Theudifara: The Adventurer's Ambition is to Become the Empress

Days blurred into routine-chopping wood, scrubbing floors, dodging Claudia's sporadic appearances. When she did materialize, it was with scrolls clenched in scarred fists and orders barked over her shoulder.

Whenever we have free time, those of us who want to ace Nito train and study relentlessly. The day after the nation's founding festival concluded, the Guild would resume activities and open the Nito for a week. We only had one chance to take it. If we failed to pass within the upcoming week, we'd have to wait until the following month. A daunting prospect, considering we-except Alruna, of course-were desperate to secure decent jobs and wages as soon as possible.

By the sixth dawn, Leofric declared a reprieve. "The city awaits!"

Despite the chilly afternoon, we spilled into Aureo's frost-kissed streets: Manfred gaping at spice markets, Alruna sketching bridges, the twins darting between confectionery stalls. Leofric shepherded us towards the vast Lake Karl, where festival barges gleamed under milky sunlight.

"That one's huge!" Amalia pointed at a warship slicing through ice floes, its sails emblazoned with Mímameiðr, Ingvaeon's sacred symbol.

"Oh, that one? It's a galley from the navy," Leofric replied with a smile. "Do you know what's special about our navy, Amalia?"

"Ummm... If I'm not mistaken, our navy is the strongest in all of Zea!" she said proudly.

"That's right! And tomorrow, on the nation's founding day, those ships will parade in the harbor and put on a show for all the people of Aureo!"

"And those two in the middle," he pointed out, "are the pride of Ingvaeon Kingdom-the König Egbert and the Großer Gründer. Both acting as flagships of the Western and Eastern Fleets respectively."

"Wow...! I can't wait to see the parade tomorrow!" Amalia beamed with excitement.

Amelie tugged my sleeve. "Why's it got so many flags?"

"Each represents a certain region," I said. "See the crimson-white one? That's Gaede's banner."

Alruna paled. "Home feels smaller from here."

The lake tour bored Manfred senseless. Almost everywhere the eyes could see, it's just mounds of white frost and clusters of snow-covered pine trees. That is, until the naval parade rehearsal began-warships firing ceremonial shots, ice sculptures erupting in geysers of diamond dust, naval battle formations in rapid succession, and more. Even Fleda stopped scowling.

"Tomorrow's parade will dwarf this," Leofric said as we disembarked. "Fireworks. Military shows. The King himself presiding."

After about an hour touring Lake Karl, the seven of us headed back to the mansion, satisfied with our city exploration. I was thoroughly exhausted, especially since I'd been tasked with carrying all the shopping bags. Still, I was happy to have spent the day with everyone. As evening approached, I intended to head straight to bed and enjoy a well-deserved rest.

"Ahh! Finally, we're home!" I exclaimed, dropping onto the bed with a thud.

"Oh, beloved mattress," I mumbled into the pillow. "Never leave me."

"Stop talking nonsense, Sis," Fleda chided gently.

"Hehe, it's fine. I'm just grateful to this bed for keeping me company these past five days."

"Don't fall asleep just yet! Help me prepare dinner!"

...

"Sis!"

...

She sighed. "Typical."

***

"Oh dear, nature's calling, nature's calling."

I jolted awake, the midnight chill biting my skin as I hurried to the back.

"Phew... Just in time."

Relief came swiftly. On my way back, a rhythmic swish-thwack along a familiar voice halted me from the garden. Who on earth's out there at this hour? Curiosity piqued, I crept to the window and peered through the glass.

"Hiyat! Ha! Ura!"

Ah-it was Alruna, drilling her spearwork under the moonlight. Though I'd seen her train countless times, her style never ceased to fascinate. Alruna's spear-fighting style was very unique. In these times, it was rare to find an elf who used a spear as their primary weapon. Especially with Alruna's distinctive style-the Löwe Glaive Arts.

The weapon's length let her attack from a distance, keeping foes at bay while she controlled the fight. Her movements were a symphony of precision: slash, pivot, thrust followed by a spinning thrust, each motion seamless. Her footwork, rooted and deliberate, could dismantle seasoned warriors. Yet one flaw lingered-her breathing grew erratic mid-battle, sapping her strikes of power.

Seeing her practice so intently, I decided to spar with her. But first, I returned to my room to retrieve Audiganus I kept under the bed.

"Hup!"

Thud!

A dramatic entrance, if I say so myself. I'd leapt from the window to save time, though the landing jolted my knees.

"Still practicing at this time, Fraulein?"

She spun, blade halting a hair's breadth from my throat. "Adele! Must you lurk like a goblin!?" Her cheeks flushed-whether from exertion or irritation, I couldn't tell.

"Haha, sorry, sorry."

She put down her glaive and paused for a few second before answering. "To answer that, it's a habit, I'm afraid. My father drilled me relentlessly as a girl. Even with my... frail constitution, I pushed myself. Training clears my head when doubt creeps in."

Habit, huh... I'm like that too. For me, swords had always been my own escape-a way to bury shadows from the past. I'd still be training even if my body starts to crumble.

"I... I might not pass the Nito trials this time," she admitted suddenly, gaze dropping. "Not after meeting you lot. You're all miles ahead. It's a bit frustrating, after everything I did to flee that... that stiff place."

