The Smiling Death

While Amon and Aisha were busy in their conversation…

On the other side, Arnold lay on the bed calmly. His blue eyes focused. Not at the ceiling, but at the fabric of the tent.

His eyes were calm, but they also held some disappointment.

Why wouldn't they?

The reason was quite simple, because he didn't get first rank. He bit his lower lip, his face twisting into irritation. He was angry.

He had trained so much. He had worked so hard… yet he was still not able to defeat her. Not able to be at the top.

'Dammit!... Why? After all this hard work… I was still not able to win.'

He closed his eyes. Just when he thought he had become better, someone stronger. It was still not enough.

He remembered the time when he was looked down upon by his siblings.

His family. Before, they encouraged him, but slowly they started giving him less attention… and then ignored him as a good-for-nothing.

Someone with no talent. No future. Just a useless noble child.

'This is not enough. I need to work harder. I need to become stronger.' He thought while clenching his teeth.

'It doesn't matter what I need to do. If it means becoming strong, I will do anything.'

He resolved himself once more.

To be stronger than anyone.

To reach the peak of human power.

It was his ambition.

"Hah." A sigh escaped.

His eyes opened now.

His gaze fell on Seraphina, lying there, listening to the conversation of two idiots.

Today again, he got to know just how strong she was. She was a real monster.

'Her talent is really something else. She really takes after her grandfather.'

The moment he thought about her grandfather, a memory came to him.

The memory of the time he attended a Royal Ball in the past.

---

At that time, Arnold was only twelve years old. He had come to a Royal Ball.

The hall was already lively. Music drifting through the air, nobles chatting over crystal glasses, dancers swirling beneath chandeliers.

Servants moved gracefully between guests, carrying trays lined with glowing mana-wine. Laughter echoed from every corner.

Among those people was Arnold. Not a young man, but a young boy. Only twelve years old. Big round blue eyes. Hair neatly combed. There was still baby fat on his cheeks.

He stood among other noble children, forced to socialize as their parents watched from afar. They talked about toys, tutors, sword lessons, harmless chatter.

At that time, he was just like any other child.

Just then, someone entered the hall.

The moment he stepped through the grand doors, everything changed.

A silent pressure washed over the room.

Conversations died mid-sentence.

Glasses froze halfway to lips.

Even the shimmering mana lamps flickered, bowing to the sudden presence.

It felt as though a divine being had entered. Something far beyond human. An instinctive awe pressed on everyone's chest, forcing even proud nobles to straighten their posture.

He walked in with calm, unhurried steps.

Though he was said to be over seventy years old, he looked no older than a man in his late twenties.

Tall, perfectly built, with skin unlined by age and eyes that carried centuries of experience.

His hair was golden blond, shining like threads of sunlight. His eyes Same golden color, glowed faintly under the lights.

Mana seeped from him naturally, refusing to stay hidden no matter how he tried to suppress it.

Yet there was a warm, kind expression on his face.

The moment Arnold saw him, his breath hitched. He felt fear, awe, and respect all at the same time.

His presence was unlike anyone he had ever seen. He had seen the Empress before, even met the principal of the Academy, Isabel Dawnheart, because of his family's standing.

But none of them could compare to him.

This man felt above them.

Above everyone in that hall.

Like the difference between earth and sky.

Everyone in the hall bowed to him in respect. Not a single person dared to remain standing straight.

Even the Empress, who ruled the kingdom, bowed deeply. Her crown dipped before him.

Arnold stared, frozen, mesmerized.

He had heard stories about Alistair Luminous. Everyone knew him. The strongest human alive, the hero of multiple wars, a legend whose feats were told in every academy.

But seeing him for the first time…

It was different.

It was overwhelming.

Alistair's golden gaze swept across the hall. When it briefly passed over Arnold's small figure, Arnold felt as if the world itself had noticed him. Like heaven's eye had rested on him for a moment.

As a child, he had always been told he had no talent. He was tutored in many things. He had trained with weapons from a younger age. But he had no talent for anything.

His siblings taunted him. His parents didn't give him much attention. They were always busy. Tutors pitied him. Servants whispered about him.

