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It was a winter night when heavy snow was pouring down.

Edel, wandering the streets clutching her hungry stomach, couldn’t bear the hunger and collapsed on the cold pavement.

For the past few days, her luck had been bad, and she had failed to find food. Before winter came, she could often find something to eat by rummaging through trash bins, but this time, even that didn’t work out.

She desperately tried to find something to eat, even scooping up snow from the sky, but all her efforts ended in failure.

Edel, who hadn’t eaten anything, was completely exhausted and eventually collapsed like this.

Her stomach ached as if it were being torn apart by hunger, and the cold pavement was covered in snow.

Thinking that this might really be the end, Edel blinked her eyes, opening and closing them.

She didn’t feel miserable.

It was nearly impossible for a little girl, barely 9 years old, to survive on the cold streets in the middle of winter.

Edel knew that all too well.

In fact, she knew that surviving until now had been a stroke of luck.

There was no regret or resentment.

Her stomach was too hungry, and the biting winter wind was too cold for her to think about such luxurious things.

Instead, she desperately longed for the bread that the kind-hearted orphanage director had once given to the orphans. It was stale but not too hard.

She simply wished to taste that delicious, savory bread once more, not the hard, musty-smelling bread she ate every day.

Blinking her eyes more slowly than before, Edel gradually felt sleep overtaking her.

It was a deeper sleep than when she had been doing hard labor all day at the orphanage.

But it wasn’t bad.

The hunger that had been tormenting her and the biting wind no longer bothered her.

Ah, so this is what dying feels like.

At such a young age, Edel realized that this was death.

Just as she was about to close her eyes, sensing the end…

“Are you okay?”

She met someone who would change her life.

The snow falling from the sky and the cold pavement.

And a man looking down at her with pity.

Grasping her breath, which seemed ready to fade at any moment, she reached out her hand, and the man, who would later become her master, carefully took her hand.

It was probably the first time she had ever felt the warmth of another person.

For Edel, whose only goal had been to survive each day, that night was unforgettable.

That winter night, Edel gained food, a home, and finally, a family.

***

Heir of the Summer Spear.

For Edel, the weight of the title “Heir of the Summer Spear” was heavier than that of any other seasonal weapon technique heirs.

After being saved by her master on that winter night and becoming his disciple, the title of Heir of the Summer Spear became her life and everything.

To inherit the legacy of her master, who had given her everything when she had nothing in this world, was the most important thing for Edel.

So, when she heard that an exchange meeting was being held at the Demia Empire Academy, she was thrilled.

Finally, a great opportunity had come to spread her master’s honor and the greatness of the Summer Spear across the continent.

However, the Summer Spear had been suffering from a certain stigma.

Although the Summer Spear was undoubtedly the continent’s greatest spear technique, it had not been recognized as the supreme among all seasonal weapon techniques.

The reason was none other than a duel that took place over a decade ago between Briana, the Heir of the Winter Sword and a Swordmaster of the continent, and Edel’s master.

At that time, her master, filled with a desire to prove himself, traveled across the continent to challenge the heirs of the seasonal weapon techniques.

After defeating the Heir of the Spring Shield and the Heir of the Autumn Bow, he boldly challenged Briana, the Heir of the Winter Sword.

At that time, Briana was known as the next Swordmaster, so his sudden visit could have been seen as rude, but Briana didn’t mind.

In fact, she gladly welcomed him and immediately accepted the duel.

The beginning of the duel was evenly matched.

They exchanged blows, probing each other, and both admired the other’s skill.

They both realized that, like themselves, the other was obsessed with their weapon, and further probing was unnecessary.

After exchanging glances, the duel turned into a life-and-death struggle.

They poured everything they had into the fight, holding nothing back.

After dozens of minutes, the match was decided.

Edel’s master, unable to withstand the ultimate technique of the Winter Sword, was defeated by Briana.

Perhaps because it was a duel where they had both given their all, Edel’s master accepted the defeat with a refreshing smile.

After objectively analyzing himself and Briana, he came to one conclusion.

There was an insurmountable wall between him and Briana.

