When I open my eyes, the world seems like a different place, crystal clear without a hint of defilement.

Which is not how it was supposed to be, I wear a pair of glasses because my eyesight is bad, not to make myself look intelligent. But I can’t change what my eyes can see. A darkened room illuminated by a ray of morning light sneaking through a crack between the windows. It is too vivid to make that as an illusion. My eyes do not deceive me, that I can be sure.

But I guess having my eyesight miraculously healed back is not something worth complaining.

I get up from my bed and instinctively reach out for my glasses, just like how I always do before today. When I wear my glasses, my vision gets more blurry, but eventually, even that blur fades away, and my vision becomes clear once again. This is weird, very weird, but still not even the weirdest thing that I came across in this world. About the real weirdest thing? I’m still trying to find one fitting that trophy, but it’s tough since this place keeps surprising me.

“Good morning, Mr.Cat”

I say good morning to the lying Mr.Cat on my study desk as I get off from the bottom of the bunk bed.

“Good morning to you, too. Deborah.”

I say good morning to Deborah.

But she is not here. Her bed is empty, without any traces of being used for weeks. Her belongings are still in the room, but the girl herself was gone for three days already. What happened at the beach three days ago is still a vivid memory in my mind. I reach for the golden ring in my pocket, still no sign of communication from the other side. Something just feel…wrong without Deborah in her room. I guess part of it is because it was her room to begin with, not mine. I feel like a stranger when I’m alone in this room. It’s just not the same without the daily bickering.

Jeez, three days and I missed her already? I can’t even believe myself.

Well, standing here and fret won’t do me anything good. I have jobs to do.

After taking care of personal hygiene, I depart to the main castle. The girl’s dormitory is practically empty, so for the time being, I don’t feel strange walking around the place like I own it. But the main castle is different, after the siege was over, flocks and flocks of soldiers arrived to the castle from the fallen frontlines. A constant military presence was required to defend the rest of the Demon Realm, so Melas Castle has turned from a Military Academy into an army barrack. You simply couldn’t walk a few steps in the main castle without bumping into a demon soldier or two. The men we lost in the siege were quickly replaced by the men we have left in the aftermath, and it’s not the end of them. Every few days there were a few batch of soldiers arrived from the fallen frontline. Stragglers who lost their way in the chaotic battlefield. They returned safely because our soldiers did take efforts to ensure they could return, if not, they were hunted as deserters. I’m sure it’s more honorable to die by the enemy’s blade than your own allies’.

Anyhow, what’s my role in all of this? Simple, everytime soldiers arrived in the castle, there were bound to be wounded people. And of course, the wounded needed medical treatment. Thing is, practically most of our doctors and medics died in the fire in the storage room during the siege, and of course doctors don’t grow on trees. They needed everyone with any medical knowledge for the treatment of the wounded, even one who only know how to apply bandages over wounds like me. Once again, the storage room was stationed as another temporary hospital. The few doctors who survived took the lead, with the field medics who survived the battlefield took charge of the bulk of the works, while the rest do the menial tasks.

Everything sounded good in theory, but there was still a lack of experienced alchemists. Most of the storage’s medicines had been burnt to ashes, the rest was running low. And thus they conscripted me and a few others to synthesize more medicines. The soldiers tasked themselves with gathering herbs and other ingredients for us alchemists to do our job, so that’s one plus, but there was simply no end to this. The stress was intense, and that wasn’t good, because we needed to be at our best in order to make workable medicines. But everytime I felt like my body and mind were going to give out, I reminded myself why I was still alive: to make a difference. Compared to fighting Origen, endlessly making medicine was childplay. When there were no ingredients left to make more medicine, we turned to help the other medics in patching the wounds of the soldiers. There was simply no end to this, and according to what I heard, the worst had already been over for a week.

I managed to hang on for three days, today will be the fourth. I heard some news about several upcoming caravans of supplies from the inner regions in the Demon Realm, so I suppose my job will be easier for the time being.

And it does. The following morning to afternoon is basically a cakewalk. The supply caravans arrived early this morning from what I heard, carried with them a bunch of medicines made by the Demon Realm’s most talented alchemists. Even I feel envious of their talent, but they save people’s lives, I’m glad they put in their efforts to help. There’s also the arrival of a batch of medical specialists, which greatly reduce my workload by the dozen.

By afternoon, there’s nothing else left for me to do, and I am given a whole day break. After a quick lunch in the rowdy cafeteria filled with demon soldiers, I retreat to the Student Council Room, the only place aside from Deborah’s room where I can get some silence. Only in this place can I work on my next project in peace.

I take out from Kardia’s desk a large sheet of paper and spread it out on her desk. There are some drawings on it, but that’s only from the perspective of outsiders. This is the blueprint for my next weapon.

