The sun had barely climbed past the courtyard walls, yet the grounds of Grace Academy already stirred with life.
"Want to hit the library? We've got plenty of time before lunch."
Yulien hesitated, then gave a small shrug. "Sure… I guess. I want to see what the academy's library looks like, even if reading's not really my thing."
I walked beside Yulien in comfortable silence. We passed a fountain — water trickling down the marble figure of a winged knight — and made our way toward a large, structure nestled near the eastern wing.
"The library," Yulien muttered, reading the sign above the entrance. "Of course, the place of silence and secrets."
"It's a good place to think."
He gave me a sideways glance. "And to get lost in a sea of knowledge, without a single soul bothering you."
We stepped inside.
The scent of polished wood and fresh parchment greeted us — clean, crisp, and somehow calming.
For a moment, neither of us spoke. I simply stood there, taking it all in — the quiet, the weight of stories that may even be older than this empire itself.
Then Yulien broke the silence. "Alright, bookworm. Lead the way."
And so, I led Yulien deeper into the labyrinth of bookshelves, their silent rows filled with knowledge as old as the city itself. After a few turns, I stopped before a worn volume, its leather cover faded but well cared for. The title, The Resplendent Beauty of Calemir, was embossed in delicate gold letters.
I opened the book and began to read aloud, my voice low:
"The Resplendent Beauty of Calemir—a figure glimpsed in the aftermath of destruction. Witnesses describe a woman of breathtaking beauty, with silver hair that illuminated like moonlight and stunning eyes. She was seen walking slowly through the ashes of the ruined city of Calemir, her presence chilling and surreal, as flames burned behind her and ruins crumbled around her. Soldiers and survivors alike swore that the vision was no hallucination, though many feared their own sanity.. They also felt an overwhelming urge to kneel to her."
Yulien frowned, crossing his arms. "Sounds like a ghost story... or the desperate imagination of those caught in terror."
"Maybe. But stories like this don't survive for years without some truth. Something — or someone — was there, moving through the ruins. And the soldiers weren't seeing things."
Yulien's eyes flickered with unease, but he said nothing more. Somewhere in that quiet library, history whispered warnings—and we were only beginning to listen.
Then came the sound of footsteps. Soft and deliberate. They tapped against the marble floor, slow enough to announce their presence.
I turned.
A girl appeared at the end of the aisle, her figure half-lit by the sunlight streaming down from the windows above. Her long black hair caught the sunlight in strands, and her crimson eyes settled briefly on Yulien—then on me.
She stopped a few steps away. "Hope I'm not interrupting," she said, voice calm and even. "Didn't expect anyone else to be in this part of the library."
"You're not," Yulien said, folding his arms loosely. "Just him obsessing over old ghost stories."
I blinked at them, then back at her. "You two know each other?"
"He's my cousin," she replied. Her tone was neutral, but not cold.
Yulien gave a small nod, confirming it without much care.
The girl stepped closer, catching sight of the book I held open in my hands. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she read the title etched in deep gold along the spine:
Resplendent Beauty of Calemir.
"That one's not something most first-years usually pick up," she said with a small smile. "Too… intense, I guess."
I looked at her and, noticing her interest, held out the book. "Here, take it. You seem like you'd appreciate it."
Yulien scoffed. "It's folklore. An extremely beautiful yet mysterious woman walking through a burning city? Sounds like something delirious soldiers would dream up after seeing a city burning to ash."
"No." I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "This isn't just a story to scare people. The timing alone doesn't add up — those soldiers only got there once everything was already lost. If they were hallucinating, why did all their accounts match so closely? Something real had to be there."
The girl leaned slightly, her gaze flicking over the page as if memorizing the illustration: a pale figure walking through the ruined city, untouched by flame, surrounded by silver-inked light.
"No name. No trace," she said quietly. "Only stories."
"But the details match," I said. "The same robes.. The same presence, like she didn't belong in a world like this."
Yulien shrugged. "Or they all read the same story and copied it."
"Her image never changed across the decades," I said. "That doesn't happen with fairy tales. Something walked through that city."
The girl straightened. "Some say she was a ghost of a woman who was killed during the annihilation of the city. She arrived after — When there was no one left to save."
Yulien went quiet.
I looked back down at the silver figure in the drawing.
The girl's voice broke the hush again. "I'm Mireya, by the way."
I glanced up. "Luë."
She gave the smallest of nods — polite, composed — and then looked back to the page as though the mystery on it still clung to her thoughts.
