Lightning descended from the sky, illuminating the dark night.
After the dazzling electric light faded, the boy holding the thunder spear knelt on the ground, battered and bruised, his face smeared with dirt. He spat and looked up again at the fairy fluttering above with the wings of a demonic butterfly.
The golden-haired and radiant fairy girl raised her arm. Tender green shoots extended from the vine bracelet on her wrist, growing into a beautiful floral bow of branches and leaves. Magic converged, forming a spiraling arrow in the night sky, which she nocked onto the transparent bowstring.
Her aura surged upward as intricate magical arrays unfurled behind her, layers of glowing circles forming around the arrow. Though it appeared fragile, its destructive power was unmatched.
She released the string. The bow vibrated, and the light circles instantly contracted. The gathered force hurled the arrow forward.
The silver arrow split into seven streams of dazzling light that streaked across the night sky, piercing the boy holding the thunder spear. His body plummeted from the sky and crashed heavily into the black, churning earth.
“Saint Ingo Academy wins!” the referee declared loudly.
It was already the third day of the Winter Festival Gala. After rounds of intense competition, the talented individuals from across the Verdant Veil region had whittled down to four contestants. Among them, two hailed from Saint Ingo Academy, one from Thunder Edge Academy, and the other from Crystal Grid Academy.
This year, Thunder Edge Academy—ranked sixth—was the dark horse. The boy wielding the thunder spear had defeated his opponents with an unimaginable performance, advancing to the final four and earning the amazement of the audience.
“He’s only a sophomore, right? And today’s opponent is Finapeline, the top-ranking senior of Saint Ingo Academy,” someone commented. Despite being a senior, considering the growth rate of elves, Finapeline was actually five years older than the boy.
“Defeat with honor,” many in the audience concluded in admiration.
Upon returning to the Thunder Edge Academy’s section, the boy was greeted with unanimous cheers and applause from teachers and classmates alike.
“Swetevi!”
“Swetevi!”
“Swetevi!”
“Swetevi!”
They chanted his name, tossing him into the air and catching him repeatedly, drawing the attention of the entire audience.
“Hello, this is Verdant Veil Channel One, and I am excited to present the story behind this legendary boy!” A host introduced him enthusiastically to the camera.
“Swetevi, a boy from mining station ‘Row-h412’ of the Mineral Star, had a poverty-stricken childhood. Determined to change his fate, he began learning survival skills at his parents’ insistence…” Although the host’s narrative might have contained embellishments, the touching story resonated with many Federation residents watching.
Perhaps they saw a reflection of their younger selves in this boy.
Since the importance of the Four-Leaf Crystal Star Region within the Federation had declined, its economy had stagnated, leaving many yearning for change. A boy from a mining station was a fitting representative of this struggle.
During the intermission, Swetevi’s tale spread rapidly across the Star Network. Just as people started to forget about the competition, another match began.
Crystal Grid Academy’s Esther versus Saint Ingo Academy’s Grunos.
A young man with short silver-blue hair stepped forward, wearing a white swordsman’s outfit with gold trim. Beside him hovered a wide mithril greatsword, its surface inscribed with intricate enchantment runes resembling circuits.
However, Grunos, the Saint Ingo Academy genius, didn’t wield the sword but let it float beside him. With arms crossed, he calmly faced his opponent.
Within Saint Ingo Academy, Grunos often ranked third or fourth. His entry into the semifinals was unexpected, as the second-ranked Juvelia and fourth-ranked Nougnan had been eliminated by talents from Edess Academy, allowing him to advance.
“Esther, it’s been a year,” Grunos remarked to the youth wearing a black jacket and cyberpunk-style goggles.
“No need for small talk. Let’s begin,” Esther replied, holding a compact case and showing no interest in pleasantries.
“Fair enough,” Grunos replied, though he found it dull to defeat an opponent without fanfare. Still, if Esther wasn’t inclined for conversation, there was no reason to show him courtesy.
Grunos moved his hand, and the mithril greatsword vibrated before accelerating toward Esther.
“Hmph.”
Surprised by the sudden attack, Esther couldn’t evade entirely. The edge of the greatsword left a clean gash on his arm, where cool blood seeped from the wound.
