The examination hall buzzed with anticipation, the voices of students blending into a dull roar beneath the gilded ceiling. One by one, contenders were called to the center to showcase their elemental affinities and their mastery.
Some performances were impressive. Some were laughable.
The mediocre ones, of course, were commoners. The nobles made sure everyone knew it, flaunting their elemental prowess not to pass the test, but to mock those beneath them.
It was a display of power. A display of hierarchy.
Asrial watched it unfold with quiet irritation. So this is the academy's first lesson.
Then her name was called.
Therisia.
She stood, her silver hair catching the light, her armor gleaming softly. Before stepping forward, she glanced back and caught Asrial's gaze. She winked, playful yet determined.
Watch me.
Asrial leaned forward, the noise of the room fading around him.
Therisia stepped into the center of the arena, where the examiners sat in a semicircle, watching with hawk-like eyes. She took a deep breath and moved her arms, weaving them through the air with fluid precision.
Water answered her. It shimmered into existence, forming elegant streams that curled around her fingers. With each motion, the water gathered and condensed, spiraling into a sword in her hand.
But she didn't stop there.
The temperature dropped.
Tiny ice crystals formed on the blade's surface, then rapidly spread, freezing the sword into a deadly, razor-edged weapon. The ground beneath her shimmered as wings of water and ice burst from her back, lifting her gracefully into the air.
The entire hall fell silent. Even the nobles who had mocked the commoners earlier stared in awe.
Then the examiners whispered among themselves.
"A second attribute… Ice."
"A dual affinity at this age… remarkable."
"Perhaps not just the daughter of Leonhard, but a prodigy herself."
Therisia floated for a moment, gazing down at the silent crowd. The water and ice dissolved in a glittering mist as she slowly descended. She wore a satisfied smile—not arrogant, but proud.
She didn't care about the applause that erupted behind her. She had trained tirelessly, had failed countless times, and today… she had claimed her victory.
As she returned to her seat, she smiled at Asrial. "Try not to scare them too much."
He chuckled softly, then rose as his name was called.
Asrial stepped forward, his pace slow but deliberate. His mere presence shifted the air. It thickened around him, vibrating as if waiting for his command.
He raised his right hand. Flames exploded into existence, burning bright and furious.
His left hand lifted. Winds roared to life, howling with raw, untamed power.
The room erupted in gasps. This wasn't the fragile magic of most students. This was something else. Something primal.
But not everyone was impressed.
One of the noble examiners slammed his hand on the table. "State your family name."
Asrial's gaze remained steady. "My family name was burned to ash long ago. I am but a commoner serving under the sword saint's household."
The hall broke into chaos.
"A commoner wielding two elements? Preposterous!"
"He must've sold his soul to demons!"
"He's nothing but a circus trick!"
"Dual affinity without noble blood? Impossible!"
Therisia's fists clenched, fury boiling in her chest, but before she could rise, a sharp clang silenced the hall.
A metallic staff had struck the marble floor.
All eyes turned.
Descending the staircase were two figures, their aura impossible to ignore.
The young lady wore a flowing white dress embroidered with gold, her silver hair cascading like moonlight. Her golden eyes radiated soft nobility—but something colder lurked beneath them.
At her side walked a knight clad in crystalline armor that shimmered like the night sky. His every step was precise, his blue and black hair catching the light like fractured glass.
Elenor and her Twilight Sword, Yuu.
The hall fell utterly silent.
Elenor's voice, though soft, resonated through the room like a royal decree.
"How shameful… Nobles, ganging up on a single commoner. Truly disappointing."
She sighed as though scolding disobedient children. "Is this the behavior expected in the kingdom's greatest academy?"
Her golden gaze swept over the room before settling on Asrial.
"You. Come with me."
Therisia stiffened, but Asrial gave her a subtle glance, silently asking her to trust him. She reluctantly nodded.
Asrial stepped off the platform and followed Elenor.
Before leaving, Elenor turned to the examiners. Her voice, though gentle, was filled with the weight of command.
"I expect this matter to be resolved immediately. And I expect an apology issued to this young man. Not to the knight of the sword saint. But to Asrial—the person."
The moment they exited the hall, the oppressive silence collapsed behind them.
The footsteps echoed through the marble halls as they walked in silence. It was Asrial who finally spoke. "Thank you. For earlier."
Elenor paused, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
"It's the duty of nobles to guide and protect commoners. As the daughter of the second strongest family, I must not neglect my responsibilities."
She turned, her golden eyes narrowing with a playful gleam. "But… everything has a price."
Asrial furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"
"Join my faction," she said sweetly, as if offering him a cup of tea instead of a chain.
"I'm sorry," he answered, firm and resolute.
In an instant, he felt sharp pressure on his throat—tiny crystalline shards hovering in a deadly spiral around his neck.
Yuu's calm voice cut the air like a blade.
"My lady doesn't accept no for an answer."
Asrial's heartbeat spiked, but his eyes remained steady. He didn't flinch.
Elenor raised her hand. "Enough, Yuu."
The crystals dissolved as Yuu's fingers reformed from the shards, his face cold and unreadable.
Elenor leaned close, her soft breath brushing his ear.
"You're only making your life harder by rejecting me."
Without waiting for his response, she turned and disappeared into the dormitories, Yuu following silently behind.
In her private chamber, Yuu knelt before her, his head lowered.
Elenor approached him, wrapping her arms tightly around his trembling frame.
She whispered softly into his ear, "It's okay. Everything will be alright soon. Your curse… I'll find a way to erase it."
Yuu's trembling subsided under her touch. His breathing steadied, the crushing weight of his curse momentarily lifted by her promise.
In that quiet room, a dangerous bond tightened.
The wheel of fate had begun to turn.