Ignited Goal

When I first enrolled at St. Freya, I was a shell of myself—empty, with no sense of direction or purpose. My world had collapsed the day my brother, the only family I had, died in front of me.

"Damn it, brother... What am I supposed to do now?" I muttered, teeth clenched in frustration, my fists trembling with helplessness.

Lost in my thoughts, I suddenly heard the sound of movement coming from the courtyard.

Curious, I edged closer, drawn by the noise. There, in the open, I spotted a girl with messy white hair tied into two large braids. Her sea-blue eyes gleamed with fierce determination, and beads of sweat trickled down her flushed cheeks.

She was locked in battle with another girl—this one with long bluish-purple hair and glasses, her movements sharp and calculated.

What... are they doing?

I pressed myself against the wall, hiding in the shadows as I peeked around the corner, watching their fight unfold.

Ah, right… St. Freya. A school for Valkyries—warriors who fought against the Honkai beasts that plagued our world. It was founded by that small girl who had once rescued me, back when I was under the rubble.Theresa, was it?

Valkyries, huh… they fought creatures born from chaos, risking everything to protect humanity.

I stood there, hidden in the shadows, watching the two girls spar in the courtyard. Their movements were fluid, and the way they fought was fast enough for my eyes to keep up.

As I watched the two sparring Valkyries, a mature woman's voice suddenly broke through my thoughts.

"So, what are you seeing right now?" she asked, her tone calm but direct. I turned to see a woman with long, fiery red hair standing behind me.

"You are… Miss Himeko, right?"

She smiled faintly. "Oh? You remembered. That's right. I've been looking for you to assign you to a dorm."

I didn't respond immediately, but my attention was still fixed on the fight in the courtyard.

"So? You didn't answer my question," Himeko repeated, her gaze following mine.

"I'm… not sure yet."

"Just so you know," Himeko said, her voice calm yet laced with amusement, "that white-haired girl over there is Kiana Kaslana. She's your classmate for this semester."

"Kiana Kaslana..."

"That's right. She's an 'idiotic' girl who skipped the exam just a few days ago."

"E-Eh... Idiotic? That seems a bit harsh."

"Is that so?" Himeko smirked lightly but didn't elaborate.

We stood in silence for a moment, the only sound being the faint gust of wind and the clash of blows between the two sparring Valkyries.

"Kiana wants to become an S-Rank Valkyrie, She made a deal with the principal."

"Huh? S-Rank? So… what rank is she now?"

"B-Rank."

"B... huh," I muttered, "That's a long way... but why?"

Himeko's gaze softened, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "Because when she reaches that goal, Theresa promises to reveal what she knows about Siegfried Kaslana's whereabouts. Her father."

"Lucky her..." I muttered, eyes lowering to the ground.

Unlike Kiana, she had a clear goal and a reason to fight. But me? I couldn't even remember what I wanted anymore.

Himeko's voice cut through my thoughts. "Shin, I heard about your brother. He was also an S-Rank Knight, you know?"

[Author's Note: I changed "Valkyrie" to "Knight" for male characters.]

"S-Rank Knight? My brother?"

"Yeah, He often went on undercover missions with us."

 "Can you... tell me more about him. About my brother?"

Himeko smiled softly, nodding. "Sure, but let's talk as we walk to the principal's office."

We began walking down the long hallway, Himeko's voice filling the quiet space as she recounted my brother's achievements during his time at St. Freya.

He was a legend, always standing at the frontlines, leading with courage and precision, earning the respect of everyone around him.

I didn't know that my brother works for Schicksal.

"He was the kind of person who would throw himself into danger for others without a second thought, He believed in protecting those who couldn't protect themselves. That's what made him an S-Rank—his skill, yes, but also his heart."

As we stopped at the principal's office door, a sudden thought gripped me.

"Miss Himeko."

She turned, curious. "What is it?"

"I've made up my mind..."

I want to be like my brother but not in the same way. Instead, I want to support someone else's goal... like her.

My gaze shifted back to where Kiana had been sparring. "I want to help Kiana become an S-Rank Valkyrie. And I want to become one myself."

Himeko's eyes widened in surprise, and then she smiled, a mischievous gleam appearing as she nudged me with her elbow. "Oh? Is it because you saw her fighting today? Did she make your heart flutter, hmm?"

My face heated up instantly. "H-HUH? It's not like that!" I stammered, flustered. "I just want to support her, that's all!"