章節 26: After five years (1)
June 24, 1437. Castle Dragon's Crest
Raphael Earhart
Five years had passed since the Patriarch declared the start of a cold war between the Alsion Empire and Solaris. Throughout that time, I trained relentlessly—days spent sparring with Erin, and evenings dedicated to rigorous sessions with Aurora, who had become a Honored Knight right after graduating from the Academy.
Honestly, I couldn't have been more content with this setup. With Lucius and Isabella both preoccupied with Alonzo's assignments, I had the freedom to grow without facing too much pressure.
My older sister and Kazimir helped me reach the third stage of the Smoldering Spark for mana and the second stage of the Silver Glint for aura. But looking back, I can't help but wonder: if I had pushed myself harder, could I have achieved even more? Perhaps reached one stage higher, maybe even rivaling a third- or fourth-year student of the Academy.
But thinking about it now won't do me any good. All I can do is keep moving forward and growing stronger. Pushing those thoughts aside, I made my way to the training hall.
Opening the massive doors, I stepped inside. Once again, my eyes scanned the enormous arena. Its grandeur didn't lie in gold or jewels. Instead, everything was crafted from exquisite wood, filling the air with the fresh scent of nature. The contrast with the stone walls of the castle gave the room a unique, harmonious feel.
Every time I stepped into this hall, it felt like entering another world.
Looking around, I spotted Aurora. She was already waiting, sitting on the floor in a lotus position, lazily sipping a drink through a straw. It was probably one of those trendy new coffee blends.
Despite her carefree appearance, my sister had a surprising knack for keeping up with the latest trends. It always amazed me how she balanced the elegance and refinement of a young woman with the raw power of an experienced knight.
Watching her sit so casually stirred a strange urge in me to capture the moment with a magical camera. It was like seeing a cute child patiently waiting for their parents.
But before I could dwell on that thought, my sister snapped me back to reality.
— Hey, little brother, what took you so long? Your older sister's bored! — she said, her face carefree.
I stopped, giving her an irritated look. The earlier thoughts of a "cute sister" vanished in an instant.
I wonder, if I attack her now, how badly will she beat me tomorrow? Actually, scratch that… What are the chances I'll even survive until tomorrow?
I sighed, deciding to stick with the "calm younger brother" approach.
— Sorry, sis, but maybe it's not my fault that you're bored, — I replied with a smile.
Her face contorted in confusion, and I didn't immediately grasp why.
— Hmm...
I froze, trying to figure out what was wrong.
— Oh... — It suddenly dawned on me, and I couldn't help but gasp.
Despite wanting to hold back, my inner self got the better of me again. I unintentionally teased her, basically calling her a slacker. Not the smartest move.
Glancing at Aurora again, I noticed a vein pulsing on her forehead.
Oh, crap...
Mentally bracing myself, I prepared for yet another "training session," which, let's be honest, was just an excuse for her to beat me up... And it's my fault this time, isn't it?
Wait, no! What the hell? Why do I get hit just because she's bored?!
— Looks like you've gotten braver, little brother, — she said with a predatory smile, rising to her feet. — Grab your rapier and get ready.
Her voice dripped with menace. In moments like this, it seemed like she forgot I was her younger brother and genuinely wanted to kill me.
— Alright, give me five minutes...
— Two, — she cut in. — Or I'll attack.
— Hey, sis, don't be so cruel!
— Sorry, little bro, but I do need to slack off less. Isn't that what you said? — she winked, her smirk filled with mischief.
Turning away, I headed to the stands to prepare for the upcoming "training." Or more accurately, my impending execution.
— Ha-a... — I sighed heavily, crouching down to adjust my clothes and hair.
This was just a regular session, so I was dressed in standard training gear.
Loose grey sweatpants, a white shirt with sleeves that reached my elbows, and incredibly comfortable footwear.
What were they called again? Sneakers?
Yeah, that was it. These new shoes hit the market about a year ago, released by one of the influential fashion families in the Alsion Empire. I've never cared much for fashion, but I had to admit: their clothing was incredibly practical for any kind of activity. Especially these sneakers, custom-made for our family, designed for both sword and magic training, and mana-permeable. They made movement so much easier, with running and jumping feeling almost effortless.
