episode_0026

The warrior’s family, the Paltis.

Though the age of heroic tales had faded into legend,

they still lived in the past.

“Come at me, Rhea.”

“Yes.”

A dark night in the Paltis family’s training grounds.

Rhea sighed inwardly—then hurled her sword, aiming for her father’s nape.

She had never actually torn through flesh before, but she knew from knowledge alone:

A beheaded human instinctively clutches at their throat…

But nine times out of ten, they can’t stop the gushing blood and perish within ten seconds.

Those lucky enough to stem the flow with their hands… live about ten seconds longer before meeting the same end.

She knew all this and swung her sword precisely to achieve that result on her father’s neck.

The trajectory she had practiced thousands of times reached his Adam’s apple the moment the blade left her hand—

Clang—!

The family head, Corscia, deflected the flat of the blade mid-motion, sending it flying.

That cost him one move.

One move—enough time for Rhea’s speed to claim two lives.

Her dagger, vanishing and reappearing, now aimed for Corscia’s waist—

Thud—!

“Guh…!”

The next instant, Rhea retched and rolled across the ground several times.

“Still too soft.”

“…”

Suppressing her nausea, Rhea staggered to her feet.

Corscia lowered the foot he had just kicked into her stomach and began his critique with a stern gaze.

“Did you think your father wouldn’t anticipate your movement after a throw?”

“No.”

“Then why attempt such a shallow trick?”

“Because I’m faster than you.”

“…Splendid.”

Corscia smiled deeply as he pulled the second dagger embedded in his foot.

Blood dripped steadily, yet he showed no sign of pain.

Instead, he asked with pride:

“I didn’t see it. Where was it hidden?”

“In my skirt. I knew you’d use your foot, so I dropped it mid-motion and caught it with my toes before stabbing.”

“Bold thinking, and the skill to execute it. You truly are the most beautiful flower our family has cultivated. Let’s end here for today.”

“Yes.”

Rhea swallowed the blood in her throat and sighed imperceptibly.

She was used to it by now—but she still hated it.

Rhea was eight. An age when children of other families were read fairy tales and kissed on the forehead, she had to endure her father’s boot instead.

If it were simple violence, it might have been easier. She could have emptied her mind.

But it wasn’t. Every fist and sword that made her vomit, bruised her, tore her skin, carved into her, and battered her was filled with deep, fervent love.

In the end, Rhea couldn’t run. She could only accept it.

—Even now, when she could kill her father with ease.

Corscia feigned reluctance and muttered:

“…A shame. With your skills, you needn’t bother entering the Academy.”

“No, no, no! That’s not happening!”

“I… see.”

But there was one thing—

Just one thing she would never compromise on.

Seeing the fire in Rhea’s eyes, Corscia sighed softly, realizing that if he forbade her, she might even run away. He smiled gently.

“It’s late today. Go to your room and rest. You must prepare for tomorrow’s entrance ceremony.”

“Yes!”

Rarely showing enthusiasm, Rhea answered and hurried to her room, lest her father change his mind.

Tap tap tap…

Watching her go, Corscia clicked his tongue.

‘Talent that could rival our ancestors…’

He thought the heavens were truly fair.

They bestowed two geniuses—but not for free.

Entrance Ceremony Day.

The Paltis sisters finished their preparations—harmoniously.

“Sis!! You took my clothes again!!!!”

“You took my chocolate cookies too!!”

“Is that the same?! Those disappear when eaten, but this is a dress I bought with my allowance! Do you wanna die?!”

“One ginseng I fed you could buy hundreds of these dresses!”

“I never asked you to feed me that!”

“I-Ingrate…!”

After the morning squabble, Rhea barely made it into the carriage. As she fixed her face in the mirror, Armeria offered blunt advice.

“Your makeup’s too heavy.”

“Hmph, mind your own business. Sis, you’re the one who…”

Rhea pouted at Armeria, then shut her mouth.

That jade-like skin. She’d seen her wash with just water, no soap, yet it looked like she’d applied the finest cosmetics—plump and glowing.

Even her hastily tied hair, smooth as silk, her straight nose, and her eyes…

It’s a scam.

“…”

“Hey, what’s that look?! Wanna die?!”

Instead of answering, Rhea clenched her lips and threw powder at Armeria.

‘Not that I’m inferior, but…’

Hers was the result of effort—Armeria was just beautiful.

Suspecting her sister might have secretly taken some skin-enhancing elixir, Rhea opened a book to soothe her frustration. They had time before reaching the Academy.

The novel she’d read countless times was about a poorly raised noble girl who, after being scorned, won the love of a temperamental prince.

It had been her solace during tough times.

“How many times are you gonna read that?”

“Sis. Shut up.”

“…”

Rhea had no desire to become a hero as strong as her ancestors, as her father wished.

This was an era where demon kings were fairy tales. Where would she even use such overwhelming strength?

If she could, she’d rip it out and stick it to her sister. Because of this power, she couldn’t indulge in fantasies like screaming, “Eek~!” and hiding behind a prince when a bear appeared in the woods.

No matter how she imagined it, if a bear roared, her instincts would split it into six pieces—and the prince would probably flee in horror.

But if she were frail… the prince would valiantly slay the bear, scoop her up (tear stains still fresh), ask if she was alright, and comfort her…

“Ehehe…”

Armeria watched her sister, lost in delusions, with pity before stepping out as the carriage stopped.

“Hurry, we can’t be late.”

Uncharacteristically nervous, Rhea stepped through the Academy’s gates.

