Episode 57. Holden

In a small space located in the corner of the campus, medicinal herbs that smell like winter morning were quietly growing in pots.

The counseling center is decorated with ice flowers, a specialty of Mount Sharp, which is said to have an excellent antipyretic effect, and a warm carpet covers the floor.

There was Holden, who was tall and well-groomed with gray hair, and many students came to visit each one with light stories.

“thank you… ! Now I understand this part. After all, you are the head of the Ministry of Magic!”

After waving to an unknown first-year junior, Holden was able to take a small sip of tea.

“phew… .”

Holden has been continuing counseling with students since entering Kiruna, but recently he has been struggling with counseling because he has been struggling with one problem.

For those who are lost, you have to put your mind at ease and greet them with a smile, but it was not easy because of worries.

These days, Holden’s one of the few friends he made in Kiruna, Rize, continued to bother him.

‘Rize… .’

Sipping his tea, Holden remembered the first time she came here a year ago.

Even though he was in the top position and Rize was in the second position, it was surprising that he didn’t seem to have any ill feelings towards that fact.

The calm attitude of the girl at the first meeting left a deep impression on Holden.

Even before I sat down, I asked if I would like to join the student council, so I cautiously declined… .

‘The world needs people like you, and it needs people like me.’

Thankfully, Rize did not distort his sincerity and understood him.

Even after that, whenever Rize visited the counseling center, she had a conversation with Cha, and the two of them communicated more than expected, so they quickly became close as students to students.

‘Rize, aren’t you overdoing it? Let’s rest on the weekend, how about it?’

‘If I work one more day, 20 people can be comfortable, how can I rest?’

‘You are too responsible. That’s not a bad thing, but you should think about your body and mind too. Then it will gradually fall apart… .’

‘Do you see that in your eyes? ha… . Shall we take a break then?’

The topics that Rize talked about were usually about schools and student councils, but Holden could tell right away that student council work was not easy at first glance.

Lizee, who is having a very busy day, sometimes looked dangerous, but finally Lizee played an active role as the core of last year’s student council’s excellent leadership with charisma and responsibility.

The vacation ended a while ago, until I ran into Rize for the first time in a while… . Holden only knew that it was so.

‘certainly… . I was holding on well until last year’s early winter.’

Rize’s heart, which he looked at not too long ago, was broken in an unprecedented way.

Even though Holden wanted to cheer her up and comfort her by her side, Rize didn’t tell her her troubles. With the words that it was just okay, it was only dyed black in loneliness.

‘There are rumors that I fought with Ina.’

He wanted to intervene directly, but he gave up on that method as it seemed rude to visit Ina without Rize’s permission and ask what was going on.

Until Rize opened her heart like that. Decided to keep this place quietly, Holden’s heart tightened.

“It is unusual. Is it because of the mixture of human blood?”

“you… ?”

“Can you smile even though you can see my blood in those eyes. Mixed race, you sure… . You have a more open attitude than pureblood Sharpes.”

To this place where only a peaceful and warm heart remains, to a pure white refuge.

The darkest being in Kiruna has come.

* * *

As the girl said, Holden was born between a human and Sharp.

The wedding of Sharp, who is praised as the most noble and clean being, and a human being is a sacred event that has been held since the founding of the empire. When humans select one of the saints who are called living symbols of innocence and send them on a pilgrimage to a distant snowy mountain, the elders leading Sharp accept her.

The union of the two was accepted as proof that among humans there were those who were recognized as clean by Sharp, and as a proof that Sharp would not abandon humans who had fallen into the world and would be with them as spiritual teachers.

A child born from an elder and a saint. Mixed race Sharpe, Holden.

Having the world’s most sacred beings as parents, he has been praised by those around him as being like a blessing from God that connects Sharp and humans.

‘… Calm down, Holden. Let’s think about why I descended.’

However, he did not regard the blood of Scharp flowing in his body as a blessing.

Rather, he considered Sharp’s symbol, Mind’s Eye, to be like a curse.

When standing in front of his light purple eyes that could see through the black and white and shaking of the other person’s soul, people shrank as if they had committed a crime.

My father said that it was because humans are easily stained with evil and it is a pitiful race that does not even know that they are turning black, but in fact, since Holden, he has not felt comfortable in front of his father.

His father’s teachings sounded empty to Holden, who was able to understand the human mind, perhaps because of his mother’s and saint’s blood.

‘yes. You promised not to divide people into black and white.’

There must be a reason why humans are stained with evil.

Believing that enough humans could return to goodness if they helped solve the problem, Holden smiled at the strange girl with black blood.

“… It’s the first time I see your face What is your name?”

“Pyletta. I belong to the student council.”

The winter flower tea he recommended was charred inside her.

Once bloomed, will it never wither? Is even the flower that was taught to lose its innocence in her?

Noticing that Holden’s hands were shaking, she laughed intriguedly.

“Why are you still? Wasn’t it the mission of you Sharpes to destroy those stained black?”

Sharp, who can see the darkness of the opponent with both eyes, falls into uncontrollable rage when facing irreversibly corrupted beings.

Destruction is an instinct that is imprinted beyond reason.

After seeing it all through, Pyletta was staring at him as if provoking him.

However, even though a demonic girl came to shake his faith, he did not easily pass her test.

“I… . I don’t judge others by what they see.”

