Aethelgard—
a continent powered by the veins of Mana Leylines, vast rivers of magic flowing beneath the earth. Kingdoms and guilds thrived upon these unseen currents, and whoever commanded a Leyline ruled with unmatched magical authority.
Five great kingdoms divided the land, each represented by a prestigious guild. Yet these guilds didn't merely protect their nations—they competed, schemed, and sometimes waged silent wars for dominance.
Among them stood the radiant Kingdom of Solara, home to the renowned Golden Aegis Guild Academy.
And in that city of light… a young man had just arrived.
His name was Argus Alioth.
But long ago, he had been someone else—someone feared across realms.
Once, he was Valerius Kael—the Demon Lord.
Now, he walked calmly through Solara's sunlit streets, looking no older than nineteen. Handsome, composed, with soft gray hair and an aura too serene to be ordinary. His long black cloak brushed the cobblestones as he moved.
No sword.
No staff.
No weapon at all.
Yet his weapon was right beside him—walking, sulking, and very much alive.
A pale-skinned girl with bright blue eyes and long black hair framed by soft bangs trudged at his side. She looked sixteen, maybe seventeen—adorably cute, though her aura betrayed something ancient. Her horns, wings, and tail were hidden by her own magic, allowing her to blend in with mortals.
Her name was Lilith, the Abyssal Blade of Agony—Valerius's sentient weapon, and his eternal headache.
Lilith wrinkled her nose. "My Lord, the air here—ugh! The trees, the flowers—why is everything green? I hate green!"
Argus didn't even look her way. "Get used to it, Lilith."
"So annoying!" she muttered, kicking at a pebble. "Why are we even here anyway?"
"We're looking for the Golden Aegis Guild Academy," he said. "This is the Kingdom of Solara."
Lilith's lips curled. "So what? Are we gonna destroy them? Burn the place down?"
"No, Lilith," Argus replied calmly. "We're applying as students."
She stopped dead in her tracks. "WHAT?! You—a student?! That's ridiculous!"
"We need a place to stay," he said, as if explaining the obvious. "And if I remember right, the academy's in a city called Luminaris. Oh, and stop calling me My Lord."
"Fine, whatever you say…" she said with a wicked grin. "Master!"
Argus sighed in defeat.
Their journey continued until the grand city of Luminaris spread before them—a sprawling hub of color and life. Vendors shouted over the crowd, selling charms, potions, and mana-infused trinkets. Children laughed as adventurers in shimmering armor passed by, their weapons humming with latent power.
"So these are adventurers, huh?" Argus muttered.
"Pathetic mortals," Lilith scoffed. "All show, no substance."
"Heh," he replied. "Says the most dramatic being I know."
"Excuse me—the cutest being you know."
"If you say so."
They soon reached the gates of the Golden Aegis Guild Academy—a fortress of polished steel engraved with runes and radiant wards. Crowds of applicants filled the plaza, each hoping to prove their worth in the upcoming Trials of Admission.
Lilith's face twisted. "Ugh, so many mortals. I think I might throw up."
"You'll be making friends with those mortals soon," Argus said dryly.
"Eww! Never! Not in a thousand years!"
At the registration desk stood two young women in uniform, their crests marked with a golden sun and shield—the emblem of Solara.
The older one, Myra, a cheerful third-year wind mage, smiled warmly. Beside her was her younger sister, Aliya, a quiet second-year with water-type mana shimmering faintly around her fingertips.
"Welcome!" Myra said brightly. "Please write your name, age, and magical specialty here."
Lilith blinked at the form. "Uh… what should I put as my full name, Master?"
"Use Alioth," Argus replied. "From now on, you're Lilith Alioth."
Her eyes sparkled. "Heehee! That means I'm your wife now, right?!"
"Quiet down," Argus said flatly. "You're my younger sister, not my wife."
"Hmph! Killjoy."
They handed the form back.
Myra glanced up. "Hmm… Sir Argus, you don't seem to carry any weapon?"
