The room was quiet.
Simple.
A wooden study table near the window. Shelves stacked with medical books. The faint scent of herbs lingered in the air. Sunlight slipped through thin curtains, warm and calm---nothing like the chaos of yesterday.
Taika slowly opened her eyes.
For a moment, she just stared at the ceiling.
Then it all rushed back.
Fire.
Roars.
Red light slicing through the sky.
Her hand instinctively moved to her hair.
Golden brown. Normal.
She sat up carefully. Her body didn't ache. No dizziness. No burning sensation in her chest like she expected.
She felt… completely fine.
That was what unsettled her most.
She remembered everything clearly.
The voice.
The anger.
The power.
She had awakened.
A soft knock came from the door.
It opened gently.
Raiden stepped inside, now wearing simpler clothes, his expression less sharp than usual.
"You're awake."
Taika looked at him quietly.
"…How long was I out?"
"Half a day," he replied, closing the door behind him. "The royal medics checked you. You're fine. Just drained."
He walked closer, stopping near the edge of her bed.
"You remember what happened?"
She nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Silence filled the room.
Raiden studied her for a moment.
"You triggered Red Awakening," he said calmly. "Not a partial spark. The full state."
Taika lowered her gaze.
"I didn't mean to…"
"I know."
He crossed his arms, leaning slightly against the wall.
"But you need to understand something."
His voice grew serious.
"That wasn't normal."
Outside, the academy grounds were unusually quiet.
Inside the room, the air felt heavier.
Because what Taika had done…
Was something even their bloodline rarely survived.
The door opened again before Taika could respond.
Maya rushed in first.
Without saying anything, she walked straight to the bed and grabbed Taika's hands.
"You scared me," Maya said, her voice trembling slightly. "You just flew up there and turned into—into—" she struggled to find the words. "—that."
Taika gave a small, apologetic smile. "I'm sorry."
"You better be," Maya sniffed, though her grip tightened in relief more than anger. "Don't do that again without telling us."
Behind her, Clare stepped in more composed, closing the door quietly.
She didn't rush. She didn't panic.
She observed.
"You're stable," Clare noted, eyes scanning Taika carefully. "No mana distortion. No visible backlash."
Raiden glanced at Clare. "You're not surprised."
"I am," Clare replied calmly. "But I need answers more than reactions."
She crossed her arms.
"What you did yesterday wasn't just powerful. It forced an entire dragon swarm to retreat."
Taika lowered her gaze slightly.
Clare continued, tone steady but serious.
"The academy council is already discussing it. And the royal court."
Maya blinked. "Wait---already?!"
Clare nodded once.
"They're considering awarding her the Medal of Honor."
The room fell quiet.
Raiden raised an eyebrow slightly.
"The academy's highest recognition," Clare explained, though everyone in the room already understood the weight of it. "It's only granted to individuals who protect the city—or the kingdom---from large-scale threats."
She looked directly at Taika.
"Students don't receive it lightly."
Maya's eyes widened. "That's amazing!"
But Taika didn't look amazed.
She looked unsettled.
Because while others saw heroism--
She remembered the feeling.
The silence before the storm.
And the way the power responded not to control…
But to emotion.
Taika slowly sat up on the bed. The quiet room suddenly felt heavier than before.
Taika: "A medal...?"
She looked at her hands as if expecting to see something different about them.
Taika: "But I didn't even know what I was doing."
Raiden leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.
Raiden: "That doesn't change the result. You saved a lot of people."
Maya nodded quickly.
Maya: "Exactly! If you didn't show up, those dragons would have destroyed half the city!"
Clare remained calm, though her eyes were focused on Taika.
Clare: "What matters now is understanding what happened."
Taika looked up.
Clare: "Your hair changed. Your magic output multiplied. And you used an advanced technique without chanting."
Raiden sighed slightly.
Raiden: "It's called Red Awakening."
Everyone turned to him.
Raiden: "It's a rare ability in our family. When strong emotions overwhelm the user, their mana erupts and amplifies their power."
Taika blinked.
Taika: "Family technique...?"
Raiden nodded.
Raiden: "I can trigger a weaker version of it. But yours... was different."
He paused for a moment.
Raiden: "Much stronger."
Maya tilted her head.
Maya: "Wait... if Taika can do that, doesn't that mean she can fight dragons now?"
Clare immediately shook her head.
Clare: "No."
Maya blinked.
Clare: "What happened yesterday was uncontrolled. If she forces it again, it could damage her body or worse."
