episode_0081

* * *

For Anima, if you want to recall the brightest period – when she was still young.

She could point out the time she spent attending Piviola Academy with her most precious childhood friend.

“Yuuri!”

“Anima is here. ‘How was your day?’

“Well, that’s what life at the academy is all about, well.”

Yuuri was already quite famous among his peers.

Piviola Academy, one of the three most prestigious academies in the Eingart Empire.

Yuuri was a talented genius, already a prominent figure in this prestigious academy.

The only daughter of the famous Aceers family.

Even those of low status were not treated differently.

Moreover, compared to herself, who was just a military officer who could only use a sword a little, she was an all-rounder.

For Anima, being Yuuri’s childhood friend was a source of great pride in itself.

“Yuuri. Your skills have improved again.”

“Thank you, Instructor Epinel.”

Epinel Rosencross, a young instructor at the academy, was one of the people who particularly paid attention to Yuuri.

“How about learning more about combat techniques? The world says you have the potential to become an outstanding prime minister of the empire, but I think you also have pretty good athletic ability.”

“Thank you for your words, but I am not confident in using my body.”

“Really? I think it might be too much humility, but… … Well, if you have the will, I will support you at any time, so just tell me.”

“Yes!”

Then one day.

News of the unexpected death of the emperor of the empire was heard.

It was a time when the entire country was in a bit of turmoil because a person died without having appointed a successor.

And not long after, very shocking news arrived at Piviola Academy.

“I heard that Orlando Brans, who was once the Emperor’s closest associate, started a rebellion in Annel Castle?”

“What? treason? Why on earth are you becoming independent? Are you crazy because you want to die?”

The academy was even more disturbed by the news that Orlando Brands, who had virtually power close to the second-in-command of the empire, had raised an army.

But at that time, everyone thought it was just a fleeting fire.

Not a single person realized that this was the signal signaling the beginning of a difficult time.

Well, even if you haven’t decided on a successor-

Of course, wouldn’t the eldest son, Argot von Eyngart, take control of the situation and ascend to the throne to quickly calm the chaos?

but.

What was heard was not news of Algot’s accession to the throne, but news of a slightly different kind.

News of the large army of O’Hara’s army in the southern region.

News of a large army from Walnut County in the western region.

In addition, those who held important positions in the empire began to continuously revolt, saying they would become feudal lords and establish their own countries on each continent.

The beginning of a difficult time.

The Eingart Empire, which had unified the continent, began to split uncontrollably.

The flames of difficult times, already burning hotly, have reached out to Piviola Academy as well.

The imperial army, with an unknown commander, invaded the academy while armed.

There were all sorts of conspiracy theories going around, such as ‘Because the dean was a member of Algot von Eingart’s side, one of the other siblings took action to sort it out’ –

There was no way for Anima and Yuuri, who were only students attending the academy, to know that news.

No matter how excellent the students at the academy are or how many instructors there are –

They could not overcome the forces of a properly trained imperial army.

It was a one-sided massacre. The imperial army began killing everyone expelled from the academy, regardless of gender and status.

“Yuuri! We have to run away!”

“Yeah, but… … I haven’t found Seira yet… … !”

“It’s late! We have to get out quickly now!”

at that time.

A soldier wearing imperial armor began to approach this way.

‘Damn… … !’

A situation where there is no suitable way out.

“da… … Don’t come closer!”

Despite Yuuri’s shouts, the soldier said nothing.

Since he was wearing a helmet covered in fresh blood, he couldn’t even see his expression.

Anima held the sword in her right hand and looked around Yuuri to see if there was a place to escape to.

Even if you’re tied 2:1, you won’t be able to beat the soldier. Objectively, neither of them were that good at combat skills.

‘If possible, we should allow Yuuri to escape alone… … !’

The moment I thought like that and adjusted my sword.

The blade wielded by the imperial soldier struck them so quickly.

“Ugh!”

Yuuri’s weapon flew far away without being able to properly divide it several times.

“… … !!!”

Just like that, the soldier raised his sword high.

The moment when the shadow of death flickered in Yuuri’s eyes.

“Yuuri!!!”

Anima reflexively threw herself.

after that.

Anima had no idea what had happened.

“Uh… … ?”

When I came to my senses, my vision quickly became blurred.

Unbelievable pain was overtaking his body.

“Anima… … ! No, Animaa… … !!!!”

Because Yuuri was crying next to him, hugging him.

And, the instructor, Epinel, was watching.

“Instructor Epinel… … ?”

“Are you out of your mind, anima?!”

ah.

that’s right.

