Takemi didn't even get time to rest properly.
A knock.
Sharp.
Formal.
When he opened the door, two academy officials stood outside—robes trimmed with silver thread, expressions unreadable.
"Takemi."
"…Yeah?"
"You are required for immediate questioning."
No room for refusal.
Takemi didn't even get time to rest properly.
A knock.
Sharp.
Formal.
When he opened the door, two academy officials stood outside—robes trimmed with silver thread, expressions unreadable.
"Takemi."
"…Yeah?"
"You are required for immediate questioning."
No room for refusal.
"State your name."
"Takemi."
"Full name."
"…Still working on that."
A few brows furrowed.
One of the elders leaned forward.
"…We'll return to that."
The questioning began.
Detailed.
Precise.
Every step of the expedition.
Every movement.
Every decision.
They didn't interrupt much.
They just listened.
But the moment Takemi mentioned—
"The weapon…"
The room shifted.
"Describe it."
Takemi hesitated.
Then reached to his side.
"…It's easier if I show you."
The moment he placed the handle on the table—
The reaction was immediate.
Not loud.
But visible.
One of the robed figures stood up.
"…Impossible."
Another leaned closer.
"…No… it matches the records…"
The air grew tense.
Even the sigils on the walls flickered faintly.
One of the unfamiliar men finally spoke.
His voice calm.
Controlled.
"…Do you understand what you are holding, boy?"
Takemi met his gaze.
"…Not really."
The man exhaled slowly.
"…That is not an academy matter."
The room fell silent.
Another figure added—
"…This falls under royal jurisdiction."
Rauk frowned.
"…Royal?"
Lira's expression tightened.
The instructor finally spoke.
"…I warned you."
Takemi clicked his tongue slightly.
"…Yeah, you did."
One of the elders stood.
"This information will be sealed."
Another nodded.
"…And reported immediately."
The unfamiliar man turned.
"…We will handle the next step."
Takemi frowned.
"…Next step?"
The man looked at him.
"…You will understand soon enough."
One of the unfamiliar men finally spoke.
His voice calm.
Controlled.
"…Do you understand what you are holding, boy?"
Takemi met his gaze.
"…Not really."
The man exhaled slowly.
"…That is not an academy matter."
The room fell silent.
Another figure added—
"…This falls under royal jurisdiction."
Rauk frowned.
"…Royal?"
Lira's expression tightened.
The instructor finally spoke.
"…I warned you."
Takemi clicked his tongue slightly.
"…Yeah, you did."
One of the elders stood.
"This information will be sealed."
Another nodded.
"…And reported immediately."
The unfamiliar man turned.
"…We will handle the next step."
Takemi frowned.
"…Next step?"
The man looked at him.
"…You will understand soon enough."
They didn't have to wait long.
By morning—
They were escorted out of the academy.
Not as students.
Not as participants in a mission.
But as witnesses.
The capital city rose beyond the horizon like something out of a different world.
Massive white stone walls.
Layered defenses.
Guard towers lined with enchanted crystals that shimmered faintly even in daylight.
Crowds filled the outer districts—
Merchants.
Adventurers.
Nobles.
All moving in a rhythm that felt alive.
At the center—
The castle stood.
Dominant.
Unmistakable.
The Valtheris Royal Castle was not built for beauty.
It was built for authority.
High spires pierced the sky.
Each lined with banners bearing the royal crest—
A silver dragon coiled around a shattered crown.
The gates alone were towering slabs of reinforced steel and rune-etched stone.
As they entered—
The atmosphere changed.
Silence replaced noise.
Order replaced chaos.
Marble floors stretched endlessly.
Pillars carved with ancient victories lined the halls.
Every step echoed.
Every movement watched.
The doors opened slowly.
Inside—
A vast chamber.
High ceilings adorned with painted histories.
Battles.
Kings.
And something else—
A figure holding a weapon that… wasn't fully drawn.
Takemi's eyes lingered on it.
"…That's…"
But before he could finish—
A voice spoke.
"Approach."
At the far end of the chamber sat the king.
King Aldric Vaelthorne.