A semi-automatic rifle, the 「M1 Garand」.

From my experience during the siege of Melas, I think of myself a rather bad close combatant. One may say I made it out alive all thanks to sheer dumb luck. One thing I learn from it is that I should stay away from close range fighting, I am not a warrior in a world filled with them, so I shouldn’t try to one up them as a warrior. My handguns alone won’t be much effective in longer range, so I decide my next product will be a rifle.

I too would like to make something automatic, like an assault rifle, but my limited abilities and resources make it simply impossible for the time being. So a rifle, like a sniper rifle, is my next choice. I once saw this gun in a war museum, the rest is simple enough: analyze the memory in my mind and draw it out in a blueprint. There are lots of details that needed to be made though, but it is possible to achieve this by myself.

There’s also the matter of resources, because alchemists don’t make things out of thin air, those who do are called mages. Luckily, I was once called by the Headmaster about the reward for killing Origen. I asked her not to reveal my name as his killer, because that would only bring forth more troubles than it worth. I simply asked for unrestrictive access and usage of the castle’s material storage…or rather what was left of it. Permission granted, of course, so with access of both Kardia’s personal workshop and freedom to take any materials I can get my hand on, it will be much easier to make this project bear fruit.

“Time to make this shit a reality!”

I mutter out loud to pump myself with energy.

“Whatcha doing!?”

“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

Suddenly, a voice comes from behind my back, making me scream out loud like a little girl. Thankfully, before I have a chance to reach for my gun and shoot whatever responsible to dead, I just realize the source of that sudden voice is my fellow classmate Caelan...who’s happily munching on a banana, with another bunch of bananas on his other hand.

Boy, I sure do love surprises…

“What’s wrong? Are you seeing a ghost or something?”

Asks the tall guy with orange blonde hair.

“No, I’m just seeing you.”

While the guy stands there looking confused, I quickly fold my blueprint back and return it to Kardia’s desk.

“What’s that thing?”

“It’s…something.”

Technically it is.

“Okay!”

I sigh. I am half expected he would ask what something is. Considering my experience with him I am more surprised I get it wrong this time.

“So, what are you doing here?”

I ask the young mean munching on a banana.

“That’s cold! Your friend here hasn’t seen you for weeks and the first thing you ask is what am I doing here!”

I feel like there’s an comical arrow piercing through my heart. He’s right…he’s absolutely right! I am too afraid he’ll see my weapon blueprint that I unconsciously trying to push him away by instinct. Of all people, to realize I was wrong by Caelan…

“You are right, I am sorry…”

“Well, you look like you’re fine to me. That alone is good enough. Not seeing you for weeks, me and Iola expected you to die after the siege was over!”

Technically speaking I did…

“Wait, Iola is also here?”

I thought both him and her went home for the new year holiday. I am not surprised if they are here because the Headmaster summoned all the students back in preparation for the war to come.

“We returned just in time by the end of the siege. Both me and her fought against the humans together with Deborah! Awesome, right!? We were separated from Deborah for a time, but I haven’t seen her later after it was over. I wonder what happened to her. It has already been weeks since then.”

Is he not aware of what Deborah did, or because Nilrem’s concealment of what happened is working as intended?

“Well…she’s…studying abroad for the time being.”

Again, it’s true on a technical level…

“Really? Awesome! As expected of someone smart like her. I hope she will return soon.”

“Yeah, me too. I guess…”

I mumble to myself. I both want her to return here as soon as she can and as late as she can. A bit contradicting, I know…

“Anyway, how did you find me this place?”

I ask Caelan.

“A very nice soldier with bandaged arm taught me the way!”

Geez, I wonder who could that be?

“Is there any other reasons aside from just saying hello?”

“Ah, right! I am here to relay a message: The school is going to group students into squads. Since me, you, Iola and one other are the fastest students to arrive here, that makes us a squad. I am here to tell you to go and meet our new instructor immediately!”

Immediately? Something this important just can’t come up in a moment’s notice…

“Caelan…when did you take this job to relay the message?”

“Yesterday!”

Without any hint of shame, Caelan proudly yells out loud.

“Then why did it take you till today?”

“I forgot!”

I sigh. The scariest thing is I’m starting to think of this as something totally normal, and it only takes me five minutes from meeting him again after not seeing him for weeks.

“Though even if I remember, I still don’t know where you were after all those time!”

“You could try knocking on the door of my room.”

The tall guy is stunned, he stands there as if trying to think about the meaning of life in this universe, though I guess it can be less complicated.

“That’s it! Why didn’t I think of that!?”

I sigh. I guess I should get this going before I go mad from all these talking.

