A month had passed since the grand entrance ceremony for the academy's first-year students.
To most people, that month had been uneventful. Classes had settled into their usual rhythm, professors continued their lectures, and students immersed themselves in training.
Yet beneath the academy's peaceful surface, invisible currents continued to clash.
The rivalry between the Crown Prince's faction and the Crown Princess's faction had only grown more intense. Noble houses whispered in private meetings, students carefully chose their companions, and every conversation seemed to carry political weight.
As evening settled over the academy, Rick sat inside Eve's Inn, a modest tavern popular among students.
Seated around the wooden table were Rome, Krai, and Leze.
"The remaining two members of the original group had already left days ago."
Krai broke the silence first, worry evident in his voice.
"We managed to recruit almost ten students before... but now we have no one."
He clenched his fist.
"The other students are avoiding us. Even the smaller noble families have begun keeping their distance. The nobles are putting pressure on everyone."
The atmosphere around the table became heavy.
"It has already been a month since we last spoke with the Princess," Krai continued. "Isn't it about time we approached her ourselves and settled this?"
Leze nodded in agreement.
"Krai's right. We should stop worrying about our pride and speak to Princess Nina."
Rome silently agreed, giving a small nod.
All three looked toward Rick.
Rick remained silent for several moments before letting out a quiet sigh.
"It's not a matter of pride."
Everyone waited for him to continue.
"The problem is..." he said calmly, "she doesn't see all of us."
His words caught them off guard.
"She only cares about Rome."
Rome looked up in surprise.
"If we go to her asking for protection now," Rick continued, "she'll ask for Rome without hesitation."
He paused before finishing his thought.
"But the rest of us..."
"...will simply become attachments."
Silence filled the table.
"I refuse to let that happen."
Rick looked directly at Rome.
"I don't want to stay tangled with her. What i want is freedom from her. "
Rome lowered his eyes, understanding exactly what Rick meant.
"So..." Rome asked quietly, "what do we do now?"
Rick leaned back in his chair.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Finally, he released another small sigh.
"I'll speak to her tomorrow."
Relief immediately spread across the table.
A faint smile appeared on Krai's face.
"That's good enough."
"Then let's stop worrying for tonight," Leze said with a grin. "Our dinner's getting cold."
The tension gradually disappeared as they returned to their meal.
The next day, afternoon...
The academy's lunch break had begun.
Students filled the magnificent marble hallways, laughing with friends as they made their way toward the dining hall.
Rick walked alone through one of the long corridors.
His thoughts were elsewhere.
Tomorrow...
No...
Maybe today.
Should I approach her first?
Or should I continue waiting?
He was so absorbed in thought that he barely noticed his surroundings.
Then—
"Rick."
A soft voice called his name from behind.
He stopped walking.
Slowly...
He turned around.
Rick slowly turned around.
Standing a few steps behind him was a tall, broad-shouldered man clad in the academy's uniform. His posture was perfectly straight, and his piercing gaze carried the quiet confidence.
The man studied Rick for a brief moment before speaking.
"Are you Rick?"
Rick was momentarily surprised, but his expression quickly returned to its usual calm.
"I am," he replied. "But... who are you?"
The man placed a hand over his chest in a formal salute.
"My name is Bran. I serve as a knight under His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Henry."
His deep voice echoed through the corridor.
At the mention of the Crown Prince, Rick's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
The Crown Prince...?
He had expected Princess Nina to make contact first.
Instead...
The Prince had moved before her.
After a brief silence, Rick asked calmly,
"What does His Highness want with me?"
Bran turned around without another word.
"Come with me. His Royal Highness wishes to speak with you."
Rick glanced around the hallway.
Refusing an invitation from the Crown Prince was not an option.
Without another word, he followed Bran.
The two walked through several quiet corridors before arriving at one of the academy's private reception rooms.
Bran stopped before an ornate wooden door.
He pushed it open.
"Please enter. His Highness is waiting for you."
Rick nodded and stepped inside.
The room was elegant yet simple, furnished with finely crafted sofas and polished wooden tables. Sunlight filtered through the tall windows, illuminating the room with a warm glow.
Seated comfortably on one of the sofas was Crown Prince Henry.
Several fourth-year students stood silently behind him, their posture disciplined and their expressions unreadable. Their mere presence radiated strength, making it clear they were among the Prince's most trusted followers.
The moment Rick entered, every pair of eyes turned toward him.
Rick immediately lowered himself onto one knee.
"It is an honor to meet you, Your Royal Highness."
Henry smiled gently.
"Please, stand up, Rick."
His voice carried neither arrogance nor authority. Instead, it was calm and welcoming.
"There is no need for such formality here. Have a seat."
Rick rose to his feet and quietly sat on the sofa opposite the Crown Prince.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Henry observed Rick with calm, thoughtful eyes, as though trying to understand the young man sitting before him.
