Four days before Ordos' arrival, Reina visited Kaizen Swordsmanship School, where Rian studied.
Clutching a crumpled midterm report, her face burned with fury.
After check-in, she stormed into the faculty office—spotting Kuan, Rian's homeroom teacher.
Once a legendary warrior, now irrelevant to her rage.
How could Rian rank last?
Reina: "Explain this." She shoved the report forward.
Kuan: "Ah. Rian's grades. The bottom, as usual."
Reina: "I heard he's on par with peers. So why did he fail?"
Kuan: "He can't use Schemas."
Reina was utterly dumbfounded.
Reina: "How could you possibly give him a failing grade? I know he can't use Schemas yet, but even so—ifs she fought Rian right now, she'd lose! How can you judge a student just on that?"
The instructor's reply was cold.
Instructor Kuan: "If you'd taught him swordsmanship from the start, he might have stood a chance."
Reina's words died in her throat.
That was the crux of it. A swordsman—especially one destined to command hundreds, even tens of thousands of soldiers—had to master Schemas.
Reina (voice trembling): "B-but… last place? How could you…?"
Tears welled in her eyes. Rian was her youngest brother, the one she'd practically raised herself after their mother passed. While their other siblings soared, Rian remained stuck at the bottom. The thought of his frustration made her chest ache.
A woman's tears might sway most men, but Kuan was unmoved.
Kuan: "He lacks talent. As he is now, graduation is impossible. And even if he did graduate, who would hire a swordsman who can't use Schemas? At best, he'd be a rich man's bodyguard. I've heard he's been dabbling in that absurd 'Imaginary Schema' nonsense—utter waste of time. He has zero instinct for the sword."
Reina slammed her palms on the table.
Reina: "I've researched Imaginary Schemas too! They're not academically proven, but there's potential! There are texts about 'Divine Transcendence'—"
Kuan (cutting her off, eyes sharpening): "Ah, 'Divine Transcendence.'"
His already rigid demeanor turned icy.
Divine Transcendence.
Transcending the flesh? What ludicrous fantasy.
Kuan (gesturing to his leg): "See this? I lost my Achilles' tendon. That's why I understand—the body is a machine. Remove a part, and it fails. If 'transcendence' were real, I'd still have both legs. Imaginary Schemas just reinforce the brain's Schema circuits. They're not magic."
Reina had heard enough. She wouldn't let this school break her brother.
Reina (coldly): "Process his transfer. I'm taking Rian with me. Do it now."
Kuan: "What difference will another school make?"
Reina (turning away): "Not your concern anymore. Whether he roasts or stews, our family will handle it."
Teachers exchanged glances. This was the seventh student Kuan had driven to transfer a student.
As Reina reached the door, Kuan spoke again—unexpectedly.
Kuan: "...I do think he warrants further observation."
Reina froze. When she turned, Kuan's face was twisted, as if the words pained him.
Kuan (grudgingly): "That's my maximum concession."
The teachers gaped. Kuan never backtracked.
Reina hurried back, clutching at straws.
Reina: "So… there's still hope?"
Kuan scratched his head irritably.
Kuan: "Listen, Reina. You're a brilliant musician. But swordsmanship isn't art—it's functional. A killing technique. All that 'philosophy' nonsense? That's for masters. Rian has no talent. But maybe—just maybe—Imaginary Schemas could work for him."
Reina (furious): "That's what I said! Why lie earlier?!"
Kuan (sighing): "Imaginary Schemas belong to the realm of will. Unprovable, but veteran swordsmen know it exists. I believe in it too. That's why it can't be forced. What Rian needs is to swing his sword more."
Reina (disbelieving): "So you failed him… to make him train harder?"
Kuan (shrugging): "Simplified? Yes."
Reina: "And his rank? How will last place ever become an officer?"
Kuan lifted Rian's report. Beside "Last" were shocking numbers:
Physical Strength: 1.8x the Schema-users' average.Right Arm (Primary): 3.7x stronger.
Kuan: "See the problem? He's stronger than Schema-users. Ranks don't save lives on battlefields—enemies don't spare the 'top students.'"
Reina recalled Rian's wild stories after returning from Galliant Island. Had there been truth in them?
Kuan (leaning in): "These numbers? They're from pain. Every day, he pushes past human limits—dissecting his own body like a stranger's. You think rank matters to someone in that hell?"
Reina's hands trembled. She'd never realized how much her little brother hid.
Kuan thrust the report at her.
Kuan: "Take him or don't. But drop the 'Divine Transcendence' delusions. The sword is his only path. Unless you'll endure his pain for him, stay silent."
