Chapter - 10

Cadet Ari of the academy still couldn’t adjust to the recent changes in her life.

“Ari, good morning~”

“Good morning!”

From the wealthy children of merchant families.

“Ari, where are you headed?”

“To the headmaster’s office! He called for me.”

“The headmaster? For what?”

“Huh? I’m not sure. He just told me to come.”

“The headmaster calling for you? That’s amazing. Ari, when you make it big, you better not forget about me.”

“Of course not!”

Even the children of noble families, who once seemed as unreachable as the sky, now treated her differently.

This attention she was getting felt completely unfamiliar.

‘It’s because of the aura, isn’t it?’

Ari’s gaze naturally shifted to the sword hanging at her waist.

Since she unlocked her aura during the promotion exam not too long ago, many things around her had changed.

From the way people looked at her, to how she viewed the world.

She lifted her eyes and took in her surroundings.

The beautifully sprawling academy grounds, the tree-lined path that connected it all. Cadets in their uniforms gathered in groups, chatting away.

Everything seemed the same, yet everything felt different.

The mysterious magic circles carved into the grounds, the faint presence she could sense all along the path, the clearly distinguished skills of the other cadets.

Things she had never noticed before now appeared faintly, and at times, vividly.

By the time she neared the headmaster’s office, she could distinctly sense two strong presences, even with her still-developing skills.

‘Two?’

She was sure about one of them.

The headmaster of the academy, Count Darhan.

The memory of that day was still vivid for Ari.

Right after she passed the promotion exam and unlocked her aura, the headmaster had personally come to congratulate her.

The kind and gentle old man she had always known was nowhere to be found.

Instead, standing before her was the Empire’s Master, a presence so overwhelming it seemed to crush everything around him.

‘It was terrifying…’

Even though she knew the headmaster would never harm her, the sheer force of his presence was enough to stir fear in her.

But now, there was someone else who gave off a presence just as powerful as the headmaster?

Suppressing her curiosity and fear, Ari walked toward the headmaster’s office.

_______________________

Knock, knock, knock.

“Headmaster, it’s Ari.”

“Come in.”

As soon as she knocked, permission to enter was granted.

Carefully, Ari opened the door and stepped inside, immediately spotting the headmaster seated at his desk and a man standing beside him whom she had never seen before.

The man appeared to be a little younger than the headmaster—an exceptionally handsome middle-aged man dressed in gleaming white armor adorned with a golden dragon.

“Oh, Count. Is this the one?”

“Indeed, Commander.”

‘Golden dragon… Commander… No way…’

“Ari, introduce yourself. This is Sir Feltz, Commander of the Royal Knights.”

“I-it’s an honor to meet you, Commander of the Royal Knights!”

“Yes, I’m Feltz. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“It’s truly an honor, sir!”

“Haha, there will be more moments worthy of honor ahead. Meeting an old man like me can hardly be called that.”

“What do you mean, sir?! I’ve admired you for so long!”

“Hmm?”

Without even realizing it, Ari’s voice had grown louder in her excitement, and she continued speaking, overflowing with enthusiasm.

“You entered the Royal Knights on pure skill alone, armed with nothing but a single sword, and rose all the way to Commander! Sir Feltz, you’ve been my idol! Even your achievements as Vice-Commander are more than worthy of being written into history books, and not too long ago, you—”

“Ari, I understand, but please lower your voice.”

“Oh… I’m sorry.”

Only after the headmaster cut her off did Ari blush and fall silent, realizing her outburst. Sir Feltz, who had been watching with a satisfied expression, brightened even more before speaking again.

“Thank you for holding me in such high regard. I’ve been eager to meet you as well.”

“Really?!”

“Of course. Why else would I have taken up the role of an errand boy today?”

“An errand boy…?”

The idea of the Commander of the Royal Knights acting as an errand boy was baffling. There was only one person who could command him to do such a thing…

Realization struck Ari like lightning, her mind going completely blank.

Ignoring Ari, who had frozen in place, Sir Feltz reached into his coat and pulled out a box.

“Take it. It’s a gift from His Majesty, the Emperor.”

____________________________________________

Ari returned to her dormitory, still in a daze.

Had it not been for the precious box cradled in her arms, carefully protected from any possible bumps, she might have thought the entire experience was a dream.

‘The Emperor, sending something… to me?’

It was beyond belief.

The luxurious box she had never seen the likes of in her life, made of the finest materials, adorned with a purple dragon, felt unreal. She couldn’t even remember how she made it back to her dormitory.

