ã€ŠThe Almighty Reality Manipulation Systemã€‹


 Chapter 1 - Rebirth

    When he woke up he was greeted by an unfamiliar ceiling. The room was dark and the ceiling was far, just like the foreboding sense of despair. When these things were running through his mind a sudden bang echoed out from his left and the room suddenly lit up brightly. Before he could react he was enveloped in a warm and gentle embrace.

    ¡°Vince, you¡¯re finally awake. Mommy was so worried about you! How could those terrible men do that to you?!¡± His vision was blocked by strands of shiny silver hair, but he felt his racing heart calm down as he took in her calming scent. However, a part of him also felt embarrassed as it caused him to react harshly and push away the sobbing woman.

    ¡°H-How could you push away, Mommy! Do you hate Mommy that much?¡± His eyes couldn¡¯t really adjust to the brightness, but from the pain in the voice of the woman, he felt his heart aching. Before he could call out to the woman, the lights were already shut off and the door was shut as the woman ran off.

    He quietly laid on the bed and tried to make sense of all the information that just happened and what his vague memories are telling him. When he shut his eyes and opened them again, he had appeared in a sickly white room. The bedsheet was white. The tiled floor was white. The drapes were white. The only color in the white world was the evening sky peeking out from behind the white drapes. The lively red and orange streaks across the sky were a magnificent contrast to the silent and cold room.

    He felt a shiver run down his spine as he shook his head to forget that scene. He felt pain surge through him as he shook himself, ¡°Ugh¡­ I feel¡­ pain?¡± Soon after the realization, he once more entered sleep.

    ¡ª

    When he opened his eyes again the filtered sunlight was beaming down on him through the thin green curtains. He dashed out of his bed and towards the mirror across the room. The first thing that appeared in the reflection were a pair of strikingly sharp blue eyes. The face of the young man across from him was bruised with one eye slightly blackened and swollen. A large part of the youth¡¯s body wad bandaged, but he could tell just how thin the youth was. When he reached out to touch his reflection a knock rang out from the door.

    *Knock Knock*

    ¡°Young Master, are you awake yet?¡± A female voice called out from the other side.

    ¡°Is that supposed to be me?¡± He wondered, ¡°Come in.¡±

    There was an audible gasp from the other side of the door before a shocked maid entered. ¡°Young Master¡­ you¡¯re up?¡±

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± He frowned.

    ¡°N-no reason.¡± The maid stammered out and entered the room with a bowl of warm water and set it down beside the bed. ¡°Please.¡± She gestured at the bowl.

    ¡°What am I supposed to do with this?¡± He cocked his head to the side and walked over to the bed.

    ¡°M-my mistake, Young Master. I¡¯ll get right to it.¡± The maid shakily grabbed the towel as soon as she realized something. She dabbed the towel into the warm bowl and strained it before coming up to him and gently wiping his face. Her nervous movement mistakenly caused her to jab a bruise on his face.

    ¡°Ugh.¡± He shied away upon understanding what the bowl was for. ¡°I-I¡¯ll handle it myself.¡± He stopped her and took away the towel, much to her fear.

    ¡°Understood, Young Master¡­¡± She moved away from him with a bow and approached the wardrobe and began selecting his attire for the day. When he finished cleaning himself, he looked over at the two selected attire. ¡°Young Master would you be wearing casual or the usual elegant attire?¡±

    He took a swift look at the two attire. On the left was a loose fitting blue and tan outfit and the other was a more complex outfit consisting of many pieces. On top of looking like it would take a long time to wear, the elegant outfit also looked like it would be very tough to move in. ¡°I¡¯ll take that one.¡±

    ¡°Of course Young Master will go with the elegant clothes. It fits him.¡± She smiled and nodded before starting to stow the casual outfit and then froze. She finally realized the truth and a shocked face once more grace her young face. ¡°M-my apologies, Young Master.¡± She quickly helped him get dressed and led him towards the dining hall.

    The main household of the Redwall estate wasn¡¯t extravagant. It was only in the last decade that the Redwall family became a viscounty. So it wasn¡¯t long before Vince arrived in the dining room.

    The dining room itself wasn¡¯t large, it was spacious, but not to point that it was excessive; it was just large enough to exhibit a sense of luxury. When Vince entered, breakfast was already underway. It was exactly like a scene from a fairytale; beautiful women and men were gathered at the table having a pleasant meal. However, all the merriness disappeared when he walked into the room.

    The first to notice him was a middle-aged man at the head of the table at the opposite end of the room. Soon after, the rest of the groups busy cutlery froze in their hands as their eyes glued onto Vince¡¯s figure.

    ¡°Vince¡­¡± The man stood up. Something about his furrowed brows made Vince flinch. Vince had seen eyes like those in the past; when his parents were arguing by his bed and thought he had been asleep. ¡°You¡­¡±

    ¡°Enough. Don¡¯t bring those topics to the table.¡± The man looked like he wanted to say more, but he was interrupted by a regal-looking woman on his right. She glanced sideways back at Vince and said, ¡°It is quite different to see you up so early for a change. Eat. I¡¯ll have the servants serve your meal.¡± She clapped sharply and everyone returned to their meal, gone was the merriment.

    Vince awkwardly glanced around before seeing a giddy woman wave him over. He recognized that head of bright silver hair and sat down beside her.

    ¡°Vince, you¡¯re up so early!¡± She happily said as her hands traced over the bruises on his face. ¡°Mommy is so happy to see that you¡¯re okay!¡±

    While she studied him, he was also studying her. When he got a closer look at her delicate face he could see his resemblance to her. It was a strange and shaking realization; another proof that he wasn¡¯t the same person anymore.

    The meal was scrumptious and composed of eggs and two juicy sausages. There was also a light soup served along with the meal which greatly pleased his empty stomach. In his past life he wasn¡¯t able to eat anything solid and was on a full-time nutrition drip; it wasn¡¯t a way to live. His eyes teared up when he slowly brought up a spoonful of the clear chicken soup. The rich aroma whetted his appetite as his mouth began to salivate.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    He gave the spoon a few blows before nearly shoving the whole spoon into his mouth. A stream of warmth flowed past his tongue, down his throat, and entered his stomach. It was such a moving experience that he sat there frozen as the spoon stayed locked in his mouth. It wasn¡¯t until he heard a giggle from a seat diagonal to him that he returned to reality.

