The metallic tick of the clock echoed through the room, bouncing off walls of cold, grey limestone. The floors were polished to a fault, devoid of a single splinter or stray thread.
To the east, a tall window acted as a gate for the morning sun. The light invaded the room, radiating through the glass with a fierce intensity that turned the dust motes into dancing sparks of gold.
The furniture was sparse, yet humble. A functional duo of a scarred oak desk and a matching chair, tucked neatly against the far wall.
Beside them stood a simple pine cabinet, its doors slightly swollen from the humidity, smelling faintly of cedar and old wool.
From beyond the walls, the distant shouts of merchants drifted through the air,faint, yet clear enough for anyone who bothered to listen.
Sunlight struck the canals encircling the city, scattering bright reflections across the ceiling and walls, illuminating corners that would have otherwise remained swallowed by shadow.
A chilly breeze slipped through the window, gently rattling the wooden frame as it crept through the thin cracks.
Steam curled from an ornately decorated teacup, its aroma drifting lazily through the air like a bee searching for nectar.
Soft, measured sips occasionally broke the silence, as a red-haired woman sat beside the lone unconscious, blue-haired student, keeping watch and awaiting her arrival.
The armor she had worn before was now gone. In its place, she was dressed with a simple white coat and matching boots, almost gentle compared to the warrior she had been days earlier.
While others might have spent such a peaceful moment reading or catching up on work, she merely sat there, eyes closed, listening to the quiet, replaying the events of the past few days repeatedly in her mind.
Her head pounded with questions, each one louder than the last. But the only person who could answer them lay motionless before her. Even so, as curious as she was, what she felt wasn’t impatience, but rather, worry.
Only days ago, she witnessed the young girl torn apart by the monster named Rias. Only to then return to life as a different person, before they died as well.
“What has my life turned into?” she mumbled to herself.
Yet despite it all, Saya was now, breathing softly, her chest rising and falling in a slow rhythm, carried gently into the world of dreams without a care.
For a moment, the red-haired knight found herself reminiscing of a time when she too, was able to rest in a weightless slumber.
However, that kind of a rest was a luxury she could no longer afford.
Whether it was the faint noise from outside or the lingering scent of tea in the air, the girl slowly awoke. Her eyes fluttered open as tears slipped quietly down her cheeks.
An unfamiliar ceiling greeted her, and her head sank into a pillow far softer than anything she was used to at the academy.
Turning slightly, she found the Sword Saint watching over her with a calm, gentle smile. Seeing her this close for the first time, Saya realized the woman’s beauty rivaled the sculptures and paintings displayed throughout the academy.
“Good morning.”
Speaking in a voice still careful enough not to startle her, Hana’s gaze met Saya’s. For the young student, it felt as though Hana was transferring comfort and safety through sight alone, a far cry from the fury she had witnessed beforehand.
“Where am I?”
Saya asked with a weakened voice, her eyes darting around what seemed to be a normal room. She wondered if she was at the Sword Saint’s house, but she immediately dismissed her own assessment, reasoning that the room was far too plain for someone of her status
“We’re in Atrila.” Hana wasted no time with her response.
Memories flooded Saya’s mind as a faint pain jolted through her skull. It wasn’t nearly as bad as the shocks she had experienced before, but it was enough to fully rouse her mind.
“Albo!”
Hana raised an open palm, anticipating her panicked reaction.
“He’s safe. He’s still asleep, but he’s healthy and alive.
“Is the curse still active?” Saya asked, a worried expression still plastered on her face.
“Unfortunately yes.” Hana replied with a sigh. “We had the best doctors on-site, but we haven’t been able to determine a way to dismantle the spell.”
“Worst comes to worst, we may end up being in a coma forever, but we’re looking for ways to fix his condition as soon as possible.”
“Putting that aside though, I’m surprised you were more worried about him than yourself.”
“Ah…” Saya reacted, realizing she hadn’t even considered where,or even when she was.
“I was mauled.”
Hana nodded at her sudden realization.
“I remember gasping for air, and then waking up at this house.”
She also recalled the conversation she had with a different version of herself, but chose to keep that information to herself, unaware that the Sword Saint had actually met Oktavia in her final moments.
“This isn’t my house, you’re in the Royal Castle.”
It took a few seconds for Hana’s correction to click in Saya’s mind. As the words slowly began to make sense, her train of thought snapped.
“Is this not your house, Sword Saint?”
Hana put away her cup, placing it on the nearby desk. “Unfortunately, no. Or actually, would it be ‘fortunately’?”
