"I've decoded it," announced the renowned Runesmith as he stepped out of his tent without pause.

His sudden declaration caught everyone's attention. A woman quickly approached him, her steps brisk. "Sir? What did you discover?"

Alfred, a middle-aged man with a bald head and a sharp goatee, flashed a grin as he held up a worn parchment. "I've finally deciphered the runes. And do you want to know who wrote them?"

The woman, Ivy—an officer from the Starlight Vault—leaned in slightly. "Who, sir?"

Lowering his voice, Alfred replied with reverence, "My inspiration. Our god. The one and only… Lord Avirin."

His words echoed through the air, drawing the attention of those in the nearby camps.

Ivy's eyes widened, and she bit her lip. 'So the assumptions were right.'

Wasting no time, she turned to a nearby soldier and ordered firmly, "Go. Bring the Master. We need to excavate this place immediately and find out what those cubes are protecting."

°°°°°°

Sylvie sat in the library with her friends, poring over notes and books as they prepared for the upcoming Aegis Trials—one of the three major assessments every student had to pass to secure a decent grade card. It was also a key step toward graduation.

Though she was a princess with a future already paved for her—one that wouldn't be threatened even if she failed—Sylvie still cared deeply about her exams and academic performance.

Her fate wasn't set in stone. Her father had never forced her into any role. And even now that her older brother—the crowned prince—was gone, no one expected her to take his place.

Her path remained unchanged. She wanted to become a researcher.

Not specifically a rune researcher—though part of her might lean in that direction, likely influenced by her growing feelings for a certain professor. But what truly fascinated her was the history of the world.

The rise and fall of civilizations, the wars humanity once waged, and the deep scars left behind—those stories called to her. She wanted to understand the pain and endurance of those who came before.

"Sylvie, you have to help," Olivia suddenly called out, snapping her from her thoughts.

"Hm?" The princess looked up. "Help with what?"

Olivia didn't waste a second. "Allen's thinking of withdrawing from the team."

Sylvie blinked, startled, and turned to the boy sitting beside Olivia. "What? Why? What happened?"

Allen lowered his gaze and gave a small shake of his head. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

Olivia frowned, clearly frustrated. "Why are you hiding things from her? She's your friend, Allen. You should trust her."

When he stayed silent, Olivia exhaled and added, "You heard about the assessment this morning, right?"

Sylvie nodded. She had heard that Professor Adrian had tested Allen today. She didn't know the full story, but rumors said the professor had completely overwhelmed him.

Maybe she had thought those rumors were exaggerated—until now.

Looking at Allen's downcast expression, she realized there might have been more truth to them than she first believed.

Olivia continued, "He failed twice when he tried to attack the Professor. But when he defended, he actually stood a chance."

Sylvie tilted her head. "So... you're not satisfied with being a defender, even though that's where you performed best? Are you really that stubborn, Allen?"

The black-haired boy let out a long sigh. "That's not it. I—I failed the third time too. It's just… I held my ground longer than before."

Sylvie hummed, resting her elbow on the table and propping her chin on her knuckles. "So multiple defeats crushed your spirit, and now you've decided to back out."

Allen didn't respond, but the silence said enough.

Olivia looked worried, her eyes flicking between the two, but Sylvie didn't try to console him. Instead, she asked directly, "What did Professor Adrian say? Did he tell you you're unfit for the role?"

Allen shook his head. "No… he said sometimes it's better to accept what you didn't want. That the world might see your potential better than you can yourself."

Sylvie leaned back in her chair, brows slightly raised. "And you don't believe him?"

Allen clicked his tongue, frustrated. "That's not the point. I lost, okay? And because of that… I just don't think I'm the right choice anymore. That's all."

A brief silence settled over the three of them.

Sylvie finally understood the problem.

She let out a quiet sigh, her gaze dropping to the table before she spoke.

"When I first met you, Allen… I was drawn to you. Not in a romantic way—but out of pure admiration for who you were."

Allen blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in tone, but he said nothing and listened.

"You had this raw hunger when you entered the academy," she continued. "It was inspiring. Something I genuinely respected. I became your friend because I saw honest greed in you—greed to grow stronger, to move forward. Yes, you were tied to your past, but you never let it chain you down. Nothing held you back. You kept walking. Kept improving."

She looked up with a mocking smile. "And now… I see someone else. Someone scared of failure. Someone clinging to pride."

Allen drew in a sharp breath.

Olivia tensed at the words, glancing anxiously between them.

But nothing could stop Sylvie now.

"You're always trying to compete with someone. Always getting your fragile ego bruised whenever you lose. And this habit you've developed—of giving up the moment things go wrong? It's pathetic. It makes my skin crawl. Makes me wonder if I truly saw fire in you… or if I was just plain wrong."

Allen's lips parted slightly. His chest felt tight, a strange coldness creeping into his heart.

It stung.

Not because her words were harsh—but because they were true.

Sylvie shook her head slowly.

"You don't want to improve anymore. You just want to prove that you're better. That you're the best. And when you fail at that… you sulk. You hide. You get scared—"

"Sylvie!" Olivia cut in, her voice firm, trying to stop her.

But the princess only shrugged. "Well, someone had to say it to his face."

She picked her books and got up, "Don't drag me into his mess unless you want to hear the truth, Olivia." And just when she was about to step away, she told Allen,

"I really hope you listen to Professor Adrian. He knows about his students better than they know about themselves."

°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.