Then, with a friendly smile, he asked,
"Would you like something to drink?"
"It would be my pleasure," Rick replied politely.
Henry gave a slight nod.
One of the fourth-year students immediately stepped forward and gracefully poured two cups of freshly brewed coffee before placing them on the table.
The rich aroma slowly spread through the room.
Once again...
Silence settled between them.
Neither man reached for the coffee.
Neither spoke.
The room became eerily quiet as the Crown Prince and Rick simply looked at one another, each carefully measuring the other.
It was no longer a meeting between a prince and a first-year student.
It was the opening move in a political game, where every word—and every silence—carried meaning.
The silence lingered until Rick finally set his untouched cup of coffee on the table.
"Your Royal Highness..." he said, breaking the stillness. "You were looking for me. May I ask why?"
Henry didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he calmly lifted his cup and took a slow sip of coffee, as if considering how much he wished to reveal.
Only after setting the cup down did he speak.
"Tell me, Rick... do you know what separates an Aura Master from a true Sword Master?"
Rick remained silent, listening.
Henry smiled faintly.
"Among the fourth-year students, almost everyone has reached the level of an Aura Master."
He gestured toward the two senior students standing behind him.
"Take those two, for example. Both are Aura Masters."
The two fourth-years remained expressionless, standing like statues.
"But..." Henry continued, "there is no one among them like Michael."
Rick's eyes narrowed slightly.
Michael.
Even though he had also reached the Aura Master realm, his strength was on an entirely different level.
Henry noticed the change in Rick's expression.
"The difference," he explained, "is that Michael can use a Perfect Aura Sword."
Rick fell deep into thought.
A Perfect Aura Sword...
He had heard the term before, but no one had ever explained its true meaning.
Henry leaned back against the sofa.
"When someone first becomes an Aura Master, they learn to coat their weapon with mana."
He picked up a decorative sword resting beside the sofa and slowly drew a finger along its blade.
"That is an Aura Sword."
A faint layer of mana surrounded the blade.
"But..."
The mana dispersed almost immediately.
"That isn't perfection."
Henry looked directly into Rick's eyes.
"A Perfect Aura Sword is created when every inch of the blade is wrapped in an impossibly thin, perfectly balanced layer of mana."
His voice remained calm, almost like that of a teacher giving a lecture.
"It sounds like a minor difference."
He smiled.
"But it isn't."
"The difference between an Aura Master and a true Sword Master lies in mana control."
He gently tapped the table with a finger.
"Anyone with sufficient talent can pour mana into a weapon."
Another tap.
"But controlling that mana with absolute precision..."
A third tap.
"...requires extraordinary mental focus."
"The thinner the mana layer, the more perfect the control."
"And the more perfect the control..."
"...the stronger the Aura Sword becomes."
Rick quietly absorbed every word.
For the first time, he truly understood why Michael stood so far above ordinary Aura Masters.
It wasn't because he possessed more mana.
It was because his control over mana had reached a completely different realm.
Henry watched Rick's thoughtful expression with satisfaction.
Then his smile widened ever so slightly.
"I originally wanted Michael to serve under me."
Rick looked up.
"I made him many offers."
Henry gave a helpless chuckle.
"But he refused every one of them."
His gaze shifted toward the window before returning to Rick.
"Just like Rome."
The room fell silent again.
Henry continued,
"When Rome enrolled at this academy, he was merely a commoner with talent comparable to Michael's."
He paused.
"But look at him now."
"He has already become an Aura Master."
His voice carried unmistakable admiration.
"His talent has already surpassed Michael's."
Henry's eyes sharpened.
"If he continues to grow at this pace..."
"...he may one day reach the realm of an Awakened One."
The words hung heavily in the room.
Even the fourth-year students standing behind Henry couldn't hide the slight flicker in their eyes.
The title Awakened One was spoken with reverence throughout the kingdom.
It was a realm that countless swordsmen pursued...
Yet almost none ever reached.
Henry looked at Rick with calm confidence.
"And that," he said in a steady voice, "is precisely why I wanted to meet the man who earned the loyalty of someone like Rome."
Rick remained silent, listening without interrupting.
Henry slowly rose from his seat and walked toward the large window overlooking the academy grounds. Sunlight streamed through the glass, casting long shadows across the room.
Without turning around, he spoke.
"That talent..."
His voice carried both admiration and disbelief.
"...is wasted on a commoner."
He looked out at the students training below.
"Do you realize what Rome has accomplished?"
Henry clasped his hands behind his back.
"Most swordsmen spend nearly three years reaching the realm of an Aura Master. Talented one half the time"
He let those words linger before continuing.
"And yet..."
"Rome achieved that same realm in only seven months."
Even the fourth-year students standing behind him couldn't conceal the respect in their eyes.
"A talent like his appears only once in generations. And that talent is serving a person who took four years to teach the same level."
Henry finally turned to face Rick.
"But that's enough."
A gentle smile returned to his face.
