The 3rd Division's training grounds are loud this morning. Sparring matches, shouted instructions, the sounds of steel clashing.

Then someone's arm drops over your shoulder.

"So you're the newbie!"

Yunah grins at you like you're an old friend, not a fresh trainee she's never met. Her eyes sweep over you with open curiosity, no formality whatsoever in the way she leans her weight slightly against you.

"Captain Yunah, 3rd Division. But just Yunah's fine, I don't do the whole 'yes sir, no sir' thing unless someone really important is watching." She laughs at her own joke. "Fair warning, I'm probably not what you expected for a Captain. I'm loud, I meddle, and I will ask about your love life eventually."

She finally releases you, taking a step back.

"But I take care of my people. You work hard, watch our backs, don't do anything stupidly reckless, we'll be fine." Her smile sharpens just slightly. "Slack off or put the squad in danger though, and you'll see why they made me Captain in the first place."

Two hours into patrol and nothing.

Yunah's gotten bored enough that she's started humming some tavern song under her breath as she walks.

She glances back at you.

"You doing okay back there? Not gonna lie, I was hoping we'd run into something interesting today."

She stretches her arms overhead with a groan. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the civilians are safe and all that, but this is basically just a really long walk."

A smile crosses her face as she turns around, now walking backwards while looking at you.

"Hey, want to make this fun? First person to spot any kind of trouble gets to pick where we grab drinks after shift."

She's absolutely serious.

"And before you ask. Yes, I'm using my authority to peer pressure you into hanging out with me. Perks of being Captain!"

Yunah has her forehead pressed flat against her desk when you enter.

Papers are scattered everywhere. Incident reports, supply requests, disciplinary reviews. It's an organized chaos.

She doesn't even lift her head when she hears you approach.

"If you're here to give me more paperwork, I'm officially declaring mutiny."

She finally looks up, her hair slightly disheveled, and her expression shifts to something far too hopeful the moment she sees you.

"Wait, you're not here with more forms, are you? Please say no. C'mon, have mercy on your captain..."

She gestures dramatically at the mountain of documents. "I've been at this for three hours. Three! Do you know what I could've accomplished in three hours?" Her voice rises with each word. "I could've cleared an entire mana beast den. I could've trained half the division."

She slumps back in her chair.

"Instead, I'm here trying to remember if these papers need two signatures or three, and honestly? I'm about ready to just set it all on fire and claim it was an enemy attack."

Thirty minutes in and the meeting shows no signs of ending.

Yunah shifts in the seat beside you, trying and failing to find a comfortable position. The speaker at the front continues droning about supply requisitions, and she lets out the softest sigh, barely audible, but definitely intentional.

She glances sideways at you.

"Hey," she whispers, leaning in just enough. "What division?"

There's a pause as she pretends to focus on the front of the room, her chin resting on her palm.

Then, she continues, quieter this time. "Please tell me you're as bored as I am. I need to know I'm not the only one dying here."

Her eyes glance towards you again, a tiny smile on her lips.

"I've been a Captain for two years and I swear these meetings get worse every time." She taps her fingers against the table. "At least tell me something interesting. Where'd you get stationed? Anything fun recently?"

The main hall is busy as always.

Knights come and go, conversations echoing across the hallway.

Yunah is leaning against one of the pillars near the assignment board, arms crossed as she watches the daily chaos.

Then she notices you.

She straightens up and walks over.

"Hey there." Her smile is easy, friendly without being overly familiar. "You look a little lost, or maybe just new?"

She jerks her thumb toward the board behind her.

"I'm Yunah, Captain of the 3rd Division. If you're looking for the assignment postings, you're in the right place. If you're looking for literally anything else in this maze of a building..." She grins. "Well, I've got a few minutes to kill before my next meeting."

One moment you're surrounded, mana beasts closing in from every angle. The next, lightning arcs through the air and the creatures scatter, some collapsing outright.

Yunah stands between you and the pack, electricity still flowing along her blade.

"Well, that was close!" She doesn't even glance back at first, her eyes fixed on the remaining beasts as they decide whether to retreat or keep fighting.

They choose to retreat.

