Six months passed in the blink of an eye, and tomorrow was the day of the midterm exam.

Vivian stood quietly by the lake inside the academy grounds.

The afternoon sun reflected off the calm surface of the water, making it shine like glass.

Today, he wasn't wearing the academy's uniform.

Instead, he had on a simple white gown that fluttered slightly in the gentle breeze.

His eyes followed the ripples spreading across the lake, which seemed to stretch endlessly.

A few wooden boats floated lazily near the shore, rocking softly with the waves.

Normally, Charlotte would be with him wherever he went.

The two were almost always seen together.

But for the past few days, she had locked herself in her room, completely focused on her spell research.

Vivian hadn't wanted to disturb her, so he came here alone.

He sat down near the edge of the lake, resting his hands on the grass.

The sound of water lapping against the shore was calm and steady.

He took a deep breath, feeling the cool air ease his nerves.

Tomorrow's exam weighed on his mind, but for now, he just wanted a bit of peace.

As he watched the fading sunlight dance over the water, he thought quietly,

'Maybe a calm heart is the best way to face what's coming.'

"Sigh…" a long breath escaped Vivian's lips as he muttered to himself, "Is my preparation complete?"

His eyes stayed fixed on the still surface of the lake.

"Though I couldn't break through to the Swordmaster realm, I'm already at the neck of it… and I guess I could be considered the strongest among the fifth stars."

If anyone had heard those words, they would have been completely shocked.

After all, just three or four months ago, Vivian was only at the fourth star.

His growth wasn't just fast, it was unbelievable.

In that short span of time, he hadn't only reached the fifth star; he had also awakened his intuition, something that even many Swordmasters failed to achieve.

On top of that, the elements he awakened weren't limited to one or two.

Every known element had responded to him.

It was something unheard of, something that defied common sense.

Because of this, calling him the strongest person below the Swordmaster realm wasn't an exaggeration, it was simply the truth.

Vivian, however, didn't seem proud.

His expression remained calm, the same quiet look he always wore, as the rippling reflection of the lake shimmered before him.

As he continued to stare at the lake, a soft sound drifted through the air, a gentle melody carried by the wind.

"Hmm?" Vivian's brows lifted slightly as he turned his gaze toward the direction of the sound.

His eyes narrowed a little, trying to see clearly across the water.

Far off, on one of the wooden boats, sat a woman dressed in pure white.

Her long black hair flowed freely down her back, and she was facing away from him.

In her hands rested a Veena, its polished strings glinting faintly under the sunlight.[1]

Her fingers moved gracefully, each stroke bringing out notes that blended perfectly with the rhythm of the lake's waves.

"What's this music?" Vivian muttered softly, feeling something stir inside him.

The melody was calm, yet carried a faint sadness that tugged at his chest.

He sat down cross-legged by the shore, closing his eyes for a moment.

The world around him faded, the gentle wind, the chirping birds, even the weight of his coming trial.

All that remained was the flow of that mysterious tune echoing across the water, pure and peaceful.

He didn't utter a single word and simply focused on the music.

It wasn't ordinary, far from it.

This melody didn't express just one emotion like sadness or joy.

Instead, it carried all emotions at once, grief, happiness, anger, hatred, each one weaving into the next so naturally that it was impossible to separate them.

It felt as if the music itself was alive, flowing beyond the limits of human feeling.

To Vivian, it was like listening to the passage of time.

Time never cared about emotions, it moved forward without pause, untouched by joy or sorrow.

Yet the sound coming from that Veena felt even more ruthless than time itself.

Each note rose and fell with a quiet power, as if declaring the order of the world.

It wasn't just music, it was balance.

The balance of all things, of creation and destruction, of the heavens themselves.

Vivian's heart trembled slightly, not from fear, but from awe.

The sound seemed to whisper truths too deep for words, and for a moment, he forgot where he was, lost in the endless rhythm of that divine melody.

But the melody didn't last long.

The wooden boat slowly drifted farther across the lake, carried gently by the wind.

