No matter how much one possessed, the hunger for more always lingered deep within the human soul. Greed, jealousy, and envy were like shadows and capable of swallowing even the noblest of hearts. Many fell into darkness without ever realizing it, their minds clouded by ambition, their steps led astray by desires they could no longer control.
In the centre of the kingdom stood Westfar, the capital city of Avastrad.
It was a busy and shining place, where people from all over came to chase their dreams. Adventurers came to prove their strength. Merchants came to grow their business. Nobles came to gain more power. In Westfar, everyone was chasing something, power, fame and glory.
In the centre of the capital stood a large building, the Adventurers' Guild. Unlike the tiny and quiet, almost empty guild back in Egrish, this one was full of life, bustling with adventurers from all over the kingdom. Inside, you could find people of all ranks, from E-rank beginners to powerful S-rank elites, going about their day.
A giant quest board stood at the centre, covered with missions and requests. Along the side, a row of receptionists were busy helping adventurers choose and register for quests. In one corner of the guild, there was even a tavern run by the guild itself, offering food, drinks, and a place to rest while waiting for quests to be approved.
"Wow! Is that the new upcoming S-Rank party?"
"Damn, look at them. Each one of them is already an S-Rank adventurer!"
"I heard they've been working non-stop for the past two years!"
Excited chatter filled the guild hall as a group of three adventurers stepped inside. People made way for them as they walked through, some whispering in awe, others simply admiring them with wide eyes.
Leading the group was a blonde-haired young man with a strikingly handsome face. He wore shining armour that looked both elegant and powerful, and a sword hung from the sheath at his hip.
Behind him stood two stunning women who immediately caught everyone's attention. On his left was a short girl with long red hair and a classic witch's hat. Her tight, dark dress showed off her curvy figure, and she held a wooden staff carved with magical runes.
On his right was another beauty, this one was tall with long blonde hair and calm blue eyes. She wore a stylized nun's outfit that blended elegance with adventure gear, and like her companion, she had a graceful, captivating presence.
As the three approached one of the reception counters, a flustered receptionist quickly stood up to greet them.
"Ah... good morning, Mr. Albert! You're looking striking as usual," she said with a bright smile.
"Hehe… and you're as lovely as ever, Ms. Selena," Albert replied smoothly, his charm turning heads nearby.
The receptionist, clearly taken by his words, giggled and leaned in slightly.
"Oh my… Mr. Albert, are you free later today?"
Albert flashed a gentle smile and shook his head.
"Sorry, Ms. Selena, but we're here on important business. Today, we're taking the final quest to reach S rank for our party."
"Ah, that's right. My apologies, Mr. Albert," Selena said, regaining her composure.
"No worries," Albert replied kindly. "I heard from the Guild Master that we only need to clear one more A-rank dungeon, right?"
"Yes," she nodded. "The Dungeon of Silverblade. If your party clears it, your party's promotion to S-Rank will be officially approved."
"I see, thanks for that,"
Albert said with a smile before turning to the two girls behind him.
"Olivia, Amma, any idea where Falin went?"
As the three of them made their way to a table in the guild tavern, Olivia answered while resting her chin on her hand with a relaxed elegance.
"I'm not sure. She said she found something interesting to investigate and left two days ago."
Albert let out a small sigh, then shrugged.
"…Well, I guess we can handle the dungeon with just the three of us."
He raised his hand casually to call for service.
"One ale, please!"
"Besides, Falin was only a temporary member,"
Albert added.
"She's not officially part of our party yet."
Even though the three sat together like old friends, there was a quiet tension in the air. Olivia and Amma kept a bit of distance from Albert. They had known each other since childhood, but something about their expressions showed they weren't as close as they used to be.
"…Hey, Albert," Amma said softly. "When we finish this quest, should we go find Lux?"
"I agree with Amma,"
Olivia added, her voice calm but firm.
"It's already been two years. You said we needed to become stronger, to reach S-rank so we could travel with Lux"
Olivia continued.
Amma gave a small nod.
"And… I haven't gotten any letters from him. Or even the church."
"Maybe…"
Olivia said quietly, her eyes lowering.
"Maybe he forgot our promise?"
When he heard that, Albert gave a small grin and leaned in closer to Olivia.
"He probably forgot all about it," he said softly, placing a hand gently on her shoulder.
Amma's eyes lowered. Olivia's words had clearly struck something in her too.
Albert glanced between the two of them, then suddenly added something that made both girls freeze.
"…I didn't want to bring this up before, but…"
He paused, his expression turning grim.
"I asked a friend of mine to check in on the village."
"What?" Olivia blinked.
