I finally arrived at the Aesoria Academy.
First thing I did was go unpack my things. The academy has its own student residences on campus.
I'd been told I'd have a roommate, thanks to my academic exception. I didn't pay it much mind.
Hope he's not noisy.
I climbed the residence stairs until I reached the door.
Room 17-B
I stepped inside.
The room was simple: two beds, a desk by the window, and a shelf lined with textbooks. Nothing luxurious—just what a student needed.
My eyes caught something odd.
On one of the beds lay a neat stack of folded clothes. So my roommate had gotten here before me.
Though...
Is that... women's clothing?
The bathroom door swung open hard.
A girl emerged wrapped in steam, nothing but a towel covering her.
Her beauty was undeniable: jet-black hair, icy blue eyes, and a slender figure with an hourglass waist.
Most people would have fainted at the sight.
For me...
Just a pretty face.
Her gaze locked onto mine and froze.
I analyzed her stance on instinct.
If she'd meant to attack me, she'd be dead already. Her posture was defensive, not aggressive.
Her stare was cold as ice—she looked ready to strangle me on the spot.
"You!" she shouted. "Get out right now!"
When she saw I didn't look away, her anger flared.
"You have three seconds to turn your eyes."
I didn't move.
"...We're roommates," I stated the obvious.
This is going to end badly.
Her face flushed bright red.
"PERVERT!"
She yelled loud enough to be heard across the whole academy.
The bathroom door slammed shut behind her.
...
I sighed.
"This is going to be a long year..."
✦☾✦
I was sitting on my bed now. The girl sat on the other one, arms crossed, staring at me like I was a thief.
That's when I got a good look at her.
Her black hair fell in two side ponytails, tied with pale blue ribbons. She wore a black dress with a sweetheart neckline—not flashy, but the fabric was clearly high-quality.
She wasn't just any noble.
"Talk," she said at last. "Who the hell are you?"
"Rei. Rei ArcDusk," I replied calmly.
"ArcDusk? What kind of surname is that? I've never heard it before."
Father's arrangement is working.
Good.
"Just a surname."
Keeping my identity hidden is for the best. If I want to hunt the Order, I need to be like a shadow.
Invisible.
The young woman clenched her jaw, annoyed by my brevity.
"Aren't you going to ask my name? How rude!"
Fine... since we're roommates, it makes sense to know.
"What's your name?"
She placed a hand dramatically over her chest.
"I am Arisa Lumengrad. Princess of this kingdom."
Great.
So she's the princess.
This complicates everything.
"Hmm," I said—a single syllable.
Her gaze sharpened; my lack of surprise only seemed to anger her more.
"'Hmm?!' You! Filthy pervert! You're in the same room as the princess and you're not even slightly impressed?"
My expression didn't change.
"It's not a big deal."
Silence fell.
Here it comes.
Her eyebrow twitched.
"'Not a big deal?!'" she repeated, outraged. "I'll—"
Her eyes fixed on mine, and something shifted in her face. It wasn't disgust.
It looked like...
Recognition.
"Those eyes... I've seen them before," she said, studying me intently.
Her voice wavered for a moment, but she hid it quickly.
What's wrong with her now?
I held her gaze steadily.
"Red eyes run in my family."
"But they're just like his... never mind," she looked away. "You can't be him."
Who is she talking about?
Doesn't matter. Not my concern.
Whatever she's going through isn't my priority right now.
"Of course. Anything else? Class starts soon."
She looked back at me, her expression cold again.
"Yes. If you're going to live here, there will be rules," she declared. "Otherwise... ask to be moved to another room."
"Fine. Lay them out."
Before I could back out, Arisa marked a line on the floor with tape.
"This is the dividing line," she explained. "Your side. My side. If you cross it... I'll consider it royal territory trespassing."
Ridiculous. Is she really doing this?
"Understood."
She stared at me, as if expecting more of a fight.
"That's it? I thought you'd react more."
"I have self-control."
She didn't dwell on it and continued with the rules.
The princess pulled a sheet of paper out of nowhere, wrote something down, and handed it to me.
It was a schedule.
...For the bathroom.
"The bathroom is mine from six to eight in the morning, and nine to ten at night."
What else does she want?
For me to relieve myself outside?
"What if I need to use it?"
"Then... you wait."
I frowned slightly.
"That's torture."
She planted her hands on her hips, firm and stubborn.
"Then get used to it."