    A small girl about the age of 8 was covering her mouth with both hands as she tried not to laugh. It was an amusing sight and because she looked so adorable trying to hide her giggle that Vince subconsciously smiled back.

    Unbeknownst to Vince, the rest of the diners at the table froze in shock upon witnessing his smile. A young boy beside the girl abruptly dropped the fork in his hands and as it clattered onto his plate, he didn¡¯t give any reaction. The middle-aged man alongside with the regal woman and Vince¡¯s mother also had similar reactions.

    ¡°What?¡± Vince frowned and gently placed his spoon down. Maybe it was because of his poor table manners. He wasn¡¯t too keen on etiquette when it came to dining. Maybe he wasn¡¯t supposed to blow on the soup?

    ¡°N-nothing.¡± The young boy stammered out and received another fork from a servant. The little girl¡¯s eyes were also sparkling and only watched Vince eat as if he was the most interesting person in the world. The rest of the group also returned to their meals, but he somehow felt that they were all paying attention to him. Since he felt this way, Vince started to pay attention to the way he ate and copied from the young boy across from him.

    Breakfast soon ended without further mishaps. Just when Vince swallowed his last bite, the middle-aged man stood up. ¡°Vince, meet me in my studies. We have some matters to discuss.¡± He didn¡¯t wait for Vince¡¯s reply and sauntered off with a grim expression. As Vince watched the man walk off he felt a light touch on his arm, it was his mother.

    ¡°It¡¯s best if you do what Zeke says, Vince.¡± Her warm eyes were also worried, but she tried hard not to show it.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Vince agreed. So far he was clueless as to what happened, so he was just going with the flow. Maybe after he talked with Zeke, he¡¯ll understand more about his situation.

    The study wasn¡¯t far and before he knew it, he had already arrived.

    *Knock Knock*

    ¡°Enter.¡±

    ¡°Father wanted to speak with me?¡± Vince asked. By now, judging from the silent cues, he had already understood that the man in front of him was his father. However, when he saw the shocked expression on the man¡¯s face, he began to doubt himself.

    ¡°*Cough* Don¡¯t think that you can get out of trouble by using that word with me.¡± Although his father said those words, he wasn¡¯t very convincing with his pleased expression. ¡°You caused some major problems this time, Vince.¡±

    ¡°Problems?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Problems!¡± His father sighed and sat down. ¡°You¡¯re already considered an adult; you can¡¯t continue to act like this! The only silver-lining from this ordeal was that the Duke¡¯s daughter wasn¡¯t in her room. If she were, you wouldn¡¯t be standing before me at this moment.¡±

    His father continued his tired rant for a bit longer. What he understood had happened was that two days ago there was a party at Duke Evergreen¡¯s estate in his territory. After a dispute with other guests at the party, he had sneaked off and tried to molest Sophia Evergreen, the Duke¡¯s sole daughter, in her room. Luckily for him, Sophia was still attending to the guests at the party and hadn¡¯t returned to rest yet. Because of that, he was only beaten to an inch of his life by the Duke¡¯s retainers.

    After hearing what had happened, Vince was momentarily astounded. ¡°This trash really did die!¡± Since he knew for sure he wasn¡¯t the man that his father was saying he was. After all, the current Vince¡¯s real name was Chumong Herr, a terminal patient who had passed away on his hospital bed.

    ¡°Why are you taking all this so calmly?¡± His father asked after studying his face. ¡°The Duke¡¯s daughter¡¯s reputation is at stake here. If all this gets out, not only will it tarnish the daughter¡¯s reputation, but Duke Evergreen will personally deal with our Redwall family.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­ How do you suppose we resolve this?¡± Vince asked. It wasn¡¯t his fault that the original Vince was scum, but now that he was given a second chance at life, it was a minor price to pay.

    His father coldly smiled after hearing his words, it was as if his father expected him to say them all along. ¡°The Duke and I have come to an agreement. Since there were witnesses to testify that Lady Sophia wasn¡¯t in her room alone with you at the time, your punishment will be minor.¡±

    Vince who was awaiting the verdict like a guilty defendant at the stand let out a sigh of relief. At the very least who would be able to enjoy this life for a bit longer.

    ¡°You need to be taught a lesson. And so, I have volunteered you for basic training with Duke Evergreen¡¯s famous Evergreen Ranger Corps. Pack up, you¡¯ll be leaving within the week.¡± Like a slam of the judge¡¯s hammer, his father¡¯s words struck him deep and hard.

    It wasn¡¯t because he was forced into basic training, but because the name ¡°Evergreen Ranger Corps¡± rang a bell. Before he was sent out of the study, he asked his father, ¡°The Evergreen Ranger Corps¡­ Sophia Evergreen¡­ Is the Duke Zenobia Evergreen of the Emerald Forest?!¡±

    It was his father¡¯s turn to act calm. ¡°Of course. So you have heard to Zenobia of the Emerald Forest. Then you should know just how lucky you are to have this chance. Now go, I have work to do.¡± His father didn¡¯t see him off before turning to the piles of paper on his desk.

    Outside the study, a nervous mother paced back and forth. Finally, when her son came out she hastily walked forward and embraced her child. ¡°Vince, what did your father say?¡± She worriedly asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ Mom.¡± The words felt awkward rolling off his tongue and her intimate manner of showing her care made him feel uncomfortable.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± She visibly looked sad as he pushed her away.

    ¡°Can I ask you something?... Mom?¡± He sheepishly said. Something very important was nagging at mind and it was bothering him a lot.

    ¡°Mhm?¡±

    ¡°My real name isn¡¯t Vince is it?¡± A little part of him hoped that she would say no and that his real name was Vince.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± She asked puzzled at the strange question. ¡°Do you dislike Mommy calling you Vince? I¡¯ll call you Vincent then.¡± As if solving a mystery, she clapped her hand and smiled brightly.

    ¡°I¡¯m Vincent Silverlight?¡± Vincent felt a shiver run down the back of his spine.

    ¡°Oh no¡­ Did they hurt your head too?¡± His mother grabbed his head and started ruffling through his hair, searching for a bruise.

