Time Check: 5:45 A.M
The Bastion was still asleep, shrouded in a pre-dawn quiet so deep it felt like a held breath. The training grounds were empty and dark, save for the lone, precise sound of footsteps circling the packed sand of the arena.
I am not rushing. I just cannot stand this body being weak.
"I can't master any magic or skills if this vessel remains useless," G6 muttered to the chill morning air, her words forming small clouds.
The only sounds were her steady, measured breathing and the rhythm of her run. Her mind, however, was a whirlwind.
Not only that. I need to get to that Adventurer's Guild. My curiosity—my very soul—is screaming for the battle that has been absent for two weeks.
G6 had woken early, driven by a need to conquer the humiliation of yesterday's collapse. The event had been a profound insult to her pride, a stark reminder that the formidable Reaper was trapped in the body of a pampered noblewoman.
Without the knowledge of her sleeping servants, their mistress was already pushing her limits in the arena.
I can't claim my reward from the liquor storage yet. I don't deserve it. What kind of heavenly vintage awaits me in that paradise…?
Her thoughts ran wild, a chaotic list of everything she was dying to do, all held back by this frustratingly fragile form.
G6 finally stopped after twenty laps, her knees buckling as she braced her hands on them, gasping for air. "I swear, I am going to kill you," she growled, the threat aimed at her own trembling body.
This weakness was maddening. She was not used to being weak. She was not used to delaying gratification for anything, least of all an objective she had set.
She let herself fall onto her back, flat against the cool ground, and spread her arms wide like wings. She focused on controlling her breath, using a practiced technique to calm her body's screaming protest against the unmatched exertion.
Time Check: 6:30 A.M
Tina walked toward the training grounds, carrying a woven basket. Her expression was one of profound, unamused resignation. "I truly do not know how to react anymore," she announced to the air, her tone thoroughly displeased.
Lilia sighed beside her, clutching a bundle of spare clothes. "Lady Reise is really something else."
"I am quite certain she is pushing herself to her limits once again," Edmund added, following behind them with a towel and a water flask draped over his arm.
The three servants strode into the arena and found their mistress exactly as predicted: in the middle of a set of sit-ups, her form rigorous and precise.
"Can you even believe her?" Tina said, gesturing toward G6, who was exercising with an intensity more commonly seen among legionnaires than noble ladies.
"I cannot believe a woman of her delicate upbringing could maintain such a regimen," Edmund murmured, equally impressed and concerned.
They did not call out to her. They simply took a seat on a long bench to watch and wait.
Great. The nagging committee is here, G6 thought, catching sight of them from the corner of her eye. She was, of course, referring to Tina.
After finishing her set, she rested for a moment, focusing again on her breathing. After a few minutes, she began a series of bicycle crunches.
"Whoa… that looks terribly difficult," Lilia whispered, watching her lady's abdomen flex with a strength that defied her slender frame.
"I have genuinely never seen anyone train in such a manner," Edmund observed. "Not even the knights."
"Come to think of it," Tina asked, "why is this arena so empty? I was under the impression it was typically packed with knights at this hour."
"I believe the majority of the corps was sent on expeditions. Some were dispatched to reinforce the borders," Edmund explained. "They are not due to return for another three weeks."
"So there are no knights left? Only the guards stationed around the palace?" Lilia asked.
"The palace does not maintain a vast standing army. They are largely dependent on their mages, though many of them are also away on missions," Edmund clarified. "I also heard talk of a new recruitment drive once Captain Kelper returns. His Highness is merely awaiting the Captain's report from the field."
"I heard Captain Kelper is incredibly strong!" Lilia chirped. "They say he has an affinity for water magic and has fully mastered Physical Enhancement."
"And I heard he looks remarkably young for his age," Tina added.
While G6's three servants were casually conversing, she finished her final set and dropped onto the ground. "Fuck. This is infuriating," she mused, chest heaving as she caught her breath.
"Alright. I'll run the Perfect Assassin Form drills today. It must have been a mistake to try and activate multiple skills at once yesterday," she decided, talking to herself as she often did.
She pushed herself up and walked toward her audience of three. "Yo. Up so early?" she greeted them casually.
