Edward

A handsome man and a man in his fifties can be seen conversing inside a lavish room.

The man in his fifties is dressed in a tailored suit that emphasized his distinguished features, and he exuded an air of confidence as he spoke.

And the handsome young man, with his chiseled jawline and gray, serene eyes, listened attentively while nodding occasionally.

The lavish room they were in was adorned with exquisite artwork and luxurious furnishings, creating an atmosphere of extravagance and sophistication.

"Mr. Edward, our town is very lucky to entertain a guest like you." Your presence brings a touch of elegance and nobility that is truly unparalleled. We are honored to have someone of your stature gracing our humble town."

Edward smiles in response to the baron's flowery words. "The rumors are true. Baron Wiliam Has a silver tongue." The figure beside Edward spoke.

"I'll take that as a compliment, Captain Zach." the baron replied with a chuckle.

"Mr. Edward, I heard you took part in the attack on the demons besieging Delia..."

"I congratulate you, Mr. Edward, on the successful battle against the demons and for the achievements you've earned. You definitely deserved all of it."

Edward graciously accepts the baron's praise. "Thank you, Baron Wiliam. It was a team effort, and I am grateful for the support of Captain Zach and the brave soldiers of delia. The battle was intense, but we were determined to protect Delia at all costs."

"I was traveling because I was getting bored at the capital, And we stopped by at Delia to restock foods."

"I was shocked that the demons are invading Delia. I thought that it was just rumors that an army has been spotted approaching the city. But as the famous saying goes, you will only believe if you have seen it with your own eyes."

The two continued their light conversation until a massive explosion was heard in the distance. The entire room shook because of the shockwave, causing everyone to pause in alarm.

The baron's expression turned serious as he quickly opened the window, followed closely by Edward and Captain Zach.

A small mushroom cloud can be seen rising from the direction of the explosion. The baron's eyes narrowed with concern as he muttered something.

A faint smile can be seen on Edward's lips as the mushroom cloud is reflected in his cold eyes. He turned into Captain Zach and said. "Follow me to the source of the explosion." The captain nodded in agreement.

"Baron William, I'll excuse myself first and check on what happened."

"Okay, please do that, and I'll follow you there later with the guards."

....

Staring at the departing figure of Adrian, Edward put his arms around the wound on his leg. He muttered a word, and the wound slowly closed as if it had never been there.

He crouched to examine the unconscious girl. She was dressed in tattered clothing, her face covered in dirt, and his clothes were stained with blood. Edward gently brushed a strand of hair away from her neck, revealing a small wound.

Edward opened a healing potion and poured it on the girl's wound.

'I forgot to give that man a healing potion.' Edward sighed, realizing his mistake.

" Edward." The man was panting as he approached Edward.

"I went around the whole town looking for you. You don't know how worried I was when I noticed that you were gone from the site of the explosion."

"Thank you for worrying about me. I can handle myself just fine. Apart from you, no one can pose a threat to me in this whole town.

"Oh, right. I forgot that you'd already ranked up to C- a few days ag-." Zach interrupted himself, realizing that he had unintentionally revealed a secret.

"Oh, sorry, Edward, I forgot that you intended to keep this a secret until the academy opens."

"By the way, the mages already found out what happened. They used a magic spell to determine what caused the explosion. A screen appeared, and it displayed parts of the past that happened moments ago."

"I think that they have used a toned-down version of an investigative spell from the capital."

"You'll be shocked to know what happened. A young man, about your age, Assassinated the guild members of The Iron Blood, Planted bombs, and swiftly killed their vice leader. And he dueled the guild master.

"Their fight was engaging. The sword arts that the young man used are very interesting. I wonder how he knows all those arts and is able to switch arts mid fight fluently. His mana control was excellent too."

"Maybe a hidden master had taught him those arts." Edward replied to Zach with a light chuckle.

"You should've been there to see the expressions of everyone on the site when he killed the Guild master. Their expressions suggest that they are thinking that a genius has slipped from their grasp." A roar of laughter escaped from the captain's mouth.

"But that young man called Adrian is very dangerous. He's cruel. He skinned the Guild master alive. Can't you believe it?"

Amused by his talkative bodyguard, Edward nodded constantly while smiling at Zach.

"Especially the baron. He has an unknown expression on his face. He recognized the young man and ordered a wide search around the town and the vicinity."

"Captain Zach, I may have encountered the young man that you just mentioned." Edward said, pointing at the hole in his pants. Zach's eyes widened in surprise as he gazed at the hole in Edward's pants.

"Are you saying that Adrian attacked you? He really is a genius. He even wounded you. I'm really surprised. I was confident that no one in your generation could possibly compete with you."

"He's attempting to harm that girl over there, but I managed to stop him before he killed her."

"I fought him. He's nothing much. He just used a dirty trick and stabbed my legs. After that, he disappeared."

"That man needs to be found immediately before he can harm anyone else."

"Enough with the chatter, Zach. Please carry the girl on your back and let's go back to the baron's mansion." Zach carefully lifted the unconscious girl onto his back, ready to make their way back to the mansion.