But in that moment…

Seeing Alistair walk through the hall with impossible grace and power…

A sudden goal formed inside the boy.

He wanted to be like that.

He wanted to reach that same height.

To be respected like him.

To be feared like him.

To become a man whose mere presence silenced a hall.

So no one even look down on him.

To become like Alistair Luminous. The strongest human.

That dream burned inside him, shaping him.

But then, someone small moved behind Alistair.

A girl.

A girl with bright golden eyes and long hair that glowed under the chandeliers. She held his hand, shy yet confident. Seraphina Luminous. His granddaughter.

Even as a child, she already carried a faint aura. Her small steps were proud. Elegant.

Arnold remembered looking at her and thinking.

For some reason, he felt at that time that she was someone with great talent. Great future. As if she was a small version of her grandfather.

And he wasn't wrong.

---

But his thoughts were interrupted by two idiots. One of them yelled loudly:

"Yo-You perv! How can you say something so casually! Without any shame!" Aisha yelled as her fluffy wolf ears twitched.

It was amusing to see the always wild girl getting flustered. Blushing and embarrassed.

'Oh? Even she can get embarrassed.'

On the other side, Amon's smile widened. Anyone could tell he was enjoying her flustered state.

"I don't want to hear that from you~ Did you forget how we were on the same bed? How you hug—"

But before he could continue, a soft cushion hit his face.

Arnold blinked. He was just interrupted from his thoughts. From his old memories. And what he heard was something he couldn't believe.

He was genuinely surprised.

'Did I hear that correctly? They… on the same bed? Hug?'

Arnold gazed at the black-haired boy.

'Is he really popular with girls? Why?' He questioned himself in his thoughts.

Afterall despite having ambitions or goals...he was still a young man.

Watching someone like Amon surrounding by girls was really weird.

When he had first seen that boy… he thought of him as a weak, cowardly person. Someone who didn't belong in this Academy. Someone who wasn't worth his time.

After all, Amon's first impression was just like that. Arnold still remembered how this boy was running, screaming for help, banging loudly on a window.

It was kind of a funny scene.

At that time, Arnold was just observing everything from the corner. He didn't join the battle like the others.

But his impression of Amon slowly started to change.

The biggest shift came after Arnold received that strange mission,

To send Amon in his place to Mistvale Town with Princess Selena.

At first, Arnold hadn't cared much.

A mission from the academy was a mission.

The reward was good, and sending Amon instead of himself was easy. He was getting benefit from this. So he did it.

But just days after the Mistvale mission ended, information began leaking.

Not public information.

But the kind that circulated among nobles, whispered behind closed doors.

Mistvale Town was remote, surrounded by forest on all sides.

Because of its isolation and the nature of the incident, the authorities tried to suppress the details.

But nobles always found a way to know.

Some higher-ranking nobles were already aware of what had happened there.

And Arnold, being who he was, learned enough. He knew exactly what happened there.

Such a dangerous incident had taken place.

He knew that the princess herself had been in danger.

Amon had been right in the middle of it.

And he survived it with Princess Selena.

The scattered reports, rumors, and fragments painted one thing clearly,

the incident was dangerous.

Arnold thought that Amon survived something he shouldn't have survived.

It was really dangerous situation.

That alone made Arnold reevaluate him.

Also, during this survival exam, Arnold learned something else.

This Amon was not just some random idiot. Maybe he wasn't too smart… but he could be vile.

He was able to run away from him, bring new opponents to him, and then escape again.

Then he attacked Marcus from behind, just after saving him a few seconds ago.

'He's a lot more sneaky than I thought. Someone who might take advantage of you with that innocent and idiotic face.'

Arnold looked up again.

'Hah… if that's not enough, the next mission also involves Amon… why? Why him?' His expression turned grim.

He didn't understand why Amon was involved again. But he needed to do it. He had no choice. And again, he didn't care what needed to be done. If it meant becoming stronger.

'Sorry, Amon. But I will do it. It's up to you… if you can survive or not.'

He silently wished Amon good luck. This is much he could do for poor soul.

Meanwhile, the poor boy didn't even know what his so-called friend was plotting.