The Smiling Death

Amon gulped his saliva down.

'She exactly looks like a mature version of Senior,' Amon thought as his face turned pale.

But the thing is… this woman… she is the most beautiful woman Amon had ever seen.

Her long silver hair, silver eyelashes, crystal red eyes, perfect face structure, fair and smooth divine skin. Amon just can't describe her beauty. She was too gorgeous.

Then he shook his head and got up but remained on his knees, his head bowed down.

"It's an honor to meet you, Your Majesty… I really am sorry for coming here. Please forgive this fool," Amon asked for forgiveness. He pleaded desperately. How can he asked her who are you.

He didn't want to die. What reason should he give her? Tell her that he sneaked into a guarded chamber and entered the teleportation gate at late night?

That looked more suspicious. What lie should he say to her?

Queen Celestia Aurellian observed the kneeling Amon with her cold eyes.

Then she narrowed her eyes.

"You… you said you are Amon Vale?" she asked again.

Amon raised his head. "Ye-Yes, Your Majesty. I am Amon Vale. First-year student at Arcadia Academy."

Hearing Amon's response, Celestia suddenly remembered the Mistvale incident. The boy who was lying beside her daughter on the bed, unconscious.

This boy, her daughter mentioned that he would come to the palace with her.

"So you are that Amon Vale… you were going to come with my daughter… but why did you enter that room? And even come enter the teleportation gate?" she asked suspiciously. Even though the poor boy looked innocent.

She couldn't be soft here. The place was no ordinary one.

It was already a miracle how the weak Amon had survived here.

Amon trembled a little.

'Shit! Shit!… okay, let's tell her everything.'

"Your Majesty… the thing is…" Amon began to tell what happened.

How he was roaming and lost his way in the grand palace. Then saw those guards asleep. Mysterious light coming from below the door.

Out of curiosity, he entered.

Celestia listened. Her brows twitched after hearing those guards sleeping soundly rather than guarding. She was going to punish them when she went back.

Meanwhile, Amon continued, "…and then when I decided to explore the mansion one last time, I met that wyvern. It was sleeping but damn, those skinny creatures woke it. Then it focused on me. To kill me," Amon sighed after telling everything.

Celestia remained silent for a while, then decided to talk.

"So you entered… out of curiosity? You went inside the mansion… out of curiosity… nearly got killed… because of your curiosity?" she asked, but her voice was chilling. As beautiful as her voice was, it gave Amon chills.

"Hah…" she sighed and rubbed her temples.

"For now, I will send you back… we will talk about this tomorrow morning when I get back to the palace," she looked at him with the same expression.

"Also… I am leaving you like this… only because of what you have done in Mistvale Village… and because you are close to my daughter." When she finished talking, Amon felt relieved.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. You are so kind. I will be grateful to you forever." Amon got on his feet.

His body battered, he struggled to get up.

Pain still lingered in his body.

Celestia exhaled softly, her crimson eyes narrowing as she studied him. Then, with a flick of her wrist, she reached into the air, a faint shimmer of light appeared, and a small crystal vial materialized in her palm. Inside it, a radiant golden liquid swirled gently, releasing a faint divine glow.

"Drink this," she said, extending it toward him. "It's a high-grade healing potion. It will mend your wounds."

Amon blinked in surprise. "F-For me?"

Celestia arched a brow. "Do you see anyone else bleeding to death here?"

"Oh! right." Amon quickly took it with both hands, bowing slightly. "T-Thank you, Your Majesty!"

He uncorked the vial and drank it all in one go. The liquid was warm. Almost too warm, sliding down his throat like molten sunlight.

Within seconds, he felt a strange tingling sensation across his body. The pain dulled. His breathing eased.

The bleeding stopped, and even the deep scar on his back began to close before his eyes.

"Whoa…" he whispered, glancing at his healed arms. "This is… insane."

Celestia crossed her arms, unimpressed. "It's merely a potion, boy. Try not to die again after wasting it."

Amon forced an awkward laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Heh… I'll keep that in mind."

Then her gaze sharpened. "Now – where is the teleportation gate you came through?"

Well, even she didn't remember well where it was now.

"Uh…" Amon looked around. Left. Right. Behind. The ruins all looked the same, black stone, broken arches, mossy pillars. His smile twitched nervously.

"…I don't remember."

Celestia's expression darkened. "You don't remember?" she repeated slowly, her tone dropping to a dangerous calm.

Amon raised his hands quickly. "I-It's not my fault! The whole place looks identical. I swear I came from that direction… or maybe… that one?"

Celestia closed her eyes briefly and sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Hopeless."

Then, she lifted her hand, and a surge of overwhelming mana exploded outward.

Amon felt it instantly — like a storm pressing against his chest.

The entire city seemed to tremble as her aura spread in every direction, reaching through the ruins like invisible waves of light.

Her silver hair fluttered gently, illuminated by her own power. In the distance, faint sparks of energy flickered. The remnants of the teleportation gate reacting to her mana.

"Found it," she said quietly.

Before Amon could react, she reached forward and grabbed his wrist.

"Eh—wait, wait—!"

The world blurred.

Wind whipped past his face; the scenery streaked into lines of light and shadow. In less than a heartbeat, they stood before a large circular blue portal. The faint blue shimmer of the teleportation gate flickered weakly in the air.

He was inside the same dark chamber.

Amon stumbled, trying not to fall. "W-We're here already?!"

Celestia released him, brushing invisible dust from her armor. "Yes. And next time, try not to wander into ancient forbidden cities."

Amon laughed nervously. "I'll… definitely keep that in mind, Your Majesty."

Amon got closer to the gate and remained there.

'Will I be able to come here again… I wanted to go inside that tower…'

Celestia shook her head and pushed Amon from behind.

"Ahh! Your Majesty—" Amon screamed a little as his body vanished inside the gate.