A few hours earlier, before Aether found himself chased by animals…
In a quaint wooden cart pulled by a sturdy chestnut horse, a blue-haired boy turned his attention to the mysterious black-dressed girl, “So, Madam, where are you from?” he inquired.
“….” The woman remained silent, her expression unreadable.
The other passengers seated around them couldn’t help but chuckle at the boy’s unsuccessful attempt to engage the mysterious woman.
The blue-haired boy then turned his attention to the other occupants of the cart, consisting of three middle-aged men and two women, one of whom held a child in her arms, their expressions amused yet sympathetic.
“Allow me to introduce myself, I am Leon,” he announced with a hint of confidence, stealing a quick glance at the black-clad figure who remained fixated on the path ahead.
As Leon’s attempt at conversation faltered once more, the others concealed their amusement, offering their own introductions in turn.
After that,
“So, where are you heading?” inquired one of the middle-aged men, his tone polite yet inquisitive.
With a prideful gleam in his eyes, Leon replied, “I am headed for the Academy.”
“OH!! So you are a student of Sovereign Arcanum Academy?” The woman asked with sparkling eyes while holding her child in her arms.
“Yes,” Leon nodded eagerly, stealing another glance at the stoic black-dressed girl beside him.
“You must possess considerable skill to face their rigorous admission trials!” remarked one of the men, his admiration evident in his voice.
With a hint of frustration, another man chimed in, “Their tests can be quite absurd. I’ve failed their challenges multiple times despite having a respectable aptitude.”
“Ah, the envy!” sighed a third man, shaking his head ruefully.
As everyone engaged in lively conversation, the two women exchanged glances with Leon before directing their attention to the black-dressed girl, attempting to assist him by inquiring,
“Excuse me, Miss. If you don’t mind, could you share with us where you are headed?”
However, the girl remained silent.
The atmosphere in the cart suddenly grew awkward, prompting one of the middle-aged men to change the topic.
“W-Well… Have you heard about the Arcane Kings and Queens who are set to enter the academy soon?” he interjected.
“Y-Yes, the Arcane Kings and Queens from the five empires, right?” others chimed in, shifting the conversation’s focus.
“Indeed, Each Empire has an Arcane king and Queen, so that’s Five Arcane Kings and five Arcane Queens, correct? What makes them so special?…. I’ve only heard rumours about their power and their unique Arcane cards, and most of the details about them are kept secret from us locals,” remarked another middle-aged man, his tone a blend of curiosity and scepticism.
“Yes, it’s likely because something significant is about to occur,” everyone concurred, their expressions reflecting curiosity and intrigue.
Leon observed their discussion silently until…
“Help!” Suddenly, a cry rang out from the road ahead. The cart driver swiftly turned his attention to a bald man who was bleeding profusely from his hand and immediately halted the cart.
“Are you alright?” The Driver hurriedly jumped down from the cart, ready to offer aid when…
“Don’t!” The black-dressed girl interjected, her voice calm yet tinged with indifference.
Everyone present flinched at her sudden speech, their attention now fully on her. Before they could react, they found themselves surrounded by a group of armed individuals.
“Bandits!” Leon’s expression darkened as he stepped out of the cart, instructing the others to remain inside.
“Hand over all your valuables, and we’ll let you go unharmed,” the bald man demanded with a sinister smile, wiping the fake blood.
Everyone’s expressions turned grim as the tense situation escalated… The three middle-aged men covered the two women while the black-dressed girl looked at everything with a curious expression.
“I-I will give you everything, please, spare my life!” the driver pleaded, sinking to his knees in desperation.
“Thu,” the bald man spat disdainfully, his arrogance evident in his demeanour, “I will spare you if you comply.”
“Oi, Oi, are you serious?” Leon’s voice cut through the tense air as he locked eyes with the bald man.
“Looks like we’ve got ourselves a rebellious one,” the bald man sneered, gesturing to his companion to deal with Leon.
“Sigh, this is why I can’t stand people who push their luck!” Leon muttered under his breath, frustration evident in his tone. With a swift movement, he snapped his fingers,
“BOOM!!”
