While Leon and Lydia were hard at work fighting against the Glass Serpent, one particular set of eyes watched them with great interest from afar. Amon stood silently along the treelines, leaning his broad shoulders upon a heavy trunk. His golden eyes pierced through the darkness of dusk and he could see the duo's hunt clearly.
"Oh ho? I didn't expect him to learn the Solaris Mystic Arts this soon."
Amon whistled with pure amazement. The Solaris Mystic Arts were the Solaris House's trump cards, and it has been notorious for its immense difficulty in learning. It was common for even the most talented Solaris Knights to struggle with the legendary arts.
Even Amon took a while before he could get the hang of the techniques, and it took him longer to master them all. Hence, Amon's surprise was warranted as he watched Leon execute the first move of the Solaris Mystic Arts.
"The mastery is lacking, but he has the release down perfectly. As expected of the protagonist, he's more talented than I'd expected."
Amon recalled that Leon only learnt how to execute the Solaris Mystic Arts after he summoned the Holy Sword. He was way ahead of schedule as compared to the original timeline. That expedited growth was a welcomed change for Amon, as he hoped the future hero would grow stronger quickly.
But Leon's growth wasn't the only one worth noting.
"Lydia too… That lightning spell is pretty amazing."
Amon lauded Leon's partner and sang her praises. It was rare for a Knight to learn magical spells and even rarer for them to become so proficient in them that they could rival other magicians, especially for direct descendants of the Solaris House. It was much more proficient to master Aura and take advantage of the Solaris Bloodline to become excellent Knights.
However, Lydia did the unthinkable and mastered the magician's path. A dual user of magic and Aura was exceedingly rare and coveted by any organisation worth their salt. From Amon's point of view, it seemed that Lydia had far exceeded anyone in the Academy, and it was only a matter of time before she graduated from the top of her cohort.
"Still, I don't remember her learning magic in [Bright]. Did something happen to trigger this deviation?"
Amon thought out loud and pondered on what caused Lydia's path change. In [Bright], Lydia was an amazing swordswoman, honing her skills until she became a powerful Knight. Yet, the current Lydia was easily twice as potent and dangerous, given her dual specialities.
"I wonder if something happened to her to prompt that change."
There was no way Amon could predict every deviation that would happen. However, little did he know that the reason for Lydia's change was a little closer to him than he'd expected.
"Anyway, a Glass Serpent should be an easy kill for the two of them. More importantly…"
Amon wasn't a secret voyeur. He was watching the pair to protect them against the schemes of Elder Horas. And as someone who prides himself for his superior senses, the young Knight didn't feel a speck of energy in the immediate radius around them,
"I don't sense anyone else… It seems like they won't be acting against Leon immediately." The vigilant Knight surmised after considering all the options.
If Elder Horas wanted to act against Leon and avoid suspicion, he would do so inconspicuously. Striking on the first day would draw too much attention, and he would likely send his lackeys by constantly monitoring Leon's location.
Each participant was given a tracker for safety purposes, so it wasn't surprising that an Elder would be able to know Leon's location wherever he went. Then, it was just a matter of leaking the area to those who wished to cause Leon harm.
And as Amon was drawing all sorts of plans in his mind, the battle between Leon, Lydia and the Glass Serpent reached its inevitable conclusion.
Leon's Solaris Mystic Arts had torched the Demonic Beast, weakening the monstrosity significantly. Adding Lydia's superior magic to the mix, the Glass Serpent stood no chance. The duo's growing synergy and relentless onslaught quickly negated its speed and reflective capabilities.
It was only a matter of time before the Glass Serpent fell, and Amon grew too lazy to watch the rest.
Retreating to his makeshift hammock to rest, he locked his fingers behind his neck and closed his eyes.
"Let's just wait and see then."
❖❖❖
Days passed, and the Demonic Beast Purge was on its fifth day. Over the past five days, thousands, if not tens of thousands, of Demonic Beasts fell to the brave Knights. The people cheered wildly as the participants brought carcasses of their hunt to designated checkpoints, serving as proof of their hunt.
Most Knights had accumulated enough points to cease their hunt, but a select few continued with the Purge. For them, the last two days were pivotal to getting into the upper ranks. Leon and Lydia were no different.
