Vol3 Chapter 27 Have you heard?

The room was strangely still, sunlight streaming through tall windows to spill across the polished wooden floor and the long table in the center. Everything was spotless—no papers out of place, every book lined up neatly on the shelves, chairs tucked in perfectly, even the curtains hanging at matching angles. It was a space that mirrored its owner: orderly, quiet, controlled. Behind the long desk, a young woman sat.

Her long dark hair fell neatly over her shoulders, untouched by the faint breeze coming through the open window. Her crimson eyes moved calmly across a stack of documents.

Reports, academy requests, student council paperwork, disciplinary notices, event proposals—page after page, one after another. She’d been at it for nearly an hour without the slightest hint of fatigue, her expression calm and composed the entire time.

Then—

The door opened.

No knock.

Just—

Click.

A girl walked in without offering an apology for the interruption. She took a few steps into the room, glanced at the desk, and waited. When there was no response, she simply smiled.

"Did you hear?"

The young woman kept writing as the newcomer shifted slightly to the side. Still nothing. She gave it another try.

"Something really interesting happened today."

The pen continued moving.

"I heard a first-year defeated someone from House Darkhan."

The pen hesitated for the briefest moment before moving again. The girl caught it, and her smile grew wider.

"So you did hear."

No response.

She walked closer.

"Apparently, he defeated him rather quickly."

Still nothing.

"One exchange, apparently."

The pen continued scratching against paper.

"Interesting, isn't it?"

The mysterious girl nonchalantly dragged a nearby chair closer and straddled it backward, folding her arms over the backrest. She appeared nearly bored—almost. Yet her eyes sparkled with a clear, undeniable excitement.

"I heard the first-year is a Kyros."

That finally got a reaction.

The pen froze mid-stroke.

The young woman stared at the document in front of her.

For a few long seconds, she stayed silent.

Then—

"I know."

The girl grinned.

"So you've already heard."

"News travels quickly."

"Especially when two old rival families are involved. Right?"

A faint pause.

"The Darkhan boy lost."

"Yes."

"To a Kyros."

"Yes."

The girl leaned forward.

"I wonder how strong he is."

She tilted her head.

"After all, he did defeat your little brother."

The pen moved again.

"He did."

"And apparently, your brother told him about you."

The pen stopped.

This time, for slightly longer.

The girl's grin became wider.

"He told him that if he wanted to experience the Darkhan Sword Style at its finest..."

She paused deliberately.

"...he should meet you."

The young woman slowly placed her pen down. Her crimson eyes lifted, she looked directly at her visitor.

"I see."

The girl smiled.

"There it is."

"What?"

"That look."

"What look?"

"You're interested."

The young woman said nothing.

The girl laughed softly.

"You always do this."

"Do what?"

"Whenever someone strong appears."

A faint breeze passed through the room. The curtains shifted.

"You pretend you don't care."

"I don't pretend."

"You absolutely do."

"I don't."

"You do."

"I don't."

"You do."

The two locked eyes for a moment. Then, the mysterious girl burst into laughter. The young woman casually picked up her pen again as the girl turned toward the door.

"Anyway, I was thinking."

No response.

"Maybe he’ll finally be the one to break your winning streak. So, I want to test him myself. "

The pen stopped.

The girl smiled without turning around.

"Just once."

"Maybe twice."

"Maybe until one of us can't stand."

The young woman finally looked up.

"You're not going to fight him."

The girl turned around.

"Why not?"

"He's a first-year."

"So?"

"You're a fourth year."

"So?"

"You'll cause trouble for him."

The young woman stared at her. The girl walked back toward the desk.

"I want to know how strong he actually is."

"You can just observe him from a distance."

"That's boring."

"You can ask him to spar."

"Exactly."

The young woman sighed quietly.

"I knew this was where you were going."

The girl grinned.

"I heard he defeated your brother using the Kyros Sword Style."

"I heard."

"And apparently he claimed he had already mastered his family's entire sword style."

The young woman's eyes narrowed slightly.

"He said that?"

"That's what I heard."

A small silence followed.

The girl watched closely. There it was—a tiny, almost imperceptible shift. She knew her friend well enough to catch it. Curiosity.

"You really are interested."

"I'm interested in anyone capable of defeating my brother."

"That's what you said."

"Because it's true."

"Then you won't mind if I fight him."

The young woman looked at her.

"I mind."

