"Mount Lichtwelt never messes up."

It got quiet between them—just the sound of other people training in the background. Roland gave the paper back to Leo, stuck his sword in the ground, and squatted next to him.

"Does anyone else know about this?" Roland frowned, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Nope..."

"Don't tell anyone else about it. Burn that paper," he said quietly.

Roland thought, "A pentagram potential? Was all that stuff he'd heard way back when true?" He was struggling to comprehend the situation. 

He looked at Leo's chest and saw his mom's pendant. A memory stirred within him—a face he hadn't thought of in years.

"Lad, we're done for today—you can't even get up," Roland said, checking on Leo. He had clearly overexerted himself, pushing his body beyond its limits.

Some people were watching and talking about Leo's performance. How had the guy gotten so much better in just ten days? He was still tiny compared to the other trainees—Neumonds who awakened when they were supposed to. 

However, what transpired was completely unexpected, even for those who were unaware of Leo's statistics.

Roland overheard several people commenting that small sparks emanated from Leo's feet as he launched his attack. 

He wondered if it had been an optical illusion or perhaps the result of excessive friction. He couldn't imagine any other explanation.

"Beginning tomorrow, we will train in the Vulture Forest outside of Gothia. With your GHMC (Guild House Membership Card), we can leave the city. It will be much safer to train away from prying eyes. I will protect you there," Roland stated, formulating plans while considering the situation. He knew that Leo's secret wouldn't stay hidden for long.

"Very well," Leo agreed, trusting Roland completely.

Barely able to stand, he bid farewell to Roland and trudged toward home. As he walked, he pondered finally taking control of his life, yet a sense of danger accompanied it.

The prevailing atmosphere he sensed today was one of distinct hostility—not from Roland but from the world around him. He felt like a deer, surrounded by unseen predators.

Leo took a refreshing bath and relaxed for a while before deciding to go for a walk. Now that he had his GHMC, he could visit some places he couldn't before.

He put on his best clothes, even though they weren't great, and left for the third district of Gothia—the fancy part of town.

Leah had been buried on Mount Lichtwelt like Roland promised. It was a place where the outstanding and honorable found their final rest. Not everyone could go there, except for special events or if they had special permission.

Leo went through the gates of the third district after the guards checked his ID. They told him to stay away from the main castle, but Leo said he was going to Mount Lichtwelt.

When he got there, he was blown away by how beautiful it was. It was a huge garden of roses and flowers behind the main castle. Tons of decorations and marble tombs spanned the area.

But it didn't feel creepy at all, contrary to his initial thoughts—it really felt like a resting place in heaven.

He wandered through the maze of tombs, reading the names and inscriptions of heroes, monarchs, and other notable figures. While walking, he imagined what they did in the past—what deeds earned them their resting place.

After a while, he found Leah's grave. There was just a small marble plaque on the ground, and it read: "Leah Winter—Mother, Heroine, may Lyra welcome you among the Seven Gods. — She bravely passed away protecting Besen Village."

"Winter? Who is Winter? My mom is Winston. Why did I lose my memories at that time?" He sighed, a thousand unanswered questions swirling in his mind.

Leo found the inscription rather generic. He wished he could've given his mom a better tribute, but he was pleased she was buried with so many nobles and heroes. 

Gothia had given her proper respect for protecting the last survivor of Besen—Leo.

After saying a quick prayer for his mom, Leo looked around and noticed that all the other tombs and headstones were not as well maintained as Leah's.

He thought, "Who in Gothia would take care of the grave of a woman who died in a small village miles away?"

Putting that aside, he felt awful that he couldn't even bring her a flower. Leo was totally broke and saving every penny just to eat, for he'd been training this whole time without working at all.

"Sorry, Mom. I promise to bring you some lovely flowers next time," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

A soft breeze, carrying the scent of the surrounding flowers, blew across Mount Lichtwelt, blowing colorful petals that spun as they fell. The setting sun painted the sky orange, and in between, a sweet voice broke the silence:

"Someone special to you?"

Leo turned around, startled. He hadn't noticed anyone else there.

Standing before him was a girl, radiant in the fading sunlight. She donned a light battle outfit made of black leather that fit perfectly, showing off her slim and athletic build. Tribal designs, in a bright crimson red like dried blood, adorned the leather, telling stories of old traditions.

The girl looked about eighteen or nineteen. Her black hair was partly up in a fancy bun, but some loose hairs framed her face. The rest of her hair draped down her back in a ponytail like a dark silk waterfall. 

Her face was small, and her nose was thin and cute, with a little upturn that made her look charming. Her red lips, small and full, were perfectly shaped. Her light brown eyes were big and almond-shaped, like women from the east, with thin, arched eyebrows that finished the picture.

She gave a small smile when their eyes met, and a dimple popped out on her cheek.

"Dimple...?" Leo said, as an inexplicable sense of recognition washed over him.

"Hey?" She giggled, her voice like the tinkling of bells.

"Oh, sorry… I was just here." Leo's mind went blank, his mind struggling to reconcile the beautiful stranger with the strange feeling of familiarity.

"Yeah, you were there, so?" She teased him.

Leo had never seen anyone so beautiful in his life. He was utterly hypnotized. He thought she was an angel of death since a beautiful garden in the middle of a graveyard had to mean something. Leo had high standards for beauty, but this girl was unreal.

"Oh, well, just visiting my mom... but why were you back there?" Leo got himself together.

"I'm here to visit my dad, that one right there." She pointed to a marble tomb a few meters away.

"I see. Sorry for your loss," Leo said sadly.

"It's okay. It's been a while," she said, thinking. "By the way, I was the one taking care of your mom's grave."

"But…why?" Leo asked, glancing at her dad's grave, also well maintained.

"See here? It says, 'May Lyra welcome you.' Only really special people get to have the names of the three Primordials on their gravestones. I thought your mom deserved it."

"Thanks, but I don't think she was that big of a deal to others." Leo said, kind of sad.

"Mount Lichtwelt never messes up... think about it," the girl said as she turned to go.

"Wait, you didn't tell me your name, please..." Leo asked cautiously.

She turned back to him again, walking backward toward the exit, and said playfully.

"My name's Evelyn... Don't forget it," she smiled, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"I won't..." Leo said, confused. "Mine's..."

She cut him off.

"Leonard..." Evelyn finished as she walked faster and disappeared, leaving Leo alone in the twilight with more questions than answers.

"What? How did she…?" Leo stood there dumbfounded, unable to comprehend anything.

That day, Evelyn had approached him like a gentle kitten—charming and disarming, but her words left a lingering sting.