After killing the Glass Serpent, they had only encountered a few more high-points Demonic Beast. Altogether, they had amassed over six hundred points each, not a fantastic figure, but a respectable one nonetheless. For mere Apprentice Knights who had entered their first hunt, no one would blame them even if they ended their hunt. On the contrary, they would be praised for their temperance and knowing their limits.
However, Leon wasn't concerned about that. Earning points was one thing, but hunting Demonic Beasts had given him a sense of purpose he hadn't felt since entering the Solaris House.
Each time he entered a checkpoint to submit his proof, he could see the relief and joy in the general population's eyes. They thanked him for working hard and showered him with praises and gifts. It was a feeling that exhilarated the young hero, and Leon doubled his efforts to eliminate as many Demonic Beasts as possible.
Unfortunately, the Apprentice Knight ran into a slight issue.
"Have we killed all of the Demonic Beasts in the area?" Leon asked while chewing on a loose straw.
"It seems to be the case," Lydia replied after gulping down a mouthful of water. "We've been wandering around here for three hours, and no signs of anything."
"I guess that's a good thing."
Leon sighed. At the beginning of the Demonic Beast Purge, the pair would encounter dozens of weaker Demonic Beasts, like rabbits or birds, by the hour. However, as time passed, it took a lot of work to find an earthworm worth hunting. Most of the stronger ones had been hunted down by the Knights, while the weaker Demonic Beasts had all gone hiding.
This was good news for the population that had to live on the land. But for Leon, who felt like he was still lacking points, it was a tight conundrum.
"Six hundred points is nothing to scoff at," Lydia continued proudly. "We have enough to shut up the Elders, so you don't have to worry about the Sword Bestowment Ceremony! Let's see if they dare deny your entrance!"
"Haha, thank you."
The whole point of participating in the Demonic Beast Purge in the first place was to secure Leon's spot in the upcoming Sword Bestowment Ceremony. With Leon's accumulated points, it would be hard to deny the young Knight's loyalty to the Solaris House. His humble and optimistic attitude had struck a chord with the general populace, who were mostly positive about Leon.
"I guess we can take it easy then."
Only after Lydia's persuasion did Leon finally cut himself some slack and relax. The past five days had been hectic. All he did was wake up, eat, and kill beasts. Adding to the fact that there was some mental stress accumulating, unknowingly, the young Knight felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. Giving himself some leeway to relax was a welcome change.
"Since we have some time, let's go to another area and patrol. Who knows? We may encounter a tough Demonic Beast on the way?"
"Haha, you and your jinxes."
The pair decided to continue with the Purge, but they were far more laid back this time. Moving leisurely, they took the time to enjoy the scenery and had pleasant conversations. Rather than two Knights out on a mission, they looked like a pair of siblings enjoying the countryside.
Little did they know that their leisure stroll would become a colossal nightmare.
"H-Help!!! Help!!! Is there anyone around?!"
Shrieking cries for help echoed in the remote farmland, causing Leon and Lydia to snap their necks. Unsheathing their swords, they rushed to the source of the pleas, only to find three injured Knights with their silver armour half-broken and their bodies covered in dirt and blood.
The three Knights cried out once again as if they had seen salvation.
"Help!!! Please help us!!!"
"What happened?!"
Leon immediately ran to help the female Knight who called out to him. He attempted to help her stand, but she simply brushed it off and hurriedly explained herself.
"P-Please! We were hunting some Goblins and tracked them down into their cave. Unexpectedly, they had laid an ambush for us! Our group was heavily besieged, and we attempted to escape… However, my sister was captured!"
Like a trauma victim, the female Knight held back tears while recounting the ordeal. Her older male and younger female partners added fuel to the flames as they broke down in tears.
"Please, help us save my sister! She's the weakest out of all of us, and who knows what kind of unspeakable things may happen to her if she remains in their camp?"
"Have you pressed the distress signal?"
Each participant of the Demonic Beast Purge was given a tracker and a distress signal. Anytime they felt their lives were in danger, they could press on the signal, and the committee would dispatch a group of rescue Knights.
"W-We did, but since we're far from any checkpoint, it would take them hours to arrive. By then, it may be too late for my sister!"
