Asik's Strange Thoughts

Time flowed like sand through one's fingers. Before anyone knew it, the long, bitter winter had already passed its halfway mark.

According to the calendar of the Holy Central Kingdom, the most important annual festival—Advent Day, commonly known as the New Year—was fast approaching.

For the villagers of Buena Village, this winter was the most comfortable and secure one they had ever experienced in history.

In previous years around this time, everyone would be shivering in the freezing wind, worrying not only about food shortages but also constantly guarding against starving wild beasts coming down the mountain to forage.

But this year was different.

Looking out from the watchtower at the village entrance, the entirety of Buena Village looked like a war fortress armed to the teeth.

The originally crude wooden fences, transformed by Lynch's civil engineering alchemy, had become a solid stone wall three meters high. Every fifty meters along the top of the wall stood a Modified Magic Sentry Tower (Tier Two Enhanced Version) emitting a faint purple glow. Any living creature that dared to approach within five hundred meters of the village would be instantly and physically exorcised by its tireless arcane rays.

Not to mention that Lynch had recently farmed a massive amount of facility points to complete the Family Harmony Quest issued by the system, which mainly consisted of coaxing his wife and making her happy.

Now, there was even a large, temperature-controlled greenhouse built in the village, packed full of out-of-season vegetables.

As for the nearby low-tier magical beasts?

They had long been driven to extinction by Lynch, who hunted them for experience points. Around the current Buena Village, let alone magical beasts, even a mouse would have to take a detour. It was incredibly peaceful.

"Phew... Now this is life."

Lynch stood on the second-floor balcony of his house, looking down at the villagers who were decorating with lanterns and festoons, preparing for the festival. He took a satisfying sip of his hot tea.

"If it weren't for that silly boy who's been loitering at the gate for half an hour, this view would be perfect."

Lynch put down his teacup and looked helplessly toward the courtyard gate.

There, Asik was wearing a thick cotton robe, hands tucked into his sleeves, pacing back and forth at Lynch's front gate like a donkey pulling a millstone.

One moment he would crane his neck to look inside, and the next he would shrink back like a frightened rabbit, his face written all over with the conflicted expression of having something on his mind but not daring to say it.

"Kuma, go drag that boy in."

Lynch called out toward the roof beams.

"You got it!"

...

Three minutes later, in the first-floor living room.

Asik sat upright and stiff, holding a cup of hot tea in his hands, his glasses completely fogged up. Opposite him, Lynch sat with his legs crossed, looking at him with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Spit it out, Asik."

Lynch said while cracking melon seeds. "You've been hovering around my door for three days. What's the matter? Have you taken a fancy to the cabbages in my field, or are you trying to steal my music box blueprints?"

"N-no!"

Asik hurriedly waved his hands, his face flushing red. "Big brother Lynch, you misunderstand! I-I have a favor to ask of you!"

"A favor?" Lynch raised an eyebrow. "You want to borrow money to buy experimental materials again?"

"Not that either..."

Asik lowered his head, his two index fingers nervously twiddling together. He hemmed and hawed for a long time before, as if exhausting all his strength, he squeezed a sentence through his teeth:

"I... I would like to ask you... to help create an opportunity for me."

"I want to woo... Miss Aria."

"Pfft—!"

Kuma, who was hiding at the top of the stairs eavesdropping, couldn't hold it in and almost burst out laughing.

Lynch was also taken aback for a moment, then revealed an understanding, knowing smile.

"Not bad, kid. You've got good taste."

Lynch looked Asik up and down. Although this kid was a nerd and looked refined and gentle, he had a good brain and was an honest person. As for Aria, that violent green-haired girl, although a bit hot-tempered, she was pure at heart.

These two making a couple...

Hmm, it would probably be a combination of clueless and cranky? Quite interesting.

"But, are you sure?"

Lynch teased, "That girl is the Lord's daughter, and a violent maniac who only wants to fight. Can your little frame handle the beatings?"

"I-I'm not afraid!"

Asik pushed up his glasses, his eyes suddenly becoming firm. "Although Miss Aria has a bit of a quick temper, she is very straightforward and full of vitality... just like a burning flame. Someone like me, who buries himself in piles of books all day, truly yearns for that kind of light."

"And... and I don't just know how to read books!"

Asik was eager to prove himself. "I have already improved the Magic Pressure Valve. As long as you give me time, I will definitely become the greatest magitech engineer! By then, I will be worthy of her!"

Looking at this kid's pure, thick-headed appearance, Lynch felt as if he were seeing those bros from his past life who arranged candles downstairs at the girls' dormitories.

