At the end of the training, the atmosphere in the hall was filled with tension. Aaron, nervously stood up and was the first to quickly leave the room. Albert's decision to pit the students selected by draw against each other in a duel had raised the tension to its peak. Although it seemed like a coincidence that Aaron and Stephen had been matched up, both of them felt that this was not a random occurrence. However, instead of voicing their suspicions, they kept them to themselves.
In the end, even though Aaron had passed the exam, he had lost to Stephen. Albert had been very impressed with the performances of both students and had accepted Aaron as having passed the exam. However, being defeated by someone else had shaken Aaron's self-confidence. This situation had further fueled Stephen's animosity towards Aaron, making him even more ambitious and determined. The silence in the room at that moment had enveloped it in a cloud of tension, the intensity of everyone's emotions palpable.
Filled with anger and frustration, Aaron decided to take some time to clear his head instead of returning to the castle in such a state. When he felt mentally prepared, he changed his clothes with magic and dressed like a normal noble before leaving the castle. He began to stroll through Divitian, a popular area in Aster where nobles often frequented.
While wandering through the magnificent district, he came across a mysterious woman who caught his attention. The woman's black garments, combined with a veil that completely covered her face, exuded a slight atmosphere of fear around her. Intrigued by what she was doing there, Aaron approached her a bit closer. The mysterious appearance and demeanor of the woman continued to pique Aaron's interest.
The mysterious woman approached Aaron with determined steps and called out to him with her own name. "Aaron!" she said, with an alluring and mysterious tone in her voice. Though surprised by this unexpected encounter, Aaron didn't show it, deciding to play along with the mysterious woman. He pretended not to care and acted as if he had never heard her name before.
Surprised by his reaction, the woman took a step forward and ran directly towards him. "You are Aaron, aren't you?" she asked, looking at Aaron with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. After studying her for a moment and carefully, Aaron turned around and replied, "No, I'm not." As this little game created a veil of mystery between them, the tension in the atmosphere continued to rise.
"Don't try to deceive me. You are Aaron."
Aaron felt a sense of discomfort in response to the woman's raised voice, but he tried not to show it.
"I'm not," Aaron said, continuing to deny his identity.
But the mysterious woman, speaking with impatience and nerves, continued. "The prince of Ostrium denying his own identity, is that so?" The tone in her voice further agitated Aaron.
In response to her statement, Aaron replied in astonishment, "What prince?"
The mysterious woman played her final card and continued, "Aaron Jacques, don't try to deceive me. Why are you trying to hide your own identity?"
Aaron responded to this with weariness. "Alright, I give up. How do you know me?" he asked.
The mysterious woman hesitated for a moment and then spoke with a sly smile. "Forget about that, but I have a wonderful offer for you."
"What offer might that be?" Aaron asked mockingly. His indifferent and mocking attitude must have irritated the woman, but she didn't show it.
The woman calmly replied, suggesting that they needed to go to a quiet place where there were no people. Aaron accepted her suggestion, and they headed towards a secluded shady area.
When they arrived at the secluded area, the woman broke the silence. Aaron looked around carefully, eagerly awaiting the reason for this mysterious meeting and the woman's offer. Under the shadows, with a mysterious smile appearing on her face, the atmosphere began to grow increasingly tense. It was a prelude to a moment filled with unknowns that lay ahead of Aaron.
"You hate Rivelia, don't you?" said the mysterious woman, with sly and cunning glances. Aaron responded to this question with a stoic expression.
"Yes, we were the biggest enemies after the death of the Bright Queen, but now we are allies. We quickly forgot what Rivelia did to us," replied Aaron.
"I know, so do you want to harm them?" the woman asked.
"Yes, but how?" Aaron asked, focusing on what the woman had to say. He was ready to listen to her with curiosity.
The mysterious woman, giving all her attention to Aaron, continued, "By tarnishing the reputation of the crown prince. And this way, the great war will be much easier to start."
Aaron pondered the woman's proposal. There was a glint of excitement in his eyes, as this offer presented him with an opportunity to harm Rivelia. However, he was also aware of the risks involved in this plan. He tried to hide his thoughts as he looked at the woman. This moment could be a turning point in future events, and Aaron was fully aware of that. The fate of a whole dimension seemed to be resting on the decision between his two choices.
"The great war will also harm us," Aaron said with concern.
"Don't worry, that won't happen. Rivelia and us are enemies as well. If you help us, when the Dark Lord reigns over Magical World again, your state's internal freedom will be preserved, you will be able to govern it, and you will suffer the least harm in the great war," the mysterious woman replied.
