“… But make no mistake. While runes are certainly powerful, even their long history of research and polish has not allowed them to break through certain limitations. They’re limited in space, both in regard to the symbols drawn and the amount of prana that can be stored, depending on the material used. The need for proper conductive potential can also be a double-edged sword, as the stored prana can seep away through the passage of time and the high prana density in some areas may cause dangerous accidents.” Throvim Van Svelten lectured in a very good mood, clearly enjoying his time away from the holographic board.

  This study hall, just like most others in the facility, was rather standard-looking compared to the architecture outside. Aside from the glyphs on the instructor’s desk, of which only some lit up at any given time in accordance to the desired prana display, the room would not have looked out of place in a more normal university.

  A cadet seated on the second row raised her hand, though the olive-haired instructor did not even spare a glance and merely acknowledged her through a chin gesture.

  “Err… Mr. Van Svelten, if a sorcerer doesn’t need to keep any constant connection or upkeep for a rune, does that mean having a lot of runic equipment could be a solution to regulator limitations? Wouldn’t they be able to use all those spells at once, whenever needed?”

  “Mm?”

  Seated on the front row, Edmond heard the question loud and clear. His interest in the lesson, while quite high all the way through, had definitely peaked now.

  But Throvim seemed less thrilled, narrowing his eyes as he sighed, then forcing a mildly understanding smile on his face.

  “Well, when it comes to runes, it’s true that prana consumption is reduced to only what the activation itself needs. That is, if the rune has enough prana inside of it. You also only need enough concentration for said activation, regardless of the actual spell the rune contains. But while a rune can be seen as an automated spell, one still needs to be able to cast that spell when actually constructing the rune. Not to mention what keeping track of all those runes means, as well as performing maintenance should external conditions warrant it.”

  “… I… I see… Thank you, sir?”

  The second-year cadet slumped back with the face of someone who had unintentionally messed up, not made any better by a couple of her girl friends teasing her from the row right behind.

  Isn’t that just avoiding the question? I mean, what he said is important of course, but it’s not really what she asked about…

  On his end, Edmond was quite a bit disappointed. Then again, with the lecture having switched over to the limitations of runes, it was understandable that Throvim would try to keep things on topic himself.

  Two days had passed since his debrief with Claude, Kloel and Tatyana. His injuries were far from fully healed, with showers, bedtime and even cooking still being absolute struggles. Nonetheless, he still felt much better, and with Kloel’s help with some smart make-up, Edmond doubted anyone would suspect anything beyond overtraining or a small accident.

  Deciding to consult Throvim was easy enough, but actually reaching out to the instructor was completely different. His advising hours were limited in the first place, and they had all been booked for the following week. However, Edmond was fortunate enough to have this class with him at the end of the day, allowing him to possibly bypass the unexpected roadblock.

  “Alright. If that’s all, then we’re done with the material for today. Don’t forget to research the age and key traits of at least three runic languages for our first practice session next week.”

  Feeling a sudden sense of urgency from the lecture’s abrupt conclusion, Edmond raised his hand quickly, but Throvim seemed to not notice. Instead, he stored the few belongings he had brought within a spatial distortion rune in his long sleeve, right as he began taking his leave.

  You’re kidding me!

  “Mr. Van Svelten!”

  Things somehow took a turn for the worse as the other cadets began to follow his lead, not only making it harder for the instructor to even see his outstretched hand, but also to hear Edmond’s call. The olive-haired sorcerer left the room calmly, with Edmond’s compensation being little more than sympathetic glances from a few fellow trainees. He thought to have heard one of them try and call for Throvim as well, but whether it was an attempt to help or a concern of their own, it also failed.

  Edmond almost grumbled in annoyance as he finished getting his belongings back into his bag, and hurriedly stepped toward the study hall’s exit. Leaving a few off-handed apologies on his way, he knew losing Throvim at this time could set his plans significantly behind.

  Luckily, he kept sight of him upon exiting the room, and while he had to regrettably push some people out of the way, he finally reached the instructor.

  Good thing he’s not surrounded by celebrity chasers anymore!

  “M-Mr. Van Svelten!” Edmond almost cried out.

  He could not have been more relieved once he saw the handsome knight turn to him, even if his eyes looked a little more confused than he thought fair.

  “You are…?”

  “Bach, sir. Feel free to call me Edmond. I have an important question for you, and I know you have a busy schedule so I promise it won’t take much time.”

  “… Very well, then. What is it?”

  After the confused, and then pondering gaze Throvim had shown until now, Edmond could not deny the joy he felt once the instructor showed a considerate smile.

  Though there was still one issue that had been overlooked.

  “Err, should we get out of the building first?”

