Haah… haah…
Vesper leaned against the cold marble wall of the training ground, his chest rising and falling.
His clothes were drenched in sweat.
The ground around him was littered with jagged patterns of silvery ice.
No wonder that Art was on the second floor. It's…awesome.
It mostly focuses on controlling the fight rather than pushing with raw force. The slashes are stupidly fast. And once the opponent loses the slightest control of the fight, it will punish them.
It ridiculously matches my style. I haven't tried the first Symphony yet, but I've got an idea of how to do it.
Standing up, he grabbed his long sword tightly and focused on the big metal training dummy before him.
According to the Art, the first Symphony is just a single straight slash. It's my Authority and Affinity that make it overwhelming.
Vesper exhaled deeply, raising his sword in front of him.
Channeling Primal Energy from his Essence, he infused the blade with its chilling power.
It was a cold energy.
He poured more and more into it, layer upon layer until the air itself began to tremble.
Lifting the sword above his head, he tightened his grip around the hilt.
The space around the blade shimmered with frost. The temperature decreased heavily, freezing parts of the marble walls.
Then, just before bringing it down, he willed his Authority into the energy—
The Law surged through it.
The air quaked violently.
Blood trickled from Vesper's nose. His hands trembled.
But before the strike could fall—
The energy vanished.
Cough… Cough…
Vesper collapsed to his knees, coughing blood.
His hands were torn, skin split and bleeding.
Shit!
As expected, I can't use Techniques yet. I need to break through the 4th Cycle first.
What sets ordinary weapon strikes apart from true Techniques is Authority.
While Origins and their Authorities are often viewed as conceptual categories, paths, they play a crucial role in using Techniques.
Just like Principles, Techniques are bound by one's Origin, more specifically, by the Authority.
While Principles are innate abilities or unique manifestations granted by the Essence, often gained naturally by progressing Cycles, Techniques are powers and skills channelled through the sword.
A moment ago, Vesper had attempted to use a Technique which was rooted in his Authority, Law. Which means without the Law Authority, he couldn't do it.
But his current rank was too low.
He couldn't channel it properly.
And the backlash was immediate.
Fortunately, the Technique he tried wasn't one of the more destructive ones. The damage, while painful, was minimal.
But had he attempted something like the Fifth Symphony…He would've been dead before his sword even touched the ground.
I need to break through as soon as possible. I can't be accepted into the academy like this.
The problem is I can't break through while staying here in the mansion. I need achievements and experiences; thus, if I want to break through, I need to leave here.
Vesper stood up weakly. He staggered toward the training bench and slumped down, wiping the blood from his lips with the back of his hand. His fingers still trembled.
I must enrol in the academy, no matter what.
If I want to escape this damned house safely, I need power and powerful allies. Staying out of my father's reach is impossible without both.
The academy is my only path forward.
Vesper stared at the blood on his palm.
His breathing had steadied, but he was still frustrated with his progress.
The first Symphony… was beyond his reach.
For now.
He let out a long, shaking breath and leaned back on the training bench.
One month.
That was all the time he had left. And yet, this felt like a wall he couldn't climb.
A low knock echoed in the distance.
Vesper didn't move. Few ever visited this side of the estate. Especially not at this hour.
The door creaked open on its own. A familiar figure stood there.
Quinn von Stein.
Draped in his black velvet robe, the grand duke looked as calm and composed as ever.
Vesper's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Father?"
But Quinn didn't answer. He only stepped forward enough for the moonlight to catch in his icy blue eyes.
"You pushed too far," he said flatly, his gaze falling to the dried blood on the floor.
"…You were watching?" Vesper asked quietly.
"No," Quinn said.
Vesper clenched his fists but said nothing.
"You'll need to break through before you can even think of touching Lex Caelestis' true form." He said sharply. "Or you'll end up ruining your foundation."
"…I know," Vesper muttered.
There was a short silence between them before Quinn broke it.
"I can help you with that if you want," Quinn said as calmly as ever.
Vesper's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?"
He couldn't believe what he'd heard. The same person who would do anything to see him dead is now offering him help? Bullshit.
