Arthur lay in a world of white.
There was no sky. No horizon. Just endless pale light stretching in every direction.
A thin layer of water covered the ground beneath him. Barely enough to ripple when something disturbed it.
Arthur lay motionless in the middle of it, eyes closed.
A drop of cold water landed on his cheek.
He twitched.
He twitched.
Another second passed.
Then his eyes opened slowly.
For a moment he just stared upward, confused, like someone waking up in a place they didn't remember falling asleep.
Arthur pushed himself up, one arm trembling under his weight.
The moment he sat upright, a dull pulse throbbed inside his skull.
He turned his head slightly to the right— And froze.
His breath caught halfway in his chest.
Floating not too far away from him… something enormous hung in the air.
A dragon. Its body coiled through the air like a frozen storm. Ice scales shimmered faintly.
It's eyes stared directly at him. Ancient. Cold.
Arthur's body refused to move.
His fingers curled slightly against the water. He didn't blink.
A drop of water fell somewhere above.
Plink!
It struck the thin layer beneath Arthur and sent a small ripple sliding across the white floor.
The ripple traveled outward. Across the empty world.
And then—
——————
Arthur's eyes snapped open.
Sunlight cut through the window, sharp… almost painful.
His body felt heavy like it had carried something it shouldn't remember.
Fragments of last night drifted through his mind.
Broken. Out of place.
"…There was ice," he muttered.
He slowly raised his hand, staring at it."I felt something cold… in my hand…and I was fighting."
He pushed himself up, fingers pressing into his temple."They're all… in pieces," he whispered. "I can't connect them."
"Arthur!"
Felix crashed into him before he could think further.
He wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug that nearly knocked him back onto the mattress.
"You're awake!"
His voice cracked slightly with relief."Thank the gods… I thought I'd get arrested for dragging you into this mess."
Arthur blinked slowly."…What happened?"
Felix pulled back, running a hand through his messy hair.
"Well…"He exhaled."That's kind of a long story."
Arthur looked down at the blanket."…I see."
Felix nudged his shoulder."But hey… on the bright side…"
A grin spread across his face."You manifested your blade."
Arthur stilled."…I did?"
Felix leaned back slightly, like replaying it in his head."Oh, it was insane."
Arthur didn't speak.
Felix continued, animated."You were standing there all dramatic and stuff—'no one messes with my friend'—and then boom."
He clapped his hands together."Ice just exploded everywhere. And then this massive dragon appeared behind you."
Arthur's chest tightened."…A dragon?"
Felix nodded. "Yeah. It was huge and made of ice. Kinda looked like something out of a legend... then it turned into a blade."
Arthur stayed quiet.
His thoughts flickered— like a broken screen trying to load something that wouldn't appear.
"…I can't see it clearly," he murmured."But I remember the cold… in my hand."
His fingers curled slightly."…Was that really my blade?"
"…Where is it?" Arthur asked.
Felix scratched the back of his neck."Yeah… about that."
Arthur's stomach sank.
"Well," Felix said, a bit more awkward now,
"you definitely manifested it. I saw it, but after you collapsed… it just dissolved. Probably because you ran out of mana."
Arthur lowered his gaze."…I remember collapsing," he said quietly, but… was that before… or after everything ended?"
He slid his legs off the bed and stood."What about the goons?" he asked."Were they caught?"
Felix hesitated."…Not exactly."
Arthur glanced at him.
Felix rubbed the back of his neck."Right after you manifested the blade, they were about to attack again… but the boss stopped them."
Arthur frowned. "Stopped them?"
Felix nodded."Yeah. He said something weird."
"What?"
Felix shrugged."Something like… 'our prayers have been answered.'"
Arthur repeated it slowly."…Prayers?"
Felix shook his head. "Didn't make sense to me either, then he said some people were coming."
Arthur stood there, silent.
Pieces trying to connect.
He whispered."If they stopped… and people were coming… then they must've fled…and after that I collapsed…"
His thoughts slowed."…that should be what happened."
He let out a slow breath."…I guess the authorities helped you bring me back."
Felix coughed.
Arthur looked at him.
Felix gave a sheepish smile."I kind of just… grabbed you and ran."
Arthur blinked."You fled?"
"Of course I fled," Felix said quickly.
"What if those people were another group of enemies? I wasn't sticking around to find out."
Arthur stared at him for a moment, then exhaled."…I guess that makes sense…Thanks."
Felix nodded."Oh right. There's something else."
Arthur looked back at him.
"The instructor gave us a briefing while you were still asleep."
"A briefing?"
"Yeah." Felix leaned against the wall."We're heading to the Sage Academy for the trials. There's going to be a battle test to evaluate everyone before they're accepted."
Arthur lowered his gaze. "…When?"
"Two weeks from now." Felix shrugged."Everyone already went home to train."
Arthur stayed quiet for a moment, then said softly."…It looks like I won't get admitted."
Felix blinked.
Arthur continued."I can't manifest my blade."
Felix waved a hand dismissively."Come on, Arthur. You're a noble... you can practically do anything."
Arthur didn't respond.
Felix continued. "You could just ask your father to use his connections and get you admitted."
He grinned."Being a noble comes with its perks, you know."
Arthur slowly lifted his head and looked at Felix."You shouldn't think like that."
Felix blinked, a little surprised.
Arthur's voice wasn't loud, but there was a quiet firmness in it.
"Being born into a noble family doesn't make someone special. It's just a privilege… nothing more."
Felix stayed silent, watching him.
Arthur continued, his gaze steady. "If I rely on my family's name to get into the academy… then what did I actually achieve?"
His fingers curled slightly at his side."When I said I wanted to become a Sword Mage… and eventually the Sage King… I meant it."
His expression hardened a little. "But I meant doing it with my own strength."
Arthur looked away for a moment."If I get in because of my father's influence… then no matter what title i get, it wouldn't mean anything."
His voice grew quieter."In my own eyes… I wouldn't really be a Sword Mage."
He let out a small breath."I'd just be someone who took the easy road."
Felix scratched the back of his head awkwardly."Maybe… but the world doesn't really work like that, Arthur."
Arthur turned to look at him.
Felix spoke more quietly this time."In this world, the strong climb to the top… and the weak get stepped on. That's just how things are."
Arthur frowned.
Felix shrugged. "I'm not saying it's right. I'm just saying… that's reality."
Arthur slowly shook his head."Then I'll change that reality."
Felix blinked at him.
Arthur's voice stayed calm, but there was determination behind it.
"I'll become strong enough to prove power should protect people... not crush them."
Felix let out a short laugh."You know that's basically impossible, right?"
Arthur didn't look bothered. "Isn't that the reason we made those goals in the first place?" he said."To become Sword Mages… and one day reach the level of the Sage King?"
Felix stared at him for a moment.
Then a faint smile appeared on his face. "Well… if that actually happens…"
He leaned back slightly and stretched his arms behind his head."I guess the world would turn into a pretty nice place."
Arthur nodded quietly.
After a moment, he turned toward the door."I'm going to get some air."
Felix raised a hand casually."Hey, if you want to rely on your own strength... that's fine."
He glanced at his empty palm. "Look, even my blade disappeared. The instructor said it's normal. We just have to bond with our blade spirit."
Felix grinned."So that means you should be able to manifest yours again too."
Arthur stood there quietly for a moment."…Thanks, Felix."
Felix waved casually."I'll see you at the Sage Trials then."
Arthur didn't turn back."Mm. Good luck with training.
The door closed behind him with a soft click.