“Are you different from the other Sharps?”

The curtains behind him were illuminated by hazy sunlight, and on the bookshelf next to them were fairy tales with happy endings.

The most peaceful nest in Kiruna. Filetta, who looked around Holden’s office, laughed at him.

“Holden. Do you really think so?”

* * *

There is no student who does not know Holden’s personality, who enjoys doing good and is interested in helping others.

His great popularity and noble lineage that no one can replace.

As if to prove that he is the son of Elder Sharp, he has an overwhelming record that never misses the top spot.

In fact, even though he was a student representing Kiruna, he was not lacking, so even though Holden rejected the recruiting offer several times, Euril did not give up and continued to keep an eye on him.

“Why did you turn down the recruiting offer?”

“that’s… .”

“Is it to run a counseling center?”

Holden did not put the suffering people on the judgment table, but instead came down to extend a warm hand.

They want to be different from the Sharps who only judge humans by their own standards before they even understand humans.

Wanting to be different from those who do not listen to the other person’s circumstances and do not put effort into edification, Holden has been running an on-campus counseling center alone.

By the side of those who are living with such a burden of mind, I wanted to comfort them and give them strength by putting their heads together in difficult troubles. but… .

“Sharps are hypocritical.”

“… .”

“So are you.”

Filetta denied all his efforts.

“As you said, Sharp, who has lived his entire life on top of unspoiled snowy mountains, cannot fathom the human heart struggling to survive in the world. Didn’t you come down here because you know very well that your teachings, which are far from reality, have no value?”

Standing in a sunny place and talking openly to those who are sinking is nothing but good nonsense.

When you step forward and take action and bring about change to solve the pain of those who are lost.

It is only when they voluntarily plunge into the mire that their opponent is floundering that their teachings become authentic.

“While you were sitting and drinking tea in a warm place like this, a lot happened in Kiruna.”

Filetta did not hide Auril’s misdeeds from Holden. Everything from the conflict between Ina and Rize to the rapid growth of Ian’s power and the downfall of the student council.

Holden’s expression darkened as he listened to her frank story.

“The reason why Rize distanced herself from Ina… . therefore… .”

“yes. The previous student council was arrogant, and eventually collapsed. It’s a little different now where I am.”

The student council, which wielded absolute power, was defeated, and there was no one to stop Ian’s solo performance.

Ian received strong support from the Agoge dormitory students and was rapidly breaking down the existing academic tradition.

Certainly, what he is claiming may sound at first glance reasonable. Until now, the student council had been authoritative, and the school’s treatment of Paideia students and Agoge students was different.

however… . Ian drove the student council’s faults to the faults of the system Kiruna had established.

“Can you say that it is really wrong to give more support to honor students?”

Depending on your grades, there is definitely a system where you can receive a scholarship and live in Paideia.

Is it correct to blame the circumstances around you without discussing what can improve your situation according to your ability and effort?

Commoner students in Paideia study day and night to avoid missing out on the support they are receiving.

“Resources are limited. If there is less support for those who have worked hard and proven their achievements… . Who can be on the side of the top students who only studied diligently as they wanted in school?”

The changes brought about by Ian are radical and extreme.

At this time, there is no force to be on the side of innocent honor students who are afraid of change.

Holden’s power is needed now, when the school’s system and procedures are shaken, in chaos.

“If you are really different from Sharp. If you’re prepared to get your hands dirty for people, join the student council. Only when we join forces with you can we stop him and protect order in the school.”

“It can’t be… .”

“Of course, the student council is by no means a clean organization. However, unlike the past when he wielded blind power, now he admits his mistake and confronts Ian for the sake of the students who have been harmed. Do you want to keep hiding in this counseling center when you know that there are students who need your help right now?”

Unique magic user Mina, youngest princess Frill, genius Rang tribe Ina… .

In addition, there are many students who follow Ian, so it is impossible to check them alone, even if you are a Holden.

“Inevitably, we are in a situation where we have to borrow at least Auril’s power for the sake of the cause. There.”

Filetta touched Holden’s second challenge, who was speechless.

“Not only the other Paideia students, but Lise also needs you.”

“What?”

“I heard that the complete breakdown in his relationship with Ina was a big shock, and he fell into a strong depression. Even the spirit cure in the cathedral doesn’t seem to work… . If it goes on like this, the end will be obvious.”

“… .”

“It’s all because you brought it on yourself, but you can’t just leave it as it is, can you? The only friend who can be by Lize’s side right now is you, Holden.”

Even if he was greatly disappointed in Rize for leaving Sephia alone, there was no way Holden, who had a weak heart, would let her completely collapse.

Filetta looked out there, and Holden, as she expected, was greatly shaken.

“Rize isn’t the only one who needs your advice. Haril, Darby, Eugene… . After many of the student council executives were brutally defeated by Ian’s forces, a scar formed in their hearts. The people you need to help are not the female students who come to these places and talk about trivial things, but the patients who have been twisted by reality.”

“What are you… .”

“Make a decision. Will you hide in a place like this and drink tea and waste your time, or will you answer the call of those who really need your help, even if it means holding hands with those who are evaluated as evil right now.”

Watching the shadow slowly cast over Holden’s eyes, the demon smiled.

“I believe that if you, unlike Scharp, do not view the world only through dichotomy, you will make a wise decision.”