Alex was focused. Really focused.
He gripped his spear like it was the last thread of sanity he had. Morning to noon, he drilled the basic techniques thrust, block, spin, repeat. The dirt beneath his feet wore smooth. His palms burned.
Hellen approached, holding out a wooden bowl of food.
"Eat," she said simply.
But Alex didn't look at her. His eyes had caught something colder than the training air.
Ellie. Across the yard. Watching. Or more like glowering.
His mind panicked.
She's angry again. But why? I'm just training... Is it because Hellen brought me food? Seriously?
He awkwardly walked over, never letting go of the spear. As he reached for the bowl with one hand poof the spear vanished from his other.
He chugged the entire bowl in one monstrous gulp.
Hellen blinked. "I could've fed you, you know."
Alex wiped his mouth. "No time. Need to train. Spear's calling."
He turned, searching the ground in confusion.
Where the hell did it go?
"Ellie, did you take my spear?" he asked.
She ignored him. A complete ice wall.
Then Brave's voice echoed softly in his mind.
"Master, it's a formless weapon. Think. Call it."
Alex closed his eyes, breathed, and focused. The spear returned to his hand in a shimmer of gold and light.
"…Cool," he whispered, eyes wide.
He grinned, making it appear and disappear like a magic trick, flipping it between hands like a child with a new toy.
Frank passed by, unimpressed. "Stop flirting with the damn thing and practice."
Alex saluted with the spear and got back to it. He trained until noon, sweat pouring, muscles screaming.
"Ugh," he muttered, sniffing his own armpit. "I stink like a corpse in summer."
Ellie looked over just then, wrinkling her nose.
So, naturally, Alex did the most Alex thing possible.
He walked over to her, leaned in, and sniffed her jacket.
SLAP!
His head spun sideways.
Silence.
Rosly blinked from the training ring. "What happened? You're red as a tomato!"
Ellie forced a smile. "Nothing. Just a... friendly correction."
Then Thea came bouncing in, sniffing the air. "Ugh! I do stink! Had to check if she smelled worse."
Alex turned to her with confusion, completely unfazed. "You can smell me if you want. Fair trade, right?"
He reached toward Thea like he was about to sniff her.
Before he could complete the sin, Ellie grabbed him by the jacket, dragged him to the nearest wall and bashed him against it.
Hard.
She whispered into his ear, voice low and dangerous:
"If you sniff another girl, I swear I'll kill you, Alex."
She released him, huffing, fists clenched.
But Alex… didn't run.
He sniffed the air, grinned like a devil, and said calmly,
"…You stink too."
"WHAT?!"
He bolted like hell was behind him.
"I'M GOING TO MURDER YOU, ALEX!" Ellie screamed, barreling after him.
Alex ducked behind a nearby nun like a cowardly knight hiding behind divine armor. "Sister! Help! She's trying to assassinate me!"
The old nun blinked in confusion. "What's going on here?"
Ellie, panting, wild-eyed, tried to speak.
Alex raised a finger. "Allow me."
He straightened up and launched into his dramatic tale.
"She tried to kill me for a noble cause! I was simply conducting a very important olfactory investigation. Purely hygienic research. I smelled her jacket, she slapped me, I ran. Case closed."
The nun stared. Then turned to Ellie. Then back to Alex.
"…Didn't your mother or sister teach you any manners, Alex?"
His smile faded.
Slowly, he looked away.
His voice dropped low.
"…I don't remember her face."
The air thinned.
He swallowed. "I was a baby. She died in some war. I don't even know which one."
The nun fell silent. Ellie froze.
No one spoke for a moment.
The humor still lingered in the air, like smoke after a fire but it felt wrong now. Misplaced.
Alex gave a short bow to the nun. "Sorry, Sister. I'll leave her alone."
He turned and walked out of the courtyard, shoulders loose but heavy. Darcy, in her golden-tiger form, was waiting by the archway.
She blocked him gently, eyes glowing under the moon.
He reached up and patted her warm head. "Let's get out of here, girl."
She lowered herself. He climbed onto her back.
