Near the entrance of the training grounds, a young man stood silently.
His height was around one hundred eighty-three centiters.
Dark midnight-blue hair. Matching blue eyes. And with a strong build.
His expression looked slightly nervous.
It was Arnold Bigod. The sa person who had once sent Amon toward that unknown place.
At this mont, his eyes were fixed entirely on Amon.
Disbelief filled his face.
There was shock, confusion and uneasiness on his face.
All mixed together.
He had heard rumors.
But seeing Amon personally was different. Arnold stared at the laughing young man standing with Seraphina and Aisha.
The sa boy who should have disappeared forever.
The sa boy who sohow returned.
His throat felt dry.
"...How?"
He muttered quietly.
"...How is he back?"
His voice barely ca out.
The thoughts inside his head beca a complete ss.
Questions appeared one after another.
What happened? How did he survive? Did he know anything?
Arnold’s hands unconsciously clenched.
For several monts, he remained standing there.
Then he slowly turned around.
The training session he had planned no longer mattered.
Without another glance, he walked away.
His thoughts remained chaotic.
anwhile, behind him.
Amon continued arguing with Aisha while Seraphina watched them calmly.
None of them noticed Arnold’s departure.
And none of them knew that his peaceful return to the Academy had already begun affecting people in ways he couldn’t yet imagine.
---
Arnold walked through the corridor with a serious expression, as if he had seen sothing that was not to be overlooked.
"...How?"
He muttered.
His eyes were sharp.
He turned toward a secluded corridor of the Academy where very few students ca.
Right now, there was no one present there.
Arnold leaned against the wall and then decided to call his system.
’System.’
The mont he said that, a blue translucent screen appeared in front of his eyes.
There were words written on it.
[Hello Host! What happened? You look tense.]
Arnold’s expression darkened.
’As if you don’t know why I am!!’
[H-Haha! Well, just don’t worry about it.]
His brows twitched.
’What do you an don’t worry about it? You made do all that shit! You said he went to a place where he would never co back!’
[Yes, I did.... but it’s not like I have any control over the future. Even I do not know how things will turn out.]
"Hah..."
He sighed.
He ran one hand through his hair, wondering what he should do.
How should he act toward him?
’Though... he doesn’t know that I deliberately threw him into that portal. It was not for capturing an enemy, nor was it a coincidence.’
But Amon’s presence was going to bother Arnold more.
That was for sure.
He looked at the system again and asked,
’So are you going to give so more missions that involve Amon?’
[...]
The system went silent for a while.
Then its chanical voice ca back.
[I do not know... it’s not who creates those missions and quests after all. I am like a middleman. Though a few of them were assigned by , they don’t have much significance for the future.]
Arnold narrowed his eyes.
’Huh... and who is the person giving those missions?’
That question was sothing that had bothered him ever since he got this system.
He had been wondering who this person might be.
Soone who could literally give him so many rewards and help him grow stronger.
It broke the rules of the world.
At first, he didn’t mind it, nor did he question it.
All he wanted was to grow stronger.
Beco the strongest.
But as he grew, he started to think more calmly about it.
He already knew that as much as it was helping him beco powerful, it was also making use of him sohow.
He didn’t know for what, but yes, it was using him.
Sigh.
He sighed again while rubbing his temples.
He dismissed the system window and remained standing there for a while.
’That boy... he was able to survive sothing dangerous and co back... that annoying Amon... now I have to act normal and not show him anything suspicious.’
Arnold remained there for half an hour while thinking about the future actions he needed to take.
He needed to be careful.
---
It was night.
The sun was already gone, and the moon had taken over the sky.
Its soft light brightened Elarith City.
Even at night, the city was bustling.
Full of people and crowded.
So were laughing and chatting.
So were enjoying their ti with their lovers.
In one alleyway, people were threatening soone and looting them.
While a few others were enjoying intimate monts with their partners or a one-night stand in so dark corner.
All in all, the city was colorful.
Inside one of the taverns in the city.
Two young people sat at a table.
Roasted at was placed on their table, which they had ordered.
Beside it were huge mugs of beer.
Foam had ford above the surface.
On one side of the table sat a black-haired boy.
He was Amon.
Staring at the beer in front of him.
While opposite him sat a wild, strong-looking wolf beastwoman.
Despite being muscular and tall, she looked cute.
Gulp.
Gulp.
