Aeon was in a dilemma.
Now living as Kayle, he found himself tangled in a fate he never expected.
"So I've become Kayle… I didn't plan this. Maybe… this is fate."
In Ash Prince, Kayle and James died midway through the story—torn apart by a monster horde while shielding Silvia. That moment had been a turning point.
Silvia, who lost both her lover and her brother—her only remaining family—was consumed by grief. Her magic surged beyond control. She burned down the entire horde... and half the forest along with it.
After that, she never smiled again.
Ash, her friend, stayed by her side, trying to heal her broken spirit. But it was no use.
Silvia lived only for vengeance.
She honed her craft and rose to become one of the five Nine-Circle Mages—wielders of the highest level of magic.
Aeon knew all of this… and now he was lying in Silvia's arms.
She was hugging him tightly—too tightly.
"Silvia… I can't breathe," Aeon said softly, still in the guise of Kayle.
But she didn't let go.
Aeon sighed. Gently, he stroked her silver hair.
"Silvia, I'm alright. You don't need to worry."
"Liar," she whispered, voice trembling. "You didn't listen to me. You fought those monsters and got beaten half to death. Do you know what it felt like… seeing you and James like that?"
"I'm sorry," he said, holding her hand. "I won't do it again. I promise."
"You promise?"
"Yes."
She finally let go and cupped his face with trembling hands.
"From now on… you'll do what I say, alright? No more recklessness. You promised."
"…Alright," he smiled.
Just then, the tent's flap rustled. A pair of Imperial Knights entered. One of them raised an eyebrow as he saw Silvia holding Kayle's face—her cheeks flushed as she turned away quickly.
"Well, judging by the scene, you two seem to be doing alright," the knight said with a half-smile.
"Sir Knight, thank you… for saving us," Kayle replied, sitting up.
"No need to thank me. Protecting citizens is our duty."
Silvia nodded and bowed lightly. "Still, thank you."
"Can either of you explain what happened? Why were you targeted?" the knight asked.
Silvia took a deep breath.
"We lived peacefully in this village—just me, my brother James, and Kayle. Then, one day, a man claiming to be from the church arrived. He said he came by divine order to help the sick and old. Everyone trusted him."
"And then?"
"A strange illness spread. No healing magic worked. The man declared it a punishment from the gods. He said witches were among us—and blamed me and other girls. The villagers believed him."
The knight's eyes narrowed. "Why only the girls?"
Silvia hesitated, then spoke in a low voice.
"One day, while I was doing my chores, the man approached me. He praised me for being hardworking… asked if I lived alone. I told him I had a brother and a friend. He smiled. Then he placed his hand on my shoulder and said, 'You're pretty, child… but I sense impurities.' He tried to pull me behind a tree. When I resisted, he got forceful. I burned his robe with magic and ran. After that, the plague began—and he claimed I was the witch responsible. He turned the villagers into puppets."
Aeon, still listening quietly, clenched his fist under the blanket.
The knight's expression darkened.
"I see. You don't need to worry anymore. Those heretics paid with their lives."
Someone outside called for the knight. He gave a nod and left the tent.
After the knight left, Kayle said gently,
"Silvia, you should get some rest too."
But Silvia shook her head.
"No. I'm fine. You were the one hurt—you should rest. I'll check outside."
"Okay…" Kayle replied.
Once Silvia left the tent, Aeon opened his eyes. He activated his detection skill, scanning the surroundings. His senses—far sharper than those of an ordinary human—picked up nearly a hundred knights stationed outside the camp.
Moving quietly, he slipped out of the tent and approached a house near the village chief's residence. Entering, a faint, acrid smell hit his nose.
Poison, he thought. Faint, but still lingering.
Following the scent, he found a locked cupboard. Inside it, a small vial—its contents emitting a deadly aura. He knew immediately. This was the plague poison.
Then, tucked behind a loose board in the back of the room, Aeon discovered a hidden envelope.
A letter, sealed with the insignia of the Doroka Clan.
"You've been in Oklo long enough. You found the item. Now, it's time to finish the mission. The poison we sent will do the rest. Test it. Record the results. Erase all traces of your identity."
So it was true.
The so-called priest was a Doroka agent—sent here to find something. He had used the villagers as test subjects for the poison. But when Silvia rejected his advances, he lashed out, branding her and others as witches to take his revenge.
