Estrangement

The intense battle just now had thoroughly ignited the combative instincts of the Archmond family; Aurelian's desire to fight was fully unleashed, and in that moment, he only wanted to secure victory.

Now, his heart was filled with regret; he and Jeanne were merely sparring, not engaged in a life-or-death duel.

Driven by a restless heart, Aurelian wanted to rush forward to check on her.

However, the swirling dust had already settled, revealing the beautiful figure of the maid.

Only, her face now appeared deathly pale, and the hands gripping "Atonement" were trembling slightly.

Her blue eyes looked quietly at the Aurelian opposite her, filled with a complex emotion.

She spoke faintly, remaining as composed as ever.

"It seems that besides mastering Ethereal Meditation, you have also grasped something else. You truly do not dishonor the name of Archmond, though it is a pity they do not give you everything you deserve."

But a flustered Aurelian could not care less about such things; he cared nothing for the Archmond name, hurriedly dropping his longsword to support the beautiful maid who was about to collapse, his expression heavy with apology.

"Are you alright?!!"

"There is no need. I had already prepared myself mentally for a battle against someone possessing the Star-Forging Bloodline," Jeanne replied, her face still pale as she refused his help.

She gently pushed Aurelian away and began to walk toward the edge of the training grounds.

Inside the training grounds, Aurelian stood frozen.

What did she mean by being prepared? Could it be that she had done all this just to force me into fighting with my full strength?

But what was the point of this? What meaning could it possibly hold?

A series of questions occupied his mind, leaving him unable to recover for a long time.

"Right, she said I had grasped something else."

Aurelian recalled Jeanne's words and turned his head to look at her as she slowly walked away.

He suddenly felt a sense of unfamiliarity; it turned out that he did not truly understand her after all. Who was she, and what was her purpose?

"Young Master, you are a true genius!"

An excited Master had already reached Aurelian's side, his eyes wide as he stared at him as if looking at a freak.

No, a monster.

"Thomas, I won! Hurry up and give me ten Moon Silver Coins."

Though his face was covered in dust, the hot-tempered Russell could not hide the joy on his face.

"Damn it, you just got lucky! Here!"

Thomas looked pained, reluctantly pulling out ten Moon Silver Coins and tossing them to Russell.

"Hahaha, many thanks!" Russell laughed toward the sky.

Aurelian, however, shook his head, looking calmly at Master and speaking softly.

"You could do it too."

After saying this, Aurelian turned and walked toward the exit, leaving a bewildered Master standing foolishly in place.

"I could do it too?"

Darkness once again shrouded the earth, and the cold wind outside howled like a vengeful spirit.

Inside the main castle of Winter City, Aurelian sat quietly at the dining table, watching the servants place exquisite dishes one by one.

Golden roasted lamb leg, a large bowl of fragrant beef stew with mushrooms, delicious buttered bread, and a large plate of vegetable salad.

Opposite Aurelian, Roundball had already begun to feast; to make it easier for the creature to eat, Aurelian had specifically ordered the servants to prepare a soft cushion.

Aurelian did not begin his dinner; he habitually glanced to his side.

It was a pity that no one was there; the maid was not present.

His red eyes dimmed slightly; that sense of unfamiliarity made him feel repelled, so he refused to go and look for Jeanne.

He picked up his knife and fork; although he had no appetite, he could not skip the meal, as he had not ingested any life-sustaining substances for seven days.

In Frost Town, Charles braved the biting cold wind and opened his front door.

The warmth of the hearth made him feel relieved; he quickly squeezed inside, shutting the cold out.

The sound of rhythmic hammering echoed through the house, and Charles knew his old man had not yet rested.

With a mix of trepidation and excitement, he hurried toward the inner room.

"Father, I'm back."

He greeted old Rune, who was busy at the forge.

Old Rune did not turn back; wearing his soot-blackened protective gear, he held the tongs and a hammer, continuously striking a glowing red piece of iron, yet he spoke up.

"You've returned so early today. I assume you have something to ask of me, but let me be clear: I do not consent to you becoming a knight."

"But Father, I just want to be a knight!" Charles's face was filled with stubbornness.

"You lack the courage and the talent. Just be a good blacksmith."

Old Rune plunged the forged iron into the cold water nearby, sending up a hiss of steam.

Watching his father belittle him so, Charles stepped forward and shouted in anger, "What do you know? I'm not going to be some lousy blacksmith! I want to be a knight, and Lord Aurelian has already said that I have the talent for it!"

"Who did you just mention?"

Old Rune finally turned around. His tall frame, gray hair, and face darkened by years of smithing were etched with faint wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, yet his black gaze held an inexplicable sense of insight.

"L-L-Lord Aurelian."

Charles suddenly lost his previous firm courage, took a step back, and stammered.

"Nonsense! How could Lord Aurelian possibly speak to you!" Old Rune had already picked up an iron hammer, his eyes locked onto Charles.

"It really was Lord Aurelian! He came to the town warehouse today!"

Seeing that terrifyingly black iron hammer, Charles's expression changed drastically.

"Really?"

Old Rune slowly lowered the menacing hammer, his tone turning flat.

Charles let out a breath and wiped the sweat from his face; he knew the hardest part was over.

"I spoke with him. He was very kind, um, just like an angel."

Charles, a fellow who had never attended school, could only pull this pathetic word from his limited vocabulary.

"Hmph, if Aurelian's eyes weren't blind, he wouldn't say such things. A genius? I think you're a fool! You can't even learn how to forge iron!"

Old Rune dismissed him with a look of disdain, turned around, and continued to hammer away with a rhythmic clang-clang-bang.

"Father, this is what Lord Aurelian said himself: diligence can make up for a lack of talent. I can definitely become a great knight!"

Charles rushed in front of Old Rune, shouting regardless of the consequences.

"Diligence can make up for a lack of talent? Lord Aurelian told you this too?"

Old Rune furrowed his brows; there was no way this brat Charles could have come up with such a phrase!