Thor's military academy often took an uncommon approach to education, whether it be inviting actual army drill sergeants as gym instructors or allowing official classless school days for the student body. But none of that even compared to field studies, Class VII's own exclusive educational program.

Once a month, the entire class split into two groups and traveled to different parts of Erebonia. The intent was probably to enrich their knowledge of the country they lived in and maybe earn some achievements along the way.

For a common guy like Rean Schwarzer. He just hoped he could make some new friends, get some new hobbies, and so on.

Even though he was in an experimental class, he still wanted to experience the school life that his parent pitched to him when he asked to enroll. But of course he didn't believe every single thing they told him.

Like insisting that Thors would be the place he would meet the love of his life… he had doubts about that.

He wasn't really what many girls considered a catch and he definitely wasn't some kind of playboy. Still, even his sister warned him to be careful around his female classmates.

…Did she think he was going to be bullied or something? Though to be fair, things were icy between him and Alisa for a while, but they managed to resolve that quite cleanly.

Growing up with two girls his age made him quite the expert in knowing how girls think.

…He was going off-topic.

Anyway, all of those hopes had to take a backseat to the 'adventures' they found themselves on. Thwarting political schemes, followed by breaking classmates out of jail. Honestly, without the timely assistance of friendly adults like Lieutenant Claire or Jusis's big brother, he wasn't sure they would've even made it back to Thors.

He actually thought those events were all planned by their lazy instructor, to toughen them up or something. Or maybe they were testing something more than just the Arcus.

But when he spoke to Group B about their field studies. He was just shown pictures of idyllic scenery and stories of local tourist attractions.

…He couldn't help but think it was a bit unfair.

But well, it wasn't all that bad. He got to know his classmates a lot better and he actually seemed to be making progress on his martial skills. He found that he actually didn't mind it much in hindsight when he focused on those good things.

Oh… and Machias is out of jail, that was good too of course.

And most importantly, he was still able to accomplish his goal of making some friends.

"Mirror!"

Rean threw down a card on the table, switching the 6 Jusis had just played with his 3. Jusis stared at the board before looking back at his hand.

His cold glare met Rean's eyes. "Our friendship is over."

"Haha, does that mean I win?"

His response was met with a sigh. "Yes, I fold."

His classmates congratulated him on his victory. All of them were on the train to the Nord Highlands, Gaius's homeland. Having heard all the stories he had told them over the last few months, Rean was looking forward to seeing it in person.

"Seriously, how are you so good at this." Alisa huffed angrily from the side. "I've heard from everyone else, no one has been able to beat you."

"There's not much to do sitting in a train, right? So I had a lot of practice." Rean said, looking outside the window of their train carriage as he gathered the played cards back into a deck. "Plus it might just be luck."

"If that's the case, how are none of us winning as much as you do?" Jusis said. "I wouldn't surprised if you told me that the Eight Leaves style has a whole lesson dedicated to swindling people with cards."

"That's got to be it!" Alisa said with a teasing expression on her face. "I bet it's next to the lesson about making cheesy speeches too."

"Is that so? For shame Rean, using your precious classmates as practice are you?" Jusis continued with a smirk.

"Very funny guys… I don't talk that much do I?"

"Like you weren't allowed to speak for years."

"...Really?"

"Cheesy as they are Rean, I can always feel your sincerity through them." Gaius offered a saving grace. "It's refreshing to hear someone speak their mind so often."

"Well… they are sort of inspiring I guess." Alisa relented.

"Thanks guys." Rean smiled at them, causing Gaius to smile back and Alisa to look away embarrassed.

Yeah, he did make some good friends. Compared to the beginning of the school year, the entire Class VII felt closer and more connected. Maybe it was thanks to the Arcus and its combat links but Rean felt he understood all of his classmates on a deeper level.

Well… most of them at least.

He turned his attention to a figure sitting away from them. Her bangs covered her eyes as she stared out of the window at the passing scenery.

Kristine Osborne. She was always stoic and silent, it was easy to miss her in the classroom because of that. So no one really knew anything about her.

Though perhaps only Rean and Machias knew that she could be quite passionate when she wanted to.

Jusis noticed his gaze and followed it. "Her huh. I know it's ironic coming from me but knowing who her father is. It's rather difficult to approach her." He gave a shrug. "Unless you're as clueless as Regnitz of course."

"I think he just talks at her, not with her," Alisa said, joining in. "Geez, doesn't she know it's fine to let her guard down?"

"Maybe you should coach her, Alisa." Emma smiled.