Her voice frayed at the edges. Like me, like Fleda, she carried unspoken ghosts. Best not to pry.

"Come on, why dwell on that? Forget those nightmares you don't want to remember and spar with me!"

"Pfft! Haha!" Her laugh was sharp but bright. "Right then. Thanks for reminding me."

"You're welcome!"

Both of us immediately fell to stances. I unsheathed my sword; she leveled her glaive, moonlight catching its edge. The garden held its breath. Under the bright night sky, we were both eager to start the duel.

Alruna struck first, exploiting her weapon's reach to keep me distant. I backstepped her initial swing-then darted forward, closing the gap in two strides.

"Ah...!"

Her glaive whistled past my ear as I ducked. Now, I was right in front of her, only a few inches away. I swiftly swung my sword towards her and recited an incantation to disrupt her stance.

"Labuntur!"

Water instantly pooled beneath her boots. She faltered-but only for a heartbeat.

Incredibly, she pivoted, with her glaive arcing sideways. Just in time as my sword came at her from the left. Now, I was the one at a disadvantage. The momentum of her spear hadn't stopped from the initial slash. And, it came straight at me.

Crash!

With reflexes, I dodged to the right. Alruna's spear struck the ground filled with rounded stones. Her slashing power was no joke. A small crack immediately formed where her spear had hit.

"Hiyat!"

Without giving me any time, Alruna quickly swung her spear towards me again. It seemed I wouldn't be able to avoid this one.

Clang!

The sound of metal clashing resonated loudly. Alruna's speed and reflexes were insane, and I could barely parry her attack this time.

"Doctae hostem percusserit!"

Hoping to break out of my defensive position, I used a spell to shoot high-pressure water directly at Alruna. But it seemed it was a futile effort.

"Discedat!"

Wind exploded from her free hand, scattering the spray. In the chaos, she lunged her spear again. As a result, I hit the dirt after blocking her attack, gasping.

"...I thought once I closed the distance, you'd struggle to fight me. Turns out I was wrong. Alruna, your reflexes are truly incredible. If you had a perfect body, you'd undoubtedly become the world's strongest warrior with ease."

"...I'll take that as a compliment."

"Okay, maybe it's time I get serious."

***

"Ten minutes."

That's how long we clashed-blades screaming, Scripts crackling, the air thick with sweat and ozone. Ten minutes that stretched into an eternity. Sparring with Alruna was nothing like training with Fleda. Fleda fought like a cornered badger: all teeth and chaos. Alruna? She was a storm. Every pivot of her glaive carved arcs of silver light, her footwork precise even as her breath frayed. Close-range, mid-range-she dominated both, matching my speed despite her weapon's weight. A prodigy. But prodigies still bleed.

I shifted tactics. No more trading blows. Instead, I danced backward, hurling Scripts after Scripts. Ice froze her feet; numerous water and frost needles throw her off rhythm. Hit-and-run. Cheap? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely. She couldn't chant Scripts as fast as I could, and her glaive's reach became a liability as I bombarded her from all sides.

"Haaah... Haaah..."

Both Alruna and I were exhausted. The sparring session had been exhilarating. Even now, I could still feel the vibrations from Alruna's powerful strikes.

"You're... incredible," I managed between gulps of air. "Your body's not the problem. It's your head. You fight like someone told you you're broken. Stop believing them, and you'll outclass us all."

She stared at the moonlight, silent for a beat. "...Thanks..." A weak chuckle. "But you're not so invincible either. I almost had you twice."

"Almost doesn't fill the stables with manure."

She snorted, tossing a pebble at me. "Jerk."

But her smile lingered. Something had shifted-a quiet steel in her gaze. Earlier, she'd moved like a girl chasing validation. Now? She looked like a warrior who'd tasted her own potential.

Maybe this is the right time.

"Catch this." I threw my icy locket-a relic from my mysterious origins.

"What is..."

"It's something I've had since I was a baby. Do you know about it?"

Alruna paused and looked closely at the locket. I began to trust Alruna more since we spent our time together the past week. Sure, she's a noble. But my heart tells me that she's trustworthy enough to know my secret. Truth be told, no one in Ercangaud knew exactly what the locket was. So I just kept it in my pocket, hoping that someday someone I trusted would tell me.

"...I think the locket is just a cover. There's more to it than meets the eye. It even has an encryption Law embedded in it."

"Oh! Can you unlock it?"

"Sadly, no. This particular Law has a unique pattern, known only to the one who encoded it. But technically, you could brute force it. It might take about 10,000 years."

"Damn." I thought I was one step closer to unlocking the locket's secrets.

"Your only solution would be to find the person who gave you this locket. Until then, keep it close to you and don't show it to anyone except those you trust. If I'm not mistaken, it could be related to the royal family, judging by the design of the locket."

Alruna handed the locket back to me.

"Thank you. I'll keep it in mind."

We sat there until our breathing steadied, the night air cooling our burns and bruises. When she finally stood, she offered a hand. I took it, noting the calluses on her palms-new ones, layered over old scars.

"Again sometime?" she asked.

"If you insist," I shot back.

As we trudged back to the mansion, I stole a glance at her. Her shoulders were straighter, her stride surer. There you are, I thought. The hero she'd been too afraid to become was finally waking up.

***