Reborn As A Ghost: Time To Build My Undead Army!-Chapter 1276 End Of The First Round

-----

(Maria's POV)

At the end, I didn't have to intervene, and Sofia was surprisingly able to handle Martina all on her own and win against her, even when the girl was growing more corrupted by the Nightmare Powers she was beginning to develop.

Sofia's true power, I can tell what it is now, as someone that survived becoming a Nightmare and emerged from it with something new, the Mechanical Heart…

She's someone destined to clean people's hearts that had "darkened", the light that her Mechanical Heart can produce is capable of extinguishing this darkness, these nightmares, and clean a person's mind.

I don't really know the complete reasons behind why Martina hated Sofia so much though, but from what I heard as they battled, when Sofia was much colder, she had done something to Martina that led to her being bullied constantly for a long period of time.

Ultimately, she probably emerged from that abuse and changed a lot, becoming what she became now, some sort of… bully, I think?

It was complicated, but it seemed her hatred for Sofia ran very deep, so much she wanted to kill her…

But even then, after this battle, she seemed to have regained some of her senses, and they looked like they made up at the end?

Sofia walked to my side after we finished our battles, as I asked her why she ended resigning.

"What happened? You could have perfectly won there, Sofia," I said. "I know you felt bad for her, but this was…"

"I know…" Sofia nodded. "But I just wanted to make up for it somehow. Letting her lose would be too much, even if it would help very little, I wanted her to win."

"Sofia…" I muttered, glancing at her eyes, which seemed a bit teary.

"I've done a lot of bad things, Maria…" Sofia sighed. "I-I don't know what was happening to me, why was I so cold? Why was I so cruel… Every time I remember that past, it feels like I was a different person- but no, it was me. I was right there. I could have stopped it; I could have changed things… but I chose not to."

"Yeah but you changed Sofia," I said. "And I doubt it was the worst of the worst, right? You didn't physically abuse of her or something, right?"

"I… no, but I rejected her friendship many times, and my rejections created a domino effect that ended running her life," Sofia muttered, gripping her fists tightly. "If only I would have known how much they ended abusing her… those girls were horrible… but it wasn't as if I was any better, enabling all of that."

"Who were those girls?" I asked.

"Four girls that were once on my class, but they ended getting expelled due to bad grades," said Sofia. "And… misconduct. It happened only a bit after my downfall when I lost against you… But thinking about them isn't going to change anything anyways…"

"Hmm, I guess so," I nodded. "We should just focus on what's in front of us right now, Sofia." I patted her shoulders.

"But I was… I was such a terrible person, maybe I still am?" Sofia wondered. "I did so many bad things… I don't deserve your friendship, Maria. I really don't…"

"Hey, that's not something you get to decide!" I said. "My friendship is something I give to you. That you don't deserve it or not it's not a problem. But ultimately, it comes down if you want my friendship or not."

Discover stories with novelbuddy

"…" Sofia remained in silence.

She looked like she was hesitating, I've grown a bit too attached to her now, but I guess it's all up to what she says.

I wish I could make her happier, but these problems she has, they're things has to overcome on her own, at least the majority…

"I-I want it…!"

However she surprised me as she hugged my arm and rubbed her face on my clothes.

"Sofia?!"

"I want your friendship… Is it selfish to want good friends… despite all I did?" she wondered. "It is, isn't it? But even then… I don't want to lose you or anybody ever again…"

Ah, geez, this girl…

She's so cute for some damn reason.

"Okay, I know…" I nodded, patting her head. "You won't lose my friendship, Sofia. And it's ok to be selfish sometimes… You did terrible things but… ah, they weren't the worst of the worst. Although your actions might have created a domino effect, they were ultimately beyond what you could do."

"Maria…"

"I'm not saying bullying is justified, because it's not, and what you did was very wrong!" I said, reprimanding her. "But you shouldn't blame yourself for what those sick bully girls did to Martina… It's their fault they were so obsessed with you to go so far, not yours."

"Ah…" Sofia felt a bit surprised. "R-Really?"

"Yeah," I smiled. "Try to be a better person now, like you've been trying so far. Let's work together, to make this world a better place… to slay Nightmares and Nightmare Demons, and to save people's hearts."

We only have a couple of days so I don't think we could do too much, but her help would be really appreciated, I believe.

"I see…" she nodded. "Okay… I understand… I'll help! Instead of mopping around, I should simply try to amend for my sins by doing good things instead! Right? To help as many as I can to make up for those I hurt, and which I regret hurting…"

"Yeah," I nodded.

Her wrongs weren't capital sins or something, I wouldn't judge her as if she were some psychopathic vampires we find in Yggdrasil all the time.

She was just a girl trying to fit in this academy full of prestigious students at the end of the day. And I know how strong the feeling of wanting to fit in can become.

It can blind you, and make you do the dumbest things just so you're accepted by others…

Some people always talk about how fondly they remember school, how nice it was, and how they wish they could go back.

R𝑒ad latest chapt𝒆rs at freewebnovёl.ƈom Only.

But honestly, I don't think the same, School can be a living hell for so many young people too!

-----