Kurt's Account

Kurt stood before the King, the weight of the arena pressing down on him. The eyes of the entire court, the nobles, the guards, the commoners, all were fixed upon him, their expressions a mixture of shock, disbelief, and suspicion. He knew his words would determine his fate. He took a deep breath, steeling himself, and began to speak.

"Your Majesty," he began, his voice clear and resonant, carrying across the silent arena. "I understand your anger, your suspicion. I confess, I came here under false pretenses. But my intentions were not malicious. I came seeking knowledge, not to deceive."

He paused, gathering his thoughts, choosing his words carefully. "A few years ago," he continued, "I witnessed something in the forest near my home. A noble, a hunter, summoned a weapon of pure energy, a weapon of… divine power." He saw a flicker of recognition in the King's eyes, a hint of understanding.

"I was… captivated," Kurt confessed. "I had never seen anything like it. I returned home and recounted what I had seen to my father." Here, he paused, a pang of guilt twisting in his chest as he thought of Thomas, worried and unaware of the danger his adopted son now faced.

"My father told me that only nobles could wield such power, that it was called Astra Knowledge, and that it was forbidden to commoners. But I could not accept that. The sight of that power… it ignited a fire within me. I had to understand it."

He continued, his voice gaining strength as he spoke. "I began to seek out information, wherever I could find it. I read every book I could get my hands on, I listened to every conversation, every rumor. Eventually, my search led me to the City Central Library."

He described his time in the library, the vastness of the knowledge he discovered, the legends of the gods and their divine weapons, the intricacies of Astra and the core. He spoke of his determination to learn, his frustration at being unable to wield the power he could summon.

"I learned of the training that nobles undergo, the unlocking of the core, the need for a master," Kurt explained. Here, he made a crucial decision, a calculated lie born of necessity. He could not reveal the existence of the retired teacher, not yet.

"I… I experimented," he said, his voice steady. "I focused my will, I meditated, I pushed myself beyond my limits. And eventually… I managed to unlock my own core." A murmur of disbelief rippled through the crowd. Such a feat was considered impossible.

He saw the King's eyes narrow, his expression hardening. "You claim to have unlocked your core… yourself? Without a master? That is… unheard of."

"It is the truth, Your Majesty," Kurt insisted, meeting the King's gaze with unwavering resolve. "I do not know why I am different, why I can access this power. But I swear to you, I have no hidden agenda. I came here seeking knowledge, and I entered this tournament… to test myself, to learn, and perhaps… to find a way to control this power."

He omitted any mention of the wasteland, knowing that to connect himself to that event would be to sign his own death warrant. He had revealed much, but he still held back the most dangerous secrets.