The Weakest [1]

The soft breeze carried a faint rosy smell, rustling the white curtains behind her.

Rinna stood alone on the balcony of her room, which was high above the banquet hall.

Her hands gently clasped the silver chain around her neck, brushing over the blue gemstone resting against her skin.

Her sister had told her that she would take care of that boy, though she was fine taking care of it herself.

"Sigh… I just hope she didn't beat him up."

Eula was always the type who wouldn't allow any male near her sister. And for Eula to hear Rinna getting proposed to… by a below-average guy no less, always made her mad.

Recalling this, Rinna's eyes were fixed on the sky.

The moon hung full and solemn above the castle, casting a pale light across its stone surface.

"The moon looks beautiful tonight," Rinna whispered.

Just then—

Knock. Knock.

Someone knocked at the door.

"Rinna, it's me."

She turned.

"Sis?"

It was her elder sister's voice.

Rinna walked across the room and opened the door.

Standing there was a girl who looked exactly like her, but a tiny bit taller.

Eula stepped inside.

Rinna tilted her head.

"What took you so long?"

Eula didn't answer; her gaze lay on the blue gemstone on Rinna's neck.

"Are you still wearing this?"

"Hm?" Rinna looked down. "Oh, my shoulders still hurt."

To this, Eula said nothing.

Rinna frowned. "So? How did it go?"

Eula looked away, then answered, faking a grin.

"Exactly how I planned it to go."

"So… you rejected him?"

"Brutally."

"..."

Rinna blinked.

"Why?" Eula narrowed her eyes. "You don't want to?"

"I didn't say that."

"Then, what's with this face?"

Rinna looked at her, then sighed.

"Nothing… but, you didn't beat him up, did you?"

Eula paused.

"Now, why would you think I would bea—"

"Just answer."

"..."

Eula averted her gaze.

"What? At least deny it, sis!"

"Ehehe…" Eula forced an awkward laugh. "Let's just say, he won't bother you from now on."

At her words, Rinna blinked.

"Exactly what did you do, sis?"

Surely, her sister wouldn't go as far as beating a guy who gave her a pain-relieving enchanted pendant, right?

Well, Rinna had some doubts.

"Anyways, Rinna, the main thing is, you don't have to worry about him now."

"..."

Unbeknownst to Rinna, Eula was actually trying her best to make her younger sister forget about that boy.

'It's for her own good.'

She still hadn't figured out the main objective behind Leon exposing Lucian's identity to her… and that too without asking for anything in return.

'It didn't look like he meant any harm though…'

But still, she couldn't gamble.

That boy had outplayed her, and that alone was enough to leave a lasting impression on Eula.

Then, a thought clicked in her mind.

'What if… he wanted to leave an impression on me?'

That was entirely possible.

And it made Eula all the more frustrated.

'If that's what he wants, then congratulations, because it's working.'

"Sis?" Rinna said.

"Huh?" That pulled Eula out of her thoughts. "What?"

"You look angry."

'Well, I am angry.'

Leaving that topic behind, Eula changed the subject.

"Anyways, your first semester at Eclipse Institute starts next week. Are you excited?"

This made Rinna beam with enthusiasm.

"Oh! I'm excited!" She bounced a step closer to her sister.

"Do you know, sis? I've already finished studying all the subjects up to the second semester!"

"..."

Eula was momentarily speechless.

Well… Rinna was a genius, after all.

"W–Well, that's great. Now you'll have enough time to break into Ignite rank."

Rinna was a four-star Awakened, just a single star away from breaking into one-star Ignite rank.

At her age, most of the nobles joining in were at most three-star Awakened. So, she would be the first one to break into Ignite in her first semester. That alone was impressive in itself.

"That's not what I want, sis." But Rinna had other plans.

"Then?"

"I want to join the Disciplinary Committee, just like you!"

Of course she does. She always followed in her big sister's footsteps. Eula was her idol.

"Hehe, that's great to hear." Eula patted her head.

"Mhmm... stop it, sis." Rinna shook her head to avoid the pat. "Don't you have classes tomorrow?"

"Don't worry. I'll be just fine."

Eula Valentine was a third-year at Eclipse Institute. She had also joined the Disciplinary Committee in her first semester. She was the very first student in Eclipse's history to break through to Spellweaver rank at her age.

The night was already chilly, and the banquet had long ended. The two sisters chatted for another hour before Rinna fell asleep.

Eula placed a loose strand of Rinna's hair behind her ear as she watched her quietly.

'At least she'll be safe at Eclipse.'

She knew for sure. After all, she had personally checked the list of students enrolling alongside Rinna. And in that list, she didn't see Leon's name.

— — —

Two days later.

Leon looked at himself in the mirror. From head to toe, he was dressed in his elegant Valentine royal uniform.

A silk black shirt neatly tucked under matching black pants, with a gold-buckled belt. Over it was a black long coat with the House Valentine crest on the left chest.

"Take this," Myra said, holding a large silver tray in her hands.

Leon turned to take a look.

On the tray rested a long sword with a golden hilt, placed inside a hard black case. It was around 120 cm long.

Leon took it without even drawing it from the scabbard.

'Never in my life have I wielded a sword.'

Yeah, it would be best not to accidentally cut his fingers trying to unsheath it.

Myra—his personal maid informed.

"The carriage is waiting outside," 

'Today is the day…'

Today was the day he would be having that Eclipse Institute admission interview with the Headmaster.

Leon checked his face one last time in the mirror.

A familiar screen appeared in front of his vision.

———「Skill Deconstruction」———

◆ Usage: Allows replication of a witnessed skill.

◆ Cost: 1 Fate Point (Applicable)

…

Will you be using this skill?

—————————————————

▷ Accept 

▶ Decline

—————————————————

And he knew exactly what he needed to do to impress the Headmaster.