“Also, you can just call me Hana. I don’t really like formal stuff, and besides, saying ‘Sword Saint’ all the time is tiring.”
Though Saya had thought so earlier, talking to her further enhanced her impression of the person before her. She almost seemed like a completely different person from before, as now there were no hints of aggression or anger, but pure elegance and beauty.
“Okay, Miss Hana.”
Shaking her head slowly, Hana approached the door behind her, seemingly calling out to someone. A few seconds later, she closed it and returned to her seat beside Saya.
“Well, I guess we can go with that for now.”
“As for where you are, you’re in the capital city of Atrila, at the main castle.”
Surprise plastered itself across Saya’s face. “The castle?! Is that okay?”
Waving her hand dismissively, Hana chuckled lightly. “What do you mean by that? After all you went through, this is the least we can do.”
“Still,” Saya interjected, “isn’t Atrila nearly a whole day’s trip? I’m sure it was a hassle hauling us all that way, so I wanted to thank you.”
Saya wasn’t completely drained of strength, but she wasn’t energetic enough to jump around the room either. Instead, with whatever she could muster, she propped herself up on one arm and scooted back until her back rested against the bedframe.
Her eyes shifted from the room to Hana’s attire.
“I really like your coat,” Saya blurted.
“Thank you!”
The gentle, elegant expression Hana once carried completely vanished as she leaned closer to Saya.
“I won’t lie, it’s pretty hot right now because this room has nearly zero ventilation. I mean, it makes sense, right?”
Saya nodded along.
“But the quality is amazing. I think it costs quite a bit? But I’ve been using it for a few years now, and I just can’t recommend it enough.”
Saya chuckled nervously. “Cost quite a bit? How much?”
“I got it as a gift, I think? No,wait. I think I bought this one a while ago… or no, wait, did Dad buy me this one?”
“Either way, I think it goes for, like… 300 gold?”
Saya recoiled the moment she heard the number. She had never owned that much money in her life, and considering that a typical food merchant earned around 50 gold a month, it was a small fortune for the woman to mention so casually.
“300 is a bit much.” Saya said with a strained tone, all hope of ever buying one leaving her mind. “Your salary must be quite high, Miss Hana.”
Like a light switch being flipped, Hana’s face gloomed.
“Actually, you have no idea how little money I have.”
“Yeah… I think this was a gift. I don’t think I’ve ever spent that much on anything in my life.”
Her voice grew weaker with every word.
“Unfortunately, the Queen’s a bit stingy with money. Especially with the new budget revisions.”
“The Queen is stingy?” Saya asked, surprised, her hand hovering over her mouth.
“Yeah, hear me out, kid. Despite being a ruler, she’s kind of a pain in the ass.” Though the words jolted Saya with curiosity, there was no malice in the Sword Saint’s voice.
“I thought being a blademaster would get me big bucks, but I get paid like every other knight.”
“Why is that?”
“Maybe you can ask her yourself when you meet her. But don’t say it came from me, or she’ll probably kill me.”
“Are those tears?!” Saya exclaimed, as the knight’s body sank lower and lower into her chair.
“B-But at least you get to live in the castle, right?! Look, I’m sure that’s a big luxury in your life, right? When I read those novels, they always have those big beds and maids and all that!”
Hana sank deeper, cocking her head against her shoulder.
“This… this is my room…”
“What? Where have you been sleeping then?”
Hana’s Birthmark glowed a faint green as she flicked her finger toward the closed cabinet, gently sliding it open.
“Is that a sleeping bag?!” Saya’s shock hit an all-time high as she struggled to comprehend her poor savior’s living conditions. “WHAT KIND OF CASTLE IS THIS?! AREN’T THERE ANY SPARE ROOMS?!”
“Listen to me, Saya…” Hana said weakly. “In life, when you’re offered an opportunity, make sure you always read the fine print.”
“I thought because my friend offered me the spot, it would be completely safe… but it’s your friends who take advantage of you the easiest.”
“I DON’T THINK THAT’S FRIENDSHIP AT ALL!” Saya shot back.
Biting her lip, her eyes darted around the room, searching for any way to change the subject. If Sulva had brought up the topic of money, he might’ve been able to defeat the blademaster in seconds.
Hana’s eyes dulled as she let out a few hollow, humorless chuckles.
Saya cleared her throat as the weight of her situation finally settled into her chest. Her face tightened into a faint frown, and when she spoke, her voice came out low, heavy with guilt.
