Book 9: Chapter 3: Thats Why You Are My Eternal Rival. (2/2)
”R-Right…”
Monica may not know much about it, but Barney's family, the House of Count Ambard, is one of the most prominent families in the Ridill Kingdom. Barney was very proud of this fact and used to say ”Our Count Ambard Household is…” or the like.
As she reminisced about this, Barney interrupted her with a somewhat indifferent tone.
”You said you wanted to talk to me about something, didn't you? Since it's you, you're probably going to say, ‘Why didn't you reveal my true identity at that time?'”
”…Mm.”
After Monica fought off an assassin who was impersonating Eugene Pittman, Barney had hidden Lynn away, gave false information, and told them that he was the one who fought off the assassin so to hide Monica's true identity. Because of his lies, Monica's true identity was not revealed and she's still able to stay at the school.
—Even so, Barney should have no reason to cover Monica.
But Barney answered her question fluently as if he's been prepared this line for a long time.
”I've been thinking your reason for enrolling in Serendia Academy. At first, I thought you were just doing it for fun, assuming now you are the Seven Sages. But, after remembering about the enrollment of the Second Prince in this academy, and the incident of an intruder at the chess tournament, it's more plausible to conclude that you've been dispatched to this school to guard the Second Prince.”
Monica bit her lip and nodded when Barney stared at her for confirmation.
Normally, she should keep this mission a secret, but it was useless trying to fool Barney now.
”You came to this academy to guard the Second Prince as your duty as the Seven Sage, so it's only natural for a noble of the Ridill Kingdom like myself to help you at that time. And for that reason, I did cover your identity, Lady Everett.”
Barney especially emphasized his reason for helping her was not because Monica's his friend, but because it's his duty as a noble to help the Seven Sages. He then stared at the now silent Monica before smiling sarcastically.
”Did it convince you, Lady Everett?”
Sure enough, Barney never thought of Monica as his friend. He persistently pushed that fact on Monica over and over again. It was as if he's trying to make her think that way. Probably her words as his friend will not reach Barney anymore. Even then, there was still one thing that she really wanted to ask him.
”…I still have one question, but you don't have to answer if you don't want to.”
”Oh, what would it be? As a member of the House of Count Ambard, I will do my best to answer any question the Seven Sage ask.”
Monica only closed her eyes once in response to Barney's sarcastic remark, but then she opened her eyes, looking straight at him.
”…Barney, why did you participate in the chess tournament?”
Barney's expression fell when hearing such a sudden question. Monica's been wondering this question ever since she reunited with Barney. Looking back at what happened in Minerva when she's still a student, Barney always ridiculed it as a ‘game for people with so much spare time.' And insisted that people who were enrolling in the Magician Training Institute Minerva should use their time to master spell instead. So when she met Barney and saw him participated in a chess tournament, it really surprised her, albeit in a different way.
As if he had been hit with a sore spot, Barney made a bitter face at Monica's question.
Looking at his reaction, Monica wondered if she had said something horrible, or if she had hurt him again.
”Um, if you don't want to answer. I'm sorry if I asked you something weird…”
”You see… I'll be dropping out from Minerva soon..”
”…eh?”
The unexpected words made Monica stunned, her lips were half-open.
Surprisingly, Barney responded to her with a weary smile… a smile that looked like he had given up on something.
”You see, my brother died in an accident last month. And it's not caused by a conspiracy or assassination or anything like that. He just went for a long ride to show off, but because he's not good at equestrianism, he fell off from his horse and broke his neck… a stupid way to die, as befits him.”
Monica didn't know any circumstances inside Barney's household. But she had heard that he's the second son of Count Ambard and his brother will inherit the household. That's why Barney, who can't inherit the house, has been studying hard in Minerva to become the Seven Sages and obtain the Count Magician rank which was equal to the Count rank.
Now that his brother was dead… as the next line of the successor, he will take over his brother's position to inherit the house.
”…Barney, did you really had given up to become the Seven Sages?”
”Yeah, in the upcoming winter, I will return to my hometown to concentrate on my studies to become the next Count. And for that reason as well, I took partake to play in a chess tournament a bit.”
Just because he's born as the second son, his achievement was not recognized, which welling up his anger and his craving for acknowledgment. He's been suppressing his dissatisfaction and squeezed his body very hard to pile up so many achievements so as to get recognized by others. But what will he think when all those efforts were crumbled in an instant. And becoming the head which he had wanted so much ever since his childhood was coming in an unexpected way, surely he would not be happy about it, or so she thought.
”To be honest with you, I was relieved. I really was.”
”…eh?”
”This way, I could give up my goal to become the Seven Sages.”
Monica silenced, and Barney, in his deeply weary face, muttered to himself.
”Actually… maybe for a long time, somewhere in my heart, I've given up on becoming one of the Seven Sages.”
Barney's words were hard for Monica to believe. Because she had seen Barney's efforts more closely than anyone else. At how hardworking he was and how talented he was. Even many had believed that he would become a first-rate magician in the future.
”…was it because of me?”
Monica asked in a hushed voice, and Barney gave her a sneer. Either he's mocking Monica for her stupidity, or he himself…or maybe both.
”That's right. It's all your fault. It's all happened because you mastered the no-chant spell and showed everyone how talented you are… She might have done it to tell how much different our talent was. A talent that I couldn't possibly reach nor I could possibly dream on, or so I thought.”
Barney let out a dry laugh and turned his eyes behind his glasses to look at Monica.
”Even so, you still smiled so innocently at me, hoping to get my praise. I couldn't help but think, ‘are you mocking me!?'”
No matter how much malice and hatred he laid out, Barney's tone was no longer has any vigor behind it. After all, he had already given up. He had given up on the future he had envisioned for himself as the Seven Sages.
”You kept saying that I was your friend, but I never intended to make you my friend…”
Monica had already given up on having Barney's expectation.
But it still pained her when the memories of him reached out his helping hand to her or when they've been studying together were denied outright. Even then, Barney spoke to the hanging down Monica.
”…what I want is to have a rival with an equal standing.”
Monica blinked and slowly lifted her hanging head to look up at Barney.
When Barney saw Monica's dumbfounded face, he snorted and laughed in a sarcastic way, just like he always does.
”As a capable person as I am, sooner or later, I'll make a name for myself as the greatest Count Ambard of all time. Right, I suppose our rank is equal now, isn't it, Count Magician Everett.”
”…eh? Uh, um… yes?”
When Monica nodded vaguely at his change in attitude, Barney folded his arms and smiled haughtily.
”One day, I'll become a competent count that you'll want to rely on. And when I do, please don't be ashamed to rely on me.”
Barney said this throwaway line as if he had nothing more to say before turning his back on Monica.
Monica and Barney will probably never be friends again.
But not all their relationship has been cut. Even after a broken friendship, there are always new relationships that can sprout.
Monica bowed her head to Barney's back as he walked away.
”…I deeply thank you for your cooperation in this mission. Lord Barney Jones of the Count of Ambard.”
Barney stopped, turned his head back at Monica, and smiled. A nostalgic smile as if to say, ”you're so hopeless without me,” as he once did to Monica, who cried, ”Barney, help me.”
”That's right. You should be thanking me for the rest of your life.”