Note: This story assumes that you have finished at least the third chapter of CSII.
The following are extracts from a series of interviews with the famed members of the inaugural Class VII of Thors Military Academy and those whom played significant roles in their rise to fame. As many readers know Class VII was founded in an especially turbulent time in the Empire wherein reformists led by Chancellor Giliath Osborne dueled politically with the prominent noble houses in the direction Erebonia should take. Class VII itself was composed of a mixture of commoners and nobles alike, with such prominent examples as Jusis Albarea, the second son of the Duke Albarea, and Machias Regnitz, the son of the commoner imperial governor of Heimdallr. Class VII would go on to play a decisive role in not only the prelude of the Erebonian Civil War but also in bringing that conflict to a close.
Perhaps the most prominent, and indeed infamous, member of Class VII would be Rean Schwarzer, widely acknowledged before his disappearance as its leader. After successfully liberating Heimdallr from the Noble Alliance, Sir Rean vanished from the public eye for several months before appearing in the city-state of Crossbell during the inauguration of Rufus Albarea as its governor-general. The events that followed would see Erebonia plunged into such depths as unseen since the War of the Lions and far eclipsing the brutal but short civil war that preceded them.
-Introductory Prelude to Reflections: Of Greatness and Infamy
Prologue: A Mirror Darkly
There was a stern confidence, even a smugness, in the manner with which Chancellor Giliath Osborne carried himself. That he was standing atop the steps simply made him look even more towering as he gazed down upon one Vita Clotilde.
"I'll allow you to leave this time, witch." The last word might as well have been a curse considering how it passed his lips. "Slink back to your master and the rest of that brood of serpents, and tell them: If they even THINK of trying to stand in my way, I'll-"
"What, crush them just like the people of Jurai were ground under your heels?"
Osborne's eyes opened and a stunned silence fell upon the chamber as all eyes fell upon the one that had dared interrupt him. Meeting the chancellor's gaze, the somewhat disheveled looking dark haired youth released the form he was cradling and rose.
"Or throw them into the flames like the people of Celdric?"
The chancellor's eyes narrowed. It was apparent that he had not expected to be so challenged, not in what was meant to be his moment of triumph.
"I would remind you, Rean Schwarzer," he began, "that it was the Kreuzen provincial guard that committed that atrocity, under orders of the Duke Albarea, whom you personally helped bring to justice."
To Rean's side the blond haired young man grimaced but said nothing. Rean himself was visibly unmoved by Osborne's claim. Instead his hand was now resting on the handle of his tachi, a motion that did not go unnoticed as the others all around him tensed.
"Then you claim no responsibility for starting this civil war?" Rean demanded. "For all the machinations to bring everything to this point? How many people's lives were ruined, destroyed, merely for the fulfillment of your ambition? How are you any different than Cayenne or Albarea!?" The ring of metal sounded as the sword was drawn. "EVERYTHING that has happened to Erebonia, to OUR homeland, has happened with YOUR complicity!"
The gathered Ironbloods all drew their own weapons, out of reflex if nothing else. The expressions on their faces made quite clear however that they had no desire to actually bring them to bear on the grieving young man before them.
"Rean, calm down," Claire tried. "You're being too-"
Rean took a step forward, and then another. The tachi was now in his hands. Claire's face twisted in consternation as she found herself leveling her pistol at him.
"Rean," Rufus spoke up. "His excellency had many reasons for his actions. And you are one of them."
Rean came to a stop. The angle of his blade wavered ever so slightly.
"What?" he said in a hushed tone.
Rean met Osborne's gaze, and felt those piercing eyes seemingly see right through him. His own eyes suddenly glazed over as a long buried memory began to resonate with that gaze. A gaze that he had seen before, one filled not with burning will, but with sorrowful despair.
"Rean…I pray you grow up strong and healthy," a gruff and pained voice sounded. "…Oh, Aidios…If you're listening, hear me now. Please, allow this child…"
Rean continued staring blankly ahead until his eyes focused once more, once more on a man that he now recognized. His chest tightened and he clutched it, gasping for breath. It was too much, too much. How could this be, the man that he had come to despise so much, what sick joke of the Goddess was this?
Osborne gave a bark of a laugh. It could even be described as overjoyed.
"I see you finally remembered the truth," he said, holding open his arms. "I'm glad to finally see you again, my son. You've grown into a fine young man."