“Can I ask… what happened to Kala?”
Hana’s posture changed quicker than a flickering flame as she composed herself back into the elegant form she carried before. Her back straightened. Her hands folded neatly on her lap.
“Kala is under heavy security, but…”
She paused, trying to spare Saya the worst of what was to come.
“The academy… are there any survivors?” And yet, the young student had to ask. Albo was her best friend, but he wasn’t the only one she cared about. She had other friends. Other classmates. Professors who had shown her nothing but kindness.
But Hana simply shook her head.
“I’m sorry. The cityfolk were mostly spared, but nearly every student and faculty member at the academy was killed.”
Saya’s mind snapped back to their stealth mission.
“Wait,then how come the alarms didn’t detect the intruders? Albo and I had to use all kinds of tricks just to slip past them.”
Regret snuffed every glimmer that Hana had in her eyes, as she spoke up, “It wasn’t intruders. There was only one.”
Images of Rias’ existence flooded Saya’s thoughts. His voice, his body, the rotting flesh he molded like clay. The blood that flowed so calmly just seconds ago now rushed to her brain, as a sharp pain pierced the back of her skull.
“I’m sorry,” Hana continued, quieter now. “With his… unique properties, the magic detectors couldn’t sense his entry. That’s why the lower ranking cultists were sent to deal with the knights outside.”
Calling them low-level felt wrong, almost disrespectful to the people she once called comrades. They had simply struck at the perfect time, in the dark when most of the world had gone to sleep.
Surprise was something heavy armor couldn’t protect against, and something cloaked assassins excelled at.
But they struck at a perfect time, and in the dark. The element of surprise was one aspect that the metal bearing knights lacked, and one that cloak wearing assassins excelled at.
“I know this isn’t easy to accept, so please… take it easy if you can.” Sadness softened Hana’s voice. “A kid your age shouldn’t have to see things like that.”
“If I wasn’t so powerless…” Saya gritted her teeth, her fist tightening around the blanket. “Maybe I could’ve saved someone.”
The words stabbed into Hana’s chest, not with sadness, but with frustration. Reprimand lay at the tip of her tongue, as she immediately shot back at the now depressed Saya.
“No. You can’t think like that either.”
Saya looked up at the red-haired knight as tears welled in her eyes.
“You saved one person. Your friend, Albo.”
“Saving everyone is an impossible dream… not even I can do that.”
“You start by saving one person. Then the next.”
“Sometimes you don’t have the time or strength to reach the next. But one life saved is still better than none.”
“What matters now is what you do to honor them.”
“W-What matters to them?” Saya stuttered.
Hana nodded, her voice steady. “Yes. As the one who survived, you owe it to those who didn’t to live your best for them. To carry their legacy forward.”
“A person truly dies when they’re forgotten. So let this pain guide you. Let it push you forward.”
“Not for revenge. For honor.”
“Fight for them, live for them.”
The words pierced through Saya’s chest. She had always been called weak, by her classmates, and by herself. But being strong never had to be about casting spells or deflecting blades. That was what the woman before her was asking of Saya.
Anxiety prickled across her skin, making her squirm beneath the blanket.
“I’m sorry,” Hana added with a small, sheepish smile. “We just met and I’m already lecturing you.”
She reached out and gently took Saya’s hand.
“I wasn’t brave at first either. The only thing I can tell you is this, don’t stop trying. As long as you carry them with you, you’ll be honoring them beyond death.”
Saya’s breathing hitched, then slowly steadied under Hana’s warmth. “I’ll do my best.”
“And I don’t think it’s too early for talks like this either. We did survive a massacre together,” Saya finished, forming a small smile of her own.
Their conversation faded into the quiet ticking of the clock and the distant clamor of people beyond the castle walls, the market already alive with noise. It was the same sound she had woken up to, yet now it felt different,gentler, almost comforting.
Even in her fragile state, there was something reassuring about seeing someone as strong as Hana show vulnerability that empowered her. It gave her further proof that no matter the difference in status, they were still human, facing the same trials, putting one step before the other.
The words Hana shared were probably too heavy for her to fully understand right now, but Saya chose to hold onto them anyway.
“If you’re feeling better,” Hana broke the silence, “we should head to the throne room. I believe you need to meet the host of this castle.”
“Ah,you’re right.” The thought had completely slipped her mind.
But just as she pushed the blanket off and started to sit up,
A loud voice echoed from beyond the doors.
“PLEASEEEE!!!”
The voice was masculine, though the thick castle walls made it hard to make out anything else.