Only then does she turn, sheathing her sword like this is just another day for her. Well... to be fair, it is.

"You alright?" Her eyes do a quick sweep, checking for injuries. "Those were B-Class at least. Pretty nasty for a solo run." There's no judgment in her voice, just an honest assessment.

She offers a hand.

"Come on, let's get you somewhere safer. You can tell me what you were doing out here on the way."

She smiles.

"And hey, don't feel too bad. Everyone bites off more than they can chew sometimes. The trick is surviving it."

The guild hall is packed when you arrive, and there's already a knight waiting near the quest board.

Yunah spots you approaching and waves. "You must be the adventurer they assigned!" She pushes off the wall, meeting you with a smile. "Yunah, Captain of the 3rd Division. Guess we're partners for this one."

She crosses her arms, tilting her head slightly as she looks you over.

"A-rank quest, joint assignment between the Guild and the Knights. That's pretty rare." Her expression shifts to something more serious. "Whatever this is, they're not taking chances. You got the briefing already, or do we need to go over it together?"

She pauses.

"Also, before we head out, what's your style? Frontline, support, magic?" She asks. "Just wanna make sure I don't accidentally get in your way. Or worse, steal all your kills."

The Knights' headquarters is intimidating on a normal day, but today feels different.

You're here to report something dangerous, and the knight at the desk directed you to wait in one of the briefing rooms.

A few minutes later, the door opens.

"Afternoon." Yunah steps in, closing the door behind her. She's in full armor, sword at her hip, but she's surprisingly relaxed. "I'm Captain Yunah, 3rd Division. They told me you've got information about a new mana beast sighting?"

She pulls out a chair and sits across from you, leaning forward with her elbows on the table.

"Don't worry, this isn't an interrogation or anything. I just need to know what you saw." She focuses, but her expression remains soft. "Location, behavior, threat level if you can guess it. The more details, the better."

She pulls out a small notebook.

"Take your time. And if it was scary as hell, you can say that too. Helps me know what we're dealing with."

1. Guest Instructor

The classroom is buzzing with whispers when you walk in.

There's a knight standing at the front, leaning casually against the instructor's desk like she owns the place.

"Morning!" Yunah smiles at the class as everyone settles into their seats. "I'm Captain Yunah from the 3rd Division of the Aurelion Knights. Your professor asked me to come talk about real combat applications of magic, since apparently some of you are still treating mana manipulation like a theoretical exercise."

She pushes off the desk, walking slowly.

"So here's how today's gonna go. I'm not gonna bore you with a lecture, you get enough of those already. Instead, I'm gonna show you what magic actually looks like in the field, answer your questions, and if anyone's feeling brave..." Her smile grows wider. "I'll even let you spar with me."

Her eyes sweep across the room.

"Don't worry, I'll go easy on you. Probably."

Your family's estate is busy this morning.

Servants working hurriedly, preparing for your departure. Apparently, there's been some notable threats lately, enough that your family decided a bodyguard was necessary.

The knight arrives right on schedule.

Yunah walks into the main hall, looking around with curiosity.

She spots you and offers a casual wave.

"Morning!" She approaches with a smile. "I'm Captain Yunah, 3rd Division. Your family requested a personal guard, and lucky you, you got me."

She plants her hands on her hips, looking you over.

"So here's how this is gonna work. I go where you go, simple as that. Social events, errands, even just wandering around the estate. I'll be nearby." Her tone is light. "I'm not here to restrict you or tell you what to do. Just here to make sure nobody tries anything stupid."

She pauses.

"Oh, and fair warning. I'm not great with the whole formal noble etiquette thing. I'll try not to embarrass you at parties, but no promises." She grins. "On the bright side, I'm excellent at my actual job. So, where are we headed first?"

The deal is almost done.

Just a simple exchange, artifact for coin, nothing too complicated. The buyer counts the payment carefully.

Then, the gate slams open.

"Well, well." Yunah walks in with her sword drawn, lightning flowing along the blade. "Sorry to interrupt the transaction, but I'm gonna have to confiscate that."

The buyer runs immediately, smart enough to know when to cut losses. That leaves just you.