Tina's eyes did a slow, critical journey from G6's sweat-dampened hair to her sand-coated training clothes. This was not the pristine, delicate Reise she had served for years. This woman was gritty, powerful, and utterly unconcerned with propriety.
"Lady Reise! Good morning!" Lilia greeted cheerfully.
G6 just winked at her in response before sinking to sit on the ground directly in front of them.
"Should we even bother correcting her?" Tina asked Edmund under her breath.
"I do not believe it would be effective. I can tell she is already deeply dissatisfied with her current progress," Edmund reasoned.
Tina retrieved a small bottle from the basket. It was filled with a thick, murky green liquid that looked like liquefied vegetables. "Here, Lady Reise," she said, her tone laced with a subtle, scolding edge. "Alistair was forced to wake at a most uncivilized hour to prepare this for you, since you saw fit to sneak out before dawn."
Tch. She's gonna die alone if she keeps nagging like that.
G6 took the bottle, uncorked it, and gave it a cautious sniff. Then she took a sip—and immediately spat it onto the sand beside her. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?" she yelled, grimacing at the horrific taste.
"He insisted it would help strengthen your body," Tina explained, unfazed. "He said the more effective it is, the worse it tastes."
"It is quite potent, my lady," Edmund vouched. "It is the same tonic Alistair used to prepare for me in my youth."
Lilia stood and took the towel from Edmund. She circled behind G6 and began gently dabbing the sweat from her neck and brushing the sand from her back. "You should drink it, Lady Reise. If you wish to endure a full day in this arena, you will need your strength."
With a look of utter disgust, G6 lifted the bottle and downed its contents in one single, desperate gulp. She raised a hand to signal Lilia that was enough.
"I'm kind of hungry," she announced bluntly.
Tina pulled a roll of bread from the basket and handed it over. G6 took it and began to eat with a ravenous intensity, not even bothering to wipe her hands clean first.
Tina could only stare, a wave of sheer hopelessness washing over her features as she watched her mistress, the picture of noble elegance, devour her food like a starved soldier.
After she finished the bread, she stood, brushing the crumbs from her clothes. "Listen," she began, her back still to them, her tone dropping into a cold, lethal calm that made the air itself feel heavier. "If I collapse again and you force another potion on me… you will not like what happens next." Though they could not see her face, they could feel the sharpness of her gaze in that warning.
She walked back to the center of the training arena and stretched her limbs, a predator preparing to hunt.
Okay, now let's see what this body can handle.
She picked up the wooden practice sword from the ground.
<< Perfect Assassin Form: Activated >>
< Speed. >
She fell into a ready stance, the sword held not like a novice, but with the poised economy of a master. Then, she moved.
It was less like running and more like a form of controlled teleportation. One moment, she was a still figure in the center of the arena. In the blur of the next, she was at the far wall, a distance of fifteen long strides, having covered the ground without a single footfall. The only evidence of her passage was the sand kicked into the air, swirling lazily in her wake.
Edmund, Tina, and Lilia could only stare, their earlier conversation forgotten in a shared moment of awe.
She lowered the sword, catching her breath. Hmm. That felt right, but at the same time… wrong. Like the system is lagging.
< Speed: 0.1s >
The effect was instantaneous and startling. The movement was a violent snap of displaced air. This time, the sand didn't just swirl; it exploded outward from her path as she reappeared at her origin point in a fraction of a heartbeat.
"Now we're talking," she said, a genuine, thrilled smile touching her lips.
Let's try the other one. This one should be like the Eclipse-Step. Silence?
< Silence >
For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. G6 frowned, confused. She turned toward her three observers.
"HEY! CAN YOU SEE ANYTHING?" she yelled.
The trio didn't flinch. They didn't turn their heads. They simply continued to watch the spot where she'd been standing moments before, their expressions a mixture of confusion and curiosity, as if waiting for a show to start. They had not heard a thing.
"TINA! EDMUND! LILIA!" she shouted again, directly at them.
Still, no response. It was as if she had become a ghost.
Hmm… so they can't hear me. The field must be a sphere around me. This could work for my attacks, too. Like a built-in silencer for a gun. Incredibly useful.
"Alright, next is… perception and strength control?" she mused to herself. I can't test that without a target or a sparring partner.
