"Then, excuse me."
Althea left the instructor's office and closed the door softly behind her.
In the corridor, a girl was already waiting for her. Her bright yellow hair was styled in twin ponytails, making her stand out among the other students. She was slightly shorter than Althea, perhaps by about five centimeters. Her wide, blue eyes seemed almost too alive, as if she always had something she wanted to say.
"So," the girl said, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning forward slightly, "what were you talking about with Instructor Elle inside?"
Althea was a little surprised. "Ah—Nina. You were waiting for me?"
"Of course. You were called in alone. Of course I'd be curious."
"It was just casual conversation," Althea replied, averting her gaze as she slowly walked down the corridor.
"Casual conversation," Nina repeated, narrowing her eyes as she walked beside Althea. "Then why does your face look like you've just been burdened with a great weight?"
"...Does it look like that?"
"Yes, it's quite obvious," Nina replied. "You've been clutching your pendant the whole time."
Althea slowed her pace momentarily, then lowered her hand.
"You pay too much attention to trivial things."
"It's just a habit of mine," Nina retorted. "Does it have something to do with the Hero summoning?"
Althea took a slow breath. "I was chosen."
Nina's steps halted. "...Are you serious?"
"I've been appointed to join the Hero Summoning Division," Althea repeated, her voice clearer this time. "Starting next week." A moment of silence hung in the air.
"You?" Nina stared at Althea with an expression of disbelief. "Not that I'm underestimating you, but... you've always been so cautious about everything."
"Cut the sarcasm. I don't understand the reason myself," Althea retorted.
"But if the old man pointed directly at you, it means there's truly something special within you." Althea recalled her instructor's words. "...What if I fail?"
Nina stared at her for a long moment, then sighed and shrugged. "If that happens, at least you won't be facing it alone." She stepped forward first.
"Hey, let's go to the cafeteria. Someone who's just taken on a big responsibility shouldn't skip lunch." Althea stared at Nina's retreating back for a moment, then smiled faintly. "...Thank you, Nina."
Nina glanced back slightly. "Don't get the wrong idea. I just don't want you fainting before the Hero's Summoning Ceremony."
-
The Academy canteen was bustling with activity. The clatter of plates, the light chatter of students, and the aroma of warm food mingled to create a cozy atmosphere.
Althea and Nina sat near the window, facing the Academy courtyard. Several other students were laughing, some discussing the upcoming exams, while others gossiped about the Hero summoning.
Althea carefully set down her food tray and sat down without a word. Nina slowly spooned her soup. "Thea, what are you thinking about right now?"
"Huh?" Althea said, mid—spoonful of her chicken katsu. "I'm not thinking about anything anymore."
"Liar! You're definitely thinking about something," Nina teased, glancing at Althea with a mischievous grin.
Before Althea could respond, Nina clapped her hands together, her face suddenly lighting up. "Aah, I want a Hero who's brave and strong," she said in a deliberately exaggerated tone. "Or maybe—a Hero who's handzzum and cyuute?"
Althea coughed and nearly choked at Nina's words. "W—what nonsense! No one thinks about things like that!"
"Fufufu. Then tell me, Thea. What kind of Hero do you dream of?"
"Well, I don't really care about that. But... if I could choose... I'd want a kind-hearted person. They don't need to be super strong. I just want someone who cares about the people around them and can be relied on when needed."
Nina stared at her in disbelief. "Are you serious?" Althea nodded. "...Well," Nina sighed. "If that's your taste, I can't argue with it."
-
Far from the capital, at the edge of the forest perpetually shrouded in shadow, a dark elf emerged from the darkness. "The time has come," he said, his voice low, and annoying. He gazed toward the towering spire at the heart of the Academy.
"Let the show begin, Leonidas." A faint smile etched across his face. "I'll ensure your death is in my own hands." A brief, stifled chuckle escaped his throat before his expression returned to its usual impassivity.
"Open," he said, snapping his fingers. The air before him cracked, and a fissure widened slowly into a portal, its pitch-black surface pulsing with dark crimson veins. An unnatural pressure radiated from within, causing the ground around it to tremble.
The crimson color crept slowly from the horizon, as if daylight were being forced back by something that should never have appeared in this world.
The capital's protective barrier reacted instantly. The protective light pulsed, repelling something clearly not of this world.
Yet from within the portal, one by one, foreign creatures crawled forth. Their bodies were twisted, their forms grotesquely disproportionate, and their very existence felt fundamentally wrong. The dark elf stepped forward half a pace. "Let's go," he commanded, as if issuing an order.
-
In the capital fortress stood an old man, his long robe billowing in the wind. His hair and beard had turned white, yet his back remained ramrod straight.
Behind him, a woman's voice echoed, "It seems it has begun, Sage Lord. This calamity has arrived sooner than predicted." The old man didn't turn. His gaze remained fixed on the sky, which was slowly changing color.
"True," he said. "Damn demons. They never learn patience." He slammed his magic staff into the ground. The protective barrier enveloping the capital pulsed, then strengthened, and a new layer formed.