The Eve of the First Hunt
Two weeks had passed since that day.
I'd spent the time training in silence.
The sandbags that once felt like they were crushing my arms and legs no longer weighed me down.
When a bead of sweat dripped from my chin to the floor, Arin let out a snicker beside me.
"Ooh~ Jun."
She took a step closer and looked me over.
"Your form's looking pretty decent now."
I sniffed and wiped the sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand.
"Ahem. This is just the basics."
Riona smiled faintly at that.
She glanced between the two of us, then gave a single nod.
"Good."
"It's time to cut back on basic drills and focus on sparring practice."
She stopped walking, lightly gripping the wooden sword in her hand as her gaze swept between us.
"Jun, Arin. The two of you will go together."
Riona walked to the center of the training grounds.
"Pick up your wooden swords."
When my eyes met Arin's, the corner of her mouth curled upward.
"Hah!"
Arin lunged first, and I drew a breath before charging after her.
Our swords clashed with a sharp crack, slicing through the air.
Whoosh—. Thwack.
Arin's attack was caught on Riona's wooden sword.
Riona barely moved her body, deflecting it with a slight twist of her wrist.
Thud.
Arin's sword was knocked aside.
"Too slow."
A curt assessment.
"Jun."
At the call, I immediately threw myself forward.
"Yah!"
My wide swing cut through empty air, but Riona caught it smoothly and pushed back. The rebound traveled all the way to my fingertips.
"Damn…"
I gritted my teeth.
In that moment, Arin dove in again.
"Yah!"
"Yah!"
Her feet moved quickly, delivering a flurry of slashes from left and right.
Thwack. Thud. Thwack.
Riona remained rooted in place, moving only her sword.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Every attack was deflected.
She handled us with ease, as if sparring with children—using technique rather than strength.
I charged in once more.
"Hah!"
The instant I swung my sword down, Riona's eyes sharpened.
"That's enough."
A sound rang out from the side.
Crack!
Arin crumpled, followed by another sharp impact.
Crack!
My vision blurred, and consciousness slipped away.
……
……
A faint light seeped through my eyelids.
As my blurry vision focused, the first thing I saw was Riona.
A gentle glow pulsed from the blue crystal in her hand.
"Are you awake?"
Her voice was calm. She must have cast a recovery spell.
The crystal's light gradually faded until it vanished.
I took a deep breath, and a small groan came from beside me.
"Ugh…"
Turning my head, I saw Arin lying on the floor, clutching her head.
She twisted upright, her face twisted in pain.
"Ah… my head…"
She blinked a few times.
"You passed out too?"
She nodded with a small laugh.
"Thank goodness. I thought I was the only one who fainted."
A shadow fell over us.
Riona stood with her arms crossed, looking down at us.
"Both of you still have a long way to go."
Her eyes moved slowly.
"The two of you…"
She paused for a beat, choosing her words.
"…attacked together."
She tapped the floor lightly with her toe, gesturing between us.
"Why aren't you coordinating? Why move separately?"
Arin spoke up immediately.
"But Jun's too slow."
She glanced at me briefly.
"He's not helping at all."
I pressed my lips together.
"Tch…"
A small sound escaped me.
Riona still hadn't moved, but her voice grew firmer.
"Would you abandon your comrade in the middle of a battlefield and fight alone?"
Arin's face hardened instantly.
"Th-that's…"
She couldn't continue and lowered her head after a moment.
"I'm sorry."
Her voice was subdued.
Riona took a step closer.
"You're used to fighting alone."
"But comrades are meant to help, one way or another."
Her gaze lingered on Arin.
"Do you always assume the people beside you will be weaker than you?"
A breeze passed by, and Riona's eyes deepened.
"Or do you believe only the strong will ever stand beside you?"
When Arin remained silent, head bowed even lower, Riona stepped between us.
"Again."
A short command.
She raised her wooden sword lightly.
"This time, look at each other."
She pointed at us in turn.
"See your comrade before you see your opponent."
Arin glanced at me, and I adjusted my grip on the sword.
"Jun."
Strength filled my palm.
"What?"
Arin pouted.
"This time… let's match each other."
I gave a short laugh and tightened my grip.
"Yeah. Let's hit her at the same time this round."
Arin shot back right away.
"That's not what I meant."
Riona, waiting quietly in the center of the training grounds, called out.
"Begin."
At her word, neither of us rushed forward.
We looked at each other for a moment before Arin gave a slight nod, eyes lowered then raised.
A signal.
We stepped forward together.
"Yah!"
"Hah!"
Our bodies sprang ahead as we kicked off the ground.
I swung down from above while Arin slipped in from the side.
Our speed was slow, but our timing overlapped.
A thrust aimed at Riona's flank.
She smiled faintly as her sword moved.
Thud.
Thud.
Both attacks were blocked at once, yet Riona's eyes brightened slightly.
"That's it."
"Attacking together to close the gaps in each other's offense."
Riona's sword turned toward me.
It was at a speed I could block.
A downward arc.
I could see she was holding back.
"Hah!"
"Hyah!"
In that instant, Arin twisted her body and slipped her sword in.
Thwack.
Riona's blade was pushed aside, and for a brief moment, an opening appeared.
I stepped forward without hesitation.
My sword swung wide from the side, cutting through the air as it extended.
Whoosh—.
Got it. It'll connect.
Thud.
But the attack was deflected far too easily.
Riona's sword came down lightly, a faint smile on her lips.
"Good."
"Keep going."
And so the sparring continued.
When Arin dove in, I covered her from behind.
Her quick footwork swept across the floor in short bursts.
Left, then right again.
"Yah!"
"Hah!"