Should I ask for a bow and have them set up a target? Yeah, that'll work.
< Speed >
In the space of a single blink, she was no longer across the arena. She was standing directly in front of them, her sudden appearance making all three jump in their seats. She was smiling, her eyes alight with a thrilling, almost manic energy. "I need a—"
<< Perfect Assassin Form: Deactivated >>
The effect was as brutal as it was instantaneous. The immense energy sustaining her vanished, and a wave of debilitating cold and exhaustion washed over her, forcing her to her knees on the hard-packed sand with a gasp.
"Lady Reise!" they shouted in unison, scrambling from the bench to rush to her side.
This is bearable. It's just the tremors. A system reboot, she assessed clinically, even as her body shuddered violently.
"I'm okay," she managed, though her voice was faint and strained. "I just need to rest for a while."
Edmund was at her side instantly, his arm a steady support as he helped her stand. "Put me on the ground," G6 commanded, her words clipped.
Edmund didn't question the odd request. He carefully helped her sink down to sit on the ground, her back leaning against the solid wood of the bench for support.
"Here, Lady Reise," Lilia said, her small hands offering a water flask, helping her take a small sip.
"Thank you. I'm fine," G6 repeated, though the pallor of her skin and the persistent tremor in her hands told a different story.
The three could only look on, their worry a palpable force. She was not as deathly pale as the day before, but the violent shivering was unmistakable.
"Edmund…" she called out, not one to waste a moment, even in recovery. "Please set up a target and fetch me a bow."
"It will be done, Lady Reise," Edmund said with a bow of his head. "However, I must insist you grant yourself a longer respite. The day is still young." His tone was respectful but firm.
He's right. I'm not on a timer. The mission parameters are flexible.
G6 gave a short, conceding nod. Tina simply sighed heavily, the sound laden with a world of worry.
"Miss Tina," Lilia chirped, ever the pragmatic one, "let us set out breakfast for Lady Reise."
"Very well. Edmund, please retrieve the folding table from beside the storage room," Tina directed, slipping back into her role as the efficient manager of their peculiar household.
G6 just leaned her head back against the bench and looked up at the sky, which was steadily brightening from violet to a soft, hopeful blue.
This… is going to take much longer than I thought.
She thought with a mix of frustration and grim determination.
_____
Time Check: 7:55 A.M
The first light of dawn painted the marble annex bridge in soft hues of gold and rose. Keith, uncharacteristically alert for the hour, was crossing it on his way to the Royal Collegium when a familiar, mocking voice cut through the morning quiet.
"It is profoundly unlike you to be awake at this hour, Keith."
Keith didn't bother to turn, offering a lazy, sarcastic wave over his shoulder. "Good morning to you too, Earl."
Earl fell into step beside him, his pace measured and calm. "What, pray tell, has motivated this sudden embrace of the morning?" he asked, adjusting his glasses.
"I made a promise to someone," Keith answered with a shrug, trying to sound nonchalant. "To help with their physical training."
"Oh? Miss Eliza, I presume?" Earl inquired, a knowing glint in his eye.
"Ugh, no," Keith groaned, his face twisting in distaste. "I gave up on that. She drives me mad. Every little mistake ends with her on the verge of tears. It is not attractive in the slightest; it feels like a ploy for pity." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "No, I'm talking about my Reise."
"That is a great deal of criticism for a mere commoner," Earl noted dryly. "Well, I suppose I shall be spending more time at the Bastion as well."
Keith stopped walking. "Why? I thought you'd had your fill of combat training over the last three years. Aren't you a master of both martial arts and magic now?"
"I will be helping Reise, too," Earl stated simply.
Keith's jaw went slack. "No way! I am already doing that!" he complained, his voice taking on the petulant tone of a child whose favorite toy was being claimed by another.
"And I cannot?" Earl turned to face him fully, the morning light flashing off his lenses. "I find myself just as… intrigued by this new incarnation of Reise as you are."
"Well, I came first!" Keith insisted, pointing a finger at his own chest.
"Do not be such a infant. This is not a matter of 'first come, first served,'" Earl retorted, his own composure beginning to fray.