I exhaled once. Just once.
And that was more than enough.
"Fine. What else?"
"That's more like it," she said with a smug smile. "Obedient to your princess."
Princess.
She acts more like a spoiled child than royalty.
"No noise after ten PM."
"I train at night."
"What are you? Some chronic insomniac?"
"I'm disciplined."
Arisa clicked her tongue.
"Tsk... then train quietly."
I already do. Since I was young, I've trained in complete silence—even late at night, honing my skills for perfect stealth. A loud assassin isn't worthy of the name.
"I can manage that."
"Good. Next: no bringing girls into the room."
What?
That rule caught me off guard, honestly.
"Wasn't planning to."
A faint blush touched her icy expression.
"W-Well... I didn't think you would anyway."
Even if I wanted to, I couldn't. The only women in my life are my mother and Liria.
And, unfortunately, this one.
"Finally..."—a dramatic, unnecessary pause—"If anyone asks... we're only sharing a room due to administrative exception."
I glanced aside, tired.
"That's exactly what's happening."
She huffed.
"That's why I don't want people seeing me with you."
"Don't worry—I didn't come here to make friends."
Arisa looked away.
"Hmph. Good."
I ignored her comment and started getting ready for class.
The academy requires all students to wear uniforms.
The uniform consisted of a black blazer with gold buttons and tie, dark gray trousers, a white dress shirt underneath, and the academy's silver-embroidered emblem.
I looked at myself in the mirror.
Not bad.
I'd add something of my own to finish the look.
Gloves.
I pulled a pair of white gloves from my bag and slipped them on. The fabric was thin and soft, warm enough to be more than just decorative.
These will do.
Arisa came out of the bathroom in her uniform, having finished changing. Hers was the same as mine, except hers had a skirt instead of trousers.
She looked me up and down.
"Are you going to class or a funeral?"
"To class," I replied, not a hint of humor in my voice.
She clicked her tongue again.
"So serious," she said, heading for the door. "I'll go ahead. I don't want people seeing me with you and getting the wrong idea."
She opened the door and left without looking back.
Finally, some silence.
Focus. There are bigger problems than this.
I finished getting dressed and headed for the door.
Before I left, I touched the handkerchief Liria had given me, tucked inside my pocket.
This is just the beginning.
Be patient, Rei.
You'll see her again soon.
✦☾✦
I'd been assigned to Class 1-A, taught by Professor.... Of all the academy's classes, this was the highest level.
Staying hidden will be difficult here.
The classroom was spacious and sturdy—built to hold fifty students with room to spare. The desks were long and made of durable wood, subtly reinforced with magic.
I sat in the back row.
Not out of habit.
Out of protocol.
From here, I can see everyone and build a profile on each student.
Student in front of me.
Taps his pencil against the desk repeatedly. Head always bowed. Shakes constantly.
Nervous.
Insecure.
Student in the first row to my left.
Posture far too relaxed. Smiles too much. Talks nonstop.
Arrogant.
Boastful.
Student in the fourth row to my right.
Built like a brute. Checks the clock too often. Seems lost in his own world.
Strong.
Impulsive fighter.
Quite a variety of... specimens.
For now, none of them pose a threat. I could defeat most in combat. But I can't afford to let my guard down—any attention-grabbing move complicates the mission, or worse, ruins it.
Only one thing concerns me.
One gaze in particular.
Arisa is talking to her friends, but every time she thinks I'm not looking, she glances my way.
She's not watching what I'm doing.
She's watching my eyes.
When our gazes meet, she looks away, pretending she didn't see me.
Is this about earlier?
When she looked into my eyes.
She seemed to remember something.
Or someone.
My analysis was interrupted by the teacher's arrival.
She walked to the center of the room.
The chatter died down.
Every student bowed their head instantly.
Except me.
At first I didn't know why.
Then she introduced herself.
"Maerin Disruptia," she said, as if the name were mere decoration. "I will be your instructor."
I stared straight into her eyes.
She looked nothing like a typical teacher.
Iron-gray hair, intense blue eyes, a strong, athletic yet graceful build. A large scar cut across her left cheek. On her right arm was a metal bracer.
In her presence, the air seemed to hum slightly—like heat warping the space around her.
Murmurs spread through the room, though no one dared speak too loud.
"It's her!"
"'The Spellbreaker'!"
"The former commander of the Lumen Division! Veteran of the Counterlight War!"
So it's her.
Father told me about her.
