The empty corridor was silent.
Golden rays from the rising sun spilled through the academy's tall windows, painting long shadows across the polished floor. At the far end of the hallway stood the headmaster with his hands folded behind his back.
His eyes rested on the entrance.
Waiting.
"..."
Then, without warning, his thoughts drifted elsewhere.
Back...
To a much simpler time.
---
The smell of roasted meat filled the small dining room.
Laughter echoed between the walls as a young Todd watched his father enthusiastically wave a fork around while explaining one of his latest discoveries.
"I'm telling you," Arthur declared proudly, "the civilization that built those ruins had plumbing centuries ahead of their time."
Todd's mother giggled.
"You say that every time you come back from a dig."
"Because every dig proves me right!"
"It also proves you're terrible at remembering birthdays."
Arthur froze.
"...Today's not your birthday, is it?"
Silence.
Todd slowly looked toward his mother.
She smiled sweetly.
"No."
Arthur let out the loudest sigh of relief imaginable.
"Oh thank goodness."
"...It's our anniversary."
Arthur nearly dropped his plate.
Todd burst into laughter.
"You forgot again!"
"I did not forget!" Arthur protested. "I simply... temporarily misplaced the date."
His wife folded her arms.
"For three years in a row?"
"..."
"...Maybe."
The room erupted into laughter.
Todd watched his parents smile at one another.
They looked...
Happy.
Really happy.
Arthur eventually leaned back in his chair, taking a thoughtful sip of tea before looking at his son.
"You know, Todd..."
"Yes?"
"One day people will tell you how you're supposed to live."
Todd blinked.
"They'll tell you what job to get."
"What to wear."
"What dreams are realistic."
"What dreams are childish."
"They'll tell you to study hard..."
"...find a stable job..."
"...work until you're old..."
"...retire..."
"...then wait to die."
Todd frowned.
"That sounds boring."
Arthur laughed.
"It is."
His expression gradually softened.
"They call it the rat race."
Todd tilted his head.
"Why?"
"Because everyone keeps running..."
"...without ever asking where they're going."
Silence settled over the table.
Arthur placed a hand on Todd's shoulder.
"Never let anyone decide your path for you."
"If your heart tells you to become an archaeologist..."
"Become one."
"If it tells you to become a painter..."
"Paint."
"If it tells you to explore the stars..."
"Then spend your life chasing them."
"The happiest people aren't the richest."
"They're the ones who wake up excited to live another day."
Todd looked at him with sparkling eyes.
"Were you excited?"
Arthur smiled.
"Every single morning."
He looked toward his wife.
"Archaeology gave me more than ruins."
"It led me to your mother."
She reached across the table and intertwined her fingers with his.
"And I'd choose getting lost in deserts with this fool all over again."
Arthur laughed.
"I knew you would."
"You only married me because I'm handsome."
She raised an eyebrow.
"I married you because no sane woman wanted to deal with your terrible jokes."
Todd couldn't stop laughing.
Arthur dramatically clutched his chest.
"My own wife..."
"...such betrayal."
The family laughed together long into the night.
---
The memory dissolved.
Todd slowly opened his eyes.
He now stood before a white marble memorial hidden within the academy gardens.
Fresh flowers rested at its base.
His hand gently brushed across the engraved names.
Arthur Hawthorne.
He smiled sadly.
"You really did live exactly how you wanted."
"...Didn't you, Dad?"
The breeze answered in silence.
After several moments, Todd spoke again.
"You always called it..."
"...the supernatural."
A faint smile appeared.
"I suppose that's fitting."
He looked toward the distant mountains.
"...Though I think 'otherworldly' describes it better."
His eyes slowly closed once more.
Another memory surfaced.
---
Arthur carefully lowered an oddly shaped crystal onto a wooden workbench.
It glowed faintly.
Not brightly.
Just enough to make its existence feel...
Wrong.
Like it didn't belong.
Todd stared at it in fascination.
"What is it?"
Arthur's cheerful demeanor disappeared.
"I don't know."
"And that..."
"...is exactly why you are not touching it."
Todd pouted.
"But—"
"No."
"It isn't ancient."
"It isn't magical."
"It isn't anything I can explain."
Arthur looked unusually serious.
"I've excavated relics from every corner of the world."
"I've never seen anything like this."
The crystal pulsed.
Todd felt something strange.
It was almost...
Calling him.
Arthur immediately noticed.
He stepped between his son and the crystal.
"Stay away from it."
Todd reluctantly nodded.
"...Okay."
---
For nearly a week...
He obeyed.
Then curiosity won.
Late one night...
While his father slept...
Todd quietly crept into the study.
Moonlight poured through the window.
The crystal rested exactly where Arthur had left it.
It pulsed.
Once.
Twice.
Almost like a heartbeat.
Todd slowly reached toward it.
"I'll only touch it for a second..."
The instant his fingers brushed its surface—
Light exploded across the room.
The crystal responded.
Not violently.
Joyfully.
Golden streams of energy wrapped around Todd before flowing directly into his body.
His eyes widened.
He couldn't move.
He couldn't breathe.
Yet...
It didn't hurt.
It felt...
Warm.
Like being embraced by something impossibly ancient.
Then...
Everything went dark.
---
Nothing was ever the same again.
Sometimes Todd would wake up to find his blanket floating near the ceiling.