"His plan might've worked… if he hadn't laid hands on Silvia," Aeon muttered. "Her fire exposed him."
Pocketing the letter and the vial, Aeon returned quietly to the tent. Everyone was resting. He hid the evidence and lay back down on his bed, pretending to sleep.
By evening, Silvia entered to check on her brother and Kayle.
James was already awake, sitting on his bed.
"James, you're awake!" Silvia said with relief.
"Yeah… How's Kayle? He was hurt badly too."
"He woke up a few hours ago. He's still sleeping now."
"He saved me, Silvia. When those fanatics attacked, he covered me… took the hits for me."
"He's alright now," Silvia assured him with a gentle smile.
James looked down, guilt flashing across his face.
"I'm sorry, Silvia. I should've protected you both. If I were stronger…"
"Don't say that," she interrupted. "You did everything you could. We're safe—that's what matters."
"But still…"
"No buts. Just focus on recovering, okay? The knights are kind. They saved us, healed us… even brought us food. Come eat. I'll stay with Kayle."
James nodded and left.
Silvia sat beside Kayle. He kept pretending to sleep—but then felt her soft fingers running through his hair, brushing his cheek.
His face flushed. Silvia noticed.
She smirked.
Then she leaned forward—her forehead against his, she blew air in his ears, her nose brushing his nose.
She's going to kiss me?! Aeon panicked.
He clenched his fists, face burning, and suddenly bolted upright.
"Wh-What are you doing?!" he stammered, cheeks red as fire.
Silvia chuckled.
"Weren't you the one pretending to sleep?"
"You should've woken me up normally! Why… why did you…?" he struggled to form words.
"Aww. So you weren't enjoying it?" she teased, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Of course not!"
"Okay, okay," she laughed. "Let's go get something to eat."
With that, she left. Aeon, still blushing, covered his face.
"I need to do something about this… or who knows what she'll try next!"
He sighed. Even though he knew Silvia and Kayle had loved each other deeply in the original story… he couldn't let himself fall too far into the role.
" I'm just playing Kayle. I'll leave this world eventually. But I can't hurt Silvia. She's already suffered enough in the story… I won't add to her pain."
But he shook his head.
"I'll think about Silvia later. Right now, I have to move to my next plan."
He joined the others for dinner, sitting quietly. Around him, the villagers were chatting.
"You know those knights are from Alofis?" a girl said.
"Yeah! That's the capital of Atheliya. They're Imperial Knights," another replied.
"They saved us, healed us, and even brought food. So kind…" said another.
Aeon's attention shifted. Silvia was speaking with an older man in heavy armor, a scar crossing his neck.
A nearby knight whispered,
"That's Commander Jackson."
Aeon's eyes narrowed.
Jackson… One of the Twelve Commanders of the Empire. Leader of the Silver Cavalry.
James nudged him.
"What're you thinking so hard about?"
"Nothing. How's your condition?"
"I'm fine now. The healers were great. Oh—and guess what? One of the knights said I have the build and mana to become a knight!"
Makes sense, Aeon thought. He did chop wood and carry trees every day…
James was two years older, strong and tall. Silvia, too, had immense talent. That's why they had been chosen for Vanisa Academy. Kayle, though not as gifted, had still been skilled enough to join.
"There you go again—thinking too much!" James laughed.
"So, you want to be a knight?" Kayle asked.
"Yeah. I want to protect you both."
Kayle smiled.
"Then let's do it—together."
Just then, Silvia returned.
"That man—he's their commander. He said I have talent as a mage. He offered to recommend me to the Academy."
James's eyes sparkled.
"What did you say?"
"I told him… only if you both can join me."
"The knights said I could become one too!" James beamed.
Both of them turned to Kayle.
"Well," Kayle said, "let's go together."
The three of them smiled—united in purpose
The next morning, Kayle, James, and Silvia went together to see Commander Jackson.
"Sir, this is my brother and my friend— the ones I told you about last night," Silvia said.
"So, these are the two you spoke of," Jackson said, eyeing them carefully. "Hmm... your brother certainly has the build of a knight. And your friend—he looks like a tough one as well."
