The Past of Master and Disciple
"Mm..."
With a hazy sensation washing over her, Isolet let out a groan and slowly opened her heavy-lidded eyes.
".....?"
Before her unfolded a familiar sight.
The grand main building of Sunrise Academy, towering proudly at the heart of the empire. The numerous annexes and sculptures surrounding it. And at the center of it all, the most magnificent monument in the empire—a statue of the hero from a thousand years ago.
Each one was something Isolet had loved since her student days and still cherished as a professor.
"Ah.....?"
But for some reason, as she gazed upon them, her face drained of color, turning pale.
Because the towering main building of Sunrise Academy lay half-destroyed, reduced to rubble. The annexes were engulfed in flames.
- Kiiiek...
The hero's statue, a symbol of the empire itself, was bending in half and crumbling to the ground.
'W-what is this...!'
Isolet stared at the horrific scene in shock, trying to cry out, but no sound escaped her lips.
'What in the world is happening...?'
The words she couldn't voice merely echoed emptily in her mind.
- Ku-gu-gu-gu...!
Standing there dazed for a long while, Isolet whipped her head around at the massive rumble from behind her.
'.....!'
What entered her vision was an unbelievable sight.
- Pajik, pa-ji-jik...
The impenetrable barrier that had surrounded the academy since a thousand years ago—said to have withstood even the first Demon King—was shattering into pieces.
"Grrr..."
"Roooar!!"
And pouring through the cracks in the broken barrier in droves were...
"Humans... find... humans..."
"Kill... them..."
Top-grade monsters, the kind spotted perhaps once or twice a year, and wild beasts corrupted by dark energy.
"Damn it..."
Isolet stared at the scene, her face ashen.
"No choice now..."
'W-what?'
Suddenly hearing those words spill from her own mouth, she tried to back away in panic, but...
'Ugh?'
She realized she couldn't control her body and muttered silently to herself.
'...Looks like I'm having another nightmare.'
Lately, her body had felt inexplicably fatigued and stress had been piling up, leading to frequent nightmares. Convinced this was one, Isolet let out a sigh.
'An invaded academy—perfect nightmare material.'
For Isolet, who dreamed of nurturing the students who would lead the empire's future and reviving the nation, this was a tailor-made horror.
Though she couldn't move her body freely, she shook her head side to side and thought,
'If I just wait, I'll wake up on my own.'
From that moment, she drew the sword at her waist and began heading somewhere.
"I have to... protect everyone..."
Before she knew it, she had fully merged with her dream self's mindset.
Heading straight into the heart of the encroaching wave of enemies.
.
.
.
"Kyaaah!!"
"N-no!!"
"Please, spare me!!"
Screams echoed from every direction.
The place that should have been the safest, overflowing with happiness more than anywhere else, was now stained with blood and screams.
"R-run!"
"Wait! The students..."
"Let go of me!!"
In the distance, faculty members were fleeing the academy in panic.
Seeing them ignited a fire of rage in her heart, yet she understood on some level.
Overwhelming enemies beyond their ability to fight were swarming in hordes—who wouldn't panic?
"...Tch."
But.
Shouldn't educators protect their students or at least flee with them?
Even if they couldn't fight back, they had the ability to evacuate those who hadn't escaped yet. For teachers to be the first to run from the front lines?
The monsters hadn't even crossed the temporary barrier yet—couldn't they at least help up a student who'd tripped while running?
Is this the academy I dreamed of?
Is this the teacher I aspired to be?
Is this the future I hoped for?
"Hup...!"
"Just hold on a little longer—we need to buy time until reinforcements arrive...!"
"There's a student in the rubble! Help!"
Right beside me, the maids assigned to the academy were rushing about desperately.
Of course, the maids were skilled too, but their abilities were unremarkable compared to the professors'. Still, they tenaciously darted from place to place.
"Professor Isolet!"
Letting out a hollow laugh at the irony, I headed toward the temporary defensive line barely holding back the enemies.
"That way is dangerous! Join us and fight together!"
I stared blankly at the maid who rushed over and grabbed my arm.
"Professor Isolet, you're not thinking of going in there, are you?"
"...It's impossible. Even for you, that would be suicide."
"Why not regroup here, recover, and fight with us?"
The few conscientious professors who had stayed to set up the defensive line pleaded urgently with me.
"...Ha."
Thank goodness.
That people like this still remained.
