A bright morning dawned over the Golden Aegis Academy.
Students were busy with their own tasks—some training, others repairing damages using their magic. Some were inside their classrooms, listening to their teachers. The flow of mana and the gentle breeze harmonized through the air.
During their break, the mischievous, jealous companion—Lilith—was finally getting used to being around mortals.
She was no longer glued to Argus's side, often wandering off to do whatever she pleased. Most of the time, she could be found in the Mess Hall, constantly ordering sweet bread.
Other times, she was at the academy's plaza with Arman, Elara, and Anya.
"Miss Lilith! Are you sure this is a good idea?" Arman asked nervously.
"Don't be such a coward, mortal! We're just peeking," Lilith whispered as she crawled toward the kitchen door.
"Ahm, Miss Lilith… what if a teacher catches us? We'll get in trouble," Elara said softly, glancing behind them.
"Don't worry. There's nothing wrong with peeking at how they make sweet bread," Lilith replied slyly, slowly pushing the door open.
But before she could peek inside—
"Hey! What are you doing there!?"
The sudden voice startled them. Elara and Arman jumped in shock, while Lilith instantly pulled out her dagger.
"Ugh! You ruined it! I was this close to seeing the sweet bread!" she snapped, pointing her blade at the neck of the man who had shouted.
"W-wait! Hold on, Miss!" the man stammered, sweating and trembling in fear.
"Miss Lilith, please! You'll hurt him!" Elara said worriedly.
Arman noticed something strange—the man wasn't wearing their school uniform.
His was a different shade, marked by a wolf biting into a snowflake—an insignia of another academy.
"Wait… who are you? Why are you here? And what's with that uniform?" Arman asked suspiciously.
Elara leaned closer to inspect. "He's right! You're not from here. What academy do you belong to?" she added.
Lilith narrowed her eyes, pressing the dagger even closer.
"Hey! Are you a spy? Planning to assassinate the sweet bread maker, huh? Admit it—you're a spy!" she declared dramatically.
The man leaned back against the wall, hands raised.
"W-wait! You've got it all wrong! I-I'm sorry! I'm just lost!" he pleaded.
Lilith sniffed the air and leaned toward him. "Lost? Hmph, you smell different. Too fragrant! Unlike this mortal here," she said, pointing her dagger toward Arman.
"Wha—Miss Lilith!" Arman exclaimed, scratching his head in embarrassment.
Lilith crossed her arms, dagger still in hand.
"Then explain yourself! Why are you here? You better not be plotting to steal the sweet bread—or I'll devour your soul!"
The man almost cried. "N-no! I swear, I was just looking for the restroom! I took a wrong turn and—bam! There you were!"
At that moment, Anya arrived, holding a piece of bread in her hand. "What's taking you so long?" she asked, stopping mid-step when she saw the scene. "Uh… what are you three doing?"
Lilith stabbed her dagger into the wall beside the man. "Speak! If I find out you're plotting against the baker, I'll eat your soul alive!"
A few moments later, they were all seated in the Mess Hall.
The man finally introduced himself, sitting across from the group.
"My name's Kaelen Mayer, from the Frostveil Dominion. My guild academy is called the Azure Fangs. I've only been there for two months," he explained.
"And what are you doing here?" Lilith asked with a raised eyebrow. "One wrong answer, and you'll regret it."
"Frostveil Dominion?" Anya tilted her head. "Isn't that the kingdom covered in snow?"
"Snow?" Arman added. "So that means it's freezing cold there?"
Kaelen nodded. "Yes. The Kingdom of Frostveil is located in the capital of Nivara—known for its freezing temperature. Most students there are Ice-type users. Other magic types are quite rare."
"And you came here alone?" Elara asked curiously.
"No. I'm with my team captain—Sir Rein Silvarn. He's an S-Class and an Illusionist. Like I said, talents other than Ice magic are rare at our academy. Sir Rein's one of those exceptions," Kaelen explained proudly.
Lilith slammed her hand on the table. "That's not what I asked! What were you doing in the kitchen? Were you planning something against the baker!?"