Aeon thought to himself, I've faced more life-and-death situations than you can imagine. Of course, this body was forged through all of that.
He had already concealed his mana so that no one could sense its true depth.
"So, can they join the academy with me?" Silvia asked.
Jackson nodded. "Possibly. But I'll need to test their abilities first. If they pass, I'll recommend them."
They all headed to an open field near the village.
"I'll run two tests: one to assess your physical abilities and another to gauge your mana. If you pass both, you'll receive my recommendation. Understood?"
Both boys nodded in agreement.
"A knight must possess a strong physique—stamina, agility, speed, and sharp senses. A mage, on the other hand, requires high mana capacity to cast magic freely. Your first test is simple: use these swords to cut down those trees."
James and Kayle picked up the swords. James was surprised—the sword looked light but was heavier than expected. Still, having carried logs on his shoulder many times, he lifted it with little effort. Kayle picked up his sword with a bit of feigned struggle—part of his act.
"A knight must wield his sword with ease. If he can't, he'll die in battle. Now, show me what you've got."
James stepped forward and began chopping at the trees. Though he had never held a sword before, he managed to cut them down with effort.
"Phew… It feels different cutting trees with a sword instead of an axe," James muttered.
Jackson was impressed. Most people couldn't even lift the sword properly, let alone chop trees without getting it stuck.
Then it was Kayle's turn. I could erase this entire forest with one swing, Aeon thought, but I have to hold back. He adjusted his strength and struck the tree—but didn't cut through. He tried again. Still nothing. Finally, on his sixth strike, the tree fell.
Jackson wasn't particularly impressed, but he still nodded. Not bad for a commoner who's never wielded a sword.
"Good. Both of you passed," Jackson said.
"Yes! I knew you two could do it!" Silvia cheered.
"Now for the second test—your mana."
Jackson continued, "Even though I don't have a mana measurement device, I can still sense your levels accurately."
In this world, mana was used in two primary ways:
Mages formed circles in their hearts. The more circles they had, the more powerful their magic became.
Knights channeled their mana into aura, which had seven stages: Beginner, Expert, Sword Genius, Gladiator, High Gladiator, Sword Master, and Grandmaster.
Jackson himself was one of the Twelve Grandmasters.
"Now, listen closely. Everyone in this world possesses mana. Commoners have less than nobles, but the potential is there. I'll teach you how to sense and control your own mana."
Jackson stood before them, his expression stern and focused.
He stepped forward and placed his hand on their chests, one after the other. A gentle glow pulsed from his palm as he guided the flow of mana into their bodies.
"Feel that? That warmth in your chest—that's where mana first awakens," Jackson instructed. "Now close your eyes and focus. Breathe steadily. Imagine it like water filling your veins. Let it rise."
James and Kayle followed his guidance.
James struggled at first. For several moments, nothing happened. But then—slowly—he began to feel a faint warmth spreading through his body. A subtle shimmer of mana gathered around him.
Jackson raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Not bad… That boy," he thought, "he's got potential. With the right training, he could become a fine swordsman."
Then came Kayle's turn.
Unlike James, Kayle succeeded on his very first try. The moment he closed his eyes, mana surged through him like a river finding its path. The glow around his body flared with startling intensity.
Jackson's eyes widened in disbelief.
"A commoner… sensing mana on the first attempt?" he muttered. "That's unheard of…"
But Kayle didn't stop there. He subtly increased his mana flow—doubling it. The air around him shimmered, the earth beneath him trembled ever so slightly.
Jackson stepped back, stunned.
"This boy… he's not just gifted—he's a monster. He could become a top-tier mage if nurtured right."
After a few seconds, both boys stopped, the mana gently fading around them.
Jackson cleared his throat, regaining his composure.
"You both passed," he said firmly. "You'll come with me to the Academy."
Silvia, unable to contain her joy, ran forward and hugged them both.
"Now we can go together!" she said brightly, eyes shining.
Jackson watched the three of them quietly, arms crossed.
"I thought this would be a simple journey," he mused. "But I might've just found monsters hiding among commoners."
The next morning, the three of them set out together for the distant city of Alofis—home of the Academy.
As they walked down the dirt road, the rising sun at their backs, Kayle—no, Aeon—smiled faintly.
"Now," he whispered to himself, "my journey in this world truly begins."