「Time Check: 05:45 A.M」
The Bastion slept, wrapped in a pre-dawn quiet so deep it felt like a held breath. The training grounds were empty and dark, save for the lone, precise sound of footsteps circling the packed earth.
I am not rushing. I just can't stand this body being weak.
"Can't master anything if this vessel is useless," G6 muttered to the chill air.
Her steady breathing and footfalls were the only sounds. Her mind was a whirlwind.
Not only that. I need to get to that Adventurer's Guild. My soul is screaming for the fight that's been absent for two weeks.
She'd woken early, driven by a need to conquer the humiliation of yesterday's collapse. It was a profound insult. The Reaper, trapped in the body of a pampered noble.
Her servants slept, unaware their mistress was already pushing her limits.
I can't claim my reward from the liquor storage yet. I don't deserve it. What kind of heavenly vintage awaits in that paradise…?
Her thoughts ran wild, a chaotic list of everything held back by this fragile form.
G6 stopped after twenty laps, bracing her hands on her knees, gasping. "I swear, I'm going to kill you," she growled at her own trembling body.
This weakness was maddening. She wasn't used to delaying gratification.
She fell onto her back on the cool ground, spreading her arms like wings. She focused on her breath, a practiced technique to calm her body's screaming protest.
「Time Check 06:30 A.M」
Tina walked toward the training grounds, carrying a woven basket. Her expression was profound, unamused resignation. "I truly do not know how to react anymore," she announced to the air.
Lilia sighed beside her, clutching spare clothes. "Lady Reise is really something else."
"I am quite certain she is pushing herself again," Edmund added, following with a towel and water flask.
They strode into the arena and found their mistress exactly as predicted: in the middle of rigorous sit-ups, her form precise.
"Can you even believe her?" Tina gestured toward G6, who exercised with an intensity seen among legionnaires, not noble ladies.
"I cannot believe a woman of her upbringing could maintain such a regimen," Edmund murmured, impressed and concerned.
They didn't call out. They simply took a seat on a bench to watch and wait.
Great. The nagging committee is here. G6 caught sight of them from the corner of her eye. She meant Tina.
After finishing her set, she rested, focusing on her breathing. Then she began bicycle crunches.
"Whoa… that looks terribly difficult," Lilia whispered, watching her lady's abdomen flex with strength that defied her slender frame.
"I have genuinely never seen anyone train like this," Edmund observed. "Not even the knights."
"Come to think of it," Tina asked, "why is this arena so empty? I thought it was packed with knights at this hour."
"The majority of the corps was sent on expeditions. Some to reinforce the borders," Edmund explained. "They are not due back for three weeks."
"So no knights left? Only palace guards?" Lilia asked.
"The palace doesn't maintain a vast standing army. They rely on their mages, though many are also away. I also heard talk of a new recruitment drive once Captain Kepler returns. His Highness awaits his report."
"I heard Captain Kepler is incredibly strong!" Lilia chirped. "They say he has water magic and mastered Physical Enhancement."
"And he looks remarkably young," Tina added.
While they conversed, G6 finished her final set and dropped to the ground. "Fuck. This is infuriating," she mused, chest heaving.
"Alright. I'll run the Perfect Assassin Form drills today. Must've been a mistake to activate multiple skills at once yesterday." She talked to herself, as she often did.
She pushed up and walked toward her audience of three. "Yo. Up so early?" Casual.
Tina's eyes did a slow, critical journey from G6's sweat-dampened hair to her sand-coated clothes. This was not the pristine Reise she had served. This woman was gritty, powerful, and utterly unconcerned with propriety.
"Lady Reise! Good morning!" Lilia cheered.
G6 winked at her before sinking to sit on the ground directly in front of them.
"Should we even bother correcting her?" Tina asked Edmund under her breath.
"I do not believe it would be effective. She is already deeply dissatisfied with her progress," Edmund reasoned.
Tina retrieved a small bottle from the basket. It held a thick, murky green liquid that looked like liquefied vegetables. "Here, Lady Reise." Her tone held a subtle, scolding edge. "Alistair was forced to wake at a most uncivilized hour for this, since you saw fit to sneak out before dawn."