Reina bowed deeply, clutching the paper.
Reina: "Please… continue guiding him."
Kuan said nothing.
[Later: Training Grounds]
Rian's muscles screamed as he obliterated a training dummy. Each strike recreated the weight of his grandfather's greatsword.
Not enough. NOT ENOUGH.
In his mind, the dummy became Ymir, the giant whose strength haunted him.
Rian (roaring): "HRRAAAGH!"
The dummy exploded.
Tess (gasping): "Wha—?!"
Even for Rian, this was different. He stood frozen, chasing the fleeting feeling in that strike—
Reina (calling out): "Rian! I'm here!"
Rian's face twisted. Almost lost it…
Before he could snap at her, the gates burst open.
Guard (barking): "ATTENTION!"
Grandfather Clump, a 3rd-Class Swordsman, strode in, teachers scrambling behind him.
Clump (inspecting Rian's calloused hands): "Hmph. Still using that brutish method, I see."
Rian bit his tongue. Military hierarchy meant even family couldn't be rude.
But then—
Clump (smirking): "Good. Your life, your choice."
Something in his tone made Rian pause.
Why did the old man seem… pleased?
The teachers looked around, nodding as if satisfied with their teaching. Only then did the other instructors sigh in relief.
Reina could now roughly guess what her grandfather had sensed in Rian.
With that thought, she subtly glanced at Kuan—unsurprisingly, he was already staring back at her with sharp, prickly eyes.
Flustered, he turned his head away with an air of indifference.
At least, in the eyes of the swordsmen, Rian didn't seem so detestable. That was a relief.
Clump ignored Rian and approached Reina instead.
Clump: "So, here you are. I looked for you in the royal palace, but when I heard you'd come here, I followed right away."
Reina: "Huh? Don't tell me you came all this way for me? Is something wrong?"
Clump gave Rian a quick once-over, then subtly signaled for Reina to step aside.
The reason for his visit was simple: a few days prior, intel had arrived from the Kazura Kingdom regarding Shirone's affairs.
Since Rian had sworn a knight's oath to Shirone, he should have been informed—but Clump wanted to stop that from happening.
Rian wasn't someone who could handle delicate matters with restraint. Compared to his hot-blooded nature, Reina's calm demeanor made her far more suitable for this task.
Clump led Reina under the shade of a tree.
Left behind, Rian made a sullen face but quickly brushed it off.
"Grandfather and Noona are both busy with royal affairs. They must have something important to discuss."
When Reina heard Shirone's situation from Clump, her eyes widened.
Reina: "W-What?! The First Prince of the Kazura Kingdom?!"
Clump: "It's not confirmed yet, but it's highly likely. Their side seems almost certain. The circumstances, time, and place where Shirone was abandoned all match up. And he's the only child ever found near the Valley of Dawn."
Reina fell silent for a long moment, organizing her thoughts.
But this wasn't the time to overcomplicate things. If the decision had already been made, what mattered now was how they would proceed.
Clump: "That's why… I need you to go to the main house. Take Shirone with you to the Kazura Kingdom. Frankly, you're the only one who can do this."
Reina agreed.
As the only artist from the Ozent Swordsmanship Family with extensive social influence—and as a member of the elite 99 Artists' Circle—she had the right connections.
Still, Rian weighed on her mind. If they hid the truth and he found out later, he'd be devastated.
Reina: "Shouldn't we tell Rian?"
Clump: "No. You know how he is—this situation is too volatile. One wrong move could ruin everything. And let's be honest, that boy is reckless."
Reina: "...That's true."
Meeting a foreign king required rationality, not emotion—and Rian was Emotional Hazard #1.
If Shirone was involved, he'd charge in blind, king or god be damned.
Reina: "Alright. I'll keep it a secret from Rian and handle it."
Clump: "The meeting date and route have been relayed via intel. Do not breathe a word of this until you reach Creas. Shirone must not know either."
State affairs always involved covert exchanges, but only a select few had the authority to verify intelligence.
This secrecy was why conspiracy theories thrived—shadow diplomacy operated in silence.
In a way, it was like children playing pretend—except this "game" was played on a national scale, where even trivial matters (like assigning an envoy's lodging) could spark war.
Clump: "The meeting will be at Alpheas Magic Academy. Fifty armed soldiers will escort you, and Ordos, the Kazura Kingdom's administrative officer, will act as envoy. We've sent our reply, but from here on out, it's a battle of wits. They'll likely try to take Shirone before we arrive. Move fast—you're the only one who can buy us time."
Reina nodded, feeling the weight of her mission.
Reina: "Understood. I'll prepare and leave immediately."