Once upon a time, two young girls were born in a small village.
They were quite similar, like they were reflections of each other, but ultimately ended up having different fates.
As one was blessed with fire, and the other was blessed with mundanity.
In spite of wishing what the other girl had, they loved each other through their envy very deeply.
As one ended up having a bizarre, yet lonely life; and the other ended up having a nonchalant, yet loving life.
--
"Carolyn... How come that parents love you more than anything?... People say that my magic is impressive, but... They don't even bat an eye on me..."
"I don't know, Charlie. I genuinely can't tell you why. They only told me that you were a witch, and that's it..."
"But I didn't ask to be born a witch, did I?! I want to be in their embrace too! I just want to be loved!"
"Shh... I'm here. I actually don't like their love either, to me it feels way too overbearing. But you... It's nice that there is someone who loves me for what I truly am. And I love you for what you are, Charlie."
"... Thank you..."
"... I think people might actually like the shows you put up for me, those are quite colourful and vibrant - you should be opening up and putting yourself out there more often. Here, let me treat your burn..."
--
"Dear lord! Carolyn, what happened?!"
"... J-Just went foraging all by myself..."
"No! Urgh!... You shouldn't have ventured alone!... Argh..."
"I just got a little unlucky, monsters usually don't wander in that grove..."
"And because you got unlucky, you could've died! Carolyn, stop trying to put on a brave face before me and just ask me to go with you! I-I like foraging too! Those magic tricks can wait!"
"I-I know, it's just... I thought I would be equal to you if I risked my life once in a while..."
"You're stupid-stupid-stupid! Don't ever do that again!"
--
And so, their ideals were born.
One wanted to please people by performing miracles to make up for the love that she lacked in her life.
The other wanted to become self-sufficient by studying medicine to make up for the strength she lacked in her life.
Thus becoming Charlotte of Farfalle and Carolyn of Zauberkugel
And so, eventually, they got what they wanted.
One found the love of her life with whom she wants to settle down after her numerous journeys.
And the other ended up applying for a medical school far away from the comfort of her own home with the help of her parents.
--
"Are you sure you will be alright by yourself, Carol?"
"I'll be fine, besides, for me - the village life has become quite boring. I would like to see the bustling cities that travellers talk about so much!"
"I... I can understand, but... The village will miss you, you're the best doctor we have out here..."
"Please, I'm just going out to study, it's not like I'm going to live here! I'm sure once I finish my further studies, I will be even better! Plus, I'm sure my colleagues will take care of it even without my help. I think you're probably overestimating my abilities as a medic."
"... Well, more power to you, I suppose. It's just... The village would be much lonelier without you..."
"But what about your hubby? Wouldn't he be keeping you company? Besides, you're expecting a child, I think your life will become quite hectic and bustling."
"... You're right, I can't leave him behind after all, but I thought at least you will be witnessing the birth of our little fritter... I was looking forward to it..."
"Stop being such a crybaby, you'll be fine. Look, if I can now go foraging without you quite freely, surely you will be able to spend some time away from me."
"Sorry..."
"Look, Charlie, you're way stronger than me. In spite of being coined a witch, you still stood strong. You still carried on. And look where you are now - you're now a capable magician who's able to create miracles! And with your own family on top of that! I'm sure you don't need your lowly sister anymore."
"... Right."
--
One yearned the comfort, and the other yearned for freedom; so it was inevitable that only one of them will truly be happy
And so, the bird flew away, leaving its brother behind in the nest, and its hopes of spending the lifetime together crushed
But as one who desired freedom ultimately became a lonely sod, the one who clung to the comfort of its home - ended up finding love.
--
"Look at her! She's so beautiful, right, Charlie?!"
"Y-Yeah... Oh... Does she remind me of Carol... I wish she was there to witness our bundle of joy."
"I think your sister would've been so proud of you."
--
"Hey, Lynn, why are you sulking out here alone? Is there anything I can do, hm?"
"... N-No... Not really. I'm just feeling homesick, that is all..."
"..."
--
Yet in spite of their cardinally different lives, they still kept in touch. One became a doctor, the other became a mother.
In spite of the stride, they were still inseparable - because they were sisters. And after a long while, they finally get to reunite with eachother in flesh.
Yet unfortunately, a tragedy occurred.
---
"AAAAAAAARRRRRGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!! A DAEMON!!!!!!!! EVERYONE, EVACU--!!!!!!!!!!"
Wha?...
"Sweetheart! Please wake up! We gotta leave!"
What?...
"STAY AWAY!!! STAY AWAY!!!!!!!!!!! HIEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!"
What is going on?...
"CHARLOTTE!!!"
"What?!"
"We gotta go! Let's hurry up! We need to get out of here!"
"... Okay!..."
Grabbing everything we could, we wake up Cathy and begin our escape.
Yet there, I saw it. The crimson beast.
It was feasting on the flesh of what used to be our pastor.
I held Cathy close to me, but unfortunately, I think it's too late - she already saw something a child should NEVER bear witness to.
I pushed Cathy towards my love. He caught her and immediately tried to look for an exit in our home. Unlike me, he didn't wield magic, so he understood me completely what I was trying to do.
I only needed to delay the beast.
"... Fighting fire with fire? How amusing."
"!!!"
The beast, in the blink of an eye, tore a hole in my stomach. I immediately fell and unfortunately, my love couldn't just leave me behind.
"CHARLIE!!!"
"No... Don't!..."
He stood no chance. Before my eyes his flesh was scattered all around our house. Cathy was crying and I rushed towards her. The beast then came closer and I cast a blinding light to get my baby safe. It stunned the beast for quite a while and I hid her in the basement.
"Please, stay here and don't make a noise."
The only thing she could do is nod and clutch her doll. I can't even fathom what she's going through right now. I closed the door shut, putting a seal on it and face the beast.
