The hills of Immyrn, a territory that now annexed by the Excissil Empire, stretch beneath a heavy sky. Once prosperous, these lands have grown poor over time, pushing the Phypesses to exodus toward the domains of the Marquis De Rush. Today, these exiles return, armed with knowledge and guided by a new governor: Rubi.
Rubi crosses the courtyard of Immyrn's administrative seat, her light armor clinking with each step. Her already short hair, tied back with a leather cord, and her trousers cut for combat, contrast sharply with the refined elegance of the local nobles. She chews on a bitter herb, a reflex from her years in the barracks, to ease her stress. At the same time, she mutters words of discontent to her vassal.
— "Does the Empress really have nothing more interesting to give me as a reward than governing a province? I'm sure this is another one of my wicked sister's ideas…. Arg, she'll pay for this."
On a rough stone table, files pile up, remnants of administrative chaos. The nobles of Immyrn observe her with suspicion, their glances wavering between caution and disdain. Rubi, unflappable, meets their eyes and gives a mocking smile.
— "I knoooow. I don't look like a model governor," she says in a teasing voice.
Then, in a firmer tone:
— "And I have no intention of bending to your expectations."
A heavy silence settles. She taps the register, her slightly calloused fingers marked by combat.
— "Your markets are in disarray, your taxes are mismanaged, and labor is scarce. I'm not here to bow and scrape, but to restore order. Fortunately, I've brought back the expatriates."
A stewardess opens her mouth to protest, but Rubi cuts her off with a sharp look.
— "No need to act offended. I grew up in a palace, but I chose war. Okay?"
She turns to a group of young soldiers, their faces weathered by the Immyrn wind.
— "You're the ones I want to work with. You know the roads, the fields, the people. Not those over-perfumed nobles they've stuck me with."
A murmur of approval rises among the soldiers.
Then, Rubi's personal vassal, a thin young girl with thick glasses, approaches timidly.
— "Lady Rubi, could you be more… measured with your words?"
— "Measured?" Rubi sneers. "This territory is a mess, and manners won't change that. Call the expatriates, as planned. We're going to shake things up."
— "I see. I have no doubt whatsoever of your wisdom."
At the same moment, in the De Rush palace, the Marquise Diamond, now a duchess, sits heavily on her, now former, throne. Her breath is short, but her voice, soft as a whisper, carries a new gravity.
— "Can't the Empress really find nothing more creative as a reward than naming me duchess?"
— "Come now, dear, don't say that. What if the Empress heard you?" Yelo replies.
— "So what? It's not like I'm afraid of her… I'm not ready for such responsibility," she adds. "I'm sure it's my devilish sister's idea. Arg, that bitch will pay for this."
— "Come now, Diamond, who else do you think could fill this role in this time of crisis? Think of this person called 'Reference.' Think of all the people who need you."
Diamond is out of breath. She pauses to reflect, then speaks softly.
— "Becoming duchess is the best way to save this country from the sterile land crisis," she says, her eyes lost in the horizon. "And besides, it brings me a little closer to Anna. Since she's leaving for the Academy."
Rias, who had been nervously scribbling in his notebook, freezes.
— "Anna… at the Academy?" he stammers, his voice trembling.
Shire, his elder sister, now stewardess of the De Rush marquisate, furrows her brow.
— "At twelve years old? No one goes that young!"
Diamond sketches a melancholy smile.
— "It's a privilege granted by my former mistress, Mariane. Anna earned it. She prepared for the competition in the East."
Rias feels his heart race. Anna, his sister, his pillar, is leaving? He always imagined her there, laughing at his clumsiness, exploring magic and ideas. Without her, he is nothing. A wave of panic overwhelms him. Without a word, he dashes out of the room. His long robe, imposed by the masculine codes of Excissil, hinders his steps. His clumsy run nearly makes him fall. In a field of wild grasses, he stops, out of breath, his cheeks wet with tears.
— "You're pathetic, Rias," he murmurs, cursing himself. "Always running away…"
Deep inside him, a voice screams: She is everything you have. Without her, you are lost.
Then the day of the competition finally arrives.
The academy is an architecture of everything most noble and beautiful in the empire. Of course, it is no better than the imperial academy located in the capital, which rivals the imperial palace in beauty. But under the supervision of the Duchess of the East, the Eastern Academy, covering its eleven hectares, is the most solemn of infrastructures.
Mariane, the director, watches the young ladies, as well as the young men, marveling before the academy's main gate. These youths are simply astonished by the grandeur and complexity of the monument: two immense towers on the sides; a gigantic stone statue of the founder, Scynthiante, before the gate; an illustration of the goddess Inamia made of glass at the center of the monument, serving as a window for Mariane.
Mariane finally spots little Anna Fort De Rush stepping out of her carriage:
"There she is at last, Anna Fort De Rush. I can't wait to see for myself her results in this competition. I feel this day is going to be splendid."
With that, she immediately descends to the observation hall.
Anna, however, marvels like everyone else. Though she has already visited the capital and been convinced of the beauty of its monuments, Anna is simply easy to impress.