— Hey, are you going to be much longer? — Aurora's irritated voice interrupted my thoughts.
She must've noticed that I was staring blankly at my feet like I was in some sort of trance. I quickly looked away and started tying up my hair, which had grown down to my shoulders over the past five years. I gathered it into a messy bun at the back, securing it with a simple clasp that opened and closed with a click. A few strands fell loosely across the right side of my face, while the rest I tucked behind my left ear.
In just under two minutes, I was done. I tucked the necklace under my shirt and pulled out my rapier, Hopesend, from my spatial ring. This family heirloom had been with me ever since that fateful meeting with the Patriarch, and strangely enough, no one had asked for it back. I assumed it was some kind of reward for my accomplishments. Or maybe not. Either way, I didn't care, as long as I could keep using it.
Once I was fully prepared, I stood up from the stands and faced Aurora.
— Well then, shall we start the beat... I mean, the training? — she drawled sarcastically, barely hiding a smirk.
She definitely meant to say "beating."
Aurora frowned, already bracing herself for an attack. I, too, shifted into a combat stance, ready for her first strike.
She lunged forward, and her blade, now glowing with aura, gleamed as it sped toward me with lightning speed. I ducked, sliding to the left, but she quickly adjusted, intending to carve a diagonal arc with her sword, leaving me no room for extra movement.
Sensing her intent, I swiftly gathered mana and conjured an ice spike near her wrist. It wouldn't stop her blade, of course—she'd slice right through it—but it would slow her down just enough.
As expected, Aurora shattered the ice with raw force, continuing her assault. But the precious fractions of a second she spent breaking the ice gave me the chance to leap back.
I activated my mana channels, enveloping my body in its flow. Power surged through my muscles, especially my legs, allowing me to dart forward at double speed. Hopesend glowed as I infused it with aura, and I began unleashing a flurry of precise thrusts aimed at my sister.
But, as always, Aurora was one step ahead. Despite my speed, she parried my strikes with ease or dodged them altogether. And those that did connect failed to penetrate her thick aura shield.
— Tsk, — I clicked my tongue in frustration, retreating to create more distance, trying to switch tactics.
But there wasn't time. Sensing a heat behind me, I instinctively dashed to the right. Moments later, an explosion rang out where I'd just stood—a fireball.
Glancing back, I saw seven more fireballs floating in the air, ready to be unleashed at me at any second. A brief memory of my duel with Krado flashed through my mind. He had tried to pressure me with fire spells back then too. But Aurora wasn't Krado. She wasn't just some strong cadet. She was one of the best in the family, and now, at nineteen, her mastery of both magic and combat was unrivaled.
I returned my focus to my sister, catching sight of her smirk. She was clearly enjoying herself.
She really is trying to kill me, isn't she?
A chill ran down my spine, but I pushed the thought aside, forcing myself to concentrate. I needed to act quickly. I reinforced my aura around my body, concentrating on defense. With my left hand, I began to gather mana particles, preparing a counterattack.
— Hope you can handle this, little brother, — Aurora's voice echoed, as if from a distance.
The next second, she vanished from sight. My senses sharpened as I strained to hear any sign of her approach, my reflexes primed for an attack from any direction.
A whistle. From the left.
I reflexively raised my rapier and blocked with my shoulder as her blade came crashing down on me. The force sent me flying backward, but I managed to land on my feet, barely regaining my balance. Aurora, however, didn't give me a moment's respite—three fireballs were already hurtling toward me.
I dodged the first, channeling mana into my left hand to conjure ice within the second fireball. The collision of fire and ice created an explosion of thick steam, blanketing the arena.
It was my opening.
Using the cover of the steam, I dashed to the right side of the arena, aiming to strike Aurora while she couldn't see me. Bursting through the cloud of mist, I flung three ice spears toward her. Each spear was thrown with a slight delay, making it harder for her to dodge.