"Alright, we'll he-..."
"Wait a minute!"
Before Leon could readily agree, Lydia pulled him by the collar and dragged him to the side. The three injured Knights gaped with confusion, but Lydia silenced their rebuttals: "Give us a moment; let me talk things through with my partner."
"..."
The Knights didn't respond, raising the gorgeous young black-haired girl's eyebrows slightly. However, she didn't bother to continue her explanation and stared down at Leon.
"Don't you think that they are suspicious?"
"What do you mean?"
"Their armour… They show signs of battle, but none of them are greatly injured. And goblins? Knights of their calibre should be able to defeat weak monsters like that, but they were forced to retreat? Something's not right."
"Now that you mention it…"
Leon glanced back at the trio, who were still doing their pitiful act. No, an act might be too harsh of a statement, as Leon felt they weren't pulling a farce. Perhaps they had been ambushed, and the Knight's precious sister really was abducted?
"We should wait for help to arrive."
As Lydia said those words, the female Knight rushed forward with tears in her eyes and grabbed Leon's lapel: "W-We can't do that! By the time they come, my sister may be destroyed forever! With the five of us together, we can cover more ground and break into the Goblin's Nest to rescue her! There's not much time!"
"You…"
Lydia narrowed her eyes and attempted to raise her voice. Unfortunately, her partner was quicker on the trigger.
"Don't worry, we'll help you!"
"Ah, thank you!"
"Please, save the thanks for later. Lead the way."
"M-Most certainly!"
The three Knights thanked Leon profusely before turning their backs on them to lead the way. The path towards the cave was straightforward and the group could see their destination from afar. As they ran, Lydia sighed and whispered to Leon softly:
"Have you taken a second to think about whether it could be a trap?"
"A trap? You mean the Elders would do such a thing?"
"I don't know… But you're way too trusting."
"..."
Leon reflected on Lydia's words for a minute. Sure enough, the only evidence the trio had were their words, and there was hardly any proof that someone was indeed abducted. And if the Elders wished to harm Leon, this was the perfect opportunity. However…
"What if they're right?"
"... What?"
"I agree, this has a higher likelihood to be a trap. But what if it's not? What if there is a person in serious danger? It wouldn't sit right on my conscience to do nothing."
"Leon…"
Lydia watched her younger cousin smile brightly as the wind blew back his rich golden hair. At that moment, she overlapped Leon's face with a hero's. A selfless individual who would do anything to save a person in need. And that warmed her cautious heart.
Turning his face towards Lydia, Leon could only chuckle: "Besides, even if it is a trap, I'm confident we can escape."
"You brat…"
The trust that Leon had in Lydia was extreme, perhaps to a misguided degree. However, Lydia wasn't going to betray that trust. Readying her sword and heart for whatever was to come, she replied with absolute conviction:
"Leave it to me!"
❖❖❖
As the trio of Knights led Leon and Lydia, Amon stood silently from afar. His golden eyes were squinted, and anyone nearby would be hard-pressed to decipher what thoughts went through his mind. Blinking rapidly, the young Knight unsheathed his steel blade and quickly followed behind. Yet, as he moved from tree to tree, not a single sound was uttered.
It was as if a phantom was trailing the five Knights, and needless to say, none of them noticed Amon's pursuit. And even if they did, they couldn't sense his presence. Hidden with a shroud of mysterious energy, if anyone looked in his direction, their vision would be blurry, and they wouldn't suspect a thing.
"Should I just kill them?"
There was no doubt in Amon's mind that Leon was being dragged into a trap. Amon even had half a mind to eradicate the bad apples instantly to help the future hero avoid harm. However, he refrained himself.
"No, this is a good opportunity for him to learn not to trust others so quickly."
Amon repeated Yue's words multiple times as he resisted the urge to act on his desires. The thought of Yue reminded Amon of the task she had handed to him.
"Right, I have to record them… Where's my recording crystal?"
While searching for the crystal he needed to record evidence from his item bag, he saw Leon enter the suspicious cave with Lydia and the other three bad actors in tow. With a heavy heart, the transmigrator heaved an enormous sigh:
"Leon… This is a trial you must overcome… Forgive me for not helping…"