When the Abraham youths learned that the great demon king Bethel was leaving for business, freeing them from afternoon classes, they were ecstatic.
But their joy was short-lived, doused by the stack of assignments Bethel handed out before leaving, so voluminous they'd likely be up all night.
Clutching the papers, the young Abrahams gritted their teeth and got to work.
As Bethel and Alaric left the study hall, wails of despair echoed from the room behind them.
Clearly, the knowledge-crazed Abrahams were losing it.
"Do you really have to be so strict?" Even Alaric, having witnessed the intellectual hell the youths endured, felt a rare pang of sympathy. "These kids have it rough. I didn't study this hard in high school."
"Their foundation is too weak, and my return has made them overconfident. If I don't temper their attitudes, they might not just cause trouble... they could get themselves killed," Bethel said, shaking his head. He smiled faintly. "Don't worry, I won't keep them under this pressure forever. I understand the need for balance. Once their egos are in check, I'll ease their study load."
Bethel wasn't one to believe that endless studying fixed everything. Back in the day, he'd assigned heavy tasks to Abraham youths, but not to this extreme.
His current approach stemmed from the inflated egos of the returning youths, puffed up by his return. Without curbing that mindset, they were at risk.
In the mystical world, novices could easily doom themselves... especially the half-knowledgeable, overconfident ones who thought they were invincible. Those types were practically guaranteed to meet a grim end.
The Abraham youths, frankly, fit that mold: knowing little but brimming with arrogance, ripe for self-destruction.
Bethel saw this and chose to drown their egos in a sea of knowledge. It would temper their overconfidence, deepen their understanding to foster respect for the mystical, and shore up their weak foundations.
"As long as you've got it under control," Alaric said, nodding without further comment. The Abrahams were Bethel's family matter, after all.
Besides, to Alaric, these youths were like thriving fruits in his garden. Who'd complain about better-quality crops?
Thanks to the Door pathway's abilities, traveling from the Abraham residence to where Sasrir and the others were was a mere matter of stepping through a spatial gate.
As Alaric and Bethel emerged, Alaric's foot had barely touched the ground when he heard Antigonus' anxious voice.
"Give it back! Hand it over now!"
Alaric raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. He looked over to see Antigonus, in human form, trying to snatch something from Amon... a notebook, by the looks of it.
"Go on, take it back if you can!" Amon's voice came from somewhere else. Another Amon appeared, holding an identical notebook. He flipped it open, cleared his throat, and began reading:
"November 25, clear skies.
"It's been a while since I kept a diary, but I'm starting again to mark my rebirth. I never thought I'd escape losing control and regain my clarity in my lifetime.
"The great demon king saved me. He loves my demonic wolf form and treats me like a pet. What a strange guy. I'm the King of Angels of the Fool pathway, yet in his eyes, my abilities seem less useful than my wolf form. A bit depressing…"
Amon paused, shooting a pointed glance at Alaric, who was clearly enjoying the spectacle. "Tch, Antigonus, so Lucifer's the great demon king in your eyes?"
Antigonus was stunned. He glanced at the gleefully reading Amon, then cautiously at the newly arrived Alaric. His form began to shift, and in seconds, he was a majestic demonic wolf again.
"My lord, I've sinned. I shouldn't have disrespected you in private," The wolf said dejectedly. "But please believe me, I meant no ill will."
Alaric glanced at him, then chuckled, teasing, "You and Fors probably have a lot to talk about."
He knew Fors also called him the great demon king behind his back.
Angry? Alaric wasn't that petty.
Fors? Who's that? Antigonus clearly didn't know the name, but he caught Alaric's tone and relaxed.
The next second, he shot a glare at Amon. With some unseen action, the Amon avatar exploded with a pop, and the diary returned to Antigonus' possession.
"Such a temper, Lil' Antigonus. You're one fierce dog!" Amon's voice rang out again, unfazed by his avatar's destruction. He leisurely adjusted his monocle, sighing dramatically.
"That's because you're being a jerk!" Antigonus snapped, rolling his eyes, not holding back.
"Heh!" Amon laughed, looking at Antigonus unhurriedly. "If someone doesn't hide their diary properly, don't blame me. As a Marauder, I can't just walk away empty-handed, can I?"
"You... " Antigonus' anger flared, his breathing heavy. Never the calmest, and fresh off the mortifying diary-reading incident, he wanted nothing more than to pummel Amon.
Sadly, he knew he couldn't win.
"Poor big dog," Amon said, sighing theatrically with mock disappointment.
"..."
Damn it! He was on the verge of losing it.
"Amon, after all these years, you're still insufferable," Bethel said, shaking his head, finally unable to watch any longer.
"I thought you knew... I'm always like this," Amon replied, utterly unashamed. He turned to Bethel, nonchalant, ignoring the fuming Antigonus. "What, you want to avenge the poor pup?"
***
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