The Breaking Point
As Niel turned his back to lead the officers toward the observation platform, Himari's professional mask slipped for a split second. She pulled a subtle, mocking face behind his head—a silent, petty imitation of his "General" persona.
Look straight? she thought bitterly. I'll look wherever I want. I didn't sign up to be your statue.
She quickly forced her expression back into a cold, neutral line, taking a sharp breath to steady herself. Focus, Himari. He's just a senior. Just a tutor. I am not getting scolded today—not by him, and definitely not by Haru. She tried to find comfort in the anonymity of the crowd, ignoring the way Niel's eyes had burned into hers moments ago. When she opened her eyes, the "Tsukihara" was back—sharp, focused, and ready.
The Silent Language
Haru, standing a few paces behind Niel, hadn't missed a single detail. He had seen the mocking face she pulled and the way she was now forced-breathing to keep her composure. He stepped toward the line, stopping directly in front of Himari. To Kiro and Reian, it looked like a terrifying confrontation, but when he spoke, the language was sharp and foreign.
"Hast du immer noch Fieber?" (Do you still have a fever?) Haru asked.
Himari didn't blink. "Mir geht es gut, Großer Bruder," she replied. (I am fine, Big Brother.)
The title "Großer Bruder" hung in the air—a reminder of a time before the Scars of Cyprus. Reian and Kiro shifted uncomfortably, unable to follow the words. Haru's eyes narrowed. "Hat Niel etwas gesagt?" (Did Niel say something?)
Himari let a tiny, sharp smirk ghost across her lips. "Oh? Also erinnerst du dich doch noch?" (Oh? So you do remember, then?) She tilted her head slightly. "Nein. Er hat nichts gesagt." (No. He didn't say anything.)
Haru adjusted his gloves, his voice dropping even lower. "Wenn du dich nicht gut fühlst, sag es mir." (If you aren't feeling well, tell me.) He added that they were heading to the Iron-Ridge Training Grounds and it would be a long journey. Himari didn't give a verbal answer in German; she simply gave a disciplined nod. "I'm fine," she said in English, her voice cool. "I think you should go back to your team now. They're staring."
The Sudden Departure
As Haru walked away, Reian leaned in close. "Do you know him? That looked... intense."
"No," Himari said quickly, then paused. "I mean... yes. I know of him. But I don't really know him." I am never telling anyone I knew both of them before today, she thought fiercely.
Kiro's voice cut through the tension. "Listen up. Plans have changed. We're heading to the Iron-Ridge Academy for a joint demonstration and sparring. We have exactly 30 minutes. Go to the dorms, pack your gear for a three-day camp, and get back here. Move!"
Himari sprinted to her room. She found her travel bag—the one she hadn't even unpacked since arriving. Oh, this is a new level of laziness, she muttered. No—it's actually... efficient. She crammed her life into the gaps of the bag and met Kiro in the hallway. He stared at her heavy suitcase. "Isn't that a bit... much?"
"I couldn't unpack the extra stuff now even if I wanted to," Himari snapped, blushing.
The Vanguard and the Predator
When they reached the pickup point, two large transport vans were waiting. A senior soldier bellowed at them for being ten minutes late. "Put your bags inside. Now!"
As Himari stepped forward, the soldiers' harsh expressions momentarily faltered. With her silver hair and cold expression, she looked like a girl made of ice. "What is this?" one of the soldiers sneered. "Is 'Madam' going away for a whole month?"
Himari simply tilted her head, looking purely innocent. The soldier cleared his throat, unable to keep yelling. "Take the important stuff out of that giant bag and put it in your backpack. You've got two minutes."
Himari scrambled into the van, swallowing a pill dry. The van was a metal tomb. Just as the engine roared, the side door slid open one last time. A sharp, expensive cologne filled the air. Himari's blood turned to ice. Sitting right next to her was Niel.
His scent was a trigger for her nausea. She pulled out a black surgical mask and turned her head away. Then, a voice like a cold blade spoke in fluent Turkish. "Nasılsın, Hima?" (How have you been, Hima?)
The nickname hit her like a blow. She gave him an icy side-eye but didn't answer.
The Breaking Point
The smooth highway ended, replaced by jagged mountain roads. Every bump was a punch to her stomach. Himari's face went from pale to a sickly green.
"Stop the van," Niel commanded suddenly. "Sir?" the driver asked. "I said STOP!"
The van screeched to a halt. Himari lunged past Niel, stumbling out into the freezing air and collapsing to her knees by the trees, retching. Deep embarrassment washed over her. I'm a trained survivor, and I'm getting carsick like a child.
She pushed herself up, wiping her mouth and straightening her spine. "I am fine now," she said in English. Then, she turned to Niel. "Ben iyiyim. Bir sahneye gerek yok," she snapped in low, biting Turkish. (I'm fine. There's no need to make a scene.)
Niel searched her face. "Gerçekten iyi misin? Neden aniden böyle oldun?" (Are you really okay? Why did you suddenly get sick?)
Himari met his gaze. "It's because of your perfume," she said in blunt English. "The smell is suffocating."
Niel froze, a hint of hurt crossing his face. Before he could respond, the door was pulled open by Haru, his eyes vibrating with protective intensity. "Is there a problem here?"
Niel looked at Himari, then turned to Haru. "You can take my place," he said. "I'll travel in the other transport."
As Haru took the seat next to her, the sharp cologne was gone, replaced by the clean scent of the winter wind. He didn't lecture her; he simply sat as a silent shield.
The Great Hall of Iron-Ridge
They arrived at the Iron-Ridge facility, a fortress-like Academy. Himari, Kiro, and Reian marched through the gates and into the Main Hall. It was a sea of elite students. The realization hit her: there were only three of them. The Arthford group was the smallest.
