On a bright and beautiful morning, with the sky glistening under the golden sun's rays, the Headmistress formally announced the start of the summer vacation, compensating for the days lost due to the recent monster attacks.
Amidst the cheerful atmosphere, Bern sat on the beach, clad in a two-piece black bikini with a thin black necklace around her neck. She watched the powerful men training and laughing nearby, her green eyes widening with admiration and sparkle, almost drooling from the intensity of her awe.
With her hands pressed to her cheeks in overwhelming excitement, she exclaimed:
– "Oh, the magnificence! All these handsome men on one island, and me… alone! I must protect my future husbands at all costs!"
At that moment, Ken was walking calmly on the sand, wearing simple, relatively tight black swimming shorts that reached mid-thigh. He noticed Bern sitting without an umbrella under the sun. He approached her and said in a gentle tone:
– "Bern, if you stay out here like this without an umbrella, you'll get sunstroke."
Bern quickly turned to the source of the voice, and upon seeing Ken, she jumped up excitedly and said:
– "Ah, Ken! Good morning! How are you?"
She took both his hands, shaking them with childish enthusiasm, and then said with a wide smile:
– "Are you in charge of guarding this part of the beach with me?"
Ken folded his arms and said:
– "It looks like you're the only one here."
Bern laughed and said:
– "Yes! I'm just sitting here, enjoying the sight of these handsome men passing back and forth!"
Ken thought to himself, glancing away:
(The rumors must be true... she really is a pervert.)
Then he said in a serious tone:
– "Bern, you can go swim and enjoy your time like everyone else."
She looked at him with surprise and said:
– "And you think I'm not doing that?"
Ken pointed at her fixed spot and said sarcastically:
– "You're sitting here motionless, without an umbrella to protect you from the sun. Where is the fun in that?"
She answered with a dreamy smile, clasping her hands together:
– "The real fun is in contemplating the strong, muscular bodies of men… How I wish one of them would suddenly appear, carry me in his arms, and say: 'You are the most beautiful girl in the universe, I want to marry you!'"
Ken sighed, trying to ignore her:
– "Bern, are you alright? You seem lost in daydreams. I'm going for a swim. You enjoy watching the men!"
He left her and walked towards the sea, where children were playing and girls were running on the sand. He looked at them with a blush and thought to himself:
– "Maybe I shouldn't blame Bern… there really are beautiful girls here."
Suddenly, her voice came from behind him:
– "See?"
Ken jumped and exclaimed in surprise:
– "Bern! How long have you been behind me?"
She smiled, raising her eyebrows:
– "Like I said, beautiful girls and handsome boys everywhere!"
Ken turned his face away, trying to compose himself, but his gaze involuntarily slipped towards Bern's body in her swimsuit. She noticed his glance, leaned towards him mischievously, and whispered:
– "What are you looking at, little pervert?"
Ken's face instantly flushed, and he stammered:
– "I didn't... I wasn't..."
Bern burst into laughter, holding her stomach from the force of it:
– "Look at yourself! Your face is as red as a pepper!"
He said nervously, trying to deny it:
– "I'm not embarrassed!"
She patted his shoulder, confirming with slyness:
– "It's okay, Ken, you're a man after all. It's normal to be excited by attractive girls' bodies. If you weren't affected, I'd start to worry about you!"
She chuckled softly, while Ken looked at her seriously and said:
– "Bern… can I ask you a question?"
She smiled welcomingly:
– "Of course, ask away."
He asked:
– "Why did you let me win that match back then?"
She answered simply and without hesitation, as if stating an obvious truth:
– "Because you're handsome, and I liked you."
Ken was flustered and rubbed the back of his neck:
– "Such excessive honesty!"
She smiled:
– "I just answered you."
He hesitated for a moment, then asked warily:
– "Are you… interested in me?"
She answered without hesitation, with the same simplicity:
– "Yes."
He looked extremely confused, trying to understand her:
– "Really? That fast? Your words lack emotion… they feel dull."
She looked at him, surprised:
– "What do you mean?"
He smiled slightly, sarcastically:
– "Were you injured in your childhood, perhaps?"
She laughed and said:
– "No, that didn't happen."
He shook his head and joked:
– "I doubt that…"
Then she turned toward the sea and smiled:
– "It's beautiful, isn't it? I'm going for a swim, are you coming with me?"
He replied:
– "No, you go ahead."
Bern ran towards the water, laughing, while Ken remained standing, watching her.
A woman holding her young daughter approached him and said with a hesitant gentleness:
– "Excuse me, sir, you are from the Iron Punishment Academy, aren't you?"
He replied kindly:
– "Yes, what is it, madam?"