  That being, the many people walking past them as they headed to whatever business they had. Standing in the middle of the hallway with Throvim, Edmond felt more than a tad uncomfortable.

  “Didn’t you say it wouldn’t take much time?”

  The man himself did not seem to care nearly as much, however. Knowing better than to waste more of the instructor’s time and that further discussion would only keep them in such a position even longer, Edmond powered through the awkwardness and showed a picture on his phone.

  “I was doing some research to prepare for today’s lecture, and came across this curious pattern.”

  “… Did it come from some conspiracy theory site? You probably fell for a fake, Bach.”

  “…! R-Really?” Edmond felt a cold sweat run down his back, an embarrassed half-smile appearing right after.

  The image on display was not the message in the Nemesis discussion board. Among the four cadets who had seen it, everyone agreed about the possibility of the coded contents being potentially dangerous, whether it was the information itself or the possibility it said something offensive.

  Thus, in anticipation of asking for Throvim’s assistance, Edmond and the others had dedicated a fair share of time to forging a flawed imitation, while doing their best to retain as much of the ‘style’ as possible so that the instructor may be able to recognize something.

  Of course, there was the risk that it would just look like a mock-up, but the possibility should have been pretty small, even if a devastating result should it happen.

  “I-I mean, I was told that as well by my recruiter, so I tried to check for more and I did find a few more sites with similar patterns. Are you absolutely certain it’s just a fake?”

  “Either that, or it’s some obscure herald crest.” Throvim answered without sparing a second glance at the image.

  Edmond’s immediately honed into the unfamiliar term.

  “A herald crest?”

  “It’s an antiquated term for unique runic languages, back when it was common for most sorcerers to invent their own and pass them down only to their personal disciples.”

  That… somehow just sounds unnecessary. And silly.

  He almost felt betrayed when hearing the actual, disappointing explanation.

  “Why was that ever popular?”

  Edmond’s contempt came out a tad more obviously than he would have wished, causing Throvim to chuckle slightly before speaking again.

  “Don’t know why you think so badly of it. Not every practice comes out of necessity or strict utility. Legacy on its own is a great motivator, and that kind of signature is a pretty fun way for talented people to be remembered. It’s another way for them to transcend their time.”

  The unexpected level of zeal shown by Throvim briefly left Edmond at a loss for words. More humbled than embarrassed now, he glanced aside for a moment as he struggled over how to continue.

  “I see… I’m sorry. Most traditions do have something to be respected for, I suppose.”

  “You don’t have to worry. Many people don’t really understand it.”

  Edmond’s eyes narrowed, unhappy with the disconnect between Throvim’s friendly tone and his… not friendly words.

  “If this is one of those herald crests, do you think you could decrypt it?”

  “I mean, sure. But even if it were me, it might require several minutes of work, or even digging up some of my older notes. Still, I don’t know why you’re wasting both of our times with this, Bach.”

  He forgot anything about his annoyance upon hearing something shocking.

  “… Wasting time? Sir, this is actually related to an important issue—”

  “You mentioned that earlier, but that’s not really the point. Naturally, I checked the relevant cadet files ahead of today, so I know which people have a future with runes in our class, Bach. You’re not one of them, seeing as you even had to remind me of your name.”

  “Excuse me!?”

  This guy is worse than Claude!

  Even with Edmond so visibly upset, Throvim did not raise his voice or even stopped smiling. In fact, his brow softened as if to prove an intent to make things better.

  “I’m not trying to offend you, Bach. Don’t misunderstand me. But it’s a reality that some people don’t have aptitude for certain things, so if this is such an important problem, then it would be better if you approached it from another direction. If you know I’m busy, and I have no doubt your time is also limited, you should not waste it with a really complex subject matter like runes.”

  “Look, I know it’s not my forte, but I don’t see how that… W-Wait up—!”

  Parting words standing out for their absence, Throvim simply left toward the building’s door. As if he had simply said all he had to, pleasantries being unnecessary inconveniences.

  … Whatever.

  Edmond closed his eyes and sighed, leaning back on the wall and finally making things easier for the nearby passersby. As if the disappointingly scarce amount of information he got was not enough, Throvim’s words stung more than he wished.

  In hindsight, his brief outburst was very unusual. Edmond liked to think of himself as mostly polite, and tried to uphold that attitude whenever he could. Raising his voice at an unexpected slight, let alone in front of so many people, was something that made him want to groan in shame as soon as he remembered it.

  … Am I doubting something?

  He pondered, looking slightly up at nothing in particular.

  He regretted it immediately. Even after two days, regardless of what he tried to distract himself with, the image of the Violet Thorn’s Unmasked continued to resurface. Failing that, it was the terrible wound on Tatyana’s back that kept hounding him. More than the pain from his hurt body, such things meant the most trouble when trying to sleep or cook.