Tch. She's gonna die alone if she keeps nagging like that.
G6 took the bottle, uncorked it, sniffed. She took a sip—and spat it onto the sand. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?" she yelled, grimacing.
"He insisted it would strengthen your body," Tina explained, unfazed. "The more effective, the worse it tastes."
"It is quite potent, my lady," Edmund vouched. "The same tonic Alistair used for me in my youth."
Lilia stood and took the towel. She circled behind G6, gently dabbing sweat from her neck and brushing sand from her back. "You should drink it. If you wish to endure a full day here, you will need strength."
With a look of utter disgust, G6 lifted the bottle and downed it in one desperate gulp. She raised a hand to signal Lilia that was enough.
"I'm kind of hungry." Blunt.
Tina pulled a roll of bread from the basket and handed it over. G6 took it and ate with ravenous intensity, not bothering to wipe her hands.
Tina stared, a wave of sheer hopelessness washing over her as she watched her mistress, the picture of noble elegance, devour food like a starved soldier.
After finishing, G6 stood, brushing crumbs away. "Listen." Her back was to them, her tone dropping into a cold, lethal calm that made the air heavier. "If I collapse again and you force another potion on me… you will not like what happens next." Though they couldn't see her face, they felt the sharpness of the warning.
She walked back to the arena's center and stretched, a predator preparing to hunt.
Okay, now let's see what this body can handle.
She picked up the wooden practice sword.
<< Perfect Assassin Form: Activated >>
< Speed. >
She fell into a ready stance, the sword held with the poised economy of a master. Then, she moved.
It was less like running and more like controlled teleportation. One moment, she was still in the center. In a blur, she was at the far wall, fifteen strides away, having covered the ground without a single footfall. The only evidence was sand kicked into the air, swirling in her wake.
Edmund, Tina, and Lilia could only stare, earlier conversation forgotten in shared awe.
She lowered the sword, catching her breath. Hmm. That felt right, but wrong. Like the system is lagging.
< Speed. 0.1s >
The effect was instantaneous, startling. The movement was a violent snap of displaced air. This time, the sand didn't just swirl; it exploded outward as she reappeared at her origin point in a fraction of a heartbeat.
"Now we're talking." A genuine, thrilled smile touched her lips.
Let's try the other one… the Eclipse-Step. Silence?
<
For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. G6 frowned, confused. She turned toward her three observers.
"HEY! CAN YOU HEAR ANYTHING?" she yelled.
The trio didn't flinch. They didn't turn their heads. They continued to watch the spot where she'd been, expressions mixed with confusion and curiosity, as if waiting for a show to start. They hadn't heard a thing.
"TINA! EDMUND! LILIA!" she shouted again, directly at them.
No response. As if she'd become a ghost.
Hmm… so they can't hear me. The field must be a sphere. This could work for my attacks, too. Like a built-in silencer. Incredibly useful.
"Alright, next is… perception and strength control?" she mused. I can't test that without a target or a partner.
Should I ask for a bow and have them set up a target? Yeah.
< Speed >
In the space of a blink, she was no longer across the arena. She stood directly in front of them, her sudden appearance making all three jump. She smiled, eyes alight with a thrilling, almost manic energy. "I need a—"
<< Perfect Assassin Form: Deactivated >>
<
The effect was brutal. The immense energy vanished, and a wave of debilitating cold and exhaustion washed over her, forcing her to her knees with a gasp.
"Lady Reise!" they shouted, scrambling to her side.
This is bearable. Just the tremors. A system reboot, she assessed clinically, even as her body shuddered.
"I'm okay," she managed, though her voice was faint. "I just need to rest."
Edmund was at her side instantly, his arm a steady support. "Put me on the ground," G6 commanded, clipped.
Edmund didn't question it. He carefully helped her sink down to sit, her back leaning against the bench.
"Here, Lady Reise." Lilia offered a water flask, helping her take a sip.
"Thank you. I'm fine," G6 repeated, though her pallor and trembling hands said otherwise.
The three could only look on, worry palpable. She wasn't as deathly pale as yesterday, but the violent shivering was unmistakable.