"Alright, alright, stop swearing oaths."

Lynch patted him on the shoulder. "Since you call me big brother, I'll help you with this."

"It just so happens that we're running out of high-tier magic cores at home, and I was planning to go deep into the mountains to farm some. Go get ready and call Aria. The three of us will form a party."

"Remember, when the time comes, act a bit more like a man. Don't always hide in the back throwing fireballs."

"Yes! Thank you, Big brother Lynch!" Asik was so excited he almost jumped up.

...

Two hours later.

On the outskirts of the Black Rock Mountain Range, at a perilous place called Frostwind Canyon.

The snow here was thicker than in the village, and the freezing wind cut like a knife. Because of the treacherous terrain, few people usually set foot here, so some tier-two or even tier-three magical beasts still remained.

"Wow! It's so pretty here!"

Aria, wearing her signature light leather armor and waving her staff, was as excited as a husky let out of its cage.

"Lynch! There's an ice cave over there! There's definitely an Icefield Bear inside!"

"Asik! Hurry up and follow! Don't dilly-dally!"

Walking in the back, Asik was panting heavily, carrying a giant marching backpack full of snacks and hot water prepared for Aria, while also constantly having to watch the ice under his feet.

"C-coming! Miss Aria, please slow down!"

Lynch walked at the very end. Watching this dynamic and static duo in front of him, he shook his head.

How was this a date? This was clearly a young lady taking her lackey on a spring outing.

"Roar—!"

Just then, the snow ahead suddenly exploded.

A Frost Giant Lizard, covered entirely in ice crystal armor, lunged out abruptly. It opened its fang-filled mouth and pounced straight at Aria, who was walking at the front.

This was a peak tier-two magical beast, and it was incredibly fast.

"Watch out!"

Asik turned pale with fright.

If it were before, he definitely would have cast a shield on himself and retreated at the first opportunity. But at this moment, recalling Lynch's advice, this nerd found courage from somewhere and actually advanced instead of retreating.

"Magitech Overload—Ring of Fire!"

He roared, and a blinding red light erupted from the tip of his magic wand.

Boom!

A ring of fire, enhanced by his improved pressure valve, exploded precisely in front of Aria. Although the massive impact didn't manage to injure the giant lizard, it forcefully knocked it half a meter off course.

"Well done!"

Aria's eyes lit up.

Seizing the opportunity, she rolled with the momentum, and the staff in her hands instantly switched to a two-handed sword grip.

"Holy Light—Slash!"

Although she possessed no battle aura, she wrapped wind-attribute magic around her staff, forcefully smashing it down with the momentum of a heavy sword.

Bang!

The staff ruthlessly smashed into the giant lizard's head, leaving it dizzy and disoriented.

Immediately after, Lynch arrived for the finishing blow.

A purple arcane blade flashed, and the giant lizard was instantly decapitated.

"Nice teamwork."

Lynch sheathed his sword and praised with a smile, "Asik, that reaction just now was pretty good. You didn't embarrass us tech nerds."

"Hehe..."

Asik scratched his head, his face a little red, but mostly filled with excitement from being praised by his goddess.

Aria also walked over, looking at Asik with some surprise:

"Hey, four-eyes, I didn't see that coming. The instant cast speed of your fire ring just now was faster than those academy types I've seen in the royal capital. You've got some skills!"

"Th-that's a given!"

Asik puffed out his chest. "That was specially modified to protect... ahem, to deal with unexpected situations!"

...

After clearing out the surrounding magical beasts, the three of them lit a campfire under a leeward rock, preparing to rest for a while.

Lynch roasted the newly hunted giant lizard meat until it sizzled with oil, sprinkling it with cumin and chili powder, filling the air with a mouth-watering aroma.

"Here."

Lynch handed a skewer to Aria and gave Asik a meaningful look: Go on, talk about life, talk about your ideals!

Asik took a deep breath, gathered his courage, and sat down next to Aria.

"Um... Miss Aria."

Asik pushed up his glasses. "Actually, I've always wanted to ask. Your magical talent clearly leans towards the wind element, so why during the battle just now... did you like charging in for close combat like a warrior? If you specialized in long-range spells, it might be safer."

Aria took a bite of the roast meat, her mouth full of grease as she mumbled indistinctly:

"Because I'm a member of the Norent family."

She swallowed the meat, her eyes suddenly becoming somewhat profound. She lost her usual boisterousness, gaining a bit of maturity and heaviness rare for her age.

"Our Norent family used to be known as the 'Lionheart of the Kingdom'."

