—Clank Clank Clank

The metal footsteps got closer as I peered from behind my book.

"… I'm glad she allowed you to come here."

`W-wait… That voice.`

A woman with silver hair walked down the side of the hallway and turned into the corridor.

I put my book down and let out a sigh.

"Oh, Calina! It's just you!"

Calina walks over and gave a confused expression.

"Yeah… I asked Iyuna for you to get special permission to the restricted section of the Akralem Atheneum."

She pulled a seat from my table and sat with one arm hanging over the back of the chair.

"So… You learned anything interesting."

I look towards the book then back to her.

"I think…?"

"You… Think?"

"W-well, it's just that when I read something like this, I need to read it a few times for me to comprehend the text."

"… What? You're kidding rig—You're not kidding."

I sigh, and I feel the dips and edges of the book's top cover.

"I kinda got the gist of it, though… Medieval Age, scary-man with a sword, big-tree gives mana, special weapons, and monsters came from the dirty ground."

Calina blinks.

"Oh..kay… So you did get most of it then."

"… Ahem." She puts a balled-up hand over her mouth. "If you got all that, it should be obvious that Soli Vostus is the 'Evil King.'

"What? How do you know?"

"What do you mean, 'How do I know?' Use context clues, aren't you in college?"

"High school."

"REGARDLESS—"

"And have you seen him before?"

"W-well no…"

"And wait a moment, how DARE you just show up out of nowhere lecturing ME! Do you know what I've had to go through with you being away?"

"…N-no…And I'm sorry…"

"SORRY?! Oh please! I've had to do a number of your duties and watch as my fellow squires got stronger! Do you know how it feels to see my rival train while I'm over here reading fairy tales?!" I wave the book around and slam it back onto the table.

Calina looks down towards the floor, shifting with unease in her seat. "…I-I understand…"

"AND ANOTHER THING! Where HAVE you been, I'm assuming doing something knightly…."

I put my hand onto the table and rest my face on my palm, looking the other way.

"… Sure as hell feels like I was forgotten."

Calina stands and gives off a nervous laugh. "… Ahaha! Of course not! In fact, I've been using this time to prepare for your real training. You'll find what I've been doing soon enough!"

"Well, now that you're here, can you finally start to train me; Or is something else of the utmost importance?"

"You've got my full attention, Momoko." Calina turns around and starts walking towards the end of the corridor.

I sigh and get up from my seat and follow after her.

. . .

—SHING SHING

I try to block my opponent's attacks with my sword positioned in front of me.

"ACK!" My body feels a heavy jab centered at my gut that throws me into the air.

—CLANK

My sword is released from my grip as I fall forward on the ground. I pick myself up with my forearm as clear and red droplets drip from my chin onto the velvet floor.

Calina yawns while flexing her arm. "You done?"

"Gah.." I pick myself up and stagger towards my sword.

"Huff…Huff…" I wheeze as I turn my blade to the side and run towards her.

"GAAAH!" My blade thrusts through the air positioned towards her face.

—CLING

Calina grips the fuller of my sword with such force that I'm unable to move it from her grasp.

I let one of my hands go from the grip and thrust it at her abdomen. She uses her available hand to catch my attack.

"As a knight, we're forced to put our lives on the line for the people of this country. And there will be two people on the battlefield that you will always face."

She pulls the sword from me and reels it back.

"The Confident…"

—THWACK

"Gah!" I heave onto the floor as the blade's pommel is driven into my chest, leaving me rasping for air.

"… And the Overconfident."

She plants the sword into the wooden floor in front of me and walks slowly to my side.

"Or, in short, the capable and the inept."

I pick myself up and gaze towards the left, where she stands.

"The Confident knows their strength and weaknesses, and because of this, they can use their knowledge to be as aggressive or as passive as they want.

My arms push me upwards as I throw a roundhouse at her shoulder.

"However, the overconfident…."

As soon as my foot connects, she picks me up by the leg using one arm and flings me in front of her.

"… Don't know their limits and fight with arrogance and recklessness."

I turn myself over mid-air by driving my armored boots into the floor and run back towards her.