‘From what I heard, His Majesty wrote the letter himself. Open it when you’re alone in your dorm,’ Feltz had told her.

Meeting Sir Feltz, the knight she had admired for so long, and receiving his kind words had left her feeling as if she could float away. But now that she was here, her excitement had turned into an overwhelming sense of fear.

‘Am I really deserving of something like this?’

No, this was a gift bestowed by the Emperor.

To even question it would be a sign of disrespect.

Thinking that far, a foolish little chuckle escaped her lips.

‘I guess I should open it now? Should I open it right away? No, no. I should wash up first, and then open it with a proper mindset.’

Even though she had already washed that morning, she felt inexplicably inadequate. So, she bathed again, and changed into fresh clothes. It was just another uniform, but still, Ari made sure she was dressed as neatly as possible before kneeling in front of the box.

‘Alright, here goes!’

With careful hands, she opened the box. Inside, a pill with a faint blue hue and a fine piece of stationary caught her eye.

‘This is…!’

With utmost caution, afraid it might crinkle, she picked up the letter.

Ari.

As soon as she read the first line, it felt like her breath had stopped.

‘The Emperor knows my name…!’

She forced her pounding heart to calm down and turned her gaze back to the letter.

I have heard from Count Darhan that among the cadets overflowing with talent, one stands out in particular.

I was greatly surprised to hear that a girl not yet twenty has awakened her aura, and even more impressed to learn that it was to save a comrade in danger.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that the reason I established this academy was to discover talents like yours.

To the pillar of the Empire’s future, I wish to present a small gift.

It is an elixir that has been kept in my treasury.

The previous Emperor had prepared this elixir in case I showed an interest in the sword. It’s a remarkable item in both potency and safety.

Unfortunately, I never took an interest in swordsmanship, so it has simply been sitting in storage until now. At last, it has found its rightful owner.

I hope this elixir aids you on your path forward.

When you reach the level of an Expert, I would like to meet you in person and speak with you.

I look forward to that day, which I trust is not far off. Until then, I will end this letter here.

—His Majesty, the Emperor

‘The Emperor…!’

Overcome with emotion, Ari carefully set the letter down, making sure not to crease it, and turned her attention to the elixir.

As she swallowed the precious pill, Ari made a firm vow to herself.

She would absolutely, without fail, reach the level of an Expert.

And one day, she would surpass even that, to stand as someone who could serve the Emperor, just like Sir Feltz.

Oh, and this letter? She would cast preservation magic on it and keep it safe for generations to come.

__________________________

“Your Majesty.”

“Oh, Sir Feltz. Did you meet the cadet?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. It’s been a while since I’ve seen such youthful energy—it made me feel young again myself.”

“Hoho.”

“She’s a very passionate one. In my opinion, she’s not far from reaching the level of an Expert.”

“Is that so?”

“She’s already impressively skilled at controlling her aura, far more than you’d expect from someone who just awakened it. She also seems to have sharp vision. Cadets like that tend to grow quickly.”

“I’m getting more and more eager to see her progress.”

“Haha, you won’t be disappointed. But, Your Majesty, are you truly alright with giving her that elixir? A potion of that caliber could have been of great benefit to your own magic.”

“Haha, Sir Feltz, I’ve consumed far more elixirs than you think. I’ve reached a point where no more elixirs can offer me any additional benefit, so there’s no need to worry.”

I’ve already gathered every hidden artifact across the continent that could be of use, except for a few swordsman-specific ones I left for Xian.

The royal elixirs are effective, but compared to what I’ve already consumed, they’re not particularly special.

In fact, some of the elixirs stored in the royal treasury surpassed even the most powerful hidden treasures from the game. I’ve taken them all, so I no longer have any reason to covet more.

“If that’s the case, then I see. Oh, Your Majesty, now that I think of it, I noticed Sir Giel’s absence. Do you know where he has gone?”

“Sir Giel has gone to the East.”

“The East, Your Majesty?”

“Yes. I trusted Marquis Gior with the eastern territories, but he has failed to meet my expectations. I intend to reprimand him, but not just anyone can be sent to handle such matters.”

“Hm… A reprimand, you say.”

“If he truly did not know that rebels and demon worshippers were gathering in his lands, then he is incompetent. And if he did know…”

I smiled and joked with Sir Feltz.

“Sir Feltz, by any chance, are you considering becoming a marquis once you retire?”