She said:
– "My daughter heard strange noises in the equipment storage room. Could you check it out?"
He said confidently:
– "Of course, I'll go right away."
Ken headed there, his thoughts racing:
(No need to worry… probably just a mouse… yes, just a mouse… But why do I feel scared?)
When he arrived, he heard faint noises. He put his ear to the door, and suspicious thoughts crossed his mind… Then he decided to open it. But what he saw made him freeze in place.
Before his eyes, Vodo was leaning Natsumi against the wall, both naked in a highly intimate scene, passionately kissing while he lifted her right thigh, pressing close to her, and moving his hips back and forth quickly. Then Vodo stopped, and the three of them exchanged shocked glances. Ken quickly closed the door and whispered, his face covered in sweat:
– "I apologize!"
Vodo rushed forward before the door closed and pleaded:
– "Wait, Ken, please don't tell anyone what you saw!"
Ken replied awkwardly:
– "Don't worry… I won't say anything."
Natsumi, trying to cover her naked body, said fearfully:
– "Please don't say anything, especially not to Bern."
Ken, his face flushed from the sight of the naked Natsumi before him, said:
– "Don't worry, Natsu, I won't."
Ken returned to the beach, staring out at the sea, telling himself:
(I would have preferred to find a monster than to see that scene…)
Ken continued to look at the attractive bodies of the girls, his eyes lingering on the chests and backsides of everyone who passed by. He thought to himself again:
(Damn it, why haven't I done anything intimate yet? All these girls in the Academy, and I haven't even dated anyone… Why did I have to see that cursed scene?)
While he was lost in his thoughts, Bern approached from the water, calling his name playfully:
– "Ken! Ken!"
He turned, snapping out of his thoughts, and said:
– "Yes?"
She said with a cheerful smile:
– "When are you going to admit you love me?"
Ken's face turned completely red, and he stammered:
– "I… Who said… What do you want?"
Bern burst into laughter again:
– "Hahaha! Your face is red again!"
Ken stood up and said with a sudden seriousness that cut off her laughter:
– "Bern…"
She stopped laughing and looked at him in surprise, sensing the shift in his tone:
– "What is it, Ken?"
He said, staring steadily into her eyes, overcoming his awkwardness:
– "I truly love you, Bern."
She was silent for a moment, the laughter gradually fading from her face, and she said with a rare astonishment:
– "Are you serious?"
He said with quiet sincerity:
– "Yes. I don't care if you're a pervert or an eccentric… I have genuine feelings for you."
She looked at the ground for a moment, then took his hand and led him away from the beach. They sat together on a wooden bench, and she spoke in a soft voice he had never heard from her before, as if revealing a great secret:
– "Do you know who I am, Ken? Do you know who I was in Valdoris?"
He said calmly:
– "No, I don't."
Bern said, looking out at the sea, where the sun touched the calm surface and the sound of the waves whispered softly as if sharing the story:
– "I was born in a district of Agas, a land of prostitution, gambling, and drugs. A place people only see when they want to forget about it… My mother worked in the night houses. No one knows who my father is, not even she herself. Yet, she smiled every time she looked at me, saying I was her little project towards a better life… a project that would never see the light."
She paused, then continued in a quieter voice, as if narrating a memory etched in her depths:
– "I grew up seeing men come and go, filling the house with heavy smells and dirty words. I didn't understand anything then… I was nine, only wondering: Why did I have to learn everything my mother did? Why did she insist I smile at those strange faces?"
Her voice lowered slightly as she continued:
– "But fate didn't give her much time. My mother suddenly fell ill, and the disease ate away at her cells bit by bit. They said the cause was the drugs she took to keep going with men, but they were destroying her from the inside… On a cold night, my mother passed away, leaving me alone."
Bern stopped, taking a deep breath as if trying to hold back a stubborn tear, then said:
– "I was thirteen, living in a small house with no money or food. I didn't know how to survive. I started stealing to live, sometimes from passersby, sometimes from markets, until my name became known: that thief girl."
She laughed a sad, light laugh, saying:
– "What an irony, I stole to live, but people thought I loved it."
Then she continued, her voice growing deeper and steadier:
– "And when I turned sixteen, stealing was no longer enough… I entered a dark world. Smuggling, selling contraband, managing suspicious houses… I even participated in one of the evenings with another man. I did everything just to ensure my survival, without feeling the meaning of life itself. I lived because I was afraid of dying of hunger like my mother."
She looked at the sea again, and said in a soft voice, charged with emotion:
– "At that time, I lived in an area called Agas, the most corrupt part of Valdoris. The streets there knew no mercy, and people were either monsters or prey. Yet, I stayed. I thought I was a part of this place, an inseparable piece of it."