“So, a new instructor, huh?”

“Yeah. I haven’t met the new instructor myself. The one who told me about this was a teacher. He also said that we have to meet the new instructor at the entrance to the Darkwood forest, without bringing any weapons.”

Without weapons…? Strange. Still, Darkwood forest again? Perfect place for training, I guess.

“Okay, I got it. Now could you please wait outside? I still have some cleaning left to do before I can go with you.”

I push Caelan out of the room. The guy is lighter than I thought, not as heavy as someone his height would suggest. The guy seems puzzled, but I close the door before he even has a chance to say anything.

…

“So what’s up with all the bananas?”

Together with Caelan, we both nearly arrive at the entrance of the Darkwood forest. The walk isn’t long, but it’s simply uncomfortable to walk among the demon soldiers without people throwing me strange looks to doubt whether I am a human spy or not. The only things that protect me are my Melas cadet black cloak and Caelan’s presence, though maybe Caelan’s bananas already take some of those attention away from me by themselves.

“These? Gifts from my Uncle!”

Caelan replies. His uncle? From what I can remember, there was someone who has the last name of Eberstark who led the red cloaks during the siege. Wait, that guy who tried to flirt with Nilrem was Caelan’s uncle?

“Is your uncle’s name is Aitor?”

“Yeah, that’s right! How did you know?”

That settles it. Caelan does resemble his uncle in a way, though luckily he doesn’t have his uncle’s attraction to that witch Nilrem…

“I just…sort of know.”

“You’re strange. Though you have always been strange.”

Caelan is surprisingly sharp in the most unexpected moments.

“Anyhow, we are here.”

Waiting in front of us are two people, one of them is our lovely shy girl Iola, still as lovely as ever with her black cloak and a simple brown dress, hiding away her a bit bigger than normal bosom. She is standing there looking shy and nervous, although even I would look nervous when the person standing next to me is a two meters tall Orc. Just like a creature out of a fantasy book, the bulky Orc has greenskin from top to bottom, a pair of tusks to make himself look intimidating in case his muscles fail at it. He has long black hair, but they are all braided into strings that give him a tribal look instead of barbaric. Underneath his Melas student cloak is a gray shirt and a black trouser. He is unarmed, likely on the order of the new instructor, but nonetheless he still makes Iola afraid by his mere presence alone.

“Caelan! And Akuma too! It’s good to see you well!”

Seeing us approaching, Iola eagerly walks toward us as if we are a convenient excuse to run away from the Orc without hurting his feeling.

“You were not present during the siege and after it was over. I was afraid the worst would happen.”

“Well, lots of things happened.”

By lots I mean lots.

“Anyhow, I’m here now. I think you are worried about Deborah as well. She have to go somewhere for the time being, but don’t worry, she’ll be fine.”

…I think. I just hope she won’t find any trouble in the continent of Suntos. Though what am I thinking? I bet one hundred percent she is bound to get into at least one trouble ahead of her.

“Yo Koros. You feeling lonely?”

Ignoring me and Iola, Caelan detaches from us and approaches the silent Orc. He simply replies Caelan’s question by shaking his head before giving him his answer.

“You could have come sooner. I’m afraid my presence here made your friend uncomfortable.”

He seems to have more awareness that I thought…

“Nah, she’s always like that! Don’t mind her.”

…something Caelan should learn from him.

“Anyway, this is my pal, Akuma. Akuma, this is my other pal, Koros Hafner. He was my sparring partner before this whole war thingy start.”

Now that Caelan mentions it, I recall he was the guy who sparred with Caelan during my brief visit to the War Arts classroom. Back when Bjarni was still alive…

“You are Akuma? I have heard about you from the teachers, about your involvement with our former instructor.”

So, I guess that means he knows some of the truth. What is he going to do, lash out at me? Or maybe punch me for his teacher’s death?

“Some might think otherwise, but you being alive was the proof of our teacher’s greatness. Live well knowing you knew Bjarni Lodbrok in your life. That’s all I want to say.”

“Just…that?”

I reply in surprise.

“I’m not one good with words.”

True to his words, the Orc named Koros says no more.

I turn to Iola and Caelan, maybe they have their own opinions of me being saved by Bjarni Lodbrok, assuming they know. But I guess they just don’t want to say it out loud, not in this place, not at this time.

“The current matter is where is our instructor?”

Says Koros. The three of us turn to look at each other before each of us take a look at a different directions of the forest in search of our mysterious instructor. Five minutes pass, and still no signs of anyone approaching. Caelan just stands there and munches on his bananas, while Iola looks tired from all the standing. Only Koros remains vigilant. Even I start to get bored. If this is some sort of prank, I hope the perpetrator is prepared for the wrath of a warrior, a mage, an orc and an alchemist.

