The sky was overcast that day in Linbed, the neighboring city to Balia. In the grand ceremonial hall of the Arvok family, two families gathered for the symbolic awarding of medals among the promising youths of the allied cities.
The Solcrens and the Arvoks smiled before the other nobles, exchanging polite words and fake handshakes. The Arvok patriarch laughed loudly, while the Solcren leader returned a rigid, polite smile.
"Our children truly represent the next generation of unity between our cities,"
Lord Arvok said, placing a hand on young Lan's shoulder.
"Yes… unity."
Matteo Solcren Ferreira replied tensely, glancing at his son Enrico standing discreetly in a corner, eyes lowered. But everyone there knew. It wasn't friendship. It was a disguise. Behind the courtesy, blood had been shed between these families for generations — a silent war over the border territories, won by force by the Solcrens. Since then, the Arvoks carried resentment as an inheritance.
"Enrico…"
Lan smiled as he approached. He was taller, broad-shouldered, and wore the gold medal from the ceremony around his neck.
"Always walking alone? You never change, huh?"
"Well, this isn't the city I live in, so it makes sense."
Enrico forced a smile. The Lan from the past was friendly... at least, that's what everyone said. But to Enrico, he had always been a threatening shadow — always surpassing him in everything.
"You know, I always say we're friends, right?"
Lan laughed, placing an arm around Enrico's shoulders — making him flinch slightly as he remembered the magic duels their families arranged, where Lan made sure to hurt him seriously.
"Even when you get the worst grades and can barely cast a spell. Still, I call you a friend. That's gotta mean something, right?"
The hall fell silent. Everyone was listening.
"I mean…"
Lan looked at the teachers and laughed.
"If even a failure like Enrico Solcren can be my friend, I must be a really generous guy."
Laughter erupted throughout the hall from the other children. Enrico stood still. His hands trembled, but he didn't react. Back home, when Enrico said he hated Lan, his siblings quickly went upstairs, and his mother said.
"Did you see what Lan did today?"
Lady Solcren's sharp voice echoed through the mansion.
"An Arvok... humiliating a Solcren and still calling him a friend."
His father was frustrated, not even looking at his son as the mother continued:
"You have no pride? He's 12 and can already cast basic magic. And you? Still nothing. If only you had half his strength... half his focus, his ambition, his discipline."
They were the same age, but Enrico would never be able to catch up. His mother raised her voice even more
"And you say you hate him? Enrico, listen carefully — he is everything you should be."
Enrico clenched his fists until his fingers turned white. That night, he didn't sleep. He stood, staring at his reflection in the mirror, hearing the echo of Lan's words and those of his own family, repeating in his mind like blades throughout the years
'Failure.'
'You never change.'
'You should be like him.'
But he didn't respond. Because deep down, he knew it was all true. He could never be like him.
The light novel describing this story was tossed aside by Saul, who stretched and muttered.
"What an idiot, That's no reason to be a jerk. Well, at least this Enrico is better than that Lan guy."
That story was told on the day of Enrico's defeat by the protagonist. The novel was still early in the plot, so Saul thought that the author must've planned to use Enrico's character, but as time passed, he disappeared — and the one who got redemption was Lan.
As time went on… around the halfway mark of the story, Saul began to like Lan's development.
"So this is what you want… friend."
Lan calmly descended the stairs with an amused smile. He seemed to have calmed down after Enrico's boldness but still looked at him with a hint of cruelty.
"He thinks just because he climbed a few ranks he can challenge me… It's been a while since I messed with him. He must've forgotten."
Lan looked at Enrico smiling, while Enrico smiled back and thought:
"Yes, he's a character I started to like later in the story… but that was only halfway through the story."
Small veins popped on Enrico's neck. He liked the future Lan — but the one standing in front of him was one of the most irritating characters he had followed in the original story, always getting in the way of everything.
"I'll fast-forward this idiot's development."
Enrico slapped his palm, and Lan crossed his arms behind his back.
"Begin!"
At the signal, the fight started with a thunder spell launched at Enrico, who raised his hand and activated his ring — now that he was at Circle One, it boosted his circle efficiency by 10%.
Smoke and debris spread, and most students thought the match was over — except for the teachers and students from Class C.
Lan lost his smile as he saw Enrico walking out of the smoke without a scratch, brushing off his hand.
"You'd better fight seriously, or you'll lose. I've taken worse hits, friend."
Lan grew irritated at Enrico's smile.
The surprise in the eyes of the students and teachers , especially from Classes B and A was priceless.
Professor Virelle looked excited, along with Borem and Sir Drenholm, while the seven students from Class C — especially Serenya, Kai, and Valença — watched him, not wanting to be left behind.