Sometimes books drifted lazily through his bedroom as though gravity had forgotten they existed.
Other mornings he'd discover toys from dreams lying beside his bed.
A tiny wooden dragon.
A silver feather.
A flower unlike anything on Earth.
His father inspected each one with growing concern.
"...Impossible..."
He whispered more than once.
The strangest phenomenon, however...
Only happened when Todd slept.
Every night...
He dreamed of another world.
A world painted in impossible colors.
Floating islands drifted across violet skies.
Waterfalls flowed upward.
Forests shimmered beneath countless glowing butterflies.
At first he wandered alone.
Until one day...
He found a woman quietly painting beside a crystal-clear lake.
She looked up.
Smiled warmly.
And waved.
"Hello."
Todd hesitated.
"...Hi."
"You look lonely."
"...Do I?"
"A little."
She patted the grass beside her.
"Come."
"We can be lonely together."
Todd laughed despite himself.
"...Okay."
He sat beside her.
She continued painting while the two talked about everything and nothing.
Whenever Arthur left on long expeditions...
Whenever Todd argued with him...
Whenever the house felt too empty...
He always found himself returning to that lake.
And she was always there.
Waiting.
Listening.
Comforting him with a kindness that filled a space he hadn't even realized existed.
She became...
The mother who was always available.
The friend who never disappeared.
The person he trusted most.
One evening, while watching stars bloom across that impossible sky, Todd quietly asked,
"...I wish you were real."
The woman's brush paused.
For the first time...
A strange expression crossed her face.
Then she smiled.
"I can be."
Todd blinked.
"Really?"
She nodded.
"You still have the crystal, don't you?"
"...Yes."
"It connects our worlds."
"If you free me..."
"...I can finally come home."
Todd's face lit up.
"Then I'll do it!"
She extended her little finger.
"Promise?"
Todd hooked his pinky around hers.
"I promise."
Neither of them noticed...
That the smile on her face never reached her eyes.
The next morning...
Todd woke up before sunrise.
He had barely slept.
His mind replayed the promise over and over again.
"If you free me... I can finally come home."
He smiled.
"...Today's the day."
He quietly slipped out of bed, making sure not to wake his father.
The old study was exactly as he'd left it.
Moonlight still lingered through the curtains, bathing the strange crystal in pale silver.
Todd swallowed.
"...She said to place both hands on it."
He did.
Immediately, the crystal answered.
Its soft glow intensified until the entire room was drenched in golden light.
Unlike the first time, however...
This time it was listening.
Waiting.
Todd remembered every instruction she'd given him.
He closed his eyes.
"I wish to open the path..."
"...between our worlds."
For a heartbeat...
Nothing happened.
Then—
CRACK.
The sound echoed through the room.
Todd's eyes snapped open.
The space in front of him...
Had split apart.
Not metaphorically.
Reality itself fractured like glass.
Golden cracks spread across the empty air before slowly peeling away, revealing a world hidden behind existence itself.
A warm breeze drifted through the opening.
It carried the scent of flowers Todd had never smelled before.
Butterflies of every imaginable color fluttered out first, dancing peacefully around the room.
Then flowers began blooming across the wooden floorboards.
Vines climbed the walls.
Leaves unfurled from bare furniture.
Life itself seemed to pour from the opening.
Todd smiled from ear to ear.
"It worked..."
From beyond the rift...
A familiar voice laughed.
"I knew you could do it."
A graceful figure slowly stepped through.
She looked almost identical to the woman from his dreams.
Almost.
Her long emerald hair shimmered like flowing silk.
Two enormous butterfly wings unfolded behind her, scattering glowing particles into the air.
A delicate golden crown rested atop her head.
The warmth she radiated felt almost divine.
Behind her...
The rift widened.
Dozens...
No...
Hundreds of figures emerged.
Elegant fairies no larger than birds flew overhead.
Towering treants marched with earth-shaking footsteps.
Majestic unicorns stepped onto the grass as though entering sacred land.
Giants clothed in living vines.
Silver wolves with eyes that glowed like moonlight.
Creatures straight out of fairy tales crossed into the human world one after another.
Todd's jaw fell open.
"...Wow..."
The winged woman smiled warmly.
Then...
She walked straight toward him.
Without hesitation...
She wrapped both arms around the little boy.
"Thank you."
Her voice trembled ever so slightly.
"You kept your promise."
Todd happily hugged her back.
"I told you I would."
For a brief moment...
Everything felt perfect.
Then—
"TODD!!"
A terrified voice shook the entire house.
Arthur.
His footsteps thundered through the hallway.
The moment he reached the doorway...
He froze.
His face lost every trace of color.
"N-No..."
His horrified eyes slowly moved from the army...
To the winged woman...
Then finally...
To his son.
"Todd!"
He rushed forward without thinking.
Scooping the boy into his arms, Arthur leapt backward, placing as much distance between them and the mysterious woman as possible.
"Todd!"
"Are you hurt?!"
The boy blinked.
"I'm fine..."
Arthur frantically inspected him from head to toe.
No injuries.
No blood.
Nothing.
Only then did he finally let out the breath he'd been holding.
Slowly...
The winged woman's smile widened.
Not kindly.
Knowingly.
"So..."
She began.
"You really told him I was dead."
Arthur's expression hardened.
The warmth vanished from his eyes.
