Chapter 76
Joshua was enraged. The Avalon Imperial Academy should be a place of learning. It shouldn’t be a place where one could boast about the power of their family. A child’s mind shouldn’t think of just doing that and nothing else.
‘Why is this place like this? Is this all they know?’
How could Veron easily say words like murder?
Even if Veron’s upbringing wasn’t that good, those words still belonged to the adults. They weren’t words a child should say.
Joshua's rage seemed to bolster the Deon Ring’s power as he infused his mana into it. The ring trembled like a ticking bomb while Joshua stared at Veron with a burning hot stare.
It was a white ring with a golden button sitting at its center. It was a beautifully crafted ring with no signs of aging or defect.
Joshua was suddenly enveloped with a burst of purple light.
"...!"
The children tightly closed their eyes at the sudden and great burst of light.
They were finding it hard to come to their senses because the light that burst from Joshua was too much, unlike Veron’s transformation.
"Ugh…"
"What's happening?"
"It's too bright, what is that power?"
For a few seconds, the vacant lot was filled with the astonished gasps of boys and girls.
Veron cautiously opened his eyes as the light started fading.
"...!"
The light had pricked Veron's eyes, making them well up with tears.
Icarus held Agareth in his arms and wriggled away from Veron’s sight.
Veron could finally see what was going on, and he noticed something odd.
Icarus and Agareth were now beside the source of the burst of purple light.
And like everyone else, they were staring in one direction as well.
A deafening silence descended on the vacant light. It was so silent one could hear a pin drop. After the agonizing silence, someone gulped hard, awakening everyone from their stupor.
"Wow…"
There was a boy standing in front of them with his chin held up in a perfect pose for a knight. The boy looked so dashing he could be mistaken for a prince. Such words were blasphemy, but the boy truly looked like a Prince Charming.
He wore immaculate white armor with contrasting black lines, as well as golden edges that harmonized so well they looked lovely next to each other. The sight of them alone was so breathtaking that one would be forced to admire the armor’s intricacies.
The hanging white cloak on his back had a tinge of purple, making it seem like it was a part of the armor set, and it enhanced the overall visual appeal of the armor. Most importantly, the colors and design of the armor suited Joshua's demeanor and face, which maximized the armor’s beauty as well as Joshua’s handsomeness.
However, what stood out the most was…
With shaky eyes, the first female to come to her senses looks at a certain part.
'Is that how a legend descends?'?
Everyone stared agape at Joshua’s surcoat. On Joshua’s surcoat was a coat of arms depicting a celestial.
"The Knight's Tomb."
The image depicted a hillside with a tomb. An ink-black broadsword stood as a supporter of the tomb.
Such an image existed only in one place throughout the entire Avalon Empire.
The calm Gehog was finally flustered as he muttered, "Perhaps that pattern…?"
There was a legend being passed down through generations in the Avalon Empire. The noble knights of Avalon would eventually return to the bosom of nature, but even if their bodies perished, their ‘will’ would remain with the empire forever.
The rumor eventually reached the emperor's ears, and the emperor at the time, the 7th Emperor Solsjaker ben Roberto, constructed a massive stele with symbolic meaning and named it the Knight's Tomb.
The knight’s will would always be with the empire even after death.
Emperor Solsjaker had also famously remarked…
~
“This monument is dedicated to the top knight family of the Avalon Empire. May the will of the best family forever lies with Avalon."
~
Emperor Solsjaker didn’t say this, but he implied that one had to constantly seek improvements rather than settle down.
However, the tombstone had never been moved even once over the past century. There had been many Masters from various families over the years, but the ‘best’ position had never been taken away.
And that one particular family had been living where the Knight’s Tomb was located even now.
"The Agnus Duchy…" Veron blankly muttered with an incredulous look.
He was correct.
However, he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Why?
Why was the Duke Agnus family's crest on the chest of that garbage?
'Babel von Agnus? No, not him. He just graduated, and I know his face more than anyone else.'
Something clicked in Veron’s mind. He recalled a certain rumor that shook the entire Arcadia, if not the entire empire.
It was an absurd rumor about an unprecedented genius in Duke Agnus’ household who could freely manipulate mana at the age of nine.
‘When I first heard about it, I assumed it was a ruse devised by the imperial family and the dukes to keep the Twelve Families under control.’
However, it turned out that the rumors were genuine.
In that case, Muker’s defeat was justified. Muker was a B-Class Knight, but even if Muker had kept his guard up and multiplied it ten times, he would have still lost the fight.
"Joshua… von Agnus," Veron blankly muttered. He finally remembered the name of the unprecedented genius.
"..."
Veron’s words pierced through the ears of the other children.
Joshua’s dark blue hair was considered pretty unique even throughout the continent, and his eyes seemed darker than the abyss. Standing next to Veron, someone who could already be considered a noble in his own right, Joshua seemed unfazed.
