Chapter 13 — Fmes of Discipline POV: Hoshino Mirei

  We now stood on the stone-ced training grounds behind the Great Cathedral, the afternoon sun beating down like a silent overseer. After morning magic css with Priest Ira, where we underwent our magical aptitude evaluations, our minds were still buzzing from the revetions.

  I had been told I possessed the potential of an Eight-Star Mage, a talent few across this world could cim. My affinity y with light magic, and alongside that, a title was bestowed upon me: SS-Rank Hero of Light. It sounded… grand. Heavy.

  But there was no time to sit with it. Not now.

  I stood with Haruka and Shizuka, two of the few constants in this unfamiliar world.

  Haruka Nakano—gentle, radiant, with hair cascading down to her waist—had always had a quiet grace to her, even back on Earth. Her beauty had something saintly to it, and as fate would have it, she was a saint here: Holy magic, Eight-Star aptitude, SS-Rank Hero: Healer of the Sacred Fme. Popur in school. A natural protector. I still remember how she shielded Shouta from Makabe and Ririka without hesitation. That's just who she is.

  Shizuka Himemiya stood on my other side—our css’s cool, distant queen. Her sharp almond eyes and sleek bck ponytail gave her an air of cold elegance, but I knew better. Behind her calm exterior was a quiet kindness, the kind that rarely needed words. She had a natural talent with both sword and spell, with an affinity for water and wind. A Seven-Star Mage and a Hero-Rank Magic Swordswoman.

  And then there’s me.

  Mirei Hoshino. Css 2-B president. Long bck hair down to my wrists, a figure often complimented by others, but those things have never mattered to me. I lead because I must. I endure because someone has to. And now, more than ever, I need to grow stronger.

  It still pys in my mind—that ordinary day turned extraordinary.

  The sky had looked strange. Clouded. Heavy. Something inside me stirred with unease. We were just about to take roll call when the floor lit up with a blinding radiance—a sprawling magic circle etched in complex lines and ancient glyphs, something out of a game or an anime.

  And then— We were pulled.

  To this world.

  The High Priestess Carnelia greeted us with a serene smile and heavy words: “You have been summoned by the will of the Goddess to save this world from the Demon King’s terror.”

  Panic. Confusion. A thousand questions.

  But amid the chaos, something even more terrifying—

  Alicia Tsukihana was missing.

  Only her uniform had appeared in the circle. Nobody. No presence. No answers. The priestess cimed it was the Goddess’s will—that Alicia had either been summoned elsewhere… or not summoned at all.

  Maybe she was still on Earth.

  But that didn’t make it better.

  Alicia—my childhood friend. Once, we were inseparable. But distance, time, and silence had pulled us apart. No matter how many times I reached out, something always got in the way. And now… she was gone completely.

  Miss Aiko told me Alicia was strong. That we’d find her again. That I had to move forward.

  And I will.

  I’ve decided—I’ll master this world. I’ll become strong enough to cross any distance. I will find her.

  After our summoning, we were given rooms to stay in and underwent the Blessing Ritual to determine our roles and potential. Since then, every day has been filled with lessons—history, combat, magic, survival. Priest Ira’s teachings were calm, methodical.

  Today, though... was different.

  We now stood before Wendel-sensei, the Church’s knight instructor, and a man built like a storm given form.

  This was the second day of physical training.

  The first had been… unforgettable.

  Wendel-sensei didn’t believe in easing us in. On Day One, he broke us. Not literally—but close. Drills, sparring, endurance tests. I still remember Kasumi getting unched into a tree. He said it was all to ‘temper our bodies and will.’

  Today, he stood before us, arms folded, a smirk tugging at his scarred lips.

  "Welcome back," he rumbled. "Let’s see how many of you came to train—and how many came to pretend."

  Somewhere in the distance, a bird cried.

  Haruka exhaled beside me. Shizuka gripped the csp of her skirt,

  And me?

  I steadied my breath.

  No matter how much my muscles ached, how much my heart weighed—I would endure. Because the path to finding Alicia began here.

  We stood in formation in front of Wendel-sensei.

  He was a giant of a man. Muscles like a mountain, voice like thunder. On the first day, he’d knocked us all ft with nothing but presence. Today, he was in a particurly fearsome mood.

