Only a few days remained before Isolde's 15th birthday. Despite being just a minor noble, she was a Water God Style genius who had already mastered her first Secret Art. In just a few days, she would reach adulthood, and Water God Reida would officially bestow upon her the title of Water King.
Yet, she wasn't happy. In fact, she was extremely, extremely anxious.
It wasn't that she was worried about her birthday or attaining a title that many spend their entire lives failing to reach. No, Isolde had looked forward to this day for a very long time. Since the day her grandmother took her in as a disciple, the young Water Saint knew she would go much further than just "King." She would be a Water Emperor, or perhaps even the next Water God.
Because aside from swordsmanship, Isolde knew nothing else. Her goal in life for years had been to grow stronger and inherit the legacy of her grandmother and master.
So, what was making the young Water Saint so restless?
She had been pacing the dojo all morning. She swung her sword, but her mind wasn't on the techniques she was practicing.
Why were her feet tapping so nervously?
Even during meals, she couldn't even chew the bread in her hand. The soup she always loved now tasted strangely bland.
Aren't Water God Style swordsmen supposed to be calm and composed? Isolde had always been exactly that, since the age of three, she had known how to veil her emotions perfectly.
What horrific event could have reduced her to this state?
It was because of what happened a month ago.
Isolde had been sitting at the tea shop where she usually met Roxy. However, Roxy didn't show up that day. It wasn't until the next day that the demon mage appeared, claiming she had sensed a terrifying surge of mana to the western sky.
The young Water Saint didn't understand a word of what Roxy was saying. "Terrifying mana"? She thought Roxy was just seeing things, but the mage's concern was genuine.
And that anxiety transferred directly to Isolde when she realized it originated from the Fittoa region - where Atur, her fated rival, was staying.
An indescribable sense of unease settled in.
Then, just yesterday, news from Fittoa finally reached Shirone.
To summarize the event, it was called the Mass Teleportation Incident. The entire wealthy Fittoa region had been randomly teleported away, the area was now devoid of a single human or animal. Even here in Shirone, people had encountered a few individuals from Fittoa who had been teleported in over the last few days.
Before the news reached Shirone, Roxy already resigned from her position as a Royal Mage of Shirone and set out for Fittoa for some weeks before. Meanwhile, Isolde, who was no less worried than her friend, remained hesitant.
Isolde was different from Roxy, she still had obligations to her master and grandmother. She had pleaded with her grandmother to let her travel and spar with the strongest warriors to hone her swordsmanship. The Water God had agreed, even personally writing letters of invitation to the world's most powerful swordsmen to spar with Isolde. She had even mapped out a ten-year itinerary so her disciple could meet the strongest fighters in existence.
Even the North God Style headquarters in the King Dragon Kingdom was on the schedule. Despite her apparent distaste for North God swordsmen, Reida had swallowed her pride for her disciple's sake to arrange a visit there in the future. According to the plan, after her 15th birthday, Isolde should be heading South, toward the King Dragon Kingdom.
But her mind was currently occupied by somewhere else.
Master Reida had likely seen right through the issue, as she walked over and sat directly opposite her granddaughter.
And so now, after dinner, in the empty dojo, the two of them looked at each other but said nothing for a long time. The Water God had intended to let Isolde speak first. But it seemed she had underestimated her granddaughter's stubbornness.
"If you wish to leave, I will not stop you," Reida said, her tone calm and devoid of any reproach.
"I will stick to the original plan," Isolde replied instantly, as if she had prepared for this exact scenario. "A swordsman must know how to keep her word."
"Are you worried about my honor?"
"And my own as well."
The atmosphere grew heavy again as silence returned. They stared at each other, the nearby candlelight illuminating only half of their faces. Isolde's eyes looked determined, yet her hands were clenched too tightly.
The Water God only needed a glance to know this fortitude was mere acting.
Isolde had always been a good actress, Reida had to admit that. She'd known it since the first day she met the girl as a tiny child. Even though Isolde's parents had just died, the girl didn't cry, remaining silent as if nothing had happened. Then there were the times Isolde defeated older swordsmen, and even when she defeated Tantris - her brother, seven years her senior - without showing a hint of joy. Instead, Isolde remained calm and humble.
Yet beneath that exterior, Reida knew Isolde's true self.
That silent girl would choose a hidden corner to cry her heart out. That same girl would jump for joy when no one was around whenever she achieved something new. And that humble girl was actually quite arrogant, considering herself a genius and undefeated among her generation.
Isolde always draped herself in a cloak of perfection, but she was still a normal human being. She knew sorrow, joy, tears, and anger. Even as her master and biological grandmother, Reida could only watch from a distance as her granddaughter performed that play perfectly.
And Isolde had no intention of showing her grandmother her true self. She wanted to be the perfect disciple of a powerful Water God. She wanted to be the obedient, sensible sister to her brother. She wanted to be a respected swordsman.
This made her distant, even from those closest to her.
Yet, there was one person who made Isolde comfortable enough to strip away that perfection.
And now, the girl was planning to put that mask back on, becoming a cold swordsman as if she didn't care at all.
How tragic.
The Water God let out a soft sigh, her usually grumpy eyes becoming strangely sad.
"I haven't told you about the greatest regret of my life, have I?"
Even her voice became strangely warm. Perhaps this was the first time in years that Isolde truly felt the person in front of her was her grandmother, her own flesh and blood, rather than her esteemed, strict master.
"When I was young, I was an arrogant person."
So Reida began to tell a story about a child, perhaps only ten or eleven years old, who was also a Water Saint just like Isolde. That child thought nothing of the world and picked a fight with a noble brat, giving him a beating he'd never forget. However, the brat returned with his friends, and this time, the Water Saint girl was the one beaten to a pulp, they even intended to chop off her hands so she could never hold a sword again.
