Strictly speaking, Azenka Military Academy was never a real school. There were no lectures, no drills, no instructors. Cadets received only room and board - and the single most valuable privilege in the knightly world: the title of candidate to become a squire for the Celestial Knights.
"That title alone is impressive, isn't it?" a newly appointed administrator murmured, staring out the office window.
"A stepping stone to serving the strongest order on the continent."
His senior looked up from the endless pile of application forms and snorted.
"What are you rambling about all of a sudden?"
"I just… suddenly felt proud, you know? That even if it's just as an administrator, I'm affiliated with the Celestial Knights."
"You're such a sap."
The city of Azenka, where the Azenka Military Academy was located, was governed by the Celestial Knights. Azenka didn't belong to any country. That's because the Celestial Knights were an order that transcended national borders.
"How many of them do you think will actually become Celestial Knights?"
"Maybe none."
"No way."
"You can't become a full Celestial Knight unless you're a Master. And becoming a Master isn't easy, you know?"
"…Wait, I thought all knights were Masters?"
"Listen to this guy. That's a scary thing to say. You're from Azenka, right? Have you lived here your whole life?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Dude, the Celestial Knights being made up entirely of Masters is what's weird. Why do you think they're called the strongest for nothing?"
"So other knight orders accept non-Masters as knights?"
"In most countries, they barely have a few Masters. But here, even the regular knights are considered Masters just because they can channel mana into their swords. And on top of that, there are the Giosa Owners…"
"Oh, hey, what's that person doing?"
The new recruit cut off his senior's explanation in a baffled tone. She frowned, clearly annoyed at being interrupted mid-sentence.
"Hey, you brat. Were you even listening to me?"
"S-senior, look at that!"
The new recruit flailed, pointing outside. A commotion could be heard from beyond the window. Just as she was about to scold him, the senior officer was distracted by the noise and finally approached the window.
"What's going on? …What the...?"
Her mouth dropped open as she looked outside. The junior, now beside her, asked, "Senior, how many years did you say you've worked here?"
"Seven…"
"…And have you ever seen an applicant like that before?"
"Do you think I have?"
"Didn't think so…"
"I've seen all kinds of applicants, but that one's definitely the first."
All eyes were on a single girl.
It wasn't just because she was a woman. While there were more men, plenty of the applicants were female, and there were female knights in the Celestial Knights as well.
Because she was pretty?
Well, she was pretty. She looked to be around twenty. Her face was younger than that, but her figure was mature.
Her skin was milky white. Her hair, half tied up and half left loose, was a pale pink. Her large eyes-resembling ripe grapes-were a deep violet that made her seem even more youthful.
Her small, plump lips were flushed like flower petals. She looked so delicate and lovely it seemed as though touching her would leave pollen on your fingertips.
There was no one around, yet a voice grumbled inside her head. It came from the mark engraved on her right palm-the voice of something dwelling within, speaking directly to her soul.
Echi smirked.
"Of course I am. Why do you think I came all the way here? I came to get rid of you."
[Hey! I'm the reason you even learned how to turn back time!]
"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have needed to in the first place."
[Aw, come on—be a little more forgiving. That's all in the past now, right? Let's not cling to a history that's already been erased, hmm?]
"Shut up, you damn cursed sword."
Echi shot back in a voice far more venomous than one would expect from her delicate tone. She ignored the muttering of the cursed sword in her mind and headed toward the site of the first official exam.
The testing ground wasn't far. Those who had passed the preliminaries were already gathering there.
Echinacea stopped at the entrance. Clenching her right hand as if to hide the mark, she took a deep breath.
This is where it begins.
She intended to become a full-fledged knight of the Celestial Knights. To stand out-without arousing suspicion.
It couldn't be helped that she'd end up breaking records by achieving knighthood in the shortest time possible. But even so, she had to avoid seeming unnatural. She had to maintain the image of being just a "normal" genius-no more, no less. All while achieving her goal.
Most of all, she must never become entangled with that noble Commander. No matter how much she wanted to see him again. She couldn't let sentiment ruin the second life she had fought so hard to gain.
'Even if Yurien somehow remembers… I look so different now.'
Echi looked down at her lavish attire. There was a reason she had dressed up like this.
Echinacea Roaz was living her second life.
At thirty-five years old, she had turned back time fifteen years. She had erased the past she so desperately wanted gone-by her own hand.
This second shot at being twenty wasn't some gift of luck.
It was a miracle she had claimed for herself.