  Edmond lowered his eyes, toward the exiting cadets numbering significantly less than before.

  I haven’t checked the gyms here, have I?

  The very idea of just trying another training session in his current state was dreadful. However, even that was preferable to wasting time wallowing like this.

  Putting power in his step, he finally headed out of the building.

  Edmond was surprised to find no people in the very first gym he visited, out of four the facility had. It was his hope that this would be the case, but as of recently, his hopes had not been answered so easily.

  I guess people aren’t in the mood during the first day, much less at the end of it.

  All things considered, he himself was not in the best shape for a hard workout either, but losing his training habits was bound to have the worst consequences.

  The moment he began unbuttoning his uniform jacket, however, an involuntary shiver rippled throughout his body. He could still feel some of his last attempt’s aftermath, but with one more day of recovery, Edmond thought himself able to handle his routine better this time.

  He breathed in, allowing prana to flow through his body as he began to warm up. Simple arm and leg stretches, shoulder circles, and a light jog around were all bearable enough, while also allowing him to admire the variety of top-end equipment available.

  … I’m just procrastinating, am I not?

  A sigh leaked out of Edmond’s lips as he gradually sped up his jog, his body reaching a more comfortable level of activity. The familiar feeling of prana spreading across him in smooth waves, and the moment he felt the max amount he could handle…

  Three, two… one!

  … He forced his regulators to lock it all down within him, stopping the natural flow just short of its final step.

  “…!”

  This time, not even a second passed before Edmond lost his footing.

  A herculean effort was necessary just to not scream as he held the prana in, which meant nothing could restrain Edmond’s cry of agony as he fell on his side, barely avoiding a fall on his face.

  The excruciating shock echoed within him, as if trying futilely to escape Edmond’s body. Red-hot screws dug in and out of his skin, glass shards cut his muscles apart, his very bones seemed to fill with boiling water until bursting. And yet, the worst part was not any of the sensations threatening to tear him apart, but rather not knowing when any of it would come to an end.

  “… —cking hell, what… you even trying to—”

  Deep in the illusion of drowning within a molten disaster, Edmond just barely made out traces of a familiar voice.

  “… swer… answer already!”

  He could not possibly know how much time it actually took, but when his body reached a modicum of stability and his tear-blurred vision finally settled, he saw Tatyana’s face right before his. He could feel the last traces of excess prana being pulled out through a magic circle on his chest, where her hand was.

  “… I-I… Am I…?”

  “Yes, you’re alive. Now tell me, what the fuck were you trying to do!?”

  The kneeling Tatyana demanded with a voice like a roar, juxtaposing a great torment to his ears with the gentle support provided to his body.

  “… How… How long were you watching for?” Closing his eyes shut in an effort to control any remaining spasms, Edmond was unable to even look at Tatyana as he asked this.

  “You were already jogging. I thought I’d wait for you to finish your workout, but now I see I made a major fuck-up! Were you trying to kill yourself!?”

  Even after managing to keep his eyes open for more than a few seconds, he found himself unable to meet her glare.

  “It’s just… my personal training method.”

  “Change personal to ‘insane’ and maybe we’re talking.”

  “… It’s popular knowledge that trained regulators allow for tissue to become even stronger from exercise, since they help body feed on prana as it exerts and repairs itself. I’m just… making sure to give my muscles as much prana as possible…”

  However, his hesitation failed before long, as he promptly felt a hand grabbing his chin and forcing him to turn. Big turquoise eyes twisted in disbelief as they looked unblinkingly at him, as if he were some unknown life form.

  “Are you serious? This kind of method, considering all the extra strain and damage you’re suffering, would only improve your returns by a little bit!”

  “Don’t belittle me,” Edmond’s tone came out strangely aggressive, enough so he was surprised to find Tatyana’s disapproving look faltering slightly. “I’ve done a lot of research on the matter, so you’re not saying anything I didn’t know when I started over a year ago. I know the trade-off of stress to improvement is as disproportionate as it gets, but it doesn’t matter. If I can endure it, there’s no reason to not go for a bonus, however small…”

  Tatyana’s expression shifted immediately, from what looked like pity over to unmistakable fury. Even more than before.

  “There is! If you’ve done all that ‘research’ then you should know this is just a filtering incident waiting to happen! You’ve been going at it for over a year? This stuff could cripple you or worse any day if you mess up one too many times! Sorry to break it to you, but there’s nothing that’s worth this torture!”

  Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  “Did that night with the Thorns just not happen or something!?”

