In the twilight of dawn, the still waters of the lake shimmered, reflecting the silhouette of a manor bathed in the warm, golden rays of a newborn sun.A large flock of birds—with midnight-blue feathers and crimson beaks—returned to the dense tree line. From their talons dangled all manner of prey: mice, beetles, snakes, even other small birds. One by one, they landed on carefully woven nests, dropping their offerings to chirping young who greeted them with joyous celebration.
Suddenly, a deep boom echoed from within the forest. The ground trembled with its force, trees shuddering as the shockwave rippled through them. The surface of the lake rippled, scattering the reflection of the manor into fragments.Startled, the flock rose into the sky again, circling warily above the treetops. Another blast followed five minutes later. Then another.
On a balcony overlooking this scene, Seraphine watched silently, teacup in hand. Her ember eyes narrowed as she gazed toward the treeline, trying to catch a clearer glimpse of the disturbance. But the thick canopy blocked her view. She could only see flashes of light every few minutes—brilliant bursts followed by distant tremors.
"It's been a week since he blew up the training room," came a voice beside her.A woman with short black hair and a scar cutting down her cheek sat beside Seraphine, leaning back with a quiet smirk. "I must say, he's improving faster than I expected."
Seraphine didn't turn her gaze. Her eyes stayed fixed on the flickering horizon."Not fast enough. He still needs five minutes between each spell."
"You have rather harsh standards, Sera…" Tracy began, but her words were cut short.
Boom!A louder blast erupted—this one closer.
With a blur, Tracy vanished from her seat, reappearing at the balcony's entrance. Her back now to Seraphine, she stood in a defensive stance, sword drawn in a single, practiced motion. A soft hum filled the air as green energy spiraled around the curved blade of her talwar, alive and pulsing with power.
The balcony was attached to Seraphine's private chamber, separated by flowing velvet curtains. In the next instant, the room's door exploded inward—its wooden fragments slicing into the walls and floor like shrapnel.
Clanking footsteps followed.
A blur of crimson surged through the broken doorway.
Tracy reacted instantly. Her sword flashed—an arc of green light slicing through the air with a whisper-quiet hum, aimed directly at the incoming blur.
The red figure stopped short, its own sword gleaming as it met her strike. A pulse of white energy carved through the air, clashing violently with Tracy's arc.
Boom!
A wave of force burst out from the collision. The red attacker was hurled backwards, slamming into the wall with a resounding thud. Dust and splinters danced in the air.
Tracy stood unmoved.
Her brows furrowed."A red blade…? Why would one of them be here… and attacking us?"
Her thought was cut short.
More crimson shapes darted through the smoke.
Silent. Fast.
Tracy's eyes sharpened as three more figures entered—swords drawn, their movements honed and deliberate. Two came straight at her, blades poised to strike. The others split to the sides, flanking wide.
Their aim wasn't her.
with stomp tracy aura exploded outwords forcing everyone to halt as foolr bneth her cracked
With a single stomp, Tracy's boot struck the marble floor—
Boom.
Her aura erupted outward like a shockwave, a storm of green light blasting through the room. The very air trembled.
The floor beneath her cracked in a spiderweb pattern, marble splitting under the sheer pressure of her presence. Curtains fluttered violently. Dust lifted.The rushing red-bladed attackers were forced to halt mid-step, their instincts screaming danger.
Her eyes narrowed, voice low and steady.
"You take one more step… and you won't take another."
The green energy around her blade intensified, dancing up her arm like wild flame
__
Surrounded by thick rows of trees, Jack stood in the middle of a small clearing. The trees before him bore scorched marks, and a shallow crater had formed where his latest spell had landed.
His whole body was drenched in sweat. In his hand danced a ball of flame, its size comparable to his fist. Though smaller than the one he had accidentally hurled at his guards days ago, it held far more power. A single hit from this could pulverize a large boulder—let alone a human.
Figures clad in red armor stood all around him, forming a silent perimeter. They left Jack with a wide-open area to demolish as he pleased. These men did not flinch at the explosions; they remained unmoving, their watchful eyes scanning the surroundings.