Joshua’s conventional longsword also emitted a deep blue glow. Veron couldn’t even recall when Joshua pulled it out.
It seemed the rumors revolving around him weren’t rumors at all but undeniable facts.
Joshua von Agnus.
"You said family power is everything in this academy, right?”
Joshua's calm voice echoed throughout the vacant lot.
"Now let me ask you this: what do you think I can do here with my family’s power?!"
"That’s…" Natasha took a step forward and stammered. Veron had lost all his courage at the revelation, so Natasha knew she had to step forward. "Pardon me, but I think there has been a misunderstanding. If we knew that Young Master was a member of the Agnus Family—"
"Shut your trap… I didn't ask you."
"Wait—"
"I'm not asking a vegetable," Joshua continued.
"...!"
They were surrounded by dozens of children from many other noble families. Natasha turned red from embarrassment after being humiliated.
Joshua simply glanced at the seemingly frozen Natasha before looking at Veron once again.
"I gave you a chance, Veron shen Villas."
"..."
Veron couldn’t answer because Joshua was already walking toward him. In addition, he felt like a tiny, powerless prey in front of a predator. The rumors depicted Joshua as capable of knocking out dozens of escort knights at once, and his background was incredibly high as a member of the famed Agnus Duchy.
Veron’s confidence which seemed like it could pierce the sky vanished like a lie. It was replaced by nothing but ‘fear’ buried deep within Veron’s heart. The fear he had been suppressing erupted like a deluge and consumed his entire being.
"Wait!" Gehog shouted.
However, Joshua continued walking amidst the clamor.
As such, Gehog could only bite his lower lip and roar in response to Joshua’s insolent behavior. "Even if you’re a part of that?household, you can’t treat us like this!"
"What are you talking about?"
Gehog shivered when he saw Joshua standing still and glaring at him.
'Damn it.'?he muttered. His legs were on the verge of giving up under Joshua’s glare.
Meanwhile, Natasha recovered her wits and exclaimed, "We are the heirs of the Twelve Families! Even if you’re Duke Agnus’ son, do you really want to make an enemy out of the Twelve Families?"
"Ah!"
The other children reacted the same.
‘We’ll be fine…’
Joshua was alone, no matter how ‘intimidating’ he was.
Even an idiot wouldn’t participate in a losing battle. And why would he risk making an enemy out of the Twelve Families for that two friends? Moreover, those friends were from some lowly noble family.
In addition, Marquis Crombell's heir, Gehog, was here. The Crombells were on par with Duke Pontier, one of the Five Dukes.
The other children were relieved. However, Joshua laughed at Natasha’s words before sarcastically saying, "There's one of me against so many of you. Who's making an enemy out of whom? And elevating a personal issue to the level of a family issue. Is this how the Crombell heir deal with problems?"
"What?" Gehog stared at Joshua with wide eyes.
"Let me ask in return. Do you really want to make an enemy out of the Agnus Family?”
"That’s…" Gehog took a step back.
He knew that his family was finding it hard to deal with the Pontier Family amidst their ongoing war of nerves. And if he were to offend the Agnus Family over some childish spat, his family would not only take away his right to inherit, and might immediately disown him.
Furthermore, Duke Agnus was on a way higher level than Duke Pontier.
'Damn it all…’?Gehog bit his lip.
Fortunately, Joshua’s voice echoed just then.
"I only care about those with a bone to pick on my friends. I'll provide those unrelated the opportunity to depart."
"...!"
"If you don't want to be my enemy, you should leave now."
The children started muttering among themselves.
The majority of those present were descendants of noble families who had gathered to see if they could form a rapport with the three heirs of the Twelve Families. As a result, they had zero loyalty to the three heirs. Moreover, they also didn’t want to offend the Agnus Family.
"Wait, didn’t we have an assignment?"
"My parents are going to visit me today, so I have to greet them once they arrive."
"Yeah, me too. Let's go."
Gehog didn’t know what to say as the other children started walking away. He kept his mouth shut as he stood there, quivering.
Once only Natasha, Gehog, and Veron remained. Joshua finally spoke once again, "Araksha shall be disbanded today."
"What—"
"Any objections?" Joshua stared directly at Gehog before turning to look at Veron.
"You—" Veron started.
However, Joshua interrupted him.
"Those who think of nonsense should be taught a lesson..”
"...!"
The emotion of 'fear' begins to color in Veron's eyes between the little hole in the helmet's eye sockets.
Fear slowly dyed Veron’s eyes, and a few moments later—
"Aaaaaaahhh!"
The anguished cry of a child filled the vacant lot.
Read 𝓁at𝙚st chapters at (f)re𝒆we(b)novel.com Only