CHAPTER 1: THE RULE OF THE WOODEN SWORD AND THE ECONOMICS BOOK

CHAPTER 1: THE RULE OF THE WOODEN SWORD AND THE ECONOMICS BOOK

The golden glow of the late afternoon sun bathed the courtyard of the Minamoto estate.

Akane sat there, leaning back against a velvet-upholstered chair, one hand holding a thick book on macroeconomics. Her expression was calm, almost emotionless. Her amber eyes skimmed across the dry numbers without leaving even the slightest ripple.

Her composure created an atmosphere that was both elegant and cold—like a true kuudere heroine.

Right above the marble wall beside her, Takeda Ren crouched with bare feet dangling, his posture relaxed yet arrogant. The restless, battle-hungry nature of the Takeda bloodline shone clearly in his eyes.

"Reading again? Doesn't your head get heavy stuffing all those words in there?" Ren asked, his voice full of excess energy.

Akane didn't look up. She simply gave a small nod, her silence only making her seem colder and more distant.

"Mm. Do you need something?"

Ren jumped down from the wall, landing lightly right next to her. Seeing that she didn't even glance at him, curiosity sparked in him. He leaned in close—so close that his warm breath brushed against her cool skin.

"What are you reading so seriously?"

Akane remained unfazed. She calmly flipped to the next page, her voice soft yet carrying an invisible pressure that made others instinctively cautious.

"Seems like the Takeda family never taught you about personal boundaries when talking to a girl."

Ren ignored the remark entirely. He narrowed his eyes and leaned even closer, almost climbing onto the chair beside her.

"I wanna fight! My body's itching like crazy."

A faint smile appeared on Akane's lips—the only kind of expression she ever gave to this battle-obsessed boy. It carried no warmth at all.

"Your bloodline really is impossibly violent."

Seeing that she still didn't bother to look at him, Ren grew annoyed. He casually threw an arm over her shoulder and peeked at her book.

"Read it to me."

"Why don't you read it yourself?"

"Words are annoying. I'm too lazy." He grinned, completely carefree—like someone who preferred fists over thinking.

Akane lowered her gaze slightly, then began to read.

But the content she spoke had nothing to do with the economic charts in her hand.

"Long ago, the Minamoto clan was the strongest. But at the same time, there existed another clan just as powerful—the Takeda. Later, Takeda married into the Hiyori line, creating a variant... one that possessed both strength and extraordinary intelligence..."

Ren immediately shook his head.

"That's a lie! You're holding an economics book, there's no way that stuff is in there!"

Akane closed the book.

For the first time, she looked straight at him—her gaze cold and sharp, the emptiness in her eyes enough to send chills down one's spine.

"If you already know I'm lying," she said flatly, "then leave. You're ruining my atmosphere."

Ren jumped back down, taking a fighting stance.

"Enough talking. Let's fight!"

He lunged forward like a storm, his fist slicing through the air straight toward her face.

But in that instant—

Akane activated the instinct of the "Sovereign's Cold Logic" within her blood.

She didn't panic.

She simply tilted her head slightly—perfectly, down to the millimeter—letting the punch pass right by her ear.

In a flash, she drew the wooden sword hidden behind the chair and slashed diagonally through the air.

Smack!

The tip of the sword stopped right at Ren's throat.

Ren panicked, clutching his neck, rolling across the grass before managing to stand back up.

Akane calmly placed the wooden sword back where it was, sat down, and reopened her book.

"You lost."

She smiled—a subtle, elegant smile filled with quiet superiority. The smile of someone who always held the upper hand.

Ren jumped up, his face flushed red.

"That doesn't count! I wasn't ready yet!"

Akane didn't respond.

She sank back into her world of numbers, leaving the Takeda boy shouting in frustration beside her.

To her...

He was simply—

The most interesting variable of the day.

CHAPTER 2: FLASHBACK — THE COVENANT UPON THE STONE WALL

Years ago, at an elite junior academy reserved for the upper class, there was an unspoken rule:

No one was allowed to disturb the private space of the Minamoto heiress.

Minamoto Akane sat on her usual stone bench, holding an ancient book in her hands. Her expression was calm—still as an autumn lake.

Around her existed an invisible barrier, woven from etiquette and fear.

Until—

a "variable" appeared from above.

"Hey! What's so fun about reading that?"

Akane looked up.

On the branch of an old tree, a boy crouched there, his eyes gleaming with unrestrained battle instinct.

It was the first time someone spoke to her without honorifics.

Without bowing.

And strangely—

it didn't bother her.

In fact... it made her feel something close to joy.

Akane gave a small nod.

A silent permission.

"I am Takeda Ren, the young lord of the Takeda House! Take this!"

Ren leapt down like a wild beast.

But just as his fist was about to reach her face—

Two shadows burst in.

They were the bodyguards of both families—men who, incidentally, were long-time drinking buddies.

They grabbed the two children by the heads like stray kittens—

and flung them in opposite directions.

BOOM!

Ren slammed face-first into the wall.

Meanwhile, Akane was pushed back, but she lightly twisted her body, executed a mid-air flip, and landed gracefully.

Not even a wrinkle touched her skirt.

The two bodyguards dusted off their hands.

"Kids shouldn't fight," they muttered.

Then casually walked off to drink together—leaving the two children staring in stunned silence.

⸻

REMATCH: THE POWER OF THE SOVEREIGN

A few weeks later—

Ren appeared again.

This time, standing on top of the towering walls of the Minamoto estate.

The moment Akane saw that familiar figure, her usually frozen heart skipped a beat.

She took a step forward—

But—

BOOM!

Her bodyguard appeared instantly, delivering a thunderous shove that sent Ren flying dozens of meters away.

This time—

Ren was truly furious.

He roared, activating the Takeda Bloodline:

Borrowing the Future.

A blazing aura erupted from his body, allowing him to draw power from his future self—ten years ahead—in exchange for a brief explosion of strength.

Before the bodyguard could interfere again—

Akane stepped forward.

The brightest smile she had ever shown bloomed on her lips.

"Stand down. This is our fight."

She closed her eyes.

Minamoto Eye Ability: Sovereign's Frigidity.

The world slowed.

Everything slowed.

She saw every twitch of Ren's muscles—

predicted every movement—

five seconds into the future.

Ren charged like lightning.

He feinted left—

leapt high—

and launched a downward kick from above.

But—

Akane was already standing at the landing point.

With a single elegant motion—

she swung her wooden sword.

A strike of absolute precision.

"You lose, Ren-kun."

Before Ren could cause more trouble—

a massive hand grabbed him by the collar and lifted him into the air.

The Takeda bodyguard had arrived.

"Let me go! I can still fight! LET ME GOOO!"

Ren struggled wildly like a fish out of water—

but he couldn't escape the iron grip.

Akane stood there, watching his figure disappear beyond the wall.

Her smile still lingered.

It would take weeks—

before that "storm" returned again.

But the memory of that five-second strike...

had already become—

a silent covenant between the two of them.