Maerin "The Spellbreaker."
She was once commander of the Lumengrad Knight Order's Lumen Division—the strongest and most important unit in the Order.
She's known for her anti-magic abilities; they say she can stop any spell she faces, no matter how high-ranked.
The Counterlight War was an old territorial dispute between Lumengrad and Duskvany. It reminds me of my past life—always fighting to prove who was stronger. Thankfully, that's behind us now, and peace holds between the two kingdoms.
"Silence," her voice cut through the whispers.
She paused, then added:
"Aesoria Academy is neutral ground. Offensive magic is strictly forbidden," she explained, her voice cold and authoritative. "Minor enhancement spells are permitted. Anyone who attacks, harms, or endangers another student will be expelled."
Expelled...
Half the class nodded. The other half swallowed hard.
A no-magic policy.
I expected as much. I always research before acting—Aesoria has maintained a no-magic policy since its founding. It's designed to wean society off over-reliance on magic.
And they brought in the best for the job.
Her.
"Now. We will hold a test today."
Maerin pulled out a black orb and held it up to the class.
"Mana resistance test," she announced. "If you can't stay on your feet, you're not ready for Aesoria."
The teacher activated the device.
The orb released growing waves of compressed mana.
The whole room shook.
"Levels 1 to 4," Maerin said.
A third of the class dropped to their knees.
I didn't even blink.
Is that all?
The waves didn't move a single hair on Maerin's head. For good reason—she earned her nickname.
Her eyes were fixed on me.
"Interesting..."
Then she said:
"Moving to Level 5."
The waves grew more intense.
Even the highest-ranked nobles began to tense up.
I adjusted my posture slightly.
Not from weakness—but out of military habit.
This is far too easy.
A problem. I mustn't stand out too much. Just enough.
"Level 6."
Arisa trembles but holds on.
Only five students remain standing.
I shifted my stance to feign exhaustion.
Feigning is tricky, but I have to.
Maerin frowned, her eyes still on me.
"That level... shouldn't feel so easy for you," she murmured.
She raised the level again.
"Level 7."
Only Arisa and I are left standing.
I took a step back, pretending to lose my balance. I raised my arm as if bracing for a fall.
But...
My breathing remains far too steady.
And Maerin seems to notice.
"Perfect control... doesn't match the act," her voice was barely a whisper—no one else heard it, but I did.
Shit...
I need to be more convincing.
The test should have ended there. Level 8 is already too much for students—only veteran teachers can stand firm against it.
But Maerin didn't seem ready to stop.
"Level 8."
The waves became more intense and powerful.
Pressure shook the room.
Arisa drops to her knees.
I feel the pressure, of course...
But I could withstand it without issue.
But Maerin's intent is clear.
She raised the level on purpose. She wants to test me.
She suspects something.
Fine. Time to fall.
I bent one knee.
Placed a hand on the floor.
And as the pressure peaked, I let out a soft gasp of effort.
This should be enough.
I let my body slump to the ground at last, as if I'd reached my limit.
Maerin watched it all.
She stared for a moment longer, then turned off the orb.
She walked toward me slowly, like a wild animal closing in on prey.
"Rei ArcDusk... correct?"
I looked up at her from the floor, feigning weariness.
"Yes... Professor."
Maerin smiled slightly. On her face, the expression was frightening.
"You were the last to fall," she said. "I didn't think someone of your... 'caliber' could hold on so long."
My caliber?
You'd do well to choose your words carefully.
Underestimating someone is a mistake. But she's not doing that—she's trying to provoke me, to see how I react.
It won't work.
I'm not like that.
I nodded slightly.
"I did what I could."
Maerin nodded, but I could see she wasn't entirely convinced.
"I understand. I'll be keeping an eye on you... Rei ArcDusk," she said, as if committing the name to memory.
Great.
Just what I needed.
Now I have to deal with her too. Fine—so be it.
I'll be watching you too... Maerin Disruptia.
No matter what it takes, I cannot be discovered by anyone.
If I am to root out the Broken Eclipse Order.
I must be invisible here.
And by night...
The shadow will hunt.
✦☾✦
Night fell slowly over the capital. The streets were lit by the soft glow of magical streetlamps. At this hour, almost no one was out of their homes.
But there are exceptions.
Arisa walked the nearly empty streets with a small group of guards.
Due to royal business, the princess had been summoned to a meeting with her father, the King of Lumengrad.
