Novels by A S T

Devic staggered backward in fear.“What happened to you?” he asked with widened eyes.Arthur continued the act. He moved sluggishly while forcing his breathing to become uneven.“I'm a little unwell. I just need some rest,” he said weakly.“A little unwell? Are you sure you only need rest?” a terrified Devic asked while staring at Arthur with horrified eyes.“Yes. If I rest today, I should be strong enough to return to work tomorrow,” Arthur replied.Devic recoiled slightly.“Today of all days, you decide to be unwell. You better still be unwell before I return or I will simply kill you. Nobody will question me for it. And if you are too sick to work but fail to arrange this scattered home before I return, I will kill you myself.”He pointed a finger at Arthur before angrily storming out.Arthur released a sigh of relief after the old man left.Sometimes, he wondered if deceiving Devic would eventually cost him dearly.The man was old, and heart attacks remained one of those strange t

“Where are you going?” Arthur called when Genevieve hurried back toward her bakery.Her plump physique froze midway. Slowly, she turned to face him, her disturbed expression still hanging on her face.“Wh-what do you want from me again?” she stuttered.Arthur smiled.He hated to admit something about Genevieve. He really loved how insecure she looked. In fact, Arthur believed that if he had a mother like Genevieve, he would torment her until she looked this afraid every day.“Are you walking away after not handing me the bread and jelly butter?” Arthur asked, ensuring his voice grew deeper and creepier.Genevieve's breaths came in hitches.“Are you insane, you creepy man? I already gave you the book you requested. You never cared about the bread earlier!” she yelled painfully.“But I already paid for the bread with the few fish I brought earlier,” Arthur reminded her.“Go away, you monster!!!” Genevieve screamed and attempted to sprint toward the door.But Arthur had already predicted

Arthur wasted no time stealing away with the two baskets of fish. The fish were huge, fresh, and carried a strong salty scent that proved they had only recently been caught. Perhaps the night simply had not favored Devic and him earlier.With careful stealth along the edges of the market, Arthur moved cautiously through the pathways so he would not have to answer difficult questions if he got caught committing this illegal act.After all, every land considered stealing a punishable crime. But desperation could easily push ordinary citizens into committing terrible things.When Arthur finally arrived back at Madam Genevieve’s store, she was still sitting beneath the warm glow of the lamps inside the bakery. Aria and the other maid were nowhere in sight now. Perhaps they had already gone into the inner sections of the building.Arthur slowly lowered the baskets onto the floor. The moment Genevieve saw them, her eyes widened in visible shock. It was almost as if she could not believe

“Stop!!!” Arthur screamed, making Aria freeze midair with the book still in her hand.Both women looked at him with confused expressions. But only Arthur truly understood what that book carried. He could not simply stand there and watch this Aria woman tear apart his destiny just to wrap bread.“What the fuck?” Aria muttered while glaring at him.Arthur remained terrified because the book she held was Chronicles Of The Lines — the first liturgical text containing numerous sectional spells and incantations.“Please don’t tear it,” Arthur said quickly. “I’ve always wanted to read that book for a long time.” That was a lie. A very desperate lie.Aria glanced at the book curiously before recoiling slightly.“What language is this even?” she muttered. “I’ve never seen symbols like these before.”“Do you want the bread wrapped in paper or should she dump them inside your fish basket?” Genevieve roared impatiently.Arthur swallowed. “I will carry the bread in my clothes instead. Can I please

The old man, who later introduced himself as Devic, took Arthur to his home that same night. Arthur could still remember the total dread plastered across the old man’s face after witnessing the strange incident at the shore.The man had been so shocked and thrilled that Arthur believed one more miracle would have made him collapse dead instantly. The funniest part was how quickly Devic transformed into a deeply religious man overnight. Whenever Arthur remembered it, he almost laughed to himself.Sysia itself was more than just a city. It felt like a living haven.The people called it Sysia, a place where life never truly rested. Activities stretched from morning till deep into the night. There was hardly ever silence. Gad had once told Arthur stories about this place and how many days one needed to feed a camel before traveling there from Atteus Kingdom.Now Arthur finally understood why.There were crystal-clear rivers flowing through certain areas of the city, enough for traveler

Arthur truly wished he was more knowledgeable. If he had been stronger, he would have confronted those angry bull-like men or that bastard pea-headed fellow who ripped his father’s heart out without hesitation. But there was still far too much Arthur needed to learn; about his life, about magic, and about whatever had pushed his father into being hunted and killed.As he ran through the deep woods, thoughts kept dragging him backward. Memories precisely.How Gad used to yell at him whenever he refused to learn even a single pronunciation correctly. Everything now came crashing down into regret. If he had learned more seriously, perhaps tonight would have turned out differently from this miserable disaster.The heavy and thunderous footsteps behind Arthur never faded. The ground shook as the giants drew closer. Arthur was shocked by how those men could carry such massive bodies so swiftly despite their huge and muscular physiques.But if there was one thing Arthur desperately wanted