They left quietly into the dusk, the laughter long gone. Just shadows now. A soft breeze. The echo of someone who never got to know their mother.
Alex rode aimlessly for a while no destination, just the sound of wind and Darcy's paws on stone.
Hours passed.
The stars took their places in the sky like silent witnesses.
When he returned to the church gates that night, the moon was high. He looked up at it, then at the warm lights inside.
he went on the rooftop and lie down on it . brock sat beside Alex and say " Alex what are you doing here every one was worried about you !".
Alex start using violet aura and place the hand against his heart .
" sorry but i need some time ! alone ! ", he said calmly .
brock smile and say " Alex i am sorry ! the nun already trying apologize and repenting !".
Alex laugh and say " it was never needed ! but she was right ! i had no one teach such things ! to laugh with and smile with !".
brock start trying to distract Alex but he can stop Alex Loneliness anymore .
brock said before went down , " Alex ! remember for a mother her son was always her love and hero !".
After his silent return the night before, Alex had smiled briefly to no one. Just himself. Then walked to his room, calm like a tired ghost.
He dropped onto the bed and lay there, eyes to the ceiling, hand clutched to his chest not from pain, but something worse.
Emptiness.
Early morning.
A giggle woke him.
A tiny body climbed onto his chest and began enthusiastically styling his hair into something resembling a bird nest.
Alex blinked. "Did you even bathe, you goblin?"
The kid grinned. "Nope!" and scampered out like a gremlin on sugar.
Alex stared after him, horrified.
"…Why am I developing OCD?"
He stepped outside, still grumbling. The nun from yesterday bowed apologetically to him.
But he shook his head. "No, Sister. I was the idiot. Not you."
Then, like ritual, he walked to the training grounds.
He stripped off his jacket, strapped on the weights, and began running. Round and round the church grounds. No break. No excuses. Just his breath, his heartbeat, and the sound of footsteps hammering stone.
Hours passed.
When his legs threatened to collapse, he stopped and slumped down on the church steps, drenched in sweat, chest heaving like a collapsing cave.
"Damn… this feeling again…" he muttered, eyes low. "Empty. Like I'm running away from a ghost that's always ahead of me."
Then something entered his vision.
A mug of water.
Held out right in front of his face.
He blinked. Followed the hand up. Saw her.
Elli stood there, holding it with a small smile. Soft. Nervous.
He took the cup. Drank deeply.
She sat beside him.
"You're cooling down, Alex," she said gently.
He didn't answer right away.
She added, "I'm sorry."
He looked at her quiet, sharp.
"Ellie… I hate pity," he said.
"Either fight beside me… or leave me in hell. But don't stand there and feel sorry from a distance. I've had enough of that in my life."
Elli lowered her eyes.
Before either could say more
Hellen suddenly ran up and threw her arms around Alex's neck.
"Alex! Let's go bathe together!" she said like it was the most normal idea in the world.
Ellie's face immediately turned into a murder diagram. Flames might have risen from her head. Her eyes practically screamed:
"Say yes, and I'll send you to heaven personally."
Alex blinked, panic mode activated. "Wait what?!"
Hellen beamed. "There's a pond nearby! You can join after we're done."
Alex sighed in relief and peeled her arms off him.
"Thanks, then .. I'll be coming ."
Hellen walked away innocently.
Ellie stared at him, voice flat. "You were thinking of bathing with her?"
Alex narrowed his eyes. "I'd rather bathe in lava than walk into that pond with either of you. I may be stupid, but I'm not suicidal."
He stood, brushing off dirt, and smirked.
"Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go scrub my soul."
And with that, Alex turned and walked back into the church, leaving behind one furious girl and the fading echo of his idiot grin.
Inside, he grabbed a bowl from the table, drank the soup in one smooth gulp, and chewed through the meat like a starving wolf.
A few minutes later, he walked back out looking completely calm, as if he hadn't caused chaos five seconds earlier.
He climbed onto Darcy's back and glanced over his shoulder.
"Hop on."
Elli and Hellen exchanged looks before climbing up behind him. Darcy stretched lazily, then sprinted out of the church grounds like white lightning tearing through the valley roads.
