This is a story from a faraway land that's, maybe needed a hundred millions light to reach from earth. Or maybe a story of the past that has been forgotten by the humankind of present. Or maybe just some parallel world of earth with different history.
In this world, it's all about magic and swords. There's a lot of other race in this world, but most of them is said to be extinct.
Rather than the era of magic, this world is more of the era of swords. Arts were made, completed, produced, changed, and overtake each other in this era.
The stronger arts will survive, as more people will want to learn it. While weaker arts will have to strives just to be exist. With passing times, more and more sword arts are discovered by mankind. And all of them strive to take the title of "The Strongest Sword Arts". Some arts used a bit of mana to use, some of it needed a lot of mana. In this era, all magic left in this world is magic that can be used in sword arts. All the other, are forgotten. Except for Holy Magic because the church still use it.
Most of the magic in this world specified from strengthening, boosting, supporting, enhancing, offensive and defensive.
Sometime, it's flashy on how they perform their magic with the sword. In earth, people will laugh when someone shout something like, "Double Swing!" with a sword. But in this world, it's something necessary.
Somehow, if you didn't shout or chant your skill name, it'll not activate. As if the magic from this world is made to only activate in that way.
It's early summer in this world right now. Two more lunar cycle (months), and the tournament that everyone waited will take place in the Coliseum of Ariad, at the Capital of Ariad, from the Makenaria Empire. Makenaria Empire is the biggest government in this continent of Dagua. As it ruled almost 2/3 of this continent and the kingdom in it. About a few centuries ago, Makenaria Empire didn't exist at all. It's called Ariad Kingdom before. After the reign of king handed to Ernst the First (エルンスト・ファースト), with his ambition to rule the whole continent, he wage a wars that continued for a few decades. The fruit of his work is that Ariad has now being named as Makenaria Empire. And is the most feared in this continent.
It's still two months before the tournament of the aria of the magic sword will be held. But people of the capital has been preparing for it. Whilst it is a tournaments for the people that'll participate in it, this is more like a festival when you looked at it from the view of spectators. Many has started to settle themselves inside the capital to participate or just to watch the tournament. It's the time where you could easily make money. You can see stalls that sell food, accessories, weapons, armors, and many more in the whole capital. Interestingly, even the smallest stalls have their own consumers. It's so lively and filled with people of different skin colors and nationality.
And this is the situation in the capital prior two lunar cycle before the tournament will really begin. But, that swarms of people will never know that a big incidents will take place in the tournament, at all.
*****
In Ariad Magic Sword Art Academy, the freshmen had started their education for about four lunar cycle. They are preparing themselves to the soon will be coming practical exam. The system of academy in this world is different from earth. As in earth, there's only to major exams that'll affect the graduation grade. In this world, each Solalunar Cycle (years), the students will be facing four exams that will affect their graduation grade. The four exams are the Spring Exam, the Summer Exam, the Autumn Exam and the Winter Exam. The total score they accumulated on each exam will be divided by four. And if they can't reach a minimum of 500 points, they'll be count as failure and will be repeating their study with the new freshmen.
And while the academy degrees in our world each divided into 3 years (of kindergarten from 3 years old to 6 years old), 6 years (of grade school), 3 years (of middle school), 3 years (of high school) and finally 3 to 7 years (of bachelor degrees in university), in this world, there's only academic study after the age of 15, to 20. A total five years of study within the academy. There, you'll learn about advanced knowledge because most of the students already learnt the common knowledge by hiring tutors or self studying from 6 years old.
Meaning that the students in this school varies to 15 years old to 20 years old, from the 1st grade students to the 5th grade students, except for those who's failing a graduation.
The second exam will be held at the last 5 solar cycle (days) of 5th lunar cycle of this solalunar cycle, which is exactly at the day where the spring is about to end.
