Idrytis August.
A whole month event celebrated by the Solaris House. Throughout this festive month, hundreds of thousands of visitors would gather from afar to partake in the fiesta, not to mention the thousands of Solaris House members returning from miles away.
And the inaugural event to kick start the festivities was none other than the Demonic Beast Purge.
Young and ambitious Knights from every corner of the monolithic House would gather to prove their mantle, each competing to eliminate as many Demonic Beasts as possible. Their efforts would raise their prestige in the Solaris House, potentially affecting their future careers. At the same time, the reduction in Demonic Beasts would usher in a better and safer year for Solfea.
The event gathered many spectators, even from foreigners who rarely visit Solfea.
And this year, in particular, there was an added interest.
"Hey, isn't that the Patriarch's lost grandson?"
"Goodness… So the rumours are true; he didn't inherit the Solaris Bloodline!"
"I heard he was still a cadet… Why is he here?"
Spectators and participating Knights whispered to each other as they watched the strikingly blonde youth emerge into the holding arena. Many openly criticised him, while a select few shot the young man disapproving gazes. The number of eyes plastered on Leon did give him a little added pressure and anxiety, but the young man did his best to ignore the prying gazes.
The Demonic Beast Purge was a solo event, so he won't be interacting with any of them soon. Once the instructions were given, he would scurry on his own path to find and eliminate as many Demonic Beasts as he could.
That didn't mean there weren't others who would leave him be.
"Leon, why the long face?"
"Ah, Sister Lydia! You're here!"
Leon's blue eyes lit up when he saw a friendly, familiar face reach out to him with a beaming smile. The pair happily exchanged greetings as they found a remote corner away from the prying eyes for an undisrupted conversation.
"I didn't expect you to join the Purge as well! Usually, cadets don't have the right!"
"Haha, I'm a squire, so I'm already considered half a Knight. And since it's only a few more months to my graduation, they were willing to make an exception. Just like they did for you."
As Lydia muttered her last few words, her golden eyes deepened with a disapproving rage. The only reason why Leon, who would have never joined the dangerous event, was due to the exceptions put forth by Elder Horas.
Many aspects of the Demonic Beast Purge were dangerous, especially for a young cadet with little combat experience. Demonic Beasts can come in all shapes and sizes, each with varying strength. Meeting a mutated Demonic Beast that transcended regular ones wasn't uncommon.
Hence, while it was rare for a Knight to perish during this event, there were undoubtedly a few recorded cases.
And while the Demonic Beast Purge was a solo event, the prevailing strategy was to team up with a few Knights and share the spoils. Naturally, for stronger Knights like Amon, such a strategy would only slow him down. However, the vast majority of the participants did the same thing. They would either party with other Knights they know or other members of their order.
Unfortunately for Leon, he had neither.
Most Knights he knew were still in the Academy, and he wasn't in an order yet. Hence, his only option was to go at it alone. However, Alrock had a trick up his sleeve.
"While I don't think you need the help, it would be good for us to team up."
"Of course! I would be pleased to team up with you, Sister Lydia!"
Leon hurriedly extended his hand to give his cousin a warm handshake. He wasn't even aware of it, but having an ally on his side did ease the load on his heart. The pair continued to exchange pleasantries, ignoring the unwanted attention the crowd had bestowed upon them. And therefore, the audience moved to a new target.
"H-Hey, he's joining again this year?"
"Amon Solaris… He's grown taller again. And his posture looks gallant. Has he become stronger?"
"I heard he eloped with the Elune Princess again."
"Yeah, I heard. There were even rumours that they secretly gave birth to a child."
An even more considerable commotion broke loose than when Leon first arrived. Amon was a far bigger celebrity than the long-lost grandson of the Solaris Lord. His engagement to Yue Elune, the heir of the Elune House and the genius of the century, was already legendary. Not to mention, their constant need to run away together has tickled the minds of all.
Of course, Amon's ability on the battlefield also garnered some attention. Over the past few years, he served as an active Knight and cleared hundreds of missions on his own. Even during past years, he participated in the Demonic Beast purge; he transcended his age and realm to bring back unheard-of results.
One year, he slaughtered an entire goblin camp on his own, obtaining enough points to count among the top ten Knights of that year. Some were surprised that Amon was even participating this year, as he was already considered a Knight of senior status.
Naturally, none of that noise meant anything to Amon. As if walking through his backyard, the handsome, tall Knight approached Leon and Lydia with confidence, causing both of them to react differently.
"Leon, you're here… and Lydia. I didn't expect you to join the Demonic Beast Purge this year."
