POV: Liyn
Several weeks have passed since that incident. Senpai and I agreed to keep it a secret—not only because of the peculiarity of the situation at the time, but also because of its connection to my old secret. Especially... my mother's ancient inheritance.
"Oii, Liyn!"
Myra's voice called from beside me, then her hand touched my shoulder. Reflexively, I flinched because of the wound that hadn't fully healed—one I had inflicted on myself.
"A-aww..." I groaned unconsciously.
"Eh? Does it hurt? I'm so sorry, I think I touched it too hard. I've been calling you for a while now," Myra said with a slightly guilty expression.
"Eh... no, it's okay! I was just startled, hehe." I quickly smiled to hide the pain.
"So you really didn't hear me earlier?" Myra replied sharply, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.
"Hehe..." I hadn't finished answering when she cut me off.
"What are you thinking about anyway? You've been acting like you're floating around for the past week."
"No, I'm just feeling quiet lately, that's all," I answered, trying to sound casual.
Myra still stared at me with a suspicious look.
"Besides… the Final Exam is coming up soon, so I've been thinking about that." I added quickly, changing the subject.
"Yeah, I guess so. This is your first time taking exams at this school," Myra replied casually.
To be honest, I've been here for over a month now, and it's almost driving me crazy. If I end up at the bottom of the class, will I get expelled? That thought made my chest tighten.
"There you go, spacing out again…" Myra sighed boredly, her tone growing more impatient. It seemed like she was losing her patience.
"Yeah, yeah, sorry! I'm really nervous about the exam…" I said hurriedly.
The bell suddenly rang, cutting off our conversation. All the students began preparing, sitting up straight and getting their writing tools ready.
Today, as expected, was everyone's favorite subject—Syntara.
And of course, it was Leith-senpai's class.
"Alright, everyone. Today, I have some interesting news to share," Senpai said as he pulled his chair to the front of the class and sat comfortably with his legs crossed. His face looked bright—clearly in a good mood.
"To be honest, I never thought I'd experience this period in my life," he continued. "I'm sure you've all heard the rumors about the strongest Knight and Athena—stories that were once just considered bedtime tales…"
He stood up and took a piece of chalk, then began writing names on the board.
"…But today, we will witness that the fairy tale is not just a story. It is real. And everything… starts now."
Senpai wrote a list on the blackboard, then pointed down.
"We'll start with the seventh rank," he said. "The Knight of Goodness—Nexora Maria. According to legend, she is a long-range Syn type. Her primary weapon is a special fan, and she has the ability to teleport all the knights through her spellbook. Maria was in the same class as me—she was very quiet, looked elegant, but on the battlefield… she was incredibly tough."
"Sixth rank—Knight of Purity – Virgo Fudo. To be honest, I don't know much about her. The information I found mentions that she is a cloaked Syn, with a shield as her primary weapon. She can be called a protective knight."
"Number five—Knight of Women. As the name suggests, this cloak is specifically designed for female fighters. Her primary weapon is a spear. What's most interesting... the current owner comes from the human world. Her name is Kohara."
Some students began whispering, clearly intrigued.
"I'm sure you're wondering," Senpai continued, "how someone from the human world, who doesn't possess Veyra, can wear a knight's cloak?"
He set down his chalk and looked at us seriously.
"Alright, listen carefully. What distinguishes Knights and Athenas from ordinary Syn is their armor. These armors are passed down through generations, and the arrival of their owners is often marked by the onset of a great disaster. Their task is to resolve that disaster—whether it threatens humans or Synatara."
"And... the cloak chooses its own owner."
The classroom fell silent. I—who had been completely captivated since the beginning—immediately raised my hand.
God, this part of history really fascinates me.
"Sen—er, Sir... is it possible for someone who wasn't chosen by the cloak to still wear it?" I asked enthusiastically.
Senpai smiled.
"Good question, Liyn," he said. "Before the cloak found its true owner—or before the chosen one appeared—many tried to wear it. And some of them... succeeded."
He paused for a moment, then looked at the entire class.
"But do you know what happens?"
The room fell silent again. Some students shook their heads.
"There are three possibilities," Senpai continued. "First, the person might go mad. Second, the cloak won't function at its full potential—meaning its power is weak, not on par with a true knight. And lastly… death."
The entire class held their breath.
"That's why the cloak can only be used by those who are chosen."
I raised my hand again. "Then… what if the cloak chooses an evil person?"
Senpai narrowed his eyes, then smiled slightly.
"You're asking that because you're not sure about the Female Knight, are you?" he teased.
My cheeks flushed, but I didn't deny it.
"If that happens," Senpai replied more seriously, "then the strongest Athena has the authority to take back the cloak. And find a new worthy owner."
Suddenly, Viola, who was sitting in the front row, spoke up.
"So… that means we can't fully trust the cloak's selection, right?" she said sarcastically.
Senpai chuckled. "Good question, Viola. Listen carefully. The cloak can only choose based on strength compatibility. It can't distinguish between good and evil. And… the previous case of the Dark Knight proved that."
The room fell silent once more. The name—Dark Knight—had a powerful impact. I could even feel a sudden chill creeping beneath my uniform. As is well-known, the Dark Knight's cloak was once owned by the hero Akrafel Erlik Storn.
"According to history—though most of it is considered legend—the Dark Knight was once blinded by the power he possessed," Senpai said, his voice calm yet heavy with tension.
He stood at the front of the class and began writing on the blackboard.
"Darkness is not inherently evil," he continued. "What distinguishes the darkness of the Dark Knight from that of Velmort is one crucial thing: goodness."
A few whispers could be heard from the students, but Senpai continued without paying attention.
"Darkness itself is divided into two main types," he said, writing down two great names:
Velmort – Darkness filled with anger and destruction.
Vhalariel – Veyra the Holy Darkness.
"Velmort is the manifestation of darkness filled with anger, hatred, and chaos. This source of power is wild and difficult to control, often consuming its users."
Meanwhile, Vhalariel—" Senpai emphasized, "—is a rare form of darkness. It does not arise from hatred, but from the deepest sorrow and sacrifice. It is darkness that is... sacred."
"So far, Vhalariel—the Sacred Darkness Veyra—has only ever been possessed by the Knights of Darkness.
However, hundreds of years ago, when the Second Dark Knight was born...
the name Veyra was tarnished.
And since then, the world no longer views darkness in the same way.