"Which do you think you were… When you tried to stop that thief in Lanier?"

My eyes feel foggy, and my muscles flex as I feel an unusual source of strength course my body.

Calina eyes dilate a bit as she strides toward me.

She throws a quick punch that lands into my upper jaw. A small shockwave forms around us as I feel the weight of her jab trying to overpower me.

I throw my jaw down and maneuver from her hand.

Calina giggles as I throw a punch toward her abdomen.

"I see now…."

—CLANG

Her armor feels hard and sturdy, but my hand makes a dent in her chest plate as it bounces off.

"Cak.." She coughs up a bit of blood and grins.

Before my hand can retreat, she pulls my arm towards her and drives a fist into my stomach.

"BLAACH" My head feels groggy as I look down towards the top of her armor.

Calina's hand drives straight through my gut as I cough up blood onto her iron-tinted arm.

"Wah…" I slide from her limb and collapse onto the floor. I feel the blood seep into the cracks and crevices of my armor as my vision starts to get blurry.

Calina picks up her hand, licking her palm.

"We have so much in common, Momoko." Her eyes give off a pearly gleam as her cheeks flush red.

"… I'm going to enjoy our fun together!"

. . .

"... Momoko…"

My eyes shift to the right as light blinds me from above.

"You're finally awake!"

My back feels cold as if I'm sitting on a sheet of metal. I feel a brisk wind that makes me shutter, making me realize that the nakedness of my body is exposed.

"Errr… Calina…?"

I try to move my hands forward, but they feel restricted.

—Clink Clink

My feet feel immobilized as well; I try to maneuver my ankles, but to no avail, only a chain-like sound is heard from my struggles.

Despite my vision still being foggy, I'm still able to make out three faces looming over me.

A hooded man grasps my cheeks between his palm and moves my head around as if he was examining my face.

"You sure you want to use a Level-4 serum… The girl may die if she doesn't stabilize."

My eyes start to adjust, and I look toward the stone ceiling.

"Well, she's able to resist Calozine… That's good…"

I shift my pupils to gaze over to a female with black hair wearing a white cloak. Her eyes are bright purple that illuminates her entire face.

"Oh, how rude of me!"

My eyes look to my right, and I see Calina clasping her hands together.

She gestures one of her hands towards a man wearing goggles with a white beard and no hair.

"This is our Head of Scientific Study, Dr. Valstrum!"

"GAAH!" My eyes widen as I feel an intense pain growing in my stomach and stretching towards my back. My stomach starts to churn, while bubbles thrust and push, visible on my belly.

"It's finally starting to take effect!" Dr. Valstrum looks over me with eyes of pure wonder.

The pain starts to move towards my arms and legs as if an entity was spreading throughout my body.

—CLINK CLINK CLANG

"AGH!" The chains rattle as I writhe in pain, my mouth feels dry but drool starts to form from the outside of my lips.

The hooded female puts her hand above my stomach. A small cut starts to form as it widens, exposing my stomach and intestines. The blood starts to overflow onto the metal table.

"Ugaah…"

My eyelids start to feel heavy from the immense pain, and they slowly close.

"No, no! You must stay awake for this procedure to be successful!"

The doctor's demented smile could be seen through his white beard as he takes a large needle from his coat pocket.

"GAAAAH!"

I feel a sharp object pierce my right eye. My pupil not being hit allows me to look towards the metal article with a bloodied perception.

The doctor starts to push down on the needle's plunger. My vision starts to flush from red to a light blue as the liquid is pumped into my left socket.

"What I just gave you was a narcotic… But it doesn't just numb the pain… It makes you enjoy it!"

A smile starts to form on my face as the gap forming in my stomach starts to widen.

"Haa... Aha.."

Calina blushes while giving an impassioned smile.

"You're such a good girl, Momoko! I knew you were just like me from the beginning!"

"RAAAAAGH!"

A large roar is heard from in front of me. Unable to concentrate, my eyes roll to the back of my head in ecstasy.

My body feels so good… This sensation, I don't want it to ever end….

. . .