Team Rose had barely finished bandaging their wounds when the announcement echoed across the island.
"Stage Three: Completed by Team Father — Honeymoon Trial cleared."
Silence.
Prince Rose let the water bottle slip from his hand. It struck the ground with a dull sound.
The elf princess's ears lifted sharply.
Their healer stood frozen, mouth slightly open.
Prince Rose spoke first.
"…Impossible."
A pause.
"The Honeymoon Bride… has defeated challengers for years."
The elf princess's voice trembled.
"She… was cleared that quickly…?"
Another teammate struggled to form words.
"H-how did he even approach her…?Fight…? Run…? Survive…?"
The next announcement followed.
Colder.
"Trial cleared via emotional compatibility.Romantic synchronization: 100%.The bride's soul has departed peacefully."
No one moved.
Prince Rose grabbed his hair.
"Romantic… what?"
A breath broke.
"She never allowed anyone near her."
The elf princess lowered herself slowly to her knees.
"…He spoke to her…"
"…like a lover?"
The crystal screen shifted.
Aren sat beneath a tree.
Resting.
Speaking quietly, almost to himself.
"My back hurts…but she spoke gently…held me without fear…"
A pause.
"…I think she would have been my first crush."
Prince Rose coughed.
Hard.
"…He bonded with a ghost."
The elf princess stared ahead, unfocused.
"…Even spirits accept him."
Their healer covered her face.
"This isn't a tournament."
A pause.
"It's something else."
From the back, a quiet voice added—
"He didn't defeat her."
"…He completed her."
Another voice followed.
"Team Father rests like this is a journey."
"…We're fighting like it's a war."
Prince Rose's hands tightened.
"We trained for years."
"We endured pain."
"We fought to reach this level."
He pointed at the screen.
At Aren.
Feeding the small blue horse.
Calm.
Unchanged.
"…and he clears trials by talking."
The elf princess exhaled slowly.
"…He isn't just dangerous."
A pause.
"…he understands people."
Silence returned.
Then, quietly—
"…I think we lost."
No one argued.
Because they understood:
You cannot defeat someone who wins by resolving what others cannot face.
🌅 A Village Too Peaceful
Aren read.
Ben played with the horse, the two exchanging harmless blows like children.
King sharpened his blade. Sparks rose and faded into the air.
He spoke without looking up.
"How long until the next stage?"
"Tomorrow."
No more discussion was needed.
Morning came.
The guide horse moved ahead with confidence.
Team Father passed through a stone archway.
And entered a village.
Children laughed.
Smoke rose from cooking fires.
Old men sat together, playing games beneath shaded roofs.
Peaceful.
Too peaceful.
King's lips curved slightly.
"I know this one."
A pause.
"A demon family hiding among villagers."
"Usually a child."
"Marked."
Ben nodded.
"So… simple."
Aren closed his book.
"If it were simple…"
"…it wouldn't exist."
King stopped.
"…Right."
Then—
Drums.
Voices.
Movement gathering at the center.
A priest stood on a raised platform.
Behind him—
A small girl.
Rope around her neck.
A crown of thorns pressed into her scalp.
Her body trembled.
Ben's fists tightened.
King stepped forward.
"What is this?"
The priest raised his arms.
"Behold!"
"The final demon child!"
He pointed.
"Her family attacked this village."
"We ended them."
A pause.
"Now we finish the last one."
The crowd responded immediately.
"Kill her.""Monster.""End it."
Aren's gaze hardened.
The priest turned toward him.
"You."
A small smile.
"Do it."
A sword was placed in Aren's hand.
Applause spread through the crowd.
Aren walked forward.
The girl spoke.
Soft.
Broken.
"Please…"
"…don't."
Aren looked at her.
One moment.
Then turned.
SHHK.
The priest's head fell.
Silence.
Then—
Chaos.
"HE KILLED THE PRIEST!""TRAITOR!""ATTACK THEM!"
The crowd surged.
Aren stepped back.
"Ben."
"King."
They moved.
💥 The Collapse
Ben struck first.
Each movement direct.
No hesitation.
King followed.
Precise.
Measured.
Efficient.
Aren did not advance.
He stood between the girl and everything else.
The horse charged forward.
Head lowered.
Driving through bodies without pause 🐎
It ended quickly.
When it was over—
The village was silent.
Aren cut the rope.
The girl stepped forward.
Wrapped her arms around him.
King looked at the bodies.
"…We were supposed to kill the demon."
A pause.
"…not the village."
📺 The Academy Breaks
The screens erupted.
"TEAM FATHER ELIMINATED THE VILLAGE?""THEY WEREN'T HOSTILE—!""THE PRIEST—!""WHAT IS THIS OUTCOME?!"
Teachers shouted over each other.
"This isn't in the records!""This stage was never resolved like this!""They changed the outcome!"
The final announcement followed.
"Stage Three outcome: Undetermined."
"Judgement pending."
"All observation focused on Team Father."
🌑 After
Aren walked.
Carrying the girl.
Ben spoke quietly.
"…How did you know?"
Aren didn't turn.
"They enjoyed it."
A pause.
"Evil doesn't hide in horns."
Another.
"It hides in smiles."
And across the Academy—
No one spoke.