She believes herself sufficiently discreet, but her small stature and innocent air pique the curiosity of her competitors:
— "Don't you think she looks a bit too young for the competition?"
— "Hard to believe she's fourteen."
— "Exactly."
But as the whispers continue, prejudice ignites among the candidates. The other distinguished guests make their grand entrances, brought by their respective carriages.
The girl who steps out first is blonde, very sleek, with a bob cut. Her face is symmetrically set, square. She is dressed in white and yellow, giving her an incredibly gilded appearance. Her imposing stature makes for her full grandeur.
— "There's the proud bearing of a marquisate from the extreme southeast of the Excissil Empire."
— "Yes, that's Sheyes Predat De Betys, the heiress of the De Betys clan. They say she's one of the favorites of the Eagle Sorority in this competition."
But Sheyes ignores those talking about her. She simply moves forward, always with her serious air. Until her gaze meets Anna's eyes. A thought crosses her mind in a suspended moment: "What is this kid? She's even fascinated just looking at me. Does she even know that this is no place for fun… Wait."
Sheyes abruptly approaches Anna and then says to her:
— "Charmed, De Rush. My name is Sheyes Predat De Betys. I want you to know that I intend to beat you in every domain."
Total astonishment among those present. Anna especially is very surprised by Sheyes's actions. Anna's big eyes open wide, but she can't say anything. Sheyes looks very serious.
Some girls watching from afar, however, explain the situation:
— "That's the eldest of the Marquise De Betys. But what's gotten into her?"
— "She just called her De Rush… So that girl is the eldest of the Rush?"
— "Last I heard, Marquise Diamond De Rush is promised the title of duchess now."
— "I better understand the interest in the De Rush girl."
…
While the whispers still haven't stopped, another carriage makes its grand entrance. Barely out of her carriage, the girl already asserts herself with great aplomb:
— "Oh! I recognize the tenacity and charisma of the empire's extreme there, very audacious, but facing Anna Fort De Rush, wouldn't it be better if someone more competent, like a Quaster, took care of it?"
The girl has a disconcertingly enthusiastic air about her, making her seem arrogant in every respect. Her hair is curly. She has two earrings bearing the emblem of her clan, a cross-shaped tattoo on her forehead. In short, she exudes style.
— "Am I dreaming, or is that someone from the Quaser clan? That clan is very well known for their immense reserve of magna and their unparalleled mastery of sword style. That's where the cross on their foreheads came from, to help them master themselves."
— "I hear her name is Dijiid. She's the clan's favorite right now. They say she's the one who will surpass her aunt, Majiid the Inflexible. But shouldn't she be at the imperial academy instead?"
…
But just as surprise has reached its zenith, another guest, more discreet, enters the scene. For a girl, she has very long hair and even lets it obstruct her face.
— "Allow me, my ladies, to enter your conversation, but the great Countess De Krispet feels threatened by the sudden rise of the De Rush clan. I would like to verify their merit for myself."
And of course, the comments never tire of spicing up, or even exaggerating, the facts.
— "That's Kristal De Krispet from the Northeast. She's the youngest of the Krispet."
— "I hear that the renowned financial status of the Krispet has finally been surpassed. And according to rumor, it's the Rush."
…
Anna is just perplexed in the midst of these great figures, at the interest they're showing in her. She doesn't really know how to react. Meanwhile, the girls haven't finished squabbling over her fate:
— "Very well! My ladies, I know nothing of you, nor of your families' renown, nor of your interest in the young lady De Rush. But if you intend to get in my way, I will be forced to crush you," said Sheyes.
— "Those are the words of an ignoramus. Oh well, I need to prove my worth to my aunt anyway," said Dijiid Quaser, calmly.
— "Nonsense. I respect the genius of Lord Diamond and I agree with her ascension, but I would like to say the same for her dear daughter. That is a nobler cause. No childish games like yours," said the beautiful Kristal.
The hostilities of these girls draw quite a few glances. And among them, perhaps someone of higher rank. She moves forward with disconcerting lightness, pretending to be an idiot, but she is followed by several serious-looking girls.
The academy students all know them.
— "That's the student council. It's made up only of the school's best students."
— "That's the current president, Prisma Ecarlate De Excessil, the snoop."
Prisma hears them but makes no comment.
Prisma truly bears the traits of an Excessil. An intangible beauty beneath her black hair and golden eyes. You find many Excessils, but few inherit the original traits. Prisma must be a distant cousin of Zyon, but she is the closest to her in terms of physique. Genetics are simply remarkable.
But I won't dwell on that. Prisma says to them with a big smile:
— "Ladies, seeing you all. Why not settle your differences once you've entered the academy? … How silly of me. You can start the hostilities with this competition, can't you? The highest scorer proposes first a duel to the young lady De Rush."
Anna's face tenses again. She didn't ask for anything, and now she has to endure all their bickering. She who just wanted to keep a low profile at the academy.
A boy in one of the carriages watches Anna with intrigue.
"So that's Anna Fort De Rush. She's an interesting character. I wonder what my sister Zyon saw during that brief war that made her decide to use me to seduce someone. I may be handsome, young, and intelligent, but this girl must be only twelve years old, I think. So really, what is Zyon thinking?"