With each passing moment, the sound of the Veena grew softer, like a candle's flame slowly dying out.

Eventually, it faded completely, quiet and final, like the end of a human life.

As the music disappeared, all the emotions it had stirred within Vivian, joy, sorrow, anger, peace, began to fade as well.

What remained was a hollow ache, a deep, quiet sadness that settled in his chest.

That melody, he realized, was like the story of a human life.

It began with a mix of innocence and warmth, passed through countless emotions, love, struggle, loss, and ended in silence, leaving behind only longing and reluctance.

Vivian's gaze lingered on the disappearing boat.

The ripples it left behind spread across the water, just like memories, fading, but never truly gone.

At that moment, he couldn't understand why he felt such longing and sadness.

It didn't make sense to him.

He had gone through pain, loss, and countless hardships before, yet he had never felt like this.

If anything, his heart was filled with determination and the will to change everything, to rise above what he once was.

But that music, and the woman who played it, awakened something else entirely.

It stirred emotions he couldn't name, feelings that slipped through his grasp like sand between his fingers.

"Haa…" he exhaled softly, rising to his feet.

His eyes remained fixed on the distant boat, now a faint shape against the calm waters.

For some reason, he couldn't look away.

"That melody… it didn't just feel like sound, it felt like knowledge." He muttered.

Something vast and ancient, carrying truths beyond what he could comprehend.

Yet he also felt he wasn't ready, not wise enough to understand what it meant.

He stood there quietly for a while, then muttered under his breath, "What kind of music was that…?"

He kept staring at the lake, hoping the boat might return.

But the surface remained calm and empty, reflecting only the pale light of the rising moon.

The woman and her music were gone, as if they had never existed.

Time passed quietly.

Before he realized it, the sky had turned dark, and the stillness around him told him it was close to midnight.

Only then did he snap out of his daze.

"It's getting late…" he murmured, glancing once more at the silent lake.

A faint trace of reluctance flickered in his eyes before he finally turned away.

He ran back through the quiet academy grounds, his white gown fluttering behind him.

The cold night air brushed against his face, yet his thoughts remained heavy with the memory of that strange melody.

When he reached the dorms, he slowed his steps.

Just before entering his own room, his gaze shifted toward Charlotte's door.

The lights inside were still on, faintly glowing through the cracks.

He looked at it for a long moment, his eyes calm yet filled with meaning, then quietly turned and entered his room.

"I should get some sleep," he muttered softly.

Saying that, Vivian removed the upper part of his gown, preparing to change into his sleeping clothes.

He had just reached for the lower part when sudden footsteps echoed through the quiet hallway, quick and hurried.

Before he could even react, an excited voice shouted, "Vivian! I did it! I did it!"

The door burst open without so much as a knock, slamming against the wall.

Charlotte stood there, her eyes shining with excitement, until they landed on him.

In that instant, she froze completely.

Her voice caught in her throat, and her face turned bright red as she stared at Vivian, who stood half-dressed and equally stunned.

Though her face was already bright red, Charlotte didn't look away.

Her wide eyes stayed fixed on Vivian, and the longer she stared, the deeper the color of her cheeks grew, until it looked like steam might rise from her head at any moment.

After a few tense seconds, a thin trickle of blood slid down from her nose.

"Ah… not the blood…again.." she whispered weakly, trying to wipe it off.

But before she could, the trickle turned into a small stream, falling like a waterfall as she staggered back, completely overwhelmed.

Vivian's eyes widened.

"Charlotte! Are you okay?" he said quickly, rushing toward her.

She blinked, her face still flushed and her mind clearly not working properly.

She waved her hands clumsily, mumbling, "D-Don't come closer… it'll just get worse…"

___________

[1] Author's Note:

The Veena is a musical instrument known for how difficult it is to master.

It is shaped somewhat like a guitar, but both of its ends are round and hollow like small drums.

The Veena is also a symbol of knowledge and wisdom, as it is held by Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of learning, art, and music.

The significance of the Veena will be revealed in later chapters, as it will play an important role in Vivian's future growth.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.