  Before he could think of a minimally smart rebuttal, Edmond had knocked Tatyana’s hands away and fallen back on the floor, now without support. Stinging pain exploded once more, but he could not have cared less. He looked up at the girl, this time of his own will, and saw wide eyes and lips half open in shock.

  Even that did not change anything.

  “… I was lucky to be the only one there, even better that I was the only one being targeted, but what if that wasn’t the case!? What if those psychopaths went after someone else!? For whatever petty reason they have, an innocent or more would’ve been done for, without me able to do anything! I couldn’t even run off like a beaten dog!”

  Tatyana’s expression continued to darken, but Edmond could not stop. Feeling hot tears on the verge of spilling, the most he could do was bring a hand over to his face, hoping to mask as much as possible.

  “I don’t have the regulators powerful families have worked generations for, I’m not a genius for complex theory such as runes, and I don’t even have compatibility with any state-of-the-art gear… I’m just me, and that’s it. So if there’s any extra improvement I can get…”

  Edmond was far from done. He had so much more to say, but was still unable to continue. For if he did, those tears would only continue to flow.

  His voice would crack, his nose might drip, his throat already ached and his face twisted uglily. He felt the hand on it shiver, despite not having to support any weight.

  Pathetic.

  A single word overwhelmed all other thoughts Edmond held, as he became painfully aware of his display. Only the pain of being unable to help it was a match for it.

  He noticed Tatyana off the corner of his eye, his vision blurry, but not gone. Her shoulders slumped, arms almost appearing to dangle in a far cry from her distinctive poise. Her static gaze felt like yet another stab to his spirit.

  “… Just you?”

  It finally turned away as she opened up the bag hanging off her right shoulder. A hand went in, finding whatever it was looking for rather quickly. Only a second after, she had thrown over a small pouch in a way Edmond should have caught easily, but not this time.

  Turning his wet eyes toward it by reflex, he recognized the contents instantly. It was not about sight or appearance, or even the noise of when it hit the floor. Another sense made him clearly aware that one of his containment marbles laid inside.

  Did she steal it back then?

  “It was a mistake to just try explaining things to you.” Tatyana’s words drew his attention away from such pondering.

  Noticing her walking away, Edmond frantically wiped away his remaining tears and even his nose just in case. Blinking a little too many times, he saw she had stopped just over four meters away, facing him with her feet spread at shoulder width.

  She raised her voice somewhat to compensate for the greater distance between them, then extended a hand toward him.

  “This will be much better. Edmond, I’m going to blast you now.”

  He doubted his ears, and even his very eyes as their view of Tatyana’s lips further confirmed her words.

  It was only after noticing the massive amount of prana gathering around her, compressed to an almost fluidic density and gradually taking on the appearance of a dangerous, yet beautiful silver blaze, that he knew he had to do something.

  “You’re kidding me…” Edmond’s gray eyes went wide open in terror as he clumsily backed off, as quickly as he pitifully could while struggling to stand back up. Even the worst novice of a sorcerer could have guessed pretty accurately what so much prana was capable of. “What’s even the point of this!?”

  “Believe it or not, this is a better answer than any words I could say. Besides… I don’t get to let loose often. I know I sound like an Oasis addict, but I’ve been itching for another chance after that run-in with the Thorns!”

  Even the air itself shivered as more and more prana was drawn in by Tatyana, like the most ferocious natural disaster. Not allowed to spread far from her once she took control, no matter how much was gathered, it only made the dreadful density of the spell being prepared stand out all the more.

  Edmond quickly realized that even running away was no longer an option, if it had ever been.

  “So your answer is to murder me!? And turn the whole building to ash while at it!?”

  “Think whatever you want for now. I’m sure you know what your only choice is here, and that’s enough for me.”

  Tatyana’s turquoise eyes briefly showed a silver glow as a large glyph was drawn before her hand. The prana engulfing her swirled and converged upon it, causing the pattern to shine so brightly it could not be gazed at.

  As unbelievable as it was; ridiculous, terrifying, and downright infuriating, Edmond saw the commitment in Tatyana’s expression. He never thought of her as the kind to joke about something like this in the first place, and no matter how much he wracked his brains, that impression did not change or falter.

  An immense power would definitely blast right at him. That much he was viscerally aware of, as he was of the only thing he could now do.

  His muscles seemed to scream, but Edmond forced himself to stand up with support from the wall that had just cut off his retreat. As he did so, he reached for the small pouch Tatyana had thrown at him.

  Injecting the contents with the scarce prana he managed to wrestle control of, they were thrown forward.

  Not even a second afterward, Tatyana’s spell was unleashed, taking away sight and hearing alike; a star-like flash that allowed nothing but the searing, whirling air on one’s skin to be perceived. Were it not for the wall, Edmond’s footing would have undoubtedly been lost yet again.

