"The level of my spiritual root is… high-grade black!" Leophold declared, his eyes sparkling with pride.
"What?! That's… incredible!" Ares was left speechless, his eyes wide with admiration. "So, you're a genius?! I can't believe it!"
"Hehe, exactly! I'm a genius," Leophold responded with a bright, almost smug smile. "People with a high-grade black root are one in a billion, you know?"
"Incredible…" Ares couldn't take his eyes off Leophold. He had always admired his friend, but he never expected a revelation like this. Despite being a servant, Leophold had never shown signs of superiority and always treated Ares as an equal. A gesture that Ares had appreciated more than he could express. But now… he felt even more respect for him.
"But… I have some bad news for you," Leophold said, his smile slowly fading.
"What? What's wrong?" Ares asked, his heart beginning to race.
"I have to leave," Leophold replied in a serious voice, his eyes briefly lowering. "Tomorrow, I'll join the Empire's Academy. It's far from here."
Ares stared at him, trying to figure out if he was joking. "The Empire's Academy? But… is it really far? When will you be back?"
"I don't know when I'll return," Leophold said sincerely, looking up at the sky for a moment as if searching for the right words. "Do you remember my father's friend, the one I told you about?"
"Yes… you mentioned he's a noble," Ares replied, trying to follow the conversation.
"Exactly. But there's more. That man isn't just a noble, he's also a cultivator. My father saved his life many years ago, and because of that, he owes him a favor. When he learned he was nearby, he took me to meet his friend to measure my spiritual root. And now… tomorrow he'll come to pick me up."
Ares gasped. "So… you're really leaving?"
"I'm sorry, Ares," Leophold said, stepping closer to him, "but I know this is the right thing for me. I can't stay here forever."
A heavy silence fell between them as Ares tried to process the news. Then, suddenly, Leophold climbed onto a bench, his face lighting up again.
"But don't worry!" he said with a smile, raising his fist toward the sky. "When I'm strong enough, I'll come back and teach you everything I know! Together we'll conquer the world and become legends! You and me, the strongest duo the world has ever seen!"
Ares looked at him, feeling a wave of mixed emotions. His heart filled with hope and determination. "Yes! When you return, we'll show everyone what we're capable of! We'll be the greatest!"
Leophold moved closer, and with a look of complicity, he extended his fist toward him. Ares, with a smile that lit up his face, responded in kind. Their fists met in a gesture of brotherhood. "It's a promise, then," they said together, their voices trembling with emotion. Both had tears in their eyes, but neither of them wanted to break the special moment.
"Young master!" The voice of the butler startled them. It was distant, but close enough to ruin the magic of the moment. "The master has ordered you to come home immediately!"
Ares quickly turned around, trying not to be seen, and hid behind a tree, his heart racing.
"Quickly, hide!" Leophold whispered urgently, seeing the butler approaching.
"Goodbye… Leophold!" Ares said, flattening himself behind the trunk, trying to stay quiet.
Leophold, with one last glance at his friend, turned to face the butler. "Goodbye, Ares. Don't forget our promise." Then, he walked away, trying to hide the sadness in his eyes.
"Ah, young master," said the butler, in a teasing tone. "We've been looking for you everywhere. Really, don't you notice how much time you spend out here?"
Leophold smiled awkwardly, trying to seem casual. "Oh, has it been that long? I didn't notice," he replied, trying not to show his nervousness.
The butler, with an affectionate smile, handed him a handkerchief. "Here, for your face. It's a shame to see a young man cry, especially when he's about to leave for such a long time."
"Thanks…" Leophold said, a bit embarrassed, quickly wiping his tears.
"Don't worry," the butler said with a smile, "it's normal for a nine-year-old to cry when he knows he'll be far from home. But you must look ahead with optimism."
"Right…" Leophold replied, trying to lift his spirits. "I'm going home now. My mother will be waiting."
Leophold took a few steps away, but suddenly stopped, noticing that the butler was still there, standing still.
"Aren't you coming with me?" he asked, confused.
"Ah, sorry, but I must go in the opposite direction," the butler replied with a smile. "Please, go on by yourself."
Leophold, with one last wave, walked away. But when he was out of sight, the butler's smile disappeared immediately.
His expression became more serious, and he slowly turned toward the place where Ares had hidden. He approached the tree, leaning in to take a look.
"Hm?" the butler murmured, looking carefully. "There's no one here. Yet… I heard the young master talking to someone… Strange."
He slowly walked away, shaking his head. "These ears must be deceiving me. Time to head back to the estate."
With one last glance toward where Ares had hidden, the butler left without saying a word.