Fall of Eden

### In The Royal Castle

The report sent by Ashura was received by the late Empress Rozaria, but Ashura had merely written it. So how did the empress receive it so quickly?

The answer lay within the book Ashura used to write. His book was connected to the one the Empress possessed. Both books were intertwined, reducing the probability of leaked information to a minimum.

"As expected from little Kanon," Empress Rozaria mused, her voice laced with a mixture of pride and caution. "To think he found a clue in just one day. This will hasten our progress, but I must advise against rushing. We still do not know the full picture of this matter yet." She carefully read through the report, her brow furrowed in thought.

"But to think even student Veramount is involved in this matter..." She sighed, her tone shifting to one of concern. "Little Kanon will have a hard time staying calm. I need to begin my preparations as well; after all, I don't want little Kanon to handle all the burden." Her voice was cold yet kind, echoing her resolve.

Turning her gaze to the window, a gentle breeze drifted into the room, carrying with it the scents of the garden. The cup of tea before her, once full of calming aroma, had turned cold long ago, yet she still drank as if it were warm, seeking solace in its familiarity

### In The Hoxrrary Academy

The usual light streamed into Ashura's room, but he had long since dashed to the shower room to avoid running into anyone, as he had sworn to himself.

"Urrgh! I really hate the cold shower! When will they fix the magic stone for hot water?" Ashura grumbled in displeasure. He knew the magic stones were renowned for many uses—some used them to heat or cool food, some for blacksmithing, while others had their personal applications. But mostly, they were used for magical convens, requiring medium or high-grade stones. This was why the medium and high-grade magic stones could cost a fortune, only affordable to nobles, rich merchants, and royal families.

As soon as Ashura finished with his shower, he stumbled upon someone. "Oh my, you came in quite early today!" Edmond said, a smile lighting up his face.

Ashura, still trembling from the cold, hid his face with his hands. But like a goddess of luck playing tricks, he began to sneeze.

Edmond couldn't contain his laughter. "Oh my! To think I'd see someone sneeze like a kitten, and that person is you, of all people! I must say, it's quite unexpected!" His laughter burst forth uncontrollably.

Ashura's face turned bright red. In a fit of frustration, he kicked Edmond's leg and ran off as quickly as possible, cursing under his breath. "Arrrrgh! What's the problem with that guy? How can he say I sneeze like a kitten? Just when I thought he was normal, he starts acting crazy and saying whatever he wants! WHAT A RUDE GUY!"

Left alone in the shower room, Edmond could no longer hold back his laughter. "Hahaha! This guy is really different from the rumors," he said, the joy radiating from his face. He glanced down at his leg, still chuckling. "Even though I'm not as good as Ferris when it comes to fighting, I take quite a bit of pride in my body. But to think he could make my leg swell a little with one kick... Ashura, that guy might really show something unexpected in the future!" he mused, curiosity and excitement bubbling in his voice.

### In Ashura's Room

Ashura slammed his face into the pillow, muffling his frustrated shout. "ARRRRGH! THIS IS WHY I CANNOT HANDLE BEING WITH OTHER HUMAN BEINGS!" He buried his emotions for a good ten minutes, trying to regain his composure.

"I need to go to class or I'll be late," Ashura muttered as he stepped out of his room. Just then, a familiar figure stood beside his door.

"Oh, you're done now. Let's go together, Ashura," Edmond said with a cheerful smile.

Ashura froze, his heart racing. "Why are you standing beside my door? Don't you have anything else to do?!" he shouted, his face turning crimson.

"Oh, come on! We've already chatted twice; it's practically fate that we meet!" Edmond replied, his tone friendly.

Ashura felt as if he might choke. "Don't you think it usually takes three encounters to be considered 'meant to meet'? And can we even call our conversations chats?!"

"If you say that, then right now is our third time, so we truly are meant to meet," Edmond countered shamelessly.

Ashura felt his reasoning slipping away. *How can someone be this annoying? This guy is the definition of speaking to a wall,* he cursed inwardly as he glared at Edmond, his face aflame.

Suddenly, the bell rang.

"Arghhh! I'm late for class!" Ashura exclaimed, realizing the time. He began to sprint out, and Edmond followed suit.

"It seems we're both late; we're truly meant to meet each other!" Edmond grinned.

If not for the tasks assigned by Empress Rozaria, Ashura would have tried to smack Edmond with all his might.

The classroom was adorned with exquisite décor. Each student desk was handcrafted from high-quality wood, and the furniture, without a doubt, cost a fortune. It was located in the left wing of the main building at the academy.

"Luckily, the professor hasn't arrived yet, or I'd be in trouble," Ashura said, sounding relieved as he sat at an empty desk, which, of course, was next to Edmond's.

"It seems we'll be seeing a lot of each other in the future, Ashura," Edmond said cheerfully.

Ashura, who could no longer reason with Edmond, finally sighed in resignation.

"Well, damn! Who would've thought that the defactus of the Kanon family would end up in this class?" a voice remarked. It came from a person with fierce grey hair and piercing eyes, his physique showing the signs of rigorous training.

His statement drew the attention of other students.

"Who are you? Don't you know it's rude to talk to others without introducing yourself?" Edmond confronted the newcomer, stepping in front of Ashura's desk.

"Why are you interfering, Edmond Valentino? Don't you think it'll hurt your reputation to associate with a defactus like him?" the person replied arrogantly.

"Our Valentino family only trusts its instincts, no matter what anyone else says, Jarek Everest," Edmond retorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Jarek Everest, a son of the branch Everest family, had potential recognized by the head of the Everest family itself. But compared to Jullion and Ferris, he was little more than a small fish in a vast ocean. The Everest family was known for their paladins, skilled in defending against level 6 abyss monsters—truly a family worthy of recognition.

"So, in other words, you say your instincts have a strong opinion about this defactus, right?" Jarek said, a hint of mocking laughter in his voice. He continued, "How about this defactus and I have a spar? It would be amusing to prove the Valentino's instincts wrong."

Edmond, irritated by Jarek's attitude, replied, "If you want to fight so much, I don't mind being your opponent. I'll enjoy teaching you a thing or two."

Jarek called upon his sword, "Oh, Sword Mountain Breaker, answer my call and punish my enemy!" he declared. Not to be outdone, Edmond summoned his magic book. "Oh, Book of Will, answer my call and help me unveil the truth!" Both weapons shone brightly and appeared in their masters' hands.

"I'll make you regret taunting me, Edmond Valentino," Jarek said fiercely.

"Humph! I'll make sure to turn you into ugly dough, you stupid raccoon," Edmond shot back arrogantly.

Unbeknownst to them, Ashura was now completely confused, muttering to himself, *What in the world are you two doing? This is the first class, and already you want to kill each other?* He felt his sanity slipping. *This academy is crazy! Do you need to be insane to enter this place?*

The tension between both parties was palpable, while other students, unlike Ashura, looked excited. Some whispered, "This is what I'm talking about! We should fight to see our worth," "This is going to be a great fight to watch," and others calculated who would win.

As the classroom buzzed with a mix of excitement and tension. Edmond and Jarek were at the center of it all, already stirring up chaos. Just as their antics escalated, the door swung open, and in walked the professor, a look of annoyance etched across his face.

"What in the world are you doing?! This is first class of the day!" he exclaimed, his voice cutting through the chatter like a knife.

Edmond and Jarek froze, their movements halting abruptly. They turned to face the professor, surprise etched on their faces as they realized they had been caught.

"If you want to fight so much, how about I be your opponent, huh?" he said, throwing down the challenge. The room fell silent.