CHAPTER 74: CLOSE TO THE BEGINNING

[1023 AW]

The year was nearing its end.

The final month of Aurora had arrived—the coldest time of the year.

Snow blanketed the town of Westmere in a soft, white sheet.

Though it was still early evening, the streets were empty. All the residents had already returned to the warmth of their homes. There were no tourists around during this season anyway, and who wouldn’t want to curl up under a blanket with a bowl of hot food on a night like this?

This past year had been quiet. Nothing major had happened, apart from Westmere’s steady growth.

Arthur no longer traveled between cities to train with the other spirits—not since what Tiamuth had told him.

To be sure of her words, he had gone out and hunted a few demons in the past few months. And just as she said, the common demons posed no real threat.

They were so weak, a simple wooden plank could take them down.

What once required powerful warriors to defeat—creatures that were used as tests of strength to qualify as a soldier a thousand years ago—were now considered "calamity-class" monsters.

And that’s what troubled Arthur the most.

The people of this era—mages, soldiers, even common folk—were weak and easily shaken.

But maybe it wasn’t their fault.

The world always finds a way to balance itself.

Back then, when enemies were strong and merciless, humanity was forced to grow stronger—forced to adapt, to survive.

But after the fall of the Demon Lord Argrouth and the long sleep of his remaining generals, peace settled in.

And with peace came complacency.

Humans began to relax, to forget.

They celebrated the calm, not realizing how short-lived it might be.

Sure, many still carried the powerful bloodlines of the heroes who once fought in the Great War.

But blood alone means nothing without the will to rise, to grow stronger, and to fight.

Arthur knew this truth better than anyone.

And yet, he couldn’t force it on them.

He couldn’t walk into their cities and shout warnings—not without turning the entire race against him.

So he waited.

And watched.

Troubled by what was coming... and how unprepared they all were to face it.

"What are you thinking about now?" came a familiar voice from behind.

Arthur didn’t turn. "Still awake? Don’t you have to leave for the academy tomorrow?" he asked as he used a bit of spirit magic to clear the ice beside him.

A young man, nearly eighteen now, took a seat at his side.

His long blond hair was tied back in a loose bun, and his sharp raven eyes gave him a much more mature air than before. He looked different—more composed, more grounded. When they had reunited over the break, Arthur had sensed something had changed. His brother wasn’t the same carefree, delicate boy who always joked around.

But then, Kevin had shouted Arthur’s name and crushed him in a tight hug—and just like that, all the academy polish melted away.

He was still the same idiot older brother.

Kevin shrugged, "I’ll sleep during the ride. Mom told me to rest early, but I figured I’d sneak out for a bit. Wanted to hang out with my little brother."

Arthur gave a soft shake of his head. "Still hard to believe they gave you your own carriage and driver."

Kevin smirked. "Perks of being the Student Council President. I’m even helping prep the quiz papers when I get back."

Thanks to his consistent effort and a bold display of bravery last year, Kevin earned the vice-president spot last year, and by the end of mid

-terns this year he was given the supreme position of the council.

In fact, the person originally chosen had stepped aside, insisting that no one was better suited for the role of president than Kevin himself.

Arthur sighed. "Still don’t get how you manage to run that council."

"Hey now, I’ve got quite the reputation at the academy—even if I act a bit laid-back here."

Arthur let out a small chuckle. "Then should I start calling you Mr. President or something?"

"Unless you want a few points knocked off your final grades, absolutely," Kevin replied with a cocky grin.

Arthur shot him a playful glare. "And when Mum asks why my report card is bleeding red, I’m pointing at you."

Kevin’s grin disappeared.

Arthur silently rejoiced in the victory.

A brief silence settled between them before Arthur broke it.

"Have you noticed anything strange around the academy lately... like unusual demon sightings? Other than that incident, I mean."

He didn’t need to clarify which incident. It was the one from last year—when the academy had taken the students into the forest for field training.

Out of nowhere, they were ambushed by a group of demonic elves.

That day, Kevin made a name for himself.

Even though the vice president had been present, it was Kevin who stepped up—taking charge, guiding the students, and playing a key role in keeping everyone safe.

He was clever, slippery, and knew the terrain better than anyone. Having trained in forests long before he enrolled, it was as if the battlefield had been crafted just for him.

Kevin’s brows furrowed slightly as he said, "Yeah... recently, a horde of goblins was spotted in the northern forest. The school staff patrol that area regularly, so they managed to deal with it before it became a threat."

Arthur nodded as if he had expected nothing less.

Kevin’s voice turned serious. "Do you know what’s causing all this? The demons—why are they waking up all of a sudden? Until a few years ago, the barren lands were empty. Dead. No sign of life. And now... it’s like they’ve been given some kind of signal to rise and attack humans again."

Though Kevin already knew the answer—after all, he has seen this world from a reader’s perspective—he still wanted to hear Arthur’s thoughts.

Arthur stared off into the distance for a moment before replying, his voice calm but heavy.

"The Demon Lord is about to return."

"...!"

Even though Kevin had known this deep down, hearing it from Arthur—someone who shouldn’t know about Argrouth—sent a chill down his spine.

"H-How do you know...?" Kevin stammered unintentionally.

Arthur sighed. "I just know. Don’t ask me about the source—just start preparing."

Kevin could tell Arthur wasn’t planning to share any details. Still, he didn’t press. Instead, he took a deep breath and calmed himself.

After a short pause, he said quietly, "You don’t need to worry about me anymore, brother. Everything I’ve been through... all those moments I had to face on my own... they taught me something important."

He clenched his fist, eyes firm.

"No matter how much we care about others, when disaster strikes, you’re always standing alone on the battlefield."

Arthur gave a slow nod, genuinely impressed. "That’s... admirable."

Kevin offered a faint smile. "Even so, don’t expect me to just let you handle everything alone when you come to the Academy."

Arthur groaned. "I’m seriously considering transferring to a different academy..."

Kevin chuckled and slung an arm over his younger brother’s shoulder, pulling him in with a grin.

....

[Next Morning]

"I’ve packed lunch and dinner for you, so don’t eat outside, okay?" Virelle said, raising her index finger with a gentle but firm look.

Kevin nodded lazily. "Got it, Mum. Why would I skip your cooking? It’s way better than anything I’d find elsewhere."

Virelle shook her head with a smile. "Flattering your mother won’t get you far. Save that charm for your girlfriend."

Kevin’s cheeks turned a little pink. He glanced around quickly and placed a finger over his lips. "Shh... I told you not to talk about that."

Virelle grinned playfully. "Arthur already knows. So you’re only keeping it from your father?"

Kevin grumbled. "You know how he is... He’d rush to the capital with an engagement proposal the very next day. We’re not ready for that."

Virelle rested a hand on his shoulder and said softly, "Your dad might get a little too excited about these things, but he always respects the choices of the people he loves."

She wasn’t pressuring him to tell Aston—she just wanted Kevin to understand that his father would never force a decision onto him.

Kevin slowly nodded, and just then, Arthur and Aston entered the room.

"All set, son?" Aston asked with a smile, eyeing the impressive stack of lunch boxes Virelle had packed.

"Yeah," Kevin replied, then turned toward them and said, "Dad, make sure Art doesn’t travel to the capital alone."

Arthur frowned. "Why do you always—"

"There’s no need to bring that up," Aston cut in with a chuckle. "I never planned to let him go by himself."

Arthur let out a groan while the others shared a quiet laugh.

Kevin draped an arm over his younger brother’s shoulder and said with a grin, "See you soon, little brother. Can’t wait to bully my junior."

*******

A/N:- Thank you for giving my book a chance. Leave a comment.