    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m¡­ Please let me have some time to think.¡± Vincent pushed away his mother and walked off. He felt his heart tighten and it was becoming hard to breathe. He ran to his room and as soon as he sluggishly slammed the door shut he ran into the bathroom and dry heaved.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Vincent¡­ Silverlight¡­¡± He began to repeat to himself. ¡°I¡¯m destined to die¡­¡± He managed to say between gasps for air.

    Vincent Silverlight. A trash from a rural noble house that continuously antagonizes the main character of ¡°Blaze Fantasia¡±. Once Vincent took things too far by assaulting the MC¡¯s female companions, the MC¡¯s deals with him by ruining his reputation and killing without leaving him a grave. Not only does Vincent matter little, but he was the foil character to bring the MC and the love interests of the novel closer together. He was really a pitiful character whose sole purpose was for fan service.

    Back when Chumong was alive, he was really interested in light novels. Since he was hospital bound, his only companions were television and books. The series he was reading before dying was called ¡°Blaze Fantasia¡±. It was a wish fulfillment novel with swords and magic that youths between the ages of 15-24 enjoyed. He had always pictured what it would be like to be a main character in such a situation, but now that such a situation really happened to him he regretted those previous na?ve thoughts. He had become a character that was slated to die earlier in the novel; slated to die a dog¡¯s death with nothing to be remembered by.

    ¡°This fate¡­ I¡¯ll change it.¡±

 Chapter 2 - The Aion Ring

    The original Vincent was a playboy scum. Towards the end of the original Vincent¡¯s short appearance he had fallen down into the deepest pits of the world: debauchery, alcohol, gambling, and more. It was when the original Vincent had nearly raped two girls from the main character¡¯s cohort that the main character had finally decided to finish him off. However, Vincent in this timeline had appeared in an earlier point in time. It was approximately one year before Vincent officially meets the MC at the academy and the start of the novel ¡°Blaze Fantasia¡±.

    The reason why he knew it was one year before the beginning events of ¡°Blaze Fantasia¡± was because of the quick backstory given to Vincent. The original Vincent was also punished in the same exact way he was being punished. He would be sent to the Evergreen Ranger Corps to train and learn some discipline. However, the original Vincent hadn¡¯t taken too kindly to the good intentions of the punishment and had only gain strength without wisdom. It made the original more volatile and bigoted, which resulted in him antagonizing the MC.

    With the limited time he had to prepare, Vincent quickly jotted down all the information he knew from the novel. He also began to brainstorm different solutions to his current predicament. Without much information to go on his emergency plan was to avoid the MC altogether, since his reputation was the lowest, he didn¡¯t want to offend the MC in any way.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I be given a cheat ability like how all reincarnation tropes should have.¡± He mumbled as he walked out to the carriage bound for the ranger training camp. When he looked out to the shabby average-looking carriage he wasn¡¯t too impressed. Aside from his mother, the driver, and an escort guard, there was nobody else. He wasn¡¯t expecting a large send off, but other than his mother sending him off, there was technically nobody else; his reputation was the lowest of low it seems.

    When he approached his mother she embraced him, he had gotten somewhat used to her intimate gestures. ¡°Vince¡­ My boy is going far away from Mommy and for a long time¡­¡± She began tearing up.

    ¡°Mom¡­ I won¡¯t be long. Before you know it, I¡¯ll be home again.¡± He didn¡¯t know what to expect from the ranger training camp other than the fact that the original Vincent became stronger after returning. The best he could do was reassure his mother that he would be fine.

    ¡°Mommy knows¡­¡± She wiped at the tears before they could trickle down her cheeks and took out a worn silver ring and handed it to Vincent.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°Take it. This was your grandfathers¡¯ ring, Vince. He always wore it and it protected him many times on the battlefield.¡± She had a faraway look in her eyes as she began to recall the past.

    Vincent felt the heavy atmosphere and decided to lighten the mood a bit. ¡°I don¡¯t think I want it. Isn¡¯t Grandfather dead?¡±

    ¡°MM!¡± His mother began to pout like a child. ¡°Mommy is serious! Your Grandpa gave Mommy this ring, that¡¯s why he died. If he had¡ª¡°

    ¡°I get it, Mom. I was just playing.¡± He took the ring from her and wore it on his left index. It was surprisingly comfortable.

    ¡°MM!¡± She began puffing her cheeks out.

    Vincent smiled warmly before hugging his mother. It was such a different sight than his past life and this feeling made him feel warm inside. After calming down a bit, she patted her son¡¯s head a few times before saying, ¡°Take care. Don¡¯t work too hard. Eat well. If they treat you too harshly, you can always come home.¡±

    ¡°I know, Mom¡­ I know.¡± He got on the carriage and soon left the estate. He looked back one last time and waved at his mother before she disappeared around the bend.

    When Vincent had finally left, Zeke Redwall walked out from the main household along with the regal-looking woman. ¡°Something about the boy has changed.¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    The regal woman walked up to Zeke and intimately grabbed his arm. ¡°I hope this time the troublemaker will learn some manners. He really is tarnishing the Redwall name.¡±

    ¡°Juno, don¡¯t talk about my Vince like that!¡± The silver haired lady beckoned with her frail-looking fist. She tried to look fierce, but her adorableness made it hardly convincing.

    ¡°Mhm. Maybe the boy is finally maturing.¡± Zeke nodded his head and turned to head in along with Juno. Zeke turned to look at the silver haired woman, ¡°Catherine¡­ He isn¡¯t tarnishing the Redwall name, because after all¡­ He¡¯s a Silverlight.¡±

    ¡°Yea¡­ He¡¯s a Silverlight.¡± She looked off in the direction that Vincent left for a bit longer before returning inside.

    ¡ª

    Even though the carriage looked shabby, just going by the comfort of the ride made the carriage top-class. At first Vince thought that it would be a bumpy and rough trip, but for the most part he hardly felt anything throughout the trip. The ease of traveling to the ranger training camp might be attributed to the well-maintained roads and the constant patrols throughout the area. Since the Redwall territory and the Evergreen territory are neighbors separated by the Emerald Forest, it wasn¡¯t a very long trip. The Emerald Forest was a categorized danger zone within the Eidolon Kingdom and played a major role in the original ¡°Blaze Fantasia¡± novel.

    Only the inner depths of the forest was dangerous, but there were still chances that the creatures from the depths would mistakenly wander out. It was due to these kinds of situation that the Duke of the northeast, Duke Evergreen was put in charge of maintain security around the southern perimeter of the Emerald Forest. It was also that reason that the public security along the main roads was very good and bandit attacks rarely happen around the Emerald Forest.