Thud.
Riona's sword moved without pause, smoothly deflecting our relentless attacks.
Still, it was different from before.
This time, we weren't moving independently.
When Arin thrust, I struck down.
When I pressed forward, Arin slipped in from the side.
Once, twice, three times.
Every strike was blocked, but we didn't stop.
Sweat ran down my back.
The training grounds soon filled with ragged breathing.
"Hah…!"
"Huff, huff…!"
My chest heaved, and the wooden sword in my hand grew heavier with each passing moment.
A sharp sting rose from my palm, and blood seeped through the gaps in my grip.
But I didn't let go.
"Jun!"
At Arin's shout, I clenched my teeth.
"I'm fine!"
I threw myself forward again.
Riona watched us quietly.
Then she gave a small nod.
——
Another week passed like that.
Same place—the training grounds.
Riona stood before us.
"Tomorrow, we head out for monster hunting."
Her calm voice echoed.
Arin's eyes sparkled, and I shook out my arms.
Thanks to the grueling training, I felt a solid sense of confidence in my body.
"Finally, real combat."
Riona's gaze dropped to my ankles.
"Jun, you may remove the sandbags."
I untied the straps right away.
Thud.
Thud.
The sandbags fell to the floor, and the heavy sensation vanished from my hands and feet.
My body felt noticeably lighter.
It was real.
I jumped in place a few times.
Both my arms and legs felt as light as if they were filled with wind, and a laugh slipped out.
"Whoa… this feels great."
Arin snorted.
"You finally look like a person."
As I shot her a glare, Riona gave a small laugh and continued.
"Good."
"Now, I'll explain about the monsters."
She walked to one side of the training grounds and stood before a wooden board, picking up a piece of charcoal to begin sketching simple shapes.
The first was a monster with a massive frame, thick arms, and a hunched back.
"Orc."
Riona pointed at the arm with the tip of the charcoal.
"A typical Grade 4 monster."
Arin cut in from the side.
"That's the one, Jun. The one I told you about."
Riona's voice grew firm, her blue eyes turning straight to Arin.
"Arin. Focus."
Arin pursed her lips and lowered her head weakly.
Riona turned back to the board.
"They're simple, but incredibly strong."
"They can also use weapons."
Arin nodded obediently this time, and Riona went on.
"Don't engage them head-on with brute force."
"Especially you, Jun."
Riona's gaze shifted to me.
"Their strength far surpasses that of humans."
I nodded immediately, and Riona drew the next figure.
A long body in a low stance, with sharp, protruding fangs.
"Dire Wolf."
"Also a Grade 4 monster."
The charcoal pointed to the legs.
"Fast, and they hunt in packs."
Arin muttered under her breath.
"Annoying bastards."
Riona nodded.
"Correct."
"By the time you deal with one, a second will already be behind you."
A sense of unease crept in, and I swallowed hard.
The third drawing resembled a human, but twisted in some way.
"Ghoul."
Riona's voice grew heavier.
"A monster that dwells in darkness."
Arin grimaced.
"Rotten stench and poison."
She sketched long, torn claws.
"If you get wounded, treat it immediately."
Once the explanation was finished, Riona set down the charcoal and turned around.
"To summarize."
She held up a single finger.
"Grade 4 monsters."
"Strength, speed, poison."
"Remember these three things."
After finishing, her eyes slowly swept over us.
"But as you are now…"
The corner of her mouth lifted ever so slightly.
"You can already handle Grade 5 monsters."
I blinked.
Oh.
Really?
Riona concluded calmly.
"We'll confirm that in tomorrow's real battle."
Arin slung her sword over her shoulder, the corner of her mouth rising.
"I've been waiting for this."
I loosened my arms.
My heart beat a little faster.
Monster hunting.
I can do this, right?
——
That evening.
Celes Palace, the Queen's chambers.
A soft blue light filled the room.
Seraphina and I sat side by side on the wide bed.
Both of our gazes were directed ahead.
There, a single figure knelt with her head bowed.
Elara, her hands neatly folded as she bowed deeply at the waist.
Tremble.
Her slender shoulders shook visibly, and with every breath, her back trembled slightly as her long purple hair spilled onto the floor.
Her downcast eyes remained fixed to the ground, as if glued there.
Seraphina didn't speak right away.
Resting a hand on the edge of the bed, she quietly looked down at Elara.
Perhaps burdened by that gaze, Elara's shoulders flinched once more.
A moment later.
Seraphina slowly opened her mouth.
"Lady Elara."
Her voice was low and composed.
Elara jerked her head up, then immediately lowered it again.
"…Y-yes… Your Majesty…"
Her voice trembled.
Seraphina continued evenly, revealing no trace of emotion.
"What happened in the research wing."
At those words, Elara's body visibly stiffened.
"…!…"
It was as if her breath had stopped.
Seraphina, on the other hand, remained perfectly calm.
"I already know."
"You know as well, don't you?"
Elara's shoulders shook violently.
"…M-my… my apologies, Your Majesty…"
Her voice was barely a whisper.
Seraphina didn't avert her gaze as she asked evenly.
"What kind of expression were you wearing at the time?"
"I still remember it."
Seraphina tilted her head ever so slightly.
"Was it something to apologize for?"
"…Pardon?"
Elara cautiously raised her eyes.
Seraphina regarded her for a moment before speaking clearly, one syllable at a time.
"I saw it with my own eyes."
"What did I say?"
Elara's lips parted slightly.
With tension running all the way to her fingertips, she forced out a reply.
"…T-to… finish and come back… You said…"
Seraphina nodded quietly.
I rolled my eyes from the side.
Ah.
So that's what it was.