She paused for a moment, then added:
– "But the day Valdoris fell changed everything. When the monsters attacked the cities, everyone fled… I was among them. I ran aimlessly until I reached the port, climbed onto the first boat I saw, and found myself on a ship heading to an island I had never heard of: Kenimar."
She smiled faintly, and her features looked gentler as she continued:
– "There, I found the orphanage… Whittle Orphanage. The place was simple, but it was the first place that gave me a sense of security. For the first time, I didn't go to sleep hungry, and I wasn't afraid of anyone. And there, I discovered something different inside me… a small spark of Mana."
She raised her hand, looking at it as she continued:
– "It wasn't a great power, just speed and the ability to jump high distances, but for me, it was the start of a new life. I began to train, learning to fight and discipline. Years later, I was accepted into the Iron Punishment Academy. I couldn't believe a girl like me could become something."
She turned to Ken, looking him directly in the eyes, and said in a voice mixed with sorrow and pride:
– "That's how I got here, Ken. I am not a noble girl, nor a hero. I am just a human who carried the sins of the past and tried to change. I didn't choose to be a prostitute's daughter, nor did I choose to steal or smuggle. But I chose to live, to start anew… even if it was late."
She was silent for a moment, then added with a small smile that held a trace of pain:
– "People see me as a pervert or a troublemaker… But you, you are the only one who looked beyond that."
Ken remained silent for a moment, then said in a voice full of sincerity and comfort:
– "Only now do I understand your outlook on life, Bern. Your past was harsh… But despite that, you haven't lost your soul. You didn't do bad things because you are evil, but because you were forced to survive."
He moved closer to her, gently placing his hand on her shoulder and said:
– "Bern, don't let your past define who you are. The fact that you regret it means your heart is still pure. And that is enough."
Bern couldn't hold herself back. She lunged at him and hugged him tightly, tears silently streaming down her cheeks.
Ken gently patted her back, saying in a warm voice:
– "You are a good girl, Bern. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise."
In that moment, the sea seemed to calm down in respect for them, and the sounds of people around them faded. All that remained was a warm breeze, and a girl who was once broken… had begun to heal.
On the opposite side of the beach, where Trangen, Mai, Mira, and Rion were, the scene was buzzing with laughter and the refreshing sea breeze.
Trangen was playing with Mira in the water, while Rion sat on a wooden bench near the beach, and Mai sat beside him, contemplating the waves lightly. Rion wore swimming shorts that reached above his knee, showing off his light, defined muscles.
Trangen raised her hand, waving to Rion and saying: She was wearing a black bikini: a triangular top and traditional bottoms, with a thin chain around her waist. She added long, tight black sleeves with mesh details as arm accessories, and a tight black necklace.
– "Riooon! Riooon!"
Rion smiled and waved back calmly. Mai, with her strong, athletic physique, showing off her clear and defined arm, abdominal, and leg muscles, turned to him. She was wearing a black bikini (bra top and small bottoms) and black leather gloves on her hands. She was sitting on a white wooden chair, holding a cup with a light pink drink. Mai looked at Rion and smiled slyly:
– "You know she only does that to get your attention, right, Rion?"
He raised his eyebrows in surprise:
– "What do you mean?"
Mai chuckled softly and said:
– "I mean you haven't commented on her swimsuit, and she's been trying to catch your eye all morning."
Rion sighed and said in a serious tone:
– "Ah, I see, but I wasn't ignoring her on purpose… I just don't like commenting on these things. I feel like I'd sound like a pervert if I did."
Mai laughed lightly and said flirtatiously:
– "My dear Rion, commenting doesn't make you a pervert! If you said something about my swimsuit, for example, I wouldn't misunderstand you at all. We are friends."
Rion turned his face away and said:
– "If I did, you'd be upset, Mai."
Mai said:
– "Why would you say that? Is it bad to you?"
Rion said:
– "No, I didn't mean that. It's just that I'm bad at compliments."
Mai insisted gently:
– "Just tell me, I won't get offended."
Rion looked at Mai's body sitting before him and said:
– "Your outfit is beautiful, your muscles are great, and your body is exceptionally beautiful and strong."
Mai looked at him with a faint smile, but with hidden satisfaction on her face:
– "See? Nothing happened."
Rion, noticing her expression, said:
– "It's obvious on your face."
Mai shrugged lightly and said:
– "Fine, fine. But let me ask you something else… Who would you choose to die with?"
A short, painful silence followed, then Rion said with cold features and a distant gaze lost in the past:
– "The person I wanted to die with… is already dead. And I am still alive for her sake."
Mai's eyes widened in surprise, and the playfulness vanished from her voice:
– "Wait, I was just joking! Don't take things so seriously… And who is the one who died?"