*****
In the library, which is busy nowadays because of the upcoming exams, a young lady sat down in one of the desk. She's reading a book about the history of Makenaria Empire on one side, while taking note in her other side. A piles of book can be seen in that desk, all about swordsmanship and magic. She's the third daughter of the dukedom house from Sanctia Kingdom, one of the kingdom ruled by the empire. Her name is Lucille Sanctia. Her father, the duke of Sanctia, is the second child of the late king of Sanctia, and is the younger brother of the current king of Sanctia. He's also positioned as the Prime Minister of the kingdom and the right hand of the king. His first daughter, Jeanne Sanctia, is said to be the most talented swordswoman in that kingdom. The second son is a magic creator, with many achievements with his newly developed theory of magic circles. His name is Robert Sanctia (ロベルツ・サンクチア). While the third daughter, is more of a letdown than a talent. She's weaker than her big sister in sword arts, and her magicules reaction is weaker than her big brother.
The burden of being a duke daughter of Sanctia, has made her heart break and falls apart, leaving empty shells of skins and meat that's pretends to be fine.
No one have expectations for her. Most of them that approached her, is only looking at her as a daughter of a duke and/or to be able to meet her sister and brother.
Just like a ladder that someone need to stepped in order to reach Jeanne or Robert. Even in her family, they occasionally bullied her. Like, going on a family trip without her, or telling her to not go with them on some occasions or events. For her, it's actually a blessing that they ignored her like that. In her family, there's something called the Royal Battle Sword Dance Art. It's a sword arts that looks like a dance when you use it. Secretly, she had finished learning all of it when she's 12 years old. Practically, and theoretically. And yes, she's slower than her sister which finished her study on that sword arts by 10, but the reason why they learnt the arts is different. While her sister use the arts as her main swordplay, Lucille learn them only to know about the arts. She's always using this arts in public and at schools, so no one know about it, but she's already mastering 20 more sword arts from different kingdom. Some even come from different continent.
The reason why she learn them is to make a completely new sword arts. She's already making a progress in her own sword arts, to the level that she can easily countered anyone that used the same arts that she learnt as well.
Yes. She learns all those sword arts just to understand their principles and swordplay. With all that experience, she created her own sword arts, to counter all of the other arts. Each time she learned a new sword arts, she'll make progress on her own arts. Some improvements on defense, counter and strike. You cannot call someone of this level a genius or talented. But a hard worker is more fit for her. She hurts herself practicing them. She's forcing herself to the limit over and over again. Just to reach this level of prowess.
And finally, she'll be able to reap what she sow, in the tournament of the Aria of Magic Sword. The fruits of her efforts and determinations.
"Are you done with that book?"
That voice came from a young man who's about the same age as her, while pointing one of his finger to a book entitled as "Zweihander of Astante Kingdom" ("アスタンテ 王国 の ツヴァイハンダー"). She then peeked to where that voice came from, and managed to take a good look at the young man. A jet black messy hair, with pale red eyes. His presence is really lacking, like he'll disappear with just a light touch from anything.
"Why do you ask?"
"Because I need to borrow it."
"Why do you have to borrow it?"
"To study it."
It seems like Lucille can't get what this young man is talking about. The book he's asking is a manual that teach you the basic principles of how the Zweihander Sword Arts from Astante Kingdom.
While it is an arts for swordsman, but it'll need a slightly bigger physique in order to learn this arts. While this young man, even though he's tall, he's lacking in muscle. So it's hard for him to use a sword like Zweihander, as it is bigger and heavier than the normal double edge sword.
"I don't think this kind of sword arts fit you at all. With your physique, it's better to learn something like rapier based or dagger based sword arts."
"You're not a teacher. And I know what I'm doing. So, if you already finished with that book, let me take it."
The young man tries to reach the book, but what he said have bad effects toward Lucille. She's angry with his whatever reasons to say those rude words even after she tried to gave him some guidance.
So, before he managed to get the book, Lucille slammed her hand to it and stand up to face the young man face-to-face.
"If I finished it, right? Then, too bad. I'm not finished yet."
"What you said earlier is different."
"Well, I seems to forgot some parts, so I'll still need this book."
The young man seems to have fed up with her plays, so he just took a step behind and walked away to ask the librarian on the front gate.
"Is there a copy book with the same title as that one? She's not done yet with it and I need to borrow it."
Being ignored like that made Lucille's anger boiling and is fuming even more. She's really annoyed now. She's super duper ultra mad right now…
Something snapped inside her head at that moment. And the next thing she remember is that she's flying in the air, with one of her feet facing forward. Sending a flying kick to the young man who unable to avoid it. When she's standing on the floor, with her consciousness intact once more, the young man is now laid down in the floor. Twitching as he lost every bit of his consciousness, each second passed.