  Still, the phenomenon only lasted for an instant. As the wind’s rampage gradually slowed down, Edmond became able to see and hear again, even if the dazzle and ringing remained for a while longer.

  Contrasting the strength of the spell and the explosion he had just witnessed, the gym itself looked essentially intact. The only visible marks of the expected destruction were minuscule bits of a substance like charred plastic, and even those were gradually shrinking, vanishing away into dregs of prana.

  As Edmond doubted his eyes, he heard Tatyana groan in a way that belied a good stretch.

  “Even I was shocked by it. I put my all into that shot and your pellet still stopped it. Not just that, but I didn’t even have to do anything to keep our surroundings safe. That little marble withstood my full strength, all on its own.”

  “W-Wait… but… what did… Did you know?”

  Edmond replied with thoughts too fast for his words, his gaze moving from the disappearing remains of his containment marble over to an amused-looking Tatyana.

  “I didn’t borrow it just because, you know? I told you that they were held together very shoddily, so I wanted to figure out a fix. In the process, I learned what they’re truly capable of. I think you also got the message?”

  Still in a daze, Edmond looked back at the floor, where the last bits of his containment marble finally vanished.

  Tatyana was right. He knew better than to wonder if she had forcefully dispelled her spell or held it back in any way. For something of such size and presence, even he would have noticed.

  Despite the absurdity of the idea, and how difficult it was to accept it, the answer was obvious beyond any doubt.

  A spell of such magnitude, a prana so dense as to warp their surroundings before being released, and an attack with nothing to envy in that crushing blow from Hellbound, had been completely blocked by Edmond’s own sorcery.

  He heard Tatyana’s footsteps gradually approaching, and his gaze turned reflexively to her upon feeling a finger jab decisively at his chest.

  “That spell is you too. Without needing some self-destructive training regime or any special regulators, just smartly using what you already have; you made a trap even I wouldn’t be able to break free of, unless I burn myself to a crisp. A little over an hour, isn’t it? For such a long time, someone as strong as me would be completely defeated.”

  “… Eighty minutes, give or take. Did you also test them in action to figure this out?”

  Tatyana grinned, her eyes narrowing in a sardonic manner.

  “Not at all. But I did have to wait alongside the police, so they could take Scar-Tail and her cronies away.”

  Edmond’s thoughts went back to that night. That which had begun this whole mess, the meeting of Tatyana and ‘Nemesis’. At first, a night he only associated with the fear of a life-threatening battle and a serious injury, but it had also been the moment his path truly intersected with the girl’s. A night that allowed him to inch just a bit closer to the person he felt so drawn toward, and who had come to his rescue during his darkest hour.

  Negative and positive, his thoughts over that night were tinged with the strongest, most visceral of emotions. But now, after hearing that casual description from Tatyana, to imagine her and a couple of officers standing about in awkward wait…

  “P-Ppffthhahahaha!”

  … Shameless, childish laughter could not be restrained.

  Edmond was forced to lean on the wall for support yet again. He held his stomach, the sides of his face started to ache and new tears made themselves visible. Still, he could not stop laughing for quite a bit, and through that laughter, more and more of the painful darkness within him continued to recede.

  By the time he could clearly see the smiling Tatyana again, he wondered just what was it about his defeat against the Violet Thorn, about Throvim Van Svelten’s words of reprimand that had made him feel so lost.

  The responsibilities he had chosen were no easy matter, but he never thought becoming a superhero would be.

  He saw proof within that snowstorm seven years ago, a real superhero like those he had only been able to read about. And now, he had also proven closer that goal, even if merely by a few small steps.

  “That’s a much better face. I trust you’re now aware of where you actually stand?” The girl who had showed him that said amusedly as Edmond’s laughter slowed down. “Besides, if you really want a more advanced training method, I can help with that too. I don’t know if the improvement will be exactly on par with that nonsense you were doing, but it definitely beats risking a lethal accident on the daily.”

  “Th-That… That would be great. Thank you...”

  Finally in control of himself, though not of the extent of containing his smile, Edmond replied in the only way that felt even slightly fitting.

  Miss Lunaris and Tatyana… They couldn’t be more different. It’s so funny how things work out…

  Without a trace of complex thought leading to them, Edmond ended up spilling words that simply felt necessary.

  “I’ll make it up to you.”

  However, no regret or embarrassment came along. He did wonder just what kind of impression he had given upon seeing brief confusion in Tatyana.

  “… Ah. Well, I’ll look forward to it, then.”

  She seemed pleased by the promise, at least. Feeling awkward in dwelling on the recent ‘episode’, Edmond raised a question on other important concerns.

