I Was the Hero, But She Turned Me Into the Villain
Chapter 26 - 25 : Awakening - Part 1

Chapter 26: Chapter 25 : Awakening - Part 1

«A woman with white hair. Smiling. Alive»

"My mother."

I swallowed, feeling a knot in my throat.

I couldn’t tell if it was real... or just my mind playing tricks on me.

—"Do you miss her?" —Clarisse asked, without looking at me.

I remained silent.

I didn’t answer. But I didn’t deny it either.

I wasn’t sure how to feel about it.

She didn’t press the issue.

She didn’t need to.

Her voice wasn’t looking for answers, just to acknowledge that she had noticed something.

That afternoon we returned to the mansion earlier than usual, yet I ended up more tired than usual.

***

The morning arrived without incident.

Apparently, I had fallen asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. I woke up feeling a little stiff, and after stretching my arms and shoulders a bit, I did some exercises to relax. Nothing too strenuous, just enough to wake up my body.

Even so, there was something strange in the air.

A slight feeling of discomfort.

However, I didn’t give it another thought. I would soon find out.

I went out into the hallway, and as usual, Alice was already waiting for me. Leaning against the wall, her hands clasped in front of her apron, she smiled at me as soon as she saw me.

—"Young master," she said gently. "Miss Clarisse is in the garden. She’s about to leave."

—"Already?" —I asked, running a hand through my messy hair.

—"For a while now," she replied calmly. "Shall we?"

I nodded silently.

We walked together through the corridors, softly lit by the morning sun.

The elongated shadows cast by the stained glass projected colors onto the walls—

it almost felt like the mansion was still half asleep.

After a few minutes, we finally arrived at the main garden.

There she was.

Standing by the carriage, Clarisse observed the surroundings with that unreadable expression of hers.

At her side, two escorts stood silently.

And a little further back, Frederick remained perfectly still, rigid like a statue, with a grimace on his face as if his entire world had just crumbled.

All her luggage was already secured.

The reins of the carriage held in place.

Everything ready to go.

And yet... she didn’t leave.

I stopped a few steps away.

—"Still here?" —I asked indifferently.

All eyes turned toward me.

Frederick scowled and clenched his fists, clearly upset.

But when our eyes met... he looked away like a frightened rabbit.

Clarisse, on the other hand, kept her posture.

And, as always, that subtle smile graced her lips.

A serene, elegant curve—completely unreadable.

—"I was waiting for you to show up," she said at last. "It wouldn’t be proper to leave without saying goodbye to my ’escort.’"

I stared at her in silence.

Her light-colored dress swayed gently in the breeze.

There was something in the way she carried herself, in the slight tilt of her head, that gave off a calm, almost cold aura.

A composure you wouldn’t expect from someone her age.

—"I’m not a very good escort," —I replied quietly. "I’m sure you’ll find someone better."

—"Probably," —she said, shrugging with elegance.

She stepped into the carriage without hurry.

Every movement seemed rehearsed, as if following a script only she knew.

And just before the door closed, she turned slightly toward me.

—"We’ll meet again," she murmured, with that subtle smile.

"Don’t count on it," I thought as I gave a faint smile—one that didn’t reach my eyes.

The door closed with a soft click.

The horses began to move.

And Clarisse vanished, taking with her that unsettling calm she always carried.

***

After saying goodbye to Clarisse, I headed to the marquis’s office.

Sebastian had told me beforehand:

"Once the duke’s daughter leaves, the marquis wishes to speak with you, young master. It’s about your Awakening."

I had no idea what the trial would be like—only that it would take place in a few days, right before my official admission to the Imperial Academy.

Even so, I didn’t feel nervous.

I already had experience handling mana.

So when I reached his office door, I didn’t hesitate.

I didn’t knock.

I walked straight in.

He didn’t look up, but calmly set aside the documents he’d been reading, as if he had been expecting me all along.

With a sharp gesture, he pointed to the seat in front of his desk.

I hesitated for a moment... but eventually, I sat down.

Silence hung in the air for a few seconds.

Neither of us spoke.

The tension was thick, but I waited for the marquis to make the first move.

It didn’t take long before he spoke—his tone dry and direct:

—"Daven," he said, not raising his voice, "as you already know, the Awakening is a dangerous process. Your body will be forced to accept a large amount of pure mana. The process will be extremely painful. You must endure it if you want to surpass human limits."

He paused briefly, intertwining his fingers over a glass he never drank from.

—"That is the line that separates ordinary people... from us. If you cross it, you will live as a Riesenhart. If not, you will simply cease to be useful."

Each of his words was like a block of ice.

No emotion. No threat.

Just sharp, cold facts.

—"Remember this," he continued, without breaking eye contact, "when the time comes, you must form your core. A real one. A stable one. A vessel capable of channeling that energy... or the mana will destroy you from within."

I remained silent.

I’d heard about the process before—just never in such detail.

Creating a core... shaping mana...

It was nothing like what I knew as a Hero.

It sounded simple.

But the risk could damage the body—

or even bring death.

He paused again. Then, with a slight movement of his head, he locked eyes with mine.

—"...And the only vessel capable of holding that energy... is a Celtra."

The way he said those words left no room for doubt

as if that were an undeniable truth,

as if any other choice would be an unforgivable mistake.