When I woke the next morning, I half expected the System screen to be floating above me.
I had fallen asleep reading through the instructions and my long list of pending tasks.
Instead, the room was silent, too silent. No soft chimes, no alerts, nothing.
Just the faint ringing in my ears and the pale light filtering in through the windows.
The silence was painful, almost annoying in how complete it was.
I slid the nearest window open, and the cold morning air hit me instantly.
It was sharp but calming, like a slap that oddly made my nerves settle.
I looked around, hoping to spot another cadet, someone.
I hadn't seen anyone yesterday, and today wasn't looking better.
It felt like the Sapphire Estate had emptied overnight.
I sat up slowly, still adjusting to this lighter body.
The blanket rustled with every movement, and the futon beneath me was far too soft to be military bedding.
Then again, this was palace grounds. Of course the emperor would spoil his workers.
For a moment, I actually wondered if I'd dreamed at all.
Then the door slid open.
Bai Lin stepped in silently, dressed in pale lavender and white robes that barely made a sound as they swept across the floor.
Her long sleeves didn't flutter. Her footsteps made no noise.
She held a wooden tray, balanced with absurd precision.
Rice, pickled greens, a boiled egg, and a steaming bowl of soup.
A folded handkerchief. Chopsticks. Another one of those medicine packets.
She placed the tray down on the table. One glance at me, blank as ever, then she turned to leave.
"You're just going to drop it and go?" I asked.
She paused, back still turned. Her voice was as flat as usual.
I silently wished someone else would bring me food. I doubted I even needed anyone to.
"Eat within fifteen minutes," she said. "After that, your energy won't settle properly for combat drills."
"Combat?" I frowned. "You do know I just got here, right?"
"You're already late," she replied, adjusting a random jar's position by less than an inch.
"You were expected yesterday evening. You're not a civilian, you're a cadet."
"I'm barely even healed."
She turned around so fast it startled me.
In three steps, she closed the gap between us and crouched down, between my legs.
My guard shot up instantly. I reached under the bed for anything sharp, but she caught my wrist.
I'm ashamed to say it, but her palms were soft. Her grip, though, was like iron.
I struggled, tried twisting out of it.
No good.
She didn't budge. Instead, she reached in with her other hand.
"What the hell are you..?"
"Stay still," she cut me off.
Before I could react, her hand slid under my shirt. Her fingers pressed against my ribs, searching.
Right where I'd bandaged.
I froze. "Hey! What are you—?"
She looked up, and for the first time, I swear I saw the faintest smile curl on her lips. Then she pressed down.
Agony.
Nerve-splitting, vision-blurring pain exploded through my chest.
I jolted, tried to mask it, but another jab made a pitiful sound escape me.
She moved to another spot. Then another. The pain danced across my torso like fire.
When she finally let go, I was breathing hard, half-doubled over, and glaring daggers at her.
She rose smoothly, gazing down at my pained expression as if she hadn't just crushed my soul with two fingers.
"Meet me at the office when you're done there."
"You're joking, right?" I groaned, forcing myself upright.
"You just attacked my healing body, nearly made me black out, and now you want me to act like nothing happened?"
She didn't flinch. Her eyes gleamed faintly, maybe a trick of sunlight. Then she tilted her head.
"I simply confirmed my suspicions."
"Which were?"
"Your posture and breathing patterns are incorrect," she said, head tilting the other way now, like I was a puzzle she half-solved.
"You're weaker than I thought. If we fix that, we create a path for improvement. Isn't that reasonable?"
I hated her.
But… she wasn't wrong.
If they were actually talking about breath control, one breath in, two out, rhythm, pressure, it mattered.
It all mattered.
And I wasn't healed. Not fully. I could move, but overdoing it would tear something open.
I sighed, brought my fists together, and gave a small bow. "I appreciate it. But next time, warn me first."
She nodded slowly. "I'll try to remember."
Then she looked past me, out the window.
I turned and caught sight of a figure leaping up the mountain trail.
He carried a long box, same size and shape as the one my uniform came in.
She exhaled softly, almost imperceptibly, and turned away.
"Hurry and get ready."
With that, she stepped outside and slid the door shut. The sound echoed too loudly in the silence.