  “Why were you here in the first place?”

  “I wanted to check up on what Van Svelten said about the pattern, so I asked around for anyone who had seen you. Kloel went to investigate the armory and any possible faults in it, and she told me Baudelaire has been doing research of his own in the archives, which meant I couldn’t do much else. You’d just started working out when I got here so I thought I’d wait and watch for a bit, and… we know what happened next. So, what’d he tell you?”

  Edmond’s eyes narrowed in a deadpan manner at Tatyana’s inquiry, frustrating memories resurfacing.

  “His schedule is indeed a big deal, so not much. Of course, he mentioned our dud could indeed be a dud. But supposing it wasn’t, all he got to tell me was that it could be a herald crest, custom-made rune languages made out of pride or something.”

  Even before Edmond’s brief explanation was complete, Tatyana’s eyes shone with a hint of understanding.

  “If it’s a herald crest, then—"

  “Mondi?”

  But before anything could come out of it, a familiar voice shocked Edmond out of focus.

  He turned to the gym’s entrance quickly and brusquely, then saw her. With almond-shaped maroon eyes, wheat-like blonde hair and uniquely pairing her uniform with black gloves. Hildegard Tirpitz’s gaze settled on him with a curious expression after glancing over at Tatyana.

  “Ah. Er, hello Hilda—”

  “Mondi…?”

  The somewhat incredulous tone from Tatyana felt slightly embarrassing, so Edmond found himself having to address that first.

  “… My little sister didn’t like the sound of ‘Ed’ or how common it is, so she started calling me that until it just became a family thing.”

  “‘Family’ includes Tirpitz?”

  “Oh, you know my name, Nesterova? Quite a pleasant surprise.”

  Edmond felt instant regret. He knew Hilda’s tone, far from surprise, belied an aggressive desire to not be left out of the conversation she herself had started.

  Fortunately, if she had noticed, Tatyana did not seem to think badly of that as she turned to the blonde.

  “If we talked about quality of regulators alone, records place you above even me. I’m not locked up in some castle to not have heard about you, especially as a Jewels invitee in just your third year.”

  Jewels of the Land, Sea and Sky. The apex twelve among knight cadets, at least in the public eye, with each one considered more capable than the average graduate. An invitation to join their ranks, even on the condition of a current member vacating their seat first, was an honor and achievement of the highest degree.

  Concerning Hilda, Edmond of course knew of her candidacy since the listings’ latest update. But seeing someone else, Tatyana of all people, being so visibly impressed by his friend was a whole new experience. With his mood still somewhat sensitive, he quickly brought a hand to his lower face to hide the wide, surely stupid-looking smile he involuntarily showed.

  Hilda herself shrugged, but Edmond was convinced she must have found it just as hard to hide her delight at such recognition.

  “Three members are seventh years who’ll graduate soon, so they’re just trying to fill in spots ahead of time. I wish we could talk a bit more, but I’m in kind of a hurry, Nesterova. Can I borrow Mond… Edmond for a sec? I hope I’m not interrupting something important.”

  “… I don’t know why you’re asking me, instead of him.”

  “Heh, sharp. Well then~?”

  Looking strangely amused despite Tatyana’s crude reply, Hilda turned to Edmond with a grin, and then walked out of the gym. He was, for lack of a better term, perplexed.

  Glancing at Tatyana in a mildly apologetic manner, he followed the blonde into the hallway outside. Only a few seconds had passed, but her smile was no longer present, and her arms were crossed in a way rather mismatched with her previous disposition.

  Even without considering that, though, he was well aware of what he needed to say.

  “Look, I know last time was… not the best. I was in over my head, getting all offended when you were just—”

  “Stop it, please. I was the one who just up and left like some immature kid, but I don’t really want to talk about that, Mondi. Can we leave the whole thing behind us?”

  Hilda’s words were direct, and it could be said they were making light of an issue that was quite serious. Nonetheless, Edmond was not against that approach this one time.

  All in all, what he cared about, and what worried him to the point of planning his approach over the whole weekend, was Hilda’s comfort. Words about natural talent, greatness… they were all irrelevant compared to that.

  Just like her, he just wanted to move on. Few things were more useless to dwell on when he had been away from his friend for so long.

  “… Sure. I’d be glad to.”

  Edmond smiled in relief, and Hilda relaxed in a similar way, though a certain stress remained in her eyes. She began talking again before Edmond could think on it any further.

  “I didn’t know you were friends with Tatyana Nesterova. Is your recruiter that open about this stuff?”

  He felt slightly uneasy from her question, though he had expected her curiosity to be geared in that direction. Answering was not difficult.

