"Cadet Luna. Duke Lucian wishes to speak with you. Immediately."
What? I must have misheard him. "Come again?"
"The Duke, Lucian, of house Solastus, has summoned you."
The man's voice was flat, devoid of emotion, like he hadn't just dropped the biggest name on the continent. House Solastus. It's a name impossible to ignore. Every fighter, soldier, and adventurer on the continent knows that name. The Duke. The Nexus stage monster. And he wanted to see... me?
My mind raced, trying to figure out what someone like him would want with me. I just stared, zoned out for a solid five seconds before I was nudged back to reality by Victoria.
She took a half-step forward, one hand instinctively gripping the hilt of her sword, the other shoving me back. "On what grounds?" she asked. "We are acting in representation of Aegis Academy. On what authority can we be summoned?"
The aide ignored her completely, not even a glance. His gaze remained locked onto my eyes, unwavering. "My authority is Duke Lucian of House Solastus," he replied coldly. "That is all the authority I require."
"Um—" I sputtered.
"Hey, man, can't this wait? We just finished a long day of fights. She's exhausted." Kael cut in, pushing off the wall he was leaning against.
The man's stone face didn't change, still locked on me.
"No, it cannot. Major Elara, your guardian, is waiting as well."
Elara? Why's she there? My sister's name was like a gut punch. The initial shock and excitement of being summoned by a legend vanished. What replaced it was the heart-sinking dread of being in deep, deep trouble. If big sis is there, it can't be a simple chat.
Victoria's hand, which had been shielding me, dropped. Even she couldn't argue against that. Kael let out a small sigh, not bothering to continue either.
I straightened, forcing my body to ignore my exhaustion for a little longer. Forcing my usual mask of confidence, I spoke up. "Well, if the Major is there, I guess it must be important." I waved a dismissive hand at my teammates. "Big man wants a chat, who am I to keep him waiting?" I put on a false smile. "Lead the way."
The Duke's aide nodded before turning and walking back the way he came. I began to follow, but someone tugged at my hand.
I glanced back. It was Victoria. She had an unusual look of worry in her eyes. The kind of look that could melt my mask.
"Luna," she whispered. "Be careful. Don't be yourself."
I tilted my head and blinked. "Huh? What's wrong with myself?"
"That man isn't an authority you can annoy or a rival you can taunt," she insisted, her silver eyes piercing. "This isn't a game, Luna—watch your words."
I was stunned for a second, caught off guard by the almost pleading concern in her voice. These were words from the noble heir Victoria Vaelstrad, not Vicky, my teammate. She understood the dangerous political game I was about to walk into far better than I did.
"Alright, alright, I get it." I grabbed her hand and held it between mine. "I will."
She gave a small smile and nodded. "Mm, okay."
I turned back. The aide had stopped a few steps ahead, waiting for me to catch up. I gave one last wave behind me to my teammates lingering in the quiet corridor before rounding the corner.
The walk to our destination was silent; the aide didn't utter a single word, the mood was tense. The bustling of people leaving the arena for the day gradually thinned as we traveled, eventually leaving us until it was just the echo of our footsteps.
We finally stopped in front of a pair of large, adorned doors.
The aide tapped twice on the wood, paused, then swung the doors open, gesturing for me to enter. I took a few steps inside before the doors thudded shut behind me, sealing me in.
The room was a private viewing lounge. A half-ring of expensive-looking sofas facing a single, massive crystalline window that overlooks the now dark and empty arena.
My eyes were immediately drawn to my sister, perched on the edge of one of the couches, stiff as a board. Her hands were balled into tight fists on her lap, and her face was stoic but still pale. She didn't even greet me, only a short side glance. She's terrified.
Then I saw him. Standing by the window, his back to me, was a giant man, the same giant man I'd spotted during the opening ceremony. I could feel the weight of his mana around me, an unbelievably dense pressure that made it hard to breathe.
He turned, and I felt the full force of his presence. He was more than a head taller than me, something I don't experience often at my height. His complexion was similar to mine, golden bronze, but his hair was a dark, rich brown, almost black.
He tilted his head and held out an arm toward the empty spot on the couch next to Elara.
My feet felt like they were stuck in mud, but I forced myself to move, crossing the room and sinking into the cushions. I pressed my shoulder into Elara's, a plea for support. But, she still didn't react.
The Duke moved to another sofa across from us, the furniture groaning as he sat. His stature made it look comically small.
Now that he was closer, I could see his face more clearly. He looked to be middle-aged, with a handsome face and a short beard.
His eyes found mine, and I uncontrollably shivered, a jolt running through me. Those molten gold eyes were surveying me up and down, but it felt like he was seeing something other than me.
We sat in a tense silence for a few moments before he finally spoke up. "That was quite the performance you put on today, Cadet." Even his voice was intimidating. "You've won every round in a surprisingly unorthodox fashion, and your duel at the end... very fascinating."