She'd left the academy.
But her mind was still there.
On the test.
The way Rei hadn't flinched during the exam irritated her.
Tsk... how could he hold on so long? It's absurd.
But the more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
The way he'd fallen...
It was too perfect.
Like he'd chosen exactly when to give way.
The thought made her even angrier. She was the princess—how could some random noble be better than her?
And that's when she remembered his
Those crimson eyes…
They looked far too much like his.
Arisa shook her head, annoyed at her own thoughts.
"No, it couldn't have been him," she whispered.
To her, Rei was a strange creature—always serious, calm, and unflappable.
Nothing like him.
Her savior.
He's amazing, strong, a total hero and… handsome.
Arisa's cheeks flushed pink.
"What am I saying… a princess shouldn't have such thoughts," she scolded herself.
Even so, she was certain of one thing: there was no comparing the two of them.
The princess was so lost in thought that she didn't notice what was happening around her.
Shadows moved across the rooftops, tracking her every step.
They were too organized to be common bandits.
Too mindless to be independent kidnappers.
The Order of the Broken Eclipse.
Arisa heard a cry behind her.
When she turned, the guard who had been walking at her back was gone.
Vanished without a trace.
The remaining guards tensed. One stepped in front of her.
"We're under attack," he said. "Protect the princess."
Arisa's hand moved to the hilt of her sword.
She was no damsel in distress.
She knew how to fight.
A spell shot out of the darkness.
Another guard fell.
Silently.
Without warning.
By then, Arisa had already drawn her blade. She stared into the shadows with a cold gaze.
"Show yourselves, cowards."
Laughter echoed through the air.
It seemed to come from every direction at once.
They were mocking her.
Mocking her demand.
But that laughter… it sounded hollow.
Like it was just another programmed command.
Then they revealed themselves.
Hooded figures with scars that looked more like dull white cracks in their skin, wearing masks emblazoned with the symbol of a broken eclipse.
"From light and shadow… nothing shall remain," one murmured.
"Break the light. Silence the shadow. Restore the void," another echoed.
"Only in the void is the world complete!" the rest finished in unison.
Arisa's grip tightened on her sword.
They didn't look human.
They looked like beings without will of their own.
And most unsettling of all—they had no shadows.
Where their shadows should have been, there was simply nothing.
Arisa recognized them.
After all, they were the reason she had become who she was.
"You again," she said with disdain. "Come to finish what you started years ago?"
The hooded figures gave no answer.
They weren't made to answer.
Only to follow orders.
"Seize… the princess…"
"SEIZE THE PRINCESS!"
The masked men charged at the guards.
Swords clashed.
The sound of metal against metal rang out through the night.
The guards' blades shone with the familiar gleam of steel.
The Order's swords had no shine at all.
They did not reflect light—they seemed to devour it.
But they were still sharp.
The third guard fell, and that fact was confirmed.
Arisa fought the urge to jump into the fray.
She didn't need protection. She could handle herself.
One of the masked men tried to grab her from behind.
She reacted before he could strike.
Twisting her hips, she let him lunge past her.
The hooded figure was now facing away.
Arisa did not hesitate.
With a fluid motion, she cut him across the back, then across the neck.
His body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
Arisa smiled.
"They're not all that impressive."
But when she looked up, the sight before her was grim.
The masked men were overwhelming the few guards left standing.
It all happened in the time it took for Arisa to take down her attacker.
Now she was alone.
No one left to help her.
Arisa gritted her teeth.
"Damn it… I'm not afraid of you."
She tried to sound brave, but the odds were not in her favor.
The kidnappers laughed again and charged at her.
Arisa braced herself to fight for her life.
She prepared for the worst—for being outnumbered, for being taken by force, for whatever horrors might follow.
But none of that came to pass.
Suddenly, the masked men froze in place.
An indescribable chill ran down Arisa's spine.
Her skin prickled, muscles tensing against her will.
It felt as if their hearts had stopped—just for an instant, but long enough to spark panic.
A primal signal shot through her mind:
"They will kill you. Now."
Arisa felt it too, but pride kept her from trembling.
Or so she told herself.
She was shaking anyway.
"What… what is that presence?"
Then he appeared behind them.
He was there.
A long military coat, black as night with gold trim.
Reinforced black gloves.
Tall combat boots.
A military-style cap sat atop his head.
Black hair tossed about by the wind in disarray.