"...Morgana."
The Fairy Queen tilted her head.
"I have to admit..."
"I'm offended."
She chuckled softly.
"Really, Arthur?"
"'Your mother is dead.'"
"That was the best excuse you could come up with?"
Todd looked between the two adults in confusion.
"...You know each other?"
Neither answered him.
Arthur's grip around Todd tightened.
"How..."
"...are you back?"
"I sealed the gateway myself."
"I watched the portal collapse."
"I made sure there was no path left."
The Fairy Queen laughed.
A beautiful...
Melodic laugh.
"The answer is standing in your arms."
She looked directly at Todd.
"Our son."
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
"...Don't."
"Oh?"
"You heard me."
"Don't call him that."
Her smile never faded.
"But it's true."
She slowly took another step forward.
"He takes after his father."
"Courageous."
"Curious."
"And just reckless enough to ignore warnings."
She laughed again.
"Honestly..."
"I barely had to do anything."
"I simply nudged his curiosity."
"The rest..."
She looked lovingly at Todd.
"...was all him."
Arthur closed his eyes.
For the first time in years...
He cursed himself.
Every warning.
Every precaution.
Every lie.
It hadn't been enough.
Todd looked completely lost.
"...Dad..."
"...What's happening?"
Arthur slowly set him back onto the floor.
Then knelt until they were eye level.
His voice was calm.
Far calmer than the terror in his eyes.
"Todd..."
"I need you to listen carefully."
"This is the most important thing I will ever tell you."
The boy nodded.
Arthur gently placed both hands on his shoulders.
"When I tell you to run..."
"I don't want you to stop."
"I don't care how much she calls your name."
"I don't care what you hear."
"I don't care if you think I'm wrong."
"Run."
"And don't look back."
Todd stared at him.
"...Dad?"
Behind Arthur...
The Fairy Queen sighed.
"You always were dramatic."
She smiled at Todd once more.
Only this time...
Her voice became impossibly gentle.
"Todd..."
"You've always wanted to know what it feels like..."
"...to have a mother's love."
Her arms slowly opened.
"Come here."
"I've missed so much."
"I'll make up for every birthday..."
"Every bedtime story..."
"Every hug..."
"Every moment we lost."
Tears welled in Todd's eyes.
He instinctively took one step forward.
"...Mum..."
Arthur immediately caught his wrist.
"No."
Todd looked up.
"But—"
Arthur's voice became firm.
"The woman standing before you..."
"...is the Queen of the Fairies."
"The most dangerous woman I have ever known."
"She didn't comfort you because she loved you."
"She comforted you because she needed you."
"Everything..."
"Every smile."
"Every kind word."
"Every story she told you."
"...was leading to this moment."
Todd slowly turned toward the Fairy Queen.
"...Is..."
"...is that true?"
For a long moment...
She said nothing.
Then...
She smiled.
And the warmth disappeared from her face entirely.
The queen who stood there now...
Was nothing like the woman from Todd's dreams.
The silence lingered.
Todd stared at the woman before him.
"...Is..."
"...is that true?"
The question hung in the air.
For a long moment...
She said nothing.
Then...
She smiled.
Not the warm smile that had comforted him through countless lonely nights.
Not the smile of the woman who painted beside the crystal lake.
This smile was elegant.
Cold.
Regal.
The butterflies surrounding her scattered as an invisible pressure rolled across the room.
Even the creatures behind her instinctively lowered their heads.
The Queen had returned.
"...Of course it's true."
Her voice was calm.
"So what if I used you?"
Todd's pupils trembled.
"I gave you comfort when no one else could."
"I listened when you cried."
"I celebrated your victories."
"I wiped away your tears."
She took another graceful step forward.
"And in return..."
"I asked for one tiny favor."
"That sounds perfectly fair to me."
Todd couldn't find the words.
Arthur slowly stepped in front of him once again.
"I won't let you take another step."
The Fairy Queen looked at him almost pityingly.
"You still haven't changed."
Arthur didn't respond.
She sighed softly.
"You're still choosing humanity."
"I was hoping centuries would make you wiser."
Arthur's expression remained unwavering.
"And I was hoping banishment would teach you humility."
A faint chuckle escaped her lips.
"I deserved that."
She looked around the room, taking in the human world with visible satisfaction.
"It's changed."
"The air."
"The sky."
"The scent."
"It's nostalgic."
Her eyes slowly drifted back toward Arthur.
"You kept it safe."
"I knew you would."
Arthur's jaw tightened.
"I kept it safe..."
"...from you."
For the first time...
A flicker of disappointment crossed her face.
"So that's your answer."
Arthur said nothing.
She closed her eyes for a brief moment before exhaling.
"When I first came to this world..."
"I truly believed humans and my people could coexist."
"I wanted peace."
"I wanted understanding."
"I even fell in love."
Her gaze softened ever so slightly.
"You."
Arthur looked away.
"But humans fear anything they don't understand."
"They hunted my children."
"They burned our forests."
"They called us monsters."
Her voice gradually became colder.
"So I decided..."
"If humanity refused to share this world..."
"...then I would simply claim it."
Todd listened in stunned silence.
Arthur finally spoke.
"You call conquest peace?"
"I call it survival."
"You call yourself a queen."
"I call myself a mother."
Arthur laughed bitterly.
"A mother?"