Aria looked at the dancing campfire and said softly, "My great-grandfather was the first Holy Knight of the Holy Central Kingdom. Back then, the family relied on the ultimate skill of dual cultivation of magic and martial arts to be invincible on the battlefield."

"But..."

Her voice lowered. "By my father's generation, the family had declined."

"Why?" Asik asked instinctively.

"Because times have changed."

Lynch interjected. As he flipped the roasting meat, he said calmly, "With the development of magical technology, the role of pure knights on the battlefield is becoming smaller and smaller. And the political winds in the royal capital... the Mage Faction is in power now, right?"

Aria looked at Lynch in surprise. "How did you know?"

"I guessed." Lynch shrugged. "History is always strikingly similar."

"You're right."

Aria sighed and gripped the wooden skewer in her hand tightly. "The current royal capital is the domain of the mage lords. They look down on martial artists, thinking it's just vulgar brute force. Because our Norent family insisted on the tradition of dual cultivation of magic and martial arts, we were marginalized to this remote northern border."

"Those so-called nobles are polite to my father on the surface, but behind our backs, they all call us 'country watchdogs'."

Speaking of this, a fire ignited in Aria's eyes.

It was anger, and also indignation.

"I refuse to accept it."

She gritted her teeth and said, "Who says knights are obsolete? Who says mages can't charge into battle?"

"I'm going to prove it to them!"

Aria suddenly stood up and shouted towards the distant snow-capped mountains:

"Not only am I going to get into the Royal Nine Academies, but I will also use my family's inherited swordsmanship and magic to defeat those high and mighty young mage lords!"

"I want to become the kingdom's strongest Magic-Breaking Holy Knight! I want to plant the Norent family's Lionheart flag on the walls of the royal capital once again!"

The young girl's voice echoed in the empty valley, carrying a heroic spirit of pressing forward even against thousands of enemies.

Asik was stunned.

He looked at the girl standing in the cold wind, who, despite her petite figure, seemed to be glowing. He felt his heartbeat racing so fast it might explode.

This was the fire he yearned for.

This was the light he wanted to follow.

"I will help you!"

Asik also stood up and shouted excitedly, "Miss Aria! I'm going to apply for Lucalia too! Although I don't understand swordsmanship, I understand technology!"

"I will design the strongest magical armor for you! I will improve the most efficient magic circuits for you!"

"As long as I'm here, your sword will not break! Your magic will not run dry!"

These words could be considered the most beautiful love confession this tech nerd could ever utter.

Aria was taken aback for a moment and turned her head to look at Asik.

It seemed to be the first time she had truly looked at this usually submissive bespectacled guy.

"...Really?" she asked.

"Really! I swear on my monocle!" Asik pledged solemnly.

"Pfft—"

Aria couldn't hold back a laugh. She walked over and patted Asik on the shoulder with such force that she nearly slapped him into the snow.

"Alright! Four-eyes! I didn't realize you were so loyal!"

"Then it's a deal! Next spring, we'll fight our way back to the royal capital together! Let those old fogeys see the power of the Broken Gold Town Duo!"

"Are-are we a duo?" Asik was a bit flattered.

"What else? Did you want to be a cowardly bear?"

"Hahaha..."

Looking at the two young people laughing loudly in the snow, the corners of Lynch's mouth turned up slightly, but a trace of contemplation flashed deep in his eyes.

The decline of the Norent family, the Mage Faction taking power in the royal capital...

It seemed the political waters of this world were quite deep too.

Originally, he only wanted to farm peacefully in the village, but now it seemed that whether it was Aria's ambitions, Scarlett's covetousness towards him (even though she ran away, the records were definitely still there), or his own wife's mysterious identity...

They all seemed to be pushing him toward the center of that vortex of power.

"The royal capital, huh..."

Lynch looked at the sizzling roast meat in his hand and muttered to himself, "It seems I'll have to make a trip there sooner or later."

"But before that..."

He glanced at the newly filled High-Tier Earth Magic Core progress bar on his system panel.

"I'd better upgrade my Demon King's Castle to the max level first."

"After all, only when your fists are hard enough do you have the right to reason in that giant melting pot."

"Alright! The meat is done!"

Lynch interrupted the two's passionate vows. "Hurry up and eat! You only have the strength to conquer the world when you're full! It won't taste good if it gets cold!"

"Coming! I want the biggest piece!"

"Miss Aria, this piece is for you..."

"Lynch! You're sneaking a bite!"

In the wind and snow, the laughter of the three young people carried far, far away.