"Fancy the both of you discussing my fiancée with such… familiarity." A cool, authoritative voice came from behind them.
They turned to find Prince Dio approaching, his expression unreadable.
"Fancy you calling my Reise your fiancée," Keith shot back, his tone a mix of genuine annoyance and open mockery.
"Well said," Earl added, crossing his arms.
"I do not particularly care for your opinions on the matter," Dio stated, his voice icy. He walked past them, not breaking his stride. "In any case, Earl, you will indeed be at the Bastion soon. There is to be a recruitment drive once Captain Kepler returns from his mission."
"Then it seems I shall simply have to start my visits early," Earl replied smoothly.
"Don't you have a mountain of papers waiting for you? Ancient magical tools to geek over?" Keith snipped, unwilling to let his new 'rival' have the last word.
"I do," Earl conceded with a faint, superior smirk. "But unlike some, I can multitask."
"That is quite enough words for one morning," Dio cut in, his patience evidently thinning. He paused and looked back at them, his gaze sharp. "I suggest you both cease fighting over something that was never meant to be yours." The quiet, cutting whisper was meant for their ears alone. With that, he continued on his way.
"That arrogant jerk," Keith mused, scowling at Dio's retreating back. "He's finally starting to lay claim to the woman he spent a decade ignoring."
Earl adjusted his glasses, a thoughtful, competitive gleam in his eyes. "Well, I have no intention of leaving myself out of this particular game." And with that, he continued his walk, leaving a fuming Keith behind.
The three men walked in a stiff, silent procession, the early morning air still thick with the tension of their previous argument. Their path took them behind the Main Villa, along the elegant stone walkway that led to the Royal Collegium.
"My, the three of you are out and about quite early this morning." A charming, melodic voice called out from behind them, causing them to halt and turn. It was Eliza, flanked by her two ever-present handmaidens, a picture of delicate grace.
"Good morning, Your Highness," she greeted, offering Prince Dio a practiced, radiant smile before dipping into a slight curtsy. Her gaze then swept to the others. "And to you as well, Sir Keith, Sir Earl."
Keith offered a dismissive, half-hearted wave. Dio and Earl responded with nothing more than curt, silent nods before turning to continue their walk, their dismissal clear.
Eliza, desperate to insert herself into their orbit, quickened her pace to fall in step just behind them. "It is a rare sight to see the three of you journeying to the Collegium together," she ventured, her voice light and conversational.
Dio remained stoically silent, ignoring her completely.
"Well, I shall be paying a visit to someone today," Earl stated blandly, not bothering to look back at her.
"Hey man, mind your own amusement," Keith said to Earl, a warning in his tone.
"The phrase is 'mind your own business'," Earl corrected him pedantically.
"Yeah, nerd, I know. I went to school," Keith shot back, annoyed that his joke had fallen on deliberately obtuse ears.
Earl and Keith had always been partners in drama, their primary amusement found in teasing the old Reise. But outside of that shared pastime, they rarely saw eye to eye. And yet, perhaps it was the very honesty of that chaotic tandem—the way they never hid their barbs or their boredom—that had forged a strange, grudging closeness between all three men over the years.
"I do wonder how Lady Reise is faring today," Eliza interjected, dragging the conversation back to a topic she knew would snag their attention, just as she had before. "I imagine she will not be coming in today, not after yesterday's… incident."
All three men halted as one. It was as if she had introduced a foul odor into the clean morning air.
"What happened to Reise?" Earl asked, directing his question pointedly at Keith, not deigning to acknowledge Eliza as the source.
"She collapsed yesterday after overexerting herself. She is perfectly fine now," Keith answered, his tone making it clear the matter was closed.
"Reise is not nearly as fragile as you seem to believe," Dio stated, his voice cold enough to frost the surrounding greenery. He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes briefly meeting Eliza's before flicking meaningfully toward her throat. "I would think the memory of that hairpin would have taught you as much."
Eliza's hands clenched reflexively in the fabric of her dress, her knuckles turning white. Prince Dio had only paid her significant attention once—on her first day at the villa and during a brief conversation in the gardens that night. But after that, he had withdrawn completely, as if he had fulfilled some obligatory duty and now found her presence entirely superfluous.
