(POV: Otos Exemplar)
[Age: 16 Years - The Illusion of Protection]
I was sitting on the edge of the bed, hugging little Aretia. She was burying her face in my chest.
"Aretia..." I stroked her hair. "What is it, my sister?"
She raised her tearful eyes to me. "Do you hate your little brother?"
She gasped lightly and wiped her nose. "He is my brother, why would I hate him? But he... he is the one who doesn't like me. He ignores me, and doesn't talk to me."
I felt a sting in my chest. I looked into her innocent eyes, and held her tighter to me. I didn't have an answer to heal the wound of a child rejected by her own family's blood. I settled for hugging her, trying to be the warmth that Vanitas was withholding.
[Age: 16 Years - Glory and Defect]
I knelt on one knee, and the breeze of the "High Orbits" district caressed my new cloak. The cold silver blade of the sword rested on my right shoulder.
"Otos Exemplar... do you swear by the name of your family to protect the Kingdom until the last drop of your blood?"
I raised my head, my eyes fixed on the fluttering flag of the Osmium family. "I swear by the name of my family and my honor."
"Then, the Osmium family appoints you as a knight who protects the Kingdom from all dangers," a Lord said in a booming voice. "Congratulations on your knighthood at the age of sixteen. You are one of the youngest knights in the entire history of the Kingdom. Even your father, who was the genius of his generation, did not achieve such an early accomplishment."
I smiled with discipline. "Thank you for your words. I will not fail the Kingdom."
I stood up, and turned to face the attendees. My family was there. My mother, Superia, raised her head with pride, boasting about me in front of the nobles' wives. My father, Motus, raised his glass to me from afar, a look of genuine pride shining in his eyes. Justitia and Aretia were laughing with the other girls.
Then, I looked for him. Vanitas. He was standing with a group of children his age, talking and laughing with a bright smile.
I breathed a sigh of relief. (... Everything is fine).
After a few minutes of talking with the other nobles, Vanitas came to me and said: "Brother."
"What is it, Vanitas? Are you enjoying the party?"
"Very much. But... can I speak with you in private?"
"Of course."
We walked a few steps toward a quiet corridor. I turned to him. "What is it?"
Vanitas looked at me with a strange seriousness, devoid of any childish emotion: "Tell Aretia I am sorry."
I furrowed my brows. "For what? And why don't you do it yourself?"
"For breaking her study tube, and for her feeling humiliated when she came to pick me up."
I froze in my place. I stared at his small face. "Tubes? Pick you up? Vanitas... Aretia cannot pick you up anywhere, she is a child, and she doesn't own any study tubes. What are you talking about?"
Vanitas blinked slowly. The seriousness vanished from his face instantly, and a perfect, extremely soft smile was drawn on it.
"Brother Otos... congratulations to you," he said, completely ignoring my question. "We will continue our conversation at another time."
And he turned, leaving me in a cold bewilderment.
The next morning, I knocked on his bedroom door and opened it. He was dressed with meticulous precision.
"Vanitas."
"My apologies to you, brother. I came to see you yesterday to congratulate you again, but it seems you were asleep after the exhausting party."
I looked at him in surprise. "Your apologies to me, brother? What is wrong with you, talking like this? Anyway... what did you mean yesterday?"
He tilted his head slightly with an innocent smile. "What are you talking about, brother?"
"Yesterday... you told me something about apologizing to Aretia."
His eyes widened with a perfected innocence. "Me? I didn't say that."
"Vanitas... you did."
His features changed into polite concern. "Did I do something wrong, brother?"
I looked into his eyes. He looked at me like a polished mirror reflecting my own anxiety.
"No..." I took a step back. "You didn't. Alright, just go have your breakfast."
Vanitas bowed at a perfect angle. "Have a good day, brother."
And he walked past me. I stood in his room, watching his back. Since when does he bow to me?
At the dining table, Justitia was talking excitedly about her dresses, and Aretia was mocking her with her usual coldness. My father was smiling as he looked at us, and my mother was cutting her meat elegantly.
I looked at Vanitas. He was eating in silence, using the fork and knife with precise geometry. He didn't look at anyone. For some reason... I felt strange. This person sitting in front of us was stripped of Vanitas's traits.
"The youngest knight in the Kingdom!" My mother interrupted my thoughts with a proud smile as she looked at me.
"I told you, Mama, don't call me that at the table," I said embarrassedly.
My mother turned toward Vanitas. "And you, Vanitas... I heard that in your final exams you became the first in your class."
Vanitas stopped chewing. He wiped his mouth with a white napkin, and smiled a warm smile at my mother. "Because of your continuous help and support, Mama. Thank you."