"I don't intend to take him from you by force."
He slowly walked back and stopped beside Rick.
"I am going to become king one day."
His voice was calm, but every word carried the weight of certainty.
"And when that day comes..."
"I will reward those who stand beside me."
Henry extended his hand toward Rick.
"Serve me."
"I will grant you a noble title."
"I will give your companions positions worthy of their talents."
"And none of you will ever have to struggle again."
The room fell silent.
Rick had expected this proposal from the moment Bran introduced himself as the Crown Prince's knight.
Still...
Hearing it directly from Henry himself was entirely different.
Rick lowered his eyes, carefully organizing his thoughts.
The offer was tempting.
A noble title.
Power.
Security.
A future that countless commoners could only dream of.
Yet accepting it would mean choosing a side in the kingdom's growing political conflict.
For a long while, no one spoke.
Finally, Rick broke the silence.
"Your Royal Highness..."
He met Henry's gaze.
"May I have some time to think about your offer?"
The words had barely left his mouth when one of the fourth-year students stepped forward, his face filled with anger.
"You dare make His Highness wait?"
His aura flared slightly.
"Do you have any idea who you're speaking to?"
Before he could say another word, Henry casually raised a hand.
The room instantly fell silent.
The fourth-year student immediately stepped back without another complaint.
Henry smiled.
"Of course."
He nodded approvingly.
"A man who makes a decision without careful thought isn't someone I would want serving me."
He walked back toward the window.
"You may go."
Rick stood.
Placing a hand over his chest, he bowed respectfully.
"Thank you for your understanding, Your Royal Highness."
He turned and began walking toward the door.
Just as his hand reached the handle—
"Rick."
Henry's voice stopped him.
Rick looked back.
Henry's calm smile remained unchanged.
"I know you're trying to make contact with Princess Nina."
Rick's expression remained unreadable.
"I won't stop you."
Henry folded his arms.
"But I hope you'll make the right decision."
His golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"Because choosing the wrong side..."
"...may cost you far more than your future."
The warning hung heavily in the room.
Rick simply inclined his head.
"I'll remember your words, Your Royal Highness."
Without another response, he opened the door and left.
As Rick walked through the academy's quiet corridors, his mind raced.
The Crown Prince had already extended his hand.
Sooner or later, Princess Nina would do the same.
When that moment came...
He would have to choose.
A choice that could determine not only his own future, but the fate of everyone who had placed their trust in him.
Lost in thought, Rick suddenly stopped walking.
A memory surfaced in his mind.
"Willy..."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"If it's her..."
"She might be able to arrange a meeting with the Princess."
Without wasting another moment, Rick headed toward Class A, where Willy was.
As he approached the classroom, he spotted her standing alone in the hallway, reading a stack of documents.
Rick stopped a respectful distance away.
"My Lady."
Hearing the greeting, Willy looked over her shoulder.
For a brief moment, surprise flashed across her face.
"You?"
Rick bowed politely.
"It is a pleasure to meet you again, Lady Willy."
Willy stared at him for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh.
"If you're here to ask for a meeting with Her Highness..."
She closed the document in her hands.
"...forget it."
With those words, she turned and started walking toward her classroom.
Rick didn't move.
Instead, he spoke calmly.
"Perhaps you're right."
His voice made Willy pause.
"A single commoner can't change anything."
She slowly turned back.
"But one talented person..."
Rick's eyes remained steady.
"...can become the difference between victory and defeat."
His words echoed through the hallway.
Willy folded her arms.
"Her Highness already has countless talented people protecting her."
Her tone became noticeably colder.
"So don't overestimate your own value simply because one gifted swordsman chose to follow you."
Rick nodded without taking offense.
"That's true."
A small smile appeared on his face.
"But tell me..."
He looked directly into her eyes.
"Among all those talented people..."
"...how many can defeat Rome?"
The question caught her completely off guard.
For the first time since their conversation began, Willy had no immediate answer.
Rick continued.
"As Her Highness's aide, isn't it your responsibility to gather every talented person willing to stand beside her?"
Silence settled between them.
The hallway bustled with students walking past, yet neither of them seemed to notice.
Willy quietly studied Rick.
He wasn't speaking with arrogance.
Nor was he begging.
He was simply stating facts.
After a long pause, she turned away once more.
Rick assumed the conversation had ended.
He bowed politely and began walking in the opposite direction.
Then—
"Rick."
Her voice stopped him.
He turned around.
Without looking back, Willy spoke in her usual composed tone.
"Tonight."
Rick waited.
"Come to the girls' dormitory."
She finally glanced over her shoulder.
"Alone."
Rick lowered his head respectfully.
"As you wish, My Lady."
Only then did Willy continue walking toward her classroom.
Rick watched her disappear behind the classroom door before allowing himself a faint smile.
The first step had finally been taken.
Now...
All that remained was to meet the Crown Princess herself.