"Yeah I could- wait that's not what I meant!" Alisa sputtered.

Rean thought for a while. Wasn't this the perfect chance? After all, they were going to be on a field study together, it's not like she could spend the whole time walling herself off like this.

"Oh, you're going to do it again aren't you?" Jusis said across from him.

"Do what?"

"You're making that face, like you have to right some wrong and be the hero."

"What face? But no you've got it wrong, I just think I should go and talk with her for a bit that's all." Rean denied. He wasn't some hero fighting for justice. What's wrong with checking up on a classmate?

Jusis raised his eyebrows and Alisa threw him an unimpressed look from the side.

"Just a short talk." For some reason, Rean felt like he had to explain himself. "30 words or less."

"Go for it, Rean." Gaius encouraged. "We admittedly haven't tried to approach her as much as we should. Perhaps this is the field study to do it."

"Plus." He added. "If it doesn't work out now, maybe the sights of my homeland will make her more approachable."

"I will be counting on that." Rean smiled and stood up, before walking over to where Kristine sat alone.

She was still staring outside the window, but her eyes weren't focused. As if her mind was wandering and seeing something else.

Curious, he sat down across from her and asked. "Are you doing some kind of mediation?" Though most people don't meditate with their eyes open.

Her eyes widened at his words, before her dark eyes regained focus and glared at him. She seemed to consider saying something rude before relenting.

"...It's nothing so fancy, I was just scouting the area." She turned to fully face him. "I don't want to get jumped again."

Was that a joke? Once again Rean found himself lost when it came to her choice of words. But considering the context, could she be talking about the incident on the first day of school?

It was only something that was featured on the news after the Chancellor's Railway Security Bill was implemented. Apparently part of the reason it was voted in was because the Chancellor's own daughter was attacked on her train to school. And it was only thanks to the RMP that she made it out unscathed.

The reformist faction argued that if the daughter of one of the Erebonian Empire's premiere political figures wasn't safe on the railways. How can any noble claim to be? And more importantly, how can any normal citizen feel at ease?

This line of argument apparently won them favor from even some of the moderate nobility. So it was sold as another glorious victory for the Chancellor. But Rean supposed the actual person involved felt differently.

Was that why she was so distant? Did she think of them as potential enemies? Or was she just concerned that they would get caught up in whatever plot she might be involved with?

Kristine looked at the expression on his face and sneered like she saw something amusing. "If someone does come for me again. Mind if I used you as a shield?"

…Ok, maybe it was none of the above.

He scoffed. "If we do get attacked, I'm expecting you to pull your weight." Not actually, of course, Rean would do everything he could to protect a defenseless classmate. "That said, why would the school assign someone who can't use orbments to field test them?"

Kristine looked to the side. "...Apparently it was the Chancellor's request. And the one in charge of this mess approved it without a thought."

"I see…" Rean trailed off as the conversation turned awkward. Even he could tell that it was a sensitive subject for her.

"So? What brings you here? Shouldn't you be talking with your friends?" Eventually, it was Kristine who broke the silence. "Or… Are you here to give your answer?"

Answer?

"Oh yeah, from the beginning of the school year." Rean realized, Kristine's thought exercise had been pushed aside when the field studies came into play.

What was better? A kind lie or the truth? It was a question that he still didn't know how to answer.

His instincts tell him that the truth is always better than a lie. But when asked to put it into words, he was stumped. Every time he thought about it, his feelings eluded him as if locked away.

No, rather it was a different thought that came to mind. If the truth is really what helps people, would he be better off knowing it?

It was no secret that raising him caused his adoptive parents a lot of grief. Yet whenever his father or mother looked at him, their faces were filled with so much warmth.

It simultaneously gave him both feelings of relief and doubt. How could such kind people exist? To treat a stranger like him like their own son.

A part of his soul has always wondered, was this a lie? Something too good to be true? That if he were able to read their minds and see how they really felt, would he be able to face it?

His master would call something like this a trial. Just an obstacle he would have to surpass on his journey as a martial artist.

But he couldn't do it. He just… wasn't a strong enough person.

And even if it could be a lie, maybe he was better off holding on to that uncertainty like this.

"...No I don't have an answer yet, sorry." He eventually said.

"Hmm." Kristine let out a sound of disappointment and the silence returned.

"Rean?" Until a cheerful voice interrupted their brooding.

It came from a blonde girl dressed in a nun habit, her eyes widened in realization as she looked at him. "Oh right, Class VII have their field studies right now."

"Rosine?" Rean recognized her immediately, especially in her usual outfit. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be back in school?"

