Carine Sareid.

The sole heir of a duchy, a duchy known for ambition and power. Her family name alone carried weight, but when she was invited personally to the First Prince's party—by none other than the Scholar Prince himself, after he attended her birthday unannounced—her name spread even further. Further enough to reach me, all the way back in my home region.

And along with her name came the rumors. They said she bore the same hunger for power as her ancestors, carrying the same ambition that nearly plunged the kingdom into a civil war.

They said she was a prodigy, skilled in fields far beyond the sword, which she was said to already excel at.

They said she was a ruthless predator who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted, firing or even executing those she deemed unworthy.

Compared to her, I was nothing—just the third son of a family of instrument makers. She stood on a pedestal so far above me that my entire bloodline couldn't hope to climb high enough to even touch it. She was the kind of person bards would immortalize in song, while people like me were delegated to just carving those instruments for the bards.

And yet, for all the distance between us, I couldn't help but be drawn in.

I first met her during an accelerated learning track with the Sareids as preparation for the Royal Knights. The moment I entered the Sareid estate, I kept my eye out for her presence. I wanted to see the face of the rumors, to see if what I heard matched what I saw. I finally met her during the final day of the accelerated training. She was berating a fellow accelerated track student who badmouthed another student.

I didn't know how or why, but just from that scene, I felt there was more to Carine Sareid than the rumors claimed her to be.

I wanted to learn more about her.

Become someone of note to her.

That was why I had tried to approach her.

But each time, her face showed indifference. Neither accepting my presence nor rejecting it.

Perhaps she hadn't yet seen my worth.

So I tried again, just before the practical exam began. I offered her a hand... two heads are better than one, after all. I offered my Talent, and I promised she wouldn't even need to share her points with me.

But before she could answer, others joined in on our conversation.

I recognized them. They were the ones who had stuck around despite Carine's speech earlier. Not all of them, but it seemed only they were the ones brave enough to step up to her. Like me, they wished to stand by her side for the exam. One by one, they introduced themselves and offered their capabilities, vowing to give all the points they earned to her alone.

I understood their motives quickly, because I had thought the same myself. For most of the examinees here, this Academy wasn't about Honors. It was about survival, about going with the flow.

Setus was the Kingdom of Academies. Scattered across its lands were schools for every discipline, from agriculture to knighthood. But above all others stood the Royal Academies, those tied directly to the Royal Family, situated in or near Setosia, the capital.

Offering the best education for one's chosen path, they were the cornerstone of Setus's fame. There was a place for almost every path one could take:

The Royal Medical Academy, for those born with medical Talents.

The Royal Merchants Academy, for those with an eye for gold and trade.

The Royal Crafts, for those with gifted hands to create, and the one I had once sought to join.

But among them all, two academies stood above the rest...

The Royal Governance Academy.

And the Royal Knights Academy.

The Royal Governance Academy was where heirs and highborn children were sent to prepare for their future roles. It taught everything from law and politics to statecraft and diplomacy. Its graduates often went on to inherit their families' estates, command ministries, or take up other positions of power. It is said that nowhere else on the continent could rival its standard of education.

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The Royal Knights Academy, meanwhile, was on the other side of the coin. It was the place for those whose Talents leaned toward combat, or for those with Talents so broad or unfocused that no other Royal Academies would take them in. But that didn't mean it was without its merits.

Here, one could forge connections with other, more approachable houses. It was also a chance to find allies, families one could rely on, or even a lifelong partner.

Many also came seeking to hone their skills and intellect to one day command their family's soldiers or serve as a military head in their house. It was my personal goal in joining as well, hoping to one day support my elder brother, the true heir of the Torenkeid family, as a military lead.

And for the most ambitious, there was the ultimate prize... a chance to rise into the Royal Knights, and an opportunity to raise their family's title and prestige even further beyond.

That was why so many of the gilded track examinees weren't so eager to enter Honors, a class not just known for its prestige, but also for its brutality and pressure as well. Just graduating from here was already a victory for them.

Heirs, on the other hand, almost never set foot in the Royal Knights unless they were born with combat Talents that left them no other option. Why risk the succession in the trials here, when Governance or one of the other academies offered safer, more fitting paths?