    Vincent was bored during the week long journey. It was such a beautiful country road, but even a child would be bored after seeing trees for the umpteenth time. In his boredom, he began to fiddle around with the ring his mother had given him. The ring looked aged with dozens of scratches on its exterior, a reminder that it had been worn through many battles. There was no jewelry or any decorations, it was only a silver band. When Vincent looked in the interior band, he could make out a few letters.

    ¡°Sanctus¡­ Aeternum¡­ Is this latin?¡± He mumbled casually. He was just about to return the ring to his finger when an abrupt wave of steam expelled from the ring, causing him to yelp and drop it.

    ¡°Is something the matter, Young Master?¡± The escort out front called out.

    ¡°N-nothing, just ignore it.¡± Vincent answered back as he bent down to pick up the now scratchless silver ring. After studying it in his hands and noticing nothing about the ring has changed aside from the clean exterior, he shrugged it off and wore it again. However, this time, a weird dialog box appeared in front of him.

    ===

    Scanning¡­

    Scan Complete.

    New User Detected.

    Initializing New User Introduction¡­

    ===

    After the text box closed a new one opened up.

    ===

    Welcome to the Reality Manipulation System, Vincent.

    Error¡­

    Configuring¡­

    Previous file found relating to User: Vincent.

    Uploading¡­

    ===

    Vincent remained perplexed throughout the short time that it took for the messages to appear. Finally, after the text box closed a strange phenomenon happened. He was no longer sitting in the carriage, but standing in a blank space. It was an endless abyss no matter where he looked and left him with a feeling of suffocation. The feeling didn¡¯t last long though, because an old man appeared in front of him in the next moment.

    The man was regal looking and every part of the old man¡¯s body exuded dignity and power. The most striking feature of all though were his fierce blue eyes. Even though the man was a stranger to Vincent, a part of him new who the man was; this old man was his grandfather.

    ¡°So our line hadn¡¯t end. That¡¯s good.¡± The man said as he studied Vincent just like how Vincent was studying him. ¡°Weak.¡± He sneered.

    Vincent frowned at the harsh remark. ¡°What is this place?¡± He was beginning to dislike this relative of his.

    ¡°This is inside the Aion Ring. If I¡¯m here right now, it means that you are my descendant.¡± He waved his hand, causing a text box to appear. ¡°You are far too weak to use the powers of this ring. Come back when you are stronger.¡± He said as he tapped something. The next thing Vincent knew, he was forcibly pulled out and after a moment of vertigo appeared back in the seat of his carriage with a severe headache.

    ¡°That stupid old man¡­¡± He mumbled as his consciousness blacked out.

 Chapter 3 - Welcomed Punishments

    When he woke up again he was inside a wooden hut. ¡°It seems like waking up in unfamiliar rooms is going to be more common for me in the future.¡± He mumbled as he groggily got up. It felt like a ten ton hammer was pounding on his head. He struggled to his feet before walking outside of the hut to the sound of screaming men.

    What greeted his eyes was a clearing inside the forest with similar wooden buildings just like his neatly lined up in uniformity. A bunch of men dressed in loose clothes were forcibly running through an obstacle course three meters up in the trees. There were people on the ground casually shooting padded arrows at the obstacle goers as they try to traverse the obstacle course. In conclusion, it was chaotic and doesn¡¯t do much to help with his headache.

    ¡°Redwall kid. You¡¯re finally up from your beauty sleep?¡± A rough man approached him from the side. The man didn¡¯t look too large, at least he wasn¡¯t bulging with muscles. The authoritative man was actually average looking; if he were seen on the street, he wouldn¡¯t stand out from any other person. The only thing that was different about this man were his sharp eyes there were looking down on Vincent.

    ¡°Just about.¡± Vincent replied as he tried to shake off the headache.

    ¡°You got a lot of balls, Kid. Drinking right before arriving at the camp. Let me guess¡­ you didn¡¯t want any of it confiscated after you¡¯ve arrived?¡± Although his tone seemed friendly, his eyes were looking at Vincent like Vincent was some trash that had wandered across his path.

    ¡°No, Sir. I was¡ª¡° Vincent was about to explain.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Your punishment will be to wash the dirty clothes for a month.¡± The man snapped his fingers and two more youths walked over with two baskets of clothes. ¡°My name is Halt and I will be your instructor. I¡¯ve received noticed from the Duke and have personally put you under my charge. Now move! If you don¡¯t finish this by noon, you won¡¯t get lunch.¡±

    Vincent was left standing there with a splitting headache and two baskets of smelly clothes. He was speechless and angry, he silently swore under his breath, ¡°Shitty old man.¡± Before hauling the two baskets with him to the nearby stream.

    There were already a few youths by the stream washing their own bundles of clothes. The looks on their faces told Vincent everything as he walked to an empty station. Vincent had never washed any clothes in both his lives, but after examining the other youths around him soon figured it out. He quickly filled the basin with some water from the stream and dumped the two baskets of dirty laundry inside. Soon he had lathered up some soap and was scrubbing the clothes on a washboard.

    ¡°Hey, you must be new here huh?¡± A friendly young man sat down next to him to also wash clothes. Vincent was a bit surprised by the cheerful youth. ¡°Ah! Don¡¯t forget to turn the clothes inside out before you scrub.¡±

    ¡°Alright¡­ Thanks.¡± Due to his splitting headache, Vincent didn¡¯t want to converse so he quietly thanked the youth beside him and continued washing the clothes while grumbling.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name? Mine is Norman. I¡¯m from Teridal, a village a few days from here.¡± Seeming to not get the message, Norman continued talking.

    ¡°Vincent. From Redwall.¡±

    ¡°Redwall? Isn¡¯t that pretty far from here? You must really like the Rangers, huh?¡± The chatterbox droned on, not noticing the fact that no one was listening to him.

    Even though Norman¡¯s mouth never seemed to cease moving, his hands were the same. Not long after arriving beside Vincent, Norman had finished four baskets of clothes and already bid his farewell and went to hang them to dry.

    ¡°Phew¡­¡± Vincent sighed as he stretched his tired waist. He had just hung up his batch of clothes to dry. Now that the headache wasn¡¯t as severe and he had some time to think, he began examining the ring on his hand.

