NOVEL WEB Chapter 13 : Betrayed
I didn't know Lili and Gustav had a past, but it makes sense since they both had the same master, "Uncle Enchu." Lili continues her story:
-- That was the first time in my life I felt that kind of feeling. Then, Gustav dropped me to the ground...
-- So, you've finally introduced yourself, young lady. I've sensed you watching us since we arrived. Do you have a crush on my boy here? -- Master Enchu teased.
Embarrassed, I explained that I wanted to become a great magician like him.
He smiled and said that if I could defeat Gustav, he would teach me magic.
-- Gustav is my weakest student. If you manage to beat him, I'll take you as my student, too. -- Master Enchu said.
Gustav looked pale but determined. I was eager to learn magic, so I agreed.
We fought one-on-one. Master Enchu cast an earth spell, creating a round platform like a stage.
At first, I thought it would be a magic battle, but I was wrong. Gustav didn't know magic; he relied solely on his physical strength.
I launched projectiles at him, and he took every hit, his skin burning from my fireballs. But he kept charging at me, his attacks basic and easy to dodge, like fighting a child.
Master Enchu sighed -- Sigh -- and said, -- Okay, you've proven your point, Gustav. If the young lady wins, I'll make her my student. If you win, I'll grant you a favor. --
Then Gustav's stance changed. He raised his arms smoothly, covering his body with them, moving as if he were dancing.
I shot another fireball, but Gustav used the wind created by his movements to redirect it without touching it.
Before I could react, Gustav leapt toward me, closing the distance. Panicking, I fired every spell I could. But it was like he could predict my next move. His body moved in odd, random patterns, yet he dodged and redirected every projectile.
In the blink of an eye, he punched the air, and the wind from his strike hit me, knocking me back. Then, he placed his palm on my forehead and pushed me off the stage.
-- That's enough. Gustav wins. It seems regular magic no longer affects him, -- Master Enchu said.
-- Does he have some sort of resistance to magic? -- I asked, still shocked.
-- No, he's just used to fighting mages. He's been sparring with another student of mine, a very talented one. She entered the University of Magic at the age of ten. Gustav and she have been rivals since they were children, so he's grown familiar with magic attacks. --
-- Age ten!? -- I said, surprised.
-- Yes, the youngest in history to enter the University, -- Master Enchu explained.
-- That student is your mother, Stella. Like you, she excelled in magic at a young age. --
Then Gustav asked Master Enchu to travel north, to the Northern Kingdom, which by that time was already demon territory. Gustav wanted to go there to save humans. However, Master Enchu declined his request and instead decided to make me his student.
I was very happy then—I could finally learn magic while being with this strange boy I had fallen in love with.
Master Enchu's training was harsh. I learned the fundamentals of magic, but he taught me not to rely solely on it. He pushed me to develop my physical prowess as well, reminding me that as an elf, I was more athletic than a normal human—I could run faster and was more flexible.
Gustav and I sparred regularly after Master Enchu's lessons. Gustav mastered his anti-mage fist while I experimented with magic and techniques to defeat him. We coexisted, sharpening our skills by countering each other's strengths.
After months of training, Master Enchu and Gustav needed to continue their journey. I asked my parents if I could go with them. At first, my parents were strict and wouldn't let me go, but knowing how much I loved magic, they eventually agreed.
On our two-year journey, Gustav and I grew closer and closer. We became inseparable, saving countless humans, completing guild missions, and defeating monsters and beasts. My love for him only deepened, though I knew his heart belonged to someone else.
One day, Master Enchu was summoned by the council, and soon after, he became part of it. Gustav and I continued to travel north.
Gustav decided to sneak into the Northern Kingdom, and I agreed. I didn't care where we went, as long as we were together.
The first kingdom we reached in the northern human continent was Antarya.
The kingdom was more advanced than any human kingdom. The demons were more civilized than I expected—they dressed well, greeted each other on the streets, and their homes were built from marble and rare stones.
But the humans there were not treated well. They were like pets—some in chains, others with collars. I saw human merchants selling bread and fruit just to survive, and others licking demons' shoes as a form of cleaning.
At night, Gustav and I carried out missions to free human slaves from Antarya. We would help them escape via the Great River of Arthria, which connected the norhern part of the continent to the Great Desert of Arthria.
Afer few months, we prepared for our final mission—to rescue the last of Antarya's royal family, Prince Kimber.
That night, we snuck into the royal castle, assuming Prince Kimber would be in the dungeon or somewhere inside the castle. We spent hours searching, but had no luck, so we decided to split up to cover more ground.
Suddenly, a demon appeared before me—not just any demon, but a higher demon, the commander general himself, Azroth.
-- Why is there a mouse in my castle? -- he said.
His fingernails were longer than his arms. He grabbed me by the throat, lifting me easily as he inspected me.
-- An elf? Why would an elf save a human? -- he asked.
In that moment, I just wanted to die. I was so scared that... I peed myself... Okay, maybe I shouldn't tell you that part.
But anyway, Azroth realized I wasn't alone and decided to use me as bait to capture Gustav. Before he could kill us both, I didn't want Gustav to die because of me.
To make a long story short, you know your father has this weird habit—whenever he hears someone needs help, he rushes in without thinking.