He said calmly, turning his face away from her:
– "Let's drop this, Mai. Instead, tell me, what did you do in the city missions?"
Mai sighed, returning to a warm tone:
– "I didn't do much. I helped some people with farming and gathering sheep, and I helped an old lady find her lost cat."
Rion smiled:
– "It seems you really liked this island."
She looked at the sea with warm eyes and said:
– "You could say that. This place embraced me with a love I didn't find in Valdoris… Here, I am different. I help people, and they love me. I am no longer that dirty girl I was in the past."
Rion smiled, looking at her with appreciation:
– "I'm happy you overcame your past, Mai. You look like you've found a life you deserve now."
She replied with a matching smile, bringing back the light-heartedness to the conversation:
– "I am happy about that too… I'm just still waiting for that fool who doesn't understand my hints."
Rion asked, puzzled:
– "A fool? Who is this?"
Mai laughed and said slyly:
– "It's the person you look at every day in the mirror."
Rion laughed and said:
– "Ha! So you've become like Trangen and Kairen now!"
Mai exclaimed lightly, feigning anger:
– "Damn it! Is there anyone other than Trangen competing with me? You are such a ladies' man, Rion!"
He said with a slight chuckle:
– "I didn't choose to be this way, this is the author's fault, not mine!"
Mai laughed, saying:
– "Accept it, dear, you won't escape that title!"
Rion raised his hand to his forehead, saying with sarcastic despair:
– "Alright, alright… Anyway, Kairen is like a sister by adoption to me."
Mai said in surprise:
– "Really? I didn't know you had a sister other than Mira!"
He said calmly:
– "I lived with Kairen's parents for about four years, I don't remember the exact duration."
Mai chuckled lightly and said:
– "So the competition is going to be harder now, there's a new player in the ring!"
Then came Mira, wearing a simple, elegant high-neck black one-piece swimsuit, open at the back, and wearing a small necklace. She approached quickly and said with feigned anger:
– "Look at you, Rion, laughing and enjoying your time while I'm not on the team with you! How dare you?!"
Rion said sarcastically:
– "First, she was the one laughing. Second, you were enjoying your time a moment ago!"
Mira replied with feigned seriousness:
– "That doesn't absolve you! And you, Mai, don't be too happy that you're with him. I swear I will complete the mission before you!"
Mai smiled and said:
– "Do as you wish, I don't feel any competition between us."
Mira glared at her, then turned to Rion and said mischievously:
– "What do you think of my swimsuit?"
Rion said simply:
– "Beautiful, Mira."
Mira smiled arrogantly and looked at Mai, sticking out her tongue lightly:
– "Ha!"
Mai said in a mocking tone:
– "Only now you decide to comment on clothes?"
Rion replied nonchalantly:
– "She's my sister, it's normal."
Mai smiled slyly and said:
– "So that's how it is…"
At that moment, Trangen came out of the water, hair wet and laughing, saying:
– "Rion! Why don't you come down and play with us? Life is short, enjoy a little!"
Rion laughed and said:
– "Not now, Trangen, maybe later."
But she sat on his lap, her chest close to his face, saying with childish persistence:
– "Don't be like this, come and play with us!"
Immediately, Mai stood up and raised her hand, shaping it into claws at his neck, saying with a sarcastic threat:
– "And why do you allow her to sit this close, Rion?"
Rion said innocently:
– "What is my fault?!"
Trangen hid behind Mira with gentle fear, saying:
– "Terrifying!"
Mai smiled and lowered her hand, saying:
– "Don't be afraid, I'm just marking the boundaries of the place… and the people who stand in it."
Mira said with a cold look towards Rion:
– "It looks like you've become a ladies' man already, Rion."
Rion laughed and said with feigned despair:
– "Can you all stop calling me that? Damn you, Author!"
The girls laughed, and a cheerful atmosphere prevailed on the beach.
After a few moments, Rion asked Trangen, the conversation having taken a serious turn:
– "Speaking of this… why did you join the Academy, Trangen?"
She pointed at herself in surprise:
– "Me?"
He said:
– "Yes, you."
She smiled and said with childish sincerity that held depth:
– "I just wanted to find someone who loves me as much as I love them."
Rion looked at her, astonished:
– "Really? You joined the Academy to look for love?"
She looked at the sand and said:
– "I know my reason seems trivial in your eyes… but you haven't understood the meaning of love yet, Rion."
Mai said gently, defending her:
– "It's not a trivial reason, Trangen. Don't pay attention to what this fool says. If you are looking for something, pursue it until you find it."
Rion tried to defend himself:
– "I didn't say it was trivial, I just wondered what the benefit of joining the Academy for that purpose was."