    It was called ¡°Aion Ring¡± by his grandfather. The inscription on the inside of the ring read out as Sanctus Aeternum, which was Latin for eternal saint. The strange thing about it was that the writing of the common language in this world doesn¡¯t exist on earth; just how did Latin appear in this world?

    ¡°Aion Ring¡­ Just what are you?¡± He mumbled. ¡°I never knew Vincent had such a backstory¡­ It feels like just a game, haha¡­¡± He felt a little silly thinking about how unreal the situation was. Even though he had transmigrated into this fantasy world for a while now, he still couldn¡¯t get over the surreal reality that was presented to him. In the original novel, ¡°Blaze Fantasia¡±, the MC was able to see his status with his unique skill.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°Now if only I was able to access my status¡­¡±.

    As soon as he said those words¡­

    ===

    Status

    [Strength] (12)

    [Endurance] (9)

    [Agility] (17)

    [Perception] (12)

    [Magic] (6)

    Talents

    [Flexible Body] (null)

    Titles

    [Inheritor of the Aion Ring]

    ===

    ¡°No way¡­¡± Vincent was left flabbergasted as the dialogue box popped up. Since he was bedridden his whole past life, he had plenty of time to read novels and play games. Now that he was literally living in one, he felt his aspirations began to grow. He felt as if the clouds overhead was beginning to clear. As long as he¡¯s able to stay away from the MC, he felt that there was another direction he could walk in.

    Just as he was thinking this, Halt managed to break him from his daydream.

    ¡°What are you doing there lazing about, Cadet?!¡± Halt stormed over.

    ¡°I¡­ w-was j-just¡ª¡° Vincent answered.

    ¡°No excuses. Your next task will be to gather water from further upstream.¡± Halt began to explain the process of drawing water. Vincent had to bring two buckets that were attached on opposite ends of a pole and fill them into the large basin located at one corner of the camp. He had to fill the whole basin, which could take up to 30 buckets. It might not seem a lot, but because the location to draw the water from was far away from the camp it would take a lot of effort.

    ¡°Stupid old man and his unreasonable punishments.¡± Vincent grumbled as he shouldered the filled buckets. It only took five minutes to get to the spot, but he had to make at least 15 trips. ¡°There¡¯s no use arguing about this, I gotta get this done in time if I want to eat.¡± The afternoon meal was about to start.

    The first trip was easy. Vincent only felt a bit sore on his shoulder that the pole rested on. However, on the fifth trip his shoulder had begun to ache, prompting him to switch to the other. On the tenth trip, his legs ached as he constantly swapped shoulders ever few steps. Lunch had already begun when he finally finished filling up the basin.

    Vincent had only managed to drag himself to the canteen area before seeing that most of the food was already eaten. Only a few pieces of bread were left which he promptly snatched up in defeat. The tables were already empty, because the other cadets had already eaten and left for their afternoon training. The remainder only silently eyed him before hastily slurping up their soup and departing.

    ¡°Seems like they know who I am.¡± Vincent weakly smiled before sitting down and ripping into his stale loaves of bread. As he chewed the cardboard like bread with grainy texture, he opened up his status menu again.

    ===

    Status

    [Strength] (12.6)

    [Endurance] (10)

    [Agility] (17.2)

    [Perception] (12)

    [Magic] (6)

    Talents

    [Flexible Body] (null)

    Titles

    [Inheritor of the Aion Ring]

    ===

    ¡°What? Were my stats like this before?!¡± He paused temporarily and tried to remember what he saw from earlier. ¡°They definitely have risen.¡± He gulped loudly. ¡°If so¡­ then doesn¡¯t this mean if I continue to work hard my low stats will increase?¡± He inwardly smiled.

    It has to be known that the MC¡¯s stats were in the high twenties at the beginning of the novel. It was because the MC¡¯s talent [Growth Potential] allowed him to improve his stats easily. It was such an unfair cheat and Vincent was envious of it. However, he knew that [Growth Potential] only works until the MC¡¯s stats were 50 and doesn¡¯t work after that point. However, to reach 50 in all stats was already amazing in and of itself.

    Even though those thoughts were going through his mind, Vincent decided to put those to the back of his mind and only focus on the improvements that came with his labor. His next task was chopping wood into lumber. Being a training camp located deep in the forest made it necessary for some independence from resources like magic stoves and indoor plumbing. Even though Vincent¡¯s whole body was aching at the end of the day, he was smiling to himself as he viewed his improved stats.

    ===

    Status

    [Strength] (14)

    [Endurance] (11)

    [Agility] (18)

    [Perception] (12)

    [Magic] (6)

    Talents

    [Flexible Body] (null)

    Titles

    [Inheritor of the Aion Ring]

    ===

 Chapter 4 - Inner Demon

    It was a warm and humid morning in the middle of summer. Vincent had already been at the training camp for a few weeks and had continued to do the chores of the camp. Many had taken to calling his the chore boy behind his back. Vincent was oblivious to these names, because he was still bathing in the happiness of his improving stats. Also, due to his poor reputation, he was ostracized by everyone, but he didn¡¯t mind it much; he was used to it in his past life. Sometimes being ignored was a blessing.

    ¡°What¡¯s your judgement on the Redwall boy?¡± A man asked as he observed the youth chopping wood.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get that kid. He comes to camp dead drunk that even a fire wouldn¡¯t wake him. Slacks off when no one was watching and acts stuck up and refuses to socialize with anybody. However, whenever I punish him he always perks up and smirks like a smartass back at me.¡± Halt complained. He was the instructor for Vincent, and was an old hand at training soldiers, but Vincent¡¯s attitude still left him guessing.

    ¡°From what my informants managed to dig up, the Redwall boy was the lowest of trash. Aside from murder, he had done it all. There were rumors that he would have thugs kidnapped young girls for him to play with. Those are just rumors, but since he¡¯s the scum of Redwall, it¡¯s most likely true.¡± The man sneered.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s true.¡± Halt hesitantly replied. ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen so far, aside from his poor communication skills and tendency to daydream, he¡¯s just like any normal kid¡­ maybe more like an easy-going kid.¡±

    ¡°Still¡­ I can¡¯t stop imagining what could¡¯ve happened to my niece if she was in her room when he barged in¡­¡± Aster clenched his teeth in frustration.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t happen, that¡¯s all that you should care about. Isn¡¯t that why the kid is here? I think it¡¯s time to test the kid¡¯s temperament.¡± Halt lightly said.

    ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡­¡± Aster turned to look at Halt all bewildered-like.

    ¡°With this test, we¡¯ll truly know just what¡¯s going on in his mind.¡± Halt flashed a toothy grin.

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll give you permission to use THAT.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Unbeknownst to Vincent, two men had already decided his next punishment. Vincent was ecstatic the last couple days. His stats were steadily raising and his endurance had already reached 20. His chores, which he called daily tasks, consisted of washing the dirty clothes, drawing water, chopping wood, patrolling, and drilling, had all contributed to the increase of his stats.

    ¡°If only my perception and magic would increase.¡± He let out a soft sigh. ¡°It truly wouldn¡¯t be a fantasy world if I can¡¯t use magic.¡± He felt some regret. Magic was something that required lots of time and training in order to use. Not only was magic costly, but only the talented could become powerful magicians. Even though he obviously had no talent in magic, he still wanted to raise his magic stat, in the off chance that he would be able to use it. Just as he was contemplating how he would raise his magic stat, his prison warden, Halt appeared in front of him.

    ¡°Drop those buckets and follow me. Don¡¯t ask any questions.¡± Halt motioned for him to follow and they took off into the forest.

    ¡°This old man can¡¯t be bringing me out of the camp to kill me right?¡± Vincent thought. ¡°No, the original Vincent had gone through this and came back alive.¡±

    ¡°Here we are.¡± Halt stopped in front of a stone door with a strange symbol on it.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Vincent traced the engraved symbol.

    ¡°I said not to ask any questions.¡± Halt berated him and motioned for Vincent to enter.

    The inside of the cave wasn¡¯t small nor was it very big. There was no lighting inside the cave and Vincent could only make out a small indent in the center of the cave.

    ¡°Wait here.¡± Halt commanded and left. Soon after, a low rumble was heard at the door.

    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Vincent sucked in a cold breath as he yelled only to be met with the echoing of his own voice. The darkness encroached closer to him as he felt a shiver pass down his spine. ¡°Could this be how I die?¡± He felt his breathing quicken as he shrunk down and curled up.

    ¡°No¡­ Not like this¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡­ Don¡¯t want to be alone¡­ again¡­¡±

    Images of the cold hospital room flashed in front of him. The darkness of the cave was gone, replaced by the dead setting of the pure white hospital room. Vincent¡­ Chumong laid on his bread, hooked up to the ICU. His limbs refusing to obey him as he laid motionless. His eyes stared at the ceiling with no light in them.

    ¡°NOOOOO!!!¡± Vincent began to dry heave.

    It was during his hysteria that Halt rushed into the cave, once more illuminating the darkness with light from the outside. Halt grabbed at the boy, stopping the boy from further scratching at his face in fear.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ¡°Goddamnit! What the fuck is wrong with you, Kid!¡± He yelled. As soon as he pulled apart the youth¡¯s arms, he felt a strong embrace wrapping around him.

    ¡°D-don¡¯t!... Don¡¯t leave me¡­ I¡¯ll be a good boy¡­¡± Vincent spoke out, sobbing in fear.

    Halt was stunned and didn¡¯t know how to react. However, he could feel the youth¡¯s trembling body and only feel his heart soften. ¡°Look kid, I dunno what¡¯s wrong with ya, but don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯m here.¡± Halt felt uncomfortable, because as an instructor he wasn¡¯t supposed to show compassion, but this was the first time seeing such a reaction from someone.

    Not long later, Vincent had finally calmed down somewhat and moved away from Halt. He felt around his body and felt his rapidly beating heart. He swung his arms around and stamped his feet. He jumped and skipped around and after finally reassuring himself did he let out a deep breath.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for that odd behavior.¡± Vincent said apologetically.

    ¡°¡­¡± Halt studied the kid once more. ¡°I can¡¯t seem to understand ya, Kid.¡± Halt grumbled and left, leaving the entrance to the cave wide open. Vincent followed after him and soon returned to finishing his chores.

    Aster was drilling a batch of cadets when Halt came up to him.

    ¡°Halt! So how¡¯s the Redwall boy¡¯s reaction?¡± Aster asked interested in the reply.

    ¡°¡­ He¡¯s a good kid.¡± Halt answered solemnly and turned around leaving. Aster was left with a confused look on his face as he looked at the back of his leaving comrade.

    Ever since the affair with Vincent¡¯s breakdown in the cave, Halt had stopped pestering him. Vincent had also reflected on what he did. He continued his daily routine until summer became autumn.

    ¡°Status.¡±

    ===

    Status

    [Strength] (20)

    [Endurance] (21)

    [Agility] (23.2)

    [Perception] (12.3)

    [Magic] (6)

    Talents

    [Flexible Body] (null)

    Titles

    [Inheritor of the Aion Ring]

    ===

    Vincent felt some satisfaction upon viewing his stats. However, ever since he reached the twenty threshold, he began to feel his improvements stagnating. It would take him the whole day before even earning 0.1 in one of the three categories.

    ¡°Is this the full potential of this body?¡± Vincent frowned. ¡°This is only slightly stronger than a full grown man.¡± He frowned. Right now he was as strong as a soldier who had undergone training for a year. Even though he only spent a few months to get to this point which was already amazing, he was comparing himself to the main character. ¡°Even at my strongest, I can¡¯t even match up to the main character.¡± He humorlessly laughed at his pitiful ability.

    ¡°What are you going on about, Kid?¡± Halt appeared and asked. In the time that Halt stopped pestering Vincent, he had been studying Vincent and trying to make sense of Vincent¡¯s temperament. What he had concluded was that Vincent wasn¡¯t what the rumors had indicated. In truth, Vincent was more like positive gentle kid with a communication disorder. Halt had paid attention to Vincent¡¯s earnest hard work and positive outlook during this short period.

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent silently stared at Halt. In his perspective, Halt was a cruel man who loved to torture him.

    Halt flinched at the kid¡¯s clear and sharp gaze and felt a little guilty. ¡°*Kuhum* I came to tell you that your punishment had ended. You can rejoin the other cadets in their physical training.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need. I won¡¯t get any stronger.¡± Vincent shook his head.