Yulien shifted beside me, breaking the silence with a low sigh. "Whether truth or tale, these stories have a way of sticking with you."
I glanced at him, then back at Mireya, who was still focused on the book.
"There's something more to this," I said quietly.
Mireya looked up, meeting my eyes for a moment before returning to the worn pages.
Yulien broke the silence. "Other than that, what class are you guys trying to get into?"
Mireya didn't hesitate. "Of course, I'm aiming for the top—Class A-1."
I shrugged. "I'll land wherever my strength takes me."
Yulien chuckled. "Well said. But I'm aiming for A-1 as well."
Mireya glanced up from the book, a small smile playing at her lips. "Class A-1 isn't just about talent — it's about discipline and mindset. You have to be ready to push yourself beyond limits."
Yulien nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's not just tests and training. It's the constant pressure, the expectations. But that's where the best get forged."
I let the words settle, feeling a mix of determination and quiet resolve. "I guess that's the kind of challenge I want."
Mireya closed the book gently, looking at both of us with a steady gaze. "Well, if you're serious about it, you'll need more than just strength and will. Grace Academy's tests will push every part of you."
Yulien smirked. "Looks like we've got our work cut out for us."
Mireya closed her book with a quiet thud. "Do you guys wanna go to the training grounds?"
"Sure," I said. "I'm okay with that."
Yulien stood, brushing off his pants. "Good idea. We need to prepare for tomorrow after all."
We stepped out of the library, leaving behind the hush of stories and sunlight, and walked together toward the training grounds — where silence gave way to sweat, steel, and the weight of what came next.
The academy's training grounds stretched wide beneath the open sky — a blend of stone platforms, sparring rings, and weapon racks lined neatly along the walls. Students filled the space with motion and noise — wooden blades clashing, Essentia pulsing in the air, instructors calling out over the din.
Yulien let out a low whistle. "Looks like everyone's already trying to show off."
Mireya walked over to a rack, took three wooden blades, and handed one each to Yulien and me. "They should. Placement exams are tomorrow."
I stepped into the sparring ring, the faint scent of sweat and hanging in the air. Somewhere deep inside, something settled — that stillness before motion, before instinct took over.
"Let's warm up," I said.
Yulien cracked his knuckles. "Finally, something fun."
"Yulien, if you don't mind, can we spar each other first without Essentia?"
He cracked his knuckles and grinned. "Sure! Why not?"
Mireya stretched her arms and smirked. "I'll go after Luë, I guess."
I hesitated for a moment, then offered, "Well... how about the winner gets to fight you, Mireya?"
Yulien's smile widened. "I'm fine with that."
Mireya clapped her hands once, voice steady. "Alright then. Three… two… one…"
The moment Mireya finished counting down, I stepped in and launched a diagonal cut sweeping toward Yulien's shoulder.
He met my blade with a solid block, the sharp thwack of wood echoing in the air.
Without hesitation, I followed with a quick thrust aimed straight at his chest. Yulien shifted low, sweeping my sword aside with a precise downward block.
He pressed forward with an overhead strike, sharp and fast, but I stepped back and raised my blade to intercept, twisting to disrupt his balance.
I didn't give him a moment to recover. Spinning on my heel, I launched a quick horizontal strike aimed at his ribs. Yulien twisted just enough to block, but the force made him stagger back a step.
He smiled — the kind of smile that said, Not bad, but I'm just getting started.
With a sudden burst, he closed the distance, swinging a low cut toward my knees. I jumped back, barely dodging the strike, then countered with a swift upward slash.
Our wooden swords clashed again, sparks flying from the friction, the sound sharp and unyielding.
Beneath the clash, I felt the familiar surge — focus sharpening, breath steadying, instincts taking over.
Every strike and block was a conversation, each movement a sentence in our silent exchange.
Yulien's eyes narrowed, and his grin faded into a look of serious focus. He shifted his stance, lowering his center of gravity, readying for a powerful move.
I sensed it coming — a heavy strike aimed to break my guard.
I raised my sword just in time, meeting his downward cut head-on. The impact rattled through my arms, but I held firm, planting my feet to absorb the force.
Before he could follow up, I twisted my blade sideways, slipping past his guard in a swift, precise movement. My wooden sword tapped sharply against his ribs.
He staggered, surprise flickering across his face.
"Looks like you win this round," Yulien said with a breathless laugh.
