On some clearing, there sat Horus and a woman.

“So, you failed, huh.” The woman said with a sigh.

“I’m sorry, Sister Krisa…I-I failed the cause, if not for that Colt Edgeworth interfering, I would be able to convince him.” Horus bit his lower lip.

“Do not worry about it. The one assigned to convince the people and sow discord was supposed to be Senior Olivier. We are only supposed to locate the treasure and watch over the Hellbane Family.”

Horus gritted his teeth. He was angry and frustrated at the failure. He was at a loss and was ashamed of the results.

Krisa saw this and gently patted his head.

“Don’t let it get to you. Everyone makes a mistake.”

Horus meekly nodded his head.

Horus shed his tears and quickly wiped it away. He was frustrated, but after crying, his hot-bloodedness dissipated.

Krisa looked at Horus and shook her head. She held onto a piece of paper; it was the second step of Olivier’s plans.

She had already read the paper’s contents, and she couldn’t help but become frustrated.

‘Senior Olivier…your plans…it’s, messed up. Just how did your plans turn out like this? We said as little as casualties as possible. So, why, why are there so many? This plan, why are there so many?’

Krisa had always known of Olivier’s quirks. She loathes Colt for killing Olivier, but two days ago, she heard the news of what Olivier had done.

The story was recounted by Mina Vera, the woman Olivier kidnapped and tortured. He morphed her mind and forced her to almost kill herself.

‘I’ve seen how he had changed since we left the Continent…don’t tell me, his mind was devoured by the Light?’

Krisa looked at Horus and remembered how he described the outburst he had when he met Colt and how he roared to kill him without a second thought. When Krisa also cursed Colt for dead when she learned of Olivier’s death reached her resurfaced.

Krisa closed her eyes, she raised her head. She was silent.

‘Focus.’ Is what she said in her head.

“Horus, let us move. It’s a little early by we need to gather negative energy. I still can’t track it.”

“Yes, sister.”

Up the realm of the Gods, Light watched over them with melancholy in her eyes.

===

The Continent was currently in a state of tarnation. Those with dense populations were in a state of lockdown. No one wanted to get infected. The pain of the infection was nothing they could imagine.

Without anything to act as a light to give them hope, every other force was in a state of gloom.

However, the Kingdom of Regalus was not the same. Amidst everything else, one person stood out, He became the light at the end of the dark tunnel, and without his knowledge, he was hailed as a Hero.

The Drums could be heard echoing in the distance, reverberating in the chest of the populace. It was a celebration for the Hero. They could not see it, but with the war drums, the Kingdom managed to proclaim what it is they wanted to announce—There is Hope.

The commoners cheered inside their homes, they cheered in their hearts, they cheered for a light they could grab onto.

Wearing the most formal and simplistic black coat he had in his wardrobe, Colt walked down the red carpet laid for him.

In the Throne Room of the Castle, there was a laid out red carpet. He walked with dignity while tens of Nobles watched Colt with a smile on their faces.

Colt subtly observed them as he alone walked down the red carpet.

‘Their eyes, it’s disgusting. Men, women, adult or not, all of them reeks of a disgusting stench.’

Colt did not like the looks in their eyes. They were smiles but, at the same time, not. Envy, hate, rage, and loathing all these emotions ran inside their hearts, and through their eyes, Colt could see these emotions.

The Counts who could no longer climb the social ladder, the Marquises who could never question Liron’s achievements, all of them were present, and all were directed at Colt.

However, it was different for the Ducal Houses. There were three Ducal Houses, the Courtgains, the Slitherheads, and the Brushas.

The Courtgains, who was led by Duke Terial and Mary approvingly nodded his head at the sigh of Colt.

Mary pointed at Colt a few times and stuck her chest out of pride.

‘She must be saying she’s my Knight.’

The Slitherhead glared at Colt. Duke Goldart was in contempt of Colt’s presence. He snorted at the sight of him.

‘He does not like me at all.’

For the Brusha Family, a lady wearing a fitting purple gown gave Colt a coquettish gaze. Colt quickly averted her gaze; it did not bode well if an issue arose, and Mina discovered it.

‘Nobles are keener on rumors than an auntie going around doing nothing all day. I am not going to get roped in something useless.’

Colt stopped a meter away from reaching the steps leading to the throne.

There, he saw three people standing before him.

The on the right was Trist staring at him with a pair of caring eyes—it was creepy.

On their left was a woman with dark blue hair observing Colt. Her name was Alice, the Princess of the Kingdom. Alice smiled at Colt—she too was creepy.

Then, the one in the middle made an announcement.

“He helped in the creation of the vital antidote and drug reliever, the Evergreen. He had braved the Trials of Fire and Sword to save his beloved. He slew the Supreme Commander of the enemy forces, taking his head and proving his prowess, Colt Edgeworth, for these achievements I, Feriar Valar of the Valar Royal Family, will grant you two medals!”

The one leading all this was the Crown Prince Feriar. He descended from the steps. A servant walked from the side bearing two encased Medals. Feriar took one of the medals.

“This first medal is the Starlight Medal.”

Everyone gasped as they heard his words. Feriar raised the Medal, a white star piece of metal, with a black ring behind was raised.

“The Starlight Medal is given only to those who became a star for our Kingdom in our times of darkness. Colt Edgeworth of the Edgeworth Family, you are the first person in ten past ten years since your father Shickly Edgeworth, Marquise Liron Vera, and Gilbert, the Dragon Slaver, received this Medal after slaying the Dragon of the West that threatened our Kingdom. Now, I award you this Medal as a sign of our Light.”

The Crown Prince pinned it to Colt’s coat.

The Crown Prince then picked up the remaining Medal.

“This is the Medal of Valor, the Highest Military award our Kingdom can give to those who accomplished exemplar achievements on the battlefield. This Medal shall be given to Colt Edgeworth and his Family for stopping an attack to our Kingdom!”

The Crown Prince pinned the Medal of Valor next to the Starlight Medal. The Medal of Valor was a golden winged-sword.

Applauses could be heard behind him, and as he stared at the Crown prince, the Crown Prince locked gaze.

Both had smiles, and Colt thought, ‘Even he is creepy.’