[Lifespan Remaining: 20 days, 21 hours, 51 minutes.]
’Before thirty...’
He knew what happened to the Edens, but knowing the result and understanding how it happened were two very different matters. How did a contract made by one person extend to descendants who hadn’t even been born yet?
Did Salamander have to accept each of them individually, or did simply being born into the family make them part of that agreement? And if the patriarch had found a way to pass that power down, surely there had to be some mechanism behind it.
’Sylph...do you know anything about that?’
’Not really,’ Sylph replied hesitantly within his mind. ’Noct, you really have to know that us Lord Spirits aren’t as close as you seem to think. We all have our own realms to rule.’
’Alright...perhaps I should ask her myself.’
"Marina—"
"Good afternoon, everyone."
The voice was soft enough that Noct almost missed it under the sound of all the sparring. Though the students inside did not. One after another, they disengaged and lowered their weapons. Ronan stepped back from Mei, who let out a breath before following his gaze toward the entrance.
A small woman stood by the doors.
At first glance, she hardly looked like someone who taught combat. Her posture was slightly reserved, and her mild expression made her seem almost apologetic about interrupting their practice.
Her dark greenish bangs covered most of her forehead while the back had been tied up into a bundle that was pinned with a cute flower ornament. No matter how he looked at it, she looked more like a kind woman who ran a small bakery at the edge of town.
That was before Noct noticed what she was holding.
’...Is that necessary?’
A greatsword that stood taller than Ronan was beside her. Its blade was broad enough that Noct doubted he could comfortably wrap both arms around it, yet the woman held it upright with one hand. When she stepped into the room, she lifted it clear of the floor as casually as someone carrying an umbrella.
Instructor Lilah de Valiant, the youngest sister of Jin de Valiant, the current patriarch.
Marina stood, prompting Noct to do the same. They headed back inside as the other students began gathering in front of the instructor.
"I’m glad to see you making use of the equipment," Lilah said. "Though please remember to return anything damaged so it can be replaced."
"Y—yes...instructor," Mei frowned.
Ronan approached before she could continue, glancing toward Noct’s direction. "There’s something I wanted to ask you."
"Hmm?"
He whispered in her ears before both of their attention turned toward Noct, who had been standing all the way at the back. She scanned him from head to toe, noticing his uniform and the single star on it.
But instead of doing anything, the instructor simply smiled softly. "There’s no problem with his assignment. He’ll be joining us."
’Well, that settles that.’
Ronan gave a short nod and moved aside. It looked like he still had some questions, but as it was the instructor’s decision, he simply returned to his duties.
"Now, since this is our first class, I thought we could start with a little game."
A few students exchanged looks as Ronan reached into his own subspace and produced two flags, a red one and a blue one.
"Capture the Flag."
Lilah gestured toward the training field behind her. Beyond the practice circles, low walls, raised platforms, and scattered obstacles divided the space into several possible routes.
"We’ll split into two teams. Each team will have a flag at its base. Your objective is to take the opposing team’s flag and bring it back to your own base. The first team to do so wins. Simple, right?"
Noct’s attention shifted toward the terrain again. There were enough obstructions to break a clear line of sight between the two ends. Advancing straight through the middle would be fast, but anyone doing so could be approached from several directions.
"You may use your abilities to defend your flag or retrieve the other team’s," Lilah continued. "However, lethal attacks are forbidden. Please control your strikes."
She reached into her own pocket and produced what seemed like a couple of sticks that had been broken up. The instructor held them so that they poked out of her grip at equal lengths.
"Now then, let’s draw for teams."
"Long sticks will join the blue team. Short sticks will join the red team," Lilah explained. "Four students on each side."
Noct did manage to spot eight students, including himself, but he simply thought that the other students hadn’t arrived yet. Looking at it now, this was a surprisingly small class. But maybe it was so that Lilah could monitor each student better?
"And to make the numbers a little more interesting, Ronan and I will be participating as well."
’...What?’
"I’ll join red. Ronan will join blue. That makes five on each team."
Ronan himself, however, didn’t seem too surprised. He simply took the blue flag and moved toward one side of the field. The larger boy placed the flag onto the ground and simply waited, not really caring who was on his team.
"Come forward when you’re ready!"
After everyone pulled their lots, Noct was hesitant to check the stick, the only thing that decided which team he would be placed in. But if he had to guess...
’It’s red, isn’t it?’
And sure enough, Noct was right. Though what surprised him was that Marina would be on the red team as well. He looked back at the instructor, then at the greatsword beside her.
’I guess red isn’t too bad?’
They joined two other upperclassmen near the red flag. Across the field, Mei stood beside Ronan while the remaining three students gathered around them.
Noct took a moment to examine the opposing team. He had already seen enough of Ronan to know that meeting him head-on would be unpleasant. Mei was quick enough to exchange blows with him, even if she hadn’t managed to win.
And the other three on their team didn’t seem like slouches either, all looking quite well-built or extremely agile.
’I’m fucked...aren’t I?’