Chapter 313 - Young Love

It was a garden of frost; somehow flourishing in the snow that stretched across the region, azure flowers, coated in snowflakes, were nurtured by the cold. 

"Lord Macheo, supper is ready."

Coming from behind the young man sat on the stone steps, decorated with a sable and velvet carpet, a calm, female voice spoke softly to him. 

Staying silent for a moment as he continued to watch the downfall of the cold, fluffy snow upon the luxurious estate, the golden-haired prince felt the maid's presence continue to persist behind him as he let out a disgruntled sigh. 

"Alright, alright, I heard you!"

Hearing the door shut behind him as the maid silently made her leave, he huffed as his breath came out with a tangible frost, looking upon the statue that stood in the center of the frost-coated garden. It was of a man dressed in armor, kneeling with his hands on his blade which he had placed into the ground--closing his eyes as if praying.

Standing up, his crimson mantle flowed in the passing, chilling winds as snow coated his golden locks, approaching the tall-standing statue formed of gray stone. 

The statue of our founding ancestor, "Isaac Aminoff, The Bane of Giants". This is where I'd always find you, Inessa, even on the coldest nights...whenever you were troubled, you'd pray to this statue. 

My idiot sister...why did you have to--Macheo had his thoughts interrupted by the burgundy door being opened behind him. 

"I'll be there in a minute--"

Believing it to be the maid coming to escort him to the dining hall, Macheo turned his head to see it was someone else; a familiar figure--but one he was glad to see. 

"Aleksander."

"I knew I'd find you here, Macheo."

He was just about the spitting image of the young man, though with a few years ahead of him; possessing the same, trademark golden hair of the Aminoff family with the crimson eyes to match--though his eyes held a warm kindness relatively unknown in the land of frost. 

That's right...Aleksander was always the kindest of my brothers--though, that wasn't saying much in contrast to those soulless, cold bastards. He was the closest to Inessa, as they were both the oldest of our siblings--I never realized it before until that day, but her loss affected him greatly. 

Kneeling beside Macheo in front of the statue, Aleksander held his palms together as he closed his eyes in front of the old statue. As he held his hands in this praying stance, the sleeves of his white, ruffled blouse slid down his arms--revealing a number of cuts left on his wrists, trailing down his arms. 

I wanted to say something, but I was at a loss for words. Aleksander always looked out for me, defending me from the wrath of my brothers, and sometimes even Father. To see that he carried such pain on his shoulders, so densely and abundantly...all I could do was sit there as tears rolled down my cheeks. 

"Ah, Macheo...you're crying. It's freezing out right now, you don't want your tears to turn to ice, do you?"

Attempting to cheer his younger brother up, Aleksander gave him a smile as he brushed the tears from the boy's cheek with his thumb. 

"Then...why are you crying too, Aleksander?" 

"Oh...I am? Funny...I guess I'm a hypocrite, huh?"

Trying to retain his cheerful tone, the elder brother's voice choked up as he wiped his own tears away from the grasp of the biting cold. Returning his gaze to the old, snow-coated statue, Aleksander's eyes glistened with a layer of tears. 

"Macheo, please bear with Father." 

"...Huh?"

"If you keep resisting him like this...it'll just get worse for you. You realize that, right, Macheo?..."

Those words were the last thing he wanted to hear from his brother--it felt like the singular person he trusted the most in this world betrayed him. 

At the time, I believed it was just the loss of Inessa that saddened him like this. But--I was naive. Ignorant. I didn't realize just how much he protected me; in my place, he took the punishments coming for me--he was always seen as weak by the rest of the family. He was frail, and constantly falling under the weather--a Lucrauvian left vulnerable to the cold was something Father regarded as the biggest disgrace. 

I thought I was the one who bore the disdain of this family's overwhelming pressure, but it was you, Aleksander. 

It was the only time you asked something like that of me. The strain was becoming too much for you...if I wasn't such a brat, it would've been easier for you. Maybe you wouldn't have...

Like Inessa...he left me as well. I was alone. 

I became spiteful, I knew it was them--I knew they pushed him to take that mission in my place, even though his body couldn't handle the cold. 

It was that day, I decided to become the head of the family--I wanted to become strong, for Inessa, for Aleksander--and show them a ruler could be both kind and strong. 

After convincing Father to let me represent Lucrauv on the annual Purgatory expedition, I was confident in myself. 

However, I was in over my head--my entire life, I lived with more talent than my peers, I was stronger than those of my age--I thought I could conquer Purgatory easily. It didn't take even a week for my will to shatter. 