“Wow…”

The Academy was—the Academy.

No mere educational institution. A sanctuary permitted only to the empire’s most elite noble heirs, bearers of its glory and future.

The main buildings weren’t of a single style but a harmonious fusion of the empire’s greatest architectural traditions, reflecting its illustrious history.

The Gothic spires piercing the sky matched the illustrations in her books perfectly. Rhea flapped excitedly and called to Armeria.

“Sis, sis! This is the Hall of Glory!”

“Ooh…”

Even Armeria, who knew everything, felt a stir seeing it in person.

Snapping back to reality, Rhea cleared her throat and adopted a strange, stiff gait.

“What are you doing?”

“Copy me. We can’t be ignored.”

Other students were gathering.

With a pounding heart, Rhea joined the line forming.

At the end, a librarian was handing out something.

“Rhea and Armeria Paltis?”

“Y-Yes!”

“Your entrance order.”

Rhea nearly jumped for joy seeing the number on the slip.

“Sis, we’re entering 179th…!”

“Is that good?”

“There are 218 students this term, so it’s super late!”

“Huh? That’s bad, isn’t it?”

“Are you joking?”

Seeing Armeria’s genuinely confused face, Rhea downgraded her sister’s rating from “mushroom-foraging pig” to “slug.”

“Sis… Later is better. If we go early, there’s no crowd. Fewer cheers when we enter.”

“Why?”

“This ranks our standing! It’s not random—it’s based on family achievements and status. The later you enter, the more respect you get.”

“Didn’t know that. Interesting.”

Rhea grabbed her clueless sister’s shoulders and shook her violently.

“How don’t you know?! Are you stupid?! Why’d you even come to the Academy?! Drop out now. You’ll ruin my perfect Academy life with some weird stunt!”

“C-Calm down. I know the Academy well.”

“No, you don’t! You didn’t even know the entrance order!”

“Hmm…”

Armeria, brimming with baseless confidence, jutted her chin toward a chattering student nearby.

“Know him?”

“…? Yeah. Lartius from the Rotius family. Not a high-ranking house. Why?”

“He’s getting ‘expelled’ today.”

“Why?”

“You’ll see.”

“…”

Seeing Armeria’s cryptic smile, Rhea kicked her shin and distanced herself.

She didn’t want to be near a lunatic.

Clank—!

Soon, the grand iron gates of the ceremony hall opened.

“Please enter in order of your numbers.”

“Uwaah…”

Trembling with excitement, Rhea scanned the boys around her.

‘Hmm… Meh.’

Even if their height or build passed muster, their faces rarely earned her approval.

She wasn’t disappointed. Academy life was long.

Her prince would appear someday.

As she calmed her pounding heart, thirty minutes flew by.

“Hey, sis, our turn. Don’t stumble, walk gracefully, okay?”

“…You’re the one shaking the most.”

Armeria sighed at Rhea.

Raised under the Paltis family’s martial-first doctrine, Rhea had never attended proper social gatherings… giving her the vibe of an imaginative, isolated shut-in. A tragic side effect of her upbringing.

‘Though that shut-in’s probably the strongest here…’

Already top-tier in talent, she’d been force-fed elixirs like crazy. Likely the strongest among freshmen now.

Patting Rhea’s head, Armeria stepped into the hall.

Inside, it resembled a ballroom more than an entrance ceremony. Refreshments, soft music, and students already chatting noisily.

“Now entering—the noble daughters of the illustrious Paltis family, Rhea and Armeria!”

Trumpets sounded as they stepped forward.

Armeria cringed. Rhea’s eyes sparkled.

“Ugh, what is this? So embarrassing.”

“Wooow…”

Clap clap clap—

Lifeless applause followed.

Most students, unfamiliar with the reclusive Paltis family, whispered as they scrutinized the sisters.

“Are they this generation’s heroes? Why two?”

“I heard the older one refused enrollment last year due to some illness…”

“Wouldn’t hurt to befriend them.”

In the Academy, quick judgments built networks.

Students swiftly surrounded the pair, greeting them warmly.

“Lady Rhea, you’re stunning. Care for a dance?”

“Hero? N-No, I’m not…”

“I don’t mind.”

Unlike Rhea, who pretended to dislike the attention, Armeria cheerfully rejected all advances.

Her sharp eyes scanned the hall.

‘He must be here somewhere.’

As the sisters acted differently—

Ding—!

A servant rang a bell.

The music changed. So did the atmosphere.

Students fell silent, tense as they watched the hall’s doors.

“Now entering—Lady Olbesia of the Celotipia family, sole ruler of the vast north!”

Ten entrants remained.

Those yet to enter were—nobility among nobility.

“Lady Amika of the Senphensia family, conqueror who expanded the empire’s borders by half!”

The families leading this year’s batch.

Students’ heads spun as they calculated allegiances.

Last was the crown prince. Rumors of his enrollment were rampant. But his status was too exalted to form his own faction.

So who would enter second-to-last?

Effectively, the highest authority among students—who would it be?

The answer came swiftly.

“…Ruler of a thousand mountains, a hundred territories, and ten knight orders…”

The click of heels echoed in the hushed hall.

“Lady Firnea of the Seliratus family, the empire’s heart, now enters.”

Yet mixed with those steps was another, softer sound.

The servant, doubting his eyes, checked the list repeatedly before hastily adding:

“A-And her attendant. Lord Serbus Virdem, now entering.”

…?

The entire hall tilted their heads in confusion.

Who was that?