"You manipulated your own son."
For the first time...
Something dangerous flashed across her crimson eyes.
"You dare judge me?"
"I did what was necessary."
"I always do."
She looked directly at Todd.
"You'll understand one day."
Arthur immediately placed himself between them again.
"You've lost that privilege."
The Fairy Queen was quiet.
Then...
She smiled once more.
It wasn't cruel.
Nor was it kind.
It was simply the smile of someone who had already accepted the outcome.
"Arthur."
"I've always admired that about you."
"No matter how hopeless things became..."
"...you never stopped standing."
She folded her hands behind her back.
"Because I still consider you both family..."
"I'll grant you one final kindness."
The creatures behind her remained perfectly still.
Waiting.
"If you come with me now..."
"I will welcome you home."
"No chains."
"No punishment."
"No resentment."
"My kingdom still has a place for both of you."
Her eyes lingered on Todd.
"My son..."
"...and the man I once loved."
Silence.
Arthur's answer came without hesitation.
"No."
Not a second of doubt.
Not even the slightest pause.
Just...
No.
The Fairy Queen closed her eyes.
"...I expected as much."
When she opened them again...
There wasn't a trace of warmth left.
Her voice echoed with the authority of a sovereign addressing an entire nation.
"Then hear me."
"If you stand beside me..."
"...you are my family."
"If you stand against me..."
"...you stand with humanity."
A gentle breeze swept through the room.
Every fairy behind her slowly raised its weapon.
The treants dug their roots into the earth.
The unicorns lowered their horns.
The giants clenched fists the size of boulders.
Then she spoke the words that Arthur had dreaded for years.
"If you oppose me..."
"...I will not hesitate to kill you."
A brief pause followed.
Her gaze softened for the smallest fraction of a second.
"...Not again."
Arthur understood.
There had been a time...
Long ago...
When she had hesitated.
When love had stayed her hand.
When she had chosen exile over spilling the blood of the man she loved.
That hesitation...
Would never happen twice.
Arthur slowly smiled.
Not because he found anything amusing.
But because, at last...
He knew the woman before him was gone forever.
He gently rested a hand on Todd's head.
"Run."
Todd's eyes filled with tears.
"Dad..."
"Run."
This time...
There was no room for argument.
Perfect. I'll keep the flashback unresolved exactly as you intended and bring us cleanly back to the present.
"Run."
Arthur's voice echoed through the house.
Todd stood frozen.
His eyes darted between the two people standing before him.
One was the father who had raised him.
The other...
The mother he had only just found.
"Dad..."
Arthur didn't take his eyes off the Fairy Queen.
"Listen to me."
His voice remained calm.
Almost impossibly calm.
"There are moments in life when you'll be afraid."
"There are moments when you'll have no idea what the right answer is."
"But if you remember nothing else I ever taught you..."
"...remember this."
Arthur finally glanced back at his son.
His smile...
Was exactly the same smile Todd had seen across the dinner table countless times.
Warm.
Gentle.
Proud.
"Live freely."
"Choose your own path."
"And never let anyone..."
"...dictate your future."
Todd's lips quivered.
"Dad..."
Arthur gave him a small nod.
"Now run."
The Fairy Queen quietly watched the exchange.
For the briefest instant...
Something unreadable flickered across her face.
Then it vanished.
Todd took one hesitant step backward.
Then another.
His breathing became uneven.
"I..."
"I'm sorry..."
Arthur smiled.
"What are you apologizing for?"
"You've done nothing wrong."
Another step.
Then another.
Before long...
Todd turned around.
And ran.
He didn't look back.
Not because he wasn't tempted to...
But because he trusted his father more than anyone in the world.
The last thing he heard before disappearing into the forest...
Was the sound of countless wings taking flight.
---
The memory shattered.
Todd slowly opened his eyes.
The academy hallway returned.
Silent.
Empty.
His reflection stared back at him from the polished floor.
For several long moments...
He simply stood there.
"...You were right, Dad."
A bitter smile appeared on his face.
"They really did try to decide humanity's future."
His hand unconsciously tightened into a fist.
"For years..."
"I searched."
"I learned."
"I prepared."
"I gathered those who refused to bow."
His eyes hardened with quiet determination.
"My army is nearly complete."
A long silence followed.
Then, almost too softly to hear...
"I'll avenge you, Dad."
Footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Todd lifted his head.
At the far end of the hallway...
The academy's front doors slowly opened.
A young woman stepped inside.
Crimson hair swayed gently behind her.
Her turquoise eyes wandered across the unfamiliar surroundings with equal parts curiosity and confidence.
She wore the academy uniform proudly, as though she had belonged there all along.
Todd watched her in silence.
The moment she crossed the threshold...
He felt it.
That unmistakable sensation.
The same foreign presence...
The same impossible aura...
The same feeling he had experienced as a child standing before the crystal.
His eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
"...Just as I suspected."
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"You..."
"...aren't of this world."
Elara tilted her head.
Their eyes met across the length of the corridor.
For a brief moment...
Neither of them spoke.
Then Todd straightened his suit, his warm smile returning as though none of the memories from moments ago had ever existed.
He walked forward with measured steps.
"Good morning."
"My name is Todd."
"I'm the headmaster of Apex Academy."
"...And I'd like to officially welcome you."