Then suddenly, something moves among the trees. And from there, a shadow emerges and jumps into our center. The shadow takes us by surprise. From a quick glance of mine, that shadow is a person clads in iron light armor from the head to the feet, with a helmet resembling the peak of a bird, although there is a crack on the right eye part of the armor, but I can’t see anything through that crack, there’s something like a cloth inside that blocks away what’s hidden behind. From the back of the helmet is some space to let hair out, and that person has long hair like a woman, braided into one big braid. Her hair is white in color, white as silver.

That’s only what I can see, before that person starts attacking us. She begins with pushing Caelan’s half-eaten banana down his throat, choking him to point of unconsciousness. Koros is the fastest one among us to react, he throws a punch at the assailant, but she swiftly dodges it without breaking a sweat, and moreover, she gets into a stance resembling a judo move and uses the Orc’s strength against him, pulling his arm to throw him down to the ground, making him spit some blood from the impact.

The attack gives me a brief moment to make some distance, but Iola remains there and attempts to cast some spell. However, she is too close to the assailant, and it doesn’t take her any effort to close their gap and perform a palm strike right in Iola’s stomach, knocking the poor girl down.

That leaves me as the only one remaining. The assailant turns her head to my direction. Even with a helmet blocking the way, I think our gazes met. Without saying anything, the assailant rushes at my position, attempting to do what she did with the others. Our gap gets closer, and closer.

And by the time she is within my reach, I take out the knife I have hidden inside my cloak from before I got here. I knew something was fishy with an order like “not taking any weapons”, and thus, I took along a knife just in case, though at this point I wish I took a gun instead.

With my knife in hand, I throw a slash toward the approaching assailant, attempting to use the surprise element against her.

…but it seems like I was right, close combat isn’t my forte after all, and the assailant effortlessly catches me by my wrist, preventing me from making a hole on her armor. Her grip is insane, her strength is inhuman, she can break the bones in my arm if she puts more efforts. The pain makes me drop down on my knee and releases the knife away from my hand, while the assailant silently watches…

…until she opens her mouth for the first time.

“Didn’t I tell you? No weapons!”

As she releases her grip from my hand, the woman kicks me by the stomach. The kick almost makes me throw out everything I ate for lunch, though that wouldn’t be so bad if I’m not so mad at the lady in armor right now. Thankfully, the ordeals I went through during the siege of Melas aren’t for nothing. I am in pain, but the kick fails to knock me out. And it seems like even my companions aren’t that weak either. Koros is the first to stand up as he wipes the blood out of his mouth. Iola gets up later while she caresses the pain on her stomach. Caelan is the last as he spits out the remains of the banana in his throat, only to lament for the crushed bananas on the ground from the aftermath of the fight.

About the assailant herself, seems like she is no longer interested in attacking us, despite all four want to have some paypack on her.

“Caelan Eberstark. You didn’t take this seriously by bringing food to the training ground. Even the mighty Eberstarks have fallen this low, I see. Fail.”

The lady in armor turns her gaze at the Orc and continues.

“Koros Hafner. You reacted fast, but not well enough. A simple punch can be easily countered by a soldier worth his steel. Your attacks need to be more decisive . Fail.”

This time, she turns her judgment at Iola.

“Iola Moreau. Before you cast a spell, you may want to keep your calm and make some distance first. If you are going to cast a spell at close range, cast something that doesn’t require chanting, else even a peasant with a pitchfork can kill you without breaking a sweat. Fail.”

And of course, the final one is reserved for me.

“Akuma. If you are going to pull a weapon, make it damn sure you can do some damage with it. You could bring along a sword and it wouldn’t even make any difference. You fail.”

By the time her lecture is over, all four of us are standing in front of her, still puzzled on what to say and react. I, in my opinion, is pissed, both because she is violent, and because she is right.

“I expected more from the students who arrived at Melas as fast as they could in servitude of the Demon Realm, but it seems like I will have to drill all of you maggots from the basic again. The Realm has no need of children who don’t even know how to throw their lives away the right way.”

“And who are you to judge us?”

I yell. The woman falls silent. Suddenly, she puts her hands on her bird’s peak helmet and takes it off, revealing a gorgeous woman with a red as blood eye. Yes, she only has one left eye remains, her right eye has been covered under a layer of white bandages. With limited vision like that inside a helmet, and she can still wipe the floor with us? Just how…

“My name is Brenna Lodbrok. From this day onward, I am your instructor. So you better put some respect in your words, maggot!”

Brenna Lodbrok…that last name. Does that mean…she is Bjarni’s daughter?