  “From now on, you will call me Master. Is that understood?!” Wendel bellowed.

  “Y-Yes, sirrr... Master!” the css echoed, half-strangled by nervousness. Even Miss Aiko flinched.

  “I didn’t hear that!” he roared louder.

  “YES, MASTER!” we all yelled in unison.

  “Good. Now, ten ps around the training ground! Strict formation!”

  The field was huge. About the size of a football stadium. Slowly, we began running. I naturally took the lead, falling into the rhythm easily. PE css back on Earth had prepared me for this.

  As we rounded the fourth p, I noticed many students gging. Breathing hard. Stumbling.

  But a few stood out—still strong.

  One of them was Sakura Ayaka.

  Tall and sturdy, with short brown hair that brushed her neck. She had a muscur build, rough hands, and a serious expression. She worked part-time at her uncle’s hardware store, lifting crates and barrels like they weighed nothing.

  Once, I visited her home and found out the truth. She lived alone with her uncle. No other family. She worked multiple jobs to support herself. A quiet, hard-working girl.

  She didn’t have many friends. I often saw her eating lunch alone.

  “Sakura-san, you're doing amazing,” I said between breaths, catching up beside her. “You’ve got incredible stamina.”

  “Thank you. It's nothing,” she replied, a little embarrassed. “You’re doing great, too.”

  “If you ever want someone to talk to,” I said gently, “you can always come to me.”

  She nodded, soft-spoken. “Thank you.”

  After about an hour, we somehow finished the ten ps. Students colpsed onto the ground, gasping, limbs shaking.

  Then Wendel-sensei stomped toward us, eyes gleaming.

  And I had a feeling the real training was just beginning.

  The sun was beginning to set, painting the horizon in shades of orange, crimson, and violet. Shadows stretched long across the training ground, draping over our exhausted forms like a silent curtain signalling the end of another day.

  We were scattered across the field—some lying ft on their backs, others hunched over, clutching their knees and gasping for air. The once lively energy had long drained from our bodies, leaving behind only fatigue and silence, broken by the sound of uneven breathing.

  My legs felt like jelly. Every muscle in my body screamed in protest, and my throat was dry as desert sand. Yet, despite the exhaustion, there was a strange sense of accomplishment blooming quietly in my chest. We made it—barely, but we did.

  Wendel-sensei stepped forward, his broad frame casting a shadow that seemed to tower over us all. His voice, as deep and commanding as ever, rang through the air with finality.

  "Starting tomorrow, you won’t be attending any academic lessons for the next three weeks," he decred, arms crossed behind his back. "You’ll report here every morning at dawn. No exceptions. Understood?"

  Despite our weariness, our response came out loud and clear.

  "Yes, Master!" we echoed in unison, voices hoarse but firm.

  With a sharp nod, he turned and walked away, leaving us to collect what remained of our strength.

  We didn’t speak much after that. Everyone simply picked themselves up, dragging sore bodies and heavy limbs toward the dormitories. The sky above continued its slow descent into darkness, stars beginning to flicker in the growing night.

  Back in my room, I sank into the bed, barely managing to change out of my uniform. My arms ached, my feet throbbed, and my mind was foggy with exhaustion.

  But even through the haze, my thoughts wandered, drifting toward Alicia.

  Where are you now, Alicia? Are you safe? Are you looking at the same stars as I?

  I closed my eyes, clutching the bnket tight around me as the moonlight slipped silently through the window.

  But just before the darkness took me, I whispered a silent promise into the void.

  “I’ll find you, Alicia. No matter what it takes.”

  And then—another whisper escaped, one I hadn’t meant to say aloud.

  “…Mom… Dad…”

  The silence after was louder than any battle cry.

  I missed them. More than I let myself admit.

  Their warm voices. The way Dad used to ruffle my hair when I got top marks. How Mom always made miso soup when I was having a hard day, even when I didn’t say anything.

  I didn’t even get to say goodbye.

  Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, but I blinked them away.

  Not now. Not yet.

  I had to be strong. For everyone. For Alicia.

  For me.

  And with that final thought, I drifted into dreams ced with distant ughter, the warmth of old memories, and the cold silence of a world without them.