Kaelen almost jumped out of his seat. "N-no! I told you—I got lost looking for the restroom! I didn't mean to intrude!"
Anya leaned closer, serious now. "If that's the case, then what brings you here?"
Kaelen blinked. "Wait—you mean you don't know? Every year, all the prestigious guilds from the Five Great Kingdoms hold a grand summit. Each year, one kingdom is chosen to host it."
"Huh? Really?" Arman exclaimed, amazed.
"Yeah. And we came ahead of time to inspect the accommodations for our Guild Master and Chief Captain," Kaelen replied.
"So all the Guild Masters will gather here?" Elara added.
"And this year's venue… is in Solara, right?" Anya said.
"Exactly," Kaelen nodded. "The summit begins tomorrow. Our Guild Master, Ms. Kareen Frostbane, and our Chief Captain, Ms. Eira Thalven, will arrive by morning."
Lilith grinned mischievously, her eyes glinting. "Heh… looks like they're coming to us instead."
"Huh? What was that, Miss Lilith?" Arman asked, confused.
Before she could answer, Kaelen's attention shifted to someone approaching from behind them.
A tall man with a composed stance and cold, piercing eyes stopped by their table. His uniform matched Kaelen's. The air around him felt… colder.
"There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you," the man said, his voice low but commanding.
Kaelen immediately straightened. "Sir Rein! I-I'm sorry. I got lost looking for the restroom!"
The man, Rein Silvarn, exuded an aura of calm intensity—chilling, yet powerful.
Exactly the kind of presence expected from Frostveil's S-Class Captain.
Lilith smirked slightly. "So he's the captain, huh," she muttered under her breath.
"Lost? And yet here you are—chatting with these low-grade students from this academy?" Rein said, his tone sharp and disdainful.
Arman clenched his fists but stayed quiet. Elara and Anya tensed.
Lilith only smiled, eyes fixed on Rein like a predator sizing up prey.
"I-I'm sorry, Sir," Kaelen said again. "They're just new acquaintances I met here."
Rein's cold gaze swept over the group. The pressure of his mana filled the air.
"Hmph. You shouldn't mingle with hypocritical students from Golden Aegis," he sneered.
That insult hit deep. Arman's blood boiled, though he tried to hold himself back.
"People like them believe in peace and justice," Rein continued mockingly. "An absurd ideology."
Arman couldn't take it anymore. He stood up, fists trembling.
"What did you just say!? Justice is what makes things fair! Our academy protects those who can't defend themselves!"
Rein turned to him, eyes narrowing. His mana flared—the table began to freeze.
"That's exactly why I call it foolishness! The weak are weak because they were born weak! If they can't fight for themselves, then they deserve nothing but death!" he shouted, his cold voice echoing.
Arman trembled with fury. "That's why we exist! To become the shield of those who can't protect themselves!" he roared, loud enough to draw everyone's attention.
The tension between both sides grew heavy.
Elara and Anya stood, ready to defend if a fight broke out.
"C-Captain, please stop! Let's just go," Kaelen urged, panic in his voice.
Rein slowly lowered his aura. "I don't owe explanations to fools," he said coldly.
"Come, Kael. We have preparations for tomorrow's summit."
He turned away—but before leaving, his eyes darkened. His tone dropped into something far heavier.
"If justice truly exists… then why haven't those who defiled my sister paid for their sins?"
With that, he left.
The group stayed silent. Elara and Anya sighed in relief, while Arman sat back down, fists still shaking.
"That bastard! What does he know about justice!?" Arman growled.
"Arman, that's enough," Elara said softly. "Even if he doesn't believe in it, our purpose remains the same."
Anya placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't let his words get to you."
Lilith, however, smirked faintly, resting her chin on her hand.
"Maybe… that man never found justice in his entire life," she said.
The others looked at her. "What do you mean, Miss Lilith?" Anya asked.
"Nothing. Just a thought," Lilith said, grinning mischievously. "Maybe what he needs… is a sweet bread."
"Huh?" they all reacted, confused.
Lilith stood up. "Anyway, I've got some things to take care of. You handle things here."
