“How do you know that?” Acher asked.

  “I just guessed,” Aaron replied. "I noticed that Luther has a living body, and he can eat and function like a normal person. It reminded me of old legends about living reapers, the beings of both realms.”

  "Didn't you just awaken? Where did you get all that knowledge from? Who taught you?"

  “No one.” Aaron shrugged. “After eating Orpheus’s golden apple and inheriting some of his memories, I got a basic understanding of the cosmos. Although that knowledge might be outdated now.”

  He chose to say “golden apple” instead of “heart” because thinking about how he ate it raw made him feel somewhat uneasy.

  “Orpheus?” Acher lifted his head from the container. “You mean the youngest, most beloved son of that flower-loving brat? The one born with a Heart of Everlasting Light just like his father?”

  Flower-loving brat? Who even is this raven? How dare he talk like that about Apollo? And calling him a kid, no less? Aaron thought.

  “That's right, Mr. Raven. On that night …” He began recounting the events that occurred on his last birthday.

  It took a while for him to finish the whole story.

  “So that’s what happened. I always wondered how you managed to awaken.” Acher clicked his beak. “Tarisel … human face, centipede body, six goat heads? Never heard of that one before. Must’ve been born after I got sealed away, could be a kid of one of those old acquaintances of mine. That flower-loving brat must’ve lost his mind when the only heir that has the Bright Heart got murdered like that.”

  “He was.” Aaron nodded. “He even tried to charge into the Underworld to save Orpheus but was forced back by the Lord of the Amber Moon.”

  “Actually, there’s a high chance that you should call Tarisel … your great-great-great-great-great-grandmother or something,” Acher said with a wicked chuckle. “If I’m not wrong, you’re a descendant of one of the children of Orpheus and Eurydice. Heh heh heh heh heh.”

  “WHAT … WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY???” Aaron’s jaw dropped.

  His mouth dropped open so wide it looked like he could’ve fit a whole duck egg in there.

  “Inheriting a powerful divinity like that isn’t something easy to do, especially not to a regular mortal kid like you, someone who didn’t even have a single drop of magic before awakening,” Acher said with a tilt of his head. “The only reasonable explanation for how you were able to absorb that heart so easily … is because you have the same blood as its original owner.”

  The raven cast a gleeful, almost teasing look at the brown-haired boy.

  “That also means you’ll be easier for Tarisel to digest, since you’re his descendant as well,” he added.

  Aaron froze.

  He held the fork mid-air, with a piece of salmon halfway to his mouth, remained frozen for what felt like several long seconds, then bit into it and swallowed hard, as if trying to force down both the fish and his building frustration.

  He said nothing else, head lowered, eyes locked onto his plate as he focused on eating in silence.

  Luther glanced at him, then looked down at the big piece of grilled salmon still sitting on his own tray. He thought for a few moments, then got up and walked over to the food counter.

  When he came back, he was holding a cup of iced lemonade, and without a word, he set it down in front of Aaron.

  “Try. Good,” he mumbled.

  Aaron looked up, and his gloomy expression broke into a bright, heartfelt smile.

  After finishing lunch, he asked:

  “What class do you have in the next period?”

  “English.”

  “Ah, I’ve got History with Miss Anne. Well then, see you here at lunch tomorrow!” Aaron said, giving a wave before leaving.

  After school, just as a middle-aged teacher with a balding head and thick glasses stepped out of his office, he heard someone calling out.

  “Mr. Bryce!” Aaron waved from the hallway.

  “What is it, Aaron?” Mr. Bryce asked, adjusting his glasses.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  “I just wanted to ask something about Luther Ravenswood.”

  “What are you asking about him for? Are you trying to mess with him?” Mr. Bryce asked with a trace of concern in his voice.

  It must be Aaron who caused trouble. Luther’s such a well-behaved kid. I must stand up for him.

  “No! Not at all! I just want to know more about him. Like ... what he likes, his hobbies, or his family background.”

  “Why are you curious about his hobbies and his family?” Mr. Bryce’s eyes squinted.

  He gave Aaron a long and scrutinizing look. Aaron explained:

  “He helped me with something super important, so I want to repay him.”

  “Oh, okay. Hmmm ... Luther is just a normal kid, apart from being the top student in his class. That boy is quiet, a bit of an introvert, too. But to be honest, I don’t know much about his personal interests. Maybe reading? That’s just a guess. You’d probably get more useful answers by asking other students in my homeroom,” Bryce said. “As for his family ... I can’t recall anything.”

  His voice turned uncertain.

  As someone who took pride in caring about all his students, the realization that he had overlooked one, especially the best-performing one, sent a flicker of discomfort through Mr. Bryce.

  But the doubt faded within seconds as if blown away like leaves in the wind.

  Seeing that he wouldn’t get anything more, Aaron gave a polite farewell and turned to leave.