"Take it outside, you wretched being!!"
All I wanted was to buy time so that people would evacuate and call for help. I was their protector after all.
And just as I thought I gained an upper hand...
"Ggggh!!..."
The beast tore at me once more. I can see my guts spilling outside my body. I tried to stun the beast even further, hoping that others would come and help us,
But they never came.
"What a pitiful end, truly."
I could feel it's paw on my skull, applying pressure to it. This is my end.
I didn't want to die. Not because I want to live, but because I wouldn't be able to protect my baby. The seal can do only so much in the face of a horrifying beast.
Unfortunately, the only person who's truly safe is my sister, Carol.
Oh, Carol... I'm so glad that you aren't here... I don't think my heart would handle seeing someone else I care about being mauled by a cruel beast...
Truly... I'm so glad you aren't being a witness to such a horrible tragedy.
Because if you did, I would surely fall into despair.
The only thing I can do is to hope that by some miracle, my baby will survive.
I'm sorry..
*SPLAT!!!*
---
I was preparing for a graduation ceremony, as I passed with flying colours and earned my diploma as a doctor of medicine.
It was hard, especially given I was one of the students that were coined as magically inept, as such couldn't learn how to manipulate MEO with precision; but we were told that even a general doctor is way better than a healing magician with no knowledge of medicine - as the Flow only restores things - not necessarily fixes them: their magic is essentially more of a glue, and under wrong circumstances, it can cause more harm than good.
I was actually looked up to by a lot of my peers, yet it's due to that "idolisation" I felt so alone. I wanted to go back to my humble life where I was merely looked at as their resident doctor. Just merely a friend.
And there's no denial that I regret telling off Charlotte during our departure. I was so caught up in excitement of finally being able to prove my own worth, that I never thought of how it would deeply wound Charlotte. She was excited to show me her baby and by the letters she sent to me, she was truly happy about having a loving family of her own.
Never in my life had I felt like I was missing out. Spending time together with her and her loving family... It would've been nice.
And I would be a liar if I didn't envy her in that regard. I too dreamed about becoming a married woman, creating her own little family. So it stinged even more than I like to admit. It's as if I ultimately lost.
Well, at least I finally get to reconnect with her after all those years! Cathy must've grown so much, I can't wait for her to see her auntie. I've even brought so many gifts for them to congratulate them on their child, I'm sure they'll love them a lot given that they're from Salzgarten, the city of sea shores and cures.
But then...
We were called to the emergency site. Usually it's no big deal, as we go to the emergency sites all the time as our on-field practice, and I was prepared for them all the time.
But when we arrived...
"What... Is this...? I-Is that right?..."
I wasn't mentally prepared for this
My village... Was gone.
I see corpses strewn around everywhere in the smoldering ruin. The only people who were here besides our crew were the people I didn't recognise.
"Oh, you've arrived. Good. Unfortunately, all that's left to do is to clean up the mess."
A tall woman was standing above the ruin. She had a rather solemn expression despite her stern look as she overlooked the destruction."
"U-Um... What's your name, miss?"
"Virgilia Grünewald. The WITCH of FORESTS. What's the matter?"
"... This used to be our home... Um... Is Charlotte Jermaine alive?..."
"..."
She pointed me towards the headless disfigured corpse that at first I didn't recognise, but after coming to see it much closer... There's no denying it. It is her.
"No...! I-It can't be... Hurk!... Augh... uuuuuaaaaAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! WHY????????????????? WHYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEE?!?!!?!!??!!??!?!??!"
I couldn't do anything but sob and cry. To see her disfigured like that, it felt as if life itself was mocking me.
Virgilia stood beside me as the rest of the crew began the clean up process.
"... I lost someone close to me myself too - someone who I treasured more than anything. Please, mourn as much as you like, miss..."
All I did was mourn. I was too paralysed to even move, feeling as if I even do the slightest move from where I stand, I might break down completely.
Apparently the creature that attacked the village was coined the "Bandersnatch" due to how quickly the village was wiped out, leaving only a couple of survivors.
And of them was...
"Hey! I found a child buried beneath the debris! Can somebody help me?!"
It was our house...
And beneath the rubble, lies a young girl, unconscious, clutching her down.
The features... Yes, there's no mistaking it.
It was Cathy.
We began to reanimate her, treating her wounds. Luckily, by some sort of miracle, she was still alive.
"So... What're we going to do with that child?"
"I'll adopt her. She's my niece."
"Are you sure, Ms. Jermaine? You have no place to return to anymore. How are you going to provide to your niece?"
"... I'll find a way. For now, I just want to keep her. She's now the only family I have."
I looked up Virgilia, who was too skeptical of this whole affair, yet ultimately she didn't object, only saying the following words
"If you ever need me, don't hesitate to call me.
And I suppose, it's better for her to stay away from magic. After all, a magician's life is dangerous. Every day is a struggle for survival, for better and for worse."
She gave me some sort of magical envelope and went on her way with her crew, leaving us behind.
Once we arrived back at Salzgarten University of Medicinal Arts, Cathy returned back to health under our care - but unfortunately she had forgotten everything. Her home, her parents, everything.
And while it was a chance to rewrite her life altogether... It's better that she knows the truth.
I told her almost everything she knew, but it feels like to her it never mattered. To her, it appeared as if she just existed in this world, without a family or home. Maybe it's her psyche defending her from facing the awful truth of that day.
And soon enough, I was enlisted in the "Assignment" programme where the nurses were assigned to remote villages for medicinal help. I got assigned to Praeya, a rather depressing little village that houses bandits, miners and thieves.
I was given the tools for self defense and Cathy and I were sent on our way.
In spite of life treating us like fools, I will persevere: for the sake of the family.