Trangen smiled and said:
– "I joined the Academy because I knew you would join it."
Rion was surprised:
– "Me? And how did you know? When did we meet?"
She said with a faint smile, holding a memory:
– "I saw you one day on one of the city streets. I followed you until you reached the Assessment School. I liked you then and decided to join, and here I am now on your team."
Mira sighed, saying with boredom:
– "Please, don't remind me about the teams."
Rion asked her after a moment of silence, delving into the depth of her story:
– "Tell me, Trangen… what happened in your past?"
She said in a sad, quiet voice, devoid of her usual cheerfulness:
– "Not much happened. I wasn't born in Valdoris, but on Kairen Island. I lived a simple life with my father and mother until they died under mysterious circumstances. I was twelve then, possessing a fortune they left for me… but I later discovered that their death was because of the gelatinous substance I possess. Since that day, I vowed to train until I mastered this power. I never knew poverty, but I knew loneliness… I had no one. And when I saw you, I felt something different… you were kind, and my conviction grew when you helped me in the Assessment School."
Rion was silent for a moment and said quietly, touched:
– "I'm sorry, Trangen. Maybe I didn't reciprocate your feelings, but I wasn't mean to you intentionally. I have my own reasons, too."
Light tears fell onto Trangen's face, but she smiled a smile of acceptance.
Mai approached her and hugged her, saying tenderly:
– "Don't cry, Trangen… we are with you, your comrades and friends. We will never leave you."
Rion looked away, while Mira watched him in sad silence, thinking to herself:
(No one here knows anything about you, Rion… and I am the only one who understands the reason for your silence. Because you said it before. That talking about what hurts you is a weakness. But you… won't be weak again.)
On the other side of Kairen beach, Amani was sitting on the sand, wearing a plain black one-piece swimsuit in a simple and elegant design. She was surrounded by a group of children, building a huge sandcastle with them that glistened under the sunlight.
Her hands were covered in mud and sand, while Alex stood nearby, observing the scene with a small smile. Alex was wearing a black swimsuit with a bold design, featuring multiple straps at the chest and hips, and a black bracelet.
Alex asked in a questioning tone, with gentle aloofness:
– "Amani, haven't you finished this castle yet?"
Amani raised her head, with patches of mud on her face, and said with childish enthusiasm:
– "No, I won't stop until it's a giant castle!"
Alex sighed and said:
– "You know this castle will collapse with the first wave that hits it or a strong breeze. It's not made of concrete, so why tire yourself out?"
Amani smiled and said with quiet confidence:
– "Alex, the idea is not for the thing to last, but for the pleasure of making it. Don't you see how poetic I am today?"
Alex looked at her with slight disdain and said:
– "Yes, yes, keep up with your sandy philosophy."
Then she turned towards the sea, contemplating the horizon and thinking to herself:
(It really seems like a beautiful day…)
Alex took a deep breath of the salty sea air, when Yuya approached and sat down next to her quietly. Yuya was wearing short black swimming shorts, under which his defined and strong abdominal, chest, and arm muscles were visible.
Alex smiled with slight mischief:
– "Ah, Yuya! The absentee who disappeared for a while and no one heard any news of."
Yuya looked towards the sea calmly and said:
– "What is it, Alex?"
She smiled and said:
– "I was just wondering… Were you bothered by our teasing in the previous days? Where have you been all this time?"
He answered calmly and steadily:
– "You know we're going on the expedition soon, so I had to train and strengthen my skills."
Her eyes widened in feigned surprise and she said:
– "Wow! Yuya, the boy who always said he was invincible, is now talking about training? I can't believe what I'm hearing!"
Yuya gave a slight smile and said:
– "It's necessary, Alex. Who knows what we'll face out there?"
She tilted her head towards him and said with seriousness mixed with astonishment:
– "You've changed a lot, Yuya… What happened to you to say something like this?"
He said calmly:
– "I faced a giant insect monster recently, and that's when I realized what we're doing is no longer a joke."
Alex laughed a little then said lightly:
– "You're right. And by the way… Did you know I had a crush on you before?"
Yuya looked at her and said clearly:
– "I know, you said that before… You and Amani."
She smiled with a slight blush and said:
– "True, but you also know why I stopped trying to get close to you… because you are a difficult person. I believed you would change one day, and then I would honestly confess to you, even if you rejected me."
Yuya took a deep breath and said in a quiet tone, coated with sincerity:
– "Honestly, Alex… If you were asking now, I already love a girl."
She looked at him with sudden interest:
– "Really? And who is she? Is she with us in the Academy or outside?"
Yuya gave a small smile and said:
– "It's Amani."
