"Huh?" The church bells chimed outside the castle walls, carrying the sounds of the commoners celebrating the end of another day. Frey stood frozen, stunned by her companion's agreement to such a foul and unprecedented proposal.
"I accept your offer. I shall serve your kingdom with pleasure..." Neru dropped to one knee, showing his cooperation. "Your Majesty."
"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?! Why would you decide something so serious on a whim? Don't you realize what will happen? We'll just be tools to them!" Frey's voice cracked with outrage. "Aurelion knows we're in this kingdom. Running away would only allow her to slaughter more innocent people," Neru raised his head, looking back at his companion. "The best course of action is to fight with as many allies as we can muster."
Her gaze darkening, Frey saw no way out but to follow her raw emotions. With a sharp slap to the face of the man she loved, her heart shattered into pieces. "DROP DEAD!" Cold and sharp, she turned and stormed out of the hall, caring nothing for the titles or ranks of those present.
Neru bowed in a silent apology, grabbed the boy's hand, and rushed out to follow her. "Sire, should I go after them?" Red asked. "Yes, but I forbid you from harming them," the King replied. "The order I give you is this: protect those three at all costs."
Outside, the golden glow of the sunset washed over the grand castle stairs. Inside, the wooden floors creaked underfoot, echoing the tears streaming down her face. Frey stopped dead in her tracks before the exit, frozen before making a final choice.
"PRINCESS!" Neru's voice thundered through the corridors and sprawling halls, reaching her at last. "Princess... I..."
Frey glanced back over her shoulder, seeing her companion in a state she had never witnessed before: uneasy, vulnerable, and trembling. To her eyes, this was entirely new.
"Why? You just made this decision all on your own... did you even think about us? About me? Or was it just to increase the amount of blood you're going to spill with those hands?" Frey asked.
"I don't know," the blunt, direct answer sent a shiver down Frey's spine. "Aurelion is too dangerous. Letting her roam free without any intervention will only lead to more innocent deaths. That is something I cannot allow! Even though I fought every witch, so many died because of me... I won't let more people perish just because I abandoned my true duty."
Neru clenched his fists, reflecting on who he really was. "Princess, I thought of you when I made this choice. With every witch dead, you can finally go home... back to your castle, and back to your father's arms."
The girl stepped toward her companion, stopping right in front of him. She reached up, her hands gently brushing against the helmet that concealed his face.
"I understand... I'm sorry for reacting that way," she said, managing a smile despite the weight of the decision. "We can't allow any more deaths. But tell me the whole truth: who is Aurelion? And why are the Witches after me?"
"Vanessa, the Witch of Envy..." Neru began. "Back when you were only ten years old, I served as a Royal Knight. The King had requested a witch to attend the court to bless the grand future awaiting you; a nobleman had asked for your hand, and your engagement was to be announced. When Vanessa arrived at the kingdom, she was consumed by an overwhelming envy of your fiancé. Though he was not lacking in beauty, it was his aura of calm and comfort that truly drew her in..."
Neru clutched his chest; the pain in his voice betrayed the raw emotions he usually kept buried.
"She asked the King for a single day with your fiancé in exchange for her blessing. Naturally, your father refused and ordered the witch to be exiled on the spot..." The knight's posture went limp. His arms fell to his sides, and he stared into the void, lost in a long, heavy silence. "Infuriated, she cast a curse upon a dragon, causing the entire kingdom to be swallowed by a never-ending blanket of flames."
"Are... Are you serious?!" Frey pressed her hands to her mouth, completely terrified by the story. "And what happened after that?"
"I killed her, obviously. I burned her alive with the flames of her own beast," Neru said bluntly, his fists clenching with a dark, driven fervor. "I know you hate the way I fight; my brutality can be truly terrifying. But allow me to finish this slaughter. Let me destroy and torture this final Witch... it's the price she must pay for destroying my homeland."
Frey placed both hands on the knight's shoulders. Her eyes were clear, her expression softened by his fierce resolve to protect her. "I'll allow it... provided this is the very last time!"