He stretched out his hands and Elara took it with a firm grip. The two shook hands and he turned back beckoning her to follow.
The headmaster and Elara walked side by side through the academy's spacious hallways.
Students hurried past carrying books under their arms while others chatted excitedly about clubs, assignments and yesterday's chaos.
Every now and then someone recognized Elara.
"Hey... isn't that the girl who outran the disciplinary committee?"
"I heard she fought Celeste."
"No way."
"That's definitely her."
Elara blinked.
"They know me already?"
Todd chuckled.
"You did make quite the entrance."
"I merely wished to reunite with Sir Haru."
"...By climbing over the academy wall."
"The gate was closed."
"The gate was guarded."
"It was."
"..."
"..."
Todd sighed.
"I suppose we'll call that a difference in perspective."
Elara smiled proudly.
"I am pleased you understand."
"No... I really don't."
---
The tour continued.
Todd pointed toward an enormous glass building.
"That's our library."
Elara's eyes widened.
"So many books..."
"It houses over three hundred thousand."
"..."
She looked at him.
"Three hundred... thousand?"
"We're still adding more."
"Your kingdom truly values knowledge."
Todd smiled.
"We try."
They continued walking until another part of the campus came into view.
Unlike the polished stone paths they'd been following, this section was filled with flowers of every imaginable color.
Large cherry blossom trees swayed gently in the breeze.
Tiny streams flowed between carefully arranged flower beds.
Butterflies drifted lazily through the air.
For the first time since beginning the tour...
Todd completely stopped walking.
A warm smile spread across his face.
Elara noticed immediately.
"You love this place."
"...I do."
He slowly stepped onto the stone pathway leading through the gardens.
"I designed most of it myself."
"You did?"
He nodded.
"My mother loved flowers."
His voice softened.
"She believed gardens reflected the heart of the people who cared for them."
He gently brushed a hand across the petals of a white lily.
"So I suppose... maintaining this place makes me feel close to her."
Elara silently watched him.
Then she smiled.
"...You remind me of Sir Haru."
Todd blinked.
"I do?"
"Very much."
"Should I be concerned?"
"He also becomes strangely passionate whenever plants are involved."
Todd laughed.
"So I'm not the only one."
"I once witnessed him spend thirty minutes explaining why a certain flower deserved more appreciation."
"..."
Todd looked oddly impressed.
"I should introduce him to the gardening club."
"I fear the flowers would become spoiled."
"...Fair point."
For a brief moment...
Both of them burst into laughter.
---
Leaving the gardens behind, Todd stopped before a large stone monument.
Several letters were engraved across its surface.
Apex Academy Ranking System
Elara tilted her head.
"What is this?"
"This academy isn't divided by age."
"It isn't?"
"No."
Todd folded his hands behind his back.
"We divide students according to potential."
He pointed toward the first engraving.
"C Class."
"The foundation."
"They possess exceptional academic ability."
"The world sees them as our finest students."
"They consistently achieve results that ordinary schools can only dream of."
"So they are your greatest scholars."
"Precisely."
He then pointed higher.
"B Class."
Elara immediately noticed the letter was larger.
"These students fascinate me."
"They may not always excel academically..."
"...but each possesses a talent so extraordinary that it surpasses normal human expectations."
He smiled.
"The world's fastest student?"
"B Class."
"The greatest pianist?"
"B Class."
"The student capable of memorizing an entire textbook after reading it once?"
"B Class."
Elara looked impressed.
"So talent outweighs knowledge?"
Todd nodded without hesitation.
"Every time."
"Knowledge can be taught."
"Talent..."
"...is priceless."
He continued upward.
"A Class."
"The academy's finest."
"They possess both exceptional intelligence and exceptional talent."
"The kind of individuals capable of thriving almost anywhere."
Elara immediately smiled.
"Sir Haru belongs there."
"He does."
"I am unsurprised."
Todd laughed.
"I had a feeling you'd say that."
---
Then...
Elara noticed something.
Above A-Class...
One final letter.
S.
She pointed toward it.
"And that?"
Todd became noticeably quieter.
"...S Class."
His smile remained.
Yet somehow...
It felt different.
"They are students who have exceeded the limits placed upon ordinary humanity."
"..."
"..."
Elara waited.
"...That's all?"
Todd laughed.
"I never said I was going to explain everything."
"So they truly exist?"
"Oh yes."
"In fact..."
He turned toward her.
"I hope every student one day reaches S Class."
"...Then where are they?"
"They're busy."
"...Busy doing what?"
Todd looked out across the academy.
"Preparing to become the kind of people history never forgets."
"..."
"They still attend this academy?"
"They do."
"I have yet to see one."
"You won't."
"...Why?"
"Because becoming an S-Class student changes everything."
He began walking again.
"Their lessons."
"Their responsibilities."
"Their future."
"It all changes."
"..."
"..."
Elara frowned.
"You enjoy speaking in riddles."
Todd grinned.
"I've been told that before."
---
As they rounded another corner...
Loud whistles echoed through the air.
The unmistakable sounds of bouncing basketballs, cheering students and clashing practice swords filled the academy grounds.
Todd spread both arms dramatically.
"And here..."
"...is my favorite place after the gardens."
The enormous sports complex stretched as far as Elara could see.
Indoor courts.
Swimming pools.
Training halls.
Running tracks.
Climbing walls.
