For a while, the trio moved wordlessly through the forest. The crunch of leaves and the occasional howl in the distance were the only sounds between them.
Then, with his hands resting lazily behind his head, Kain broke the silence.
"So... wanna give us the full story, Rosalina?"
"What story?"
"What other story is there to tell? You looked like you were gonna gut Rudy the second you saw his face, even before he admitted to stepping over other students to survive this far."
Rosalina kept walking, her steps steady, her expression unreadable in the dim light.
"...It's rather long and uninspiring."
"Well, good thing we've got a long and uninspiring road ahead of us, eh?"
For a moment, she didn't answer. It wasn't a tale she was keen on sharing. Not with her own retainers, and certainly not with fellow students. The history between House Sigurdia and House Silvesta was ugly, riddled with accusations and cover-ups. The empire kept it out of the public eye, because acknowledging it would mean admitting that noble families sometimes devoured each other from the inside.
She clenched her jaw. She'd buried it for years, believing it wasn't worth the pain of dragging it out. But... she felt it. That gnawing ache in her chest, and for the first time in what felt like forever, she wasn't entirely alone.
Here, with these two — one too hotheaded for his own good, and the other too calm to judge her — maybe it wouldn't hurt to let a little of it out.
"Rudy was always a repulsive man," Rosalina finally spoke, her voice soft but sharp. "He wasn't just some talentless heir. He was a liar. A coward. A predator. And... for a time, he was my fiancé."
Both Caelus and Kain turned to her, their steps slowing as the air around them grew heavier.
"Three years ago, our houses arranged a marriage. Said it was for the good of our families. Nothing more than political convenience. But it was never about politics. It was about control. I was a bargaining chip, and Rudy... he reveled in it. Always watching me with those vile, possessive eyes... as if he already owned me."
Kain's usual grin vanished, his brow furrowing darkly.
"I could stomach the stares," she continued. "I could endure his words. But what I couldn't stand for... was how he treated others. How he turned servants into toys. Beat them for sport. And worse, how he forced himself on the maids, knowing no one would dare stop him."
A suffocating silence fell between them.
"And then... what happened during the initial period of this trial."
"The fight you two mentioned earlier," Kain said quietly.
Rosalina gave a faint nod.
"When we arrived in the forest, there were others near me. Anxious and confused, as anyone in their right mind would be. And when the Headmistress made her announcement, it felt like some twisted nightmare."
Neither Caelus nor Kain spoke, giving her the space to continue.
"One voice. His voice. That was all it took. Rudy riled them up, turned them on each other for points. They raised their blades and cast their spells, and I... I didn't want to. Believe me, I didn't... but I didn't have a choice."
"You don't have to explain," Kain affirmed. "We believe you."
Caelus only gave a solemn nod, maintaining his silence per usual. It was a small gesture, but Rosalina felt the weight lifting from her shoulders.
"Thanks, you two," she sighed. "It's just... lately I've started to wonder what the point of all this is. This school, these trials. I know it's a test — but my blade... It's sharper than even I want to admit. And turning it against people, not demons... am I supposed to just keep doing that?"
The question hung in the air like a storm cloud.
Kain exhaled, running a hand through his hair.
"Let's hope not. But, at the very least... you won't have to stand against them alone."
A flicker of gratitude passed over Rosalina's face. She gave a small, almost fragile smile.
"I appreciate it. Really."
And with that, the group continued on. A little tense, but a bit closer as well.
For the first time since the start of this ordeal, Caelus looked at Rosalina with something more than wary detachment. It was neither pity nor sympathy. It was understanding.
As perceptive as she was, she noticed, and for some reason, that made her chest feel lighter.
"Don't get the wrong idea," Rosalina added quickly, glancing away. "I didn't tell you this because I trust you or anything."
Kain grinned again.
"Sure, sure. Cuz that's exactly why you told us. Don't worry. We'll be your witnesses when you finally put a sword through that bastard."
"Hah... So stupid."
"You're included in that, by the way."
But her lips tugged ever so slightly upward at the corners.
For the first time in a long while, the burden didn't feel quite as heavy, and she found herself glad she ran into these two.
Suddenly, a low growl stopped them in their tracks. The group glanced up to see a beastly creature as black as the night crawling on a large branch. However, it wasn't the only one. Another dozen appeared all around them like they'd been waiting for his moment.
Kain let out a chuckle while unsheathing his sword.
"I was starting to wonder when they'd show up. You can sit this one out if you're feeling too sappy, Rosalina."
"Screw off, you imbecile," she muttered.
And Caelus simply stood there. He couldn't help but let out a subtle chuckle.
"Whoa, whoa!" Kain exclaimed. "Did Caelus just laugh?"
"You misheard," he replied with the same apathetic tone as always.
"The hell I did! You definitely just—"
"Not now, Kain!" Rosalina shouted, raising her blade to stop an incoming strike.
For the days to come, it was the same thing over and over again. No matter how far they traveled, the forest's endlessness was apparent as ever. Encounters with the Incarnations of Strife became second nature to them. Rosalina would take the lead, Kain would crack some jokes and subsequently get smacked, and Caelus simply stood by to witness it all.
Before they knew it, seven days had gone by.
Now, as the sun was beginning to set, they were resting by a riverbank.
"You know..." Kain said while leaning on a rock, "I'm starting to think this isn't a test anymore. We've been here for a full week already. Wouldn't the faculty have called it by now?"
Rosalina pinched her chin.
"Hmm... A week-long trial doesn't sound too far-fetched for a place like Rhodeia College. I heard the students of Arcana Spire had to survive in the Arsin Mountains for a whole month. Imagine how they feel."
"Like killing themselves?"
"I wouldn't doubt it. What about you, Caelus? What do you make of all this?"
Caelus already knew that this was an unorthodox test thanks to Alune's investigation. A setup put into place by the Headmistress. However, he couldn't just outright say that.
"It'll be over soon," he said.
"Eh? What makes you so sure?" Kain asked.
"I just have a feeling. That's all."
Despite their confusion, the other two didn't press any further. Instead, they turned to the relaxing flow of the river.
"By the way, Caelus... I'm curious about something," Rosalina said.
"What is it?"
She hesitated, the splashes of the river masking the faint hitch in her breath. Kain noticed it too. It was a rare moment of hesitation from the ever-sharp Rosalina Sigurdia. Before she could gather herself, he spoke up.
"People have been talking, you know," he said, his voice oddly steady. "Ever since your sudden return."
Caelus gave no visible reaction, though the slight twitch of his jaw was enough to confirm he heard.
"Five years ago, House Luvelaine was sent to the frontlines," Kain muttered scornfully. "A desperate move by the empire to stop the Archdemon's advance. They called it a suicide mission. No one made it out... or so they thought. The house fell, and from out of nowhere — you. Caelus de Luvelaine."
Kain stared at the river's surface, watching the ripples dance. He couldn't find it in himself to keep going, so Rosalina continued in his place.
"They're calling you a deserter, Caelus. A coward who abandoned his people and let the empire burn. And worse... they're saying you waited, hiding in the shadows like a rat, and crawled back when the coast was clear. But... that's nowhere close to the truth. Is it?"
Caelus closed his eyes for a long moment, the weight of memory pressing behind them. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and steady, yet carried the chill of something buried deep.
"It's late," he said, standing. "We should set up camp for the night."
No one argued.
They wordlessly gathered their things, and as the last light of dusk sank beyond the trees, Rosalina found herself watching his back. She wondered about the truths he still kept hidden, and why the empire was so desperate to smear the name of a house that once stood between them and certain death.
Her head dropped as she wondered if her misguided discrimination might have spared the wrong ones.