My fork dropped onto the plate. (Since when does he praise her like this? Of course Mama helps him, but she hasn't actually done that with his studies).
My father interrupted the scene, his face carrying genuine shock. "First? Weren't you always in the lowest ranks? And why didn't you tell me?"
Vanitas turned toward my father, the exact same smile not leaving his lips. "I didn't think it was important enough news to take up your precious time, Father. Next time I will certainly tell you."
He returned to eating quietly. I looked at him, and I didn't know how to describe my feeling.
"Hello, Otos."
"Hello to you." I exchanged a bow with the principal of the children's academy.
The principal said with a friendly smile: "I thought Lady Superia would be the one coming today, but why did you come?"
"My mother is a bit busy with family matters, so I came on her behalf to honor my brother."
"Ah, I see. Then please take a seat in the front row. We will begin the honoring shortly."
I sat down.
"Vanitas Exemplar."
Vanitas ascended to the stage. His steps were confident, his back straight. He didn't look at the ground in shyness as children his age do.
He stood before the brass microphone.
"Esteemed attendees, honorable professors," his voice began to ring out, calm, deep, and calculated. "I stand before you today, not to celebrate a personal achievement, but to acknowledge the merit of this great institution. The knowledge we receive here is not mere numbers and letters, but rather the tools with which we will build the future of our families and our Kingdom. I thank every professor who instilled in us the value of discipline, and I thank my family who taught me that excellence is not a choice, but a duty and a responsibility."
He fell silent for a second, and distributed his gaze over the audience with the confidence of a seasoned politician. "Thank you."
The hall erupted in fervent applause.
The principal sat beside me and whispered in amazement: "He acts much older than his age, huh?"
"What?"
"He has changed a lot," the principal continued. "Previously, he was a child... like all children. A bit introverted, didn't have many friends. But now? I feel like I'm talking to a seasoned adult. I will miss him very much in my classes, he is my favorite student."
I nodded my head slowly. "Yes... you are right. He is mature."
..................
The Royal Stasis Academy
Founded 123 years after the conclusion of the War between Gods and Humanity, the Academy serves as the central imperial institution dedicated to educating and training the progeny of noble bloodlines. Enrollment is strictly limited to the aristocracy and excludes the bloodlines of the Observers, as the Observer Houses maintain their own autonomous academy atop Apex Peak.
Academic Structure & Divisions
Progression through the Academy follows three distinct tiers:
The Foundation Division (Preparatory Tier): Enrolls young noble children to instill the fundamentals of science, theory, and aristocratic etiquette. It also houses dedicated classes for older students whose talents emerged later, allowing them to train at a pace suited to their development.
The Proficiency Division (Intermediate Tier): Students advance here upon passing the foundational evaluations. The curriculum shifts from basic theory to intensive practical applications and advanced combat drills.
The Elite Division (Mastery & Specialization Tier): The highest stratum of the Academy, admitting only a select few each year who pass punishing theoretical and practical examinations while demonstrating exceptional talent.
Curriculum & Core Disciplines
Studies within the Academy are divided into autonomous departments:
Department of Theoretical Alchemy: A purely academic discipline focused on the fundamental laws of matter, cipher decoding, elemental synthesis, and energy analysis, designed to produce elite researchers and scholars.
Department of Combat Alchemy: A distinct battlefield discipline focused on volatile tactical reactions, instantaneous dismantling of enemy armor and weapons, and channeling destructive energy into direct melee and ranged warfare.
Noble Arts & Humanities: Courses in classical literature, political and military history, painting, and music to cultivate command presence and strategic awareness.
Ray Combatant Training: An intensive martial regimen dedicated to close-quarters combat, evasion, tactical maneuvering, and the execution of lethal "Ray" techniques.
The Knight's Title (The Ray Elite)
The most capable students in the Elite Division—specifically those within the Ray Combatant track—undergo a specialized, high-stakes evaluation:
Extreme Trials & Field Deployments: Candidates undergo brutal physical conditioning and are deployed on genuine combat missions beyond the Academy's walls to prove their capability under live operational pressure.
Committee Accreditation: Upon demonstrating their mastery and successfully executing their assignments before the evaluation board, candidates are formally nominated to receive a "Knight's Name."
Bestowal Protocol: The Academy does not grant the title directly. The Knight's Name is officially bestowed by the ruling Observer House to which the student's family owes allegiance and vassalage, with the investiture conducted via the official envoy of that Observer House.
Graduation & Career Paths
Upon meeting all final graduation requirements and passing concluding assessments, graduates transition into high-ranking imperial roles. Theoretical alchemists and scholars secure advisory posts, administrative offices, and research leadership in state laboratories, while Ray combatants and Knights assume direct command of frontline units and combat legions.