At those words, Neru struck his own chest firmly, making a solemn vow. "I know you guys are having a moment, but... I'm still here, you know? ._." Giyo crept closer, startling them both. Once they realized he was there, they all shared a rare laugh. "Hehe, I guess I completely forgot about you, kiddo," Frey teased. "We should get him back to the academy immediately. The others likely need an explanation," Neru said.
Heavy footsteps signaled the approach of the strongest man in the castle. They all turned to see the redhead closing in with a defiant smirk. "Back together already? I thought I was witnessing the end of an engagement," Red remarked. "I-it's not what you think! We aren't engaged!" Frey stammered, her face flushing bright red.
"Whatever. I overheard that you intended to give someone an explanation about what happened," Red pointed directly at them, his face hardening into a serious glare. "I'll have to stop you from doing that immediately."
"Stop us? For what reason exactly?" Neru gripped the hilt of his sword, sensing a threat. "Everyone here is involved with a Witch of Sin. Going around explaining a 'misfortune' could cause a monumental PR disaster," Red stated. "I see," Neru sighed in relief, returning to his normal stance. "You've got a point. But what about the boy? What do we do with him?"
Giyo trembled as the spotlight hit him once more. "P-please don't lock me up or sell me off... pretty please?" Giyo whimpered. "Don't worry. This kid is more special than you think. You'll understand when the time is right," Red said cryptically.
Turning around, the Captain simply waved, walking away with his heavy, rhythmic steps. Neru and Frey set off to take Giyo back to his academy. The journey was silent; no one dared to broach the subject. As they neared the massive school walls, the Headmaster appeared almost in the blink of an eye.
"Well, well... did you bring a gift for me?" Hiro asked. "Headmaster? Look, I..." Neru started to explain, but was cut off instantly.
Hiro raised his hand, silencing any long-winded justifications. "I am well aware of what transpired; there's no need for details. My thanks for returning one of my students who got caught up in this 'accident'."
With a nod to the boy, Neru and Frey took their leave. With a long, weary sigh after his harrowing journey, Giyo finally found himself back home.
Upon entering the academy, Giyo stopped at the classroom door. He thought back to everything he had seen and felt, hesitating for a moment before stepping inside, still visibly shaken.
"...And it was during this era that the King became the leader of our realm..." Paola was explaining mid-lecture, only to stop short when she noticed the boy standing frozen at the entrance.
The whole class turned toward the door, their faces pale with shock. His teacher was the first to move, lunging forward to embrace the boy with a mix of affection and tears pricking at her eyes. "GIYO!!! I THOUGHT I'D NEVER SEE YOU AGAIN!!" Paola threw her arms around him in a tight, warm hug that finally managed to draw a faint smile from the boy.
"Wait, what's going on?! I thought..." Asuna stood up from her seat in disbelief, unable to wrap her head around how Giyo had returned unscathed. "Yeah, I've gotta agree. After those guys hauled him off, I figured they'd kidnapped him into slavery or something," Pan added quickly. "YOU IDIOT! DON'T YOU EVER SCARE US LIKE THAT AGAIN!" Kirio snapped, his anger flaring. It was ironic; despite his tone, he seemed to be the one who had been the most worried.
But before any explanations could be given, the Headmaster entered the room. "I ask that you don't overwhelm him. The boy has just returned from a very unfortunate 'accident'," Hiro stated.
"Headmaster? What brings you here?" Paola asked, surprised.
"I'm here to announce our next grand event!" Hiro crossed his arms and walked to the front of the class, facing the students. "A few days ago, the King and I held an important meeting. We've decided to bring back the Grand Tournament!"
"The Grand Tournament?! But last time..." Paola looked uneasy, as if remembering a past disaster. "Don't worry, I will personally ensure that no 'accidents' occur this time. We'll have some major influence present: every Captain will be attending the event. Those who stand out will have a high chance of being scouted for the Captains' divisions."
