HDGD 14

Chapter: 14

Early in the morning, Shia was alone in the empty training grounds.

In the quiet air, she raised the wooden sword she held in her hands. Slowly focusing her consciousness, a familiar reaction appeared.

Chirr…

A blue flame started at her fingertips, small at first.

But it clearly took shape and moved toward the tip of the wooden sword.

Although it had been hard to accept until now, Shia had to acknowledge that this strange power was firmly taking root within her.

If she didn’t, a foreboding feeling suggested she might be consumed by it instead.

What kind of power was this?

It wasn’t magic.

The Jewel Clan was born overflowing with magic, but Shia did not possess any.

In her childhood, unable to accept this fact, she had visited many magic researchers for examinations, but the conclusion was always the same.

Then what was this strange power? Even if she wanted to ask, there was no one to ask.

There was only one surviving member of the Jewel Clan.

Perhaps somewhere in this vast world, there was another survivor. Maybe one of her parents was from the Jewel Clan, or someone else fit that condition…

These fleeting hopes only made her heart ache more.

As she sighed as if the earth itself had swallowed her, a voice reached her ears.

“So you quietly disappeared this morning. Were you here to train? Planning to teach someone a lesson again?”

Turning her head, she saw Riana waving at her.

Seeing her cheerful friend always lifted Shia’s spirits a little.

“A lesson? No… I’m just here to warm up.”

“There’s no modesty between us. Pretending to be weak won’t work.”

After placing her wooden sword back in its holder, the two of them naturally headed toward the classroom.

As soon as they sat down, Riana suddenly asked,

“This time you’re going to wear a dress, right?”

Shia blinked at the sudden question from her classmate.

“A… dress? Why?”

“Did you forget? It’s already May, Shia. May means the Founding Festival is coming. The day we celebrate Lord Miter’s descent is near.”

Ah, now that she thought about it, it was an annual event.

The day to honor Miter Dragon, the continent’s first king… that’s right.

Shia remembered how the whole country would be bustling around this time every year.

But she had already cut off her old human connections, so what did a festival matter?

Every year, she finished her duty at the festival’s night market and returned to school to focus on training.

Of course, she planned to do the same this year.

Shia lightly tapped the shoulder of her classmate, who seemed indifferent.

“There’s a ball on the Founding Festival day! You know participation is free, right? You’re already a third-year. Are you really going to let it pass without doing anything? Enjoy your youth a little!”

“Oh, that… I don’t even have a dress…”

“Don’t worry. Even a bastard doesn’t miss out on scraps from a noble family. I’ll lend you one of my dresses, so make sure to wear it this time. You have a cool tone, so I think a blue dress would suit you.”

Riana said “bastard” as casually as asking, “Do you want chocolate for dessert?” But Shia couldn’t just laugh it off.

She knew well that Riana was the daughter of a maid touched by Baron Promut, had been scolded by her family all her life, and had made it to the academy despite it all.

While Shia hesitated over what to say, Riana beamed and opened the day’s class materials.

“Since you cut Crion’s hair, you’ve gained a few fans. Everyone wants to talk to you secretly. Do you know what your nickname is?”

“I got a nickname? What is it?”

“‘Charisma Scissorhands.’ Pretty great, huh?”

Shia couldn’t help but chuckle at the absurd nickname.

Whether it was an honor or an insult was unclear, but Riana looked happy.

“I bet there’ll definitely be a guy asking you to dance at this ball. You should actively look too.”

The Founding Festival ball was the only official event of the year where students could wear civilian clothes instead of uniforms.

Even if they pretended otherwise, at that age, everyone secretly hoped for a little romance, so on this day, they appeared in glittering attire.

The boys would then compete to ask the girls to dance after seeing their classmates in dresses.

Shia imagined her face in the pink dress Riana had worn last year.

But no matter how she thought about it, a flowy dress wouldn’t suit her sturdy shoulders and arm muscles honed from training.

“Attention, everyone. There’s an announcement.”

The principal of the academy, Lord Everett, entered the classroom with Gilliard.

All eyes turned to them, and Lord Everett spoke.

“A large crowd is expected at the night market for the Founding Festival celebration. Therefore, third-year cadets will be dispatched directly to the site.”

Maintaining public order was part of the cadets’ coursework, but this time, murmurs of discontent arose.

Everyone was excited to go into the city.

Lord Everett cleared his throat to suppress their complaints.

“Silence! This mission is a special request by Prince Ulysses. Cadets should consider it an honor and do their best in their respective positions! That is all.”

After Lord Everett left, Gilliard stood at the podium.

Ignoring the cadets’ obvious dissatisfaction, he continued,

“We have information that a slave black market may operate in the crowded night market. If anyone acts suspiciously, report them immediately to headquarters.”

“Instructor Raiglas! Do we get free time?”

“It’s the festival, so it’s unfair if we’re only guarding!”

Though no one dared argue with the principal, the cadets considered the instructor someone they could petition.

As a brave cadet voiced their concern, others chimed in, and Gilliard pressed his lips together in silence.

Among the thirty or so cadets, only Shia knew that Gilliard was annoyed.

Once the chatter subsided, Gilliard finally spoke.

“Everyone done talking?”

“….”

“Absence from duty during missions, disobedience to orders, improper uniform usage, and many other infractions may require punishment. Calculate in your head whether a few days of detention would suffice… Open your textbooks.”

The icy statement froze the classroom air.

Amidst the tense atmosphere, Shia wanted to ask why he specifically looked at her while saying that, but she held back for peace’s sake.

About six months remained until the knight exam.

Although she failed to manipulate the paycheck incident for some unexpected reason, she would use another weakness to thoroughly expose him next time.

Shia opened her textbook, making that vow.

The festival night was more magnificent than ever.

Shia’s eyes widened at the bustling stalls and the crowds spread throughout the city.

She had seen this event many times in the past, but today felt even bigger.

Lanterns and the laughter of people radiated from the central fountain into every alley.

Couples holding hands and carrying food ran through the streets, and Shia stood at attention in the middle of it all.

She smiled at the happy scene but consciously lowered the corners of her mouth.

“Wow, there are really a lot of people today. Are you meeting anyone, Shia?”

Lewis, who was guarding alongside her, asked. Shia shook her head.

“No. I’ll just go straight back to the dorm after work.”

“Come on, it’s a festival! Won’t you go to the ball? Riana’s been looking forward to it.”

“I’m not really… interested.”

As she spoke dismissively, someone caught Shia’s eye.

A man passing through the crowd wearing a robe.

And a child passing in front of him, also wearing a robe.

Just before they disappeared, something shimmered beyond the child’s hood, swaying slightly in the wind.

Shia widened her eyes and stared at it.

Silver hair…?