    Halt¡¯s gaze narrowed upon hearing those words. ¡°What do you mean?¡± He walked over to Vincent, ¡°Let me see.¡± Halt said as he starts feeling Vincent¡¯s body.

    ¡°Wha- Hey!¡± Vincent yelled in fright. ¡°I don¡¯t consent~!¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Idiot! I¡¯m only checking your muscles.¡± Halt yelled back embarrassingly. Even though it looked like Halt was doing a poor job at checking Vincent¡¯s muscle mass he was actually paying close attention.

    ¡°Are you finished yet?¡± Vincent cried out. ¡®I can¡¯t get married anymore¡­¡¯ he though.

    ¡°Just about.¡± Halt said and stepped back. Halt was actually impressed. Although Vincent didn¡¯t look well-built, the kid¡¯s body was actually very toned and hard. In short, Vincent¡¯s muscles were very dense; a perfect body for explosive strength and endurance. In fact, Halt was even slightly envious, because halt would prefer having a body like Vincent instead of his stocky build.

    ¡°So?¡± Vincent asked curious at the results.

    ¡°It¡¯s as you¡¯ve said, Kid. Your body is at peak fitness.¡±

    ¡°Then what should I do?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Halt studied the kid¡¯s earnest eyes before making his decision. ¡°Normally I wouldn¡¯t give a rat¡¯s ass, but I¡¯ll tell ya something good.¡± He motioned for Vincent to come closer. ¡°There¡¯s a way to surpass your limits and continue improving yourself.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Vincent asked enthusiastically.

    ¡°Do ya remember that cave a while back?¡± Halt asked carefully, paying attention to Vincent¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°Oh¡­ That cave?¡± Ever since that incident Vincent had worked hard at calming his mind.

    ¡°Yes. In truth, that place is a very special place. That place is used to train our top agents. Right now, what you are seeing are our basic cadets.¡± Halt motioned around. ¡°After finishing their basic training, the cadets would then choose a specialization and go on from there. Out of every batch of cadets there is sometimes one that exceeds the standards and recommended to join our top unit, the Ranger unit.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard about them. That¡¯s where the Evergreen Ranger corps first got its name from.¡± Vincent chimed in. In one arc of the novel, the Evergreen Rangers played a pivotal role in supporting the MC.

    ¡°Yes, every Ranger not only requires a fit body, but also a fit mind.¡± Halt tapped his head. ¡°That¡¯s where the cave comes in. It¡¯s an enchanted room, gifted by the royal throne. Once inside and closed off, the whispers of the devil will tempt one¡¯s mind and must be resisted. Through this tempering, we¡¯re able to train our minds and willpower.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s why!¡± Vincent¡¯s eyes brighten up. ¡°So you thought I was ready for it, that¡¯s why you took me there the other day, right?¡± Vincent felt his heart warm up at this tsundere uncle.

    ¡°Err¡­ R-right! I always believed in ya kid. I didn¡¯t think ya would react so strongly to it, so I decided to wait fer a while before asking again.¡± Halt awkwardly scratched the back of his head. ¡°So? Ya wanna give it another go?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent clenched his fists before sticking out his chest. ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡±

    ¡°Atta¡¯boy!¡± Halt yelled while smiling.

 Chapter 5 - Overcoming Fears

    ¡°Remember. These are just the whispers of your inner devils. They aren¡¯t real.¡± Halt reminded one last time before closing the entrance and enclosing Vincent in darkness.

    This time when Vincent closed his eyes and opened them again, he was leaning against the window while sitting up on his bed. The hospital room was as cold as ever, but Vincent kept reminding himself that this was nothing but an illusion. Just a super realistic illusion complete with the beeping machinery and sickly smell.

    He felt his heart rate rise, but after a few deep breaths, was able to calm it down once more. Like that, he spent the whole evening inside the cave, with his resolve controlling his fears.

    Halt was worried about the youth inside the cave at first, and continued to wait outside in case the same thing happened like the previous time. He waited for a while, but after not hearing any commotion, he let out a relieved sigh.

    ¡°You¡¯ve changed quite a lot, Halt.¡± Aster commented as he approached Halt.

    ¡°Aster, so how¡¯s the result of your investigations?¡± Halt asked curiously.

    ¡°The Redwall boy? Well¡­ The rumors about kidnapping girls were unfounded. They were just rumors. Although the rest of them were true. He¡¯s a womanizer. He drinks. He extorts commoners using his title as the son of a noble. He gambles. Even though he¡¯s trash, it seems that all his ¡®relationships¡¯ were¡­ consensual.¡± Aster scratched his cheek awkwardly.

    ¡°A real lady killer, huh?¡± Halt chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s good. It¡¯s best ta enjoy youth when ya have the chance. I can¡¯t say the same for ya though, Aster.¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡± Aster replied in a huff.

    ¡°Ya just hafta go and knock up your superior and got her pregnant on your first time too, shame haha!¡± Halt laughed and clapped Aster¡¯s shaking shoulders. In truth, Aster had gotten drunk during a celebration and had slept with his commanding officer and later found out she was pregnant. The officer was a fierce lady and soon forced a marriage upon him even though he was a noble; it just goes to show how fierce the lady was.

    Not long after, a low grinding sound sounded out and the entrance opened up. A pale youth hobbled out. Vincent looked as if he hadn¡¯t slept in days as he walked over to Halt. He spoke with a relieved smile on his face,

    ¡°Thanks for giving me this opportunity.¡± Just like that, he left the two bewildered pair and returned to back to camp.

    After a while, Halt asked Aster, ¡°A real lady killer indeed¡­¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡± Aster softly answered as he grimaced.

    Vincent crashed into his bed after what seemed like an eternity. Even though his body wasn¡¯t sore or aching he felt like he had just ran a marathon. However, it was well worth the effort. Not only was he facing his fears, he also gained something from it.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Status.¡±

    ===

    Status

    [Strength] (20)

    [Endurance] (21)

    [Agility] (23.2)

    [Perception] (14)

    [Magic] (6)

    Talents

    [Flexible Body] (null)

    Titles

    [Inheritor of the Aion Ring]

    ===

    ¡°My perception increased by over one point. I remember checking when it increased the last time, so it was because of that training room.¡± He said with a satisfied smile and finally drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

    Over the next few weeks, Vincent would train himself in the cave. Even though his physical attributes no longer increased, his perception was increasing at a monstrous pace. Often times he would remain there throughout the night, only to return in the morning. People have taken to calling him a night owl. Finally, late one autumn morning, Halt once again appeared before him.