Keith let out a low, impressed whistle at Dio's sharp retort. Without another word, the three men resumed their walk, their unified silence a more effective barrier than any wall. Eliza did not attempt to speak again, left to follow in their wake as they continued in silence until they reached the shimmering barrier that separated the villa grounds from the Royal Collegium.
—
The three men arrived at the Bastion. As soon as he stepped into the grand entrance, Keith immediately turned toward the training arena.
A step echoed behind him. "Go back to the Omnia, geek," he said without looking back.
He then heard multiple footsteps. Turning, he saw not only Earl following him, but Prince Dio as well. "Must you both interfere during the only time I can actually talk to Reise without being answered with sarcasm?" Keith complained.
"I have no concern for your needs," Earl stated flatly, brushing past him."She is my fiancée," Dio added, walking past him as well.
"Stop using that card, you cold Prince of fire!" Keith pouted, hurrying to catch up to their pace.
As they arrived at the top of the stairs leading down into the training arena, the first thing they saw was an arrow slicing through the air with lethal precision.
On a bench to the side, her three servants sat watching, utterly captivated. Their mistress held the bow not like a novice hunter, but with the chilling efficiency of a predator. Not a single target was missed.
The three men were equally transfixed by the sight of G6. She was clad in simple, ragged black training clothes. Her rose-gold hair, once always perfectly silken, was now a messy halo around her head. Her skin, once flawlessly porcelain, glistened with a sheen of sweat.
< Perception > combined with < Control Strength: 20% >
A deafening BANG echoed through the arena, startling everyone.
The arrow didn't just pierce the hardened wooden target; it shattered it completely and embedded itself deep into the multi-layered concrete wall behind it, leaving a visible crack in the stone.
< Speed: 0.1s >
A cloud of sand aggressively kicked into the air, causing the three men to cough and shield their eyes.
"WHAT THE HELL? THAT WAS FASTER THAN YOURS!" Keith exclaimed in amazement, thumping Dio on the shoulder.
"Not only that, her arrow managed to fracture the wall itself," Earl observed, adjusting his glasses as if studying a fascinating new specimen.
"HEY! REISEE! I'M HERE!" Keith announced his presence like an excited child.
Oh, great. That annoying brat is here. And he brought his buddies.
Keith gestured toward her servants, indicating they would welcome themselves to the benches. The three men began walking over.
Why did he bring that annoying Prince? Tch. He's really an untrained dog, that watery guy.
Anyway, 20% is too much. And this stupid arrow is stuck.
G6 complained internally as she tried to pull the arrow from the wall.
< Control Strength: 5% >
The arrow came free with a gritty scrape, leaving a deep, cylindrical hole in the concrete.
Whoa. That looks like a bullet hole, G6 mused.
Now, it's been twenty minutes. Let's see how the body is holding up.
< Speed >
In a blink, she was standing directly in front of the three men.
"Who told you to bring your gang with you?" G6 asked, directing the question straight at Keith.
"They're the ones who followed me here!" he whined, looking for sympathy.
"I will not be entertaining any questions about what you just saw," G6 declared, feeling their hungry, curious stares boring into her. "The show is on break."
Edmund and Tina immediately cleared a space for her. G6 sank to the ground, leaning her back against the bench with a sigh.
<< Perfect Assassin Form: Deactivated >>
A soft, pained "Ugh…" escaped her lips as she tilted her head back toward the sky, the sound barely a whisper but audible in the quiet arena.
"Lilia," Tina called softly.
Lilia fetched the water flask and helped G6 take a drink. "Now, Lady Reise, another thirty minutes of rest," Edmund instructed, setting a timer on the watch attached to his vest.
"What is going on, Edmund?" Dio asked, his brow furrowed.
"My lady is enforcing a mandatory rest period after utilizing her Physical Enhancement skills, Your Highness," Edmund explained, weaving truth with a convenient lie. "Her body is still… acclimating to the strain."
Dio's eyes narrowed slightly. Hmm, it does align with the effects of advanced Physical Enhancement. Yet, there is still a faint air of secrecy around it all.
"My, my, Reise. You must stop pushing yourself so hard. We have not even sparred yet," Keith said, stepping closer. "You look… rather disheveled," he added.