"We have the same Affinity," Quinn said indifferently. "I once went there to make a breakthrough. It's extremely dangerous, yes. But it's the most efficient way possible."
Efficient my ass. You clearly want to kill me. Vesper growled inwardly.
"What's that?" Vesper finally asked, feigning curiosity.
After a short pause, he said. "There's a place in the eastern part of the Grand Duchy, likely created by ancient Existentials. It's called the Frostgrave Hollow. People with Ice Affinity can go through a trial there to improve their control and understanding of it. For those in the early Cycles, it can sometimes lead to a breakthrough."
Taken aback, Vesper muttered. "Never heard of that place."
"Because it's forbidden by both us and the royal family otherwise, everyone could use it to grow their Ice Affinity," Quinn explained, looking directly at Vesper's eyes.
"Why?"
"Because if you fail the trial, you will die," Quinn said with an unbothered expression.
Vesper stayed silent. He didn't say anything. Yeah, he definitely wants to kill me.
Quinn stepped further into the training hall, the cold aura around him pressing against Vesper's skin. The frost that lingered on the cracked marble deepened with each of his measured steps.
"The Frostgrave Hollow tests not just power, but discipline," Quinn said, his voice low and precise. "If you hesitate or even fall into despair for just a moment, you'll be done for."
He stopped a few paces from Vesper, hands clasped behind his back.
Vesper met his gaze.
"But if you pass," Quinn continued, "your control will evolve. The energy you poured into that sword earlier? It won't slip from you again. Your grasp on the Law will begin to solidify. You'll stop mimicking power and begin wielding it."
His tone didn't change. No encouragement. No praise. Only facts.
Vesper's fingers twitched at his sides. He was clearly tempted.
"…And if I fail?" he asked, keeping his voice calm.
Quinn's eyes remained cold. "As I said you'll die. Or more precisely, you'll get trapped in there forever."
He said it with the same inflexion someone might use to discuss tomorrow's weather.
Vesper didn't flinch, but his heartbeat picked up.
Why now? Why offer me this?
If I don't break through and fail to enrol, it works in his favour.
And if he really wanted to kill me, he wouldn't need to go through all this. So what's his purpose?
He gave a short nod, unwilling to let uncertainty show. "If it's so dangerous… why send me?"
Quinn's expression didn't change. But something in his gaze narrowed. "Because despite everything… you're not ordinary."
Vesper blinked.
He wasn't sure what he'd expected. An insult or another cold dismissal. But not that.
"I'm not offering this because I like you," Quinn added. "I'm offering it because even I know talent like yours shouldn't be wasted. Even if your power is nowhere near your peers, you have something that others don't."
He didn't respond. There wasn't anything to say.
"But," Quinn went on, taking another slow step closer, "that talent doesn't exempt you from the consequences. The Hollow doesn't care what you've endured or how much potential you carry. It will break you the moment you hesitate."
Vesper remained still.
He didn't know whether to take this as genuine instruction or another layer of manipulation. Likely both.
Another silence stretched between them.
Then Quinn turned away and began walking toward the exit. His voice drifted back without looking. "The Hollow opens once every thirty days. It'll be accessible tomorrow."
"...What a timing," Vesper muttered.
Quinn paused at the threshold. The moonlight caught the side of his face, casting his expression in half-shadow.
He finally looked back at him.
"I've seen too many powerful people destroy themselves by rushing. I don't care what you think of me. But I won't let you ruin a weapon that sharpens itself."
Vesper stood frozen.
A weapon. Not a son. Not even a student.
A tool.
"I need to know whether you're worth investing in," he said simply.
A chill ran down his spine.
"Make no mistake," he continued, "Even if you return, you'll still be far from what you need to survive the academy. But you'll be a step closer."
For a long moment, neither of them moved.
Then, finally, Vesper said, "Fine."
Quinn gave a single nod and turned again. He reached for the door, opening it just enough to let the night air seep in.
"You leave at dawn," he said. "A carriage will take you to the edge of the eastern cliffs. From there, you go alone."
"As you wish," Vesper replied, his voice unreadable.
Quinn stepped outside, the door shut with a soft click, and silence returned.
Vesper let out a long breath. I must break through anyways. I need to go there.