"That friend told me something… something about Lux."
Albert hesitated before continuing, his voice heavy.
"He's known as an evil child again… just like the rumors from before."
"Wait—what?!" Olivia gasped.
"How can you say that about Lux? He's not like that!"
"He's one of us," Amma said, her voice quiet but hurt.
"I didn't want to believe it either. But the reports kept coming in. They say he stole the money we sent to the church. He drinks, causes fights, even…" He paused; voice low. "They say he harassed young girls in the village."
"No…" Olivia whispered, shaking her head in disbelief.
"At first, I couldn't believe it," Albert went on. "That's why I didn't say anything. But it kept piling up, and I didn't want you two to get hurt if it turns out to be true. I tried my best to help him all these years."
He sighed deeply, then looked up at them with a soft, sympathetic smile.
"As the leader of our party… I just want to protect both of you."
Olivia slowly reached out and took Albert's hand, her voice trembling.
"…It must've been hard on you all these years. I'm sorry, we didn't know."
"How could Lux turn out like this?" Amma asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Albert lowered his gaze with a sigh, carefully choosing his words.
"It probably started after the class awakening ceremony… He didn't receive a class. Maybe… maybe he grew jealous of us. I heard he even spread rumors, saying we abandoned the village and the church."
"No… there's no way we'd ever do that!" Olivia cried, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Lux… how could you become like this…" Amma whispered, her voice cracking as her own tears fell.
Albert saw his moment. He gently stepped between them, placing a hand on each of their shoulders.
"Don't cry. I'm here," he said softly, his voice laced with comfort.
The two girls bowed their heads, sobbing quietly.
And behind their backs, Albert allowed himself a quiet, satisfied grin.
They had no idea what he had truly been doing.
Two years ago, after the class awakening ceremony, the three of them left the village together and came to the capital for mandatory training under the Kingdom's regulations. Olivia joined the holy church, where she trained to become a battle priestess. Amma enrolled at the royal academy, where she honed her magic and tactical skills. Since their training grounds were nearby, the two often met up and supported each other.
Albert, however, trained far from them, under the strict guidance of the Knight Order. The distance made it hard to keep in touch, and little by little, a gap began to form between them.
After about six months, having learned the fundamentals of their roles, they decided to officially form a party. Albert suggested the name: "The Light of Hope." He approached Olivia and Amma with a heartfelt proposal.
"We should become strong, strong enough to protect Lux when we invite him to join us."
The girls had been moved by his words. They admired his determination and kindness. From that day on, the three began taking on quests together, working hard to build their reputation and raise their rank within the Adventurers' Guild. Even they started adventuering, Olivia and Amma were still very busy with the church and the academy.
But Olivia and Amma didn't know the truth.
Albert was a two-faced man, charming and kind on the outside, but twisted and cunning on the inside. He wore a smile like a mask, hiding the jealousy that simmered beneath. A skilled manipulator and a shameless womanizer, he always craved attention, praise, and power. And above all he hated losing.
Especially to someone like Lux.
Even though Lux never received a class, Albert had always felt overshadowed by him. Ever since they were children, Albert lost to Lux time and time again, whether it was in studies, sword training, or sparring matches with wooden blades. No matter how hard he tried, he could never beat him.
What made it worse was how close Olivia and Amma were to Lux. They laughed with him, trusted him, and always stood by his side.
When the party was formed, Albert saw it as the perfect chance to get closer to Olivia and Amma. But no matter how much time passed, the two girls always seemed distant and polite, but never truly warm. And every time they talked, they somehow always brought up Lux.
"Do you think Lux would like this armor?"
"I wonder how Lux is doing at the church…"
Lux this. Lux that. It was always about him.
Albert's smile never wavered in front of them, but deep down, the jealousy boiled. The more they talked about Lux, the more twisted Albert's thoughts became.
As their party grew in fame and fortune, Olivia and Amma always entrusted Albert, who acted as the dependable leader, to send letters and money back to the church. They never doubted him.
He lied every time, claiming he had already delivered everything, while secretly keeping the money for himself. He spent it freely lavish meals, expensive drinks, and nights in the most exclusive brothels in Westfar.
There, surrounded by luxury and women who praised him without question, Albert drowned his jealousy in pleasure.
Because deep down, he knew the truth, no matter how charming he acted, no matter how powerful he became, he could never win the hearts of Olivia or Amma.
All while wearing a mask of charm and loyalty.
However, today was the first time he had ever gotten this close to the two of them, thanks to the lies he had carefully crafted to soften their hearts. With just a few twisted words and a feigned look of sorrow, Albert had finally created the opening he had long desired.