Nefeli

Vesper slowly opened his eyes.

The first thing he saw was an ivory ceiling, hچetched with faint golden patterns that shimmered softly in the morning light.

He blinked.

With a sharp breath, he sat up. The silk sheets rustled beneath him.

"I'm… in my room?"

He glanced around, confused. Familiar walls, familiar furniture. The pale stone floor, the carved wooden wardrobe, the window draped in white velvet.

When did I get here?

His mind searched for answers, but all he found was a blur.

He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood slowly. A dull ache was in his limbs, as if his body had been through something it hadn't quite healed from.

The cold air touched his skin.

He walked to the window. The morning sun had just begun to rise, casting long, gentle rays across the garden below.

He pressed a hand to his chest.

His Essence felt… different. Heavier and way stronger.

Like something had changed.

So I really broke through. A faint smile formed on his lips. I am now officially a 4th Cycle Existential hehe…I can now use my Sword Art Techniques and my Authority way more efficient.

Now, I have a chance to get into the academy.

A soft knock at the door broke his thoughts.

He turned. "Who is it?"

A voice answered through the door.

"It's Alen. Master Elar has requested to see you as soon as you woke."

Vesper narrowed his eyes. Elar? He hadn't spoken to the man in weeks. Why now?

"Tell him I'll be there shortly," Vesper said.

As the footsteps faded, Vesper reached for the dark coat draped over the chair.

Everything feels sharper, he thought. Even the quiet sound of the manor beyond his room sounded… more alive. Distant footsteps, a kettle whistling in the kitchen below, the flutter of a bird against the glass. None of it escaped his attention.

Walking to the basin, he splashed cold water on his face, then paused, gripping the edge of the marble sink.

There was something in him now. It was a feeling he couldn't describe with words.

He dried his face and turned toward the door.

The hallway outside was bathed in the pale gold of morning light filtering through stained glass. Servants passed with polite nods, stepping lightly around him. He returned none of the greetings.

Elar was Quinn's older brother. He is one of the six supreme elders of the von Stein Family.

Unlike other heirs, when he lost to Quinn in the fight for the throne, he didn't hold any grugdes against him. Instead, he accepted his defeat and became an elder of the family.

Even though he lost to Quinn, he is an extremely powerful individual, known throughout the empire.

Elar resided in the east wing, a study lined with ancient tomes, wards, and incense. As Vesper approached, the door opened before he could knock.

"Come in," came the voice from inside.

He stepped through.

The room was unchanged. Scrolls tucked in alcoves, an astrolabe slowly rotating in the corner, and maps of forgotten constellations adorning the walls. Elar stood at the window, his hands folded behind his back, gazing out.

"You've awakened," Elar said without turning.

"I have," Vesper replied.

Elar remained silent for a moment. Then, slowly, he turned around.

His face was calm yet sharp. The faint silver streaks in his dark hair glinted in the morning light, and his icy blue eyes, so like Quinn's, yet older, looked at Vesper with quiet intensity.

"You've changed," he said simply.

Vesper met his gaze, standing still just a few steps inside the room. "You say it like it's a bad thing."

Elar smiled. "Change is never inherently good or bad. But it always demands a price."

This damned philosophical old man. Vesper frowned. "Is that why you summoned me?"

"In part."

Elar turned, gesturing for him to sit at the low table near the hearth, where two cups of steaming tea had already been poured.

"You've awakened just in time."

Vesper raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"For Lux Aeterna."

The words made Vesper more serious.

The Academy—Lux Aeterna—was more than just a place of learning. It was the center of history, politics, and power. The academy where heirs of noble blood, scions of families, and chosen outsiders gathered to shape the future of the Empire.

Vesper's eyes narrowed. "I already planned to attend. What changed?"

Elar stepped forward. "The entrance trial begins soon. But this year… things are different."

"How so?"

"There's something beneath the surface," Elar said. "The selection process has become more than just a test of skill. It's being used as a stage, by factions within and beyond the Empire."