G6's sharp gaze snapped to him. "Idiot," she responded, her voice faint but dripping with contempt.
"I could instruct you in properly managing Physical Enhancement skills," Dio offered, seizing the opportunity.
"No, thank you. I have no desire to owe you anything," G6 refused flatly.
"Lady Reise is going to practice her Wind magic after she rests!" Lilia chirped, diligently wiping sweat from G6's brow.
"I can assist you with that," Earl offered, presenting himself.
"Mind your own business, geek," G6 refused again.
"I could grant you access to a rare text in the Omnia Vault on advanced spell theory," Earl bartered.
"I would be most grateful for your assistance," G6 said instantly, as if a deal had been struck.
Dio looked away, mentally scrambling for something to offer. Keith grinned at him, enjoying seeing the usually composed prince at a loss. Dio was skilled in negotiation, but not with a woman as unpredictable as G6.
"Why do you refuse my offer?" Dio asked, a hint of frustration in his tone.
G6 looked at him, one eyebrow raised. "Why would I accept it?"
"I cannot simply offer you access to the Bastion, as you are already here," he stated, as if his mere presence was a prize. "But I can teach you offensive and defensive techniques that I alone have mastered."
Hmm… I already know how to protect myself. I don't need that kind of basic training.
"Meh… it doesn't pique my interest," G6 said, unimpressed.
His usual cold composure finally cracking with a silver of frustration. "Then what, in your opinion, would not be a waste of your time?"
G6 tilted her head, a predator considering its prey. The ghost of a smirk played on her lips. "Something that actually piques my interest… Or better yet," her voice dropped to a challenging purr, "something that challenges me."
Dio was silent for a long moment, his sharp eyes studying her. He was done offering trinkets. It was time to wield his real authority. When he spoke again, his voice was low and deliberate, each word weighted with significance.
"The royal armory holds a singular artifact. A blade forged not of steel, but of star-fallen meteorite ore. It is lighter than a feather, yet its edge is said to be unbreakable. It hums with a dormant magic, a power that has rejected every knight, mage, and champion who has ever tried to claim it in the last century."
He paused, noting how her plain expression hadn't changed, but her eyes—her eyes had sharpened, focusing on him with an intensity that was almost physical. He had her attention now.
"I will grant you the opportunity to see if it will accept you," he said, finally unveiling his condition. "But that opportunity comes with a price. You grant me access to your training. You allow me to observe the methods that produce... this." He gestured vaguely at her, at the cracked wall, at the impossible feats they had just witnessed.
"Let me understand what I am truly betting my family's relic on."
G6 showed one evil grin. Desperate negotiation sometimes is what makes you lost.
"Sure, your access is granted. How nice it is to be acquainted with my future ex—" G6 began, a mischievous glint in her eye.
Before she could finish the sentence, Tina smoothly cut her off by presenting another lemon cupcake. "From Alistair. He prepared it precisely to your liking," she said, a clear diversion.
"Oh? You've been hiding this from me? Hand it over," G6 commanded, her attention successfully captured.
Ah, every time my skills drain me, I get hungry..
Tina moved to offer it, but her hands were still trembling slightly from the earlier exertion.
"It's okay, I'll hold it for you, Lady Reise! My hands are clean!" Lilia cheerfully offered.
"Lilia, there is no such thing as 'dirty' when it comes to food," G6 stated, and opened her mouth, allowing Lilia to feed her the cupcake.
The three men could only stand in silent astonishment at the bizarrely domestic yet utterly undignified scene.
"Who knew she could be so… casual," Earl whispered, a note of awe in his voice.
"Indeed. She is nothing like she was before," Keith agreed, both of them wearing faint, bewildered smiles.
Dio simply stared. She sat flat on the ground, leaning against a bench like a common soldier, being hand-fed cake by a child servant without a shred of self-consciousness.
Before, I could predict your every emotion. Now, in one moment you can threaten a person with your gaze, and in the next, you can be this… casual. You are constantly on guard, yet completely at ease in your own strangeness.
Reise… why does it feel as if the woman I knew died, and someone entirely new has taken her place?
And strangely… I find I do not mind it at all.
— To be continued… —