Early in the morning, Lucas stood with his sword, eyes wide open and intent, preparing himself in the pre-dawn silence.
For many young n aspiring to be knights, early training was a matter of routine.
But for Lucas, this training was different.
Even before the sun had crested the horizon, before its light washed over the world, he was already imrsed in relentless practice, driven by a fierce dedication that set him apart.
Each swing of his blade was both precise and calculated, powered by an inner strength that spoke of hard work and ambition.
His movents flowed like a well-oiled machine, each one blending seamlessly into the next, yet radiating raw determination.
Every strike seed to part the air itself, small gusts of wind blooming with each powerful swing.
Sweat began to bead on his brow and neck, a testant to the effort he poured into each movent, and his golden eyes glead with fierce resolve as he brought his blade down, shattering the tallic training dummy in front of him.
"Huff!"
His breath ca harder than he'd anticipated as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.
The events of that day crept back into his mind, mories that felt heavy and raw.
Frustrated, he slamd his wooden sword into the ground, the loud crack echoing in the quiet morning air.
'Training like this... it's getting nowhere...'
He touched his neck, feeling the faint throb of an old bruise and recalling the mont Riley had looked at him with an expression that seared deep into his mory.
Those eyes, cold and unfeeling, had held a mixture of disappointnt and dread.
Although Riley's gaze was blank, even apathetic, the ssage had been unmistakable, he was undeniably 'Pathetic'
"Did he choose not to guide you well this ti?" Riley's voice had been unreadable, his tone cold and distant.
"...R-Riley... what are you-" Lucas stamred, confused.
"Well, I guess it matters not. You were bound to get stronger even without interference..."
Riley's words trailed off as his hand tightened, choking the air from Lucas in a sudden, brutal grip.
Even now, Lucas was haunted by the cryptic ssage, trying to grasp what Riley could have
ant.
"Lucas!"
He turned, startled, as Janica's voice pulled him from his thoughts.
Standing at the edge of the training grounds, Janica looked a little flustered, her hair slightly disheveled and her clothes askew as though she'd rushed here.
"Janica?" He blinked, surprised to see her here so early.
"I knew you were a training maniac, but this early?" She huffed, crossing her arms. "Do you have any idea what I had to go through just to avoid the dorm master so I could co out here and find you?"
She tossed a towel at him, its soft fabric infused with a subtle glow, a sign of mana woven carefully into the material.
"This is...?" Lucas asked, catching the towel and examining the faint magic.
"Just hurry up and wipe your sweat," she said, rolling her eyes at his bewildered look. "Huh?"
"Oh, co on." She flicked his forehead playfully.
"O-ow what was that for?"
"You may be out of it right now, but you haven't forgotten everything, have you? We need to get ready-we're going to Chronos Hall. The princess said Riley is about to be trialed today, and we can't just sit back and watch."
Realization dawned on Lucas's face, and he imdiately began to tidy up, wiping the sweat from his neck and arms as quickly as he could.
...
"Dean Michael of the Alchemic Departnt suffered two broken arms and one leg severed. Professor Lovia from the Magic Departnt endured mana reversal, leading to excruciating pain and severe mana backlash. Assistant Principal and academy secretary Professor Alia... both arms fractured. Student Lucas, extre exhaustion and an attempted murder charge. Dean Gale... stabbed through his "
Professor Alia's voice wavered slightly as she read off the list of injuries, each account striking a blow to my gut.
I listened, half-attentive, each word mingling with a relentless ringing in my ears.
The headache that had been simring threatened to explode.
"Riley Hell, what do you say about these alleged cris?" the principal's stern voice echoed.
I kept silent, processing what was said, even though the evidence weighed heavily against .
"Silence is a privilege you're granted today, but as it stands, it only makes your position worse. So, if you could please—"
"Will my words change anything?" I interrupted, my voice flat, eting their gaze directly.
"That's..." she faltered, clearly unprepared for my indifference.
They could play at being fair, but it was clear from the beginning this trial wasn't designed to give any real chance.
My options were limited: remain silent and accept whatever judgnt they deed fit, or deny the accusations for events I had no mory of, knowing full well they had already made up their minds.
