Lunch Break.

Riiing~ Riiing~

The classroom erupted with chatter. Margaret, Emilia, and Kione went down to the cafeteria together. Their trays held simple yet appetizing food — cheese sandwiches, creamy soup, fresh fruit, and chilled milk.

“There’s an elective period this afternoon,” Emilia said. “Have you decided what to take?”

“Join swordsmanship with me!” she added eagerly.

Margaret shook her head with a shy smile.

“No, thank you. I’m not really good with physical training…”

Kione leaned closer.

“Then, Lady Margaret— or should I say, little mage— are you interested in magic?”

“Of course! But I’ve only read about it in books and tried a few small spells.”

“Oh right,” Emilia tilted her head thoughtfully. “Corvin’s taking magic class too… but he skipped school this morning.”

Kione muttered under her breath.

“Probably for the best. If he were there, your sister would’ve been his new plaything by now.”

That Afternoon

Professor Rine appeared, cheerful as always.

“Ah, there you are! I’ve been looking for you. Margaret, which elective are you choosing?”

“Um… I’d like to try magic class.”

“Wonderful! I sensed that you have quite a bit of mana, actually.”

She smiled and gestured.

“Come, I’ll take you to the magic classroom.”

Margaret followed her down the corridor until they stopped before a wooden door. Professor Rine opened it.

Inside was a boy who looked up at her entrance.

“You’re in the wrong room, kid. This area’s for Grade 2 students.”

“She’s not mistaken,” the professor said. “She’s the new student joining our class.”

Then she turned to Margaret.

“You’ll sit next to him — he can show you around,” she said, before stepping out.

As soon as Margaret sat down, the boy — Corvin — smirked.

“Think you can handle it, kid? What element’s your affinity? Actually, never mind — I’ll find out myself.”

Before she could respond, Corvin had already begun chanting.
A fiery red circle shimmered in midair — a flame spell.

Margaret froze, eyes wide in fear.
But then, an image from one of her books flashed in her mind — a pattern, a line of words.

Instinctively, she whispered the incantation.

A glowing barrier sprang up around her, dispersing the fire spell in a single pulse.

Corvin blinked, stunned.

“Wha…?”

Just then, the rest of the students arrived, followed by Professor Rine, who began lecturing about mana flow as if nothing unusual had happened.

When class finally ended, Margaret walked out to find Emilia waiting for her. Together, they boarded the family’s carriage home.

Back at the Wahles Estate

As soon as the carriage stopped before the gates, Margaret’s eyes widened.
The mansion was decorated brilliantly — lanterns, red carpets, garlands of flowers winding up the stairs. The entire place glowed with festivity.

That evening, Emilia appeared in a short, pale green dress — both lively and elegant. Guests murmured in admiration as confetti sparkled through the air like starlight.
It felt like a fairytale celebration.

Everything was going smoothly…
Until the music shifted.

Shing!

In an instant, both Emilia and Kione drew their swords — and clashed in the middle of the grand hall!

Gasps filled the room. Guests stepped back, half in awe, half in panic.

Margaret stood frozen beside her foster parents.

“What… what’s happening?” she whispered.

Steel clashed in rhythmic flashes. The two girls moved with incredible precision — until both simultaneously stopped, blades meeting midair, and bowed politely.

Emilia dusted her hands off and turned to Margaret.

“Come with me for a moment.”

She took her sister’s hand and led her out of the ballroom, toward a quieter guest chamber.
Inside, two people were waiting — Kione… and Corvin.

Margaret blinked, surprised.

“What’s going on…?”

Corvin grinned casually, as if they were already friends.

“Hey there, kid. So you’re Emilia’s little sister, huh?”

“Y-Yes, sir,” Margaret replied politely.

“Wait— you two know each other?!” Emilia and Kione said in unison.

“I… sat next to him in magic class,” Margaret explained softly.

Emilia narrowed her eyes.

“You didn’t do anything to her, did you?”

“Hey, I just tried a little fire spell on her, that’s all! I didn’t even—”

Kione sighed inwardly.

“Called it.”

Before anyone could retort, a sudden chill filled the room — Emilia’s killing aura.

At that exact moment, the maid Aricia entered, bowing gracefully.

“Ladies Emilia and Margaret, the Duke and Duchess are waiting in the study.”

In the Duke’s Study

Both sisters stepped inside. Their parents were already there.
The Duke smiled warmly, his gaze resting on Emilia.

“Emilia, the time has come for you to receive your family’s sacred heirloom.”

Before Margaret could ask, a brilliant light enveloped Emilia — and she vanished.

“Sister?!” Margaret cried out.

The Duke spoke gently.

“Within House Wahles, each member inherits a gift from our ancestors when they reach maturity. Emilia has been summoned to that place.”

Moments later, the light returned — and Emilia reappeared, holding a sword unlike any other.

“They gave me this,” she said, puzzled but proud. “Something about… a ‘Flameblade’. They said I’d need it someday.”

Margaret stared, wide-eyed.

“It… looks like a regular sword, though…”

After the ceremony, the sisters returned to the now-empty hall. The guests had left, and on the table lay only a note:

“Our home’s pretty far, so we had to leave first. See you next time!”

“So Kione and Corvin left already, huh…” Emilia muttered, tucking the note into her pocket.

That night, back in her room, Emilia placed the sword on her desk.
She examined it curiously, wondering—

What exactly was this sword meant to do?