Surpassing the 2nd Hierarchy: Sinat's Trial
Truly connecting with a spirit, starting to wield spirit magic rather than ordinary spells—that was the moment of surpassing the 2nd Hierarchy for the 3rd Hierarchy. Sinat had already reached the 2nd Hierarchy, which was impressive in itself. The wall of the 3rd was not something to be taken lightly. Kalen was a freakish exception, after all. His constitution, his mental image, nothing about him was normal. Just the fact that he didn't fit into any of the five attribute systems proved it. Because he was so unique, ordinary standards simply didn't apply. So it was right to think Sinat's challenge for the 3rd Hierarchy would be tough.
A pure-hearted girl who loved to play around was now striving to bear the weight of her family name. Kalen sat in the simple training ground behind the cabin, watching Sinat intently with those thoughts in mind.
"Let's take a break for a bit."
Blamia declared a rest, ending the grueling lesson that had started early in the morning. Sinat collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily. In truth, communing with a spirit was no easy task. Even attempting it drained mana, and prolonging it could lead to exhaustion from mana depletion.
"You okay?"
Kalen approached Sinat and asked. She looked up with ragged breaths and smiled upon seeing him standing over her.
"Kal~."
Sinat smiled like that and patted Kalen's knee. A signal only they understood, meaning she wanted to lean on him and rest. Kalen slowly sat behind her in response, and Sinat leaned back against him as if she'd been waiting. Her sweat-soaked body radiated warmth—enough to gauge how earnestly she'd been giving her all.
"It's harder than I thought."
"It is tough."
"I'm frustrated 'cause it's not working."
"It's okay. It's supposed to be hard."
"But you did it, Kal."
"I didn't do it by the book either."
Breaking through to the 3rd Hierarchy at such a young age was remarkable considering his age. But with a Grand Archmage like Blamia around, Kalen had no need to offer advice. All he could do was be her pillar of support like this and offer comfort.
Click, click.
Sinat fiddled with the monocle strap dangling by her side. The two brooches attached to it gleamed beautifully.
"Hee."
Sinat stared at the brooches for a moment, smiled at Kalen, and then stood up.
"Not resting more?"
"I've rested enough."
You couldn't block that kind of passion on a whim. Kalen returned to his spot and watched as Sinat resumed communing with the spirit.
The communion ended late into the night.
"No, Kal."
There wasn't time, but wasn't she pushing too hard? Ever since she started learning in earnest, Sinat had always studied magic for long hours. Was this really the same girl who'd lazed around claiming no interest? He'd sensed something off even before heading to Hiatt, but the unease upon his return seemed shared by others. She looked hurried, like she was being chased by something.
Sinat was definitely overdoing it. Kalen suggested taking it easy, but she shot back that she couldn't.
"I can't rest yet."
Sinat broke into cold sweats every day. She never parted from the spirit she'd named Karyong. She communed constantly, except when eating. Leaning against him for support was the one thing she never skipped amid it all. But in Kalen's eyes, she was clearly straining herself.
Yet what could he do? She insisted she was fine and refused to rest. Advice only worked if the listener was open to it. If Sinat had no intention of hearing him out, talking would be pointless. All Kalen could do was make himself a more comfortable backrest for her.
That evening, the familiar wooden ceiling came into view. Kalen had just lain down after watching over Sinat, who'd been knocking at the 3rd Hierarchy's door until late. Being by the side of someone pouring their passion into something could be tiring. Who knew when that fervor might infect him, leading him to overdo it unknowingly?
Was Sinat's drive true passion, or reckless endangerment? Kalen had a hunch, but he decided to watch a bit longer. The family had played a decisive role in her reluctance to let him go. To Sinat, the Dranus name must be even more precious than Blamia and Kalen were to him. With a chance to reclaim it, charging ahead desperately wasn't incomprehensible.
The 3rd Hierarchy wasn't easy, after all. Bearing the Dranus name was no simple task. Kalen let out a quiet sigh and gazed out the window. The Dranus family hadn't collapsed—it was already in ruins, barely holding its form as a "family." The minimum members were there, but the bloodline was absent. That was the current state of the Dranus family.
Blamia had left on his own due to past events, so it was only natural. Reviving the Dranus family meant Blamia and Sinat returning to this precariously maintained shell. Sinat would gladly bear the name, while Blamia supported her from the side, though she still had much to learn.
He'd heard Blamia was handling the agreement with Rakatus and Hiatt well. Rival factions wouldn't stay quiet, so it wouldn't happen overnight. Still, with two top-tier noble houses from the past—and present—joining forces, revival was all but assured. All that remained was Sinat. Worry for the girl who would shoulder a name powerful enough to plunge the empire into chaos.
Even in her sorry state, she'd smiled purely. She'd called the wretch crawling at the bottom a friend. Kalen believed Sinat could pull it off, yet he couldn't shake the concern that it was too heavy a burden for such a young girl.
He'd received a life-saving grace from Blamia, and his own form of grace from Sinat. All he could do was hope she wouldn't be consumed by that weighty name.
As he stared out the window, something even darker than the night flapped toward him.
"...Karyong?"
The name never grew familiar, no matter how many times he said it. Kalen bolted up in confusion. It made sense—without the caster operating mana, a spirit couldn't manifest from the Spirit Realm into reality. He'd confirmed Sinat was fast asleep. He couldn't fathom how Karyong could move independently without its contractor.
"How did you... Ugh!"
A rift tore open in that instant.
Rift. There was no other way to describe it. Kalen felt his head splitting as something indescribable flooded his mind.
—Save Sinat.—
It was words, but not heard. Communication via language, yet fundamentally unlike human speech. That's why it was best described as "felt." If anything, it was the spirit's tongue—something humans couldn't grasp—now churning through Kalen's head. His eyes turned bloodshot, his skull throbbed. Through the crimson haze, he glimpsed an inky beast staring at him.
"What... does that... mean... Ack!"
Save her? Had Sinat fallen into danger? The situation crashed upon him too abruptly. He had countless questions, but pain sealed his lips. The spirit shook its head as if it couldn't endure more, then dissolved its form, retreating to the Spirit Realm.
A brief silence followed. Kalen steadied his breath and left the room.
"Sinat."
The door burst open with a loud bang.
"Eep."
Sinat, sleeping so deeply she'd drooled on her pillow, jolted awake at the noise in the quiet night and blinked groggily.
"K-Kalen...?"
She saw a red-eyed boy striding toward her. Was this a dream? No, she'd just dreamed of the same boy moments ago.
"You okay?"
Kalen rushed to her side, checking her over frantically.
"Uh...?"
He seemed to have the wrong target. Sinat gathered her hazy wits.
"What's going on?"
"..."
Kalen inspected her without a word, then sighed deeply with worried eyes. She knew she was overdoing it. But she'd resolved to this from the start, when she couldn't bear sending Kalen away weakened. To worry him enough to kick down her door in the dead of night...
Sinat etched those anxious eyes into her memory, then pulled Kalen's head into an embrace and stroked his hair.
"I'm okay, Kalen."
Her favorite pajamas would wrinkle, but so what? She didn't know what happened, but Kalen was worried for her. A pleasant warmth bloomed within: was she that precious to him? With that, Sinat asked what was wrong.
The name that tumbled from Kalen's lips belonged to the very spirit she'd contracted.