Professor Issac:
He looked up, carefully unfolding the blueprint for the first time. His face shifted—first surprised, then awestruck—as he saw a weapon resembling a revolver or pistol.
The weapon he had once designed and fully sold was now presented in a longer version, with greater range and improved precision—remarkable.
Examining every detail, Professor Issac found a folded piece of paper tucked inside. He pulled it out, setting the blueprint aside for a moment.
"Cease all pistol production in Sperum. I want you to focus entirely on this weapon. Do not sell it to the public or present it. Just unveil it briefly and use it in the war," he read silently.
It was strange. Why would someone make such a request at night?
Considering the production costs of the weapon he named Bayonet-99, this decision opened up new possibilities. Professor Issac could easily suffer financial loss by focusing too heavily on this one weapon.
But knowing nothing for certain, and with so many already lost in battle, Professor Issac nodded in agreement and promptly submitted a proposal to abandon pistol production.
⸻
Loraine Eleanoir:
"What about my mother?" she asked in a trembling voice, her eyes welling up with tears just as she regained consciousness after a long faint.
Her body, covered in bruises and wounds, had tensed muscles twitching involuntarily. Her expression showed frustration, but she was powerless to act.
"Madam is being treated in the same hospital. My condolences for the loss of your master—your father," the assistant said, bowing her head.
Loraine lifted her gaze as the tears streamed down. There was nothing she wanted to ask now. The weight of the trauma and emotional breakdown had erased much of what had happened.
But the emotions soon returned. Once she could begin to process—even if not fully accept—it, Loraine turned to the assistant.
"What about the bastard who did this to me?" she asked, her voice full of rage.
The assistant was taken aback, shifting slightly in her seat to get more comfortable before responding.
"U-uh… you mean Lucas? He's dead. Quite horribly, in fact," she said.
"How?" Loraine couldn't believe it. But the satisfaction and relief in her heart couldn't be hidden upon learning that Lucas was dead—especially the word horribly pleased her in a strange way.
"Several witnesses say it was Master Wein Arcveil who killed him, but more claim it was suicide—committed by Wein," explained the Eleanoir family's personal assistant.
⸻
Wein Arcveil:
"Release your aura at full strength. This room will evaluate your core more accurately than any human eye," Elaina shouted from behind a thick bulletproof glass.
Wein nodded after hearing her soft whisper. At the same time, Elaina raised her hand and lifted her index finger to begin the count.
"One, two… three," she said silently.
"Should I release it? This body has been sealed… should I undo that seal?" Wein asked himself.
He looked at her hand flashing the number three. Moments later, a dark shadow emerged from behind him, swirling with arrogance for a few seconds before flashes of lightning struck around him.
The soundproof room went completely silent—then, slowly, the air pressure spread and touched every glass pane, causing them to tremble.
A dark aura surged forth. Lightning flashed noiselessly. Multicolored aura began to manifest, and his eyes transformed into that very light.
"How is it?" Scylla asked, stunned by the form of his Vireim—a powerful, shifting aura of purple and black that changed with each element used.
"Core: Late-stage Diamond," Elaina said, staring again at Wein who remained in his Vireim form. The overwhelming pressure even gave her goosebumps.
"How can a late-stage Diamond release such a powerful Vireim? The blend of aura and lightning makes him look like a king," Scylla commented.
Elaina signaled for Wein to stop by giving him a thumbs-up. The pressure gradually dissipated, and the atmospheric tension eased a few seconds later.
"My brother really is amazing, isn't he?" Elaina teased as she opened the door and entered the test chamber, speaking directly to Wein.
Scylla stood silently, listening to their conversation.
"Now show your weapon and the elements you've mastered. I need to categorize your type," she told her brother.
Wein obeyed. He slowly drew his sword from his open palm, formed from a living shadow that danced up his arm as purple lightning crackled along its surface.
The blade emerged from hilt to edge, a gorgeous black resembling a starless night sky, adorned with subtle accents that glowed faintly—but emitted no actual light.
Minutes passed, hours vanished. Three hours went by unnoticed. Morning began to rise, but neither Elaina nor Wein had realized it. Both were exhausted, eyes baggy from lack of sleep.
They hadn't slept at all.
After everything ended, Wein, Elaina, and Scylla went to their respective rooms. While Scylla wrote up the report, Wein and Elaina rested in preparation for the next meeting in four hours.
Wein walked with his two wolves. Though not used to attention, he was unaware of how large the wolves had become. Many eyes followed them.
"What terrifying wolves… Are they high-tier demon beasts?" Scylla asked, trying to break the silence as Elaina had already entered her room.
Wein glanced at his wolves, then at the girl just a year older than him.
"They're S-rank, I think? Maybe stronger?"
Scylla chuckled quietly, trying to hide it.
"You're pretty bad at measuring your own bonds. They're either equal or stronger than you—if you're at late-stage Diamond, they're likely mid to early Supreme," she explained.
"Ohh, you're right, I missed the mark," Wein joked, quickening his steps. The wolves followed closely behind, getting nearer to Scylla.
"No wonder! All this time it was just a guess?" Scylla teased, snorting before laughing, then glancing back at Wein.
"I don't know how to measure it, so I just guessed," Wein replied, moments before Scylla suddenly stopped.
"This is your room. I'm over there if you need help," she pointed to a room about ten meters away.
She left him like that, wordlessly walking away after petting Wein's two wolves—not out of suspicion, and with nothing to doubt. Wein opened his door and entered.
"I like her quiet and indifferent personality," Wein murmured—not romantically, but he did feel a bit more comfortable around such a calm girl.
He sighed deeply before exhaling again without prompting.
"Alright, my companions—it's time to rest now," he said cheerfully.
Jumping into the soft bed, Wein pulled out his pocket watch. He clicked it open and shut, creating a satisfying click sound.
While the night sky remained dark, the clock showed 2 AM. Tomorrow, he had duties to fulfill as a new Gladius.
"My life feels too peaceful right now—but I hope it stays this way. I love it, and this journey to becoming a Gladius has brought me joy," Wein whispered before his body finally succumbed to exhaustion.