It was impossible, utterly impossible. The man that had been behind all the pain and despair, all the machinations that had set so many people into motion and brought such suffering to people all across Erebonia, that was the man that Rean was kin to. And now Rean found himself falling into despair, into pain, as he was faced was this incontrovertible proof.
"Indeed," Osborne was not yet done, "the Empire will soon know of the Ashen Chevalier, the hero whose brave deeds allowed us to reclaim the capital."
Beneath that pain and sorrow however something else flickered.
"And who better to assist me," Osborne concluded, "than a national hero?"
A rage, unlike anything that Rean had felt before. Greater than when Elise was threatened when they were mere children, greater still than when that magic knight under the old schoolhouse had threatened to kill her. And somehow, beyond all reason, far greater than when Teo Schwarzer, the only man whom Rean would ever recognize as his father, had been gunned down by the jaegers that invaded Ymir in source of the Princess Alfin. The angle of the sword dipped.
The motion was so fast barely anyone even knew to react, much less had the time to do so. Rufus was not anyone however, bring his sword about and blocking Rean's slash. The scion of the House of Albarea gritted his teeth at the sting of the blow, barely keeping on his feet. The figure that now pressed against his blade growled and pair of blood-red eyes met Rufus' gaze.
"Oh crap!" Millium exclaimed.
"Rean stop!" Claire shouted.
The captain was desperately fighting down the instinct to open fire but rapidly running out of options. With a sudden heave Rean shoved aside Rufus and charged straight for Osborne. The shot from Claire was dead on and effectively pointblank. Rean shifted his form and the bolt of energy impacted harmlessly against the Zemurian blade. The divergence was just enough to give Osborne time to peddle backwards, the tachi slicing through air instead of the chancellor's gut. Even so a sliver could be seen in his clothes, marking just how narrow his escape was.
"Sorry kid," Lechter said, charging forth with ARCUS in hand. "Nothing personal!"
And blasted Rean with a burst of ice. That should have at least slowed him down. From his movements Rean did not even seem to notice. He continued forth, until Millium hoped in front of him and folded her arms across her chest.
"Rean, you need to stop!" she pleaded.
Airgetlam manifested, its own arms wrapped around the girl in a defensive posture. There was no hesitation in Rean's action, no pause. The flat of his blade slammed down upon the puppet's head, sending it toppling over onto Millium as the girl let out a surprised cry. And then he was one step closer to the chancellor, once step closer to delivering the killing blow. One step too far as suddenly another sword met his own blade, and a barrel was shoved straight into his face.
"Stand down Rean," Sara Valestein, homeroom teacher of Class VII, ordered.
"Instructor." Rean's voice sounded in a chilling tone. "Why are you defending the chancellor. You hate him."
"That may be so, but I can't let one of my students turn into a coldblooded murderer," Sara responded.
"The chancellor is one of the guiltiest people in the Empire," Rean said. "And because of his power, no authority possesses the means to make him answer for his crimes. No one, but me."
"You can't take the law into your own hands Rean," Sara scowled. "That just continues the cycle of hatred and retribution, continues all the suffering."
"So you're just going to let him walk away?" Rean demanded. "You're just going to turn your cheek and let him keep on breaking the rules himself?"
"If that's the price I have to pay to keep my own conscience clean, then yes," Sara said firmly. "Believe me Rean, I've walked the path where I did whatever I wanted, consequences be damned. I could have been one of those Northern Jaegers that took Duke Albarea's money and committed all those atrocities for him. I didn't, and I won't let you go down that path either."
The pressure from Rean's blade did not let up. Neither did he press forth however, and something told Sara that in this state Rean probably could overpower her, even if only momentarily. The others had recovered however and even if Rean got past her his chances of taking down Osborne were effectively nil now that he had lost the element of surprise. And they were dropping even further as the rest of Class VII mustered themselves.
"Rean!"
The tachi wavered ever so slightly but Sara made sure not to take advantage of it. If Rean felt threatened, there was no telling how he might react. Fortunately the young woman that had called out to him could also sense this. Laura might have been at the front of the rest of the class as they raced over but she kept her distance from the two combatants.
"Rean," she said again. "Please. Sheathe your sword. If you continue to wield it in such anger, you will only invite an even greater tragedy."