Alex's features froze for seconds, then she looked at Amani who was still laughing with the children. She murmured softly, looking at her with vacant eyes that held a hidden pain:
– "I knew it… I knew you would love her, not me. She is more beautiful, kinder, and purer of heart…"
Yuya said with gentle firmness, correcting her perception:
– "It's not about beauty or kindness, Alex. I loved her as she is, with her soul and nature. And not because you are less than her. It's just that you haven't found the right person yet. My choosing her doesn't mean your life is over. You are beautiful, and it's hard for anyone not to fall in love with you."
He then continued in a more serious tone:
– "I used to be an arrogant fool… I always loved to seem strong, but I recently realized I was weak. And now, I must become stronger, not just for myself, but for the one I love."
Alex looked at him with a warm smile and said:
– "I didn't think I'd hear such profound words from you. It seems the insect incident was useful for you after all! But… tell me, why did you come here specifically? All I know is that you are the son of a military leader in Valdoris."
Yuya stared at the waves, gathering the threads of his past:
– "Yes, my father was General Lied Leon Vael."
Alex straightened up in her seat and said with clear interest:
– "Then tell me, what happened for you to end up here?"
Yuya took a long breath then began to narrate:
– "When I was a child, I lived in 'Senra'. My father was very strict. He always repeated: 'Laws are the foundation of the world, and justice is not to be debated.' I heard the word 'laws' more than I heard my own name. At the age of six, I was learning politics and law, I knew the meaning of the perpetrator and the victim, the criminal and the sacrifice. I didn't know how to play, or what it meant to be a child. And when I reached adolescence, my father took me to the army. He taught me the meaning of discipline and told me: 'Everyone around you works for the state, so you work for it too, my son.'"
– "The law became my only religion, and I was the 'Son of the Law,' as he used to say. In the army, I learned about Mana and special abilities. And when my father discovered that I possessed a unique power (the Golden Shield), he felt extremely proud and started training me more. I became his strongest tool in battles, his winning card in every mission."
– "But one day… everything changed. The catastrophe happened. And for a reason I still don't understand, my father didn't ask me to fight. Instead, he shouted at me: 'Run!' In that moment, I felt for the first time that he saw me as his son, not his subordinate soldier. I escaped through an underground tunnel to its end… and left my father to fight the monsters alone."
Alex looked at him with tearful eyes and said emotionally:
– "It's natural that he would do that… he's your father, after all. He wanted to save you before saving himself."
Yuya said in a quiet voice, overcome by pain:
– "I realized that later. I realized I hadn't lost a leader… but I had lost a father who tried to protect me in his own way. And for this reason, I will return to Valdoris one day… to avenge him."
Alex said with a sad smile, trying to instill hope:
– "A beautiful reason, Yuya… And maybe, just maybe, he is still alive there. The world is strange, and perhaps he is waiting for you one day to complete what you both started."
He replied with a faint smile:
– "I hope so. Then I will tell him everything I felt for him."
A brief silence ensued, broken by the sound of the continuous waves. Then Alex looked around and said:
– "By the way, we are guarding this beach and enjoying the holiday too, aren't we supposed to be four people?"
Yuya said:
– "Yes, the fourth person is Touka. She said she doesn't want to sit with us, she just wants to contemplate the sea alone, and Kim is currently guarding the Academy."
At that moment, Amani came running towards them, covered in mud up to her elbows, shouting with childish joy:
– "Aleeex! Aleeex! We finished!"
Alex turned and saw a large sandcastle before her, decorated with small shells and stones. The children stood around it, amazed, and two girls proudly cheered:
– "We built it! With the sweat of our brows!"
Alex laughed to herself:
(Of course, it will collapse soon… but let them enjoy it.)
Yuya laughed at the sight of Amani and said:
– "What a big child you are!"
Amani laughed and said:
– "What's wrong with being a child? Let me enjoy this moment!"
Then she stood proudly in front of the children and raised her hands, saying:
– "Look, little ones! This is the legendary city… Lost Atlantis!"
Laughter filled the place, and the sound of the waves mixed with their joy.
In a slightly farther spot, Touka sat on a rock overlooking the sea, staring at the horizon with still eyes.
She said internally:
(I wonder… what does the future hold for us? Will we stay alive?)
Then she looked at the group from afar, at Amani, Alex, and Yuya, laughing carelessly, and completed in her mind:
(I don't know who will be the first to fall… but I realize one thing, we won't all return safely. But I… will not be the first to be killed.)
The sunset was painting the sky of Kenimar beach with a warm orange color, and the waves whispered softly on the sand with a calm rhythm. In that place, Kairen sat watching the sea with vacant eyes, and beside her, Meow observed her with interest.