One of the red-armored figures suddenly appeared beside him, the movement so fast that Jack didn't even notice.
"It's enough for today, my lord," said the figure in a deep, composed voice.
Jack glanced at him and scowled."Garren, don't come so suddenly. What if I accidentally threw my fireball at you? I could've been startled."
Garren smirked beneath his helmet."Those tiny things? Harmless to us—no different from fireflies. Look around you. Did any of the Red Blades even blink when it exploded? It could only harm novice swordsmen or mundane soldiers like your guards. You're still far too weak for me to consider a threat."
His voice was deliberately loud—just enough for every Red Blade nearby to hear.
Jack's eye twitched. The fireball pulsed in his hand, glowing brighter.
Just then, Garren and all of the Red Blades turned sharply. Their collective aura thickened the air, a silent pressure that made the trees themselves seem to shrink. They closed in, forming a tight perimeter around Jack.
Noticing their sudden change in behavior, Jack turned toward the direction Garren was staring.
There—past the canopy—he saw Greenriver Manor. At first, nothing seemed out of place. But as he focused on one of the upper floors, his breath hitched.
A balcony was shrouded in a faint green glow. It pulsed slowly—ominously.
Jack's voice rose with alarm.
"Garren, go! Make sure the Princess is safe—at all costs!"
But Garren didn't move. He looked back at Jack with a solemn expression and said,"Our priority is protecting you. There are fifteen Red Blades stationed at the manor. They'll handle it."
"Handle it? My foot, you dimwit!" Jack snapped, his voice tightening with fury. "Do you even understand what'll happen if something happens to her? Not even the Duke will be able to take responsibility! Just go! Leave two behind—that'll be enough."
Still, Garren didn't budge.
Jack's hands clenched into fists, voice dropping into a growl through gritted teeth."If something happens to her… our entire Duchy might go up in flames. Will you take responsibility, Garren? WILL YOU?!"
Garren looked at him one last time, jaw tight. Then, without another word, he barked an order to his men and vanished into the trees, three Red Blades following in his wake. Ten remained, forming a protective ring around Jack.
Jack turned to Winston—Garren's second-in-command—and walked toward him with purpose.
"We're heading to the manor. Let's go."
But before he could take another step, Winston stepped forward and blocked his path.
"We can't allow that," Winston said in a flat, unwavering tone. "It's still uncertain what's going on there. We wait until the captain returns."
Jack glared at him, crimson eyes burning with fury.
These dimwits… they don't even listen when I order them!
__
The whole manor quaked like an earthquake. Tracy stood her ground, her back still facing Seraphine. Not a single attacker had made it past her—not yet.Though there were no visible wounds on her body, her face had turned pale. Sweat trickled down her brows, soaking into her collar.
I won't last much longer… where are the damn Royal Guards?
Just then—with a sharp whoosh—three red blurs flashed behind her. Figures landed silently on the edge of the balcony.
Tracy's heart sank.
She had been guarding the main entrance, but it seemed some of them had scaled the outer wall. Now, three figures stood right in front of Seraphine.
Throughout this entire ordeal, Seraphine had remained motionless—calm, composed, trusting Tracy completely.She hadn't moved a single muscle from her seat. But now, her eyes met the intruders, and she slowly looked up.
They were strong—no ordinary swordsman could leap five stories and land with such precision and silence.
Then, one of them removed his helmet.
Tracy's breath caught in her throat.
It was Garren.
She knew his strength—equal to hers, perhaps greater. If he was here, this was about to become even harder.
Why… why are the Red Blades attacking her?Questions flooded her mind, confusion lacing every breath.
But before she could act, something unexpected happened.
Seraphine moved.
She lifted her hand and pointed toward Tracy, her voice flat—without a shred of urgency.
"...Took you long enough. Now go help her. And why are there only three of you? Is the Princess's life so little to you?"
Garren met her eyes for a long second… then exploded into motion, blade gleaming in his hand.