A month had passed since the Duel to death.
The shockwaves from the incident still echoed across the Kingdom of Asthel, but far from the political turmoil of the capital, life continued beneath calmer skies.
Rick had spent the past several weeks in the southern region of the kingdom, near the great sea city of Picala, located within the territory of House Albina. Unlike the tense atmosphere spreading through the royal capital, Picala was vibrant and alive—a beautiful coastal city overflowing with merchants, sailors, musicians, and the endless sound of crashing waves.
The salty ocean breeze drifted through the streets day and night, carrying with it the scent of the sea.
Rick was currently staying in a modest inn near the harbor.
Morning sunlight streamed through the wooden window of his room, falling directly across his face.
He groaned softly before opening his eyes.
"Damn… it's already this late?"
Rick sat up slowly, running a hand through his messy hair before walking toward the window. Beyond the glass stretched the endless blue sea, shimmering beneath the golden morning sun.
Even after seeing it every day for weeks, he still found himself staring.
"Man…" he muttered quietly, leaning against the frame. "I really can't get used to this view."
The ocean felt endless.
Free.
For someone who had spent most of his life surrounded by stone walls, training grounds, and academy halls, the sight was strangely calming.
After taking a deep breath, Rick finally forced himself awake and headed downstairs to eat.
The inn's dining area was lively as usual. Sailors laughed loudly over drinks despite the early hour, while travelers exchanged stories from distant cities.
Rick sat at his usual table near the open windows facing the harbor.
A familiar voice soon approached him.
"So, what can I get for you today, Rick?"
Rick looked up to see Mike, one of the younger workers at the inn, carrying a tray beneath his arm.
"Something light," Rick replied casually.
"Got it."
Mike hurried off toward the kitchen before returning a few minutes later with food and a steaming cup of tea.
"Thanks, Mike," Rick said while taking the plate.
"No problem." Mike pulled out a chair and sat beside him with a grin. "By the way, I heard you're leaving soon."
Rick nodded while picking up his fork.
"Yeah. The academy's second year starts soon, so I need to head back."
For a while, the two sat in silence as Rick ate his breakfast. Outside, gulls cried above the harbor while ships swayed gently with the tide.
Then Mike suddenly leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Hey… are there really people at the academy as strong as you?"
Rick nearly choked on his food.
"Well… not everyone," he admitted after swallowing. "But there are plenty of students stronger than me."
Mike stared at him in disbelief.
"You're kidding."
"I'm serious," Rick replied with a laugh.
"Compared to some of the monsters there, I'm nothing special."
Mike looked even more amazed after hearing that.
The two continued talking casually until suddenly a loud voice roared from deeper inside the inn.
"Mike! Where the hell are you?!"
Mike immediately froze.
A second later, an angry man emerged from the kitchen—the owner of the inn glaring furiously in their direction.
"You brat! Are you slacking off again?!"
Mike jumped from his chair in panic.
"S-Sorry!" he shouted quickly before looking back at Rick with an awkward smile. "I gotta go."
Rick couldn't help laughing.
"Go before he throws you into the sea."
Mike grinned sheepishly before running back toward the kitchen.
Watching him disappear, Rick shook his head with a faint smile still lingering on his face.
Meeting Mike had been a strange experience for Rick.
Before arriving in Picala, Rick had spent most of his life surrounded by nobles, academy students, knights, and warriors—people constantly chasing power, status, or recognition. But Mike was different.
Through their brief conversations, Rick began to understand something he had never truly considered before.
There were countless people in this world forced to live lives they never wanted.
Mike was one of them.
The young inn worker dreamed of becoming a knight. He wanted to travel the world, cross swords with powerful warriors, and stand proudly beside legendary adventurers whose names would one day be remembered across the kingdom.
But dreams alone were never enough.
The world was not kind to everyone.
Mike had no wealthy family to sponsor him, no connections within the nobility, and no master willing to teach him for free. In the end, reality had forced him to abandon his ambitions and spend his days working at the inn instead.
It was unfair.
But it was normal.
And for the first time, Rick truly understood that every person carried battles invisible to others.
Some fought on battlefields.
Others fought against life itself.
After finishing his meal, Rick returned upstairs to gather his belongings. The room that had felt temporary only weeks ago now carried a strange sense of familiarity.
He picked up his bag, checked his equipment one final time, and headed back downstairs toward the reception desk.
After paying for his stay, Rick turned toward the dining hall.
"Mike," he called gently.
Hearing his name, Mike quickly turned around.
"I'm leaving."
For a moment, Mike froze before forcing out a small smile.
"Oh… yeah." He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Good luck with your journey."
There was disappointment hidden behind the smile, though he tried hard not to show it.
Mike turned as if preparing to leave, but Rick suddenly stopped him.