That fact was why Carine Sareid was so different.

She was an heir.

She was a genius.

A duchess-to-be, no less.

Her very presence in this exam was an enigma.

Was she trying to follow her father's footsteps? Did she have a combat Talent strong enough to outweigh her position as an heir? Or was it just so she could trample those weaker, lower than her?

I didn't know. But whatever her reason, it didn't matter. That gnawing feeling inside me wouldn't go away—the need to be recognized, to be remembered by someone of her caliber. So when Carine reluctantly accepted our offer of partnership, I couldn't help but feel relieved.

...

The moment the trumpets sounded, Carine rushed in first, the four of us following suit.

Carine didn't waste a second as she immediately yelled out a command.

"There are two green flags here, one on top of that tree," she shouted, pointing into the distance. "And one near the bushes by that puddle. Grab them and meet me back further inside. I'll head over to grab the white ones before the others can."

"Yes, Lady Carine!" Eveliana, our spearswoman, answered instantly.

We halted. Lady Carine continued her sprint further inside. Our eyes darted between the two directions she had pointed out. I squinted, but from where I stood, I couldn't see a single flag. There was nothing but leaves and branches.

"Over there!"

That booming voice nearly shattered my eardrums. It came from Kyro, the towering man in our group.

"I see it! It's by the two middle branches there!"

I followed his finger and leaned in. And sure enough—there it was. A dark green flag wedged tight between branches. The pole and cloth blended perfectly into the leaves and wood. I'd never have noticed it. But Carine had, from quite the distance too. The thought alone made my chest tighten with awe.

"That's pretty high up," Eveliana muttered. "Do any of you know how to climb a tree, by any chance?"

"I—I'll handle it," Clarissa said, raising her bow.

She steadied her hand in under a second, and within a blink, a wooden arrow cut through the air, hitting the base of the flag perfectly, knocking it loose. The flag tumbled down, and Kyro snatched it up from the ground with one hand.

"That's one down!" Kyro cheered. "What's this, three points?"

"Yes, it is," Eveliana said. "But we shouldn't waste time. You three, get back to Lady Carine. I'll go find the other one."

"Alright, don't get lost!" Kyro shouted to her, already sprinting towards the direction Lady Carine was heading, Clarissa following suit.

She hurried her way over to the other side, stopping in front of a group of bushes near a small puddle of water. From here, like before, I couldn't see a single hint of the flag Lady Carine mentioned.

I trailed after Eveliana as she eyed the bushes. "Hey, we shouldn't work alone. I'll lend you a hand," I offered.

"Hmm?" She shot me a look over her shoulder and scoffed. "Oh, please. I don't need help."

Before I could reply, she was already jabbing her spear into the thickets. The wooden blade parted through it with quick strokes, opening up the bush for our eyes to see for a moment. In just a few tries, we spotted a green flag on the base of one of the many bushes. She smirked as she yanked the green flag out of the bush.

That was... quick.

More than that, how did Lady Carine even spot this flag from back there? Even up close, it seemed to blend in with the grass.

"Now, let's go back to Lady Carine," Eveliana said, still holding the flag. "We shouldn't keep her waiting."

"R-Right!"

We rushed further into the forest, regrouping rather quickly in a small clearing. Kyro was handing the green flag over to Lady Carine, who was already holding onto three white flags herself.

"A-Already?!" I blurted out.

Eveliana didn't waste a moment and rushed to Lady Carine's side, waving her green flag like a trophy. "Lady Carine, I found it!"

I walked over to their side as Lady Carine received the flag. Our group now had two green flags and three white flags.

"Good work," she said, her tone sharp and commanding. "That's nine points down. Now, next—"

Her command flew past me. All I could see was how naturally she led us, how easily she carried the weight of the group. It was as if she was used to giving out orders, not to mention, her observations were as precise as a needle. The rumor of her being a prodigy beyond blades seemed to hold true.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from her. I was frozen in time as she laid out her words.

Her eyes swept through the group as she continued, and for a moment, her gaze locked onto mine. My body jolted slightly, bringing me back to reality.

That was when I realized.

I hadn't yet proved myself in front of her, not yet at least.

But I swore I would.

No matter what it would take, I will make Carine Sareid remember my name.

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