Now it was just the two of us.
I looked at her, and she returned my gaze, a mixture of curiosity and formality hanging in the air.
What comes next?
Sensing my uncertainty, she took the initiative.
"Please take a seat, Young Master Allen. I have prepared today's materials and lessons."
"Yes, Teacher. Ah, and please just call me Allen."
"I'm afraid I cannot address you by your name, young master."
"Why not?"
"As the second daughter of a baron, my status differs greatly from yours. It would be considered disrespectful for me to call you casually."
I understood. Given her lower status, it would indeed be seen as belittling if she referred to me without honorifics.
Well, that was a matter for another time.
I settled into my chair as Teacher Renne opened a book and placed it in front of me.
"I've been informed that you can already read, so let's begin with history."
She launched into a lesson about the Empire of Aurelius. Once known as the Vexillium Empire, it stands as the largest empire on the continent of Aithrath.
A thousand years ago, a civil war erupted between Crown Prince Alvaro Ezra Vexillium, the son of Empress Arabella, and Prince Ansell Vexillium, son of Queen Nerissa.
Queen Nerissa had been a commoner, which is why her child did not bear a middle name.
In 561, the empire faced a brutal war against the demon race.
The crown prince joined the battle, accompanied by three loyal companions, all only seventeen at the time.
The war raged for ten long years, resulting in countless deaths and a significant reduction of the empire's territory.
Ultimately, the empire managed to repel the demon invasion and constructed a wall to demarcate its borders from demon territory.
This wall was located at the westernmost edge of the empire, and it fell to the Willford family to defend it.
While the crown prince was preoccupied with the war, Prince Ansell schemed to usurp the throne.
When Crown Prince Alvaro's forces finally returned from battle, they found themselves ambushed by Prince Ansell's troops in the capital.
Exhausted from their arduous journey, Alvaro's soldiers were swiftly overwhelmed and forced to retreat to the fiefdom of Ordesia, where they devised a plan to reclaim the capital.
The civil war lasted six tumultuous months, culminating in Crown Prince Alvaro's victory at the cost of his brother Ansell's life.
As a symbol of his triumph, he renamed the empire.
Records of the Vexillium Empire's history are kept in the royal library, accessible only to a select few.
"Is there anything you wish to ask, Young Master Allen?" Teacher Renne inquired after finishing the history lesson.
"Were the historical texts of the previous empire confined solely to the royal library?"
"Not at all; some ancient noble families possess their own records regarding the Vexillium Empire's history."
"Why does the recorded history only span the last thousand years since the empire was renamed and omit the prior events?"
"That was an order from Emperor Alvaro, intended as a sign of a new beginning. Thus, all records of the Vexillium Empire's past were kept under lock and key."
I pondered this revelation.
Should I broach the subject I had been mulling over?
"Teacher, do you know anything about the Sword Dance of the Seven Gods?"
"Are you intrigued by that legend?" she asked, a glimmer of interest in her eyes.
I nodded earnestly.
"The Sword Dance of the Seven Gods is a legend that recounts the war among the gods. It transpired at the dawn of the Vexillium Empire's foundation. The God of Creation bestowed his powers upon seven champions who had vanquished Jormungandr. After granting them his powers, the God of Creation departed from this world, leaving everything in their hands.
The Goddess of Light - Estia
The Goddess of Death - Rose
The God of War - Alastor
The God of Life - Xavier
The God of Strategy - Ekath
The God of Wisdom - Aether
The Ruler of Gods - Cael
These names were bestowed by the God of Creation, but they are commonly referred to by these titles."
The Ruler of Gods? Is he the leader among them?
"What does 'Ruler of Gods' imply? Is he some kind of leader for the other gods?"
"As the name suggests, he was tasked with overseeing the other gods."
Doesn't that mean he is the most powerful among the six?
"Then why did the God of Creation leave this world?" I inquired, curiosity piqued.
"No one knows, young master. But this is where the tragedy begins."
Tragedy? Were they turning on one another?
"The God of War, Alastor, developed a deep-seated hatred for humanity. Driven by this hatred, he began a campaign of slaughter against many innocents."
Wasn't he a human once? What could have caused such a transformation?
"He became notorious for the infamous massacre of an entire capital in a single night, an event known as the Tragedy of the Falling Stars."
A chill ran down my spine. This can't be right, can it? My future enemy is a god?
Noticing my unease, Teacher Renne paused her explanation.
"Please, continue," I urged.
"The other gods could not stand by idly and eventually intervened. However, the Goddess of Death, Rose, and his close ally, the God of Wisdom, Aether, chose to protect Alastor. The Ruler of Gods, Cael, was forced to intervene. The divine conflict ensued, pitting three gods against four. The battle concluded with the deaths of God Ekath and Goddess Rose, while God Alastor and God Aether were sealed away by God Cael. The Ruler of Gods, who was then the emperor, rebuilt his empire and eventually disappeared after selecting an heir to the throne."
Why did he choose to seal them instead of killing them? What a foolish decision.
"But he was an emperor?"
"Indeed, young master. He was the first emperor of the Vexillium Empire."
That was a shocking revelation. A god as the founder of this empire?
"On this continent, he is more commonly known as God Argent. In the imperial capital, there is a grand church dedicated to him, where people express their hopes for his return to protect the empire once more."
That woman wanted me to know this history, and the conclusion of the tale was clear: the return of the two gods would spell doom for humanity.
How could I possibly prepare myself to fight two gods in just twelve years?!?
I'm just an ordinary person with memories of a past life.
Do I have to seek out Cael? But where would I even begin?
"Aha...ahaha."
"Is something troubling you, Young Master?" Teacher Renne asked, her brow furrowing in concern.
"No, it's nothing," I replied, forcing a smile. But my lips and eyes betrayed me, contorting into a strange expression.