Sara kept her eyes on Rean's, watching as they softened slightly. If anyone was going to be able to talk him down, it was going to be Laura. Not just because they were both students of the sword, but because of a far deeper connection that they shared. Just as Sara began to hope that Rean really would listen, that he just might be brought back around, his eyes hardened again.
"Cra-"
Before she knew it there was not just one blade pressed against her own but three. And then she was flat on the ground, literally run over as suddenly a trio of forms descended upon the chancellor from different directions. Rufus managed to intercede between one and another suddenly found a despairing Laura meeting his blade. The third had a clear shot at Osborne, until a pair of shot sounded and it disappeared. Fie stood there, gunblades in hand, her usual stoic façade now a dull look of disbelief at what she had been forced to do. The shadow fighting Rufus was similarly dispelled as the noble managed to plant his blade in it. The only one that remained, the real one, was locked in another standoff.
"Rean," Laura whispered, tears slowly escaping her eyes. "Why? We promised, to walk the path of the sword together. To fight to preserve the peace and happiness of others, together. Why?"
"I'm sorry Laura," Rean answered softly. "I thought, that we could end this war quickly, to keep the conflict from spiraling out of control and getting more and more people hurt. But we failed. First at Celdric, and now here in Heimdallr."
"But we didn't fail Rean," Laura insisted. "We brought Duke Albarea to justice, and we've stopped the Vermillion Apocalypse! The war is over!"
"No it's not!" Rean screamed, causing even those observing the standoff to start. "We haven't ended the war, Laura. All we've done is to give that man everything he wanted." The young man could not even speak the name. "He gambled the fate of the entire Empire in order to achieve his goal. He let this war happen, letting untold thousands suffer and even die, in order to further his ambition."
Laura's eyes actually wavered at that. While everything she had said was certainly true, so was every one of Rean's words as well.
"And he isn't going to stop," Rean continued, "you heard what he said. He's going after Crossbell next, just like he did with Jurai. Do you know what will be left of Erebonia when he's done, Laura? A nation bereft of pride and dignity, whose mark upon Zemuria will be as bullies and thugs."
"You know not what you speak of, young Schwarzer," Rufus interjected. "The forces that his excellency has faced do not grant the leisure of restraint."
"Is that what you're reduced to Rufus?" Rean spat. "The ends justify the means? How very, noble of you. I'm sure Duke Albarea would be proud."
Rufus frowned. "Take care Rean, some things cannot be unsaid, or undone."
Before the noble could say anything further Rean coughed, a spurt of blood splashing over the locked blades.
"Rean!" Laura exclaimed in alarm. "Please, stop this now. I do not wish for all that is left of you to be a cold form in my arms!"
Rean smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, Laura. You returned to me, blade unbroken." His muscles were now definitely wavering even as he refused to back down. "But I have proven myself unworthy of your grace."
"Rean!"
A light flashed and Laura nearly toppled over, her sword slamming into the ground.
"Wha-where did he go!?" Alicia exclaimed.
A thud sounded and everyone turned about to see Rean collapse next to Vita. The dark aura about him was now gone and his hair returned to its natural color. Rean was barely able to hold himself up on his knee, hands clasping his tachi.
"Well, that was quite the spectacle," Vita said somewhat nonchalantly. "You are strong, Rean, but I'm afraid you're still a ways off from challenging all of your former allies at once."
"So, it seems," Rean said as he gasped for breath.
"Vita, what are you doing?" Emma demanded.
"Just lending a hand to keep you all from killing each other," Vita said with a smile. She looked over at Rean. "What do you intend to do now?"
Rean closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them there was no light within.
"Duvalie once said that to qualify to be an enforcer, one must possess some darkness," Rean said before looking up to meet the woman's gaze. "How much darkness do you see in me, Anguis of Ouroboros?"
Gasps sounded all about though not from Vita herself. After a brief moment she smiled.
"The light still shines brightly within you, Rean Schwarzer. But a great light casts an even greater shadow."
As if to accent that circles formed about Vita, Rean, and Valimar.
"A teleportation circle!" Emma exclaimed.
"Damn it, stop them!" Sara cried even as she charged forth.
Laura was on the move even before her instructor.
"Rean! No!"
The young man looked over and met her gaze. The dullness in his eyes disappeared for a brief moment, only to be replaced with sorrow.
"I'm sorry, Laura. And, thank you."