"Mike."
"Hm?"
"Don't give up on your dream."
Mike blinked in surprise.
Rick stepped closer and placed a hand firmly on his shoulder.
"If you keep training the way i told you," he said seriously, "and continue moving forward no matter how slow it feels… then one day, you'll reach it."
Mike stared at him silently.
"We only get one life," Rick continued with a faint smile. "So don't waste it living with regret."
For several seconds, Mike said nothing.
Then his eyes slowly widened with determination.
"…Yeah," he answered quietly. "I'll do it."
Rick smiled before finally letting go of his shoulder.
And just like that, their short but meaningful friendship came to an end.
Under the blazing midday sun, Rick walked through the crowded streets of Picala toward the train station near the center of the city.
The sea breeze swept past him one last time.
Merchants shouted from roadside stalls while sailors hauled cargo across the harbor. The city remained as lively as ever, completely unaware of the storm slowly gathering across the kingdom.
Rick adjusted the strap on his bag and glanced back toward the distant ocean.
Then, without hesitation, he continued forward.
Toward the royal capital.
Toward the academy.
And toward whatever awaited him next.
Meanwhile, during the month Rick spent away from the capital, the Kingdom of Asther underwent dramatic changes.
The first—and perhaps most dangerous—change was the growing division between the noble houses and the royal family.
Only weeks earlier, House Vleck had openly declared six noble houses that opposed its authority traitors to crown. At first, the conflict appeared destined to erupt into full-scale civil war. Tension spread rapidly throughout the kingdom as nobles gathered troops, fortified territories, and prepared for bloodshed.
But then, everything changed overnight.
One by one, the heads of the six noble houses died under mysterious circumstances.
Some perished in their sleep.
Others collapsed suddenly during private gatherings.
A few were simply found dead without explanation.
The speed and precision of the deaths shocked the entire kingdom.
Without their leaders, the six noble houses quickly surrendered to House Vleck in exchange for the safety of their remaining family members. Yet instead of restoring peace, the incident only gave birth to something far more dangerous:
Rumors.
Whispers spread across taverns, markets, and noble courts alike that the royal family itself had orchestrated the assassinations from the shadows.
There was no proof.
No witnesses.
No evidence.
But in politics, suspicion alone was enough.
And slowly, distrust between the crown and the noble houses began to deepen.
The second major change was the transformation of House Vleck itself.
Within the span of a single month, Duke Vleck carried out one of the bloodiest purges in recent kingdom history.
More than two thousand people were executed.
Nearly ten thousand others were imprisoned, exiled, or stripped of power.
Corrupt officials disappeared overnight.
Noble administrators were replaced.
Military officers suspected of bribery or betrayal were publicly punished as warnings to others.
Entire branches of authority were reorganized.
The brutality of the purge terrified many, but for the common people, it also marked the first sign of hope in decades.
For years, House Vleck had ruled through fear, greed, and corruption. Taxes crushed merchants and farmers alike, while the nobles enriched themselves without consequence.
Now, for the first time in generations, change had finally arrived.
Though House Vleck lost nearly half of its original strength during the reforms, many citizens began to see the house in a new light.
Not as tyrants.
But as rulers willing to cut away the rot poisoning the kingdom.
After a week of travel, Rick finally returned to Leon City.
The massive capital stood proudly beneath the evening sky, its towering walls and silver banners instantly familiar to him.
Rick had arrived slightly earlier than expected—about a week before the academy's second year officially began.
However, on the time for the entrance examinations for new first-year students.
Young nobles, commoners, and aspiring warriors filled the streets surrounding the academy, each carrying dreams of changing their futures.
Rick walked through the lively crowds quietly, observing the excitement around him.
But unlike before, things were no longer the same.
He was no longer just another student.
Now, Rick needed people of his own.
Followers.
Allies.
Subordinates who could one day stand beside him in the storms that were coming.
And currently…
He only had one.
After arriving in Leon City, Rick did not return to the academy immediately.
Instead, he first made his way through the narrow back alleys of the city - meeting people. The crowded roads slowly gave way to quieter paths hidden between old brick buildings, carrying with them memories Rick had not thought about in weeks.
Eventually, he arrived at the small inn where Eve worked.
The moment she saw him enter, her eyes widened slightly before a warm smile appeared on her face.
"Well, look who finally decided to come back."
Rick laughed softly.
The two spent some time talking casually, exchanging stories about the past few weeks. For a brief moment, the political tension, the academy, and the uncertainty surrounding the kingdom all felt distant.
But evening soon arrived, and Rick finally made his way back toward the academy.
After returning to the academy grounds, Rick headed directly to the reception office.
Since he had advanced to Second year, his student identification card and dormitory assignment had both been changed. After receiving the new documents, he quietly headed toward his assigned room.
