Cecilia POV
The morning of Saturday began in the dormitory of the Imperial Academy for first-year students. The room was standard: four beds, simple furniture, no unnecessary comfort. Only one was occupied—Cecilia was already awake when the first sunlight started to enter through the window.
She opened her eyes calmly, without sudden movement. Sleep left no fatigue behind, nor any emotional residue—only a habitual clarity of thought.
Getting up. Washing. A short physical warm-up focused on maintaining control over body and breathing. Then breakfast. The entire morning routine took about one and a half hours and did not differ from previous days.
By 8:10, Cecilia was already standing at the academy mission board. Her route was standard: the E-rank mission section. These missions did not present serious danger, but they were useful for consolidating skills and maintaining combat rhythm.
On the way, she encountered a familiar figure.
Viren Caldris.
Formally her fiancé. Practically a person bound to her only by circumstances, not personal choice.
Cecilia slightly frowned. Her attitude toward him was not stable. In the past, his behavior had caused only irritation and rejection. Now the situation had changed, but full trust or interest was still absent.
A nod. A returned nod. No conversation was necessary.
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In the mission section, Cecilia methodically analyzed available E-rank requests. Her criteria were simple: minimal time loss, moderate risk, and practical benefit.
She was not seeking difficulty for its own sake.
After several minutes, she stopped at a tracking mission.
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**Caeron Mortholt**
Age: 29
Rank: 2 (aura core level)
Appearance: lean build, height around 175–180 cm. Black hair with a brown tint, no distinct recognizable features. Facial structure slightly disproportionate, but no memorable traits.
Weapon: spear
Elements: wind, water
Former member of the city guard.
Crimes: rape and murder of a fellow soldier, followed by escape from the city.
Last known direction: Silvers-Pass settlement. Likely injured.
Reward: 140 credits.
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Cecilia's expression did not change. However, while reading the details, her gaze became slightly colder. This did not affect her decision, but it was recorded as information.
The target was selected.
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The journey took several hours. Using second-rank physical speed, Cecilia minimized travel time.
The settlement was small. Simple structure: one-story houses, agriculture, limited population. A normal place, not worth attention.
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The tavern was the only one in the settlement.
Cecilia entered. Inside were only a few people, mostly locals. She drew attention briefly, but it quickly faded. They correctly assessed the level of threat.
She was not someone to be approached carelessly.
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Cecilia approached the innkeeper and calmly ordered food. Then she asked about recent guests.
At first, the answers were evasive. Greed and caution mixed in his behavior. He tried to evaluate what benefit he could extract from the information.
After a short pause and subtle pressure, he became more cooperative.
The information was confirmed: one of the guests matched the description. A single resident.
His routine was also known—regular meals and return during evening hours.
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Cecilia took a waiting position.
She did not rush. Missions like this rarely required haste.
When the specified time arrived, the target appeared.
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Caeron Mortholt entered the tavern.
Cecilia identified him immediately.
She attacked without warning.
The first strike succeeded—the sword cut into his shoulder, leaving a shallow but clear wound. The element of surprise worked completely.
However, the opponent reacted instantly.
He was left-handed.
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"Bitch, I'll kill you."
His voice was rough, aggressive, lacking control. After that, direct pressure began.
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Cecilia did not retreat. Her combat style was defensive, but not passive. Each block simultaneously checked distance and searched for a counterattack opening.
However, the spear gave the opponent a significant advantage in spatial control. At close range she could parry attacks, but maintaining consistent pressure was difficult.
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The exchange continued.
Minutes passed. The situation remained stable, but not in her favor. The light wound did not significantly restrict the opponent, and his pressure gradually increased.
Cecilia registered this without emotion.
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During the fight, her thoughts briefly shifted to Viren Caldris.
It was not distraction, but comparison. His fighting style was different: more risky, more aggressive, deliberately creating openings to force enemy mistakes.
The analysis remained purely logical, without emotional bias.
---
Cecilia changed her behavior.
She gradually yielded ground, creating the illusion of weakening pressure. This was a deliberate reduction of control.
The opponent, as expected, interpreted it as weakness.
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Step by step, she was pushed toward the tavern wall.
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"You've got nowhere to run."
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The timing was calculated.
She allowed the spear to enter critical distance and at the last moment executed a precise parry followed by an immediate counterattack.
One clean strike.
That was enough.
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The opponent fell.
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After the fight ended, Cecilia calmly inspected the body, retrieved the weapon, and checked the surroundings. No threats remained.
The rest was standard procedure: return, report, mission completion.
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It was a simple mission.
But it confirmed one thing: against spear users, her current combat model still required further adaptation.
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Yes, yes. I'm biting the comments again. I just wanted to know if I should make Viren unbalanced. Question: Would you like Viren to learn:
1. Blacksmithing
2. Alchemy
3. Runecrafting
4. Formations