"Edmund…" she called, not one to waste a moment, even in recovery. "Set up a target. Fetch me a bow."
"It will be done. However, I must insist you grant yourself a longer respite. The day is still young." His tone was respectful but firm.
He's right. I'm not on a timer. Mission parameters are flexible.
G6 gave a short, conceding nod. Tina sighed heavily, laden with worry.
"Miss Tina," Lilia chirped, ever pragmatic, "let's set out breakfast."
"Very well. Edmund, the folding table from beside the storage room," Tina directed, slipping back into her role as efficient manager.
G6 leaned her head back against the bench and looked up at the sky, brightening from violet to soft blue.
This… is going to take much longer than I thought.
「Time Check 07:55 A.M」
The first light painted the marble annex bridge in gold and rose. Keith, uncharacteristically alert, was crossing it when a familiar, mocking voice cut the quiet.
"Profoundly unlike you to be awake at this hour, Keith."
Keith didn't turn, offering a lazy wave over his shoulder. "Morning, Earl."
Earl fell into step. "What motivated this sudden embrace of the morning?" He adjusted his glasses.
"Made a promise. To help with someone's training."
"Miss Eliza, I presume?"
"Ugh, no." Keith groaned, face twisting. "Gave up on that. She drives me mad. Every mistake ends with her on the verge of tears. Not attractive; feels like a ploy." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "No, I'm talking about my Reise."
"That is a great deal of criticism for a mere commoner," Earl noted dryly. "Well, I shall be spending more time at the Bastion as well."
Keith stopped. "Why? Thought you'd had your fill of combat training. Aren't you a master of both now?"
"I will be helping Reise, too." Simple.
Keith's jaw went slack. "No way! I'm already doing that!" Petulant, like a child whose toy was claimed.
"And I cannot?" Earl turned fully, morning light flashing off his lenses. "I find myself just as… intrigued by this new incarnation as you are."
"Well, I came first!" Keith insisted, pointing at his chest.
"Do not be such an infant. This is not 'first come, first served,'" Earl retorted, composure fraying.
"Fancy the both of you discussing my fiancée with such… familiarity." A cool, authoritative voice came from behind.
They turned. Prince Dio approached, expression unreadable.
"Fancy you calling my Reise your fiancée," Keith shot back, annoyance and mockery mixed.
"Well said," Earl added, crossing his arms.
"I do not particularly care for your opinions." Prince Dio's voice was icy. He walked past them, not breaking stride. "In any case, Earl, you will be at the Bastion soon. There is to be a recruitment drive once Captain Kepler returns."
"Then I shall simply start my visits early," Earl replied smoothly.
"Don't you have a mountain of papers? Ancient tools to geek over?" Keith snipped.
"I do." Earl conceded with a faint, superior smirk. "But unlike some, I can multitask."
"Enough words for one morning." Prince Dio cut in, patience thinning. He looked back, gaze sharp. "I suggest you both cease fighting over something that was never meant to be yours." The quiet, cutting whisper was for their ears alone. He continued on.
"That arrogant jerk," Keith mused, scowling at Prince Dio's back. "He's finally starting to lay claim to the woman he ignored for a decade."
Earl adjusted his glasses, a thoughtful, competitive gleam in his eyes. "Well, I have no intention of leaving myself out of this game." He continued his walk, leaving a fuming Keith behind.
❈.❈.❈
The three men walked in stiff, silent procession, tension thick in the morning air. Their path took them behind the Main Villa, along the elegant stone walkway to the Royal Collegium.
"My, the three of you are out quite early." A charming, melodic voice called from behind. Eliza, flanked by her two handmaidens, a picture of delicate grace.
"Good morning, Your Highness." She offered Prince Dio a practiced, radiant smile and a curtsy. Her gaze swept to the others. "And to you, Lord Keith, Lord Earl."
Keith offered a dismissive wave. Prince Dio and Earl responded with curt, silent nods before turning to continue, dismissal clear.
Eliza, desperate to insert herself, quickened her pace to fall in step just behind. "A rare sight to see the three of you journeying together."
Prince Dio remained stoically silent.
"I shall be paying a visit to someone today," Earl stated blandly, not looking back.