When he opened the door, he froze for a second.
The room was empty.
Rick immediately let out a relieved sigh.
Ever since being promoted to C-Class, he had struggled to get along with most of the students there. Compared to the lower classes, the atmosphere among C-Class students was far more competitive, arrogant, and exhausting.
So seeing an empty room felt like a blessing.
"At least I won't have to deal with anyone annoying," he muttered while tossing his bag onto the bed.
After settling his belongings, Rick decided to look for Krai, who had apparently spent the entire holiday break inside the academy.
Following directions from a few students, Rick eventually arrived outside Krai's dorm room.
He opened the door—and immediately found Krai sleeping sprawled across the bed.
Rick stared at him in disbelief.
"Who the hell sleeps at this hour?"
Without hesitation, he walked over and kicked the side of the bed hard enough to send Krai tumbling onto the floor.
"Damn it!" Krai shouted in pain while clutching his side. "For fuck's sake, Rick!"
"What's your problem?" Rick asked while sitting down nearby.
Krai glared at him from the floor.
"No, what's your problem?"
"Nothing," Rick replied casually. "I just came to say hi."
Krai stared at him for several seconds before letting out an irritated groan.
"Yeah… that was one hell of a greeting."
Rick smirked slightly.
"So you really spent the entire break here?"
"Don't even get me started," Krai grumbled while climbing back onto the bed. "I had nothing better to do during the holidays, so I spent most of the time training, eating, and sleeping."
Then his expression darkened.
"But last night…" he continued bitterly, "I accepted one simple request to clean a shop."
Rick raised an eyebrow.
"And?"
Krai looked ready to explode.
"That damn shop was all the way across the city!" he shouted angrily. "And when I finally got there…"
He clenched his fists.
"…it was already closed."
Rick blinked once before bursting into laughter.
Krai only looked more offended.
"You think this is funny?!" he snapped.
"It absolutely is," Rick replied between laughs.
Krai grabbed a pillow and threw it directly at his face.
"After that," Krai continued angrily, "I went back to the guild, got the keys, and returned to the shop to start cleaning."
Rick was already struggling to hold back his laughter.
"But then," Krai said with a dead expression, "the two person who took the request with me suddenly canceled it."
Rick blinked.
"…What?"
Krai nodded slowly, looking utterly exhausted.
"He said it was already too late and that the owner wouldn't even show up anymore." He pointed at himself bitterly. "So I ended up cleaning the entire shop by myself for nothing and spent the whole damn night there."
For a second, silence filled the room.
Then Rick completely lost control and burst out laughing again.
Krai stared at him in disbelief.
"You're a terrible friend."
Rick wiped tears from his eyes while trying to calm himself down.
"No—no, I'm sorry," he said between laughs. "That's just unbelievably bad luck."
Krai fell backward onto the bed dramatically.
"My life is suffering."
After finally calming down, Rick leaned back against the chair and looked at Krai curiously.
"But seriously," he asked, "why are you even taking guild quests? Aren't your parents already giving you money?"
"They are," Krai replied with a sigh. "But I'm earning this for my personal allowance."
Rick raised an eyebrow.
"You seriously work all night just for extra spending money?"
Krai immediately sat up and pointed at him.
"Yes."
Rick shook his head slowly.
"You're insane."
"And you're poor," Krai replied instantly.
"…Fair point."
The two stared at each other for a moment before laughing quietly.
After the laughter faded, Krai suddenly became serious.
"Well, anyway," he said while looking directly at Rick, "I'm honestly surprised you came back this early."
Rick frowned slightly. "Why?"
"Because the enrollment examination starts in two days."
"I know," Rick replied casually. "I can't miss that."
Hearing this, Krai's expression shifted.
For a few moments, he seemed lost in thought.
Then he finally spoke again.
"A week after you left," he said slowly, "news spread across the kingdom that House Vleck executed soldiers and branded six noble houses as traitors."
Rick stayed silent.
Krai narrowed his eyes slightly.
"And now," he continued carefully, "you suddenly return just before the enrollment exams begin."
The atmosphere in the room subtly changed.
"You're thinking about the enrollment ceremony, aren't you?" Krai asked quietly.
"You're looking for people."
Rick still said nothing.
Krai gave a faint smile.
"I figured as much."
The room fell silent again.
Finally, Krai shrugged lightly.
"Well, if you don't want to explain anything, I won't force you," he said calmly. "Everyone has secrets."
Rick looked at him for a moment before smiling faintly.
"I appreciate that."
Krai waved his hand dismissively.
"So," he said while lying back on the bed again, "got any interesting news for me?"
Rick smirked slightly.
"Oh, I've got plenty."
And just like that, the heavy atmosphere disappeared as the two continued talking late into the evening, completely losing track of time.