No matter how much darkness engulfed the empire, as long as embers like these endured, hope could reignite.
That was why, today, I would gladly hurl this body into the flames for those embers.
It was the way of a knight.
The duty of a teacher with disciples.
The path everyone should strive for.
If my sacrifice could serve as the spark, it was something I must do.
"Professor Isolet!!"
"...Professor!!"
As I moved toward the inside of the temporary defensive line with that resolve, those maintaining the barrier rushed toward me.
"If this line breaks, no matter how hard we fight, it'll all be for nothing—you know that."
"But...!"
"And there are still students inside."
To them, I said,
"If I don't make it out alive, please tell my father that."
In a low voice, conveying words I'd always wanted to say.
"...that I'm sorry for always bringing shame to the family."
Then I leaped into the defensive line.
"".........""
A heavy silence fell for a moment.
"Grrr..."
"Roooar..."
Soon, the monsters prowling around the line, organizing their ranks, all turned their gazes toward me in unison.
"Hoo..."
Gazing at them, I stroked my ever-present beloved sword, took a deep breath, then...
"...Ugh."
A sudden thought disrupted my breathing.
"I wonder where he is now."
This sword was a gift from Frey when I was a child.
A sword worthy of being called the empire's finest, handed to me—a knight candidate—with encouragement to pass my exams and his bright smile.
Ever since that day, it had never left my side except when bathing or sleeping.
Why was that?
Simply because it fit so perfectly in my hand, had become too familiar?
Or lingering attachment to my first disciple, who once shook my life with his pure smile focused only on the sword, though now corrupted?
Or maybe... I just missed him.
"Hoo..."
Shaking off the stray thoughts, I took a deep breath.
The monsters and beasts entered combat stances, staring at me.
- Woooong...
I steadied my ragged breath from tension.
Adjusted my grip on the hilt.
Gathered clean mana into my beloved sword and focused on the foes before me.
"I'll cut down as many as I can."
With battle preparations complete, I eyed the horde charging at me all at once.
'If only I can break through the wall today...'
More precisely, beyond the horde.
- Jiiing...!
Gazing at the Dark Golem the size of the academy's main building, which seemed to lead the monsters.
'Then I could take that thing as my companion in death.'
Muttering inwardly, I stepped forward.
- Pa-jiing...!
And a flash of light erupted.
.
.
.
"Ugh, u..."
My vision was a blur.
My head throbbed like it would split.
My entire body screamed in agony.
"Cough..."
Vomiting blood meant my organs were damaged too.
Of course—with every bone in my body shattered, my organs couldn't escape injury.
- Kiiik... kii-gi-kik...
In this bleak situation where I couldn't guess how many more minutes I had, using my beloved sword as a crutch, I gritted my teeth and forced myself up.
"Haha, hahaha..."
Then burst into exhausted laughter.
"I... did it."
The area was drenched in blood.
The horde of monsters and beasts baring their teeth at me lay bisected.
- Pa-zuzu...
The Dark Golem, its central core destroyed, leaked black liquid as it lay fully wrecked.
- Ching!
"I really did it."
Only after confirming no enemies remained did I let go of the sword and collapse.
"Keurgh..."
Vomiting another gush of blood, I whispered softly.
"...I'm so glad."
And at that exact moment.
- Clap clap clap!
Applause began echoing from somewhere.
"Impressive, truly impressive."
Soon, his voice resounded everywhere.
"To think you'd take down every last enemy."
Hearing it, I closed my eyes tightly.
"Monsters aside... how did you even beat the Dark Golem?"
Frey, who had been approaching while speaking, stopped right in front of me.
"Let me see..."
With curiosity-filled eyes, he examined me.
"...You've broken through the wall?"
Then, with a shocked expression, he asked,
"How does it feel to become a Sword Saint, Isolet?"
Until then, lying on the ground, breathing raggedly as I listened to him.
"You've fallen, Frey."
I replied in a strained voice.
"What? From that reaction... you've already figured out I'm behind this incident?"
"...Cough!"
He crouched down, looking at me as he asked.
"When did you suspect?"
"Suspicion... from long ago. Certainty came just now, with my newly acquired mana detection ability... realizing you were controlling everything."
"...Ha."
Meeting his eyes directly, he let out a scoff of disbelief.
No trace of his old pure gaze remained in those eyes.
"Well, good work. For old times' sake... I won't kill you myself. You'll die on your own soon enough."