Taika lowered her head again, thinking.
Her mind drifted back to the sky.
The dragons.
The slashes.
And the voice.
Almena.
For a brief moment she could still hear it echoing inside her memory.
"Go."
Taika quietly whispered to herself.
Taika: "Almena..."
Raiden noticed.
Raiden: "What was that?"
Taika hesitated.
Then she slowly looked at everyone.
Taika: "There was a voice... inside my head yesterday."
Maya froze.
Clare's eyes narrowed slightly.
Raiden straightened from the wall.
Taika: "She told me to go... to fight."
The room became silent again.
Clare spoke first.
Clare: "A voice?"
Taika nodded.
Taika: "Almena."
Maya's eyes widened.
Maya: "The founder of the academy?!"
Taika nodded again.
Raiden looked thoughtful.
Raiden: "Interesting..."
Clare remained serious.
Clare: "If that's true, then yesterday wasn't just an accident."
She looked directly at Taika.
Clare: "Something bigger might be starting."
Outside the window, the peaceful city continued its normal life.
But somewhere far in the west, beyond the mountains where darkness hid inside ancient caves. ....
Something else had already awakened.
The morning sun shined brightly over the kingdom as Taika and the others prepared for the ceremony.
Inside the academy dormitory, Taika finished tying the ribbon on her uniform. The academy had asked her to wear the formal version of the student attire for the event.
Maya walked around the room excitedly.
Maya: "This is so cool! A medal ceremony at the royal castle!"
Clare adjusted her blazer calmly.
Clare: "Try to act properly. This is not a festival."
Maya puffed her cheeks.
Maya: "I know that!"
Alwin stood near the door, slightly nervous.
Alwin: "I've never been inside the royal castle before..."
Taika looked at her friends and smiled softly.
Taika: "Me neither."
A knock suddenly came from the door.
Raiden's voice echoed from the other side.
Raiden: "Are you all ready?"
Taika opened the door. Raiden stood there wearing a formal black coat with red patterns along the sleeves. His posture looked more serious than usual.
Maya immediately pointed at him.
Maya: "Wow! You clean up pretty well!"
Raiden sighed.
Raiden: "This is normal attire for royal events."
Clare nodded.
Clare: "Let's go before Maya embarrasses us."
Maya: "Hey!"
The group soon left the academy grounds and headed toward the center of the kingdom.
The Royal Castle stood tall above the city walls, its white stone towers glowing under the sunlight. Royal guards lined the entrance, their armor shining as banners of the Arden Kingdom waved gently in the air.
Many citizens had gathered outside the castle courtyard, whispering among themselves.
Citizen 1: "That's the girl who stopped the dragons."
Citizen 2: "She's so young..."
Citizen 3: "A student from Galdur Academy."
Taika felt slightly overwhelmed by the attention and quietly walked beside her friends.
Maya noticed and nudged her shoulder.
Maya: "Relax. You're a hero now."
Taika whispered back.
Taika: "That makes it even more nerve-wracking."
The large castle gates slowly opened.
Inside the courtyard, knights stood in perfect formation while royal officials prepared the stage where the ceremony would take place.
At the center of the platform stood the King of Arden, surrounded by royal guards.
Beside him stood Princess Isolde.
Isolde crossed her arms when she noticed them approaching.
Isolde: "You finally arrived."
Raiden smirked slightly.
Raiden: "Hard to miss a ceremony when the entire kingdom is watching."
Isolde then looked directly at Taika.
Isolde: "Come forward."
Taika hesitated for a second before stepping toward the platform.
The murmuring crowd slowly fell silent as the ceremony for the Medal of Honor was about to begin.
The royal courtyard grew quiet as Taika stepped forward.
But before she could climb the steps of the platform, the King raised his hand gently.
King: "Wait."
Everyone paused.
The King looked across the courtyard and then toward Maya, Clare, and Alwin who were standing a little behind Taika.
King: "The defense of our kingdom yesterday was not accomplished by one person alone."
The crowd began whispering again.
King: "The reports from the royal knights and the princess were very clear."
He slowly stood up from his throne-like chair.
King: "Four students from Galdur Academy risked their lives to protect the citizens of Arden."
He looked directly at them.
King: "Taika Zeit."
Taika stood straighter.
King: "Maya."
Maya blinked in surprise.
King: "Clare."
Clare calmly stepped forward.
King: "And Alwin Schmidt."
