Adam let out a sigh before replying, "Nobles like me can’t do that. I’ll probably end up in an arranged marriage for political reasons anyway."

After saying that, Adam let out a helpless sigh.

Then Asher said in a flat tone, "That’s so bad."

The moment those words left his mouth, everyone looked at him in surprise.

Even Aria looked at Asher with a faint look of surprise.

After all, Asher sympathizing with Adam was something none of them had expected.

Adam also froze for a moment. A touched expression appeared on his face as he looked at Asher.

He said in a slightly surprised tone, "I guess you’re not as heartless as I thought. Looks like I misunderstood you."

Asher looked at him without any change in expression.

"What nonsense are you talking about? I’m not saying it’s bad for you."

He paused for a moment before adding in the same flat tone,

"I’m talking about the poor girl who’ll end up with a useless fiance like you."

Everyone silently nodded.That sounded far more like the Asher they knew.

Adam let out another sigh before saying,

"Sorry. My mistake for misunderstanding your words."

He then shook his head with a helpless smile.

"You’re still the same as ever."

Asher simply looked at him and replied in a flat tone,"I know."

Noah couldn’t help but laugh after hearing that.

Adam then looked at Noah, who was laughing, and his expression turned annoyed.

He looked at Asher and asked, "Why aren’t you saying anything about Noah?"

Asher looked at Noah before casually replying, "He’s a real-life protagonist. He has heaven-defying luck. He’ll probably end up with a harem while following wherever his lust leads him. And he’ll probably stay happy as long as he doesn’t run out of luck."

Adam simply nodded.

Knowing Noah’s talent and absurd luck, it was entirely possible for him to reach Grandmaster rank in the future and earn a noble title. If that happened, everything Asher had just said could actually come true.

Noah looked at Asher for a moment before saying, "I guess... thank you. But I’m not following the path of lust."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "It’s the path of love. You wouldn’t understand it."

Adam simply muttered, "Bullshit."

Asher didn’t say anything else and returned to eating.

After finishing their lunch, all of them went their own way, doing whatever they wanted.

While heading back to his room, Asher looked at the nearby students. Many of them were walking in pairs—a boy and a girl, smiles on their faces.

Asher looked at them, then closed his eyes before opening them again. This time, when he looked at the students, he didn’t see any faces or facial features. Instead, they appeared as masses of light, with strings of light extending toward the other person. They were the strings of will.

The countless strings intertwined and crossed one another, forming an invisible web that stretched across the academy. Some shone brightly, pulsing with unwavering conviction, while others flickered faintly, as though they could disappear at any moment.

Asher quietly observed them.

Some strings connected only two people, while others branched into dozens, extending in every direction. A few were thin and fragile, barely visible, while others were thick enough to resemble radiant chains.

Asher quietly observed the students for a few more moments.

Then he muttered in an indifferent tone, "Again... all these weak and temporary wills."

His gaze lingered on the countless invisible strings for a moment before he added, "As expected of humans. They always prefer temporary things."

There wasn’t the slightest hint of mockery in his voice.

He was simply stating what he believed to be a fact.

After saying that, Asher looked away and continued walking toward his dormitory, no longer paying any attention to the students around him.

Asher continued walking toward his dormitory.

After a few moments, he muttered in a low voice, "I wonder what this ’beauty’ in a face is that they keep talking about."

He remained silent for a moment before continuing, "Why do they care so much about faces? As long as their bodies are healthy, why does it matter?"

His gaze swept across the students walking past him.

"In the end, the only differences are their faces and their status."

He paused briefly before adding,

"If you ignore those things, most of them are same."

Asher continued walking in silence.

After a few moments, he remembered a question he had once read in a novel.

’If a person who always wanted to help others died and then reincarnated into another world with no memories of his previous life, a different name, and a different family, yet still chose to live the same way and continued helping others... would he still be the same person?

Most people would probably say yes.

After all, it’s the same soul that reincarnated.

But what if there were two completely different people who had never met and didn’t even share the same soul, yet both lived in exactly the same way?

Would they be the same person or not?

In the end, your body can change.

Your face, your name, and your status can all change.

He then came to the same conclusion as always.

But your will...

The thing you truly seek.

That is what defines who you are.’

Asher soon discarded those thoughts.

There was no point thinking about questions that had no definite answer.

After a few more minutes of walking, Asher finally reached his room.

He unlocked the door, stepped inside, and closed it behind him.

The room was as quiet as ever.

Asher lay down on his bed and looked at the ceiling for a brief moment.

"Time to travel across the sea to a different continent."

Far away from the Academy.

At the very edge of the Human Continent.

The endless sea stretched as far as the eye could see, its waves crashing against the rocky shore without pause.