Joshua was seething. This should be a place of learning, not a stage for bragging about your familyâs power. A childâs mind should have more than one kind of emotion.
Why is this place like this? Is this all they know? They said things like âmurderâ and âdestroy their familyâ without batting an eye! Maybe it was just their upbringing, but these were things for adults, not children.
Joshuaâs rage fueled the Deon Ring; it shook like a ticking bomb while Joshuaâs searing gaze bored into Veron.
The ring itself was white with a golden disc in its center. It was beautifully crafted, with no signs of aging or damage.
It enveloped Joshuaâs body in a purple glow, blinding the children with a blast of light. Unlike Veronâs quiet transformation, the clamor of Joshuaâs Deon Ring rattled their senses and left them reeling.
âUghâ!â
âWhatâs happening?â
âItâs too brightâwhat is this power?â
Veron cautiously opened his teary eyes as the light began to fade.
Icarus held Agareth, and then the two of them vanished from Veronâs sight. As Veronâs sight cleared, he saw that they had moved beside the source of the overpowering purple glow. Like everyone else, their gaze was captured by one thing.
The boy stood in front of them, chin up and with a perfect knightâs posture. He looked so dashing you could mistake him for a princeâblasphemy, but true. His white armor was immaculate, and the black lining and golden trim drew nothing but admiration. All of it harmonized with Joshuaâs face, offering the spectators the pinnacle of beauty.
But that wasnât the most striking detail.
Is this how the legendary Elyos descended from the sky?
On the boyâs chest was the symbol of Elyos.
There was only one place in the Avalon Empire where you could see this insignia. The âKnightâs Tomb,â a small hillside marked on the side with a sword and shield.
âThat patternâis itâŚ?â
There was a legend in the Avalon Empire that had been passed down for generations: the noble knights of Avalon were said to return to the bosom of nature when they died. Even when the body perished, the knightsâ wills remained with the Empire forever.
Eventually, the legend reached the Emperorâs ears. The 7th Emperor, Solsjaker ben Roberto, constructed a massive memorial stele and dubbed it the âKnightâs Tomb.â
The will of the knights will always be with you, even beyond death.
âThis monument is dedicated to the greatest knights of the Empire of the time. Those families who climb to the apex of Knighthood will be honored by the will of Avalon for ages to come.â
Of course, you had to prove yourself; Emperor Solsjaker wouldnât settle for just âthe best.â
The issue is that the tombstone has never been moved once in over a century. Many families have produced Masters, but the âbestâ had never changed. Thus, one family had become deeply associated with the Knightâs Tomb.
âAgnusâŚâ Veron gaped incredulously. He wasnât hallucinating, but he still couldnât believe what he saw.
Why? Why was the Agnus crest inscribed on such a piece of trash?
Babel von Agnus? No, not him. He just graduated, and I know his face better than anyone else.
Something clicked in Veronâs head: recently, there were rumors shaking Arcadia, if not the entire Empire. It was a hilarious storyâa genius for all time, unprecedented in all of history, came into the Agnus house and could manipulate mana at the age of nine.
When I first heard it, I assumed it was a ruse devised by the Imperial Family and the Dukes to keep the rise of the Twelve Families under control. But it turned out the rumors were true. It was no wonder Mooker was defeated; even if heâd been ten times more careful, Mooker still wouldâve lost.
âJoshua⌠Joshua von Agnus,â Veron mumbled.
In the stifling silence, all the children could hear Veronâs words.
His rare dark blue hair, his eyes dark like the abyss and wise beyond his year. Standing next to Veron, a reputed nobleman, he seemed to glow. Finally, the deep blue mana coating his long sword.
It could not be denied. The rumors around him were not rumors at all.
Joshua von Agnus.
âDid you say family power trumps everything? Let me ask you⌠What do you think my familyâs standing is in this school?â
âThat- That-â
âExcuse me, there must have been a misunderstanding,â said Natasha while Veron was stammering. âIf we had known in advance that the Young Master came from the Agnus familyââ
âShut up. I didnât ask you.â
âWaitââ
âThat means donât interrupt me while Iâm talking to this bastard.â
Natashaâs face flushed with embarrassment. The dozens of students of various ranks crowding around them made it worse. Joshua spared a glance at the frozen-stiff girl before returning his attention to Veron.
âI gave you your chance, Veron shen Villas.â Joshua steadily advanced on Veron, leaving him too afraid to respond. Veron felt like a tiny, powerless critter in front of a wild beast.
Joshua had the power to topple dozens of knights at once and a fantastic background as a member of the fame Agnus Duchy. Veronâs towering pride evaporated like a puddle in the sun; all that was left was the fear heâd managed to bury deep inside his heart, erupting out and consuming his body like a flood.
âWait a minute!â Gehog shouted, but Joshua kept walking. Gehog bit his lip angrily. âWe cannot be treated like this, even if you come from the Agnus house!â
âWhat do you mean âtreated like thisâ?â
Damn it. Gehog shivered, and he could feel his legs giving out from Joshuaâs stare.
âWe are the heirs of the Twelve Families! Do you really think that Agnus can just punish us however you want? Thatâs crossing the line!â
âAh!â Natashaâs face regained its colorâshe was no longer scared stiff like she was earlier.
The other children were of like mind. Itâs alright. No matter how intimidating he was, he was alone. Surely there was no one foolish enough to charge into a battle heâs clearly going to lose.
Above all else, this was the heir of Marquis Crombell speaking. They trusted him. After all, the Crombells were on par with the Pontier family, one of the Five Dukes.
The childrenâs faces began to relax.
Joshua gasped with laughter.
âMistreatment⌠Now that Iâve cornered you, youâre telling me itâs âmistreatmentââand youâre even bringing up my father! Is this what you do, Young Master Crombell?â
âWhat?â
âLet me ask it the other way around,â Joshua said sarcastically, âare you willing to play games with Duke Agnus?!â
âThat⌠thatâŚâ Gehog took a step back, suddenly self-conscious.
Duke Pontierâs pressure was already a struggle for his familyâand Duke Agnus was not the same as Duke Pontier.
I canât lose to the Duke of Agnus in this situation! Our family wouldnât be able to survive it! If he put the family in jeopardy, heâd be disowned in an instant.
âI only care about those who picked a fight with my friends,â Joshua said. His voice was low and quiet. âAnyone not involved can leave.â
Gehog bit his lip.
âIf you donât want to be my enemy, leave now.â
Most of the children present came looking to connect with the Twelve Families; there was no loyalty, and none of them had lofty ambitions.
âI think I have an assignment?â
âMy parents will be visiting me today, soâŚâ
âLetâs go!â
Gehog could only watch and tremble as the crowd dispersed. Joshua waited patiently until only the three from the Twelve Families remained.
âRakshaâs name disappears from the Academy today.â
âWhatââ
âAny objections?â Joshua stared at Gehog, then Veron.
âYouââ
âI ought to teach you a lesson about not thinking nonsense.â
Fear stained Veronâs eyes behind the slits of his helmet.