Aaron approached this offer with skepticism. "And in return, Rivelia will disappear but we will still remain..." he said, thinking slyly. He added, "How can I trust you then?"
The woman looked at Aaron and replied, "Have you ever heard that the Dark Lord, despite his evil nature, is an honest man?"
Aaron focused on a thought. "Yes, in history class. But I don't believe in history books. They are all just propaganda," he answered.
During this dialogue, the smell of dangerous games and intrigues hidden in the shadows was strongly felt. Aaron had to be cautious regarding this offer, as the decisions he would make could determine his fate and the future of Sihirli Dünya.
"Well, you're a smart boy, Aaron. Yes, those books provide false information. Everything has been manipulated, except for what I just mentioned," said the mysterious woman, impressed.
Aaron still responded with a skeptical attitude, "I still don't believe you, but tell me how we will tarnish Stephen's reputation. Maybe my decision will change."
The mysterious woman responded immediately, "By using the Dark Power - our new invention. You can think of it as a new version of dark energy, but much more powerful."
With a pensive expression, Aaron asked, "I heard from the castle's magic master Albert that after discovering the prince's special sensitivity to dark energy, the castle is protected by a special shield that blocks dark magic. How will we do this?"
The mysterious woman smiled as she replied, "By trapping the Dark Power inside an innocent-looking object."
This plan marked the beginning of a dangerous and intrigue-filled journey. Aaron would have to reconsider once again in the face of this proposal, as this plan was not just a simple intrigue that could result in a loss of reputation.
"So, what does this Dark Power do? Are we going to kill the prince? The chance of getting caught is very high," Aaron said with concern.
"No, we are not going to kill him. We will just turn him into a bad person," the mysterious woman answered.
Curiously and thoughtfully, Aaron asked, "How so?"
With a mysterious smile, the mysterious woman explained, "The Dark Power captures magical beings at their worst moments and turns them into servants of the Dark Lord until they are freed from its influence. We will drain his power and use it to revive our lord," she said and paused for a moment. Then she continued, "Despite being the son of someone as weak as Stephen Edward, he is incredibly powerful. We need to use that."
"Hmm... This sounds like a perfect plan. There is still a risk of being caught, though. And what about Stephen's sensitivity to dark energy? What if we kill him?" Aaron asked, worried.
"Don't worry, we have thought of everything. The Dark Power doesn't take effect immediately. It takes time. As for the killing part, the Dark Power is specially prepared for that," the mysterious woman replied.
Aaron, focused on a thought he had been contemplating: "Alright, I agree then. But what will this item be and how am I supposed to give that item?"
The woman pulled a ring from her pocket, a man's ring with a red gemstone and golden bands, and handed it to Aaron.
Aaron carefully examined the ring. The intricate craftsmanship of gold and the red gem gave it a mysterious and powerful vibe. The work on the ring was extraordinary. Aaron understood how valuable this mysterious item was. However, accepting this ring meant taking on great responsibilities and dangers. As he made his decision, he felt the weight of the choices before him.
"Take this. You will give it to Stephen. He needs to use this ring," the woman said, handing the ring to Aaron.
Aaron took the ring cautiously. He was filled with complex emotions. "But Stephen and I are not on good terms," he said, hesitant.
"That's your problem now? Well, figure it out yourself. I'm not here to help with everything," the woman replied with annoyance, before moving on. This reaction irritated Aaron, but he calmed down when he thought of the harm Stephen could cause. Now, he had to figure out how to do this. He was even willing to make amends with Stephen to give him this ring as a gesture of beginning a friendship.
Aaron quickly teleported back to the castle after changing his clothes with magic. The guards bowed respectfully when they saw him and allowed him inside. As Aaron entered the castle, he encountered Amber. She was visibly angry and surprised to see him. Approaching her, he spoke without hiding his anger, "Why are you here?," she asked.
Aaron replied calmly to Amber's surprised and angry reaction. "I'm here to apologize to Stephen."
Amber was astonished by Aaron's answer. "I never expected this from you."
"My father knows about our rift. He forced me to do this. It's not my intention."
Amber couldn't comprehend Aaron's intentions. "Then how will you apologize if you don't want to? I don't understand."
Aaron continued resolutely, "I'm here to end our problems and not to apologize. I need to move on."
"I didn't expect such maturity from you, Aaron," Amber said in disbelief. Yet, a part of her still believed she shouldn't trust him.
Despite Amber's attitude, Aaron continued calmly, "Amber, could you stop talking like that? I want to resolve our issues, but you..." However, Amber cut him off. Aaron, being a great actor and sly, portrayed a sad and regretful demeanor that made Amber genuinely believe him. Despite feeling regret, Amber tried to maintain her indifferent and mocking attitude, "Okay, okay. I'll tell you Stephen's location. Go talk," she said dismissively. However, unlike Aaron, she wasn't as good at pretending, so her insincerity was quite apparent.