  “Thanks a lot, sir. Have a great day.”

  I can’t believe the concealment power of that cloak is this strong. Even without Luther being present, Mr. Bryce still couldn’t remember everything about him. That’s insane. In the end, all I found out was that he’s smart. But how do I get closer to him? Think, Aaron… think ...

  When Aaron got home, he sank into his red-and-black gaming chair, eyes fixed on the glowing computer screen in front of him.

  He took a deep breath, opened Reddit, and typed out a new post:

  "How to repay a life-saving favor?

  I'm (15M) trying to figure out how to repay a friend (Also a sophomore, so I guess 15M) who saved my life in a dangerous situation. He says I don’t owe him anything, but obviously I can’t just let it go like that. He’s handsome, good at study, quiet, a bit closed off, and I suspect his home life isn’t great (his clothes are worn out and faded). Any ideas? Money’s not an issue for me, my family’s well-off."

  In just fifteen minutes, dozens of replies came flooding in:

  @Supercars13: “Just give him cash, dude. Money’s happiness. A fat stack of $100 bills under the pillow, who wouldn’t want that? Or a few gold bars would work too.”

  @QueenOfDr4m4: “You repay a life debt with your body, obviously ;)”

  @XiaoHuangLong: “Hmmmm ... handsome, top of the class, quiet? And you’re rich and asking how to repay him? I’m pretty sure I’ve read this romance plot before. I’m getting the feeling this ‘gratitude’ comes with butterflies ...”

  Aaron frowned, muttering under his breath, “What the heck is this?”

  He kept reading until he finally found a serious one.

  @OldOldTree: “Hey, I know you're probably feeling eager to do something meaningful for your friend right away, but slow down a bit. Don't listen to the BS above.

  You mentioned he's quiet and keeps to himself. People like that often don’t enjoy big flashy gestures. If you want to show your gratitude, start by paying more attention to him. Try to figure out what he cares about. That could be a hobby, a habit, or just something that brings him joy.

  Don’t jump straight into doing something grand. The best first step might be to find a reason to spend more time with him, maybe ask if he can tutor you. That way, not only will you have the chance to be around him more, but he'll also feel respected and at ease as the friendship grows naturally.”

  Aaron stopped scrolling when he read that comment. His eyes widened a little as the idea lit up in his mind. A slow grin spread across his face.

  Tutoring! Why didn’t I think of that?!

  Feeling thrilled with the idea, Aaron clicked the upvote button and replied under @OldOldTree’s comment:

  "Brilliant suggestion! Thanks a ton!"

  He leaned back in his chair, smiling with quiet satisfaction, already picturing their future study sessions together.

  Just you wait, Mr. living reaper Luther Ravenswood, Aaron whispered to himself, his eyes sparkling with determination and excitement.

  ...

  That night, in the gym.

  It wasn’t until then that Aaron realized how much stronger his body had become. He was lifting a two-hundred-pound barbell with one hand as if it were nothing more than a plastic toy.

  In truth, even an apprentice-level knight was already far stronger than an ordinary human being, let alone someone like Aaron, who had reached the level of an official knight.

  Back in ancient times, a warrior at this level would’ve been considered qualified enough to lead a small army of mortals into battle.

  Aaron closed his eyes, trying to feel it. He could sense that the liquefied magic power had fully filled up the glowing sun resting deep in the left side of his chest.

  “I can attempt blood etherization now,” he murmured, eyes still shut.

  But maybe it’s better to wait a little longer. It seems like that ritual is quite dangerous, and if I mess it up, it can cause permanent damage. Better to train a few more days, just to be safe.

  That night, he waited until the house had gone quiet and everyone was for sure fast asleep. Then he locked his bedroom door and took out a set of clothing from his drawer, an all-black outfit from head to toe. After slipping into it, he wrapped a dark-colored scarf around his face to cover his features.

  Aaron slid open the window, took a deep breath of the cool night air, and jumped from the second-floor window onto the grass below with the nimbleness of a squirrel.

  Carefully avoiding the angles of any visible security cameras, he snuck to the edge of the yard, keeping low, scanning the surroundings. Then, with one swift motion, he leapt over the ten-foot-high fence and landed on the street outside.

  The boy darted through the empty nighttime streets like a phantom. From time to time, he would leap over low walls or glide through the branches of trees without effort.

  He climbed up a ten-story building like it was nothing, each movement fluid and light. Standing on the rooftop, Aaron looked out over the sparkling city, lit with lights of every color. The cool wind brushed against his face and made him exhale in sheer delight.

  This feels amazing.

  Aaron kept running for another twenty minutes until he reached a vast open space, an empty field on the edge of a small forest. Once there, he stretched his limbs and bounced on his feet, doing a round of warming up.

  Finally get to try out the power of a Sunkindler. Let’s see which move I should test first? Oh, I know.