Despite the cry sounding like a plea, there wasn’t a shred of desperation in it.
“I NEEEED THIISSSS!”
“I’M KINDA HOMELESSSS!”
Hana’s elegance vanished instantly. She squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her lips together, physically holding back laughter.
Just then, the firmly shut wooden door burst open.
“GOOOOOD MORNINGGG!!!”
Clearing the doorway in one exaggerated leap, a man landed right in front of Saya. Hana didn’t even look at him, still facing Saya with her eyes closed with her shoulders trembling.
The man wore a teal button up shirt under a bright red vest, black khakis, and worn sports shoes. A brown belt wrapped around his waist, stuffed with pens, pencils, and stray tools like a walking stationery shop.
His long, unkempt blonde hair stuck out in every direction, damp strands still dripping from what looked like a rushed splash of water.
But his clothes were not what held Saya’s attention; it was his eyes.
She had never met anyone with heterochromia before, yet there the man stood, his gaze a striking match to the colors of his attire. One eye shone with a piercing clarity, while the other held a different hue entirely, both beaming with a strange, vibrant life.
He was slender, his frame far smaller than the warriors Saya had witnessed before. From where she stood, she could deduce he was only slightly taller than Hana, lending him a presence that felt approachable yet undeniably distinct.
Then there was his tail, a long, elegant limb covered in white scales that marked him as one of the dragon-folk. Unlike the others she had met in Kala, who bore heavy draconic features across their entire bodies, this man only possessed that singular, scaly tail.
It swept behind him with a rhythmic grace, its pale scales catching the light and anchoring him to the spot as a rare anomaly among his kind.
“Ghk—!” Hana clenched her teeth, still trying to suppress the laughter desperately clawing its way up her throat.
“I came as soon as that one maid asked me to come, but honestly, you should’ve just brought her to my office anyway. I was super bored, you know?”
To the man, Saya was practically invisible, his voice directed entirely at the unmoving Sword Saint.
“Well, I couldn’t very well drag our poor, exhausted guest all the way to your office, now could I?” Hana replied, restraining herself as best she could. Her fist tightened, her breathing growing heavier by the second.
From what Saya could tell, Hana wasn’t angry at him.
She just really, really wanted him to stop talking.
“Oh?”
Saya’s gaze met the man’s as he suddenly scurried toward her. He planted his feet firmly on the floor, then leaned forward into her space.
“Hmmm? HMMMM?? HMMMMMM????”
Too close
Saya thought to herself as she used what little strength she had left to scoot backward. Though the man’s sudden approach startled her, what truly captivated her was the singular red eye he possessed. Perhaps it was only a recent realization, but the only people she had ever seen with red eyes were the cultists.
She couldn’t stop the worry that crept down her spine, subtle but cold. Still, her anxiety immediately eased at the sight of the Sword Saint’s calm demeanor.
The blademaster’s protective instincts had saved her multiple times back at the academy, and she had long since come to trust Hana’s judgment. Even so, something about the man’s presence unsettled her.
Just before she could blurt out a word, Hana grabbed the man by his collar and forcefully yanked him back.
“Hon—” Hana cleared her throat, quickly returning to her usual elegance.
“Guildmaster, would you introduce yourself to the young lady?”
“Aww.” The man pouted. “You were so close to saying it. I was this close to breaking you, wasn’t I, honey? CMONNNN, there’s nothing wrong with showing our love in this castle, no, the WORLD.”
His gaze snapped back to Saya. “With that being said, hello, blue-haired missy. You can call me Mr. K, or Guildmaster, GM for short, I guess. Or maybe even KL? Those are my initials. I dunno, you can call me whatever you want. Now, what’s your name?”
“S-Saya…” she muttered hesitantly. His speech was fast, sometimes slurred, but not impossible to follow.
Hana shifted her attention from Saya to the loud intruder, her brows knitting in annoyance.
“Why not just give her your actual name?”
“Aw, where’s the mystery in that? Besides, I think it’s about time the youngsters start respecting their elders again. People call you the ‘Sword Saint’ and Miss Armenta and stuff like that, BUT THEY DON’T DO THAT WITH ME!”
Hana simply glared daggers at the man before her.
“Okay! My bad!” he recoiled, folding instantly under the pressure. He hung his head as he raised a hand to shake Saya’s.
“My name is… nah, you can just call me KL.”
“First name isn’t a big deal, so I can tell you whenever I’m free, but last name’s a no-go. That part’s a secret!” he giggled to himself.