I let out a small smile, lowering my sword.
Mireya tilted her head, eyebrows slightly raised. "What family are you from? You're pretty adept with the sword…"
"I'm not a noble or anything… I'm from the Aluden family, though."
Mireya glanced between us, something unreadable crossing her expression. "Aluden, huh…"
Yulien let out a short laugh. "I knew it from the moment I saw him—he's strong. You can also feel it the way he moves."
Mireya stepped into the ring across from me, spinning her wooden sword once before resting it lightly at her side.
"Luë, are you ready?" she asked, her gaze steady but unreadable.
"Yep," I replied, shifting my stance.
Yulien leaned on the outer edge of the ring, arms crossed. "Will you guys use Essentia, or is this just a swordsmanship spar?"
Mireya gave a half-smile. "Well, I'm more adept at the mystic arts, so I'll be using them throughout the fight if we ever bring Essentia into it."
I nodded. "I'm fine with using Essentia. I'm already warmed up from the last fight anyway."
Yulien grinned. "Okay then… three… two… one…"
I let Essentia surge into my arms and legs—Martial Expression only. Strength coiled at my joints, muscles tightening, every step wound with purpose.
Then I lunged.
The wooden blade sliced in a sharp, horizontal arc toward her hips, fast enough to tear through the air with a low whistle.
She read it at the last second—feet sliding back just beyond reach. Close.
We both paused, air tense between us.
Her off-hand lifted, Essentia gathering at her palm. A concentrated orb of wind formed—more focused than before. She wasn't testing me anymore. That was meant to end the fight.
I raised my sword, watching her stance.
If I could shape it… the same way she did…
Without thinking, I drew Essentia to the tip of my blade. It clung there, unstable at first—then condensed, pulsing softly like a held breath.
Mireya tilted her head. "Oh? What's that?"
I didn't break eye contact. "Don't worry about it. Let's end this."
She came forward with a clean thrust, blade leading—a bait.
I saw it.
She wants me to counter..
I stepped back—and released the energy.
The wave shot from the tip of my blade, wide and forceful, but I'd held back—just enough to keep it from hitting too hard. The distance between us softened the impact, but it still struck clean.
The force pushed her straight back and knocked her off her feet.
She hit the ground with a thud and a startled breath—eyes blinking up at the sky, not hurt, just stunned.
She landed on her back with a thud and a sharp gasp, eyes wide—but not hurt.
The burst of energy echoed, and silence followed. All eyes turned to our ring.
The three instructors exchanged looks — then, to my surprise, they started applauding. Not loud, but enough for the others to notice.
Around the ring, students were murmuring.
"Did you see that?"
"That was mystic arts, right?"
"No way—he mixed it with martial arts, didn't he?"
Yulien stepped closer, eyes wide. "A-amazing. Luë… what was that?"
I let out a breath and rubbed the back of my neck. "Well… I just copied what she did with her hand. Tried mixing mystic arts with a bit of martial expression. Didn't really think it'd work."
Mireya sat up, brushing dirt from her shoulder as she stood. "You copied me?" she asked, with a smirk on her face.
I nodded. "I mean… yeah. Kind of improvised on the spot."
She tilted her head, studying me for a moment. "Impressive," she said, brushing her hair back. "Most people can't even tell what I'm doing mid-fight, let alone replicate it."
Then she pointed at me, half-grinning. "Next time, I'm not holding back."
Before I could reply, footsteps approached—measured, firm.
A man stepped into the ring with quiet authority, silver hair cut short and sharp eyes. He stopped a few paces away, arms crossed over his uniform.
"I'm Instructor Stellan," he said simply. "And you are?"
"…Luë Aluden."
His expression didn't shift. "That technique at the end—was it intentional?"
I hesitated. "Not exactly. I saw how Mireya gathered her Essentia and… just tried something similar."
Stellan's eyes narrowed slightly. "Perfect mimicry under pressure. Hm."
For a moment, he said nothing more. Then he nodded once, curtly.
"Keep developing it. That kind of intuition can't be taught."
And just like that, he turned and walked off, cloak flicking behind him.
"A-anyway, that was amazing, Luë!"
I rubbed the back of my neck, still catching my breath. "Thanks, Yulien."
Mireya glanced down at her sleeve, brushing off dust. "Welp, my uniform got a little dirty…"
I laughed under my breath. "I'm sorry…"
She waved it off with a shrug. "I'll survive. Just don't expect me to go easy next time."