Two more weeks passed in the blink of an eye.
It was already nearing the end of the second month.
Amon had settled into his routine life at the Academy. Classes, lectures, training, and practice—this cycle continued every day.
Sometimes he trained with Seraphina, sometimes alone. His control over mana improved steadily, and the time it took him to coat his sword with mana grew shorter.
What once seemed impossible now felt easier, almost natural.
And the one who helped him the most with this progress was none other than Seraphina.
During this time, Amon had also snuck out of the Academy several times. Luckily, he never got caught—except once. And even then, fate was generous to him, because the person who caught him was Arnold. Instead of reporting him, Arnold simply glanced at him and walked away without saying anything.
Talk about the perks of having good friends.
Amon also managed to hunt a decent number of ranked monsters in the forest. But recently, he noticed something odd—their numbers seemed to be decreasing.
Days goes like this.
Today was Friday.
Amon strolled leisurely through the Academy grounds, enjoying the cool breeze. The place was always beautiful, almost like walking through a massive garden.
That was when he spotted someone.
Aisha was sitting alone under a tree on a wooden bench.
’Oh? The wolfy is enjoying some alone time too?’ Amon thought with a mischievous smile.
He walked toward her. The wind made her short black hair, streaked with red, sway gently. Her crimson eyes were fixed on the sky, looking bored as ever.
"Hello, Aisha. What are you doing here?" Amon greeted her with a small smile.
Aisha turned her head slightly to look at him. "Can’t you see? I’m resting and enjoying my tike alone," she replied calmly.
Amon nodded and sat down beside her without asking further. For a while, he didn’t say anything. He simply sat there, enjoying the quiet atmosphere.
Then when he was going to say something,out of nowhere, Aisha spoke.
"Thank you... for helping me in the dungeon. If not for you, I would’ve fallen into that trap."
She kept her usual bored expression, but her voice carried honesty.
Amon blinked in surprise. He hadn’t expected gratitude from her of all people.
"Don’t mention it. You helped me too," he said politely, though he still couldn’t quite believe she was actually thanking him.
Aisha gave a small nod. "Hm."
Amon chuckled inwardly. ’I came here planning to tease her... but now, I don’t feel like it.’
And so,
the two of them sat quietly,
side by side.
No talk,
no comments.
Just peace.
---
After spending an unexpectedly peaceful time with Aisha, Amon made his way toward the dormitory.
As he approached the building, he noticed someone standing at the entrance.
Arnold Bigod.
The boy leaned against the wall, looking like he was waiting for someone.
’Who’s he waiting for?’ Amon wondered.
But the moment Arnold saw him, his calm eyes sharpened. Without hesitation, he walked straight toward Amon and stopped in front of him.
"Amon," Arnold said firmly, "I want to talk to you. Something private."
Amon blinked. ’What’s this about? Is it related to Hector... or something else entirely?’
He didn’t answer immediately, but then he nodded. "Alright. Let’s talk in my room."
Arnold gave a small nod of agreement.
The two entered the dormitory and made their way into Amon’s room. Arnold sat down on the chair by the desk while Amon leaned against his bed.
"Do you want coffee or tea?" Amon asked out of basic hospitality, though he wasn’t really in the mood to make either coffee or tea.
"No. I don’t want anything," Arnold replied flatly.
Silence hung in the air for a moment as Arnold studied Amon’s face. Then, with a serious tone, he finally spoke.
"I have a request for you, Amon. It’s time for you to be usef—" He paused, corrected himself, and said, "It’s time for you to be helpful. In return, I’ll give you something valuable. Money, if you want."
’Did be just tried to say useful?’ Amon thought but didn’t said anything.
His voice was strict, his expression cold.
Amon just stared at him. ’What’s with this guy suddenly making requests?’
"What exactly do you want from me? If it’s something easy, of course I’ll help," Amon said casually. He wasn’t about to let go of easy money.
Arnold gave a small nod, then leaned forward slightly. "You need to accompany a girl. Help her with something."
Amon narrowed his eyes.
"And who’s this girl I’m supposed to accompany? What task do I need to help her with?"
Arnold coughed awkwardly, avoiding his eyes.
"Well... I can’t tell you her identity. You’ll meet her directly. Also, don’t worry—it’s not dangerous. That girl is far stronger than you. All you need to do is stay by her side and do what she asks."
His explanation sounded calm, but his voice wavered slightly.
Amon raised an eyebrow. Suspicious. ’Why does he look so troubled all of a sudden?Also why asking me of all people?’
Still, he sighed. "Fine. How much are you paying?"
Yep. Money was important.
Arnold’s cold expression shifted into a smirk. His blue eyes gleamed. "One thousand gold coins."
Amon’s jaw nearly dropped. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"One... thousand... gold coins?!"
It was too tempting. He could already imagine himself swimming in wealth.
’This is insane. There’s no way I can let this slip. Future me can deal with the consequences and dangers—present me is taking the deal!’
"Alright," Amon said quickly.
"I accept. But give me half money right now—five hundred gold coins. I’ll take the rest after I’ve helped her."
Arnold’s smirk widened. "Deal."
He pulled out his pager. Amon immediately did the same. Within moments, five hundred gold coins were transferred into Amon’s account.
Amon’s grin stretched wide. "Yo, thanks Arnold~. Didn’t know you were so rich! Alright, just tell me when and where to meet this girl. Is she from the Academy or outside?"
Arnold blinked at his cheerful expression, a flicker of surprise passing through his eyes before he chuckled.
"You’ll meet her tomorrow, after classes end. Go to the Academy’s main gate—she’ll be there. She’s one of our students, so you don’t need to worry."
His cold blue eyes glinted faintly, though this time there was also a trace of relief.
Arnold stood from the chair. "Well then, I’ll be going. Thanks for accepting my request."
He sounded like a man whose life had just been saved.
Amon didn’t understand it, but he didn’t care either. He was too happy. "No problem. Take care of yourself, Arnold."
With a final nod, Arnold walked to the door, opened it, and left the room.
Click.
The door shut, leaving Amon alone.
"Hehehe~ I’m rich now!" Amon giggled like a madman.
"With this money, I should hit the city market and buy some amazing stuff. Once I get the rest, I’ll be unstoppable! But for now... I’ll focus on meeting that girl tomorrow."
His grin widened, his eyes gleaming with delight.
But little did Amon know—this deal would not bring him easy riches. It would drag him into something cruel and dangerous.
Something that would change his life forever.