Chapter 18: Selena Aurellian.

Inside the Student Council President’s Office

A silver-haired beauty sat gracefully behind an imposing desk, her presence radiating an air of quiet authority.

On the desk rested a polished nameplate, the letters engraved in elegant gold.

Selena Aurellian

The only princess of the Kingdom of Valmoria.

The sole daughter of Empress Celestia Aurellian.

Amon Vale stood in front of her desk, feeling the weight of her gaze.

Glancing to his side, he saw the group of students he had followed earlier. They stood beside him in a loose line—five in total.

’At least I’m not the only one in trouble’, he thought grimly.

“You all know,” Selena began, her tone cool and commanding, “that first-year students do not have permission to leave the academy grounds. Yet here you are—barely a week into the term—and you’ve already gone outside.”

Her voice carried no trace of emotion, and her face remained a flawless mask of neutrality.

Before anyone could speak, she continued, “Twenty credits will be deducted from each of you as punishment. Since this is your first offense, I will consider this a minor punishment.”

Amon’s eyes widened. “President, I swear I won’t do it again! I’ll never try to leave the academy again! Damn, I didn’t even get to enjoy the outside properly like these guys!” he blurted out, sounding almost pleading.

The other students turned to look at him as if he had just declared himself the village idiot. His words were more ridiculous than helpful.

Selena’s gaze lingered on the black-haired boy, listening to his rambling.

“Alright then… for you, forty minus cre—”

“I will accept your punishment without question, Your Highness, the Princess!” Amon suddenly declared, his tone brimming with confidence and resolve. “I will never try to sneak out again!”

Selena blinked at the abrupt change in his attitude. Then she sighed.

“Don’t call me ’Your Highness’ or ’Princess.’ I am the Student Council President here—address me as such. Now, all of you may go.”

They bowed to her in unison.

“See you later, President,” Amon said casually as he followed the other students out of the office.

Selena’s eyes followed Amon’s retreating back, her expression still a perfect poker face. But inwardly…

’What an interesting junior. He’s quite strange and weird, though.

Pushing the thought aside, she turned back to the stack of documents on her desk.

Even though it was Sunday—a supposed day off—she had summoned the entire Student Council to work. No exceptions.

Poor them, she mused.

—

Outside the Office

Once they stepped outside, Amon’s expression soured.

Not only had he failed to enjoy the outside world, but he’d also lost twenty credits in the process.

Talk about bad luck.

’I’m not giving up, though.’

He wandered around the academy gardens for a while, pretending to enjoy the evening air. Eventually, his steps carried him toward a familiar spot—the abandoned storage room.

Slipping inside, he made his way through the hidden passage and emerged beyond the academy walls, deep in the forest.

He walked cautiously, pausing to hide whenever movement caught his eye.

Still some Student Council members patrolling around…

After several tense minutes of sneaking and weaving between trees, he finally reached the outskirts of the city.

The streets were alive with people. Even at night, the marketplace glowed brilliantly, lit by floating mana stones that illuminated the stalls and cobbled roads with soft, magical light.

“Hah… now this feels good,” Amon sighed with satisfaction. “Just like before I joined the academy.It reminds me my days in Valerion”

He strolled leisurely through the streets, asking a few passersby for directions. Eventually, he found what he was looking for—a small, unimpressive-looking weapon shop tucked between a bakery and a potion store.

The wooden sign overhead swayed slightly in the night breeze.

Pushing the door open, Amon stepped inside.

The shop was modest in size, with weapons displayed neatly on racks and walls. Some were plain and functional; others were high-grade, their craftsmanship obvious… and their price tags terrifying.

At the counter stood a broad-shouldered man with a muscular build and a warm smile.

“Welcome, kiddo! What can I get you today?” the man greeted.

Amon approached the counter. “I’m looking for a sword—something that can be used with one hand or two. Also… it needs to be cheap. I’m on a tight budget.”

The man chuckled knowingly and reached for a blade.

“This one might be what you’re after,” he said, placing it on the counter.

The sword had a shining silver blade and a sturdy black hilt. It looked sharp, well-balanced, and durable—though it was clearly not an enchanted or high-grade weapon.

“Look at this beauty. Budget-friendly and dependable. Only six hundred silver coins.”

Amon’s jaw dropped. “Six hundred silver coins?! That’s insane! I could live comfortably for a month with that much money and not have to worry about starving!”

’This guy’s trying to rob innocent customers like me!’

The shopkeeper smirked. “Oh, boy… you think good weapons are cheap? This blade will last you for years if you take care of it. You can hunt monsters with it and earn your money back in no time. Isn’t that worth the price?”

And so began the Great Bargaining War.

After several minutes of stubborn back-and-forth, both parties reached an agreement—Amon would take the sword for three hundred and fifty silver coins.

It still felt like a lot to him, but at least it wasn’t six hundred.

With the sword now sheathed in its scabbard and slung over his shoulder, Amon left the shop, ignoring the shopkeeper’s muttering about “ungrateful customers.”

—

The Whispering Woods Forest.

He made his way to the far eastern edge of the city, heading toward the forest.

“Damn it… this is so far,” he muttered, his legs already protesting the long walk.

Finally, he arrived at the entrance to the Whispering Woods—a massive forest whose outer twenty kilometers were considered relatively safe.

Beyond that… well, you either came back rich or didn’t come back at all.

“Hah… let’s go,” Amon said, a spark of excitement in his eyes.

Sword in hand, he stepped into the forest, ready to see what kind of trouble—or opportunity—awaited him.

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