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The Astrea brothers had trained hard for many years to learn swordsmanship, and their sister simply received the skill one day. The sweat and tears they shed didn't matter. Suddenly it was clear that Theresia's power surpassed anything they could ever achieve.
Nevertheless, the boys did not give up training. Sister felt very sorry for them. She wondered why they continued. She could not understand it. Why didn't they leave it alone? Why didn't they do something more pleasant? Nobody would force them anymore.
She had no choice. That day, after she defeated her brother and became a Sword Saint, she began to hear a strange voice in her head telling her to pick up her sword. It used the exact same words that her uncle had shouted in the garden that day: "Take the sword, Theresia."
She resisted as best she could. It had been years, and she hadn't once touched a weapon. She kept herself from fencing even further than before, but the voice wouldn't let go. She found herself in hell, in a no-win situation.
She was soon to find out that this was no comparison to the true hell that was yet to come. A civil war with non-humans had broken out in the Dragon Kingdom.
For a long time now, there had been growing discontent among the non-humans because of the contempt with which they were treated. With just a minor incident, the situation escalated rapidly. Soon the conflict engulfed the entire country.
For a whole year the king downplayed the threat. Unfortunately, he finally had to admit that the unrest in Lugnica had grown to such proportions that civil war would break out any day now. The time had come to bring out the heavy guns. The Sword Saint was called into battle.
On the day Theresia was to take part in her first ever battle, she sat alone in her tent in the camp and hugged her knees, shaking with fear. There was a huge army under her command. The news that she would take command made many decide to enlist. These warriors believed that with someone like her at their head, they would surely prevail. To them, she was a being from another planet, a miracle worker. They did not see her as a young, frightened girl.
As Theresia sat in the tent, terrified and alone, with no one to whom she could confide her weakness, Thames came in.
- Are you afraid? - He asked, sitting down next to her.
Her entire family was involved in the fight. Since the day it became clear two years ago that she had become the new Sword Saint, Theresia had cut herself off from her parents and brothers. She hadn't exchanged a word with Thames in all that time. Now she was silent as well.
The man put his arm around her and hugged her tightly, then stroked her head. She could not stand it. She burst out crying, even though she knew she mustn't show weakness. Especially in front of him. But she couldn't control herself, she could only snuggle into him, moaning, explaining that she was scared, that she didn't want to fight, that she was sorry.
- I love you, Theresia. If you're afraid, if you don't want to... ...I'll protect you. After all, I am your big brother. I was sorry you beat me, but not sorry enough to give up swordsmanship. After all, I'm very fond of the sword! I am lucky to have been able to become a swordsman. I am happy to be part of the Astrea family, to have brothers and a sister. I am grateful to Reid," he said with a smile.
Theresia listened to him, cursing her stupidity. All along, she had thought the brothers should have given up fencing and pursued something more interesting. She disregarded their feelings. She thought they did it because they had no other idea about themselves. She thought they were stupid, she judged them by their fencing talent. And yet she should have admired them.
Who was stupid? I was. And the stupidest of us all is this God of Death! Why didn't he choose those who really love him? Why has he blessed me, even though I ignore him all the time?
- You don't have to fight. After all, you're gentle by nature, you wouldn't hurt a fly...
She was very glad he said that, so she didn't protest. She let him fight for her. He died protecting her during that battle. Theresia never once used her weapon. She was in no condition to.
"Take the sword, Theresia."
She couldn't bring herself to fight, to do what her voice was telling her to do. Not then, nor for the next few years.
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