Journey to Become the Zenith

A Familiar Voice Beneath the Night

While Victor was resting and meditating somewhere outside Fantom City to recover his mana, his girl Videl, the cause of all this, was walking toward the Knight Academy with a heavy heart.

Night had already settled completely.

The streets of Fantom City had grown quieter compared to the lively atmosphere from earlier. Lamps hanging along the roadside flickered with soft orange light, stretching long shadows across the stone paths. A cold breeze drifted through the city streets, carrying the scent of distant flowers and fresh night air.

Videl walked slowly beneath the moonlight.

Her long blonde hair moved gently with the wind while her blue sapphire eyes stared absentmindedly at the road ahead.

Usually, her steps were firm and energetic.

Tonight, however, they felt heavier.

Very heavy.

She had set out to find the family members of her schoolmates, but now she was returning with absolutely nothing to show for it.

Not a single clue.

Not a single answer.

Silence followed her.

Her fingers slowly tightened.

”...”

She lowered her head.

Images of her classmates appeared one after another in her mind.

Their worried faces.

Their desperate expressions.

The hope they carried when they asked for help.

She had accepted it without hesitation.

But now...

What would she even tell them?

Sorry?

I couldn’t find anything?

Those words felt too empty.

Her chest felt slightly suffocated.

”I really am useless...”

She muttered softly.

Her voice almost disappeared beneath the wind.

Videl slowly exhaled.

”No...”

She lightly shook her head.

She didn’t want to think like that.

Victor would probably laugh if he saw her like this.

The thought suddenly caused a small smile to appear on her face.

Then her expression softened.

Victor’s face suddenly surfaced in her mind.

Black hair.

Golden eyes.

That annoyingly calm expression.

And that smile.

Especially that smile.

That stupid smile that always looked like he already knew everything.

Then suddenly—

Her steps paused.

She remembered something.

Before separating earlier, Victor had spoken casually while stretching his arms.

”Videl, you better go back to your school. I’m sure the people you are looking for will show up a bit later.”

Videl blinked.

Her brows slowly furrowed.

”...”

The smile on her face disappeared.

She replayed those words inside her head.

Again.

And again.

And again.

’That’s what Victor said...’

She stared blankly ahead.

’What did he mean...?’

Victor never said meaningless things.

At least not when it came to serious matters.

Sure, he liked acting lazy.

He liked joking around.

He liked teasing people.

But beneath all of that...

There was always something else.

Something hidden.

’Does he know where the missing nobles are?’

Her eyes widened slightly.

”No way...”

Then again...

Thinking about Victor...

Maybe it wasn’t impossible.

Actually—

The more she thought about it...

The more suspicious it became.

Her expression slowly narrowed.

”That idiot...”

A small vein appeared on her forehead.

”He better not be hiding something from me.”

She suddenly remembered Victor’s relaxed face earlier.

That peaceful expression.

That lazy smile.

The more she thought about it—

The more she wanted to bite him.

”No wonder he looked so relaxed...”

Videl crossed her arms.

”Hmph.”

But then...

Her expression softened again.

Because she suddenly remembered something else.

Victor’s eyes.

For a brief moment earlier...

She remembered seeing a strange look hidden behind his usual smile.

A look she couldn’t understand.

A look that felt...

Cold.

Very cold.

Videl slowly lowered her eyes.

Her fingers unconsciously grabbed her sleeve.

”...Victor.”

A strange uneasiness appeared in her heart.

She couldn’t explain it.

But she suddenly felt as if something had happened.

Something bad.

Rustle.

Rustle.

Her thoughts suddenly stopped.

She heard someone calling her and heard footsteps approaching.

Videl turned around and saw a familiar face.

A figure was running toward her from a distance.

Long black hair danced beneath the moonlight.

Green eyes.

A familiar face.

The moment she saw her clearly—

Videl’s eyes widened slightly.

Then the girl stopped a few steps away.

For a moment she simply stared.

Then her eyes suddenly became moist.

A bright smile appeared across her face.

”It’s been a long time, my savior.”

The familiar voice carried across the quiet road like a gentle breeze.

The academy gates stood silently behind her while moonlight bathed the stone pathway in silver light. For a brief second, she thought she had heard wrong.

Her blue sapphire eyes widened slightly.

She finally clearly saw the figure standing several steps away was a beautiful young girl with long black hair that flowed softly down her back. Her bright green eyes reflected the moonlight, and a gentle smile rested upon her delicate face.

The moment their eyes met, the girl’s smile became brighter.

Meanwhile, Videl remained stunned.

Her mind immediately flashed back to that dark day.

The slave caravans.

The frightened girl.

The helpless expression.

The moment she and Victor had intervened.

Only then did recognition finally appear on Videl’s face.

”...Aria?”

The girl’s eyes immediately lit up.

Long black hair swayed gently in the night breeze.

Bright green eyes.

A soft and delicate face.

The girl’s face immediately brightened.

”Master remembered me.”

Videl couldn’t help but smile.

Of course she remembered her.

After all, both she and Victor had risked themselves to save Aria from those traffickers. It wasn’t exactly an experience someone would easily forget.

”You’ve changed a lot.”

Aria lowered her head shyly.

”Thanks to Master.”

Videl immediately shook her hands.

”No, no, stop calling me that.”

”Huh?”

Aria blinked.

Videl rubbed her forehead helplessly.

”I already told you before. You don’t need to call me master.”

”But...”

”Really, you don’t need call me master.” Videl smiled awkwardly.

”Really, you don’t need call me master.” Videl smiled awkwardly.

”We helped you because we wanted to help. That’s all.”

Aria lowered her gaze.

For the first time since meeting her again, the cheerful expression on her face weakened.

Her shoulders drooped slightly.

”But Master saved me.”

”Aria...”

”You and Sir Victor saved my life.”

The girl’s voice became softer.

”If not for you two, I would have been sold somewhere I didn’t even know.”

The night breeze passed between them.

Aria continued quietly.

”My village is gone.”

Videl’s smile slowly faded.

”My father is gone.”

A pause.

”My mother too.”

Another pause.

”Everyone I knew...”

Aria lowered her head.

”They’re all gone.”

Silence followed.

The distant sounds of the city suddenly felt very far away.

Videl’s heart tightened.

She had known Aria’s situation before.

But hearing the girl say it herself felt entirely different.

Aria slowly raised her head.

”After that happened... I didn’t know where to go.”

Her eyes became slightly moist.

”Then you and Sir Victor appeared.”

A small smile appeared on her lips.

”You gave me a chance to live again.”

Videl didn’t know what to say.

Sometimes there simply weren’t enough words.

Aria then straightened her back.

”So Master will always be Master.”

Videl sighed.

This stubborn girl...

”You really won’t change your mind?”

Aria immediately shook her head.

”No.”

”Not even a little?”

”No.”

”What if I order you?”

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Authors Notes: Dear Readers, Thanks so much for joining me on this adventure! Your enthusiasm, feedback, and encouragement really keep me motivated to keep bringing *Journey to Become the Zenith* into existence. If you’re loving the Chapters, I’d love it if you supported my book with a Powerstone, review, or even a Golden Ticket—it helps me develop as a writer and lets more readers enjoy the story. I look forward to hearing your ideas and thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to share!

With love,

Scorpio_saturn777

Creator of Journey to Become the Zenith

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