However, a young noble appeared, a boy who stood up to protect the girl. And from then on, something sparked in that girl's heart.
Time passed, and the young girl became a Water King and a swordsmanship instructor for the Asura royalty. She went to find the boy from years ago, but by then, that young man had become a good-for-nothing - if not utterly despicable.
And so, the girl's first love was lost. However, a debt remained, and she had always regretted that she could never repay it over all those years.
Isolde didn't know who the man in the story was, but the way Reida spoke of the man, she could feel the deep, lingering sorrow.
However, this story was nothing like the situation Isolde was facing. Was it?
Isolde hadn't been saved by Atur. She certainly didn't have romantic feelings for the guy who had forced her to chew an entire pot of rice.
So why was Reida telling her this?
A fool or someone unobservant wouldn't realize it. However, Isolde was the exact opposite of both.
She knew Reida's intent, she knew the true meaning of the story. And more importantly, she knew why she had been acting so anxious all this time.
She was afraid I would regret it.
Reida hadn't told that story to advise Isolde to follow love or anything like that. She had stated the reason from the beginning: it was about the thing that made her regret. She regretted leaving, only to find her love gone when she returned. She regretted not being able to repay the favor.
In short, it was about regret. It always was.
Isolde had never regretted anything. She had always done what she believed was right. She knew right from wrong, what should or shouldn't be done. In every word and action, she placed logic and moral above all else.
Even now, she had weighed everything carefully to decide that she "should" continue her predetermined journey. Her goal was to become stronger, wasn't it? True, Atur wasn't strong, but she knew that regardless of whether he was teleported or whatever happened, the person who had managed to grab the Water Saint's hair would surely be a survivor - and might even grow stronger in the direest of circumstances.
So why was she hesitating?
Ah, it was because everything had only been discussed at the level of "logic."
Just as Reida had trained to become a Water King. Logically, that action wasn't wrong, she just wanted to be stronger to be more worthy of the one she loved. From the outside, it was the right decision. Because in the end, Reida became the strongest swordsman of the Water God Style, even creating her own invincible Secret Art.
Yet, she still regretted it.
Because no matter how strong she became, the reason she had wanted to become stronger was no longer there.
Ah… so that was it.
Isolde now understood why she was hesitating so much.
The young Water Saint had picked up the sword because it was the best and only thing she could do. She loved the feeling of victory, the sense of achievement, and being able to take pride in being the best. She always smiled secretly whenever she defeated a strong opponent and made them bow before her. She loves to learn, to be stronger just for that feeling.
Then, a stubborn person appeared.
She remembered how she had despised Atur when she first met him. He was just a kid, boringly weak. She could have defeated five of him at once without even opening her eyes.
Yet no matter how hard she hit that kid, he stayed on his feet. And even stranger, his gaze - which originally said "I'll try to stand as long as I can" - became even more determined, eventually turning into an arrogant "I will defeat you."
It was the first time in her life Isolde had felt such excitement.
She had smiled inwardly and truly intended to use her full strength to strike. However, at that exact moment, that boy surprised her once again by performing a Secret Art, knocking the Water Saint's sword away.
Though Isolde won that match, she felt the sensation of a true duel for the first time. A duel where her opponent truly wanted to defeat her, no matter the gap in their strength.
And that was when contempt turned into curiosity.
Not long after, her master confirmed that Atur using the Secret Art was just a fluke, he was no genius. Yet, Reida still set a challenge for them both with the reason: "That kid will defeat you."
Isolde didn't believe it.
She knew Atur could be stubborn and possessed a terrifying will. People say hard work and determination can achieve anything, right? But if the opponent is someone who is also hardworking and determined, and possesses innate talent to boot, how could he ever catch up? Isolde had thought that and assumed from the start that Atur would never reach her.
And how wrong she was.
In their second serious duel, Atur actually used the Secret Art. This time, he didn't even use a sword - he used his bare hands! Using a Water God Style Secret Art with bare hands! Could anyone in the world pull off such an absurdity!?
If it hadn't been for Isolde's experience and superior reflexes, she might have lost that match. That was the second time Isolde felt her heart pound that hard. The excitement returned, even though she thought it never would.
Curiosity officially became respect.
She officially viewed Atur as her rival, the person she would face, the reason for her to become stronger.
And now she suddenly realized he was her reason for holding the sword. Just like the boy in Reida's story.
Isolde bowed her head, her hands relaxing. The beautiful eyes that had captivated so many men in Shirone now looked serene. She understood everything, she understood the Water God's story and she understood herself.
Most importantly, she understood what she wanted.
She wanted to be able to face Atur, because he was her fated rival, the only person with whom she could freely express her arrogance.
So, she had decided what she would do.
"Everyone seems to have prepared quite a grand birthday for me, haven't they?"
Isolde asked. She didn't know what those in the dojo were preparing, but she could guess it wouldn't be just a small party.
"Indeed," Reida replied nonchalantly. "There are even a few who intend to propose to you."
"Then if I suddenly disappear, it will be quite troublesome. Many would consider it an act of extreme rudeness."
"Your reputation will be tarnished," Reida added. "People love to add flair to stories, especially bad rumors about someone too perfect."
"And that will affect you as well."
"My reputation was never that good to begin with."
So they both smiled. It was a smile of understanding.
And then Isolde bowed her head deeply, with reverence. "Then I ask for permission to tarnish your name just this once in my life."
Reida looked at her granddaughter. The child who had always acted perfect and obedient years ago had truly changed.
Perhaps this was exactly what she wanted to see before she died.
"I permit it. Go forth, Water King Isolde Cluel."
That was the moment Isolde became a Water King and began her journey of wandering, to find her 'purpose.'