RHEIN'S POINT OF VIEW
After the meal, our praciens left us. Only the three of us remained with Father and Mother.
"Now, let's make things clear," Father began, his tone firm. "Rhein, what Dylan did to you wasn't his own mischief. I ordered him to do it."
My eyes widened in shock. "W-what? Are you serious?" My mind refused to accept his words. "B-but... why?"
"You know very well that a powerful crystal resides inside your body. I tasked Dylan to be ruthless in assessing your abilities, to see if the crystal affected your physical strength. The results show it does not—it only amplifies your mnarill."
My stomach twisted. Broken bones were no joke. I glanced at Brother Dylan, recalling the unbearable pain he caused. But knowing now that he was only following Father's orders—my own parents' orders at that—my resentment dissolved. I couldn't hold it against him any longer. And besides, I'd already gotten even by breaking his arm earlier. That was more than enough. Well... partly his fault anyway, since he pretended to be "sleeping."
I sighed and turned back to Father. "He told me yesterday that my training begins today," I said, nodding toward Dylan.
"Yes. You'll train with him, with Justin, and with the generals. It will last a week."
"And while you undergo training, you'll also have etiquette lessons," Mother added with a knowing smile. My eyes widened.
"What?" I scratched my cheek nervously. "M-Mother, do I really need etiquette lessons? Can't I just... not? Please? I'd rather double my training load than sit through etiquette classes!"
Their laughter filled the room. Even Brother Dylan and Justin joined in.
"You're a princess, Rhein," Mother reminded me gently. "Rona reacted the exact same way when she was in your place."
No wonder. If only she knew—whenever Rona and I saw anything about etiquette lessons for the nobility on television, we'd instantly turn it off. Too prissy. Too pretentious.
I sighed again, shoulders slumping. "Alright. I'll do it." As if I had a choice.
We spent several more minutes discussing training—mostly reminders. Though, with the way Mother described the generals, I felt more dread than excitement.
Back in my room, I changed into more comfortable clothes. As I tied my hair back, Forelody slipped in through the window. She froze when she saw me, clearly planning to leave again, but I caught her in my hands and refused to let her go. She avoided my gaze, even as I tilted her toward me.
"I'm sorry, Pracien," I apologized. "I just couldn't hold back my anger earlier."
At last, as she sighed, she met my eyes. "Alright. I can't stay mad at you anyway."
I smiled in relief. "Thank you."
"But please," she warned me, "learn to control your emotions, Rhein. It's often what destroys the mnarillazas."
Together, we entered the training grounds. Justin was already there, smiling as he approached. I smiled back. He wore simple clothes too—black shirt, pants, and rubber shoes.
I searched for Brother Dylan, but he was nowhere to be seen.
"They're here, Princess," Justin announced.
The doors opened. The Great Elemental Generals strode in with their praciens. My jaw nearly dropped.
I had imagined hulking men with stone-hard faces and scarred bodies. Instead, they were strikingly handsome, looking no older than their thirties. They wore simple clothes like ours, yet each carried an aura of raw power. Their presence was marked by color—red for fire, yellow for earth, green for forest, and blue for water.
They bowed in respect. Even as awe filled me at their looks, I realized too late that they had already surrounded me, grinning.
"It is an honor to meet you, Princess Rhein," the Fire General said. "We have long wished to meet Princess Rona's younger sister."
"The honor is mine as well," I replied, masking my nerves. "If it isn't too much to ask, may I know your names?" It was only a cover—I just needed time to breathe. Mother had warned me how brutally they once trained my sister.
"Forgive us, Your Highness," the Forest General said, "but only the king is permitted to know our true names and identities."
I wanted to ask why but held my tongue. The reason had to be important.
The Fire General spoke again. "Dylan mentioned you were left with broken bones after he defeated you."
A sting of humiliation flared inside me. Did they really have to remind me of that?
"Relax," Forelody whispered. "They're provoking you. Control yourself, Pracien."
I forced a smile. "Yes, I was defeated. He is far more skilled in combat than he looks."
"Indeed. The boy is mischievous, but talented. He can even hold his own against us," said the Earth General.
Brother Dylan... against them? My instincts screamed denial, though deep down, I knew better than to underestimate him.
"Cool, then," I said, brushing it off. "Shall we begin?"
"As you wish, Your Highness."
They charged all at once. I jumped instinctively, landing behind the Forest General. They didn't stop, so I bolted across the arena. Forelody clung to me tightly.
"I thought this is training!" I shouted as energy spheres hurtled my way.
Panic clawed at me. Out of reflex, I conjured a transparent barrier.
"This is training, Princess Rhein. Stop running!" Justin called out, laughing. Easy for him to say—I hadn't been ready for this ambush!
The generals kept pressing their attack. My frustration melted into a grin. Around them, light chains formed silently, binding their bodies. They hadn't noticed, too focused on me.
I dispelled my barrier and walked toward them. "This isn't part of training, is it? You're just testing me," I hissed.
The chains vanished, releasing them. They laughed, clearly impressed. "How clever," one remarked.
I bowed deeply. It's instinct—an echo of the way I had always whenever I trained with Grandfather Lembo before. Sadness stirred in me. Things would be different now.
The room fell silent. The generals seemed startled by my gesture, their faces tinged with unease.
"Rhein, why are you bowing?" Forelody whispered. "You are above them. You shouldn't bow."
I smiled faintly and spoke to her through thought. 'This is different. They are my masters, and I am their student. In this place, they are above me.'
Lifting my gaze, I addressed them clearly. "Then, shall we begin the official training, Masters?"