"A… Ahh......"
The commotion happened inside a library. It's filled with students, from freshmen to senior. All witnessed how she sent a man down with one of her leg, flying high and kicked just right in his abdomen. They just witnessed something unbelievable done by a noble lady like her! Seeing that everyone had their eyes fixated at her, she took the advantage of that and show them her threatening face. She thought, it's over already as everyone here sees it, so, 'I'll just acts like this is normal for me.'
"You all… If I heard any rumors of what happen in this place outside, you're all dead. Understand?"
With deep voice, scary looking voice, she threatened them. While one of her leg stomping twice at that unconscious young man. Indicating that if the rumors spread, she'll make everyone in this room to hospital just like what this poor young man is experiencing right now. They shivers to the thought of that, and all people that presents in the library, are nodding simultaneously as response. She then smiled, only her mouth, with her face still as scary as before, looking at those shivering little lambs like a hungry wolf.
"Good, then."
*****
An unfamiliar ceilings. Or, that's one of the list of sentence that I'd like to say. But, this place is really familiar for me. Especially the ceilings.
It's the few hundreds time I got into the academy hospital, in this year. For various reasons. So, why do I ended up in hospital again today? Hm… Let me think, I'm going to the library, and is looking for a book that my sister told me to bring for us to learn, and then, I met her. That b*tch, how dare she kick me like that! Or, that's how normal people will react. But, I'm not normal. I'm special. It's not narcissistic or anything, but I'm really special. My name in this world is Raye Daschnel (ライェ・ダシュネル). By 'in this world', I mean I've lived in somewhere else before. Yes. I'm from a different world called earth. It's a surprise, actually. I'm dying because of a sickness from earth.
I always lies on the hospital bed before in earth. And I wish for my life to be different in this world. So, how do I say that when I'm in this academy hospital right now?
Well, it's actually just an improvisation of my 'MOB CHARACTER PROJECT". Why did I do that? Why become a mob when you're someone from different world with all that advanced technology? Because I don't really into fame and glory.
I'm always hospitalized. My family tried to pay the bills by working almost 20 hours everyday. My father, mother, and sister. They never felt burdened by my sickness and all. Which make me quite happy even with my weak conditions. When I'm about to die, I tell them that I'm glad I'm going. Because they can finally rest themselves and didn't have to work that hard to pay for my hospital bills anymore. They cried and shout at me, saying things like 'how can I think of it that way'. I know. I'm really happy. So I never really think that I'll be reincarnated into another world at all. With my memories of past life intact, at that. I guess even with that kind of family and happiness, I still have regrets of not being able to healthily live my whole life.
When I'm hospitalized, my sister always bought books like novel and light novel for me to read. I like the story like Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, Zorro, and the likes the most. The mysterious man who secretly save the world without anyone knowing who he is. He can be your neighbor. Or your brother. Or your father. Maybe your schoolmates. Or your teacher. Or your workmates. Or your acquaintance. Or your best friend. He's someone, that maybe a little bit significant in your life. Or maybe just as insignificant as partners in work or business. But in secret, he's a superhero that save the world.
Yes. I like that kind of fame. Using different identity than what they actually own in daily life, and doing heroic action to save those that suffers or poor.
That's why I act like this in the academy. The not so significantly weak or strong young man, which's normal in every aspect. I'm not like Lucille Sanctia, whom usually will be an important female character in love or magic story in many novel. Or like senior Darius Welch and Jeanne Sanctia. Or Gustav Welch and the Sword Maiden of Victory, Ester of Starlight. But, I'll just be a normal student, with not so perfect score in study and sword arts, not insignificant or significant at all by the people in my surrounding. A mob character.
Yes. That's what I'm aiming for in my normal life. In another life I'm having, I actually learned all kind of sword arts I can find up until now, and also created a lot of new arts. Well, actually it's not an arts that's created by me, but it's from earth, you see? So it's still count as a new arts in this world.