I was scared. I was alone. I had nobody. 

To survive, I became what I hated most--a tyrant; I embodied the image of my wicked father, no matter how much it disgusted me, I wanted to live. I told myself if it meant achieving my goal at some point in the future, it didn't matter what I had to do. 

I stole from those poor, weak primorelves, I beat them, I sent fear into them...and I liked it. For once in my life, I was at the top--I didn't have any siblings to put me down, or the contempt of Father to--I was lost in that power, I truly believed I was a king. Twisted...that's what I was, I was comfortable decaying in that temple, living out a depraved, stagnant life as a king who ruled over a few stray goblins. 

Then...you came, Iris. You showed me kindness could exist in Purgatory, you showed me I was wrong--you brought me back. 

But, even then, I had my doubts. I felt like I didn't belong, I deserved punishment, scorn...but Aiko, you treated me like I wasn't special. I was just...your friend. You didn't have to filter your words or fake your smiles--you were genuine with me. My only friends until then were the few siblings who treated me like an actual person. 

You were like me--a noble left isolated, secluded to this place by the pressure of family...but you weren't bound. You didn't succumb to the suffocating darkness of this place. That's right--you were everything I failed to be. 

In the face of this trial, I crumbled like an eroded stone, reverting to the only way I knew to survive--but you didn't let this place change you, Aiko. 

That's all it took, Aiko...you became my light. 

"Why, Macheo…?"

Her voice quivered at the unwanted pacifism from the golden-haired young man. It was the very image of strength and confidence to her--that very person stood there without any intent to fight her. 

Instead, only a quivering fist withdrew from in front of her, being pulled back as the crimson eyes of his usually brimming with vigor and brazen dulled, looking down out of shame. 

"I can't do it…"

As his golden fringes obscured his eyes that held shame in their glistening mirrors, Macheo let his arms hang limp at his siders as if succumbing to defeat. 

It wasn't a kick or a punch that came his way, but a sharp, five-fingered slap across his cheek that widened his eyes as a sting ran across his face. 

"...Huh?"

Holding his reddened cheek, he looked at the girl, who was clearly holding back an abundance of tears that lined the rims of her eyes. 

"That hurt!"

"Good! Maybe you'll start acting like yourself!"

"What's up with you…? Why won't you just take this victory!? I'm handing it to you on a silver platter!"

"That's exactly why…!" 

Aiko's yell completely engulfed Macheo's words as tears finally began to escape her eyes, trickling down her cheeks. 

With a quivering lip, the words Macheo built up seemed to be held in his chest as he took in a deep exhale.

"...I want what's best for you, alright!?"

Forcing his words out with eyes closed out of embarrassment for saying such things, Macheo's fervent yelling shocked those who had been at his side. 

"I want that for you too…! And giving up like this...it's not you, Macheo!"

"He's changed…"

Witnessing their quarrel from the sidelines, Iris couldn't help but feel astonished by the young man's reluctance to fight. 

"Is that right?"

Nodding her head to reply to Valerie, Iris continued, "Mhm...the Macheo I first met was quick to resort to violence...he had no problem using force to get what he wanted. It's almost like I'm looking at a different person now."

"COMPETITOR MACHO AMINOFF, THIS WILL BE YOUR ONE AND ONLY WARNING: NEGLIGENCE TO HONOR THE SPIRIT OF THE CHAMPION'S CULLING WILL RESULT IN YOUR EXECUTION."

Asmodeus' loud, haunting words left little room for questioning as both Macheo and Aiko's eyes widened at this. 

"I thought something like this might happen…"

Ren shook his head lightly, knowing full well this was simply the nature of a cruel realm such as Purgatory. 

"See…? We have to fight, Macheo. I want this." 

"You want this, huh?..."

Faced with this bleak reality before him, Macheo found himself on an unavoidable path; knowing full well what had to be done as his reply to Aiko came quietly, not so much as bringing his eyes up to meet hers. 

Even the girl I...even the one person in this world I wanted to try being a gentler, kinder "Macheo" to can't have that. I'm really cursed, aren't I? He thought. 

"No magic." 

"Huh?"

Looking at the young man as he slowly raised his gaze, the words met Aiko's ears but the meaning fell short. 

Watching as he rolled his shoulders and parted his fringes that attempted to obscure his eyes, she received her answer from him, "We're doing this without magic.. You want a fight? Then we're doing it my way."