Within the white void that was once a false desert, a person stood. Cloaked in magical obscurity, their mithril blade yet to be unsheathed, their thoughts running rampant. It was a failure on their part, or perhaps…

“It wasn't.”

The person spoke, a female voice deeply muffled by a mask. If it wasn't for the cloak, it's clear that her eyes and skin would be present for all to see. But because of it, only a vague shadow loomed over her, her true eyes replaced with a vague pair of red glow.

It wasn't her fault, it was the girl’s fault. Whoever that was, white hair and silver eyes, she jeopardised the mission.

Because of that girl, her chosen target was not dead. Because of her, the princess had a fighting chance.

Despite the both of them having no chance at all in winning against her, they did not lose.

Despite the princess' surprising precision in her own swordsmanship being quickly overwhelmed, she survived.

The bridge in skill, speed, and experience between them was too vast, so it's illogical for them to win.

So really, it all came down to chance, and she blew it.

She had every reason and logical understanding to win. After all, despite the existence of the technology that determines one’s strengths and attributes, things that cannot be quantified nor extrapolated into its most complete form by the technology remained as the key to victory.

“How foolish…”

That was the foolishness of humans, she thought. They cared only for short term gains, never in the long term. It did not make sense for the technology they developed to be used this way, yet they did.

Her employer was the same as well in her eyes. But she couldn't complain.

The time of her race had long been over, they live in diasporas and scattered across the world now. She just had to make do.

At least the pay was good, and at least her employer had a reason to do this. She cared not for the politics, but at least the reason was valid enough in her eyes despite how short-sighted it was.

She looked at the shining clear silver-like blade of her sword, its metal capable of piercing nearly anything no matter how durable they are, thanks to the craftsmanship of her race.

She's still in deep thought, a rather sombre and melancholic feeling. Her expression can't be shown in the exterior, but she furrowed her eyebrows slightly in concern.

Not for her race and its current condition, but for herself as a being.

It was clear that she couldn't exactly do this forever. She had done this same dance over and over again for centuries now. Being paid by kings, queens, dictators, and pretty much every term for the elite she could remember. To kill for them, to make sure that their claim in the world remains valid in the eyes of their subjects, to make sure that their rivals were gone.

It wasn't her fault that she was forced to do this, it was them. This was simply a method of honing her craft, that was all.

From her sword dancing, to the act of rewriting the formulas of magic. All of this was just to hone her craft.

This was her reason. But her failure remains not in hers, but the unpredictable factor that was the silver-eyed girl.

Therefore, in order to finish this task of hers. In order to compensate for her loss—

“I will remove her first.”

And with that said and done, she sliced the thin air of this room. Space itself was cut open, revealing a wound in reality. A technique utilising her understanding of the principles of the world, combined with her skill in the sword thanks to her blade dancing path.

She sheathed her mithril blade as her cloak flowed through the wind that came rushing in from the rift. Having nothing else to ponder about, the assassin walked inside. The spatial wound would then close by itself, leaving the white world lonesome once more.

————————

“So…that was certainly a thing!”

Elysia was the first to speak up amongst the five-man group that was formed during the trial. It was after a short appraisal speech by Hilde and her telling the successful students on what to do now, gaining their dorm keys and all. And currently, the combat professor was talking to the ones that failed and what they could do.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Marilyn wondered for a bit what these people could do, and she was not sure if these students would get an opportunity to study here if they failed. She heard from her father that the ones that failed could always try next year, and since the academy works more like a college there wasn't much taboo of older students studying early year courses either. But she wouldn't want to think about it, it's a bit too complex of a topic to contemplate right now.

In fact, her main concern as of recently was…

“That person…”

The assassin, that figure was simply and should not be part of the trial. It's too coincidental and dangerous, and she's saying this after fighting an army of phantoms and a massive dragon.

Even with her immortality, the sheer presence of that individual brought a fear of death in her eyes. Not just for herself, but for Cecilia too.

“...it’s worrying.”

“Hm? Did you say something, Lyn-lyn?”

Marilyn was caught talking to herself again, this time by Elysia. She was startled, forced to turn her head towards her. In fact, it was not just her, it was pretty much all four of the people she knows here staring at her.

“U-uhm….” She's faltering in her words.

“It's about that, isn't it?” Cecilia was the first to try and guess. Well, it wasn't a guess, both her and Marilyn know what they're talking about.

