Alex opened his eyes.
A warm bed.A quiet room.Lively voices of children outside.
For a second… he felt peace.
But the moment he closed his eyes again—It all came rushing back.
The screams.The blood.His brother's corpse.His sister's severed limbs.The laughter of those monsters who took everything from him.
His chest tightened.He fell from the bed, gasping for air.
"Why… Why didn't I save them…?"
He saw them in his mind—His parents, his brother, his little sister.
They were looking at him.
"Why didn't you save us, Alex?""You failed us."
Their voices echoed inside his shattered heart.
There was no room left for peace.No reason to live.Only pain… and fury.
His breath finally returned.
Then—footsteps.
He quickly climbed back into the bed. The door opened, and a woman stepped in.
He recognized her immediately.
Sister Lily.
From the anime.
She approached gently and asked,
"Are you alright?"
She placed a tray of food beside him and smiled.
He ate without saying a word.Her eyes held warmth… but also pity.
That look.He hated it.
He didn't want pity.Not from her. Not from anyone.
When he finished eating, she asked about his name.His parents.Where he was from.
He stayed silent.
Eventually, she left.
Moments later, a group of children entered.Two of them were his age—Asta and Yuno.Just like the show.Energetic, curious, kind.
The old priest came in behind them.They talked to him, asked how he was doing.
He couldn't answer.
Inside, the pain was chewing him alive.
Then, the priest smiled and said,
"If you don't have a home, then this will be your home. And we… your family."
Alex didn't respond.
What family…?There's nothing left to protect.Nothing left to love.
The priest seemed to understand, and led the children out.
"Let him rest," he whispered.
The next morning, Alex walked outside and saw them gathered around the breakfast table.
They called out to him, waving.
He tried to turn away.
But the old priest gently took his hand and led him to sit.
He sat.
Asta, just as loud and talkative as ever, was rambling about some training.
Yuno barely spoke, calm and cold.
On the table was a familiar dish—the simple fried potatoes of Hage Village.
He ate in silence.
After breakfast, everyone left the church to play outside.
Sister Lily was doing laundry. Yuno helped her.A boy named Nash acted like he was older and more important than the others.And Asta… ran off somewhere, as usual.
Alex wandered without purpose, his feet moving on their own… until he reached it:
The giant skeleton of a demon.
He didn't know how he'd gotten there.
Then he heard a noise.
He followed it.
It was Asta—training alone.
Alex watched in silence.He didn't care.He didn't want to be part of the story.He didn't want to ruin anyone's life.
He turned to leave.
But a snapped twig gave him away.
Asta spun around.
"HEY! I didn't see you there!"
He ran up to Alex, smiling as always.
"What's your name? Where are you from? Why are you always so quiet!?"
Alex said nothing.
He couldn't speak.He was afraid.
Afraid to trust.Afraid to lose someone again.
But Asta didn't stop talking.
He shared his dream—to become the Wizard King.Even without magic.
Then he looked at Alex and said,
"Train with me."
Alex hesitated.
He didn't feel any magic inside him.Nothing but anger.
But Asta wouldn't stop following him.Chasing him.Begging him.
Eventually… he gave in.
And the days passed.
Weeks.
Then years.
Until the day he turned fifteen.