"Wait, where are you going?" Elara asked.
"Just some errands~ don't worry about it!" she said, skipping off like a child.
Meanwhile, back in Frostveil's assigned quarters…
Rein sat on the bed, silent. His aura felt heavier than the cold air around him.
He exhaled deeply, eyes filled with sorrow.
"Justice? Where was it when my sister suffered that night?" he muttered, clenching his fists as the room grew colder.
Kaelen stood quietly, unsure how to comfort him. He knew his captain carried deep scars.
"Captain," he finally said. "I'm… I'm sorry. I didn't mean for that to happen."
Rein looked up, calmer now. "Listen, Kaelen. As assassins, we're not meant to show emotion."
"But…" Kaelen hesitated.
Rein's voice cracked with contained rage. "I can't control myself whenever I hear that cursed word—'justice.'"
He took a deep breath and began to speak—his story pouring out like frost and grief.
"My younger sister was kind, cheerful, and full of life. We lived in a small village called Sunken Valley, far north. She was my reason to live after our parents died," he said, his voice trembling slightly.
"When we were children, she never complained—not even once, no matter how hard life got. I wanted to be strong, to give her hope."
He clenched his fist tighter. "I worked as a hunter's aide on the frozen mountains, just to bring food home."
Rein's gaze turned distant.
"But that night… when I came home from hunting, excited to tell her I'd earned enough to buy a feast—"
His jaw tightened. "—I found her lying on the floor. Eyes wide open… lifeless. Black as the void."
"She was breathing… but empty. Like her soul was torn away."
Kaelen could only listen, frozen by the weight of the story.
"When I brought her to a mountain healer, I learned the truth," Rein continued. "Her soul was stolen—and imprisoned. Her body lives, but her essence is gone."
His aura grew colder. "Since then, I've searched for every possible way to bring her back."
"One day, while gathering firewood, I witnessed something horrific in a distant village. A black entity—cloaked in shadow—draining the souls of the innocent. Laughing… as if their suffering was a song."
"I hid… powerless. All I could do was watch."
"When it left, I approached the village. Everyone was still breathing—but their eyes were pitch black, hollow… just like my sister's."
Kaelen's eyes widened in horror.
"And then…" Rein pulled something from his pocket—a crest emblem, scorched and dark.
"This was left behind by that creature."
Kaelen's breath hitched as he recognized it.
"The Black Sun Guild—of the Obsidian Dominion…"
Rein's voice turned fierce.
"Exactly. Those bastards took my sister's soul. I brought this to the nearest Council, but they said it wasn't enough evidence. They did nothing!"
He crushed the emblem in his hand.
"And they call that justice!? Where were they when my sister needed them!?"
Kaelen finally understood—the reason behind his captain's hatred.
Rein's gaze hardened. "Now you see, Kaelen. This is why I became Captain of the Azure Fangs. I will deliver my own justice. Tomorrow—during the summit—it begins."
"Captain! That's madness! You'll start a war!" Kaelen pleaded.
"I don't care," Rein said firmly. "We're assassins. This is personal. Whatever happens tomorrow… run."
Kaelen couldn't find the strength to argue. Deep inside, he knew—nothing could stop him now.
At the same time, in another chamber of the Golden Aegis Academy,
Grandmaster Seren met with his top officers to discuss the coming summit.
The Grandmaster stroked his beard. "Listen carefully. Cyran—you'll accompany me to the summit."
"Yes, Grandmaster," Cyran replied firmly.
"As for the four of you," the Grandmaster continued, looking at the S-Class Captains—Lyra, Kaiya, Jaxom, and Silas—
"Your duty is to ensure peace during the event. You'll work with other S-Class representatives from the visiting guild academies."
"Yes, Grandmaster!" they replied in unison.
Tomorrow—the summit of the Five Great Guilds of Aethelgard would begin.
None knew what awaited them… nor the chaos that could soon ignite between kingdoms.
And somewhere in the shadows—
the Demon Lord who now walked this world watched silently, waiting for his time to move.
To be continued...