"Hah... hah... hah!"
"Damn it... where’d he go!?"
Deep within the woods bordering the Mercrose Magic Academy—a forest smaller than the Kafka Forest, yet still vast enough to get lost in—Albert Alium and Evi Armstrong were in the throes of training.
"...Over here."
A whisper drifted down from the canopy. In that heartbeat, a relentless assault rained down on them.
Though they reacted instinctively to defend, the impact sent them skidding backward. They had lost track of how many times this had happened already; their bodies were battered and bruised.
This was the special training Lucas Forst had devised.
The objective was deceptively simple: do not get hit.
The time limit was thirty minutes. If they could avoid every single attack for the duration, they cleared the trial and moved to the next phase. However, if even a single blow connected, the clock reset. Every time, they had to start from scratch.
One might expect the pair to be flagging under the weight of a training regimen that demanded such immense patience and physical stamina, day after day. But that couldn't be further from the truth.
"Damn... he got me again."
As Evi lay flat on the forest floor, Albert reached out a hand.
"Come on. Next round."
"Yeah."
Albert hauled Evi to his feet. They stood for a moment, brushing the dirt and pine needles from their clothes.
"Now, how the hell do we handle this...?"
"Evi. Can you track Lucas-senpai's movements at all?"
"No chance. I’m giving it everything I’ve got just to get my guard up the second I hear his voice."
"I see."
"What about you, Albert? Can you see him?"
"Barely. But I’m only a fraction of a second faster than you. It’s essentially the same."
The lesson Lucas was driving home was forest warfare.
Since the Kafka Forest was the designated field for the Point Capture matches, combat among the trees was a certainty. However, the woods were dense with obstacles, and the environment was saturated with a chaotic discharge of Prima Materia.
Under such conditions, pinpointing a presence was an ordeal.
If they possessed a Sensory-type magic like Ray White's Anti-Material Field, such a task would be trivial. But not every sorcerer was blessed with such unique abilities.
They had no choice but to keep at it until their senses sharpened. It was a matter of intuition—something that, once internalized, would allow them to react unconsciously.
What mattered was an unbreakable will. The mental fortitude to repeat the cycle over and over. That was what Lucas demanded of them. Without that strength of heart, surviving the Magics War would be impossible.
"Alright. Let's do it!"
"Yeah!"
They stretched their limbs, reigniting their fighting spirit. Then, the two forged ahead through the forest, sunlight dappling the ground through the canopy.
The benchmark they chased was Ray White.
They knew the full extent of his power; they had seen his battle with Gray with their own eyes. Neither Albert nor Evi believed they could reach that same domain yet. However, they held onto the hope that they might catch a glimpse of it within their lifetimes as sorcerers.
The more daunting a goal, the more likely it was to crush a person's spirit. Yet, the only way to reach such heights was through the steady accumulation of daily effort.
They understood this well.
And so, they fought on.
Against none other than themselves.
"Huh? It’s a weekday and there’s no special event today, so why is Big Sister home?"
Back at the House Bradley estate, Maria Bradley had just returned from school. Since she wasn't involved in any clubs, she usually headed straight home. When she stepped into the living room, she found Rebecca Bradley already there.
Rebecca was hunched over her work with a look of absolute focus. She was sewing.
"...Maria?"
"I'm home."
"Welcome back," Rebecca said, looking up only briefly before immersing herself in her task again.
Maria tossed her bag onto the corner of the sofa and plopped down next to her sister.
"...What are you making?"
"An amulet."
Rebecca didn't stop. She didn't even look at Maria, her hands moving with single-minded devotion.
"Who’s it for?"
Rebecca’s hands froze. A crimson flush began to creep up her neck. Looking at her from the side, even her ears were turning red.
Maria watched her sister’s reaction and let a mischievous grin spread across her face.
"Ahhh. Could it be... it's for Ray?"
"I-Is that a problem!?"
Knowing her sister's feelings all too well, Maria decided to start with a little light teasing.
"Are you giving it to him because he's entering the Magics War?"
"Yes. Ray-san always pushes himself too hard. I wanted to make this for him since I can't participate myself."
Rebecca’s voice dipped into a lonely register.
In truth, Rebecca had wanted to compete. However, a portion of her Magic Area was currently restricted, and her doctor had strictly advised her to refrain from using magic for the time being.
Abstaining was the responsible thing to do, but doing nothing made her restless. Making this amulet was her way of coping with the worry.
"Wait... how did you know Ray-san was entering?" Rebecca asked, tilting her head in confusion.
Maria answered bluntly. "Because I heard it from the man himself."
"When? And where?"
Rebecca's voice turned sharp. This was no longer a simple question; it was an interrogation.
"We ran into each other by chance in the Central District the day before yesterday..."
"I see..."
"B-Big Sister... your face is really scary..."
"Oh, pardon me."
Rebecca, who had been looming over Maria with an intense gaze, pulled back instantly.
"Now that I think about it, you and Ray-san are quite close, aren't you, Maria?"
"Well... we’re on the same wavelength, I guess."
"I strongly recommend you remain within the boundaries of 'friendship'."
"W-Why?"
Maria couldn't help but ask. She was curious—perhaps dangerously so—about what lay beyond those boundaries.
"...Because if you don't, I'm certain something terrible will happen."
"Something terrible?"
"War."
"Huh? War?"
"Yes. You wouldn't want to get caught in the crossfire, would you?"
A chill ran down Maria's spine. It was the first time she had truly understood the physical sensation of her blood running cold.
Rebecca was speaking with her usual radiant face and melodic voice. And yet, Maria was seized by an overwhelming sense of dread.
There had been signs. Perhaps it was a reaction to the pressure she had endured for so long, but Rebecca was surprisingly competitive and could be utterly ruthless when she chose to be. Maria knew that beneath that famous gentle exterior, this side of her sister existed.
"W-Well... I’ll be careful."
"Good. That’s a wonderful attitude."
Rebecca’s smile was angelic.
Maria took the opportunity to steer the conversation elsewhere. "But don't you think a handmade gift is a bit... 'heavy'?"
"..."
Rebecca dropped her sewing. She sat frozen for a few seconds before suddenly lunging forward and grabbing Maria by the shoulders.
"Explain. In detail!"
She was dead serious—panicked, even.
"I mean, it’s just my opinion! I’m sure Ray would never reject it, so I think you’re fine."
Maria then launched into an impression of Ray.
"He'd probably say something like, 'Rebecca-senpai. Thank you very much. I am truly humbled by your kindness,' wouldn't he?"
"...Actually, you’re right. I’m sure Ray-san will be happy!"
"Yeah, definitely."
"Alright! I’m going to work even harder!"
The relationship between the Bradley sisters had changed—for the better. They were finally able to share their honest thoughts with one another.
However, as a consequence of that newfound honesty, their arguments were about to become a lot more frequent. But that is a story for another time.