"That's correct."
"Eh?" Aliya leaned forward, surprised. "Then how do you fight?"
Lilith snorted. "He fights with sarcasm."
"Don't listen to her," Argus said smoothly. "I specialize in martial arts… and strategy."
"And being annoyingly smug," Lilith muttered.
"Shh." He covered her mouth quickly.
A mocking laugh cut through the crowd. "Hah! No weapon? What are you gonna do, run around dodging attacks?"
The voice belonged to Arman—a broad-shouldered young man clad in polished armor. His longsword gleamed at his side, the hilt worn from use. Despite his arrogance, his bearing carried real experience.
"You're not wrong," Argus said, unfazed. "But I won't be the one running."
Lilith smirked. "He'll be the one chasing."
Before Arman could retort, the sky dimmed. The wind turned cold.
A heavy pressure spread through the air.
"Master…" Lilith's tone shifted.
Argus narrowed his eyes. "A test already?"
Myra shook her head. "No… something's wrong."
The heavens split open.
Four pale, ghostly figures descended—screaming in agony.
Panic erupted. Some applicants fled; others drew weapons, fighting in vain. Myra summoned razor winds, while Aliya launched spikes of water. Nothing worked.
"Impossible—they're not affected!" Myra cried.
"Sis, I'll get the A-Class instructors!" Aliya turned to run.
Knights rushed forward, forming a glowing barrier of holy mana. The air was chaos—shouts, steel, magic—until one spirit darted straight toward Argus.
"Sir Argus!!" Myra shouted.
Lilith's grin returned. "Oh, looks like it's interested in you, Master~"
In a single motion, Argus caught the spirit by the neck.
The entire plaza froze.
The ghost writhed, shrieking.
Myra gasped. "How… how is he touching a spirit?!"
Lilith folded her arms. "Haha! Gotcha."
No mortal should have been able to touch a cursed soul. Yet Argus held it effortlessly.
Then—without a word—he leaned forward and kissed the spirit on the lips.
"W-What—?!" Myra stammered.
"He just… kissed it?!" Aliya's voice cracked.
"MASTER!!!" Lilith's shriek echoed like a blade scraping glass.
Light burst from the spirit, flooding the plaza. The four ghosts transformed into weeping women—human once more. They knelt before Argus, tears falling freely.
"My Lord… thank you," one whispered.
"Your suffering has ended," Argus replied quietly.
And with that, they vanished like mist.
The crowd fell silent.
A man with no weapon. No chant. No spell.
Just… a kiss.
Lilith stormed up, grabbing him by the collar. "WHAT WAS THAT?! You kissed it! Why?!"
"Calm down," Argus said. "That was exorcism—a purification ritual."
"Oh really?! With your lips?!"
"It worked, didn't it?"
"Ugh! I swear, I should throw you back into the Abyss!"
His sharp glare silenced her instantly.
Myra, still dazed, stepped forward. "Those spirits… they were once people. Corrupted by demons."
Argus smirked. "See? Told you."
Lilith pouted. "Still! There were other ways to free them!"
"Wrong," he said with infuriating calm. "What I gave them was hope."
He was obviously bluffing.
"A-Anyway…" Myra stammered. "You two should head inside. Enrollment's about to begin."
As they walked, Lilith grumbled, "If you're handing out hope, why didn't you kiss me? I'm miserable enough."
Argus leaned close, his voice low and cold.
"Because, Lilith, we're not here for hope. We're here to find why the Leylines feel… different. And if they keep sending us corrupted souls to kiss—"
A faint smirk crossed his lips.
"—we might find our answer sooner than expected."
Lilith's grin turned devilish. "As you command… My Lord."
That day left a single burning question in everyone's mind:
How does Argus Alioth—the man without a weapon—truly fight?
And another, far more dangerous one:
How long can Lilith, his ever-jealous companion, survive pretending to be ordinary?
"…Also," someone muttered in the stunned silence, "where the heck did Arman go?!"
To be continued…