"Hey man, mind your own amusement," Keith said to Earl, warning.
"'Mind your own business'," Earl corrected pedantically.
"Yeah, nerd, I know. I studied," Keith shot back, annoyed.
"I do wonder how Lady Reise is faring today," Eliza interjected, dragging the conversation back. "I imagine she will not be coming in, not after yesterday's… incident."
All three men halted as one. As if she'd introduced a foul odor.
"What happened to Reise?" Earl asked, pointedly at Keith, ignoring Eliza.
"She collapsed from overexertion. She's fine now," Keith answered, tone closing the matter.
"Reise is not nearly as fragile as you seem to believe." Prince Dio's voice was cold enough to frost the greenery. He glanced over his shoulder, eyes briefly meeting Eliza's before flicking meaningfully toward her throat. "I would think the memory of that hairpin would have taught you as much."
Eliza's hands clenched, knuckles white. Prince Dio had only paid her significant attention once—on her first day and a brief conversation in the gardens. After that, he'd withdrawn completely, as if her presence was superfluous.
Keith let out a low, impressed whistle. Without another word, the three men resumed their walk, unified silence a more effective barrier than any wall. Eliza didn't attempt to speak again, left to follow in their wake until they reached the shimmering barrier to the Collegium.
❈.❈.❈
The three men arrived at the Bastion. Keith immediately turned toward the training arena.
A step echoed behind him. "Go back to the Omnia, geek." He didn't look back.
Multiple footsteps. Turning, he saw not only Earl following, but Prince Dio too. "Must you both interfere during the only time I can talk to Reise without sarcasm?" Keith complained.
"I have no concern for your needs," Earl stated flatly, brushing past.
"She is my fiancée," Prince Dio added, walking past as well.
"Stop using that card, you cold Prince of fire!" Keith pouted, hurrying to catch up.
At the top of the stairs to the arena, the first thing they saw was an arrow slicing through the air with lethal precision.
On a bench to the side, her three servants watched, captivated. Their mistress held the bow not like a novice, but with the chilling efficiency of a predator. Not a single target missed.
The three men were transfixed. G6 was clad in simple, ragged black training clothes. Her rose-gold hair was a messy halo. Her skin glistened with sweat.
< Perception > combined with < Control Strength: 20% >
A deafening BANG echoed.
The arrow didn't just pierce the hardened wooden target; it shattered it completely and embedded deep into the multi-layered concrete wall behind, leaving a visible crack.
< Speed: 0.1s >
A cloud of sand aggressively kicked into the air, making the three men cough and shield their eyes.
"WHAT THE HELL? THAT WAS FASTER THAN YOURS!" Keith exclaimed, thumping Prince Dio's shoulder.
"Not only that, her arrow fractured the wall," Earl observed, adjusting his glasses as if studying a new specimen.
"HEY! REISEE! I'M HERE!" Keith announced like an excited child.
Oh, great. That annoying brat. And he brought his buddies.
Keith gestured toward her servants, indicating they'd welcome themselves to the benches. The three men walked over.
Why did he bring that annoying Prince? Tch. He's an untrained dog.
Anyway, 20% is too much. And this stupid arrow is stuck.
G6 complained internally as she tried to pull the arrow from the wall.
< Control Strength: 5% >
The arrow came free with a gritty scrape, leaving a deep, cylindrical hole.
Whoa. That looks like a bullet hole.
Now, twenty minutes. Let's see how the body is holding up.
< Speed >
In a blink, she stood directly in front of the three men.
"Who told you to bring your gang?" G6 asked straight at Keith.
"They followed me!" he whined.
"I will not be entertaining questions about what you just saw. The show is on break." She felt their hungry, curious stares.
Edmund and Tina cleared a space. G6 sank to the ground, leaning against the bench with a sigh.
<< Perfect Assassin Form: Deactivated >>
A soft, pained "Ugh…" escaped as she tilted her head back to the sky.
"Lilia," Tina called softly.
Lilia fetched the water and helped G6 drink. "Now, Lady Reise, another thirty minutes of rest," Edmund instructed, setting a timer on his vest watch.
"What is going on, Edmund?" Prince Dio asked, brow furrowed.
