Aside

Blade

I looked down at the rookies from my room, observing their movements with a scrutinizing gaze.

Yushiro and Takahiro.

Yushiro moved with practiced ease, his footwork precise, his parries effortless. There was a grin on his face—one that reeked of confidence—as if every move Takahiro made was playing right into his hands.

Takahiro, for all his impressive speed, struggled to land a clean hit. His attacks were fast—lightning-quick bursts of motion—but Yushiro read them all too well, predicting his every step, manipulating Takahiro's momentum to guide him exactly where he wanted.

These rookies… they're good.

When I first laid eyes on them, I thought they were nobles—their appearances too striking, too refined for common soldiers.

Takahiro's golden-blond hair wasn't the usual dull shade—it gleamed like polished metal under the sun. Paired with sharp, chiseled features and vivid green eyes, he could easily be mistaken for a prince from some fairy tale.

Kenji Kimura, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. His dark red hair was unkempt, his rough facial structure giving him a perpetually angry scowl. Then there were his strange, burning-orange eyes, which only added to his fierce and volatile aura.

And then… Yushiro.

The youngest of the three, his silver hair shimmered unnaturally, his deep violet eyes unreadable. His pale skin and lean frame made him appear fragile, but that illusion shattered the moment he moved.

For some reason… I can't seem to focus on him properly.

No, I can see him—but the longer I try to watch him, the less I want to. It's as if something in my mind is subtly pushing me to lose interest, to look away.

I don't like it.

I don't feel at ease when I'm near him. It's like he's hiding something.

As I continued observing, I suddenly sensed a presence—a familiar one—approaching my door.

Before the visitor could knock, I was already moving. The door swung open.

The woman on the other side remained composed, unfazed by my preemptive action. With practiced elegance, she bowed in greeting.

"Good afternoon, Miss Blade."

I simply nodded in response.

Unbothered by my silence, Annette continued.

"Miss Blade, I believe it's time you began testing their strengths."

I scowled.

She bowed once more before turning away, her long pink hair cascading down her back as she walked down the hall.

Why should I?

Where the hell is Truth when you actually need him? I hate doing unnecessary work.

With an irritated sigh, I changed into my Division Knight uniform, though I only put on the trousers, opting to keep my loose, casual T-shirt instead.

The familiar weight of the black combat fabric felt heavy and restrictive.

Why can't they make these damn things any lighter?

I strapped my short sword to my waist and headed downstairs.

As I reached the first-floor tavern, I spotted Annette waiting for me.

She wordlessly walked beside me as we exited the building. Once outside, she amplified her voice—calling out to the rookies.