Rosine looked taken aback for a moment before answering. "Oh well, I'm going to visit the Nord Highlands as a volunteer for the Church."

"Wow, I never knew the Church was so busy."

"R-right."

Maybe it was because he saw a familiar face, but Rean felt his previous good mood returning. And he remembered why he came over in the first place.

"Since you're here, why don't you join us for a game of Blade? You too Kristine." He offered.

"Blade?" Kristine gave him a look, before looking over to the seats the rest of their classmates were sitting at. "Oh, cards. Sorry, not interested."

Rean was about to protest before she continued. Holding up a deck of her own.

"Unless of course, you're willing to play by my rules." She smirked.

He read the word printed on the back of the black and red cards.

Uno?

"Uno!" Rean threw down his card on the pile in front of him. It was an interesting game, fun to play and learn, he was really glad Kristine brought something interesting like this.

Said girl stared at her three cards in disbelief. "How… how are you beating me?"

"Told you. He's got to be cheating somehow." Jusis commented dryly, holding his five cards with slight frustration.

"You… you're evil, all of you." Alisa seethed, 15 cards stuck in her hand.

"Well, beginner's luck?" Rean offered.

"We're all beginners!" Alisa protested. "And you're even beating an experienced player!"

"Maybe he's been blessed?" Rosine gazed at him in amazement.

"Now that's a thought." Gaius chuckled. "Perhaps the Winds of the Nord Highlands are on his side too."

"Or it's magic," Emma said. "N-not that such a thing is real of course."

"It's nothing like that, it's just…" Rean frowned. "I think I played this game before, it feels familiar."

"That's impossible," Kristine said. "No one else but me has played this before today."

"Well… maybe it's just my imagination." Rean relented, but when he looked at Kristine's cards. He felt he could remember a vague figure smiling at him.

Somehow that figure overlapped with the girl in front of him briefly before fading away.

"We're stopping," Jusis spoke.

Rean looked out the window as the station came into view.

"Let's get off then," Gaius said calmly, but Rean could see the joy in his eyes.

The disembarking was simple, none of them brought any luggage after all. They could leave right away but all of them decided to stretch their legs after the long journey.

"Well hey, are you guys Thors students?" A voice called out to them on the platform.

A man holding a camera came up to them. "Don't usually see students out of the academy like this."

"No unsolicited pictures, please," Kristine said, glaring at the camera.

"Ah, don't worry. I'm a professional reporter. I won't make a rookie mistake like that." The man laughed. "That doesn't mean I won't ask though, but there's time for that later. My name's Norten, nice to meet you kids."

"Nice to meet you as well." Rean smiled, the man seemed harmless enough. "Are you here for work?"

"No, I'm here to take some nice photos of landmarks with my-" He looked around the station. "Speaking off, where did she go?"

Before Rean could offer to help the man with his search, Rosine spoke.

"Apologies, it seems I need to take my leave. I need to get back to Trista right away."

"Sure, have a safe trip- wait what?" Rean stuttered. "You just got here. And what about the volunteering?"
"Oh that, I wouldn't be much help here anyway. I would be much more suited back in Trista." Her phasing seemed off, why was she repeating that she needed to go back so much?

But Rean couldn't exactly stop her. So he just stared wordlessly as Rosine got back on the train without another word.

"Well, I'm sure she has her own troubles," Jusis said, the rest of the group seemed to be as speechless as he was. Expect for Emma, looked suspiciously at the train.

"Well, there you are." Norton's words interrupted their thoughts. "Everyone, this is my niece. Introduce yourself won't you?"

Next to the man was a pink haired girl. She was only a head shorter than Rean, but her trembling posturing made her seem half his size.

"Umm h-hello, my n-name is Less. It's nice to meet y-you." The girl managed to stammer a reply. Clearly she was not enjoying being put on the spot.

None of his classmates replied, seemingly unwilling to make a move lest the girl in front of them burst into flames in embarrassment.

Jusis gave him a look.

Why him?

Still, he couldn't just leave her like this. He put on his best smile and walked forward, holding his hand out for a handshake. "Hello, we're students of Thors Military Academy. And if you have anything you want help with, you can rely on us."

"H-help? You will help me?" The girl in front of him seemed taken aback. "I m-mean, yes thank you!"

She seemed to be a little braver now, she held her head up to meet his eyes.

And froze in place.

Surprised, Rean tried to withdraw his hand to check if she was alright.

Only for the girl to grab his hand with her own.

"You are just like me right? You have a power too!"

Tears began to fall from her face as she begged him.

"Please save me!"