Practice arenas.
Her jaw slowly dropped.
"...Your soldiers train here?"
Todd blinked.
"My what?"
"Your soldiers."
"...Students."
"They appear remarkably similar."
"...I suppose that's one way to look at it."
Just then...
A towering man wearing a whistle around his neck walked over.
Muscular.
Broad shouldered.
Warm smile.
"Todd."
"Benjamin."
Todd gestured toward Elara.
"Our newest student."
Benjamin extended his hand.
"Nice to meet you."
Elara immediately stood perfectly straight before saluting.
"It is an honor to meet this academy's Knight Commander!"
Benjamin froze.
"...Knight Commander?"
Todd immediately burst into laughter.
Benjamin scratched the back of his head.
"I've been called Coach..."
"Sir..."
"Even Drill Sergeant once..."
"...but Knight Commander is definitely a first."
Elara nodded proudly.
"It suits you."
Benjamin couldn't help smiling.
"You know what?"
"I'll take it."
Todd wiped a tear from his eye.
"I knew introducing you two would be entertaining."
The moment Benjamin pushed open the massive gymnasium doors, a wave of noise washed over them.
Basketballs bounced rhythmically against polished floors.
Volleyballs flew through the air.
The sharp clang of practice swords echoed from a fenced training area.
Somewhere in the distance...
Someone screamed triumphantly.
"I DID IT!"
Immediately followed by another voice.
"NO YOU DIDN'T! GET BACK HERE!"
Elara's eyes sparkled.
"...Magnificent."
Benjamin laughed.
"I take it you've never seen anything like this."
"It resembles a grand military training camp."
"..."
"I suppose that's not entirely inaccurate."
Todd folded his arms.
"Unlike ordinary schools, we believe talent should be nurtured, not ignored."
He gestured around the enormous building.
"Every sport."
"Every art."
"Every craft."
"If a student possesses talent..."
"We provide the means for them to reach their absolute peak."
Elara slowly turned in every direction.
"I would require an entire day merely to admire this place."
"You'll have far longer than that."
---
"Headmaster."
A familiar voice interrupted them.
Todd smiled.
"Perfect timing."
Walking toward them in sports attire was Celeste.
Even dressed casually, she carried herself with the confidence of a champion.
She stopped beside Todd before noticing Elara.
"...You."
Elara smiled brightly.
"Lady Celeste."
"I've been wondering when we'd meet again."
Celeste sighed.
"I had a feeling."
Todd clasped his hands together.
"Actually, I have a favor."
"...I knew it."
"Would you mind showing Elara around the facilities?"
Celeste looked between them.
"...Why me?"
"Because you know this building better than anyone."
Benjamin nodded enthusiastically.
"She's basically our tour guide at this point."
"...I never agreed to that title."
"You don't have to."
"I've already printed it mentally."
Celeste pinched the bridge of her nose.
"...Fine."
She looked toward Elara.
"Come on."
---
The tour was surprisingly lively.
"This is the basketball court."
"The volleyball courts."
"The swimming pools."
"The martial arts dojo."
"The indoor climbing arena."
"The gymnastics hall."
Every explanation was immediately translated inside Elara's head.
"Warrior's court."
"Sky-ball arena."
"Royal bathhouse."
"Knight's training grounds."
"Mountain simulation."
"Acrobat battlefield."
Celeste eventually stopped correcting her.
"...Close enough."
---
As they walked deeper into the building...
Rapid punches echoed from a nearby room.
THUD.
THUD.
THUD.
Elara instinctively peeked inside.
A girl with crimson-red gloves was relentlessly assaulting a punching bag.
Left.
Right.
Uppercut.
Hook.
Knee strike.
Elbow.
She moved with frightening precision.
Even after several minutes...
She hadn't slowed down.
Elara blinked.
"...Is she battling an invisible foe?"
Celeste glanced over.
"Oh."
"That's Mika."
"She trains whenever she has free time."
Elara looked impressed.
"Wait did you say Mika ?'
Almost as if hearing her name...
Mika unleashed one final punch this time she spun around carrying a lot of momentum which she aimed at a punching bag.
BOOM!
The heavy punching bag swung so violently that its chain snapped.
The entire thing crashed onto the floor.
Silence.
Everyone inside the room slowly turned toward her.
"..."
"...Oops."
Mika scratched the back of her head.
"I'm... sorry about that."
Benjamin sighed from across the hall.
"...Again?"
She awkwardly smiled.
"Again."
Elara waved her hand,
"Hey Mika! Nice punch."
Mika chuckled nervously then looked surprised.
"Elara!"
Without a second thought she abandoned the punching bag entirely and sprinted over.
"Where the heck did you disappear to?! One second you were beside me, the next poof!"
Elara laughed awkwardly.
"His Excellency employed rather... unconventional means of transportation."
Mika blinked.
"...You mean the headmaster kidnapped you?"
Todd coughed into his fist.
"I prefer the term 'borrowed.'"
"That's still kidnapping."
Celeste nodded.
"Let us carry on." The headmaster said awkwardly. "Good day to you Mika."
They continued walking until Elara suddenly stopped.
Rows upon rows of green courts stretched before her.
Students dressed in white uniforms rallied back and forth.
The steady rhythm of rackets striking tennis balls echoed beautifully through the air.
Elara tilted her head.