And that's exactly what happened. As soon as Azroth announced his trap, Gustav, not thinking, sprinted toward me.
Azroth turned into dark smoke and teleported behind Gustav. His nails became as hard as steel, and he impaled Gustav.
But Gustav didn't react like normal. He spun around, elbowing Azroth in the face, blood gushing from his body, but he didn't seem to care.
The demon soldiers attacked Gustav. His stance shifted—he looked more like a beast than a human, crouching with his arms wide, ready to strike.
Each time a demon soldier attacked, Gustav grabbed their head and kneed their face, decapitating them in the process.
He leapt into the air, his stance changing again, now resembling a chicken—strange, but true. And to make it even weirder, he started humming.
I had never seen him do this before. It was funny and terrifying at the same time... and I fell for him even harder. Instead of a knight in shining armor, fate had sent me a clown in shining armor... a handsome clown i guess.
-- Chicken attack! -- he shouted, kicking each soldier while singing a bizarre tune.
Then Azroth returned, teleporting toward me. He warned Gustav not to move, gripping my neck tightly. And you know what your father did? Before Azroth could finish speaking, Gustav kicked him in the face.
Azroth flew backward, turned to smoke, and teleported around the room again. Gustav's stance changed once more. He whispered, -- Anti-Demon Fist. --
His breathing changed, his face becoming serious. Just to remind you, Leon, Azroth was a powerful commander general—similar to a baron in human society, ruling over conquered provinces.
But Gustav still managed to overpower him, proving himself to be an incredible fighter. The battle continued, with Gustav bouncing off the walls to build momentum. Azroth kept teleporting, but Gustav finally landed a solid punch to his face before he could escape.
At the peak of the battle, Azroth teleported near me and started chanting. Gustav attacked again, but before his fist could land, Azroth's body began to expand like a balloon. His veins looked ready to explode as he turned red, blood oozing from every part of him.
Then, he transformed into a giant centipede.
Gustav grabbed me and leapt out of the castle. He kept running as Azroth continued to change.
I'll never forget the expression on his face—it shifted from calm to terrified in seconds. I didn't know it then, but he's scared of bugs.
After all the commotion, we escaped to the outskirts of the kingdom. The moon was full and bright, casting a soft glow on everything around us. We sat down on the grass, catching our breath, the cool breeze brushing against my skin. It was quiet—peaceful, even. The kind of quiet that makes you feel like you're the only two people in the world.
I looked at him then, and something inside me stirred. The same feeling I had the first time I realized I was in love with him. The moonlight made his face look softer, more vulnerable, and before I knew it, I found myself speaking.
"I love you," I confessed, my heart pounding in my chest.
He looked surprised at first, and I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me. But before I could pull back, he smiled—a warm, gentle smile that melted my nerves. Without thinking, I leaned in and kissed him, under the light of the moon.
After that night, Gustav and I became lovers. A month later, we received a letter from Master Enchu, saying that Gustav had been recommended to join the hero’s party.
We traveled back to my homeland, Hanisha, where the Holy Church was located. I planned to join the hero’s party as a mage, but when we met the hero, Gustav’s eyes lit up. His face was filled with excitement as he saw the mage in the party—Stella.
Gustav promised me he would return before they began their journey to defeat the Demon King. Master Enchu then referred me to the University of Magic, where I continued my studies. Gustav and I exchanged letters while they traveled, until they reached the Demon Continent, where communication became impossible. I spent my time mastering elemental magic, and after ten years, I became a teacher at the university. But during those years, I never heard anything from Gustav.
Then, the death of the Hero shook the world.
The Hero was slain by the Demon Lord after ten years of battle. I searched for news about the rest of the party, but there was no information. The Holy Church reported that the party had disbanded, and only the Hero had died in battle.
I searched everywhere for Gustav. I traveled to the Northern Kingdom, hoping to find him, but had no luck. After three years of searching, I stumbled upon a book titled Stella Defluxit—a story of the hero’s journey, written by your mother, Stella.
The book contained information about magic, demons, dungeons, and beasts—very informative. But what I loved most was reading about how silly Gustav could be. He seemed more human in the story. There were moments when he cried, laughed, and got angry. It felt like I could see him doing all those things. But my eyes filled with tears when I reached the final chapters, where Stella and Gustav became lovers. I didn’t know what to feel. It was as if my heart was going to explode, but all I could do was cry.
Five years later, Master Enchu visited me at the university. He spoke about a child who had the potential to be the new hero—a new hope for humanity. He asked me to teach the child magic, but at the time, the child was only two years old and located in a remote village.
Another three years passed. I traveled from Hanisha to this village and finally met Stella. I didn’t know what to say and felt awkward, especially when I saw you and Gustav at the back. Gustav’s face showed surprise, his expressions as lively as ever. In that moment, I realized that the child I was supposed to teach was you—Gustav and Stella’s son.
And so, that’s how it happened. I don’t hate Gustav anymore. Maybe I did before, but now I feel... nothing. What else can I do but accept it, right? I know I sometimes ignore him or
avoid talking about him because it’s still awkward, but to answer your question—do I hate Gustav? No. Even if I wanted to, I can’t hate him...