Meow said lightly, smiling:
– "Kairen, do you have a boyfriend?"
Kairen replied with unexpected calm:
– "Yes."
Meow raised her eyebrows in surprise at the speed of the reply:
– "What a quick answer! I expected you to hesitate or say no."
Kairen smiled faintly, with a hidden sadness in her smile:
– "I know my answer is strange, but… I don't know why he doesn't want me. I don't know what happened to him that makes him unable to see a woman in his life anymore."
Meow said with increasing interest:
– "Who are you talking about?"
Kairen sighed and said in a voice tinged with sadness:
– "I'm talking about Rion."
Meow nodded in recollection and said:
– "Ah, you mean the boy who fought Alex and was defeated, but held his ground for a while… and now it's said he's the one who killed the monster that almost wiped out Amani, Alex, the teachers, and Atsuri all at once?"
At that moment, Seiya and Atsuri approached the spot. Seiya sat in front of them and said:
– "Hi guys, what are you talking about?"
Meow smiled and said:
– "About the incident that happened with the monster Dafron."
Atsuri said with seriousness and steadiness:
– "Yes, I was one of the witnesses there. I never imagined seeing a creature with that much power… and Rion was the only one who could stop it."
Meow said admiringly:
– "I want to see him as soon as possible, he seems like no ordinary person."
Seiya sighed and said:
– "I faced him myself once… I felt he was holding himself back. It was clear he didn't show his full strength. Even though my stamina is weak, I can sense power like that."
Kairen lowered her head and said in a trembling voice, defending him:
– "Rion is strong, yes… and I knew this from the start. But I don't know why he refuses to tell me, or why he rejects me specifically."
Meow asked gently:
– "And what did he say when you told him about your feelings?"
Kairen smiled with bitter sadness:
– "He told me: 'I'm sorry, Kairen… I see you more as a sister.'"
Seiya suddenly laughed and said honestly:
– "I understand how you feel, Kairen. I've been rejected nine times."
The two girls looked at him in surprise, and Meow said:
– "Nine times?! How, for the love of humanity?"
Seiya laughed shyly, scratching his head:
– "Every time I got to know a girl and liked her… I got rejected. The first time in middle school, a girl rejected me because I was fat. The second time for the same reason. After that, I started exercising, trying to change, but the result was no different. After the ninth time… I gave up and decided to stay away from love entirely."
Atsuri smiled and joked:
– "Oh, how about you tell us all about it?"
Meow laughed and said excitedly:
– "Yes, we want the details, Seiya!"
Seiya sighed, giving in, and said:
– "Alright… after the ninth time, I decided to focus only on myself. I was living a simple life until the day everything changed. We were at home then, and what I thought was an earthquake happened. But it wasn't… it was the monsters, they suddenly appeared from underground, turning the city upside down. My father was trapped under the rubble, I tried to save him… but I failed. Only then did I discover that I possessed the ability to control metals, yet I couldn't do anything. I escaped injured, but my wounds healed surprisingly fast… I later discovered that this was part of my special ability. I lost my father… as for my mother, I no longer know her fate. All I wanted was to survive. I boarded the ship with the rest who remained, and here I am today."
Everyone was silent for a while, then Kairen said calmly:
– "As for me… I didn't come from Valdoris, but I was born and raised on Kenimar itself."
Seiya asked with interest:
– "Really? What about your story then?"
Kairen smiled faintly and said:
– "I will tell you…"
Then she began to tell her complete story, a story full of loss, emotion, and difficult choices.
After she finished, Meow commented gently:
– "I understand how you feel, Kairen. Unrequited love is painful… but it also makes us grow."
As for Atsuri, he said in a reassuring tone:
– "Don't be sad, Kairen. At least he loves you, but in his own way."
Then they continued their conversations, as if for a single moment they had forgotten everything around them.
Meanwhile, Headmistress Dalia came out of the water, her long hair cascading over her face, which she pushed back with her hand. She was wearing a black one-piece swimsuit, with an elegant and alluring design that accentuated her slender and firm figure. It was adorned with delicate white embroidery in the shape of floral patterns.
Dalia walked towards the vendor to buy juice. Leaning her arm on the wooden counter and resting her chest against it, she said calmly and confidently:
– "I would like a pomegranate juice, please."
The vendor looked at her and was aroused by the sight of her chest. He said, flustered, his face flushed:
– "Y-yes, madam."
Then came Iris, wearing an elegant and simple blue bikini that highlighted her athletic, well-proportioned figure and sculpted muscles.
She said to Dalia:
– "How are you, Dalia?"
Dalia replied:
– "Fine, Eri."
Iris stood in front of the vendor and said:
– "I would like an apple juice, if you please."