Having reached that conclusion, Edel’s master laughed heartily and accepted his defeat.

Because it was a duel where they had both given their all, he could accept it with a clear mind.

After returning to his homeland, Edel’s master took Edel in and chose her as his next heir.

When Edel first heard this, she didn’t want to accept it, but since even her master had conceded, there was nothing she could do.

And having heard of the Swordmaster’s reputation, she had no room to argue. In fact, she even felt a bit of respect for Briana, who had risen to the ranks of the continent’s strongest as a woman.

But when it came to the relationship between the heirs of the next generation, the story was different.

If the greatest of her master’s generation was Briana, the Heir of the Winter Sword, then the next generation had to be Edel, the Heir of the Summer Spear.

Only then could her master, who had dedicated everything to the Summer Spear, be proud.

That’s why Edel was so excited about this trip to the Demia Empire Academy.

The fact that she was traveling with her master also played a big part.

“Edel. You seem too tense.”

“You said the Heir of the Summer Spear should have a burning heart.”

“That’s true, but… looking at you now, you’re like a child playing by the stream.”

“I’m not a child!”

Edel snapped at her master, who still treated her like a child.

Even though over ten years had passed since she met him, and she was now a proper adult, in her master’s eyes, she still seemed like a 9-year-old kid.

This always bothered Edel, and she vowed to defeat all the seasonal heirs and earn their recognition this time.

As Edel was burning with determination, her master, Diara, secretly sighed.

He knew that his only disciple didn’t like being treated like a child, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Not only was she his one and only disciple, whom he cherished dearly, but there was also one big reason why he couldn’t help but see her as young.

“You’re just too small, what can I do?”

Edel, the next Heir of the Summer Spear and Diara’s only disciple, was an adult but still looked like a child, barely reaching his chest.

***

“We’re here!”

Edel shouted as she looked at the Demia Empire Academy, where they had arrived after a long journey.

Passersby turned to look at the girl who suddenly shouted, but seeing her youthful appearance, they simply smiled warmly and moved on.

They mistook her for a young lady who had come to visit the Demia Empire Academy.

Her master knew this but didn’t tell her.

He didn’t want to mention her small stature and youthful appearance, which might trigger her insecurities.

“Master, we’re finally here!”

“Edel, it’s dangerous to run around.”

“Master, really. Do you think I’m a child?”

Placing her hands on her hips, she looked like a kid pretending to be an adult. She often acted confident and mature, but Diara, who saw this behavior more than anyone, couldn’t help but want to scold her.

Edel, this behavior makes you look even more like a child.

Swallowing the words he couldn’t say, Diara quietly followed the excited Edel.

Even Diara, who had traveled the continent in his youth looking for sparring partners, had never entered the Demia Empire Academy before, as the timing had never been right.

Unless it was for a special event like an exchange meeting, the academy strictly controlled access, so even Diara, as the Heir of the Summer Spear, couldn’t enter freely as a foreigner.

He didn’t care much about political matters, but he could easily imagine how his actions might strain relations between the two countries.

Speaking of Briana…

As Diara followed Edel, who was looking around eagerly, he remembered Briana, whom he had met over a decade ago.

Even after all these years, the intense duel from that day remained in his heart like a lingering flame.

Her existence, which had shown his younger, arrogant self that there was a higher level of strength, had matured him.

She had made him realize that there was an insurmountable wall, and she had become the driving force for his determination.

How strong had she become by now, having risen to the rank of Swordmaster?

Diara felt his calm heart begin to race.

What should he call this feeling? Perhaps it was like a first love?

Diara had remained single all his life, and perhaps it was because of Briana.

To him, who was captivated solely by strength, Briana was an insurmountable wall, an object of admiration and affection.

“Master, what are you doing?!”

“I told you not to run, walk slowly.”

“It’s you who’s slow, Master!”

Snapping out of his thoughts, Diara smiled wryly as he saw Edel already far ahead.

“Alright, I’m coming.”

“Hurry up, Master!”

Diara quickened his pace toward Edel, who kept urging him.

It seemed his disciple wasn’t going to give him any time to reminisce.

 

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