Immediately, Esther counterattacked.
With a snap of his fingers, his case opened, and cube-like crystals resembling Rubik’s cubes floated out. These cubes rotated and aligned around him, projecting beams of light that interconnected into a complex grid, forming a protective barrier.
What followed was an intense back-and-forth exchange. Beams of light clashed with the mithril greatsword, which danced through the air, shattering barriers and bypassing seals.
After ten minutes of battle, Grunos narrowly won. The wide mithril greatsword hovered at Esther’s neck, declaring his victory.
“So, the final showdown will be between two Saint Ingo students,” some spectators murmured.
“Unexpected, but not surprising. Saint Ingo has always ranked first. This isn’t the first time,” another replied.
…
“Heading back, Thilan?” Amid the noise, her companion’s voice reached her.
“Yeah,” Thilan replied as she and Dolores stood up, making their way toward the exit.
Although the Winter Festival Gala wasn’t over, there was no point in watching the rest. A Saint Ingo civil war lacked novelty—they’d sparred against each other plenty during training.
Away from the lively arena, they stepped into the rainy outdoors.
The humid air still carried the warmth of late summer. Thilan stood on the steps, feeling the wind blow through the rain, dampening her cheeks and arms.
“Next year, President Amorth and the seniors will graduate,” Thilan mused, recalling tonight’s match. Amorth had led the senior students in a fierce battle against Saint Ingo Academy’s contestants. Though ultimately defeated, they had made Saint Ingo pay a steep price.
“Is Thilan planning to participate in next year’s competition?” Dolores raised her hand. In the distance, through the curtain of rain, three black hovering cars approached. They bore dark golden insignias, marking them as luxury vehicles from the ‘Fragrant Incense Workshop.’
Under the escort of four black-clad attendants holding umbrellas, the two young girls stepped into the middle car, which then started toward Edess Academy.
“I will participate,” Thilan said softly, her fingers brushing through the strands of hair in front of her.
“That’s a bit surprising.” Dolores knew this girl well by now. She wasn’t the type who cared about fame or fortune.
“Because I promised them, I will perform my best.” Thilan’s blue eyes blinked gently as she gazed out the car window at the world outside.
“There are many reasons. One is that the academy has given me a lot of help. Another is because of my sister…”
“Perhaps only by standing in that spotlight, where everyone watches, will I have the qualifications to uncover some of the past.”
For now, she remained an unknown figure with little influence.
Although Dolores had a close relationship with her, Thilan didn’t want to trouble her friend with this matter or drag her into complicated situations.
Themisia, who was crowned champion that year, drew widespread attention. Yet even so, she suddenly vanished from the public eye. There were no follow-up reports or media coverage. Upon reflection, it seemed suspicious, and Thilan faintly felt that many forces were involved.
I need to work harder, she whispered silently to herself.
…
The grand Winter Festival Gala came to an end. This year’s champion, once again from Saint Ingo Academy, didn’t attract much attention. Instead, the dark horse rookie from Thunder Edge Academy sparked extensive discussions. People were abuzz about Swetevi’s background and his striking lightning lance.
With those festivities concluded, Thilan finally began to focus on the tasks Edess Academy had assigned her.
“In other words, we have less than three weeks until the semester ends, and I need to find ten people to form a club, make allies, and so on,” she said.
“Yes, Lady Thilan,” Annelie replied obediently by her side, though her eyes seemed to glimmer with amusement.
“Ugh, what a headache.” Thilan leaned back in her chair, adorably covering her forehead before shaking her hair.
“Don’t worry. If you just call out at school, many students will flock to you,” Annelie assured confidently.
“Really?” Thilan tilted her head, doubtful. She didn’t think people at the academy talked much about her.
“Yes, trust me,” Annelie nodded.
In Thilan’s view, she was low-key and unassuming. However, from the perspective of other students at the academy, this was far from the truth.
For starters, Dolores was already very popular. Everyone wanted to pursue this single heiress destined to inherit her family’s fortune. However, they also understood the vast disparity between themselves and her status. Rashly making advances would invite public ridicule—something a few had already learned the hard way.