The sudden praise in such a daunting atmosphere was jarring. I didn't know how to respond. Victoria's warning rang in my head, so I tried to give the most formal reply I could manage. "Thank you, Your Grace."
His eyes narrowed at my response. "That exchange with the Deylin son. To abandon one's weapon. Where did you learn to fight with such... flexibility?"
He was dissecting me with his eyes and his words. The truth was, I hadn't learned it anywhere. I just... did it. "I reacted to the opening, Your Grace." My answer felt inadequate and flimsy. "I wanted to win."
He gave a small nod, his eyes still scanning, as if my answer had hidden meaning. "A commendable drive." He locked his hands together and leaned forward, shrinking the space between us. "And your choice of weapon. Very unusual."
"A blade of that size is a tool of overwhelming force, not finesse." He leaned back, and the stern expression on his face cracked. A rumble started in his chest, quickly turning into a deep, boisterous laugh, vibrating the room.
I flinched. The sound wasn't cruel, but somehow, it felt more like a quake than a laugh.
He eventually caught his breath, a faint grin still remaining. He shook his head, looking me over again. "To think, you're truly only sixteen," He chuckled again, the amusement still evident on his face. "A girl your age, tall as a guardsman and strong enough to wield a blade like that... a rare gift indeed."
A gift. The word was something I've heard countless times, but it felt strange coming from him.
His amusement faded, his face turned back into that analytic focus. "A gift like that... Gods, I wish my own grandson had half of that. He's disciplined but lacks the fire."
His eyes moved from me to Elara at my side. "A rare talent like hers should not be wasted running wild in an academy, no matter how prestigious. Has your house considered a match for her? An alliance with one of the great houses of Valoria would be a... suitable way to secure her future. And theirs"
My mind emptied, no thoughts. Huh?A match? Marriage? Is he serious? I turned to Elara. The petrified expression she had earlier was gone, anger taking its place.
Seeing our silence, the Duke addressed Elara directly. "As her legal guardian, Major Elara, surely you see the wisdom in such a path for your ward."
Elara's stiff back seemed to gain another inch; the terrified woman I'd seen just a few moments ago was completely gone. She met his golden gaze without a trace of fear.
"I am her mother, Your Grace."
The words were polite, but her tone was laced with venom. I stared at her, my throat suddenly getting tight.
What? Mother? Elara? She's never said that before?
Lucian paused. His eyes slowly scanned Elara, clearly noting her elven features, then scanned me, seeing my dark skin and white hair. I could tell he didn't see a mother and daughter, an impossibility. His expression didn't show it, but I felt it—that questioning gaze shifting. He has just been handed another piece of a puzzle he was determined to solve.
"Ahh, my apologies, a mother's protection is a formidable thing."
He paused, thinking, then his eyes locked back onto me. "The girl's appearance... I've seen one other like her, many years ago in Seraphia."
The name of my forgotten homeland. Seraphia? He saw someone who looked like me? Before I could finish processing, I felt Elara shift beside me.
She stood up, shielding me despite her small stature. Her posture was purely professional, her Major Elara mask.
"Your Grace, my daughter has no memory of her time in Seraphia. She was only a child when I took her in. Whatever you saw in the past has nothing to do with her now."
She completely deflected his questioning, throwing up a wall in the middle of the conversation. I was still reeling, trying to understand what he meant. Who did he see?
The Duke didn't press further. Seemingly satisfied with the information he'd pried out so far.
"I see."
"Tell me... Your mother and teachers have taught you bladework, aura." He leaned forward again, a hand pressing his thigh. "The path of a warrior. But, has anyone ever tested your aptitude for magic?"
Magic?
The question completely blindsided me, and I was left in stunned silence. My mind was working overtime trying to understand his intention. Learning magic would mean throwing away everything I've learned so far. All of my progress.
What is he talking about? What kind of question is this? I'm a warrior. My path is aura. Magic is a different path entirely.
"No, Your Grace. I'm a warrior."
"A shame," his voice was quiet. "You should test it. You might be surprised with the results."
He rose from his seat, his back now to me as he looked out the window again, hands clasped behind his back.
"Very well, we will speak again. I look forward to seeing your progress."
It was a dismissal. The conversation was over; he had gotten everything he wanted.
I just sat there, utterly confused, until Elara's hand snatched my arm. Her grip was the total opposite of a gentle mother. She pulled me to my feet and dragged me out of the room without a word.
The doors shut behind us, and the oppressive weight of his presence finally lifted.
Elara didn't speak as we walked back through the quiet corridors. I struggled to keep up with her pace, my exhaustion finally catching up to me. All I could hear were our footsteps and the rattling of my armor.
I decided to speak up, to force an answer from Elara.
"Elara, what did he mean? Why did he ask about magic?"
She stopped walking, but her grip on me didn't loosen. She stared down the empty hallway, not giving me a reply.
"Elara?" I tried again, in a low whisper.
She responded this time, turning her head to give me a terrified look.
"Luna. We were careless... He knows."