”

Oh my.

I thought, for a brief moment but sincerely, that I might fall for her.