Asher did react much and said "It’s quite good"

"Yeah it suit you perfectly"Aria replied.

Noah and Adam looked at both of them and then said "Yeah it is absolutely right for you"

Asher then asked" What about our rankings?"

Noah replied"Of course we got 1st rank, we literally defeated the half of class".

Asher just nodded and continues eating his food.

For the rest of the dinner, no one said anything.

Just like that, dinner came to an end.

Afterward, Asher headed toward a quiet part of the garden and sat on a nearby bench while looking at the dark sky filled with stars.

A few minutes later, Aria arrived there as well and asked, "What are you doing?"

Asher replied calmly, "Just staying at a place that brings me peace. What about you?"

Aria looked at him, smiled softly, and answered, "Same. I am also at the place that brings me the most peace."

She then sat on a nearby bench.

Asher simply nodded and remained silent.

Neither of them said anything afterward and just sat there quietly with their eyes closed.

After an hour, Asher finally stood up and said, "I am going to sleep now. What about you?"

Aria stood up as well. "Me too."

As they walked back toward the dormitory, Asher suddenly looked at her and said, "You should smile more."

Aria looked at him and asked, "Why?

Because I look beautiful when I smile?"

Asher looked at her with confusion before shaking his head.

"Why does it matter whether others think it looks beautiful or not?" he said calmly. "You smile because you feel happy. Why should other people’s opinions matter? I am just saying that you should smile whenever you feel like it and not suppress the emotions that bring you happiness. That way, you will feel even more at peace."

(A Coward: Sorry if it feels too cringe)

Aria looked at Asher quietly after hearing his words.

The night breeze gently passed through the garden, causing her silver hair to sway slightly under the moonlight.

For a few seconds, she said nothing.

Then a faint smile slowly appeared on her face, softer and more genuine than before.

"You really say strange things sometimes," she said softly.

Asher shrugged. "Maybe."

Aria looked ahead at the path leading toward the dormitory and asked, "And what if smiling makes people lower their guard around you? Emotions can become weaknesses."

Asher replied calmly, "Only if you let them become weaknesses."

Aria glanced at him.

Asher continued, "Suppressing everything is exhausting. Peace does not come from pretending you feel nothing. It comes from accepting what you truly feel."

Aria became silent again.

Those words felt strangely heavy coming from someone like Asher, who usually acted carefree and indifferent toward almost everything.

After a while, she asked quietly, "Then what about you? Do you follow your own advice?"

Asher looked at the night sky for a moment before answering, "I do whatever I want."

Aria stared at him for a second before lightly laughing.

"You seem like an expert at being happy."

Asher replied calmly, "Well, I am an idiot who talks to himself when alone and laughs at his own jokes."

Aria looked at him for a moment before softly asking, "And you are saying that like it is something normal?"

Asher nodded without hesitation. "It is normal."

"How?"

Asher looked up at the night sky and replied calmly, "If you cannot enjoy your own company, then you will always depend on others for happiness."

Aria became silent after hearing that.

Asher continued walking while keeping his hands in his pockets.

"I can sit alone for hours without feeling bored," he said casually. "I think about random things, talk to myself sometimes, laugh at stupid thoughts, and enjoy the silence. It keeps my mind peaceful."

Aria glanced at him and asked, "So your secret to happiness is acting like a weird person?"

Asher looked at her with a straight face. "Exactly."

And then he added"Also be selfish, greed is dangerous but selflessness is even more"

Aria could not help but laugh lightly again.

Aria shook her head helplessly, but the faint smile on her face never disappeared as the two of them continued walking through the quiet academy grounds.

After reaching the dormitory, they went to their respective rooms.

Asher fell onto his bed the moment he entered the room and quickly fell asleep.

The next morning, he woke up and got ready for class.

Then he attended some classes while skipping others.

While Asher continued living his life normally, the results and recordings of the test had already reached all the major families and the Church.

Inside the Student Council room, Aron looked at the footage and sighed.

"So, he finally had enough of them and decided to act."

After a moment of silence, he shook his head and said,

"Whatever. It does not matter. I will just continue following my two rules."

He then raised two fingers and spoke calmly,

"First, never get in Asher’s way."

"Second, do not get close to people who are getting in his way."

Meanwhile, on the Demon Continent, Desoloterra.

Inside a dimly lit room, three figures sat around a table. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

One of them asked in a serious tone, "Why have you called us here?"

Another figure replied, "It is because of the footage from a first-year test at Aetherium Academy."

The other two figures immediately stood up in anger and started walking toward the exit.

"Why waste our time on some human first-years? We already have many other tasks to deal with."

Before they could leave the room, the third figure spoke once again.

"It is about the son of the Witch of Destruction."

The moment they heard the title Witch of Destruction, both figures instantly stopped in their tracks.

How could they not?

During the war ten years ago, they had barely escaped from her despite being at the Immortal Rank while she had only been at Peak Grandmaster Rank.

Even then, escaping had required the sacrifice of three Immortal-Rank elders from their own houses.