It was over half a decade ago when Aslan had just enlisted to join the Ablauf Military together with the only other worlder in their batch.
It wasn't a shocking thing for people from other planets to join the military, but they suffered a lot of discrimination among the privates.
However, it was the opposite for this black-haired boy with golden eyes who didn't even have an ability.
Both males and females gathered around him, and Aslan just had to be one of them. Even so, he was the only one Briller Tohil found comfortable talking to, despite his unattractive appearance.
This was all thanks to the time he helped Tohil reach the recruitment forest of Pay-sage when Briller kept walking in circles due to his bad sense of direction.
Nonetheless, Aslan didn't regret this as he had a chance to be the friend of the son of the strongest swordsman in all of Ablauf.
This is when he found out that the saying, "Kindness pays back two-fold," was true.
His father used to work side by side with the current strongest swordsman in his youth, and as a child, he was always told stories about Jugador Tohil.
He might not have been fit to be a swordsman, but Aslan deeply wanted to be as strong as Jugador.
At first, he thought that befriending Briller might give him a chance to meet his role model, but the young man had a bitter relationship with his father and would kill him if he could.
Even so, Aslan kept being Briller's friend, and luckily, at the Cartellone Career Selection floating island, both of them chose to be ground officers after a year of strict military training.
After this, Briller started gaining more fame and achievements, breaking the records set by his father in the ground forces.
Nonetheless, Aslan kept on being Briller's friend without even a drop of jealousy escaping from him.
He was sure that playing with Briller would also get people to look at him, and this led him to be a devotee of the young Tohil.
"You are looking good today, Briller."
"That was a nice move."
"It will only be a matter of time before you become a five-star general."
"It's all that bastard adventurer's fault. You would have won if he didn't use cheap tricks."
Every time he saw Briller, he would shower him with praises like a god.
However, such behavior didn't sit well with the young Tohil, as he wanted to be treated equally, just like anyone among his peers.
In the end, as a reasonable person, Briller decided to approach Aslan about the matter.
That scene is a memory to keep in Aslan's mind, like Michael Jackson's music.
As Briller approached Aslan, his face wore a serious expression, contrasting sharply with the usual camaraderie that existed between them.
"Aslan, can we talk for a moment?" Briller's voice held a tone of concern that Aslan hadn't heard before.
A brief silence washed over the whole apple tree orchard as confusion flickered across Aslan's features as he turned to face Briller.
"Sure, what's on your mind, Briller?" Despite trying to keep his tone light, a sense of unease began to gnaw at him.
Waiting for a few green leaves to hit the dirt, Briller hesitated for a moment before plunging into the heart of the matter.
"It's about the way you've been treating me, Aslan. I appreciate your support, I really do, but it's starting to feel... suffocating."
It was a really sunny day, but the ebony-skinned man felt a chill like the ones he grew up experiencing in his hometown.
"Suffocating? But I'm just trying to be a good friend. I want to cheer you on, to celebrate your success with you." His voice wavered with hurt, unable to comprehend the young Tohil's words.
Briller shook his head, taking in the fresh air around him, the weight of his words heavy in the air between them.
"I know, and I appreciate that. But I need you to understand that I want our friendship to be based on equality, not on pedestals and praise. I want us to support each other as equals, not as one being elevated above the other."
The golden-eyed man was trying to be nice, but the beastly man got it in the wrong direction, as he thought he was being pushed away.
Aslan's initial confusion morphed into simmering frustration, a seed of resentment taking root in his heart.
"So, what, you think I'm not good enough for you? Is that it, Briller?" His voice rose, the hurt beginning to edge into anger.
Briller's eyes widened in surprise, as those were the same exact words his first girlfriend told him when they were taking a break. Nonetheless, he did not expect such a reaction from his lifelong friend.
"No, Aslan, it's not about that at all. I just want us to be on the same level, to respect each other as equals."
His voice held a note of pleading, hoping to salvage their friendship from the brink of misunderstanding.
But Aslan's ire had been stoked, the wounds of rejection cutting deep. "Respect each other as equals? You think you and I are the same? Compared to you, I am nothing. Do you know that when you shine, I also shine?"
His words were laced with bitterness. If Aslan was Jugador's son, he could hold his head up high and tell everyone he meets.
As the tension between them grew thicker, Briller felt a pang of sorrow pierce his heart. However, his father had taught him about situations like this before.
If he wanted to be equal with Aslan, then it would be best for him to be his enemy instead. In all honesty, thanks to his devotee actions, Briller didn't have time to put him in his heart.
With a stone-cold expression like never before, the young Tohil addressed the man, "Yes, you are right. I don't want us to be friends."
These words made Aslan's anger fester into a consuming rage, blinding him to Briller's words. "I can't believe this, Briller. After everything we've been through, you're just going to throw it all away because you think you're too good for me now."
"Yes, that's it."
"I won't let you walk away from me without a fight!"