At the banquet, Arthur spotted some of the same elderly men and young laborers he’d seen working in the fields earlier that day. As soon as he and Ashley entered the hall—despite their efforts to keep a low profile—they still drew plenty of attention. There was no helping it. They were simply too young. Heaven Island wasn’t a place one could visit on a whim. Only those who received an official invitation were allowed to set foot here. And in recent years, every single person invited to Heaven Island had been a leading figure in their respective fields—brilliant minds and celebrated achievers with legacies behind them. Naturally, most of them were well into their later years. But Arthur and Ashley looked barely past their teens. Calling them “young” was an understatement—they were kids. What’s more, they hadn’t come with any elder escort. That meant the invitation had been addressed to them specifically. Of course people were curious. Even suspicious. Especially the other new arrivals. Their jealousy and resentment were palpable. Most of them had waited for years before finally earning an invitation to the island. Their accomplishments had taken decades—generations even—to build. To join Heaven’s Cult and step foot on Heaven Island wasn’t just about curiosity. It was a symbol of identity, a mark of elite status. Only those who stood at the very top of their nations were qualified to be invited. And yet Arthur and Ashley… what had they accomplished at such a young age? The more people thought about it, the more unjust it felt. Whispers started spreading. “These two—are they even out of puberty yet? How the hell did they get an invitation to Heaven Island?” “Right? We’ve all worked half our lives to be here, and then these kids waltz in? They had to use some kind of trick.”“What kind of achievements could they possibly have? If they get to be here, then everything we did is a joke.” “This needs to be investigated. Who authorized them to board?” “They didn’t sneak in, did they?” “No way. Security was airtight during boarding. No one could sneak past that.” ... Solivair, meanwhile, had already slipped off with a drink, mingling with old acquaintances. He saw the crowd turning on Arthur and Ashley—but showed no intention of stepping in. In fact, he watched with mild amusement, as if waiting to see how they’d squirm. Arthur scanned the crowd, taking in every expression, every shift in posture. From their reactions, he got a clearer sense of who these people really were. People liked to say that those who achieved great things had big hearts—that true success required magnanimity. But that wasn’t always true. Human nature always tilted toward self-interest. Even at the top, people came in all kinds. A thousand faces, a thousand personalities. Each with their own views, biases, and tempers. Not everyone was generous or tolerant. Some were proud, petty, and deeply vengeful. Just like the ones now questioning and mocking him. When Arthur remained silent, a man in his fifties finally stepped forward, unable to hold back any longer. He looked Arthur up and down and asked, “Young man, how exactly did you get on the ship to Heaven Island? Did you come on the island’s official cruiser?” He was clearly implying Arthur might not have taken the legitimate route. Maybe he hadn’t even boarded the same ship they had. After all, passengers had been kept apart throughout the journey. And their boarding times had been staggered. This man hadn’t seen Arthur or Ashley get on.The moment his words landed, suspicion began spreading like wildfire. Even those who had dismissed the idea moments ago found themselves tensing up. Another voice chimed in, skeptical but cautious. “I mean, there’s no way, right? We all know about the fog. Without a guide from the island, you’d never find your way in.” “But what if they had some other method? The world’s a big place. You never know.” “Exactly! Two kids showing up out of nowhere? It’s too strange to ignore.” “But the island’s people brought them in. If they snuck in, how did they fool the guides into escorting them?” “In this day and age? Anything’s possible.” The debate grew louder, but one thing was certain: nearly everyone in the hall was now openly doubting Arthur and Ashley’s presence.