Team Father set up camp beneath towering trees that glowed faintly blue, their crystal leaves shining like a scattered sky of stars ✨. The air was calm. Too calm.
Ben poked at the fire with a stick.
"Boss…" he said slowly, "how did you know?"
King crossed his arms, eyes still sharp despite the long day.
"I heard rumors from upperclassmen," he said."To clear the previous stage, you either had to bring back the princess's body… or defeat the knight."
Aren sat quietly, feeding the tiny blue horse a carrot 🥕.
"He didn't disappear," Aren said calmly, "because his wish wasn't complete."
Ben frowned. "Meaning?"
"If he truly wanted the princess's body," Aren continued,"he would've vanished the moment someone brought it back. But he stayed."
King's eyes narrowed.
"Because…?"
"Because his real wish," Aren said, "was guilt."
Silence fell.
Ben slowly nodded."So you didn't fight him. You asked him what he would have done."
Aren shrugged.
"It was obvious."
📺 The Academy Reacts
Across the Academy, students exploded.
"OBVIOUS!?""WHAT PART OF THAT WAS OBVIOUS!?""HE SOLVED A SIX-STAR TRIAL LIKE HE WAS ORDERING FOOD!""THIS GUY IS A CHEAT CODE 😭!"
Teachers whispered uneasily.
"He sees patterns too fast.""He understands trial structure, not just combat.""He might be more dangerous than the Academy itself."
King looked at Aren carefully.
"Boss… what about the next stage?"
Aren tossed another berry to the horse.
"This isn't real life," he said."It's a designed trial. It follows patterns."
Ben tilted his head. "Patterns?"
Aren nodded.
"Two by two."
The watching teachers inhaled sharply.
"Two stages of combat.""Two stages of resolving souls.""Then two more… similar, but worse."
No one had ever noticed.
King rubbed his forehead.
"You're telling me… you predicted the entire trial?"
Aren shrugged.
"If it was easy, it wouldn't be called the Academy Destroyer."
Ben swallowed.
"So… what's next?"
Aren looked into the forest.
Calm.Certain.Unbothered.
"The biggest surprise."
The screen faded to black.
🌅 The Honeymoon Bride Trial
Morning arrived softly.
Birds sang. Mist rolled through the trees. The tiny blue horse trotted ahead happily 🐎.
Then it froze.
Its ears twitched.Its body trembled.It stepped back slowly.
Ben frowned. "Why's it scared?"
King's face darkened.
"…I know this place."
Aren blinked. "Explain."
King exhaled.
"A knight once brought his new bride here for their honeymoon. He murdered her… and her spirit never left."
Ben gulped.
"So the trial is… the bride?"
"Yeah," King whispered. "She attacks fast. Very fast."
Before them stood a massive old mansion 🏚️, vines crawling over cracked walls, blue light leaking from broken windows.
A whisper drifted out:
"Where… is my husband…?"
Ben grabbed his weapon."Let's fight—"
Aren raised his hand.
"No."
King stared. "Run?"
"No."
Aren stepped forward.
Ben and King shouted together:
"THEN WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"
Aren answered simply:
"Talking."
🕯️ Seven Days of Listening
Aren removed his outer clothes, leaving only shorts. Not indecent. Intentional.
Ben panicked. "WHY ARE YOU STRIPPING!?"
"She senses fear through cloth," Aren replied."Clothes carry lies."
King murmured, impressed,"…He read the book again."
Aren entered the mansion.
The door closed by itself.
Inside, light flared softly.
For seven days, the Academy listened.
Not moans.Not anything obscene.
But voices.
Angry shouts.Broken cries.Long arguments.Quiet apologies.
"WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME!?""I LISTEN. TALK.""MY HEART HURTS!""THEN LET IT HEAL."
Students whispered:
"Is this counseling…?""Is he her therapist!?""This sounds like a drama series…"
Ben stared at the mansion.
"He's… fixing a relationship."
King nodded slowly.
"He's insane. But wise."
💙 The Final Blessing
On the eighth day, the door opened.
A soft blue spirit floated out.
The Bride.
She looked at Aren gently.
"I curse you," she said softly.
The Academy froze.
"…That the woman you love will live, even curses cannot touch her."
Gasps echoed everywhere.
Ben whispered, "He didn't… right?"
King shook his head."No. He just solved eight years of trauma."
Aren stepped outside.
Exhausted.Not weak. Just drained.
Ben stared. "You look like you lost years of life."
"She talked a lot," Aren said.
The bride bowed.
"Thank you… for finishing my honeymoon the right way.With honesty. Comfort. Truth."
She faded peacefully.
🧠 Love, Explained by Aren
The Academy leaned forward.
Aren said calmly:
"I was making love."
Everyone froze.
He continued, unbothered:
"Not sex.Talking.Arguing.Emotional bonding.Completing her last week."
Ben collapsed.
"EIGHT DAYS!?"
Aren nodded.
"Hmm."
The Academy exploded 💥.
"THIS MAN IS TOO STRONG—!""ROMANCE MONSTER!!""I THINK I FELL FOR HIM!?"
Aren walked on, calm as ever, and said quietly:
"Love isn't only the body.Love is connection."
And just like that…
He kept walking.