I was always treated differently than my two brothers. I'm not sure why, but maybe it was because they were born with a better special trait than me.
Unlike Uniqueness, where everyone gets something balanced, Special Traits are viewed differently. People thought they were gifts from the gods—those favored got the best.
Even though I didn't get my parents' love, my life was still good. People treated me well enough.
That is until I met Noelle.
I still remember that day clearly.
I'd heard that a girl from the Dimitri family had arrived with her father, the head of the Dimitri household.
At the time, their family was going through a rough period. Things weren't looking good for them.
Out of curiosity, I wanted to see her. There were rumors about her, saying she had incredible potential. She possessed a very powerful Special Trait.
I had to see for myself.
I thought she'd be arrogant and cold, like most nobles with powerful Special Traits. That's how they always acted—distant, above everyone else.
But Noelle was the complete opposite. She was incredibly shy.
I remember the first time I approached her—she took off running.
I had no idea why she was running from me, but I chased after her for what felt like 30 minutes until I collapsed, completely out of breath.
To my surprise, she came back. She was crying, begging for forgiveness. I didn't understand why she was acting like that.
But seeing her up close stirred something inside me—her large red eyes, soft pink cheeks, and delicate red hair. She was the very definition of cuteness.
And for some reason, I just couldn't bear to see her cry.
It was only later, after she'd finally stopped crying, that I learned her Special Trait gave her nearly infinite stamina.
The other kids were jealous of her. Her family was struggling, so they took advantage of her situation, bullying and harassing her because of it.
And my older brother was one of them.
We grew close quickly. I'd visit her daily and soon met her older sister, Nila. Unlike my own elder brother, who barely acknowledged I existed, Nila genuinely cared for Noelle and treated me like I was her little brother too.
As time passed, I realized I had completely fallen for Noelle. She was always on my mind—her smile, her laugh, everything about her. But I couldn't stand seeing her cry anymore, so I made the mistake of confronting my brother.
I thought he'd be reasonable, that he'd listen to me like Nila always did to Noelle. But I was so wrong.
The moment I asked him to stop bullying Noelle, he beat me, furious that I dared to question him.
From that day on, I became his target.
But at least Noelle was left alone, and I made sure she never found out about the beatings.
It was bearable. I had Noelle, and she made everything easier just by being there.
But then things got worse.
One day, I decided to cook for my mother. She always loved food, so I thought maybe if I learned to cook something she liked, she'd finally praise me. I was still just a child, desperate for my parents' love.
But instead of a simple thank you, she threw the food at me. The plate smashed into my head, and I felt the sting as blood started trickling down.
I just ran from her room, the confusion and hurt burning in my chest.
Like…
WHAT DID I DO SO WRONG? JUST BECAUSE I WASN'T BORN WITH A GOOD SPECIAL TRAIT?
DOES THAT MEAN I DON'T DESERVE ANY FUCKING LOVE FROM MY OWN PARENTS?
ALL I WANTED WAS JUST SOME ACKNOWLEDGMENT. SOME FUCKING RECOGNITION.
...
I finally calm down, my breathing slow and steady again. But the emptiness remains.
…
After that, I just couldn't eat. Whenever I tried to put something in my mouth, my body rejected it. I avoided my mother at all costs, not daring to face her again for five long years.
But still, I had Noelle. I convinced myself that I didn't care about my family's love as long as I had her by my side. Yet deep down, I knew it was a lie—a desperate facade to mask the truth.
Soon, the weight of it all became unbearable. A dark thought crept into my mind: maybe if my little brother were gone, maybe my family would recognize my worth.
That night, I crept into his room while he slept, my heart racing. I stood over him, sword in hand, ready to strike… but I couldn't do it.
I left his room, and from that moment on, I couldn't hold a sword. It served as a constant reminder of how close I came to taking an innocent life for something so foolish.
After that, everything spiraled downward. My brother's bullying intensified, my parents continued to neglect me, and even the staff began to mistreat me. I was reaching my breaking point.
But I had Noelle. She was my anchor, always there to lift my spirits, no matter how dark my days became. Whenever I felt sad, her mere presence could brighten my mood.
While my life descended into chaos, hers was finally improving. The Dimitri family was regaining power, and the noble kids who once tormented her began to flock around her, hoping to win her favor. Everyone started treating her with kindness, and the joy radiating from her smile was enough to help me endure my own suffering.