Amon's confusion was warranted. As far as he knew, Lydia was still a cadet in the Academy. Her appearance during the Demonic Beast Purge was another deviation he didn't expect, increasing the number of variables that may change the future.
Unfortunately for Amon, the girl in question didn't understand the point of his question. Flushing red from ear to ear, Lydia dropped her chin down and twirled her luscious black hair in circles. Unable to lock eyes with Amon, she replied shyly:
"A-Ah, Amon! W-What a coincidence! Y-Yes, I'm joining this year to help my cousin, Leon!"
"I see," Amon nodded his head sharply, his face not revealing an ounce of panic. "Then, I look forward to your exploits during the Purge. Leon, you too. I will be eagerly anticipating your achievements."
As there was a lot on Amon's mind, he opted to leave the pair to their own devices and moved far away to gather his thoughts. That added free time, giving Leon and Lydia space to talk on their own.
"Sister Lydia, don't tell me you…"
Leon may be dense with affairs of the heart, but how his cousin acted was painfully obvious. Blushed skin, pupils dilated, heart rate accelerated… Either she was having a stroke, or his cousin was helplessly in love with the man who had just left them.
"W-What? Was I too obvious?"
"... if you could see yourself in the mirror, you wouldn't be asking me that question."
"Tch, so what? It's not like I'm trying to make an effort to hide it!"
Lydia snorted with folded arms. While she derisively brushed off Leon's words, the gaze that traced Amon's disappearing body was tender. At that moment, Leon suddenly realised a vital fact.
"Wait, don't tell me you volunteered for the Purge because Amon was joining?"
"W-Well…"
Seeing his cousin's guilty gaze and shifting eyes all but confirmed Leon's suspicion. Suddenly, the joy he felt prior was doused with cold water, and the youth became a grey colour of disappointment.
"I-I mean, I'm here to help you, for sure! But, since I heard that it was Amon's last year participating… I'd thought I could go head-to-head with him one final time."
"Seriously… What's your relationship with Amon?"
"It's complicated…"
Evidently, there was a history behind his trusted cousin and newly-formed friend. However, since Lydia didn't want to discuss it, Leon could not do anything about it. However, his mind couldn't help but speculate.
"He's engaged, you know…"
"Tell me something new."
Lydia harrumphed, and her eyes strayed towards Amon. Lord knows what thoughts were running through her as she lovingly gazed at the yawning Knight, and Leon had his wandering thoughts. Alas, the duo didn't take long to break out of their concentration.
"Attention!"
A booming voice beckoned to all of the Knights in the vicinity. Three heavily armoured Knights walked onto the terrace overseeing the arena and looked down upon all the participants. The whispers were silenced, and everyone's eyes turned serious.
The three Knights were famous in the Solaris House, each being a respected Pillar Knight with at least Six Suns condensed. Every Knight in the arena yearned to gain enough accomplishments to be respected by their peers, and the three Pillar Knights before them had done just that.
Especially the Knight in the middle and the man who stood out the most.
Zephyr Solaris.
Standing at 1.9 metres tall, the bald forty-year-old was easily the most towering figure among the three Pillar Knights. If anything, he was the epitome of what a Pillar Knight should look like. Glad to the bone in silver armour, the Solaris Knight stood on the terrace like a general preparing his men for war.
And in a certain sense, he was.
"Participants of the Purge! Be proud, for what you do this week will stay together with you for the rest of your career! This would be your first time hunting Demonic Beasts for some of you. For the rest of you who are repeat offenders, I humbly welcome you back! But whether you're a newcomer or a veteran, your orders are simple!"
The Pillar Knight stomped on the ground, commanding the attention of everyone around. Even without mana, those with weaker wills felt their bodies being pressured as they stared into his golden eyes.
"Kill all the Demonic Beasts you come across. You may think of this Purge as a competition, a sport. But for millions of civilians, your Purge is the difference between having a good year filled with laughter and joy or a year with death and despair. Remember that as you begin your hunt."
Zephyr's words were the same every year, and every year, the Knights participating felt their veins pump with energy and adrenaline. The repeating hunters were firmly reminded of their cause and didn't lose sight because it was a competition. As for the aspiring newcomers, they felt an urgency and responsibility they didn't understand the weight of.
Particularly, Leon felt his blood boiling after hearing that speech. For someone who yearned to save lives, the Demonic Beast Purge was the perfect chance to do some good finally.
And while everyone was observing Zephyr and his heroic speech, Amon's eyes focused on the other participants, mainly those who had their eyes locked in on Leon. For the transmigrator, doing well this Purge was irrelevant. His main task was to protect Leon, which he was going to complete faithfully.
Especially when he saw the three sinister gazes that were locked onto Leon.
'So those guys will be the troublemakers…'