The Smiling Death

Chapter 447: Last Night

More than a week had already passed since Amon and Selena began staying at the Luminere Duchy.

Compared to the chaos and danger Amon had experienced over the past few months, these days felt unbelievably peaceful.

Their routine had slowly become natural.

Every morning, the three of them trained together inside the palace training grounds. Sometimes it would turn into proper sparring sessions, while other times they focused purely on mana control and physical conditioning.

Under Alistair’s occasional guidance, Amon’s growth had become even more stable after reaching Master Rank.

The old knight would sometimes appear quietly during training, observe them for a while, then casually point out flaws in their mana circulation or fighting habits.

And every single piece of advice proved incredibly useful.

After lunch, the trio often spent time inside the enormous library of the Luminous household.

The library itself was massive enough to rival smaller academies.

Rows upon rows of bookshelves stretched endlessly beneath warm golden lights. Ancient books, records about magic, history, swordsmanship, mana theories, beast studies, almost anything could be found there.

Sometimes Amon would spend hours reading random things out of curiosity while Selena corrected him whenever he misunderstood something.

A thought cross his mind while reading random things. How about writing a novel?

Other times, Seraphina quietly helped him search for books related to mana control or combat.

And when they eventually got tired of reading, they would leave the palace together and roam around Helior City.

Some days they explored crowded markets.

Other days they visited quiet lakes, gardens, or beautiful hills near the duchy.bThe entire week passed peacefully.

And somehow...

It became one of the happiest periods Amon had experienced in a very long time. Tonight was their final night here before returning to the Academy.

The three of them were currently walking through Helior City beneath the beautiful night sky.

The city looked more lively than ever tonight. Warm lantern lights illuminated the streets while countless people filled the roads.

Laughter echoed everywhere.

Music could be heard from nearby plazas and restaurants.

Street performers entertained crowds while merchants happily sold food and decorations.

The entire city carried a festive atmosphere.

Amon walked between Selena and Seraphina while looking around excitedly.

Tonight, even their appearances felt slightly different.

Amon wore a dark gray coat over a black shirt along with fitted pants and boots. His messy black hair moved lightly whenever the cold winter breeze passed through the streets.

Beside him, Selena wore a black coat over a crimson sweater along with dark trousers. Her silver hair was tied into a single long braid that rested over her shoulder beautifully.

Her appearance reminded him her mother at that night. She also had tied her hair in a braid.

Meanwhile, Seraphina wore a long cream-colored coat over dark clothes.

And Her golden-blonde hair was completely loose tonight.

The soft golden strands flowed beautifully behind her whenever she walked beneath the city lights.

Without her usual ponytail, she looked gentler and even more beautiful than normal.

Many people unconsciously glanced toward the trio while passing by.

Mostly because of the two women.

The three of them continued roaming through the city peacefully.

At one point, Amon dragged them toward a food stall after smelling roasted meat from far away.

"This smell is too dangerous," he declared seriously.

Selena looked at him with complete disappointment.

"You say that every single time."

"And every single time I am right."

A few minutes later, all three of them stood beside the stall while eating.

Selena silently ate grilled meat skewers with satisfaction while pretending not to enjoy them too much.

Meanwhile, Seraphina quietly held a warm pastry in both hands while listening to Amon talk endlessly about random things.

At another street, they watched musicians performing together while children danced nearby happily.

Amon even tried copying the dance for a few seconds before Selena smacked the back of his head and told him to stop embarrassing himself.

"You two have no appreciation for art," Amon complained dramatically.

"You looked like a dying chicken," Selena replied instantly.

Seraphina quietly nodded in agreement.

Amon looked betrayed.

The trio continued walking through the lively city while talking and laughing together.

Eventually, as midnight approached, they reached the massive central square of Helior City.

The place was already packed with people.

Families stood together while children ran around excitedly. Groups of friends laughed loudly while merchants sold snacks and drinks nearby.

Music echoed through the square while everyone waited expectantly.

Amon looked around curiously.

"Why are so many people gathered here?" he asked.

Selena glanced at him.

"...Seriously?"

Then Seraphina calmly answered instead.

"Because the New Year is about to begin."

Amon blinked.

Then realization struck him.

"Ohh!! Right! The fireworks!"

His eyes immediately sparkled with excitement.

Selena sighed.

"You really are easy to entertain."

"Of course! Fireworks are amazing!"

The trio eventually found a good spot near the center of the square.

Amon stood between Selena and Seraphina while waiting excitedly.

Soon...

The giant clock tower at the center of the city began ringing.

Dong...

Dong...

Dong...

The entire square became louder as everyone started counting together.

"Ten!"

"Nine!"

"Eight!"

Excitement filled the air.

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!!"

BOOM!!

The first firework shot high into the night sky before exploding brilliantly above the city.

Then another followed.

And another.

Countless fireworks exploded one after another across the heavens.

Red, blue, golden,silver. The entire night sky became covered in beautiful lights.

The dazzling colors reflected across the buildings, the streets, and the countless faces below.

Amon stared upward with widened eyes.

"...Whoa."

The fireworks continued exploding endlessly above them. Beautiful lights illuminated the trio beneath the night sky.

Amon genuinely looked mesmerized.

Somehow... this peaceful moment felt just as unforgettable.

Beside him, Selena glanced sideways at his amazed expression before asking quietly,

"Did you like it?"

Amon nodded immediately without looking away from the sky.

"Yeah... I really like this."

His black eyes reflected the colorful explosions above.

"How can something be this beautiful?"

Seraphina also looked toward the fireworks quietly.

A small smile appeared on her lips.

"...It really is beautiful."

For a while, none of them spoke.

They simply stood together beneath the dazzling night sky while watching the fireworks illuminate Helior City.

Eventually, after the celebration ended and the crowds slowly began dispersing, the trio started walking back toward the palace.

The cold winter breeze passed through the streets gently.

As they walked together, Amon suddenly remembered something.

"Oh right."

He looked toward Seraphina.

"Sera, when are you returning to the Academy?"

Without hesitation, she answered calmly,

"I will go with you tomorrow."

Amon looked surprised.

"So early?"

Seraphina nodded slightly.

"It will become boring here once you two leave tomorrow anyway."

A small smile appeared on Amon’s face immediately. "Nice! Then we’ll go together."

Then he turned toward Selena. "What about you, Senior?"

Selena tucked part of her silver braid behind her shoulder before replying calmly,

"I am also returning tomorrow."

Amon blinked.

"You too?"

"Of course." She looked at him like he asked something obvious. "I am the Student Council President this year. I need to return earlier."

Amon’s eyes widened slightly.

"Ohh right."

Then his expression brightened once again.

"Hehe... then we’ll all go back together tomorrow."

Neither Selena nor Seraphina replied immediately.

But both of them smiled faintly.

And beneath the quiet winter night.

The trio continued walking peacefully through the illuminated streets of Helior City together.