As we turned 17, I decided to gift Noelle a necklace, and in return, she gave me a bracelet. I'll never forget that day; it was the last day we spent together before we were both sent to the war academy.
Noelle quickly became popular and emerged as one of the strongest first-year students at the academy. Despite her rising status, we remained close, often training and studying together. But everything changed when she started hanging out with her new friend group: Brian, Kyle, Jane, and Alice. They were also among the top first-years, and soon, she began to drift away from me.
Gradually, she grew more distant, her demeanor shifting to annoyance and anger whenever we interacted. It hurt to see her become colder toward me.
The more she distanced herself, the more it hurt.
The turning point came when Brian set his sights on me. Everyone knew he had a crush on Noelle, and I became an eyesore in his view. During a sparring match, he paired up with me, and I naively thought he was being friendly, unaware of his true intentions.
He beat me to near death, breaking one of my arms in the process.
When I woke up in the nurse's office, I met Luna for the first time. She had brought me there, a kind and sweet girl who genuinely cared for me. From that day on, a friendship blossomed between us. Yet, I couldn't help but wonder why Noelle wasn't there.
A few days later, I overheard a conversation between her and Brian.
"So, Noelle, aren't you mad at me for beating up your little boyfriend?" he teased.
"Why should I be? It's his fault for being so weak. And besides, he isn't my boyfriend; I just keep him around because I feel bad for his pathetic life," she replied coldly.
After hearing that, I felt something shatter within me. I didn't know what to think anymore. The girl for whom I had sacrificed everything now saw me as nothing more than a burden.
Could you blame me for wanting to kill them?
I had done everything for her—I ruined my once peaceful life just to be by her side. And here she was, flirting with the man who had broken my arm and nearly beaten me to death.
…
Soon, my breathing grows heavy as something stirs within me. My blood begins to boil with anger, and I clench my fists and teeth, struggling to contain the rising fury.
THEY ALL DESERVE TO DIE.
THEY ALL DESERVED TO SUFFER A HORRIBLE FATE.
I screamed, my voice deepening, becoming more beast-like with every word.
Suddenly, Ma'am hit me across the head. It hurt.
"Relax, boy!" she shouted. "You have every right to be angry, but anger won't fix your past."
I glared at her, breathing heavily. "You think I haven't tried? I CAN'T MOVE ON UNTIL I TAKE REVENGE ON THEM. I WON'T BE SATISFIED UNT—"
Another smack to my head.
"I told you to relax," she said, her voice firm but calm.
I clenched my fists, my mind racing, but I stayed silent.
"Tell me this," she said, her gaze piercing through me. "You get your revenge… and then what?"
…
I didn't answer. I couldn't.
She sighed, shaking her head. "Listen, revenge never leads anywhere good. Right now, you think these thoughts are your own, but your Uniqueness is affecting you."
I froze. She stared at me, waiting for it to sink in.
"Rem, you're a good kid. I can see it. You're still guilty over almost killing your brother. Do you know how many people wouldn't even feel that here? They'd kill their own family without a second thought."
Her words stung. I didn't want to hear it, but I couldn't deny the guilt gnawing at me.
"You want to get stronger, don't you?" she asked, her tone softening but still firm.
I just stared at the ground, unable to respond.
"Yes," I finally reply, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Then pick up that sword," she commands.
…
I stand, my legs shaky, and reach for the sword. The moment my fingers wrap around the hilt, my body reacts again—trembling, stiffening, fighting me.
"REM!" she shouts, her voice cutting through my haze. "Hold that wooden sword properly!"
"I'm trying," I whisper to myself, but no matter how hard I try, my body refuses to cooperate.
The voice inside my head returns, mocking me. Rem, are you still stuck on that? Didn't you say you wanted to change?
It keeps teasing and taunting.
But then, without warning, my grip tightens.
"If you want to become strong, move on," Ma'am says, her voice firm but gentle. "I'm not telling you to forgive them. But the more you let them control your mind, the weaker you become. Don't you want to be stronger?"
I stand there, staring at the dummy, my grip tightening with every passing second.
"REM!" she yells again, snapping me back to the moment.
"Rem!" The dark voice echoes in my mind, growing louder.
"REM!"
Suddenly, the dark blue flame erupts from my body, engulfing me entirely. Power surges through me, raw and untamed. I feel stronger like every muscle in my body is waking up for the first time.
And with that, I swing the sword with everything I have—my first true, full-strength strike.