"...What manner of duel is this?"
"Tennis."
"They're using shields?"
"...Rackets."
"I see."
Her gaze followed every movement.
The footwork.
The positioning.
The timing.
The explosive swings.
"..."
"..."
Something clicked.
"...The movements resemble swordplay."
Benjamin overheard her.
"They actually do."
"Good footwork is everything."
Elara looked at him.
"...May I attempt this battle?"
Benjamin grinned.
"That's what this place is for."
---
Five minutes later...
Benjamin handed her a racket.
Elara accepted it with both hands.
"...A curious sword."
Benjamin blinked.
"It isn't—"
Too late.
With one smooth motion...
She drew it from her side as though unsheathing a legendary blade.
SHING!
There was, of course, no actual sound.
But everyone nearby somehow imagined hearing one.
Benjamin slowly covered his face.
"...She's doing it again."
Celeste sighed.
"I warned you."
---
Benjamin bounced a tennis ball toward her.
"First lesson."
"Don't hit it."
"Just bounce it on the racket."
Elara nodded confidently.
"I understand."
One bounce.
Two.
Three.
Then...
She unconsciously shifted into a swordsman's stance.
Benjamin's eyes widened.
"...Wait."
Too late.
"HYAAAH!"
WHOOOOM!!
The ball shot straight upward.
Everyone instinctively looked toward the ceiling.
Five seconds.
Ten.
Fifteen.
"..."
"..."
"...Where did it go?"
A loud crash echoed somewhere outside the building.
Benjamin sighed.
"...Maintenance is going to hate me."
---
The second attempt went far better.
Benjamin demonstrated a proper forehand.
"Relax your wrist."
"I see."
"Less strength."
"I understand."
"Don't treat it like a sword."
"...Very well."
She nodded seriously.
Then immediately bowed toward the opposite side of the court.
"I respectfully request this honorable duel."
Benjamin laughed so hard he nearly dropped his whistle.
Celeste actually smiled.
"...You're unbelievable."
---
The next half hour passed quickly.
Each rally lasted longer than the last.
At first...
Elara missed almost every ball.
Then...
She started returning them.
Soon...
She began predicting where they would land.
Benjamin folded his arms.
"...She's learning absurdly fast."
Celeste nodded.
"I noticed."
"She only repeats a mistake once."
"Never twice."
Benjamin smiled.
"I've seen gifted athletes before..."
"...but this..."
"This is ridiculous."
---
Eventually...
Benjamin looked around.
"We need someone stronger."
Almost immediately...
A calm voice answered.
"I'll do it."
Everyone turned.
Walking toward the court was a girl with long black hair.
Crimson eyes.
An almost regal posture.
She casually spun a tennis racket in one hand.
For a split second...
Elara's heart skipped.
"..."
"...Have we met?"
The girl frowned ever so slightly.
"...No."
"...I don't believe we have."
Yet...
For reasons neither could explain...
Both of them felt as though they had met countless times before.
Benjamin smiled.
"Perfect timing, Yukiko."
"Mind giving our newcomer a proper challenge?"
The crimson-eyed girl nodded.
"...Gladly."
She walked onto the opposite side of the court before calmly taking her stance.
Then...
For the very first time...
She smiled.
"I'll make this simple."
"First to win three matches."
Elara mirrored her stance.
"...I accept."
Around them...
Students slowly began gathering.
Without realizing it...
The gym had just found today's entertainment.
The spectators naturally formed a circle around the court.
Some students leaned against the surrounding fence while others sat on nearby benches.
Word spread astonishingly fast.
"Isn't that the girl from yesterday?"
"The one who outran the disciplinary committee?"
"I heard she fought Celeste."
"No way."
"Who's her opponent?"
"...Yukiko."
"...Poor new girl."
---
Benjamin stepped between them holding a basket full of tennis balls.
"The rules are simple."
"Three matches."
"No dirty tricks."
"No killing each other."
Elara raised a hand.
"...That last rule concerns me."
Benjamin blinked.
"It was mostly directed at you."
"...Understandable."
Several students burst into laughter.
Even Yukiko's lips twitched ever so slightly.
---
The whistle blew.
The first match began.
Yukiko's opening serve looked effortless.
THWACK!
Before Elara could even react...
The ball landed behind her.
"Fifteen-love."
Elara slowly turned toward the ball.
"...It has remarkable speed."
Benjamin nodded.
"Welcome to tennis."
---
The next point...
Elara swung far too early.
The one after that...
Far too late.
She occasionally forgot she wasn't wielding a sword and attempted wide sweeping strikes that would have looked magnificent on a battlefield but accomplished absolutely nothing on a tennis court.
Benjamin buried his face in his hands.
"...She tried to parry it."
Celeste folded her arms.
"I told you she'd treat it like swordsmanship."
---
The first match ended almost embarrassingly fast.
"Game."
"Yukiko."
Elara bowed respectfully.
"...You are formidable."
Yukiko simply nodded.
"So are you."
"..."
"..."
Everyone stared.
Benjamin blinked.
"...Didn't she lose every point?"
Yukiko kept watching Elara.
"...She learned."
---
The second match started immediately.
This time...
Something had changed.
Instead of staring at the ball...
Elara watched Yukiko.
Her shoulders.
Her feet.
Her grip.
The movement of her wrist.
She wasn't following the ball anymore.