Not old.
But not young either.
Sharp eyes.
Calm presence.
The kind of man who didn't need to raise his voice to command a room.
Beside him stood advisors.
Knights in full ceremonial armor.
And a woman cloaked in deep blue—
Watching silently.
The king turned slightly.
"…Do any of you know the name…"
A pause.
"…Aetherion Kael?"
Silence.
Lira shook her head.
Rauk frowned.
"…Never heard of it."
Takemi tilted his head.
"…Should I have?"
The king looked at him.
"…No."
"…Because that name was erased."
The king turned slightly.
"…Do any of you know the name…"
A pause.
"…Aetherion Kael?"
Silence.
Lira shook her head.
Rauk frowned.
"…Never heard of it."
Takemi tilted his head.
"…Should I have?"
The king looked at him.
"…No."
"…Because that name was erased."
"Clear the room."
Immediately.
Everyone except a select few remained.
The massive doors shut.
Heavy.
Final.
The king walked closer.
"…What I am about to tell you…"
"…Is not recorded in any academy."
"…Nor in any public archive."
The king walked slowly across the room.
"…Before kingdoms united… before academies were established…"
"…The world was divided."
"Regions collapsed under the weight of unstable realms."
"Creatures crossed over freely."
"Entire cities… vanished."
Lira's expression tightened.
"…So it was worse than now."
The king nodded.
"…Far worse."
"To combat this," the king continued,
"…a group of individuals emerged."
"Not soldiers."
"Not nobles."
"…Survivors."
"They learned to seal rather than destroy."
"To contain what could not be killed."
Rauk crossed his arms.
"…And Aetherion was one of them."
The king's gaze sharpened.
"…He was their strongest."
"To combat this," the king continued,
"…a group of individuals emerged."
"Not soldiers."
"Not nobles."
"…Survivors."
"They learned to seal rather than destroy."
"To contain what could not be killed."
Rauk crossed his arms.
"…And Aetherion was one of them."
The king's gaze sharpened.
"…He was their strongest."
"The weapon he carried…"
The king looked at the handle again.
"…Was never meant to exist."
Takemi blinked.
"…What?"
"It was not forged."
"…It was manifested."
Silence.
"…A weapon that responds to will, experience, and understanding."
"…Not strength alone."
Takemi let out a quiet breath.
"…That explains a lot…"
"The weapon he carried…"
The king looked at the handle again.
"…Was never meant to exist."
Takemi blinked.
"…What?"
"It was not forged."
"…It was manifested."
Silence.
"…A weapon that responds to will, experience, and understanding."
"…Not strength alone."
Takemi let out a quiet breath.
"…That explains a lot…"
The king's voice lowered.
"…When the entity known as 'The Destroyer' emerged…"
"…Even the Vanguard could not defeat it."
"They lost."
"One by one."
Until—
"…Only Aetherion remained."
Silence filled the room.
"…He did not win."
"…He endured."
"He used everything."
"His weapon."
"His life."
"His existence."
"To create a seal strong enough…"
"…to delay the inevitable."
Takemi's grip tightened slightly.
"…So he died."
The king shook his head slowly.
"…No."
"…He became part of the seal."
The room felt heavier.
"…That weapon…"
The king pointed at the handle.
"…Is the only remaining fragment of him."
Takemi stared at it.
"…So when I—"
"Yes," the king said.
"…You did not awaken a weapon."
"…You awakened him."
The room felt heavier.
"…That weapon…"
The king pointed at the handle.
"…Is the only remaining fragment of him."
Takemi stared at it.
"…So when I—"
"Yes," the king said.
"…You did not awaken a weapon."
"…You awakened him."
Silence.
Deep.
Unavoidable.
The king stepped back.
"…If the seal is weakening…"
"…Then history is repeating."
He looked directly at Takemi.
"…And whether you like it or not…"
"…You are now part of it."
Takemi stared at the handle.
Then at his hand.
Then back at the king.
"…Yeah…"
He exhaled slowly.
"…I figured it wouldn't be simple."
But this—
Was bigger than anything he imagined.