The wind howled past them as Hellen guided the route.
Eventually, they reached a hidden pond deep within the forest surrounded by stone cliffs, tall grass, and glowing blue flowers swaying softly near the water's edge.
Crystal-clear water reflected the evening sky like liquid glass.
Hellen jumped down first.
"Alex, guard the area," she said while pointing a finger at him suspiciously. "And don't peek."
Alex stared at the dead trees nearby with the expression of a man already defeated by life itself.
"I give up already," he sighed dramatically. "Good day. Farewell."
The girls disappeared behind the rocks, laughter echoing softly across the pond as splashes danced through the air.
Meanwhile, Alex sat beneath a tree beside Darcy and reached into his infinity bag.
"Darcy," he whispered seriously, "today… we begin our journey."
Darcy tilted her head.
Alex slowly pulled out a stack of manga.
"We're reading all of them."
Darcy let out an excited growl.
Alex opened the first book.
"Horimiya," he read aloud. "Alright… let's see why humans become emotionally unstable over romance."
Minutes passed.
Then another.
Soon both Alex and Darcy were completely absorbed.
Alex stared at the pages with widening eyes.
"Darcy…" he whispered, horrified. "Why is this story actually so good?"
Darcy nodded aggressively beside him.
"We really do share a knowledge connection," Alex muttered proudly.
Meanwhile, from behind the rocks, Hellen carefully peeked toward Alex.
And froze.
Instead of secretly staring at girls like every other idiot she'd met in her life…
Alex and Darcy were sitting together reading manga and discussing romance like scholars studying ancient scripture.
Hellen blinked twice.
"Does Alex have problems?" she whispered. "How is he ignoring us completely?"
Elli frowned immediately.
"What's he doing over there?"
"He and Darcy are reading books," Hellen said slowly, still confused. "They're talking and laughing."
At that exact moment
"Good romance, right Darcy?" Alex said emotionally.
Darcy growled in agreement.
The two girls stared at him in disbelief.
What kind of creature is this man?
Eventually, Elli and Hellen stepped out from behind the rocks, fully dressed again.
"What exactly are you doing?" Elli asked.
Darcy glanced at them lazily.
"We're having fun," Alex translated proudly after her growl.
Without even looking toward them, Alex reached into his bag and tossed Elli's folded clothes neatly onto a nearby stone.
Then he stood up suddenly.
"Alright. My turn."
Before either girl could react, Alex sprinted toward the pond with Darcy racing beside him.
He dove into the water with a loud splash.
A soft glow spread from his fingertips, warming the cold pond until steam curled gently across the surface.
"Aaaah…" Alex sighed happily while floating on his back. "Now this is comfort."
Darcy floated nearby like a spoiled queen enjoying a private spa.
Alex relaxed quietly in the water, washing away dirt, blood, and exhaustion from the road.
Then, after a moment of silence, he reached up and cut away his long hair.
Dark strands drifted across the pond like falling shadows.
"Damn…" he murmured softly. "I should visit home at least once."
For a brief moment, his smile faded.
The wind carried the cut hair across the water.
After washing properly, Alex examined the golden weapon wrapped around his back. The divine metal shimmered softly before shifting colors mimicking cloth and armor until it hid itself completely against his skin.
Satisfied, he leaned back deeper into the warm water.
Peace.
Rare. Quiet peace.
Later, Alex stepped out of the pond wearing fresh clothes, dark hair shorter now, still damp and falling loosely around his face.
When Elli saw him clearly for the first time, her breath caught slightly.
The shorter black hair sharpened his features. Pale skin, tired violet brown eyes, quiet expression—
He looked different.
Softer.
Dangerous in a completely different way.
And annoyingly handsome.
Her heart fluttered before she could stop it.
Idiot, she thought immediately.
The three climbed back onto Darcy and rode toward the church beneath the fading gold of evening.
When they finally arrived, people near the entrance looked up
Then blinked.
One of the children tilted his head.
"Who's that new kid?" he whispered.
Even Brock stared for a second before realizing.
"…Alex?"
Alex grinned lazily and brushed his shorter hair back.
"Surprise."