Vesper said nothing, but his silence spoke volumes.

Elar continued, "You'll be watched. Not only by the instructors, but by nobles, agents, and forces who remember the name von Stein a little too well. Some will expect your failure. Others… might want it. They have people everywhere, they will watch you and evaluate your value. But since you have the backing of a grand duke, you don't have to worry much."

Vesper nodded, a little surprised. Then asked. "What's the entrance exam of this year?"

Elar looked at him for some moments then answered calmly. "Even though we are not allowed to say something, I will tell you, because others do this too."

"This year's trial is survival based."

Vesper blinked. "Survival based?"

"Yes," Elar replied. "A hundred of 4th Cycle people will be send into a place. And the last twenty of them are accepted into the academy."

"Only twenty?" Vesper was taken aback.

"It's Lux Aeterna, the most glorious and ancient academy in the empire. What did you think." Elar scoffed. "Even if you can't get the 20th place out of a hundred people, go die."

Vesper didn't say anything in response. 20th place…that's going to be hard. They are all in 4th Cycle, just like me. And most of them are nobles who has been training since their childhood. Getting the 20th place between them is way too difficult. I can't win with the sheer power of a 4th Cycle Existential.

There will be groups too. Unlike me, some nobles have already formed groups. If they come at me in groups…I can do literally nothing.

As expected of the best academy in the whole empire…I thought breaking through the 4th Cycle will be enough, but that was just the first step.

"Anyways," Elar broke the silence, his voice cutting through. "As I said, there will be people who might cause problems while you're in Lux Aeterna. That's why I've assigned you a guardian. Nefeli, come in!"

At his call, a woman entered, her movements precise. She had short, raven hair and was clad in a severe black overcoat, her hands encased in sleek, black gloves.

"From now on, she is your official guardian," Elar announced, a hint of pride in his tone. "She's far more capable than you think, so you two better get along."

Nefeli knelt gracefully before Vesper. "Nefeli at your service, young master."

"Vesper," Vesper stated calmly, a slight nod of acknowledgment. "You can rise."

Nefeli rose, her expression unreadable.

A guardian? More like a damn statue, Vesper's thoughts seethed. I expected a hot, vivacious woman with a bright smile, someone to wake me up every morning by caressing my hair, not this stoic figure. Well… at least she's hot.

"You're not getting anything like that, brat," Elar clicked his tongue, as if reading the thoughts of Vesper's mind.

Ignoring the old man's uncanny perception, Vesper asked. "When does the entrance exam begin?"

"Tomorrow."

"Okay, let's go, Nefe—What the hell?!" Vesper's shout echoed unintentionally.

Elar merely gave him a deadpan look. "What? You've been asleep for two weeks, what did you expect?"

Two weeks? What in the world happened to me? And how much time I wasted in the Hollow?

"Let's go, Nefeli." Without another word, Vesper strode out of the room.

Elar watched the door swing shut behind Vesper. "Hah… that kid never changes, does he?"

Nefeli turned to her master, her unreadable expression softening slightly. "Master, is he truly that dangerous? I don't believe it's necessary for me to spy on him. And frankly, I don't see why anyone would consider him important enough to kill."

Elar's eyes sharpened, a cold glint appearing that made Nefeli shiver subtly. "Don't underestimate him, Nefeli, don't. He may act like this, but he's far more capable than he lets on."

Nefeli's eyes widened. It was exceedingly rare for her master to acknowledge anyone's abilities in such a way. In the decade she had been his disciple, he had never once praised her as a genius. At best, she'd receive a simple nod and a 'good.'

"...Is he that capable? He's only in 4th Cycle," she pressed, a hint of disbelief in her voice.

"Yes," Elar confirmed, his voice low but firm. "He's capable enough that my brother, a monster unlike anyone I've ever seen, is wary of him. In essence, it was my brother who instructed me to assign someone to both guard and spy on him."