Sara was familiar with “Flamefanner” Heide, of course. Heide had been a member of the Din Republic’s legendary spy team Inferno. On top of that, she’d been Klaus’s de facto older sister.
On the other hand, though, that was all Sara knew about her. Finding out that she’d been a musician was news to her.
The sound that came from the record player was a noise designed to destroy people.
It wasn’t that it was particularly loud, yet it hit Sara so hard, she could have sworn her body had just split apart. There was something disquieting about the music that shook the very core of her being. Twenty seconds of it left her dripping blood from her nose and unable to stand. She’d spent that entire time fighting just to remain conscious. She assumed she was screaming, but she couldn’t hear anything anymore. Sweat poured from her skin as her body went numb. It felt like she was boiling or freezing, but she wasn’t sure which.
Right when she stopped being able to tell how much time had passed, Klaus turned off the recording. That was when she first realized that she’d fallen to her knees.
“Having an unshakable heart isn’t just a matter of willpower.” Klaus’s voice came softly from above. “The only ones who can conquer the fear in their hearts are people who’ve honed their talents and built up experience. And they can do it even when assailed by a wretched noise from a selfish musician that distorts their every instinct.”
Sara’s mind was so blank, his words went in one ear and out the other.
All she understood was that she’d failed his test. Klaus had made it painfully clear that someone with no talent or experience had no right opposing his plan.
It was a cruel sound designed to separate the weak from the strong.
Sara couldn’t stand back up, and Klaus offered her no assistance. Even if he had shown her such kindness, it would have made her embarrassed enough to want to disappear.
Klaus returned the record to its case and quietly exited the room. “Once the day comes when you can hear that song through, I’ll be happy to consider your opinion.”
He hadn’t laid a finger on her, yet she knew that she’d been defeated all the same.
“Heide’s music is a weapon for crushing people’s hearts. In a better world, she’d have been hauled off as a nuisance to the public.”
Monika grimaced as she brandished her knife.
The two of them were doing their daily combat training.
While they were sparring in the courtyard, they also chatted. Talking was part of the training as well. Sara was so out of breath that it hurt to speak, yet Monika was able to casually carry out a normal conversation without so much as panting.
Sara hadn’t known, but Monika had actually come face-to-face with Heide during her time at spy academy.
Their blunt practice knives clashed as they talked about Sara’s discussion with Klaus.
“That was a pretty dick move by him. You must’ve really hit a nerve, huh?”
“Y-yeah…I know…that was kind…of rude of me.”
“I wouldn’t sweat it. You spinning your wheels is nothing new. Klaus knows that.”
Sara hadn’t been aware that it was a bad habit of hers. Now that she thought about it, though, she was reminded of that time back in Longchon when she’d taken on a small-time Mafia member and gotten Monika to question if she’d ever heard of restraint.
As a renewed wave of shame washed over her, Monika went on. “Seriously, I wouldn’t lose sleep over it,” she said.
“Little by little, you’re getting stronger. One of these days, Klaus won’t know what hit him.”
Sara had lost count of how many times Monika’s encouragement had kept her from losing hope. And she was right—Sara’s skills had advanced dramatically since Lamplight was first founded. At first, a single time crossing knives with Monika had left her knees shaking, but now, she could withstand several bouts in a row. If Sara ever felt herself off-balance, she knew how to back off and straighten herself out before her opponent had a chance to capitalize.
She gripped her knife tightly with pride at her ability to hold her own against Monika. “You know, I really appreciate you saying—”
“Oh, hey. It’s evening, so I’m going to stop holding back.”
Not a moment later, Monika’s knife shifted trajectory.
Sara didn’t even realize it was a feint until she felt a blow land effortlessly on the back of her knife hand.
“Huh?”
Before the pain could even register, another shift took place.
Her body had risen off the ground. She had no idea when Monika had thrown her, but the sky above filled the whole of her vision. She landed hard on her back, without so much as managing to break her fall. Spittle flew from her mouth.
“Looks like that’ll do it for today’s practice,” Monika said matter-of-factly.
Sara sat in the large communal bath and massaged her body.
She was tired all the way down to her bones. Withstanding Heide’s performance had forced her to overwork some muscles she rarely ever used, and her arms and legs were sore and tingly. Her training with Monika had only served to exacerbate the matter.
She suspected that she would be aching tomorrow, so she made sure to massage herself more thoroughly than usual.
As she took a breather, another two girls came and joined her in the tub.
“That was some brilliant work today, Sybilla. You put my wildest expectations to shame.”
“Oh, bite me. Havin’ to match your timing was a goddamn nightmare.”
It was Thea and Sybilla.
Given how cheerful their banter was, the two of them had clearly had a productive day.