Over six centuries ago, on the fringes of the Kingdom of Celesta, a great army adorned in dark blue armor stood for battle. More than several thousand knights, clearly not hailing from Celesta, ford a foreboding assembly near the kingdom's border—a conspicuous prelude to war.
This, indeed, was their intention.
The Arvatra Imperial Army maintained an imposing silence, a stark contrast to the impending clash that lood on the horizon. However, this tranquility was short-lived, as a second army, representing the might of the Celesta Kingdom, erged with equal significance and grandeur.
From this celestial force stepped forth a figure, resplendent in pristine white armor—a striking contrast to the somber hues of the battlefield. This figure was none other than Alphonse Sylvain Celesta, the crown prince of the Kingdom. His countenance was captivating, possessing a delicate beauty that could easily be misconstrued as feminine.
Yet, to all who beheld him, he was unmistakably the heir to the Celesta Kingdom. Alphonse, with his long, platinum blond hair elegantly tied into a ponytail, boasted heterochromia eyes—one gleaming a sapphire hue, the other a radiant silver.
"Anyone daring to trespass upon my kingdom shall be expunged from existence," declared Alphonse in a frigid tone, punctuating his proclamation by tapping a resplendent golden scepter against the ground.
The Arvatra forces instinctively took a step back as their eyes fell upon the golden scepter, a sacred relic known as the Hallow of Eden. Their painful history bore witness to the devastating consequences wrought by this seemingly innocuous artifact, wielded with unparalleled lethality by Alphonse. In his hands, it transford into a veritable weapon of mass destruction.
"In the na of Eden," Alphonse said coldly.
But right at that mont, a lodious voice, dripping with sarcasm, cut through the tension. "Using the na of Eden as a prelude to carnage has beco a rather tireso habit for the trashes of Celesta, hasn't it?"
The ranks of the Arvatra army parted, revealing a stunning figure—a dark blue-haired, beautiful young woman. Although a familiar presence to many, the Celesta forces were still left gaping in awe at the sight of her. She donned a resplendent dark blue dress armor that accentuated her beauty, a charming grin adorning her face as she effortlessly twirled a dark blue rapier in her hand—a weapon of great might, known as a Hallow of Nes as powerful as Alphonse's scepter.
Much like the Arvatra army's reaction to Alphonse, a palpable fear gripped the Celesta forces at the appearance of Lisandra Arvatra. Strikingly, mirroring Alphonse once again, Lisandra possessed heterochromatic eyes—a red hue in her right eye, and an exact silver hue in her left eye, reminiscent of Alphonse's right eye.
Alphonse's gaze bore ice as he locked eyes with the smirking Lisandra, a sudden tension settling over the battlefield.
Golden lightning crackled around Alphonse, mirroring the dark blue fire that danced along Lisandra's rapier. In that mont, their visages, strength, and auras transcended re humanity, casting them as beings more akin to demigods. Despite their youth, they stood as the most potent forces on the battlefield.
"Your Highness! Dispatch this heretic pest!" shouted a bald man near Alphonse, Ryland, the chancellor and forr advisor to Alphonse's father, glaring at Lisandra.
"Princess, rid us of the bald annoyance before dealing with this pitiful Prince," whispered Kason, a significant figure behind Lisandra.
The air quivered as their mana clashed, foretelling the imminent eruption of war. Both armies poised themselves, weapons raised in anticipation. Fear seed a foreign concept in their midst, overshadowed by the strength and charisma emanating from the figures before them.
As the brink of battle lood, a distant figure observed the unfolding scene. Clad in a hood that concealed his features, his grey hair was the only visible trait. Raising his gaze, grey eyes locked onto Alphonse and Lisandra.
A knowing smile played on his lips as he stepped forward. "Horus Wings."
With a gust, he vanished, reappearing at the heart of the confrontation, shocking both Alphonse and Lisandra. Their weapons pointed towards the mysterious figure.
"Who are you?" Lisandra demanded, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. Like Alphonse, she sensed the great danger emanating from the figure before them.