  “I didn’t meet her through him. This is very recent, and we’re not really close. She’s just… tutoring me a bit. We’ve seen each other a few times at the restaurant, so I thought I’d try and ask her.”

  “Is that what the crazy spell from before was about?”

  Edmond briefly froze upon hearing her sharp response. Blinking unusually slowly, he needed to make an unusual effort to not look away, even for a second.

  It was his fault, being this oblivious. Of course, most cadets had probably left the facility by this hour, but it was still a near-guarantee for anyone remaining to have noticed that calamitous sorcery.

  “… You think anyone else felt it?”

  “Instructors shouldn’t have from where they are, and I doubt any cadets still around wanted to check it out at all, but you’re not answering my question, Mondi.” Hilda insisted, her tone rougher.

  “It was just a demonstration. She’s kind of a show-off, so I’d say this stuff is part of why she agreed to tutor me.”

  “A demonstration… and she just had to do it here, huh? Where so many people can notice, where it can get troublesome. Mondi, even you should know this sounds off.”

  Edmond’s gaze almost faltered at that moment, more bothered by her saying he ‘should know’ than anything else. Unable to come up with a reply quickly enough, Hilda took the earliest chance to continue.

  “Are you in trouble?” Hilda’s eyes seemed to tremble for a moment. “I talked to Ingrid a while ago, and… I think I could be a little more sensitive about stuff, even if it’s not usually my style. Not wanting to drag others into your business is one thing, and it’s a code I can respect, but this is different.”

  “Hilda, please. You’re overthinking things.”

  “Am I overthinking those wounds you’re trying so hard to hide?”

  Hilda’s words were like a club, and this time, Edmond’s relaxed fa?ade finally broke. Perhaps not even for a full second, but he felt his face convey his true emotions for a moment. That was all she needed.

  “And yet, you asked for the help of this girl you barely even know, when I myself could also ‘tutor’ you or whatever. Please tell me, Mondi… Is she the one who—”

  “No! She’s not!”

  Edmond instinctively raised his voice, refusing to hear Hilda’s full question.

  He immediately regretted it, but could it be helped? Tatyana had saved his life, helped him at every turn, and was trying her very hardest to atone for a mistake that was so easy to make. To hear her being suspected of worse, let alone of being the one behind the bulk of his injuries…

  … At the very least, Hilda looked far from upset at his outburst. Far from it, she somehow looked a little relieved.

  “Alright. I’m sorry about that, then. But in that case…”

  “Please, Hilda…”

  “… do you not want to tell me, because it’s a problem from back then?”

  Edmond’s chest suddenly felt like pure lead.

  Not only from knowing exactly what Hilda referred to, but from being perfectly aware of why she felt so apprehensive about mentioning any further detail. That which he had to stop Claude from even mentioning.

  Recruitment day. Or rather, that which led to Edmond, and perhaps even Hilda herself, to join the Knight Corps.

  “It’s not. That… there’s nothing going on with it.” Edmond answered with an honesty full of resignation.

  Hilda’s eyes wandered down, in a way that made it impossible to know what she was thinking.

  “Got it. And yet, you still won’t tell me what’s going on now?”

  “… I’m sorry. I know it sounds stupid, but let me handle it on my end. Tatyana over there… It’s not like I wanted her to get involved, so please don’t make me drag more people into it. Especially… you.”

  Family. At least them.

  No matter how difficult it was, he could not expose them to such danger. Edmond vowed in his heart, and looked back at Hilda with steel-like resolve.

  Despite that, seeing the concern in her eyes, he knew she deserved more. Far from the unreasonable respect he demanded for his way of doing things, Hilda was worth much more.

  Edmond felt guilty, dishonest and even cruel, but his efforts were just barely enough to force a small smile into existence.

  “When it’s all done, I’ll tell you everything, okay? The full story.”

  Hearing his final decision, Hilda’s brow drooped and her shoulders slumped. Her own grin looked a little sad, but also accepting.

  “Should I get popcorn for it?”

  “Then I’ll pay for the soda.”

  Unusually quiet chuckles came from both ends. Edmond did not know exactly when or who approached first, but at some point, the two had been drawn into an embrace. Their first since that day at the airport.

  For some reason, Edmond noticed so much now that he had remained unaware of then. Unlike four years ago, he was now taller than Hilda. Being this close to each other, that modest but certain height difference was more apparent than ever, as was the strength she possessed in spite of it.

  Why did I wait so long for this?

  Edmond thought instinctively, his smile widening. Her body may have been smaller than his now, but what mattered was no different from back then. As always, Hilda held a presence, a drive and intensity he could not help but admire. Something he did not need himself, but still strived to match so he could properly stand beside her.