As her steps finally brought her to him, Rean disappeared in a flash of light, leaving Laura reaching out and grasping nothing but air. She stood there in stunned disbelief, until her hand empty hand closed. The gallant and elegant face twisted until only anguish could be glimpsed upon it. Wrapping her arms around herself, Laura hugged her chest tightly as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Rean," she whispered. And then more loudly. "Rean." And finally, a cry ringing of heartache. "REEEEAAAANNNN!"
The Albarea estate in the noble district of Bareahard was a grand affair as befitting its noble occupants. Granted one such occupant had as of late been less deserving of that appellation, which was the primary reason why the guards now securing the estate grounds were from the Railway Military Police instead of the Kreuzen Provincial Army. Or at least they should have been, save for the fact that there were no guards visible at the gates. The sound of gunfire ringing out however made quite clear they were not actually absent.
"Damn it, he's too fast!"
"Call for reinforcements! Do not let him break through to the duke!"
A snort sounded from the youth, a glint of his sword flashing as it sliced through the RMP soldier's rifle.
"As if I care in the least about that man."
"Then what are you here for!?" another soldier demanded.
Rean made no answer, instead delivering a solid whack with the pommel of his tachi into the man's chest. The soldier gasped and slumped over, unconscious. Rean had thus far been very lucky and avoided the outright shedding of blood. That time would come though, of that he had no doubt. Hurrying along his way, he recalled the less than straightforward path through the western wing towards his target. After a few minutes in which he avoided running into any further interference he finally arrived at his destination. Despite the commotion going on there were still two RMP soldiers standing guard. They immediately leveled their weapons at Rean even as they shouted a warning.
"Halt or-"
There were situations when one had the luxury of issuing a warning. There were others where shooting first was the prudent course of action. This was most certainly the latter seeing as Rean already had his sword drawn.
"Wha-"
The barrels of their rifles slid off, leaving the two soldiers stunned motionless. That could have proven fatal had Rean intended to kill. Instead when the two woke up they would be suffering some major headaches but would otherwise be uninjured, save for perhaps their pride. Not sensing any further danger Rean sheathed his sword and entered, and neatly sidestepped a maid trying to smash a flowerpot over his head. The woman let out a shrill cry as Rean grabbed hold of her.
"If you would please refrain from any further theatrics, I assure you, I will be leaving here without causing you any harm."
The woman spent a second looking at him, and fainted outright the next. Rean simply sighed and then looked up when a chuckle sounded.
"My, my, this is most unexpected."
Seated in one of the chairs was Scarlet, the red-haired woman wearing a more modest dress than Rean was used to seeing her in. Then again her choice of clothing was likely restricted to what the RMP and the Albarea household was prepared to provide so that was perhaps not a surprise.
"Scarlet," Rean greeted as he gently laid the maid down on an empty bed. "I see that you are making progress in your recovery."
The woman in question stretched a bit, grimacing from the slight aches that still ran through her body. "I suppose I am. You on the other hand, well, I can only imagine this is not purely a social call."
"That is so," Rean said before taking a deep breath. "Crow is dead."
Scarlet's expression stiffened. "I, see." And she sighed. "I suppose, I should have expected that. The news coming out of Heimdallr have been, confused, to say the least. But, I had hoped. If anyone could have, I thought it was you."
"Me too," Rean said. "I've learned a lesson about hubris there."
Scarlet chuckled again. "Does that mean you no longer hold to your sense of optimism, young man?"
"Perhaps not," Rean said, a tinge of sadness in his voice. "There is more. Chancellor Osborne has returned."
This time it was anger that twisted Scarlet's expression. "So I have heard. All that we sacrificed, seems to have been for nothing."
Rean walked over and bent down onto one knee, extending a hand. "Come with me."
The woman blinked. "What?"
"I do not trust Osborne to not move against those that played a role in his assassination. Come with me, please."
Scarlet remained motionless for several moments before smiling once more. "I take it back. You are still as optimistic as ever. No, not optimistic. Kind."
Rean smiled sadly. "I have no right to called that anymore. Not after what I have done. And certainly not after what I will do."
"Kind," Scarlet insisted. "And full of heart. You remind me very much of C."
Rean breathed deeply. "Thank you, for the compliment."
Scarlet chuckled once more and reached out, taking Rean's hand. "You saved my life. A life that I no longer wanted. Give me reason to live once more, Rean Schwarzer."