The clash erupted into a fierce fight as both sides engaged in a battle.
Now, in the present,
Upon hearing a deafening blast echoing in the distance, Aether swiftly called Snowflake, and discreetly tucked her into his pocket before hastening towards the origin of the sound.
Arriving at the scene, Aether took cover behind a bush, his curiosity piqued as he surveyed the unfolding events.
“Y-You think you can escape from us!” A bald man’s voice trembled with fury as he brandished dual swords, casting a wary glance at his fallen comrades reduced to mere shreds like diced chicken, before fixing his gaze upon the woman who was the cause of this chaos.
Silently, the girl in the dark black suit met the man’s gaze, effortlessly twirling her curved sword in her hand before swiftly striking,
‘Slick!’
In a fraction of a second, the man found himself transformed into a pile of neatly sliced pieces.
“What in the fuck?!” Aether mumbled inwardly, his eyes widening in shock and curiosity as he observed the woman’s remarkable prowess.
The woman, appearing to be in her mid-twenties, was dressed in a deep black formal suit complete with a stylish black jacket and a delicate necklace adorning her neck. Her long dark red hair cascaded down her back like a dark red sea, complementing the deep red hue of her lips that would etch anyone if touched it… as if she had carefully applied lipstick.
Her eyes remained hidden behind sleek black sunglasses, adding an air of mystery to her persona. Gripped firmly in her hand was a beautifully crafted curved reddish-black sword, its gleaming blade reflecting the sunlight in an almost ethereal manner.
“T-Thank you, Miss!”
“Thank you so much for your help, Miss!”
“If it weren’t for you, we would have surely perished. We are eternally grateful to you, miss!”
“Y-You possess such incredible strength!”
A group of people suddenly burst into expressions of heartfelt gratitude, their faces beaming with relief and admiration as if they had been rescued by a true saviour.
However, the girl remained aloof, her attention solely focused on the aftermath of her swift and decisive actions.
“BOOM!!”
Aether’s eyes turned toward the source of the explosive sound, his senses heightened as he assessed the unfolding situation…
A young man, who appeared to be on the cusp of his teenage years, stood amidst the chaos. His striking blue hair flowed like waves of the ocean, complementing his sky-blue eyes that held an intensity that belied his youthful appearance. He was dressed in a pristine white suit, with a stylish coat draped over it, revealing a meticulously patterned shirt underneath.
In his arms, the young man held an unconscious person, their limp form a stark contrast to his own composed demeanour as he dragged them towards the gathering crowd.
“Oi, oi, Miss, you could at least acknowledge them,” Leon interjected, breaking the tense silence that hung in the air.
However, the woman remained stoic, her attention unwavering.
“What do we do with him?” Leon turned to the group, his gaze shifting to the captive person.
“Let’s hand him over to the officials,” suggested one of the group members, a consensus forming among them.
“It’s almost like something out of a novel,” Aether remarked with an amused tone, his mind briefly wandering into the realm of storytelling.
In a novel, he imagined, this young man would likely be the main character (MC), while the enigmatic woman would assume the role of the female main character (FMC).
In this setting, where bandits cornered a group of travellers, the typical narrative seemed to unfold: the heroic MC swooping in to save the day, the mysterious FMC taking an interest in him after seeing his skills, and slowly they fell in love with lots of ups and downs.
However, doubts crept into Aether’s mind,
“Something is wrong though… I mean, this route might not have many people passing by, but judging by the bandits’ well-established presence, it appears they’ve been operating for a long time without interference or detection, it seems odd that no one has reported them or…. that they’ve managed to eliminate any witnesses,” Aether mused.
The thought of aiding the group crossed his mind, a potential boost for the Ethereal side of his Arcane abilities, but…
“Who cares?… I will have other chances,” Aether dismissed the notion, rationalizing his decision to refrain from interference. With everyone seemingly safe, he turned to leave… but,
“Looks like I missed one”
“BOOM!!”