Morning arrived quietly.
Too quietly.
The pale light of dawn filtered through the curtains, brushing against my closed eyelids with an almost mocking gentleness. For a few precious seconds, I allowed myself to pretend that today was no different—that I could roll over, ignore the world, and lose myself in another cycle of training and exhaustion.
Then reality caught up.
Academy.
I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling.
"…So it finally begins," I murmured.
My body felt heavy—not with pain this time, but with something far more unsettling. Anticipation. The kind that sat in my chest, tight and restless, refusing to let me relax.
I pushed myself up and sat on the edge of the bed, running a hand through my messy blonde hair. Outside, the mansion was already stirring. Servants moved briskly through the corridors, their steps purposeful. Somewhere in the distance, a carriage wheel creaked faintly.
They were preparing.
For us.
I washed and dressed more carefully than usual, choosing simple yet respectable clothes suitable for travel. Nothing flashy. Nothing that would draw attention. As I fastened the last button, I caught my reflection in the mirror.
Crimson eyes stared back at me—focused, sharper than before.
"…You're really doing this," I told myself.
The boy in the mirror didn't respond.
*****
The dining hall was already occupied when I arrived.
Caspian sat at the head of the table's right side, posture straight, expression unreadable as ever. Lucien leaned back in his chair, lazily sipping tea, while Kael was busily attacking his breakfast like it had personally offended him.
Elisa sat beside the Duchess, elegant and composed, though her eyes brightened slightly when she noticed me.
And at the opposite end—
Viola Val Valeris.
She wore a modest traveling dress in soft cream tones, her hair neatly tied back. She looked calm. Poised.
Prepared.
When her eyes met mine, she inclined her head slightly.
"Good morning," she said.
"Good morning," I replied.
There was no edge in her voice today. No irritation. Just formality.
That's new.
"Sit," Caspian said curtly, gesturing to the empty seat.
I complied, picking up my utensils. Breakfast passed with an unusual sense of restraint. Kael tried to speak twice and was silenced by Caspian's glare both times. Lucien watched the exchange with poorly hidden amusement.
Finally, the Duke set down his cup.
"The carriage is ready," Reinard von Leonhart said. "You will depart within the hour."
Viola straightened slightly. "Thank you, Duke."
He nodded. "The academy is not merely a place of learning. It is a battlefield without bloodshed. Remember that."
His gaze shifted to me.
"Rias."
"Yes, Father?"
"You represent the Leonhart name," he said. "Do not disgrace it."
I met his eyes and nodded. "I won't."
Whether he believed me or not, I couldn't tell.
*****
The front courtyard was alive with movement.
Servants loaded luggage into the carriage—an elegant vehicle reinforced with mana-engraved panels. Two sturdy horses stamped their hooves impatiently, breath steaming in the cool morning air.
Viola stood near the carriage, speaking quietly with her personal maid. She looked composed, but when the maid stepped away, her fingers clenched briefly at her side.
Nervous.
Just like me.
Lucien approached me, hands in his pockets. "So. Off to join the sharks."
"More like the feeding pool," I replied.
He smirked. "Try not to drown."
"I'll do my best."
Caspian said nothing, but as I stepped toward the carriage, he spoke.
"Rias."
I turned.
"Don't die," he said flatly.
Lucien blinked. "That's… unusually sincere."
Caspian glared at him. "Shut up."
I smiled faintly. "I'll take that as encouragement."
Kael ran up and hugged my waist suddenly. "Come back stronger!"
I patted his head. "I'll try."
Elisa smiled warmly. "Take care, Rias. Both of you."
Viola bowed politely. "Thank you."
With that, we boarded the carriage.
*****
The interior was quieter than I expected.
Plush seats lined either side, a small table secured between us. As the carriage began to move, the mansion slowly receded from view.
For a while, neither of us spoke.
The rhythmic clatter of wheels against stone filled the silence.
"…You're not training this morning," Viola said suddenly.
I blinked. "Pardon?"
She looked out the window. "You usually train at dawn."
I hesitated. "You noticed that too?"
"I notice a lot of things," she replied. "It's a bad habit."
I smiled faintly. "I suppose today is an exception."
She nodded. "It should be."
Another pause.
Then—
"Are you afraid?" she asked.
The question caught me off guard.
"…Yes," I admitted honestly.
She glanced at me, surprised. "You didn't hesitate."
"There's no point in lying," I said. "The academy isn't kind to people like me."
Her expression softened. "People like you?"
"People who don't fit the mold," I replied. "People who are… expendable."
She frowned slightly. "You shouldn't think that way."
'I wrote the story,' I thought bitterly, but kept it to myself.
Instead, I said, "What about you?"
She hesitated, then nodded. "Yes. I am."
The admission seemed to relieve her. She leaned back slightly.
"There are expectations," she continued. "From my family. From society. From myself."
'And from the story,' I thought.
The carriage rolled on, passing fields and forests. The city walls of the duchy faded behind us, replaced by open roads and distant hills.
"This road," Viola said quietly, "leads to everything changing."
"Or everything ending," I replied.
She glanced at me sharply. "You're pessimistic."
"I'm realistic."
She studied me for a moment, then smiled faintly. "You're strange, Rias."
"I've been told."
*****
Hours passed.
We spoke of small things—academy rumors, traveling anecdotes, even childhood memories neither of us had revisited in years. The tension eased, replaced by something unfamiliar.
Camaraderie.
As evening approached, the academy's outer gates finally came into view—tall spires rising against the horizon like a promise and a threat combined.
Viola inhaled sharply.
"There it is," she whispered.
I felt my heart tighten.
The Academy of Aetherion.
The stage where heroes were forged.
And where side characters vanished without a trace.
I clenched my fists subtly.
"This is it," I said.
The carriage slowed.
As the gates opened, I straightened my posture and met the future head-on.
Whatever awaited us beyond those walls—
I would not disappear quietly.
Not this time.