A red light began glowing around the two, swirling about until it completely enveloped them. By the time the RMP soldiers arrived to search the room both were long gone.
The ride up to the village of Ymir was done in silence, with neither Elise nor Laura making a sound as they sat side by side. Claire regarded the two, trying to find something to break up the awkwardness in the cable car. The RMP captain however found herself at a complete loss as to how to do so, not least of which because she was the source of said awkwardness. It would be unfair to suggest that either of the young women she was accompanying were spiteful in any way but it was impossible to ignore Claire's connection to Chancellor Osborne, just as it was impossible to deny the role the chancellor played in driving Rean away. For Elise her dear brother, whom she had just been reunited with after he came to her rescue, was so cruelly stolen from her once more. And for Laura, the only remnant of the love that she shared with Rean was his last words to her, a heartfelt apology. Under such circumstances Claire would not have blamed the two women in the least if they felt at least some resentment against her. They were all only human after all.
The car came to a stop and the doors opened. Without uttering a single word Elise and Laura rose and headed for the exit. With a sigh Claire followed. As the trio emerged from the station they were greeted by not just the Schwarzers but also it seemed the entire village.
"Elise," Lucia said, stepping forward.
Elise's form trembled and she threw herself into her mother's arms. "Mom. I'm so sorry, I-I couldn't bring Rean back with me. I'm so, so sorry…"
Sobs sounded from the girl and Claire felt her own heart twist in sympathy at the sight.
"There's nothing for you to apologize for," Lucia assured her daughter even as her own cheeks were stained with tears. "You came back to us, Elise, and that's all you needed to do."
Teo placed a reassuring hand on his wife's shoulder before looking over at Claire and Laura.
"Captain Claire. Laura. Thank you for seeing my daughter home."
Both women bowed slightly, though Laura's form dipped a bit lower.
"It was the least we could do," Claire said.
"We should not all be standing out here in the cold," Teo said. "Please, join us in the house."
"Thank you, Baron Schwarzer," Laura accepted before Claire could make her own response.
The man's expression softened as he regarded Laura. "Just Teo is fine, Laura. There is no need for such formality from you."
Laura's own face wavered for a brief moment before it resumed its stoic mask. Nevertheless she nodded. Claire herself watched impassively. There was a significance in the baron's words, just as there was in the fact that they were not addressed to her. She did not raise her voice however, remaining an observer for now.
Teo turned about to face the gathered villagers. "Everyone, thank you for having come to welcome my daughter home. After she has had some time to rest and recuperate, I am sure Elise will be ready to return to brighten our daily lives as before."
Solemn nods answered the baron's statement and a few kind words came in turn as the crowd dispersed. It was evident to Claire that the people of Ymir truly did love their liege and his family, and were as pained by the absence of their prodigal son. This was not going to be easy.
Claire followed the others as they returned to the baron's residence and once in the warmth of its walls allowed herself to relax just a tiny bit. As all of them gathered in the dining hall a maid emerged with a pot of tea and busied herself pouring cups for all of them. Only after she had retreated back into the kitchen did the real conversation begin.
"Captain." Teo's gaze shifted. "Laura. Please. An explanation if you will. Where is my son."
That last word carried such weight, such strength, and yet such despair, that Claire found herself almost struggling to keep her breathing steady. The baron deserved to know the truth, and yet that same truth might well crush him. Crush all of them. Dared she tell it? Claire glanced over to Laura but the other woman was simply sitting there, eyes closed. The captain grimaced. Apparently she would need to be the one to make the opening statement. Was this some sort of twisted penance from Aidios? Surely the goddess was not that cruel.
"Rean," Claire finally managed. "His friend, Crow, fell in battle. Not to Rean or any of his classmates, but to a gambit Duke Cayenne attempted as his defeat neared. Rean took this, extremely poorly. I believe that the grief he experienced proved overwhelming, and it impacted his judgment severely when it was revealed that Chancellor Osborne had in fact survived."
Teo's eyes narrowed. Even in Ymir some news of what had transpired in the capital had reached them, including the seemingly miraculous survival of the Iron and Blood Chancellor.
"His excellency also chose that moment to, reveal his relation to Rean."
Gasps sounded on the other side of the table from Lucia and Elise. This particular bit had been kept from the younger girl, in fact it was being kept from near everyone that had not been physically present when it happened. The Schwarzers however would have learned the truth eventually, if not from Claire then certainly from one of Class VII's members, such as Laura.