With Amber's guidance, Aaron silently followed her. They walked through a deep garden and reached a small pond, which, despite looking artificial, was beautiful. Amber pointed to Stephen and said, "There he is. Go to him and talk."
After thanking Amber, Aaron walked towards the pond with calm and determined steps. When he saw Stephen, a pang of guilt hit him. The young man, noticing the source of the sound, turned his head in surprise and stood up. He looked at Aaron with blank and bewildered eyes.
Stephen's posture momentarily gave Aaron pause. But then he regained his composure and continued to approach Stephen with a sincere expression.
"How are you?" Aaron asked.
"I'm fine," Stephen replied, his sad expression replaced by a blank and cold one.
"I'm glad you're okay. I hope you always stay well," Aaron said optimistically, despite Stephen's cold response.
As Stephen furrowed his brows and stared at him, Aaron tried to maintain his sincerity. As the silence grew tense, Aaron felt Stephen's unease.
Stephen questioned Aaron's warmth with a furrowed brow. Despite Aaron's good acting, he couldn't seem to convince Stephen. Aaron felt the tension rise with Stephen's expression, and he decided to break the silence.
A serious expression crossed Aaron's face, his eyes gleaming with determination. The room was filled with silence, and Stephen's cold demeanor continued.
"I'm here today for an important matter," Aaron said, his seriousness palpable in his voice.
Curious, Stephen furrowed his brows and asked, "What's this important matter?"
Aaron hesitated for a moment but continued resolutely, "Stephen, don't act like this. I'm speaking to you sincerely for the first time. Can't you reciprocate the same attitude?"
Trying to hide his emotions, Stephen replied, "I don't need to explain why I can't do that. You know the reason better than me."
Aaron seemed to be in an internal struggle. He fell silent for a moment, then a hint of regret crossed his face. "I apologize. I behaved very foolishly towards you, I admit. Instead of being jealous of you, I should have worked on improving myself."
The tension in the room was palpable, but Aaron's sincerity and regret began to soften the atmosphere. Aaron was surprised by the effectiveness of his performance. He had not expected to be so successful.
Stephen's brows had furrowed at first, his face filled with a grim seriousness. However, Aaron's unexpected behavior caused a change in his expression. His brows lifted, his eyes widened, and he stared at Aaron in surprise. Despite trying to conceal his complex emotions, his astonishment was faintly visible on his face. He still couldn't quite understand the sudden change in Aaron's demeanor.
Aaron thanked Stephen for accepting his sincere apology and smiled. "Thank you for being mature about this, Aaron. I apologize as well if I have treated you poorly," he said. his smile was forced. Despite still not believing in Aaron, there was a clear desire for peace within him. The exhaustion from the arguments was leading him towards a more understanding attitude.
After Stephen accepted Aaron's sincere apology, he smiled genuinely and said, "Thank you for accepting my apology as well. Then, I would like to give you this as a gift to celebrate our reconciliation," Aaron said as he held out the ring he took out of his pocket towards Stephen.
Stephen looked at Aaron's gesture in astonishment as he took the ring. When he held it in his fingers, the brightness of the ring caught his attention. It was clear that it was a luxurious and expensive ring. As he examined it, he started to carefully look at the details. Each pearl, each carving reflected the elegance and value of the ring.
Although he wanted to see how it would look on his finger, an idea immediately came to his mind. Changing his mind, he carefully inspected the ring.
"Aaron, please don't misunderstand me, but I had a request from you."
"Of course, go ahead."
"Could you put on and take off the ring yourself and then give it to me?"
When Aaron heard Stephen's request, he started to worry. He was afraid of being captured by the Dark Forces and having his power drained. However, despite these concerns, he noticed that the ring did not affect him immediately. He hoped that if he put on and took off the ring quickly, nothing would happen. Although he wanted to ask why, he was afraid to appear suspicious.
He quickly took off the ring and then handed it to Stephen. When Stephen examined the ring, he did not find any poisonous needle or ill intention. This relieved him, and he thanked Aaron happily. Although Aaron was somewhat relieved, he still felt a sense of uneasiness.
After accepting Stephen's thanks, Aaron quietly left the room. Stephen took off the ring of Justice Sword from his finger and put it into his pocket, then wore Aaron's gift. The ring shone peacefully on his finger, but when he put it on, he felt the same sensation he felt with the Justice Sword ring. It was as if the ring was giving him power. Although this feeling seemed strange to him, he liked it.