The vendor came and saw a more beautiful girl standing before him, and his cheeks flushed, doubling his confusion. He said gently:
– "Y-yes, right away."
Both Dalia and Iris sat down on a nearby bench and placed their juice on the table. Pier was sitting on the other side, wearing dark blue swimming shorts with two side stripes, his naked body finely sculpted, showing off his clear six-pack abs. He stood up and came next to Dalia, smiling:
– "It seems you are enjoying the day. I thought the teachers wouldn't come."
Then came Toby, whose body was a sculpted masterpiece of effort, showing off the strength of his chest and abdominal muscles, wearing short black swimming shorts with two white stripes. Next to him was Manata, who wore a white one-piece swimsuit in a classic design with thin blue lines, highlighting her slender and feminine figure.
Toby said:
– "Hello, how are you?"
Manata followed, raising her hand to greet them with a gentle smile. Manata sat down holding a watermelon juice, and Toby held a cocktail juice.
Dalia said:
– "Fine, Toby."
Iris replied:
– "Where were you?"
Manata said:
– "We were getting juice, and also, since the expedition is approaching, I thought I'd enjoy myself a little."
Toby said:
– "Madam Dalia, you didn't tell me, have you decided the expedition locations and the teams?"
Dalia said, drinking her juice:
– "Not yet."
Then she looked at Pier and said:
– "Pier, I want you to stop by tomorrow, I need your help with something."
Pier replied with a slight smile:
– "With pleasure, Madam Dalia."
Then the waiter came and brought a strawberry drink for Pier, placed it on the table in front of them, and walked away. Pier picked up the drink and took a sip, then said, smiling:
– "It tastes bad."
Dalia laughed and said:
– "I know why."
Pier asked:
– "And what is the reason?"
Dalia said:
– "Because the vendor is jealous that you are sitting next to me. You didn't see how he was looking at my body and Eri's."
Pier said:
– "So that's it."
Pier looked at the vendor who was standing at his spot, looking at them with resentment. Then Pier's eyes glowed purple until the vendor felt fear and trembling. Pier returned to holding his cup, and the vendor came and took the drink and returned to make another one. Pier looked at them and saw that it didn't take long.
Toby clapped, smiling vivaciously, and said:
– "Well done, Pier."
The vendor returned scared, and Manata joked:
– "It looks like he won't ask us for the bill."
Everyone laughed as they drank their juice together in a cheerful and pleasant atmosphere.
In a distant place in Valdoris… in the depths of the Abyss
The sky was ablaze with a bloody red color, and the winds carried the echo of destruction. High up, Asmeld was flying with massive wings, his body bird-like, cutting through the air at tremendous speed. He suddenly landed when he spotted Nivera walking on the dark road, and he stood before her with a slight bow, transforming into his human shape with wings and feathers on the lower part of his body.
He said in a harsh voice:
– "Lady Nivera, I went west as you commanded, and I found no trace of strong humans."
She said with deadly coldness:
– "Fine, Asmeld… you may be dismissed."
He transformed back into his bird form and flew away, while Nivera continued on her way until she reached the Black Palace where her master, Ragnar, resided.
She entered with slow steps, then bowed, saying with feigned respect:
– "My Lord Ragnar, I have news."
The man sitting on the throne turned to her, his voice heavy as thunder:
– "What is it, Nivera?"
She said with apparent concern, skillfully hiding some facts:
– "Asmeld has returned and found nothing… As for Shaltra and Dafron, they are greatly delayed, and it seems they are missing."
Ragnar rose slowly from his seat, his voice changing with a cold tone of anger:
– "Missing…?"
He approached her until she saw him clearly.
He had skin as dark as charcoal, hair as red as fire, and dark pink eyes glowing like an infernal spark. He was wearing a long black coat, tight trousers, and shining military boots.
He said with contempt, staring at her:
– "How useless you are."
He kicked her with force, making her fall to the ground in pain, placing her hand on her abdomen, while he continued coldly:
– "Your words mean that someone killed or imprisoned them… Either way, it doesn't matter. Go to Satell, to receive your punishment for your failure."
She raised her head with difficulty and said with a trembling whisper:
– "Yes… my Lord."
She exited the hall, barely holding herself together, a boiling rage suppressed inside her:
(Damn you, cursed Ragnar… when will you die, you arrogant wretch?)
She stood before a massive metal door, knocked lightly on it, then heard a voice from inside saying:
– "Who is it?"
She said:
– "It is Nivera… Lord Ragnar sent me to you, Lady Satell."
The voice came slowly and heavily:
– "Yes, yes… come in."
She opened the door and entered, closing it behind her with extreme quietness...