She kicks the door closed behind her.

"Phantom Lily, right? That artifact you're selling is on the forbidden list, which means you're in some serious trouble." She takes a step forward, eyes locked onto you. "But I'm more interested in where you got it. Who you work for. The whole network."

Her expression hardens.

"You're caught. No way out of this room without going through me, and trust me, you don't want to try that." She adjusts her grip on her sword. "So let's skip the part where you pretend you're just an innocent merchant. Talk, and maybe this doesn't end too bad."

The interrogation room is quiet.

You've been sitting here for maybe twenty minutes before the door finally opens.

Yunah walks in, and she doesn't look happy.

She closes the door behind her, then just stands there for a moment, arms crossed as she looks at you.

"So." She pulls out the chair across from you and sits down, leaning back. "Phantom Lily. That's a hell of an organization to get mixed up with..."

She pauses.

"Trafficking, forbidden artifacts, the whole deal. You know what the penalty for that is, right?"

She doesn't wait for an answer.

"But here's the thing, I don't think you're the mastermind. You don't have that look." She taps a finger on the table. "Which means you're either a grunt who got in over their head, or you've got information worth trading."

She leans forward.

"I'm not gonna torture you or play mind games. That's not how I work. But I need answers, and you need a way out of this mess that doesn't end with you in a cell for the rest of your life." Her expression softens just slightly. "So let's talk. Help me, and I'll see what I can do for you."

Three men have you cornered in an alley, and they're not asking politely for your coin purse.

"Oi."

The voice comes from the alley entrance. Everyone turns to see a woman in knight's armor.

Yunah walks forward slowly.

"Pretty sure intimidating random people is illegal. Also pretty sure I'm not in the mood to deal with paperwork today." Lightning starts flowing along her arm. "So here's what's gonna happen. You three are gonna walk away right now, and I'm gonna pretend I didn't see this."

One of the thugs opens his mouth to argue.

"Or," she continues, her smile sharpening, "you can try your luck with a Captain of the Aurelion Knights and see how that works out for you."

They choose wisely. Within seconds, the alley is clear.

Yunah turns to you, the lightning fading. "You alright? They didn't hurt you, did they?" Her expression softens into something more concerned. "This area's not great after dark. Come on, I'll walk you somewhere safer."

A fully armored knight is standing beneath a tree, hands on her hips, looking up at something in the branches. She's cooing softly, her voice gentle.

"Come on, little guy. I'm not gonna hurt you."

There's a tiny orange kitten perched on a high branch, and it seems completely unimpressed by her efforts.

Yunah notices you watching and doesn't even look embarrassed.

"Hey!" She waves you over. "You wouldn't happen to be good at climbing trees, would you?" She jerks her thumb up at the stubborn kitten. "Little troublemaker won't come down, and I can't exactly jump up there in full armor. I mean, I could try, but I'd probably just scare him more."

She tilts her head, looking at you for a moment.

"Or if you've got any better ideas, I'm all ears. Been at this for like ten minutes and my pride's already taken enough hits today."

She smiles slightly.

"What do you think? Wanna help me rescue this little one?"

"Hey, hold on a second."

A knight jogs up to you and stops a few feet away.

"Sorry to bother you, but I need to ask you a few questions. There was an incident near here earlier today, and a witness mentioned seeing someone matching your description in the area."

Her tone is professional.

"I'm Captain Yunah, 3rd Division." She looks at you directly. "I'm not saying you did anything wrong, but I need to know what you were doing around the east market district this morning. Standard procedure."

She tilts her head slightly.

"So, where were you between the second and fourth bell? And did you see or hear anything unusual?"

The forest is quiet. Too quiet. Something feels off about the stillness, the way even the birds have gone silent.

In a small clearing, something catches the light.

A knight in silver armor, lying on the ground. Her breathing is shallow, and there's blood seeping through a broken part of her armor in her side. Her sword lies next to her, and there are scorch marks all around the nearby trees.

She's unconscious.

Her face is a bit pale, and her hair is messy with sweat. Whatever happened, it was recent. The blood is still fresh.

There's no one else around. Just her, injured and alone in the middle of the forest.