"My lady is enforcing a mandatory rest period after utilizing her Physical Enhancement skills. Her body is still… acclimating to the strain." Edmund wove truth with a convenient lie.
Prince Dio's eyes narrowed slightly. Hmm, it aligns with advanced Enhancement. Yet, there's still a faint air of secrecy.
"My, my, Reise. You must stop pushing so hard. We haven't even sparred," Keith said, stepping closer. "You look… rather disheveled."
G6's sharp gaze snapped to him. "Idiot." Faint but dripping with contempt.
"I could instruct you in managing Physical Enhancement skills," Prince Dio offered.
"No, thank you. I have no desire to owe you anything." Flat refusal.
"Lady Reise is going to practice her Wind magic after she rests!" Lilia chirped, wiping sweat from G6's brow.
"I can assist you with that," Earl offered with a slight bow.
"Mind your own business, geek." Another refusal.
"I could grant you access to a rare text in the Omnia Vault on advanced spell theory." A barter.
"I would be most grateful for your assistance." Instant acceptance, as if a deal was struck.
Prince Dio looked away, mentally scrambling. Keith grinned, enjoying the usually composed prince at a loss. Prince Dio was skilled in negotiation, but not with a woman this unpredictable.
"Why do you refuse my offer?" Prince Dio asked, a hint of frustration.
G6 looked at him, one eyebrow raised. "Why would I accept it?"
"I cannot simply offer you access to the Bastion, as you are already here. But I can teach you offensive and defensive techniques I alone have mastered."
Hmm… I already know how to protect myself. Don't need basic training.
"Meh… doesn't pique my interest." Unimpressed.
His composure cracked with a sliver of frustration. "Then what, in your opinion, would not be a waste of your time?"
G6 tilted her head, a predator considering prey. A ghost of a smirk played on her lips. "Something that actually piques my interest… Or better yet," her voice dropped to a challenging purr, "something that challenges me."
Prince Dio was silent for a long moment, sharp eyes studying her. Done offering trinkets. Time to wield real authority. When he spoke again, his voice was low, deliberate, each word weighted.
"The royal armory holds a singular artifact. A blade forged not of steel, but of star-fallen meteorite ore. Lighter than a feather, yet its edge is said to be unbreakable. It hums with dormant magic, a power that has rejected every knight, mage, and champion for a century."
He paused. Her plain expression hadn't changed, but her eyes—sharpened, focusing with an intensity almost physical. He had her attention.
"I will grant you the opportunity to see if it will accept you. But that opportunity comes with a price. You grant me access to your training. You allow me to observe the methods that produce… this." He gestured vaguely at her, at the cracked wall, at the impossible feats.
"Let me understand what I am truly betting my family's relic on."
G6 showed one evil grin. Desperate negotiation sometimes makes you lose.
"Sure, access granted. How nice to be acquainted with my future ex—" she began, mischievous.
Before she could finish, Tina smoothly cut her off by presenting another lemon cupcake. "From Alistair. Prepared to your liking." A clear diversion.
"Oh? You've been hiding this? Hand it over." Attention captured.
Ah, every time my skills drain me, I get hungry.
Tina moved to offer it, but her hands trembled slightly from earlier exertion.
"It's okay, I'll hold it! My hands are clean!" Lilia offered cheerfully.
"Lilia, there's no such thing as 'dirty' with food." G6 stated, and opened her mouth, allowing Lilia to feed her the cupcake.
The three men stood in silent astonishment at the bizarrely domestic, utterly undignified scene.
"Who knew she could be so… casual," Earl whispered, awe in his voice.
"Indeed. Nothing like before," Keith agreed, both wearing faint, bewildered smiles.
Prince Dio simply stared. She sat flat on the ground, leaning against a bench like a common soldier, being hand-fed cake by a child servant without a shred of self-consciousness.
Before, I could predict your every emotion. Now, in one moment you can threaten with your gaze, and in the next, be this… casual. Constantly on guard, yet completely at ease in your own strangeness.
Reise… why does it feel as if the woman I knew died, and someone entirely new took her place?
And strangely… I find I do not mind it at all.
—To Be Continued…—