Social anxiety twisted her stomach. She used Kiro and Reian as cover, pressing her back against the cold stone wall. Because of her fever and the heat of the hall, her skin had flushed a deep rose color. Against her silver hair, she looked like a mesmerizing winter spirit.
"Am I looking that ugly?" she thought, seeing senior guys whispering. "Is the bandage hideous?" She pulled her muffler up until it covered the bridge of her nose.
The Northern Aegis
A group of five students from the Northern Aegis Division approached them. "Arthford, huh?" their leader, Leo, said with a smirk. "Hope you can handle the intensity of Iron-Ridge with such a small squad. Seems a bit risky to send so few."
Reian straightened up, his expression sharpening. "It's not about the number of people. It's about the quality of the soldiers. We are Arthford. Our reputation is built on results, not headcounts."
Leo's smirk sharpened into something nastier. He looked at the muffled Himari. "Yeah, I see the 'quality.' Three people... and one of them is looking like a total witch. Hey, girl—do you know any black magic? Because those crimson eyes and that silver hair... you're looking way too much like the witchy type."
Inside the muffler, Himari's breath hitched. Witch. A white-hot rage burned through her fever. Before anyone could intervene, Himari lunged into Leo's personal space. She ripped the muffler down.
"Yeah, I do know," she snapped, her voice a blade. "And do you know what? I'm not a witch, but I am a very real, very bad bitch when I need to be. Okay?"
Leo froze. Himari poked his chest. "And another thing—don't fly too high, Leo. Keep your fucking mouth shut and mind your own business."
The silence was deafening. Himari realized what she had done. Her real personality had come out. She felt a wave of shame, terrified of how Kiro and Reian would look at her now. She pulled her muffler back up, her ears glowing crimson.
"Well," she muttered, returning to a defensive mumble. "He isn't going to talk to us anymore, so... okay. I did a good job."
She abruptly dropped to the floor, squatting in a grumpy crouch next to her bag. "They are taking too much time," she grumbled toward the floorboards. "My legs hurt."
Kiro and Reian exchanged a long look. They shifted their positions, standing closer to her, acting as a human barrier once again.
"You're right," Kiro said calmly. "The Dean is late. Just rest for a bit, Himari. We'll tell you when they get here."
The Truth Behind the Mask
As Himari sat there in her "angry snowball" crouch, Reian couldn't help himself. He leaned down slightly, a lopsided grin tugging at his lips.
"You know, Himari," he said, his voice low enough so only their trio could hear. "You've got a kind of... foul mouth. I didn't see that one coming."
Himari didn't look up. She kept her eyes fixed on her boots, her voice muffled by her knees. "Everyone has it," she snapped back defensively. "They just don't use it. It all depends on the situation. I just... decided to use mine."
Kiro stayed silent, though his mind was clearly racing. He was trying his best not to talk to her right now—not because he was angry, but because he was trying to process the massive gap between the "Ice Beauty" and the girl who just threatened to send a rival student packing. He looked toward the far end of the hall, his posture suddenly stiffening.
"Hey," Kiro said, nudging Reian. "They're here."
Himari immediately scrambled to her feet, pulling her muffler back into place. At the far end of the room, the Dean emerged onto the podium, but it was the figures behind him that drew every eye. Niel and Haru stepped into the light. They were dressed in full ceremonial military gear, their medals catching the dim light. Niel's gaze swept across the room like a searchlight. Beside him, Haru stood like his silent, lethal shadow.
The General's Decree
Niel von Oberon stepped forward. When he spoke, his voice didn't need a microphone; it was a deep, resonant rumble.
"My name is Niel von Oberon," he began. "I come from Cyprus. I started this career when I was the same age as you are now. What I have achieved, you can also achieve. But do not give up, no matter how grueling the training becomes. You will learn what it means to rely on your own raw strength—without the crutch of magic."
Himari felt a chill go down her spine. No magic? That was her only remaining shield.
"To begin," Niel continued, "we will conduct medical checkups today and a light sparring match to gauge your stamina. Collect your room keys from the Head of Hall. But first... submit your phones and any electronic devices immediately. We will also be conducting a full inspection of your bags. No exceptions."
Himari's heart stopped. Inside her bag was her old phone and Haru's personal device. If they searched her now, her secrets would be exposed in front of every rival in the hall.
Chapter 16: Room Seven
The command sent the hall into a flurry. Himari stood frozen. How am I supposed to give Haru his phone back now? If I'm caught with a senior officer's personal device during a bag check, I'm dead.
"Himari? You okay?" Kiro's voice broke through her panic. "You should go collect the keys while we handle the bags."
"Actually... Kiro, you're better at the formal stuff," she said quickly.
Kiro returned minutes later with a single key. "Alright. We're in Room Seven. Let's go."
Himari's heart sank as they walked. "Wait... Room Seven? Just one? You mean... we're all in the same room? Together?"
"It's just for one night, Himari," Reian chimed in. "Standard military procedure. Let's go before the inspections start."
The Secret Mission
As soon as they reached the room, Himari threw her bags onto the bed. She reached into the hidden pocket and pulled out both devices. She looked over her shoulder; Kiro and Reian were busy making final calls to their families before going off-grid.
"You should probably call your parents too, Himari," Reian said.
"Yeah... I will," she lied. Using the excuse to slip out, she hurried back to the Main Hall. The podium was empty. She approached a soldier near the exit. "Excuse me. I need to find Officer Haru. I have something of his... a document he dropped. Do you know where the senior staff briefing is?"
"North Wing tactical office," the soldier replied. "But students aren't allowed back there without an escort."
Himari nodded. "I'll wait by the entrance. It's urgent."
She headed toward the North Wing, the weight of the two phones in her pocket feeling like lead. She had to find Haru before the bag inspectors reached Room Seven.