But I knew that alone wouldn't be enough.
Landing on the ground, I pivoted sharply to the left and charged toward her. She had already deflected two of the spears and was preparing to block the third. Upon spotting me, Aurora switched her sword to her left hand to deflect the final spear and extended her right hand to cast a spell.
Recognizing her move, I quickly glanced around, looking for the incoming attack.
The remaining fireballs appeared on my left. I slammed Hopesend into the ground, erecting two walls of ice in front of me. They wouldn't stop the fireballs completely, but they'd at least slow them down, giving me precious time to react.
As the spells began to tear through the ice walls, I noticed Aurora already charging at me, ready to deliver a crushing blow. I gritted my teeth, focusing my aura into my rapier, and met her attack head-on. Our blades collided with a thunderous sound, sending a powerful gust of wind across the arena.
The force of the clash obliterated my ice walls and scattered the remaining fireballs. I locked eyes with my sister, gripping my rapier so tightly that my knuckles turned white. She was strong—stronger than I'd fully realized. She wasn't even breaking a sweat, her face calm, while I was giving it everything I had.
She's not even using a quarter of her strength, and my entire body's already aching...
Aurora smirked, her eyes gleaming with amusement.
— So, little brother, how do you like the skills of a sister who "slacks off all the time"?
I ground my teeth.
Is she still mad about that comment?
Realizing I couldn't hold her blade back any longer, I loosened my grip and redirected her sword to the side, immediately ducking. I filled my legs with aura and mana, then launched a kick at her knee, hoping to throw her off balance.
Although I didn't manage to make Aurora fall, she did stumble slightly, caught off guard. Seizing the moment, I jumped, pouring all my strength into a twisting, slashing strike aimed at her neck.
Aurora reacted instantly. Despite the slight awkwardness in her stance, she blocked my attack with her sword.
— Not bad, but still not enough, — she said, a faint smile playing on her lips.
— You're right... — I replied, knowing that my own smirk had a bit of mischief to it.
With a quick tug of my left hand, a sharp ice spike materialized behind Aurora, aimed straight at her chest. Realizing she was trapped, she shoved me back with force, then swiftly spun around, shattering the ice with a single swing of her arm.
I landed a few meters away and quickly gathered what little mana I had left. Forming a cloud of a thousand ice needles around her, each no more than four centimeters long and one centimeter wide, I unleashed them without hesitation.
The needles shot toward Aurora like a hail of bullets. From a distance, it looked as if she was being bombarded by a storm of icy projectiles. But my sister simply strengthened her aura, and the needles shattered on impact, failing to touch her.
— Ha... How am I supposed to fight her? — I muttered under my breath as the last of the ice needles disintegrated, useless against her aura.
Having deflected my attack, Aurora turned to me, a malicious glint in her eyes.
— Well, for your clever little tricks, you deserve a reward.
Behind her, a massive fireball began to form, five meters in diameter.
What kind of twisted reward is this, sis?
Aurora raised her sword above her head, her gaze locking with mine. In the next instant, she swung her blade down, and the enormous fireball came hurtling toward me.
Shit, if that hits, I'm dead for sure!
Pouring the remainder of my mana and aura into Hopesend, I raised my blade, bracing for a final defense. As the sphere neared, only three meters away, its heat was already scorching my skin. With a burst of energy, I swung my sword in a sharp, clean cut down the center of the fireball.
The air exploded, creating a vacuum that quickly collapsed. A long gash marred the ground, extending all the way to where Aurora had been standing.
Except... she wasn't there!
Shit-shit-shit!
I had focused too much on destroying the spell and lost track of Aurora herself. It was already too late. A sound from the right caught my attention, and before I could react, her fist slammed into my face. The force of the blow sent me flying.
The last thing I saw before losing consciousness was shards of wood from the stands as I crashed into them. Through my blurry vision, I caught a glimpse of Aurora slowly approaching, her lips moving.
Barely able to comprehend, I made out her words: — Maybe now you'll understand how strong slackers are.
Looks like I really got under her skin...
That was my final thought before everything went dark.
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