CLEAVER OF SIN

Throughout the ordeal, Asher did not utter a word. He merely shook his head in silence, as he felt he had very little to contribute to the situation at hand.

Although he now possessed a light affinity, he could not yet use it for healing. His control over it was still immature; after all, he had only trained with the element for a month, and during that same time, he had also been practicing with three additional elements alongside it.

His talent was undeniable, but he was not a god nor some mythical existence capable of instantly comprehending and mastering three entirely new elements in the span of a single month.

His progress was great, but he remained bound by the same laws of growth and patience that governed everyone else.

Besides, he could already heal himself with the ability Virelass possessed. For him, restoring his body was the least of his worries. It was far better to invest his time into developing other applications of light rather than splitting its use into something already covered by Virelass healing.

Still, if he truly could, he would have helped the injured boy in front of him. After all, it cost him nothing to lend assistance where he was able.

But make no mistake, Asher's kindness was not without limits. If, by any chance, he felt the injured boy posed even the slightest threat to his admission into the Star Academy, he would not hesitate. He would not blink, nor spare him a single glance of sympathy.

'This is exactly why I must grow stronger as quickly as possible,' Asher thought calmly.

'Anyone could appear out of nowhere and take my eyes in an instant. Talk less of my life, even the future I imagine for myself could vanish in a heartbeat. Yes, I may have siblings capable of seeking revenge on my behalf, but once you depend on others for something so critical, you will eventually depend on them again. There will always be a second time, and a third. Personal power, absolute, unmatched personal strength, remains the best and only true solution.'

With that silent thought, Asher turned and walked away. He did not head back toward his residence building. He cared little for the meal the Star Academy had prepared for the candidates. Food, at this point, was not his concern. He still had plenty of platinum coins and the provisions Lyra had given him stored safely within his system space.

Stepping out of the building, the vibrant and bustling atmosphere of the world hit him with full force. People went about their lives with a sense of normalcy, each carrying on with their daily tasks.

Asher did not have any particular destination in mind. He knew no one in this place, nor did he have a reason to visit any specific location. And so, he wandered aimlessly, his feet carrying him forward without true direction.

After walking for a considerable while, his steps came to an abrupt halt. His gaze fell upon what seemed to be a school.

The building stretched wide across the land, more expansive than it was tall. It lacked the towering majesty of castles, instead adopting a simple yet spacious bungalow structure.

Surrounding it were various other smaller buildings, neatly arranged as though forming part of the same institution.

Curiosity flickered across Asher's eyes. He tilted his head and observed the gate from a distance. Then, without much thought, his figure blurred, vanishing from sight. The next instant, he stood upon the roof of one of the adjacent buildings, surveying the area below.

'A kindergarten,' Asher realized.

From his elevated vantage point, he could see groups of small children, ranging from four to six years old. Some sat in circles, their voices carrying the carefree noise unique to children their age. Others sat quietly, their innocent eyes fixed on a board before them, as though trying to follow the instructions of the teacher who stood at the front.

Asher's brows furrowed slightly. This was something he had not seen in Crymora before. In his entire year since transmigrating, he had never once heard of a school system existing here. Yet before his eyes, one now unfolded in clear reality.

"Is this one of the benefits of living within the Separate Dimension?" he murmured to himself, voice laced with curiosity.

One thing was certain: Emperor Zolthemir Lux Vanthelmor had to know about this kindergarten. The Emperor hardly seemed like the type of ruler who would permit the Principal of the Star Academy, or anyone else, for that matter, to establish something so influential without his knowledge.

But then another thought nagged at him. If the Emperor was aware of it, why not replicate the same idea and spread schools across the empire? Even if commoners could not afford tuition, surely the Emperor had enough resources to at least provide the bare minimum of education.

Asher exhaled slowly, shaking his head at his own musings. This was not Earth. This was Crymora. The two worlds were not the same, and comparing them was an exercise in futility.

The Emperor, in truth, stood to gain nothing from opening free schools for the masses. Such a venture would bring little return and, in the eyes of rulers, thankless tasks held little value.

In a sense, Asher understood that perspective, especially since he himself disliked tasks that bore no reward. Laziness, after all, was one of his more constant traits.

Just as he prepared to leap away toward another rooftop, a voice suddenly echoed through the air.

"You aren't supposed to be here."

Asher's head snapped to the side. A man floated calmly in the sky, his expression utterly neutral as his gaze locked onto Asher.

Asher did not waste time questioning how the man had appeared without him sensing it. He simply inclined his head slightly and answered, "My apologies. I was only looking around. I've never seen a school like this in the outside world."

The man studied him in silence for a few seconds before replying, "It is all thanks to the Sovereign."

'The Sovereign…' Asher mused. 'He must be referring to the Principal of the Star Academy.'

"You should leave," the man continued. "Best not to be mistaken for a terrorist." Then, without another word, he vanished into thin air.

Asher understood the warning well enough. He did not need further explanation. It was obvious that certain individuals had been sent into the Separate Dimension with the sole purpose of causing trouble for the Sovereign. In that context, protecting something as precious as a kindergarten made perfect sense.

With that thought, Asher's form blurred once more, disappearing from the rooftop. The next moment, he stood outside the school's gate, staring at the building one last time before turning away. Without another word, he resumed his wandering.

Earlier, Asher had expected William to follow him when he left the residence building, but it seemed the boy was not so clingy after all, not even because Asher bore the Wargrave name.

He continued walking for some time, this time with a faint goal in mind: to see if there was an Adventurers' Guild within the Separate Dimension. However, after roaming for a considerable while, he found no sign of one.

"It's getting pretty late," Asher murmured to himself. With a faint sigh, he turned and began making his way back toward his residence.

On the way, his thoughts drifted toward Earth's cuisine. 'Should I introduce some food from my old world here? Something like ice cream, or maybe pizza…'

The idea was tempting, but reality quickly sobered him. He knew nothing of their specific ingredients, nor how to prepare them. He was no chef in his past life as Ethan.

"I should have brushed up on cuisines," he muttered regretfully, shaking his head as he stepped into his room.

After a quick bath and a simple meal, Asher sat by the window for a short while, staring at the moon that hung majestically in the sky.

"I hope tomorrow's exam isn't as boring as today's," he whispered.

For him, exams always felt dull, especially with his perfect memory. There was little thrill in answering questions when the answers were already etched indelibly in his mind.

At last, with a tired sigh, he slipped beneath the small blanket and surrendered himself to that ever-persistent demon known as sleep.