A form of punishnt was undoubtedly in store for , yet what exactly it would be remained
unclear.
Were they dragging this out just to see if my responses would influence the severity of it?
A roundabout way to determine my fate, yet one I'd have to endure. If only they'd hurry up with the verdict. But at the sa ti, I knew I couldn't treat this situation so lightly. There was too much at stake.
"Are you saying you're not going to deny any of this?" Dean Gale pressed; his gaze
unwavering.
"No... the evidence is clear. Denying it would only lead to a pointless argunt between everyone here and myself, wouldn't it?"
"...It's not exactly in your best interest to admit to all that," Professor Alia interjected, shifting uncomfortably. "You do realize this trial is being recorded, correct?"
"Yes," I replied evenly, glancing at the magical device just a few ters away. "And I believe I
haven't said a single lie."
The device, an enchanted item designed to detect lies, stood ominously at the edge of the
room.
It hadn't so much as flickered since I'd spoken.
But despite the calm exterior I tried to project, my mind was restless, churning through the
foggy fragnts of that day.
[See through that you break the tutorial...]
A voice, hauntingly similar to my own, echoed from sowhere deep within, the words
slipping in and out of focus.
[The fragnt of your destiny can only be opened once you-]
The phrase cut off, leaving only a shadow of its aning.
Each ti I tried to reach for it, the mory faded further, as though my mind itself was
wrapped in layers of foggy barriers, blocking from the truth.
It was like wading into murky water, fingers brushing the edge of sothing solid, only to have it sink further away.
"Although I won't deny my actions...," I began, my gaze moving from the recordings still playing by Dean Gale's area to the principal seated above. "I will say that I am innocent."
The declaration hung heavy in the room.
Shocked eyes bored into , each expression more incredulous than the last.
It was absurd.
Every person here carried visible evidence of what I had done.
For to claim innocence in the face of that was, in their minds, probably the most ridiculous
thing said today.
But despite their reactions, the magical device lay silent.
It hadn't flickered once.
And as realization dawned, surprise mingled with curiosity in their gazes.
The principal leaned forward, eyes narrowed, the violet of her irises glowing with a barely
contained energy.
Small arcs of lightning danced at the corners, her gaze charged and intense as it settled on .
"Based on your words," she spoke slowly, each word precise, "we can presu you're
prepared to take responsibility for it, yes?"
The question felt like a test, as if she wanted to see if I would maintain this stance.
"Yes...," I answered, voice steady.
"Expulsion."
A heavy silence filled the room as the word settled, weighty and final.
"..."
"Are you saying you're prepared to accept that form of punishnt?" the principal pressed,
her voice probing for any sign of weakness.
||||
"Judging by that troubled expression, I'd assu the answer is no, isn't it?"
|| ||
The principal's gaze softened just slightly, though her voice remained firm. "You are a talented and well-regarded student, Riley Hell. Your connections and status here are significant; whether we like it or not, they've made you unique within the academy." She exhaled slowly. "Bringing you to trial like this reflects poorly on us as well."
Her tone took on a note of somber honesty as she continued, "We've questioned everyone
involved, stripping our personal biases, despite the dangerous powers you've kept hidden. We understand there may have been reasons, and perhaps even a thod to your seemingly reckless actions that day."
She leaned forward, scrutinizing closely.
"So, let ask once more: you were known to act normally and responsibly within the dungeon initially, but after a particular event... you changed. Were your actions influenced by
sothing specific that happened in there?"
I t her steady gaze, feeling the weight of each word. "And if there was?" She leaned in, studying closely, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Unofficially," she began, her tone almost conspiratorial, "news of your trial has already spread around the academy. Everyone's heard about your... sudden onslaught that day. Officially, announcing your expulsion might seem like the correct course, but... we can't rush
into this."
Her words hung in the air, each sentence laden with the intricate ss of academy politics. "You may not know this, but just as many here are eager to see you punished for your actions, there's an equally strong push to defend you. Your fellow students... they're trying to protect you, Riley. They're excusing your actions, denying the accusations, insisting there was more to it than the academy staff or even the administration saw."
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