The few students whose statuses matched Dolores’s were either spoiled brats like Jinzerk, obsessed researchers like the elves, or already engaged, making open courtship inappropriate.
Dolores, the center of attention, remained single. Now, alongside her appeared another girl of equal beauty. Such a pair naturally drew attention wherever they went. The reason things had remained relatively calm so far was that Edess Academy students were worldly and wouldn’t lose their composure like outsiders.
Privately, Dolores had also taken many measures to protect Thilan, discouraging those with ulterior motives and ensuring her peaceful life this semester.
Still, while Thilan’s striking looks inherited from her mother drew many glances, some students dismissed her as merely a pretty face.
“Just a lucky girl clinging to Dolores,” they said.
“If I had her looks and figure, I’d already be dating Chester,” remarked one admirer of Chester, the ‘Silver Falcon Noble,’ a dreamboat for many girls at the academy.
“She’s cute and pretty, sure, but that naivety screams inexperience. Bet a few harsh words would bring her to tears,” others commented.
“A girl with no family background is just a toy for the powerful. Dolores might treat her well now, but what happens when Dolores marries? Is she supposed to tag along? She’ll eventually suffer.”
“Every gift from fate comes with a price tag. A girl with no background indulging in luxury like this will fall sooner or later,” was another sneer.
Even in the interstellar age, society still revered strength. Take Valk, for example. Despite his humble origins and lack of background, his formidable abilities had earned him respect and attention at the academy. Even some nobles secretly supported him, seeing it as an investment in his potential.
Currently, the most renowned first-years at Edess Academy were Jinzerk, the flamboyant show-off; Valk, the rising star; and Evony, the ‘Fiery Goldfish Princess,’ a genius with neither prominent lineage nor extraordinary talent but still well-regarded.
Hearing Annelie describe how others perceived her, Thilan felt like laughing but couldn’t.
“Being mocked as a vase isn’t so bad. This disguise might be better than revealing my true abilities and becoming the center of attention.”
“Fame is nice, but I really hate dealing with all the trouble,” the black-haired girl mused, propping her elbow with her hand as she thought deeply.
“Maybe I should just let everyone think I’m a vase.” The idea brought a mischievous sense of novelty to Thilan, who had always been the well-behaved one.
“For any combat matters, let Ranbell handle them. By the way, has Ranbell returned?” Thilan asked. Recently, after subduing Ranbell, the latter had taken leave to handle some family matters.
“Ranbell said she needs another week to wrap things up,” Annelie replied, shaking her head. A recent elite troop raid on Ranbell’s castle had caused significant damage, and she was busy managing repairs and relocating her family members.
“Then let’s start forming the club. I need to think of a name.”
“First, the club’s purpose and main activities, then recruitment,” Annelie explained the academy’s club system.
“Depending on the club’s goals and activities, we can apply for funding from the academy. And since it’s Edess Academy, the funds won’t be trivial.”
“I see…” Thilan rested her head on her wrist, pondering at her desk.
Unintentionally, her thoughts drifted back to a dream she had a few nights ago, submerged underwater.
Her innate talent, tied to crystals and time, allowed her to glimpse remnants of past eras and witness forgotten moments.
Nostalgia, awe, sorrow—emotions stirred within her as she marveled at history’s grandeur and felt her own smallness.
“It’s like the twilight,” she murmured, recalling a distant epoch in history.
Dark clouds blanketed the sky, ruins and mutated creatures littered the earth. Humanity, waking from its slumber, began to reach for the sky once more.
They escaped the toxic, irradiated ground and built cities and worlds above the clouds beneath clear blue skies.
Through shared ideals and scholarly pursuits, people formed factions, each representing humanity’s aspirations for the future.
Thus emerged the romantic and idealistic age buried in dust—the Twilight Era.
“The club’s name will be ‘Twilight Ensemble.’”
The fairyland of seven-colored flowers no longer exists. All that was beautiful was tainted in the Fifth Epoch. There is no untouched utopia left, only a lone song under the dark twilight sky, striving to break free from the harsh environment and carve out a new future in the sky.