She was reading the person hitting it.
The first serve came.
Elara moved.
THWACK!
The ball flew back across the net.
The crowd gasped.
"She returned it!"
"Already?!"
Yukiko's eyes narrowed.
"...Interesting."
---
The rallies gradually became longer.
Five hits.
Seven.
Ten.
Thirteen.
Every time Yukiko scored...
Elara adjusted.
Every mistake disappeared almost immediately.
Benjamin couldn't hide his excitement.
"She's downloading tennis in real time."
Todd chuckled.
"I've noticed."
Celeste sighed.
"...That sentence somehow made perfect sense."
---
Despite her rapid improvement...
Experience still prevailed.
Yukiko claimed the second match as well.
She calmly walked back toward the baseline.
"Two."
Elara smiled.
"...One more."
"I look forward to it."
For the first time...
Yukiko smiled back.
"So do I."
---
The third match began.
Immediately...
Everyone realized something was different.
No one spoke.
The rallies became faster.
Longer.
Sharper.
Neither side willingly surrendered a point.
Benjamin's whistle hung forgotten around his neck.
Even he had stopped pretending this was merely practice.
---
"Haa!"
THWACK!
"Hah!"
THWACK!
"Hya!"
THWACK!
Back and forth.
Again.
Again.
Again.
The rhythm became almost hypnotic.
Students unconsciously leaned forward.
Each return somehow came back even better than the last.
---
Yukiko smiled.
"...You're adapting again."
Elara laughed.
"...I could say the same."
Without realizing it...
Neither of them was thinking about winning anymore.
They were simply enjoying themselves.
For reasons they couldn't explain...
Playing against each other felt...
Comfortably familiar.
---
The scoreboard ticked upward.
Deuce.
Advantage.
Deuce.
Advantage.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Benjamin stared.
"...This is only her first hour."
Celeste quietly answered,
"...I know."
---
Only one minute remained.
Yukiko launched a deep shot toward the back line.
Elara sprinted.
She barely reached it.
The return soared high into the evening sky.
Everyone instinctively looked upward.
The descending ball seemed to hang in the air forever.
Elara bent her knees.
Preparing to strike.
Then...
A memory surfaced.
Not her own.
A group of volleyball players.
One leaping high above the net.
Driving the ball downward with explosive force.
She remembered Celeste's words.
"That's called a spike."
"...A spike..."
She whispered.
Benjamin suddenly noticed the way she crouched.
"...Wait."
Celeste's eyes widened.
"No..."
Elara jumped.
Far higher than anyone expected.
Time itself seemed to slow.
Her body twisted gracefully in midair.
For just an instant...
The tennis racket no longer looked like sporting equipment.
It looked like the sword of a knight descending upon her greatest enemy.
"HYAAAH!"
The instant the racket connected—
BOOOOOOOM!!
The air exploded.
A visible shockwave burst outward.
The sound echoed throughout the entire gymnasium.
Benjamin's whistle flew out of his mouth.
Students stumbled backward.
Several balls rolled off nearby courts.
The tennis ball became little more than a yellow blur.
Yukiko reacted immediately.
Perfect footwork.
Perfect positioning.
Perfect timing.
She swung.
CRACK!
Her racket flew completely out of her hand.
It spun through the air before embedding itself halfway into the protective fence.
Silence.
...
...
The tennis ball struck the court.
BOOM!
Dust erupted.
When it cleared...
A deep crater-like dent had formed in the surface.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Benjamin slowly walked over.
He stared at the damaged court.
Then at Elara.
Then back at the court.
"..."
He sighed the sigh of a man who knew paperwork awaited him.
"...Todd..."
The headmaster smiled innocently.
"...Yes?"
"...You're paying for this one."
"I had a feeling you'd say that."
The scoreboard buzzed.
Game. Match. Elara.
The crowd erupted into thunderous applause.
Yukiko looked at the empty space where her racket had once been.
Then at Elara.
She slowly exhaled.
"...I won the first two matches."
"...Yet somehow..."
"...Losing the last one feels far worse."
Elara scratched the back of her head sheepishly.
"...Does that mean I improved?"
Yukiko stared at her for several seconds.
Then...
She extended her hand.
"...It means..."
"...I want a rematch someday."
Elara's face lit up.
"I would be honored."
Their hands met.
For the briefest instant...
Both of them froze.
Again.
That strange feeling that only Yukiko understood.
Like they had shaken these same hands...
Long ago.
Neither spoke of it.
Yukiko quietly picked up what remained of her dignity... and what remained of her racket.
"I have class to attend."
She turned and walked toward the exit.
Benjamin watched her leave before looking back at Elara.
"...Congratulations."
"...You just broke the tennis court."
"...On your first day."
Elara blinked.
"...Is that considered poor etiquette?"
Celeste laughed.
Actually laughed.
"...Very."
The entire gym burst into laughter, and even Todd couldn't suppress a smile.
He had come to evaluate a transfer student.
Instead...
He had just witnessed yet another impossible talent.
And somewhere deep inside...
His confidence grew.
"Perhaps... this time... we really do stand a chance."
The silence was suddenly filled by slow clapping, it was and was surprised to see it was Todd.
"Impressive you have clearly proven you are talented now it is time to evaluate your academic prowess, the written exam is next, I look forward to seeing how you perform."