The Author's POV

Elven tear.

Some might call it a miracle drug. The item was something that the elves were highly famous for. It could practically heal all diseases regardless of their seriousness.

It could even bring back someone from the brink of death. That was how effective the elven tears were.

But of course, just like the name suggested, it could only be created by the elves, and even then, it wasn't like they could easily make them.

In fact, it was quite hard for them to make. Perhaps in the past, back when they still had the world tree at their disposal, creating miraculous elixirs like the elven tears might have been easy. But that was then, and this was now.

Times had changed, and each elven tear was incredibly valuable.

So valuable that it had created great havoc in the human domain once upon a time when someone managed to get their hands on one elven tear and decided to sell it.

At that time, it was sold to an anonymous bidder for a tremendous price of 2 billion U.

"I need it."

Sitting on his bed, Hein leaned forward and rested both of his arms on his legs.

'I need to get that elixir at all cost.'

A determined looked flashed across his handsome face as his fists clenched tightly.

Remembering the troubles his father had gone through while he was injured while trying to provide for both him and his siblings, an inexplicable feeling arose within Hein, prompting him to clench his fists even more tightly.

"According to what Ren said, the top ten winners will have the possibility of requesting any reward."

The prize didn't necessarily have to be the elven tears. There were many other items that were more valuable than the tears up for grabs for the winners, but for Hein, the tears were priceless.

He couldn't care less for the other prizes.

'Can I do it?'

Worry flashed across his eyes as he thought about the upcoming tournament.

He knew his limits, and he knew that he wasn't strong enough to be first. If Ren participated, he may as well kiss the chances of getting first place goodbye.

But tenth?

'I have to do it.'

After all the training that he had done in Henlour, Hein had confidence in his abilities. He no longer thought that the others were as scary as he once thought.

"Hm?"

Blinking a couple of times, Hein suddenly turned his head towards the right side of the room.

"Oh no."

Standing up from his bed, he rushed towards a particular wooden desk where a shield rested on top. A small black smudge appeared by the side of the shield.

"How did you get dirty again?"

Taking out a handkerchief from his dimensional space, Hein wiped the small smudge that was on top of his shield.

This clean freak attitude was something that he had developed back in Henlour when he was scolded by Malvil for not being careful enough with his shield.

'If I ever see a smudge on that shield, I will not give you a shield! Treat it as if it's your most prized possession! It's fine if it breaks from fighting a lot, but if you show me just how much you don't care about your shield, why should you bother asking to have one made for you?'

Those words deeply resonated with Hein, who understood the intent behind Malvil's words.

As such, from that point on, Hein literally did as Malvil said and treated his shield as though it was his baby.

And just like now, whenever the shield got dirty, Hein would immediately stop whatever he was doing and clean the shield.

His behavior annoyed Ava quite a bit as she would look at him the same way Angelica would look at Ren.

just couldn't

another one

head to the side, Hein wiped another part of

***

"Are you okay?"

not. I called my own dad

on Emma after Kevin revealed to her the possibility of

That could also

"What do you mean?"

Kevin to raise both hands

saying is that they may have not been the group where your father came from. But, I wasn't lying when I said

"…Okay."

her head, Emma thought of something before

"I don't understand."

the opposite side, Kevin didn't

what she was trying to say. If that was her father, why

to why, but it wasn't like

just increase her

and staring at the tranquil, blue

also be here. Emma did say that her father was in a

must be aware of the fact that everyone was

planning something. As such, after thinking for a bit, Kevin

for now. If the opportunity presented itself, he

stronger you've become ever since the

those lines, Kevin's

are you

had recovered somewhat from the news

his eyes, Kevin shook

"Nothing to worry about."

on his face, he

say

and checking his

of hours before the sun

like a

grabbing Kevin's, Emma

***

but once we managed to get back to our residences, his

overlooked the entirety of the city from above, I took a

'This is nice.'

the air here was incredibly fresh. It helped me

you saw a couple of your

also gazed into the

to hold back from

his head, Waylan

holding yourself back from

"I'm not."

removing the mask off of it, I locked my

don't want to meet them, it's that I couldn't at that

"Couldn't?"

"Mhm."

to go meet

just one

Aaron.

in the

calm. I had originally expected to see myself going crazy at the sight of him

if the same could be said for the next time I would see

about, it was the fact that the

same time, the feelings of

some sort of

doing anything to him would become that much

allow that to