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POV: Arthur
As Arthur looked at the young man standing before him, he couldn't recall ever seeing him. The girl beside him, however, was unmistakable… she was the princess of Coralia.
But this boy? He didn't exist in any quest in the game.
So who was he?
Arthur was lost in thought when the boy suddenly spoke:
"Hey, you… face me."
Arthur blinked and focused on him again.
A mocking smile… a prideful gaze…
He knew this type well.
Those who become jealous just because someone else is better than they are.
But what Arthur didn't know… was that he had unknowingly crossed the boundary between respect and challenge.
His posture, his calmness, his gaze — all carried a regal aura, as if he had undergone years of strict training.
It was simply the side-effect of his overwhelmingly high charisma.
The girl broke the silence with an exasperated sigh:
"Come on, brother, stop that. You don't even know him, and suddenly you're asking him for a duel?"
He shot back excitedly:
"Hah? Didn't you see his strength yourself? Fighting him will definitely teach me something. He's a worthy opponent."
But the girl's words were the ones that shook Arthur:
"Brother… this boy is Caspian Coralia."
Arthur's breath caught for a second.
Caspian Coralia… the older brother of Princess Cordelia.
The young man who sacrificed himself to secure her escape when they were ambushed by the Abyss agents.
He died that day…
And Cordelia fell into a deep depression for years, her once bright eyes growing hollow. She trained obsessively — strong enough to challenge the Light Hero while she was only in her first academy year.
Arthur stared between them — mostly at the girl.
Even though game graphics weren't as clear as reality, he could easily distinguish the difference between her current look and her future one.
At that moment, the system finally returned after disappearing during the battle:
[It seems that — for better or worse — we arrived just before the ambush.]
Arthur thought:
You mean… the attack was supposed to happen now?
[Yes. All you need to do now is ensure they reach the water city safely.
We don't want another Aliara incident here.]
Then a mission window appeared:
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Ding
[Second Mission Activated]
Mission Name: Shards of Fate
Objective: Save "The Son of the Sea" before he falls into corruption
Reward: Attunement to the water element + High-rank healing potion
Failure Penalty: Caspian's death… and Cordelia blaming you forever.
---
Arthur closed the window and lifted his gaze just as the siblings turned toward him.
He spoke calmly:
"First… sorry for appearing here. I was heading somewhere else, but due to certain circumstances, I ended up in this place.
Second… isn't arguing in front of a stranger — who could be good or evil — a bit dangerous?"
They both fell silent for a moment, then Caspian said:
"You're right… we apologize. But who are you? And how did you reach such a remote beach?"
Arthur replied:
"As I said, I wasn't planning to come here. Exhaustion forced me to rest for a while."
Caspian's face lit up with excitement:
"You're lost then! Don't worry, we'll take you to the city. You can—"
But Cordelia jabbed her elbow into him and pulled him aside:
"Idiot! Are you stupid? How can you invite a suspicious stranger to come with us? His story sounds made-up!"
Arthur heard every word.
Sharp… she's sharp even at this age. I wouldn't trust such a story either.
The system laughed mockingly:
[Then why did you tell them such a story? Were you trying to feel what it's like to be the suspicious one?]
Arthur's eye twitched… but he didn't respond.
After the siblings finished arguing, Cordelia turned to him:
"You can come with us, but for safety… you must sign this contract."
Arthur froze for a moment.
A mana contract… cheap but devastatingly effective. Breaking its terms causes one's mana to ignite and torture them endlessly.
He agreed reluctantly.
Its conditions were simple:
— Do not harm them
— Follow them
And the contract will break automatically once they reach the city.
When he finished signing, the contract dissolved into his body.
Arthur asked:
"Do you have any clothes with you?"
Caspian frowned immediately, while Cordelia's face turned red as they both remembered his earlier scene.
Caspian tossed him a perfectly wrapped bundle with an annoyed grunt.
Arthur thanked him and disappeared into the trees to change.
When he returned—
Cordelia's breath caught.
And Caspian's frown deepened.
The clothes were regal — but the problem wasn't the clothes.
It was him.
Black fitted trousers, a long blue coat embroidered with gold, a white shirt tracing the lines of his chest, his exposed neckline, sharp jawline, cold expression… and his hair tied elegantly into a ponytail.
Caspian felt defeated.
He looked like a noble elf… or worse, a prince.
Cordelia, on the other hand… felt something new.
Her heart pounded, her breath turned warm, and she couldn't look straight at him.
She dug her nails into her palm and reinforced them with mana to regain composure — and it worked.
Her expression returned to normal.
Arthur approached:
"I'm ready."
They nodded silently and moved deeper into the forest.
The fastest way to the city… was through it.
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