For a mont, the man remained silent before deciding to unveil himself. Lowering his hood, he revealed an astonishingly beautiful countenance—his gray, tousled hair cascading over his shoulders, and his eyes exuding a captivating glow. Yet, what caught the most attention were the distinctive gray marks that adorned his face.
"A re wanderer," he replied casually.
Alphonse's cold deanor persisted. "You expect us to believe that?"
"Of course not," the man chuckled.
"Then what do you seek, miscreant?" Lisandra asked with a scoff.
The young man shifted his gaze between Lisandra and Alphonse, particularly fixating on their silver eyes. "My eyes back."
***
With a slight groan, my eyes fluttered open. What was that, again?
Surveying my surroundings, I discovered that I was back in my room. The residence we were directed to was a compact apartnt, each of us having our own room while sharing a common living area.
The first match lood later in the afternoon, granting us free ti until then. Did I just doze off out of the blue? I'm not that old.
Awkwardly stretching my back, I rose from my bed and made my way out of the room. Upon entering the living room, I found Martin and Leire engaged in discussion around a small table. Laughter echoed as they pored over various papers spread across the surface. Had they been at this since morning? What a diligent pair.
"Ah! Lord Amael!" Martin sprang up promptly, bowing his head, while Leire, too, rose nervously.
Tired of their overly deferential gestures, I chose to ignore it and focused on the papers they had laid out. The docunts contained information about all the groups, individuals, and their recognized strengths.
"We're preparing for our first round," Martin declared with a proud smile. "We need to be cautious about every group, but so are notably stronger than others."
"Are you handling this alone? Perhaps you need more privacy?" I asked, arching my eyebrows.
"N-Not at all!" Leire stamred, her face paling.
"Sir, please spare my family!" Martin knelt down, pleading.
I grimaced at their dramatic reactions. I was only trying to tease them.
[]
Shaddap.
"W-We tried to summon you, but you were sleeping soundly," Leire explained.
Embarrassing from .
"And Alicia?" I asked, scanning the room. "Is she napping as well?"
"No... Lady Alicia is outside," Martin replied, gesturing toward the exterior of the house.
Following his indication, I peered through the window and observed her seated on a rocking chair, delicately tending to her rapier.
Was I the only one who fell asleep?
Regardless...
A glance at the clock signaled that it was ti to get going.
"Ti to move!" I swung open the entrance door.
Alicia's shoulders tensed slightly at my sudden outburst. She turned her gaze toward , displaying no overt annoyance, yet a subtle glare hid beneath the surface.
"Get ready, Junior," I said with a smile.
Once everyone was prepared, we made our way to the designated location.
As customary, Alicia strode ahead on her own, with myself and the other two trailing behind.
What a harmonious group we made.
At least it was pleasantly quiet.
Our destination was a small stadium, perfectly capable of accommodating all first and second-year students. My attention, however, was drawn to a glass cabin, reserved for VIPs. Among the distinguished figures inside, King Reiner Dolphis of the Dolphian Kingdom, accompanied by his Queen, stood out. I averted my gaze promptly, well aware of their disdain for , especially the father.
With each group taking their seats, suitably spaced apart, Jas Raven, the announcer, made his appearance in the stadium. "Now, the first round of the exam will comnce. There will be three battles simultaneously, with everything displayed on the screens above you," he explained, gesturing toward the invisible screen in the sky. "The battlefield will also vary for each group. With that, let announce the groups for the first round. Group K will face off against Group V! Group G will take on Group O, and Group E will be pitted against Group D!"
My attention lingered on only two groups.
Group G...
"Easy peasy!" Rodolf leaped from a height, landing on the ground with a confident grin. His three comrades might be re mobs, but he alone was a strong force. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for Group O, who would soon be facing him.
The other group for which I harbored a sense of pity was Group E, mainly due to the opponents they faced from Group D.
My gaze shifted to the individuals descending the stairs, and at the forefront, walking with a graceful stride, was Alvara.
Following closely behind, her head lowered, was her brother—Allen with a smirk on his face but less apparent than before.
Regardless, the sester exam was about to comnce.
...and with it, the Dolphis Horn Incident.
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