Here’s a new novel for you, Nameless Hero! (1/3 chapters for today)
Disownment
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Childhood. It was a word that should evoke joyful memories when reflecting on life, but in my case, it was the exact opposite.
I was born as the third son of the illustrious magical noble household, the Aldridge Household. In this world, “magic” is indispensable. Generally, the superiority of magic directly correlates to a person’s worth. In such a world, being born into a prestigious magical household almost guarantees a winning life.
The Aldridge Household has produced many individuals who are highly regarded in magic, and many of them have thrived at the forefront. It wouldn’t have been surprising for me to become one of them in the future. And yet…
—
I was at a loss. I looked like a beggar… no, I was a beggar, sitting in a corner of the back alleys of Barwitch, the center of the country’s trade, with only a robe to cover me.
*Guuuu*
I was hungry. I hadn’t eaten anything for about four days. Thinking that I was going to end my life without accomplishing anything filled me with an unbearable regret.
Why was I born?
I reflected on my still short life, like a revolving lantern.
—
I vaguely recalled the days spent in that mansion. What stood out was that mornings in the Aldridge Household were extraordinarily noisy. The servants of the house bustled every morning, preparing breakfast and helping the family get ready.
As I rubbed my sleepy eyes and left my room, I was always greeted with a proper greeting from the servants who stopped their busy feet.
“Good morning, Third Junior-sama.” (Servants)
“…Good morning.” (Third Junior)
I was called “Third Junior”. This meant the third son of the head, Isaiah Aldridge. To inherit the name of the great Isaiah, before being recognized with a name of my own, the eldest son was Isaiah Aldridge Junior, the second son was Second Junior, and I was Third Junior. To be precise, I didn’t really have a name.
Breakfast time with the whole family was very quiet. After eating, tea was served, and we would engage in a bit of conversation during teatime. That was our daily life.
“By the way, it’s about time we got Third Junior a tutor.” (Isaiah)
Immediately interjecting was my mother.
“…He doesn’t need one.” (Mother)
“What? What did you just say?” (Isaiah)
“No, I apologize.” (Mother)
My mother could not defy the words of the head. I often wondered how these two wove their love together to become a couple. I disliked my father, but I loved my mother. There was no reason not to love my mother, who showed me affection face-to-face, rather than my father, who was always flaunting his authority around the mansion.
“Okaa-sama, what is a tutor?” (Third Junior)
“You don’t have to call me Okaa-sama in this room.” (Mother)
While my mother acted strict in front of others, she relaxed when we were in her private space.
“…He is someone who will teach you magic.” (Mother)
“Eh! Magic?!” (Third Junior)
“Yes.” (Mother)
“Then I can use magic too!” (Third Junior)
“…” (Mother)
At that time, I believed that by receiving guidance from the tutor, I could use magic. I didn’t even consider how serious it was that I couldn’t use magic yet at nearly five years old. I certainly felt inferior compared to my brothers, who had been mastering magic since they were three years old.
—
About a month after I turned five, a tutor visited the mansion. I had no idea that this day would significantly alter my life, and I excitedly welcomed the person.
“This child has no magical power. Wasn’t this measured beforehand?” (Tutor)
The silver-haired woman cruelly stated. She was far from the image I had of a tutor and was a beautiful woman.
“What? Hey, what does that mean?” (Isaiah)
Isaiah directed an angry expression toward my mother.
“I-I’m very sorry!” (Mother)
“Did you know this child had no magical power?!” (Isaiah)
Isaiah then raged like a monster.
I was so shocked by his intensity that I couldn’t remember anything else that was said afterward. However, I did remember that from that day forward, my room disappeared, and my days of being locked away in a gloomy library began. It was also then that the critical fact was revealed that I could not use magic.
After that, I became treated like a pariah within the mansion. Even if I wanted to go outside, I was absolutely forbidden from doing so, and the servants, who used to greet me, no longer acknowledged me as they hurried around the house. My life changed drastically.
I wanted to walk freely around the mansion and play with my favorite toys. Once, I couldn’t hold back and secretly borrowed a toy my brothers were having fun with to play. It was quickly discovered by my brothers, and I was beaten and kicked until I was thoroughly punished.
I could vividly recall that incident. Though I was being lynched by my brothers, the servants remained indifferent. However, Isaiah appeared and inquired about the commotion.
“What’s going on? What’s all this noise?!” (Isaiah)
At that moment, I mistakenly thought I had been saved’, albeit faintly. I thought Isaiah, as a father, might intervene even if he had no goodwill toward me. Just as I thought this, when he confirmed that I was the target of the lynching, his attitude changed completely.
“If you hate him so much, kill him! Just kill him!” (Isaiah)
With a terrifying expression, my father egged them on, and for some reason, handed a wall-mounted longsword to my eldest brother. At that moment, I braced myself for death and realized that Isaiah Aldridge, including the Juniors, was a stranger to me.
At that time, the Juniors hesitated to commit murder, and they were able to avoid a tragedy.
—
My mother would visit me in the library once a week. I could always tell when it was her because she would knock before entering. When I heard the knock, I felt overjoyed and would jump to her as she entered. My mother silently stroked my head.
“…Thus, the labyrinth of Azaligrade was sealed by five sages.” (Mother)
My mother read aloud to me from the books stored in the library, telling tales of heroes and adventurous exploits for children. I would beg her to read it again, but she would look sad and say, “It’s time to go now”, and then leave.
I endured those unfortunate days for about five years. Being locked away in the library allowed me to find plenty of ways to stave off boredom besides the books my mother read to me, and even without seeing the world, I had time to gain some education through them. Then, on the day of my tenth birthday, I was kicked out of the Aldridge mansion.
I knew it was coming, but the Aldridge Household frequently entertained other noble households of the same caliber. They likely couldn’t keep a defective product like me in the mansion. Isaiah prioritized appearances and disowned me.
—
What is family? What is love?
I thought about that constantly. In the textbooks and the Holy Scriptures I read in the Aldridge library, there were phrases like, “Families are bound by deep love—” and, “People, filled with hearts of compassion, help the weak—” written in superficial terms. But perhaps due to my circumstances, I came to view such things as mere fantasies, believing that good people were nothing but self-satisfied hypocrites.
My aspiration was for the “epic poems set on the battlefield” and “adventurous tales of conquering dungeons” my mother had read to me. Soldiers fighting for their homeland, mercenaries fighting for their pride, adventurers testing their strength out of curiosity, There was no family or love in that. The only path to walk was my own, and the image of solitary warriors was drawn. Their way of life felt like the life I should lead.
However, I couldn’t even take the first step toward chasing that ideal. Soon, rain began to fall in Barwitch. The hustle and bustle of the city faded, and I simply stood silently in the rain.
Cold.
Gradually, I lost the will to move my body, and my gaze became fixed.
I want to be a warrior.
Adventurers from the tales I read, soldiers fighting for their beliefs. Their figures would float in and out of my mind.)
For me, the few cobblestone tiles I could see made up my entire world. Eventually, my consciousness faded.
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