I threw myself in, and soon… … Instructor Epinel cut a deep wound on the soldier’s stomach.

As for what happened before that… …

‘Ugh… … !!!’

As the pain surged again, I slowly turned my head.

My right arm.

The right arm that should be holding the sword… … It didn’t exist anywhere.

No, to be precise-

In the distance, an arm was rolling around.

“… … !!!!!”

After realizing that, well.

When I think about it now, I don’t really remember what I was thinking.

Just scenes that come to mind in fragments.

“First, let’s go to a safe place to hide! Because the medicine for treatment is there.”

Instructor Epinel hid us in the basement deep inside the academy building for a while.

All I could do was administer light first aid there and somehow survive without dying.

“Black… … No, I’m sorry. because of me… … Because of me.”

“Yuuri… … .”

It’s true that when I first lost my arm, I thought about what I should do next, but-

If Yuuri was able to save his life as a result, I could honestly be satisfied with that.

“Anima. sorry. There is only this much treatment I can give… … .”

“No, instructor. Thanks to you, I survived. Thank you.”

Spend some time like that.

When we took advantage of the silence and came out, what we saw was-

‘… … oh my god.’

Countless corpses of the academy’s instructors and students.

It was a scene close to hell, with the corpses piled up in a heap.

“Damn Eingart bastards… … What the hell is going on?!”

Epinel was filled with anger and cursed, but that didn’t change anything.

I don’t know what happened, but this place, Piviola Academy, was captured by someone and became a target for elimination.

“Ugh… … Guys… … .”

Yuuri knelt down and sobbed for a long time.

Who survived… … There wasn’t.

That moment when I spent a long time lost among the corpses.

“Yuuri!”

From afar, a woman and a man were approaching this way, one by one.

“Emma… … Hernandorf… … !”

“You’re alive, Yuuri… … .”

Emma and Hernandorf.

It was a face that Anima knew.

They must have been vassals serving the Ayers family. For sure.

“How did it go? What about my house? With my father… … What about your mother?”

“… … .”

To Yuuri’s words, Emma and Hernandorf lowered their heads without any response.

She must have realized what their silence meant, and fell to the floor again with her eyes wide open.

“… … ah… … Ah.”

like that-

Anima and Yuuri lost everything in an instant.

Things like the peaceful daily life that we enjoyed without any hesitation, the fruits of our efforts, and ordinary happiness.

They all disappeared, swept away by the imperial disaster.

*

After that day.

“Yuuri.”

“Anima… … Ugh, huh.”

Every time she saw Anima, she always had a sad expression and cried.

Is it because of guilt about the arm that was already blown off?

Was it out of pity for themselves, who were unable to do anything and were just pushed along by the flow of history?

Unable to do anything properly, he depended on Emma and Hernandov for basic living and continued their lifeline.

The anima was the side that said we couldn’t continue living like this.

The Aceers clan suffered a blow that was close to extinction, but Yuuri, who inherited the blood, survived, and two of their vassals survived.

Almost everyone at the academy died, including myself, instructors Epinel, and Yuuri. Aren’t these three alive like this?

Five survivors.

We must survive and take revenge on the Empire.

A time when feudal lords from all over the world were proclaiming their names. We had Yuuri, the legitimate son of the Acious family.

There’s nothing we can’t do that everyone else can do!

“Yuuri.”

“… … .”

“Come to your senses, Yuuri!”

Anima grabbed the whimpering woman by the collar with her left hand.

“How long are you going to stay like this?!”

“That… … But. No… … Because of you, because of me… … Black.”

“If you’re really sorry to me, don’t stay here like this and move forward.”

“… … Huh?”

“Building a country. With your own hands.”

Upon hearing those words, Yuuri’s eyes changed to four hundred eyes.

Anima does not avoid those trembling eyes.

Continue to stare. The aspirations that she had lived and survived so far were projected into her eyes.

“The Eingart Empire is already over. You’ve seen what countless feudal lords have done, right? A new era has opened.”

“I, I.”

“Yuuri. We can do it. no. I’ll tell you exactly.”

Anima recalled the past.

The days at the academy were peaceful.

Now, it was time to come out of that illusion of no return.

“You can do it.”

“I… … ?”

“and.”

—–I will be your wings.

Anima Ingram, from this moment on-

I decided to entrust my fate to my childhood friend right in front of me.

* * *

Anima brings up memories that are now old memories.

As if that moment was right before my eyes.

“Yuuri. Epinel. Emma. Hernandov. And I… … Five people like this. From that moment on, we became brothers by blood, transcending age and status – each of us engraved the name of A-Chers in our hearts.”

It was the dawn of Aceus County.