The girl froze.

"You mind?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you enjoy fighting too much."

A pause.

The girl smiled.

"That's unfair."

"It's right."

"I know."

"Then don't."

The girl stared at her for several seconds then she laughed.

"You know me too well."

"Unfortunately."

"Come on."

"No."

"Just a light spar."

"No."

"I'll be careful."

"No."

"I won't use my strongest techniques."

"No."

"I'll even let him choose the location."

"No."

"I'll let him attack first."

"No."

The girl placed both hands on the desk.

"What if he asks me?"

"No."

"What if he challenges me?"

"No."

"What if he accidentally walks into me?"

"No."

"What if—"

"No."

The girl puffed her cheeks slightly.

"You're boring."

The young woman casually picked up another document.

"So I've been told."

The girl stared at her. Then her expression changed. The playful smile slowly faded.

"You're really serious."

The young woman paused before responding, her eyes drifting down to the document. After a moment, she spoke softly.

"He is a first-year."

Her tone was calm.

"But he's also a Kyros."

The girl remained silent.

"House Kyros has produced monsters for generations."

The young woman folded the document neatly.

"And if he defeated my brother that easily"

Her crimson eyes became slightly sharper.

"Then he's not ordinary."

The girl smiled again.

"Exactly."

She leaned back.

"That's why I want to fight him."

The young woman looked toward the window.

Far beyond the glass, the academy stretched across the horizon.

Thousands of students moved through its enormous grounds.

The young woman remained silent.

She’d never cared much for rumors. Strength meant more than reputation, and actions spoke louder than words. Still—Andrew was undeniably gifted. He trained without rest, inherited the Darkhan Sword Style, and bore their family’s expectations with determination. For anyone to have beaten him... her eyes narrowed slightly.

"You're thinking about him."

"No."

"You are."

"No."

"You definitely are."

"...Perhaps."

The girl nearly laughed.

The young woman ignored her.

She reached for another document.

But before she could begin reading—

The girl spoke again.

"Then I'll go find him."

The pen stopped.

"Don't."

"Why?"

"I already told you."

"Because he's a first-year?"

"Yes."

The girl smiled.

"Fine."

She turned toward the door.

"I'll behave."

The young woman watched as she left. The door swung open, and the girl stepped halfway through before pausing. She turned her head, glancing back over her shoulder.

"Oh."

The young woman looked up.

"What?"

The girl's smile returned.

"What's his name again?"

The young woman stared at her.

For the first time, a faint trace of amusement appeared in her eyes.

"You were the one who wanted to fight him."

"I know."

"And you don't even remember his name?"

"I remember his family name."

A pause.

"Kyros."

The young woman sighed.

"Hopeless."

The girl laughed.

"Then tell me."

The young woman set her pen down, her gaze wandering to the. It drifted over the distant academy grounds, settling on the first-year section. When she spoke, her voice was soft.

"Amos Eos Kyros."

The girl blinked. Then her smile slowly widened.

"Amos..."

She repeated the name as if tasting it.

"Amos Eos Kyros."

A strange excitement flashed through her eyes.

"Yeah."

She pushed the door open.

"I definitely want to meet him."

The young woman watched as she vanished down the corridor. For a few moments, she stood frozen in place. Then—

"Alanna."

The footsteps came to a halt. The girl turned her head slowly, meeting the steady gaze of a young woman whose crimson eyes locked onto her.

"Did you seriously think..."

Her voice remained perfectly calm.

"...that I would lose to somebody?"

The moment those words slipped from her lips, the air shifted. A powerful presence swept through the room, making the windows rattle and the papers on the desk whip around. For a fleeting instant, it felt like the space itself wasn’t big enough to hold her.

The girl’s grin only widened. She looked delighted.

"Of course not, Andrea."

The pressure disappeared as suddenly as it had arrived, and Andrea shifted her focus back to the documents.

"..."

The girl stepped back into the room. Her smile had become almost predatory.

"Then it's settled."

Andrea sighed.

"What is?"

"I'm going to find this Amos Kyros."

"Alanna."

"A light spar."

"No."

"Very light."

"No."

"I promise."

Andrea looked at her. Alanna raised both hands innocently.

"Probably."

Andrea's expression became completely blank.

"...Alanna."

The girl laughed.

"Fine, fine."

She turned toward the door again.

"Just a light spar."

Andrea shook her head and sigh to herself.