'GREAT! I'm one step closer to the Captains!' Giyo thought, his pulse racing. "One quick question, Headmaster... how exactly do the rules work?" Giyo asked.
"Simple. One class from each grade will be selected: one from the first year, one from the second, and one from the third. Not everyone has to participate; you must choose which students will represent your class. There's no limit on participants, but there is one catch: the more people you enter, the more students must fight at once in a single round," Hiro explained.
"Wait... so, the fact that you're in this room means..." Paola trailed off as she connected the dots. "Exactly. Class 1-A has been chosen to represent the first-year students," Hiro declared.
Paola was caught between shock and a slight sense of dread for the work ahead. "Well, it looks like I'll have to double down on your training," she said, clapping her hands to get everyone's attention. "So, who's going to step up? Any volunteers?"
Everyone began glancing at one another, weighing who among them should represent the class in the tournament. Even with so much raw potential and skill, Class 1-A had the luxury of housing the best of the best; choosing would be a challenge... until that encouraging voice stood out once again.
"I KNOW WHO SHOULD COMPETE!" Giyo declared, the pride in his voice capturing everyone's attention. "I recognize the strength of everyone in this room. We have classmates with incredible potential, and that should be enough... but for what's coming, it isn't."
Giyo crossed his arms, his expression dead serious. "Pan's intellect is vital; having her on the team is a strategic necessity. Asuna has freakish physical strength, and alongside Petra, those two would make a hell of a frontline! Kirio has top-tier skills and perfect form; comparing him to the average student is practically an insult..." He finished firmly: "I propose this as our team: Pan, Asuna, Kirio, and Petra."
The class listened intently, nodding in agreement with the words of the boy who had seen the world beyond the walls.
"Are you for real, dude?" Kirio asked. "Do you honestly think we're forming this team without you? Look... you protected me back there, despite all this 'skill' you keep talking about."
"Same goes for me..." Asuna added. "If it weren't for you, I would've seriously roughed up 'Soggy' over here." "WHO ARE YOU CALLING SOGGY?! >:(" Kirio snapped.
"I have to agree," Petra said softly. "You accept me for who I am, even though I'm shy and don't talk much... I... I feel like I actually play an important part in this group."
Pan stepped up to her brother, placing a hand on his shoulder with a warm smile. "Everyone said exactly what I was thinking. You really are the glue that holds this group together. If we're going into this tournament, we need you—because you are our only Hope."
"EXCELLENT!" Paola clapped at Giyo's leadership, her face beaming with pride. "I didn't expect you to take charge like that. Well then, shall we start our training today?"
"I don't think so," Asuna cut in, her tone turning dead serious. "If we're going up against the upperclassmen, we need to be smart about this. The second and third years have seen way more than we have. We need specialized training, focused on our individual strengths."
"And how exactly are we going to do that?" Pan asked.
"I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going to do something I'll probably regret later..." Asuna said firmly. "I'm heading to my clan's temple. They can give me the guidance I need to become as strong as my father."
"In that case..." Giyo gripped Pan's hand, his nerves clearly on edge. "If we're focusing on our skills, I have to go to the source of my power." Giyo clenched his fists, showing a new-found bravery. "I'm going back home to talk to my mother!"
"GI-GIYO!" Pan was completely stunned. "Do you have any idea what you're saying?" With a solemn nod, Giyo made it clear there was no other way; he had to face the woman who had once made him bleed. Turning to the other two, he waited for their decision.
"Sigh," Kirio exhaled. "I don't really have anywhere else to go. I'll stay here at the academy and train with the teacher." "Well... I'll do the same as Kirio," Petra added softly.
With a final nod, Giyo understood the new arc of their lives. This time, strength would have to prevail, and they would all have to take their training seriously if they ever hoped to stand among the Captains.
They each went their separate ways. Asuna crossed the city, reaching the temple that her clan called home. Meanwhile, Giyo and his sister stood before the massive family mansion. The familiar air, the dread that always gripped his nerves... it was no different from what he had endured before. "LET'S DO THIS!"