“Why?” Saya asked, puzzled.
“The mystery! I keep saying it’s about the mystery! Does nobody listen to me? And also, what if you learn some super important plot-point stuff where my last name is crucial to your journey and—”
“Honey.” She didn’t let him ramble any further. Hana answered for him in a cold, measured tone. KL flinched like his life flashed before his eyes, shoulders jumping to his ears.
“Dearest, loveliest, you didn’t have to say it like that…”
“That’s strange. I thought you wanted me to call you that,” Hana replied, a smirk curling on her lips.
KL let out a nervous giggle, then turned back to Saya with a defeated smile. “Anyways, Saya, hope you like roasted lizard meat. The kitchen prepared a bit too much so go ahead and have your fill. Or you can go visit your sleeping boyfriend, that works too!”
Saya’s cheeks flared red as she waved her hands frantically. “N-no! He’s not my boyfriend!”
“Mmmmmm… so then I guess you won’t be trying to sneak a kiss whi— OWOWOWOWOWOW!”
While KL was busy oversharing his thoughts, Hana had already seized his ear. The faint glow of her Birthmark made it clear she’d added a little magic to his agonizing punishment.
“Honey,” she said sweetly, tightening her grip, “shouldn’t she be meeting Her Majesty?”
“That wicked witch can wait a whole day for all I care. Food’s way more important!” KL shot back, his voice strained.
“Either way, you should get going now, Saya,” Hana said with a smile, but it lacked the composure that she had been displaying before, almost as if she was attempting to contain an explosion within her mouth.
Saya had just woken from what felt like the battle of her life. The thought of stepping into another conflict so soon made her stomach tighten. Her body came to the same conclusion before her mind did, springing into motion on instinct.
If anyone saw her hurry toward the door, they’d never guess she had been unconscious for days. Just as she stepped into the hall, Hana called out from behind, her hand still firmly twisted in KL’s ear.
“Go eat something first! The dining room’s down the hall to the right, and then it should be three doors down.”
Saya nodded quickly and trotted off.
Hana sighed, as she released her prisoner. KL’s body untwisted like a wrung towel, after what felt like years of suffering, he finally stumbled free, rubbing his ear like he’d just escaped torture.
“Did you really have to come blasting in like that?” Hana asked.
Instead of matching her tired look, KL grinned ear to ear, “Yeah, but if I didn’t, then you two would’ve gotten all sappy for who knows how long.”
“I was just trying to encourage her to keep her chin up,” Hana replied, her shoulders relaxing now that they were alone.
“You encourage people in your own way,” KL said. “And yeah, that works for people like us.”
His grin slowly faded as he walked toward the exit.
“But her life’s about to change. Maybe for the better. Maybe for the worse.”
“So someone’s gotta balance you and Miss Boss out. If you send the wrong message at the wrong time, she’ll end up just like you two.”
Hana frowned. “There’s nothing wrong with that. I told her to live and work hard to honor those who couldn’t.”
KL nodded firmly, “Yeah, nothing wrong with it. But y’know honey, encouragement’s a double-edged sword.”
“To some people, it means exactly what you want it to mean.”
“But to others, it makes them wonder if they’re even worth being encouraged in the first place.”
He glanced down the hallway where Saya had disappeared.
“Her whole school got slaughtered. Asking a kid to live for everyone else’s sake? That’s quite a lot, don’t you think?”
“If you could turn back time, wouldn’t you wish for someone to simply pat you on the back and tell you everything is going to be okay?”
“Not everything always has to result in a life changing speech.”
“She seems like a good kid. But she might start asking herself, ‘why me’?”
“Why did I survive when people stronger and smarter didn’t?”
“That’s not fair,” Hana shot back, her voice dropping colder with every word. “Just because we couldn’t find a Birthmark on her doesn’t mean she’s inferior.”
“That’s not our call to make,” KL interrupted gently.“She probably sees herself as inferior. Think about it, she was the only one without magical capabilities in a magic academy. But, whether she actually is or not doesn’t matter.”
“I’m just saying, you need to be careful who you impart certain knowledge to. She was thrown from a small pond into an ocean. I think you should give her some time to get used to the currents before asking her to swim across the world.”
Before Hana could speak, KL’s body was already halfway out the door, turning in the opposite direction from where Saya had gone.
Hana stared down at the wooden floorboards, frustration coiling through her veins. She was once again alone, accompanied only by the ticking clock and the faint echo of footsteps growing more distant with each passing second.