"Why... did you... do this..."
I hurled the question at him with effort, but his face held only mockery.
"Who knows? Why does it matter to a dying woman?"
"Typical villains get careless here, spilling their plans and eating defeat. I hate that."
"........"
"Anyway, thanks for the show. I'm off."
As my eyelids grew heavier, he turned away with a bored, cold expression.
"Frey..."
To him, squeezing out my last strength.
"A sword... exists to protect people."
I began my final advice.
"You cut people down... only to protect..."
He stopped and glanced back.
"Otherwise."
Finishing my words amid fading consciousness.
"...one day, you'll be the one drowned in blood."
I quietly closed my eyes.
""............""
A long silence followed.
In that silence, with eyes closed.
'Yes...'
Gripping the sword in my hand tightly, I muttered inwardly.
'Come, Frey.'
This was the final trap I'd set before death.
Having reached the Sword Saint realm, I could freely control my body's state. I'd erased all vital signs, feigning death.
My body was as good as dead already; sustained only by transcendent willpower. Even the Demon King couldn't discern my true state.
"Mm..."
I'd noticed his greedy gaze on my sword earlier.
He'd approach to claim it.
The moment he touched it, I'd pour all my mana into it in a final outburst, making it explode.
My disciple had strayed, becoming a monster destroying everything.
As his master, it was right for me to take his life.
- Thud, thud.
Clinging to my slipping consciousness with those thoughts, he began walking toward me.
Even to the end, my disciple intended to disappoint me.
- Swish...
Frey arrived right before me and cautiously lowered himself.
- Woooong...
Immediately, I prepared to infuse mana into the sword.
"...Tch."
And at the same time, the sound of grinding teeth.
'.....?'
As doubt flickered at the sound, something warm fell on my chest.
- Plip, plip...
More and more warm droplets fell. Just as I debated cracking my eyes to check.
"Hic..."
A sob reached my ears.
"Euugh, u..."
At first, I thought it a hallucination, but the sobs continued clearly—from right in front of me.
Yes.
Frey was weeping bitterly.
Clutching me tightly, face buried in my bosom.
"Sis... I'm sorry..."
After soaking my chest with tears for a while, Frey.
"Did it hurt a lot...?"
Stroked my back and whispered softly.
"Rest well for now."
Gently lifting his face from my chest, laying me on the ground, he said.
"I'll make sure you get your happy ending."
Swallowing sobs in a trembling voice, he rose quietly.
- Swish...
And reached for my sword.
'......'
Preparations were complete.
Infuse mana, and the sword would rampage.
Frey would die for sure.
Here, I could stop the monster who might raze the empire, burn the world.
It was my duty as master, as imperial knight.
What the whole world desired.
- Shing...
Yet why?
My hand wouldn't move.
Too exhausted to even grip?
Or weakening resolve now?
Or perhaps, vaguely grasping the truth behind the unease I'd felt at his atrocities—the incongruity I'd barely sensed.
- Clack...!
Losing consciousness amid those thoughts.
Frey gently placed my hand—still gripping the sword—on my chest.
The empire's tradition: honoring fallen knights in war and their swords.
"Farewell, sis."
Suppressing my trembling eyes, I cracked them open slightly.
I had to confirm something.
'.......Ah.'
And it was worth it.
'Frey.'
The boy before me knelt by my cooling body.
Tears streamed from silver eyes pure as the first time I'd seen him.
'You...'
I hadn't seen that gaze since his parents' death.
'No way......'
No.
Perhaps he...
No, from the beginning, he'd always...
'...been like this...'
My consciousness faded completely then.
.
.
.
"Hyaah!!!"
"Kyak!?"
Isolet, groaning in her sleep, bolted upright with a scream.
"Fr-Frey! Frey is...!"
"Y-yes!?"
Her face pale as she spoke, Isolet.
"...Huh?"
Looked around, panting as she asked,
"Where am I?"
"H-home, sis."
"......"
Stunned at the words, Isolet.
"Frey."
"Yes?"
"Frey... um... what was it?"
Clutched her head, muttering.
"Can't quite remember. Felt like an important memory..."
"Another nightmare?"
"...Seems like it."
Replying to Aria—Frey's sister—who asked worriedly.
"Could you fetch me some stationery?"
"Stationery? Why all of a sudden?"
She requested of Aria, murmuring softly.
"...Because someone I want to meet just came to mind."