By combining all those arts together, I created an arts that can counter any kind of attack. With it I can attack at any kind of situation. Piercing, stabbing, slicing, slashing, throwing, smashing, parrying, brawling.
No matter what kind of offensive or defensive arts my enemies uses, I'll read it like a book. A mediocre sword arts that I owned by myself and mine alone.
I've done a lot of minors heroic acts before, but none of them are worth mentioning right now. My aim is to show everyone my strength in the tournament of the Aria of Magic Sword. Whoever created this empire and the tournament is, he's someone funny. I mean, there's a pun intended inside the name of this empire and that tournament.
In Japanese, my main languages in earth, the tournament of the Aria of Magic Sword is spelled Maken no Eisho no Taikai in hiragana. While this Empire's name is Makenaria. It's "Maken-Aria", get it yet? I don't know if Ernst the First is actually someone whose reincarnated from earth or not, but from what he did, it feels as if he's an earthlings as well. He created a catapult to fight against enemies that's hiding in giant wall. Also used it to fight against dragon. He's the first king who introduced rubber in this world. He also improved a lot of sword arts in this world and introduced single-edged sword, or katana. The more I look at his history, it'd be more easy to say he's an earthlings reincarnation rather than a genius.
It's more believable that he made all of that from the knowledge of earth rather than saying that he came up with all those ideas by himself.
He even produced spring bed…
How convenient is the knowledge of earth, isn't it? It can made you a great genius just by using them in this medieval era. Well, whatever. I'm not interested in those. There's still lot more things he couldn't make in this world. Locomotive train. Guns. Cellphone. Blah blah blah... Now, after I have enough rest in the academy hospital, I quickly get up from the bed, only to found out that my sister is shouting at the nurse. Cursing her with all kind of curse word from this world. I won't tell what that curse word is but, it's pretty bad.
"Rena-nee, what are you doing?"
My sister, Rena Daschnel (レナ・ダシュネル), is a third years in this academy. She's also talented swordswoman which's often compared with Jeanne Sanctia and Ester of Starlight.
"Huh?! Why are you getting out of that bed already for?!! Get back and lay down! And, you! You damn ****** nurse! Tell me who the ********** b*tch that dare to do this to my cute Raye!"
Ohh… I forgot to mention this, but Rena-nee has a little brother complex. She fed me my food until I'm 10 years old. She choose all my clothing until I'm 12 years old. We bath together until I'm 13 years old. Yes. She's a lump of madness covered in a skin that I call, Rena-nee…
She storms herself into my tutor house and hospitalized her after she failed me in an exam. She almost burned down a village that I visited when I'm 7 years old, where I was hit by one of the villager kids there. She goes all over the academy chasing over my shadow just to show everyone here that I'm her little brother, so that they don't mess with me. She annihilated a bunch of goblin nest that wounded me when I'm taking some practical exam in the academy. She threatened all my friends to treat me well. She blackmailed all the female student that I speak too, to the points of them hating me or scared of me…
Too much madness…
She's easy to handle, though. Just smiled at her saying she's doing a good job is enough to make her joyful enough as if she's reaching the seventh heavens.
While just by saying I hate her is enough to bring her down to the deepest hell. I sort of like her personality though. She didn't hide who she really is in front of anyone. It needed a lot of courage to do so, after all.
"Rena-nee, I'll hate you if you keep at it."
She stopped yelling at the nurse. Like being paralyzed by magic. She then moved her body, like a doll that's broken. "NOOOOOO!" she yell while holding her head with both arm and quickly perform a dogeza in front of me. Saying she's sorry for whatever reason I'm mad at her.
I acted as if I'm bothered by her and while I lightly scratch my cheek I said, "Alright, alright… It's embarrassing, so get up already."
She's cheered up already. Her mood swing is really quick. It's quicker than how fast a human eyes blink.
"I'm going to cafeteria right now, want to go with me?"
"MY CUTE RAYE IS ASKING ME TO GO WITH HIM ON A DATE IN THE CAFETERIA!"
"It's just having lunch together!"
She then asked if I'm fine already to go to my class while going outside holding my hand and smiling brightly. We spent the entire break hours at cafeteria, with my two friends, and me, listening to her boasting my embarrassing childhood the entire hour…
To be continue…