I sat for a bit, eyes still on the tray, ribs still burning.
However, I forced myself to eat because I was hungry.
The rice was warm. The egg was soft. The soup tasted like energy in liquid form.
Sure, Bai Lin lacked warmth, empathy, or even decent communication skills, but she made a good cook.
Halfway through the meal, a knock came. This one was heavier, not like anyone knocked here
"Cadet Han Xueling," a deep voice called. "I bring word from the emperor, as well as your arms."
He paused.
I waited, expecting him to enter. He didn't.
"I bear the House's badge," he added. "I mean no harm."
Ah. He thought I was wary.
He was right. But after Bai Lin's silent unpermitted entries, I'd started to assume anyone could just walk in.
The mention of my "arms" caught my attention though.
I stood and slid the door open.
A tall man stood before me in fitted white armor with silver trim.
On his chestplate sat the House Lian crest.
He looked military, clean-shaven, sharp-eyed, and utterly unimpressed with the world.
"I am Captain Sang-Jin," he said, bowing slightly.
"By order of House Lian, Azumabito, and the Imperial Decree, I present to you your swords—Heimēi (晦明)."
He turned and gestured to another cadet behind him, who stepped forward and carefully opened a long, flat case draped in silk.
Inside lay two slender swords, resting on a bed of dark velvet.
Both were white.
Like polished bone or carved ivory, yet glowing faintly with a mirrored sheen.
I stepped closer and reached out.
The left blade curved slightly, thinner at the base.
The right was a little straighter.
When I lifted them, they felt impossibly light, but I could feel the energy within them pass through me.
Heimēi. Light and Darkness.
When I tilted them in opposite directions, one shimmered faintly under the light, the other veiled itself in a soft blue-black hue.
"I thought I wasn't allowed weapons until after evaluation," I said, my eyes still on the swords.
Sang-Jin replied calmly, "These aren't just weapons. They're symbols."
"You're both a cadet and a guard. These blades represent that duality. Whether or not you're capable of wielding them yet, they belong to you."
"I see." I slid them into the twin black scabbards that came with the case. "Can I customize them?"
Sang-Jin chuckled lightly, as if he'd been expecting the question.
"The Emperor was right. You don't look like someone who settles for anything."
He held out another box, the same one I'd seen earlier, being carried up the mountain.
"Inside, you'll find a selection of belts, bindings, and alternate sheaths. Choose whatever suits you best."
I accepted the box with a nod. He added, more firmly now, "Report to the Eastern Yard for orientation. Your assigned squad is waiting. Do not be late."
His eyes flicked once more to my posture, then to the blades at my side.
He nodded, then turned and walked away.
I was starting to think everyone in this estate had a personal grudge against the way I stood or breathed.
I dressed quickly, slipping on the hanfu I'd been issued.
I left the mask, didn't see much use in that.
From the box, I picked a plain leather sheath and a belt that didn't feel too restrictive, I'll handle my personal one later.
The Eastern Yard was a five-minute walk.
Still, each step stretched longer under the weight of expectation, the glances from passing cadets, and the quiet hum of tension in the air.
Everyone looked sharper here. Disciplined, and experienced.
I know didn't belong, it was obvious. I doubt I ever would.
The yard itself was vast, a rectangular arena with sand-covered terrain and stone columns lined up for agility training.
Beyond the high fence stood pagoda-style towers, training halls, and what looked like a maze of obstacle courses laced with elemental traps.
At the center of the yard stood a man, arms folded, white robe fluttering slightly.
"You're late," he called.
Of course I was.
As I approached, I saw them, seven cadets, standing in line with weapons sheathed.
I scanned their faces, their posture, their eyes.
One looked like a Berserker. Another was probably demi-human; his ears twitched when I stood beside him.
None of them had Bai Lin's terrifying aura.
The instructor continued, "This is the new cadet assigned to your group. Han Xueling. You will treat him as an equal, regardless of his ranking. Understood?"
A few muttered acknowledgments, nothing more.
Then he looked at me.
"You'll begin with breathing correction, stance formation, and spiritual synchronization. After that...flight training."
I swallowed.
That last part was going to be a problem.