  Then, in a similarly vague, unimportant order of events and intentions, the embrace ended just as it had begun.

  “Then I’ll leave you to your ‘tutoring’. Even with whatever’s happening, see if you can enjoy it. Lots of people would give everything to have that Tatyana Nesterova for a partner~.”

  “It’s not like that, but… yeah, it can get pretty fun.”

  Hilda did not miss the chance for a sly grin, making Edmond roll his eyes in slight, yet playful embarrassment. Seemingly satisfied, she turned, pivoting on a single foot, and began to walk off.

  Seeing her leaving form, Edmond finally recalled something he had missed the chance to ask several times already. Not this time.

  “Will you accept that invitation? For the Jewels?”

  Hilda did not stop her leave, merely raising a hand and turning her face sideways for a moment. Her gesture was dismissive, her glance out the corner of her eye carefree, and her smile supremely confident.

  “No way.”

  Those were her last words before leaving the gym building. Edmond could not deny feeling a bit regretful, but it was indeed the decision that fit her most.

  When he stepped back into the gym, he saw Tatyana fiddling on her phone with sparse focus. Perhaps messaging Kloel about what Throvim had told him?

  “Sorry. That took a while.”

  “Don’t apologize. I’m no one to intrude between you two that way.”

  “Please don’t make it sound like I’m dating her or something.”

  Tatyana’s brow furrowed slightly, as if confused more by the tone Edmond took than his answer itself.

  “That wasn’t my intention, but duly noted. So, the friend who moved into your house was Hildegard Tirpitz, huh?”

  Edmond was briefly taken aback, surprised she had remembered that small tidbit.

  “Yeah. Even now she’s staying with my family.”

  “What about hers? I mean, her actual blood.”

  His eyes went somber at Tatyana’s words, an uncomfortable sense of powerless concern assaulting him.

  “… Who knows? I haven’t ever met them.”

  Seeing her look lose a bit of strength made Edmond regret his honest response just a tad. Luckily, he had an easy way to steer the topic away from that.

  “Honestly, I’m more surprised you know about her. Not that I think you’re sheltered or something, but still.”

  “Even if I didn’t care, info on prominent talents just ends up finding me as often as it would you, no matter if it’s just some ‘on paper’ nonsense. Tirpitz, as far as I know, is already beyond that. Sometimes it gets funny, with people saying she might be a Crowned One.”

  … What?

  The term ‘Crowned One’ was not unusual to hear. More than that, it was a popular term even among people incapable of sorcery, only looking into the world of such powers from the sidelines.

  An extremely small amount of people in possession of some mysterious, inherent quality that allowed them to uniquely communicate with, and even subjugate magical beings and autonomous artifacts. Much more than just that, the ability uniquely could allow control over the Eleven Crowns, a collection of immeasurably powerful treasures said to represent the right to rule the world itself. Like some others, it was a legend that remained well-liked even to the modern day.

  Tatyana saying the term was not strange in the slightest. Rather, Edmond was confused by the tone of derision, and even ridicule with which she spoke.

  “So you don’t think she’s one?”

  “Of course not.”

  That one additional response, in that uniquely knowing tone, was all Edmond needed to finally figure things out. Honestly, he felt rather dumb for not remembering sooner.

  “Right. You must have gotten to know one or two, being Alexander’s sister and all.”

  “Wait what?”

  The confusion he saw in Tatyana’s face was so obvious, so cartoonish in its genuineness that he could have laughed, if not for her continuing her questioning right after.

  “You know my brother?”

  “Well, he’s my recruiter, so…”

  However, the way in which her expression contorted then, alongside the fire that seemed to be lit in her eyes, was more likely to make him scream than laugh.

  “Are you fucking serious!? And this is the first time I hear about it!?”

  “I mean, you never asked—”

  “Don’t you sass me, twerp!”

  A voice like a roar made Edmond’s body go stiff immediately, his eyes instinctively darting around for an escape route.

  Why’s she so mad!?

  But Tatyana herself was utterly unconcerned with what he thought to be reasonable or not.

  “And what about Alyssa!?”

  “… I began my training under her—”

  “Oh, that’s just fantastic! Whatever, we’re going now!”

  “H-Hold up!”

  Before Edmond could react, she had gripped and pulled on his arm like a raptor dragging away its prey. Edmond’s terror, for a moment, exceeded the pain at his still-sensitive muscles.

  “We’re heading to your place this time, and then you’re going to tell me every single tale about me those two decided to have fun with!”

  … Ah… I see…

  Finally knowing what was really going on, Edmond once again struggled not to laugh. For once, he was rather thankful for his body being in so much pain, and the help it provided for his poker face.