And…
Those intense crimson eyes, glowing with a light that seemed otherworldly.
The shadows around him grew deeper.
They did not flee from him—instead, they stretched slowly toward his form, as if a king had entered his domain.
"Dark… the shadow with crimson eyes," one whispered, trembling.
"Step aside," the stranger said.
His voice was calm, carrying authority without needing to be raised.
He lifted his hand.
Threads of shadow spread out toward the kidnappers, wrapping around their limbs and holding them still.
Shadow Threads—that was their name.
The hooded figures struggled against the bindings, but their efforts were useless.
The stranger remained calm.
"Don't move… or it will hurt more."
He made a subtle gesture, as if pulling on the threads.
The strands tightened.
Instead of yanking their limbs, they sharpened into blades.
Arms and legs were severed in seconds.
The attackers let out screams of agony.
The stranger did not flinch, as if he couldn't even see them writhing.
One managed to break free just in time, cutting through the threads before they fully tightened.
But he was only delaying the inevitable.
The stranger sighed.
"Pointless."
A dry sound cut through the air—small, almost unnoticeable, like a needle slicing through wind.
Three dark needles pierced the limbs of three targets: one in the shoulder, one in the elbow, one in the knee.
Their mobility vanished.
They collapsed to the ground, unable to support their weight.
They were not dead—not yet—but they would have preferred it.
The stranger summoned a sword of shadow from the darkness.
"Let's end this."
In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind one of them—not directly behind, but in the shadow beside him.
Umbra Step.
The stranger did not give him the chance to turn around.
He struck before the man could react.
Only two remained.
The masked men, their limbs maimed, launched one last desperate attack—charging him together, aiming straight for his chest.
The stranger did not move.
Instead, he let their blows land.
Darkness enveloped him, and their attacks passed right through him as if he were intangible.
Dark Armor.
The stranger sighed again.
"Pathetic," he stated.
He vanished from their sight.
The masked men felt it once more—that stabbing sensation, as if death were breathing down their necks.
The signal reached their minds a second time, a whisper from the reaper herself:
"They will kill you. Now."
And she was right.
The stranger had not left—he was still there.
They were decapitated before they could even glimpse him.
Their bodies fell to the ground unceremoniously, heads rolling across the pavement.
The stranger stood still for a moment, then pulled out a white handkerchief with a small mint-green spot. He wiped the blood from his face slowly, almost deliberately.
It was a habit… and a ritual.
He folded the cloth carefully and tucked it away with the care one gives to something precious.
The stranger lifted his gaze to Princess Arisa.
Arisa took an involuntary step back. Fear was the one thing that infuriated her most that night.
The stranger walked toward her slowly.
"You're safe," he said, as if delivering a report.
Arisa pointed her sword at him.
"Don't come any closer."
But then she looked into his eyes.
Red eyes… similar, no—they were his.
Arisa lowered her sword, her eyes brightening.
"You…" she whispered. "It's you!"
The stranger furrowed his brow.
"Do I know you?"
Arisa felt a flash of offense, but excitement won out.
"It was you," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "You saved me that day. Don't you remember?"
Silence hung between them.
The stranger seemed to think for a moment, then his eyes widened just slightly—barely perceptible.
It was not surprise.
It was recognition.
"You… you were that little girl."
Arisa nodded.
"Yes. You saved me when I was young."
She took a step toward him.
"I couldn't thank you then—you left before I had the chance."
"I don't do this for thanks."
Arisa's cheeks turned red.
"You're just as I remembered…"
The stranger looked up at the moon.
"I have to go."
Arisa panicked. She didn't want him to leave like last time—just vanish into thin air.
She grabbed his arm before he could turn away.
"At least… at least tell me your name," she pleaded.
The stranger tensed at her touch. He was not used to it—not from anyone who wasn't her.
He gently moved her hand from his arm, then met her eyes.
He saw the desperation there—all for a name.
Against his better judgment, he granted her request.
More or less.
"You can call me… Dark."
Arisa knew it was only an alias—not his real name—but it was enough for her.
The stranger faded away before she could say thank you, disappearing as if he had never been there at all.
All that remained were the bodies of the fallen and an elated Arisa.
She had found her savior—the one who had saved her as a child—and now she knew his name.
Or at least what he wanted to be called.
What Arisa did not know was that her savior was closer than she could have imagined.
Very close indeed.
She did not know he was in her very room.
By day, he tried to be invisible.
By night, he hunted.