She froze for a bit, but Marilyn promptly nodded. It made Elysia a bit disappointed that she couldn't understand them.

“Is this some human thing that I don't understand?” The dragon-kin lady said.

“No, I don't really know either.” Adrian would then respond.

The crowd of the students that have succeeded would be leaving the great hall that they're in as they conversed. The ones that failed have also left. Only they and a few others that are celebrating by taking pictures together haven't. But they too gradually left the room.

Marilyn would look towards the other three people however, with a smile at that. “Don't worry, this is really just a talk between us girls that fell from the skies.” She said to them.

She wouldn't want the others to worry, and she also doesn't want to overblow this issue despite how dire it was. The best course of action in her mind was to report this to the teachers, especially—

"You have yet to leave? I specifically told you that you can.”

The five of them turned towards the woman, who's actually pretty short, around Marilyn's height.

“Mrs. Hilde!” Marilyn exclaimed.

“It’s Ms. Hilde, I’m not married yet.” She said, crossing her arms. “Something wrong?”

“These two ain't telling us anything. Probably just girl-talk honestly.” Vincent said to her, shouldering his shotgun again.

“I’m sure it's still something important to them. No need for our help right now, yeah?” Adrian retorted, turning towards Marilyn and Cecilia.

“Y-yeah, we can always call you whenever necessary.” The silver-eyed girl responded.

“I guess we're doing it that way then. Sure.” Cecilia replied as well.

Adrian smiled and turned to the professor again. “Welp then that settles it! Ms. Hilde, you said that getting the dorm room keys can be done later, right?”

“Correct, why do you ask?”

“It's nothing, I was thinking of going home after this so I can tell the news to my parents.” He said, he sheepishly smiled, scratching the back of his head.

Hilde just closed her eyes and sighed quietly, “Very well, you may go as you wish. There are no other activities today other than you students searching for your dorm rooms anyway.”

“Right, thank you for that, I truly appreciate it!” Adrian would reply.

“That’ll also be my cue to leave, I ain't planning no dorms anyway.” Vincent would say those words after the other young man, as he himself was walking away from the conversation.

“You live in the city then, Vivi?” Elysia asked him.

Vincent just responded with a wave. It was neither confirmation nor denial. It brought a bit of awkwardness, but he did not care one bit.

“In that case…I’ll leave it to you two, good luck!” Adrian would then leave after Vincent, waving off a farewell.

And not wanting to be left behind, Elysia followed suit, jogging towards him. “Hey, wait up!”

Now it was really just the three of them in this great hall, to which Hilde would not have her full attention to the princess and the Althorn.

“So, what is it that you want to discuss?” She asked the two.

“There's a potential assassin in this academy, we encountered them during the trial.” And Marilyn quickly responded, even Cecilia was surprised.

Hilde’s reaction though was…odd. Marilyn really expected her to lose her cool and panic a little, but no expression other than neutrality was shown. Even a slight worry wasn't presented.

She tried to question it, but she felt that it might be unnecessary.

“I see. Any other details about them? I’ll bring this information to the headmaster as soon as I can.” She said, breaking the brief awkward silence, a bit nonchalant.

“They had a mithril blade, and a cloak that obscured their identity. We aren't even sure about what we're looking at outside of them being humanoid.” Cecilia was the one to give this information, “Other than that, nothing else. We almost died to them, and I think I was the target? The moment Marilyn came to help they were targeting both of us, that's for sure.”

And Hilde nodded to that information being given to her, “If that is all, I would recommend that you two visit the academy's clinic near the engineering faculty complex, before going to the dormitory. Neither of us would want any wounds left untreated now would we?”

The two of them just nodded, so Hilde continued, “As I thought. But before you leave, I have one more thing to say.”

“What is it, Ms. Hilde?” Marilyn would ask her.

Hilde smiled a little, “Speaking of dorms, you two are living together as roommates, you can pick up your keys in the next room where the other students are. That is all.”

Without any sort of farewell, Hilde left the two to their own devices. Marilyn looked at Cecilia with eyes showing a bit of wonder, as she herself was thinking about what kind of life they'd have now that they would live together here in this very school.

Cecilia would say to her, “Just because both of us risked our lives together doesn't mean we're close friends. We will keep this relationship professional, understand?”

And Marilyn smiled, “Sure thing, princess.”