"This revelation seems to have pushed Rean over the edge," Claire said. "He, reacted violently, and charged the chancellor for complicity in all that has transpired in the last few months. He then, attempted to kill the chancellor. After the rest of us attempted to stop him, he withdrew and disappeared."
Teo regarded Claire impassively but the captain could see the emotions raging within his eyes. Sorrow, disbelief, even a bit of anger. With visible effort his gaze shifted over to Laura.
"Laura. Is this true?"
The baron's question was not an accusation against Claire, it was simply that of a shocked father trying to grasp the magnitude of what he had just been told. Claire waited patiently for Laura to confirm the chain of events. There was no need for her to personally try to emphasize them, the best thing for the baron and his family now was to hear it from someone else that had witnessed them.
"It is not."
Claire's head snapped over as she stared at Laura in disbelief. The younger woman's eyes opened, and there was not a hint of doubt in them.
"Rean may have been emotionally distressed at the time," Laura continued, "but he remained fully cognizant of his actions. And he made a conscious, deliberated decision, regarding the culpability of Chancellor Osborne, and decided to act upon it."
Disbelief turned into shock as Claire listened to Laura's words. Did she know what she was saying? What she was insinuating? The ramifications if Rean was sound of mind when he decided to draw his blade against the chancellor? At minimum that amounted to attempted murder. At worst, treason.
"I see," Teo said heavily.
Claire looked back at the baron, her eyes still wide. Surely the baron was not seriously contemplating this.
"Your lordship-"
"Thank you captain," Teo cut Claire off brusquely, "for everything that you have done for my son, and my family, these past few months." The baron's eyes hardened ever so slightly. "If you would please leave us now, my family needs some time to process all that has happened."
Claire's jaw tightened. The dismissal was directed solely at her. Laura was obviously included in that bit about family. In so dismissing her Teo was making clear just whom he believed regarding the events of that day, and just how much credibility Claire had burned trying to sugarcoat things. That was obviously a mistake, but hindsight was what it was because it was too late. Reluctantly Claire stood.
"Then with your permission, your lordship," she said with a slight bow.
As Claire took her leave she could feel the stares that followed her out. Followed her, and burned straight through her.
End Prologue
I ended up considerably expanding the prologue to get in two more scenes that needed to happen before the story proper. That about doubled its size. Full chapters I expect to run about a third longer, so ~7000 words each.
After playing through Trails of Cold Steel II and finishing chapter 3, I really needed to get this off my chest. The, level of frustration that I felt at Rean's reaction at the end of that chapter is, well, hard to describe, and writing this was pretty much an act of catharsis. There was a passivity to Rean's actions that just did not sit well with me. He, and to a certain extent all of the members of Class VII are just too forgiving and understanding in a lot of respects, but Rean especially seems to have a lot of difficulty holding any sort of grudge. I suppose that is part of his charm and the reason why he was able to be the heart of the class. But I thought, what the hell, wouldn't it be more interesting to see a version of Rean that, well, snapped, so to speak. Who was overwhelmed by all of the pain and grief.
Anyway, this is all just setup, to set the stage. Things are going to obviously take a much different turn than what we saw in the epilogue sections of CSII. Those of you that have read my other fic A Cold Calculus might have some inkling as to how I like to develop my stories. I'm also going to try to inject a bit more realism into my take on the Kiseki universe, at least from the geopolitical and military perspectives. In other words, expect an actual body count whenever there is combat. That bit more than anything else always frustrated me a bit, the way that war was portrayed so cleanly for the most part.
I have a general plan of how I want to end this story and I have a few story arcs worked out. This story is however is very much a flying by the seat of my pants thing, and I expect the update schedule to be a lot slower than what I've managed for In Tune or A Cold Calculus. I also expect it to be shorter for that matter. I'm thinking maybe 20 chapters, 30 on the outside.
Anyway, those of you that decide to stick around, I hope you will enjoy it. Feedback is always welcome and if you have any questions feel free to post them in the reviews. I try to make sure to answer any said questions in author notes of following chapters.
Mandatory disclaimer: I don't own Kiseki. Really wish I did though, so then I would know who the blazes the Grandmaster is and what Ouroboros' plans for the Sept-Terrions are.