Alwin froze for a moment.
Maya pushed him forward.
Maya: "Go! He's calling you!"
Alwin nervously walked beside the others.
Now the four of them stood before the royal platform.
The King smiled slightly.
King: "Courage is not measured by power, but by the willingness to stand and protect others."
He gestured toward a royal attendant holding a velvet cushion. On it were four shining medals made of silver and gold, each engraved with the symbol of the Arden Kingdom.
King: "For defending this kingdom against the return of dragons, and for protecting the people of this city..."
He paused briefly.
King: "I award you the Medal of Honor."
The crowd erupted into applause.
Maya whispered loudly.
Maya: "We're actually getting medals!"
Clare elbowed her slightly.
Clare: "Stand still."
One by one, the King placed the medals around their necks.
First Taika.
Then Maya.
Then Clare.
Finally Alwin.
Alwin looked down at the medal in disbelief.
Alwin: "I... never imagined something like this would happen to someone like me."
Raiden watched from the side of the stage with his arms crossed and a proud smile.
Isolde spoke quietly beside him.
Isolde: "Your sister is interesting."
Raiden chuckled.
Raiden: "That's putting it lightly."
Back at the center, the King raised his voice again.
King: "Let this moment remind everyone that the future of our kingdom lies in the next generation."
The crowd cheered again.
Taika looked at her friends.
Maya grinning widely.
Clare pretending not to care but holding the medal tightly.
Alwin still stunned.
Taika smiled softly.
For the first time since arriving at the academy, she felt something warm in her chest.
Not just pride.
But belonging.
Far above the castle towers, beyond the clouds and mountains of the western region...
Something ancient stirred again in the shadows.
The dragons had retreated.
But the war they once started long ago had only begun to awaken once more.
The night after the awarding ceremony was quiet.
Most of the city was still celebrating the victory against the dragons. Lanterns glowed across the streets and music echoed from the taverns. But in a quieter part of the academy grounds, near the old stone fountain, two figures stood under the dim light.
Taika and Raiden.
Taika looked up at him.
Taika: "You asked to talk… Is something wrong?"
Raiden stayed silent for a moment. His red eyes looked calmer than usual, but something heavy was hiding behind them.
Raiden: "Taika… I need to leave the kingdom for a while."
Taika blinked.
Taika: "Leave?"
Raiden nodded slowly.
Taika: "But you just came back…"
He reached into his coat and pulled out a folded piece of paper. It was old and slightly torn.
Raiden: "Yesterday… after the ceremony, I saw this posted on one of the walls in the castle hall."
Taika looked at the paper, but the text was faded and unclear.
Only a symbol was visible.
A dark star.
The moment Raiden saw it earlier, something inside him changed. His eyes had darkened the instant he recognized the mark.
Raiden folded the paper again.
Raiden: "There are things I didn't tell you."
Taika looked worried.
Raiden continued quietly.
Raiden: "Mother didn't just… die."
Taika froze.
Raiden: "Someone killed her."
Silence filled the space between them.
Taika's fingers tightened slightly.
Raiden looked down.
Raiden: "I've been searching for clues for years."
He looked back at the paper.
Raiden: "And this symbol… I've seen it before."
Taika's voice softened.
Taika: "So you're leaving to find them?"
Raiden nodded once.
Raiden: "Yes."
Taika looked down at the ground. Her expression trembled for a moment, but she forced a small smile.
Taika: "Then… you should go."
Raiden looked surprised.
Taika continued.
Taika: "If someone really did that… you deserve answers."
She looked back at him.
Taika: "Just promise me you'll come back."
Raiden stared at her for a few seconds.
Then he gently placed his hand on her head.
Raiden: "I will."
The memory faded.
Flashback ended.
Far away from the kingdom of Arden, deep within a wild land of ash and burning stone, Raiden sat alone beneath the shadow of a massive volcano. The ground was warm and the air smelled of sulfur.
A quiet forest stretched at the base of the mountain, its trees darkened by volcanic dust.
Raiden leaned against a rock, resting after a long journey.
The folded paper with the dark star symbol rested in his hand.
His fingers tightened around it.
His red eyes glowed faintly in the dim light.
Raiden whispered to himself.
Raiden: "I'm going to find who did this to you… Mother."
His voice trembled slightly.
Not from fear.
From anger.
His eyes hardened as he stared into the darkness of the forest ahead.
The message inside them was clear.
Whoever was responsible…
would not escape.