Gulp.
In her right hand, she held a mug as she drank the beer with loud gulping sounds.
Then she put the mug down on the wooden table.
Thud!
"Haah~"
A satisfied voice escaped her mouth.
Her sharp canines were visible.
"That was nice."
Aisha said happily.
Her wolf ears on top of her head twitched while she held a piece of at by its bone.
Then she chewed on it.
Munch~
After feeling Amon’s stare, she raised a brow.
"Hey, why are you staring at ? Why don’t you eat and drink?"
"Cough!"
Amon gave an awkward cough.
Last ti he had drunk wine.
And he had gotten quite drunk.
Now it was beer.
He had no idea if this beer would be normal, as strong as that wine, or maybe even stronger.
Aisha, who saw him hesitate, smirked.
"Haha! You are still a kid! I thought you were an adult now and allowed to drink. But it seems like you still have no balls."
Her words were sothing that would make any man angry.
And Amon was no different.
A vein bulged on his forehead.
Amon burst out angrily.
"What did you say? ? A kid? I have no balls?"
Aisha grinned.
"Yes!!"
"Damn you, wolf!!"
Seeing his furious expression only made Aisha more excited.
Now she understood why Marcus and Eliana always tried to find ways to tease him.
It was just funny to see him like that.
Amon pointed at himself dramatically.
"Hey, you little cute wolf. Let show you what this man can do!!"
Aisha’s eyes widened.
"W-what did you just call ?"
She slamd her palm on the table and stood up.
Thud!
"You little punk! If you really are a man, then drink it... no, how about a challenge?"
Amon was not soone who would back away from a challenge.
He was not a coward who ran away.
Unless it was life-threatening.
So he too stood up and leaned forward.
"Whatever challenge you want! Bring it on. I am always ready for them."
His voice was determined.
The old people sitting at nearby tables heard the commotion.
They watched the two young people in amusent.
Aisha declared proudly,
"Let’s have a drinking competition!! Let’s see which one of us drinks more mugs of beer!"
This ti Amon didn’t hesitate.
If she wanted to fight, he was ready.
If she wanted a drinking battle, then he was ready for that too.
"Let’s do it! I will show you your place, you muscular woman!!"
"Haha! Let’s see who wins first."
The old people nearby beca even more excited.
"Damn!! A drinking battle between a couple. That’s my first ti seeing one."
"Yes! These young people sure are different. If it were in my younger days, we would have hit an inn and booked a room for the whole night."
"Yes. But see, this couple is so amazing. Drinking together and having a battle. So amazing!!"
"Haha, youth~"
"I am looking forward to this battle. Let’s go!!"
"I bet my money on that wolf girl! She’s wild."
"My money is on that boy! As a man, of course I will take the side of another man!!"
The people beside them were drunk and spouting nonsense.
Aisha clenched her fists tightly.
Her cheeks flushed.
These old drunkards were thinking of them as a couple.
How dare they!
anwhile, Amon was more focused on her.
Not caring what others were saying.
"Hey!! We are not a couple, you old n!!"
Aisha finally burst out angrily.
One of the old n laughed loudly.
"She’s the shy type! Haha!"
"Yeah. She’s totally opposite to her wild looks."
Of course, those old n ignored her words.
Aisha was getting even angrier.
Amon pointed at her confidently.
"Hey!! Ignore them and focus on . Your opponent is ."
Hearing him, she cald down a little.
"...You are right."
She glared toward the counter and called the waiter.
"Oi! Co here!"
The waiter, who had been standing there, flinched and quickly ca toward them.
"Y-Yes, ma’am?"
"You heard everything, right?"
"Ye-yes."
"Then I don’t need to explain. Go and bring beer to this table. We are going to have a battle."
Amon also nodded confidently.
"Yes, bring them. And don’t worry about the money! I will pay for it."
The waiter quickly went back.
Soon, the table was filled with mugs full of beer.
Several n gathered around the table.
One of them, an old man with gray hair, stood at the edge of the table. "I will count the number of mugs each of you drinks."
Both Amon and Aisha nodded.
Then the old man raised his hand dramatically.
"Alright! One!... Two!... Three!... Start!!"
Aisha moved at the sa mont Amon moved.
Both of them grabbed a mug by its handle.
Amon looked at the beer and encouraged himself internally. ’You can do it, Amon!!’
User Comments
0 comments from readers