    ¡°Working hard as always, Kid.¡± Halt was no longer so strict and cold, his attitude towards Vincent now was like night and day since the first time they¡¯ve met. ¡°Lookit here. Today ya don¡¯t hafta go ta the training cave. I¡¯m gonna teach ya something good.¡±

    ¡°Really? What is it?¡± Vincent asked. Lately, his view of Halt had changed from unreasonable strict drill instructor to more of a shy uncle who doesn¡¯t know how to express himself. It was quite cute.

    ¡°Be grateful, Kid. Cadets only learn this after a year of physical training.¡± Halt said as he took out practice swords from under a tent. ¡°This is the Evergreen Swordsmanship. HAH!¡± He started brandishing the sword.

    Vincent looked on with expectant eyes as Halt began demonstrating the different forms of Evergreen Swordsmanship. As Halt waved his sword around wildly, Vincent couldn¡¯t think much of it. But, Vincent would get a weird feeling once in a while it felt as if Halt¡¯s movements had a sort of rhythm to it.

    ¡°There. Did ya see me, Kid?¡± Halt asked calmly. He wasn¡¯t sweating nor did that short exertion cause him to breathe harder. ¡°The essence of Evergreen Swordsmanship, if you¡¯re able to grasp this, it¡¯ll help you in things you do every day.¡±

    ¡°Let me guess, you¡¯re not going to tell me what it is?¡± Vincent asked grimly.

    ¡°Smart kid! Of course ya hafta learn it yourself!¡± Halt laughed boisterously and patted his shoulder and left.

    Vincent sighed and shook his head and assumed the basic stance that he remembered Halt returning to after every move. It was a standard horse stance with his legs bent and his body low to the ground. When Vincent crouched down into the stance, he felt himself become more stable. Surprised, Vincent¡¯s eyes widened and continued practicing the basic set of moves. He sliced, he stabbed, he chopped; Vincent practiced these basic moves constantly. Due to the amount of training he had done whilst in the cave, his focus and concentration allowed him to tune out the eyes of the other cadets practicing nearby.

    ¡°What¡¯s that trash doing here? Isn¡¯t it only for us 2<sup>nd</sup> years?¡± A cadet muttered to his buddy.

    ¡°SHH! Not too loud he might hear you!¡± his buddy hastily whispered back.

    ¡°Special privilege for being a noble I bet.¡± Someone sneered from the side.

    ¡°Whatever, let¡¯s just do our own thing, people like that won¡¯t last long anyways.¡± Conversations like these were rapidly spreading around in the clearing and even Halt and Aster caught wind of it, but the person in question was off in his own world.

 Chapter 6 - Evergreen Swordsmanship

    Mastering the basic forms were easy. It just took constant repetitions for the basic moves to be ingrained into his body. *Swish* an overhead chop smashed down not unlike an axe to firewood. Vincent felt his muscles work in unison to lift the sword back up as he returned to origin. ¡°As I thought, it¡¯s a bit silly to call it that.¡± He embarrassingly rubbed his nose. It was due to too many novels he read, that he began naming the stance the origin stance.

    Vincent¡¯s way of learning was different to the other cadets. The others were at the camp to actually become soldiers once they finish their training. Vincent was only there, because he was being punished. Not only that, Vincent wasn¡¯t formally introduced to the rest of the cadets so he couldn¡¯t just join in on their training sessions. Halt was his instructor, but the tsundere uncle was often off somewhere else, so Vincent could only do self-study by watching from afar.

    Using what he saw the instructors demonstrating and his own understanding, Vincent continued his swordsmanship training. It was also due to this, that his own swordsmanship differed from Evergreen Swordsmanship. Evergreen Swordsmanship favored stability and rooting themselves to the ground just like an ancient tree and its deep network of roots. However, Vincent disliked staying in place and this slow and conservative way of fighting just didn¡¯t fit well with him.

    Vincent preferred to be free like the wind, to come and go at his own whims, never to be held down. His swordsmanship reflected his thoughts as he dashed around on the field striking at different areas of the straw dummy. When you think that Vincent was going to strike your head, your arm would be pierced. When you think it¡¯s your leg, it¡¯s actually your throat. His moves looked fancy and because of it, it made him stand out. Standing out might be a good thing, but in an army training camp, it¡¯s the worst thing you could do. The instructors began using Vincent¡¯s various examples and dissecting it for their units.

    ¡°Look that this unnecessary move.¡± The instructor swung his sword down, but suddenly feinted and kicked out. ¡°This is unnecessary, because it leaves you open to attacks on your torso. Not only that, you will lose your balance when standing on only one foot. In conclusion, use this move only if you want a death wish on the battlefield.¡± Various analysis of this kind popped up all over the place and Vincent was made as an example for other cadets.

    ¡°Hrmm, say whatever you want. It¡¯s still much better than that boring way of fighting.¡± Vincent angrily swore to himself.

    ¡°Is that what ya think, Kid?¡± Halt appeared beside him and asked. Slightly taken aback, Vincent hesitated in his reply. ¡°Kid, the Evergreen Swordsmanship had been passed down from one generation ta the next. It has been refined over dozens of times by people greater than you and I. Why do ya think this swordsmanship is still here today?¡± Halt calmly brought up his own training sword. ¡°It¡¯s because it works.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent silently stared at Halt¡¯s sword with downcast eyes.

    ¡°*Sigh* It¡¯s good ta experiment new things and have your own take on things, Kid. However, that requires ya to be good ta some extent first. Right now, your trying to run before ya can walk an¡¯ it ain¡¯t a good thing ta do. Ya might hurt yourself.¡± Halt explained.

    It was as if the fog had been cleared from Vincent¡¯s eyes as he looked up at Halt¡¯s experienced eyes. ¡°I understand now. Thank you, Old Man!¡± He quickly ran off to join a unit that had just been criticizing him.

    ¡°Damn, Kid. Calling me an old man¡­ I¡¯m only turning 42 this year. I¡¯m gunna teach that kid a lesson again.¡± Halt grumbled as he turned around and left.

    Over by the unit, the other cadets quietly parted and made way for Vincent as he walked up to the instructor.

    ¡°Instructor, I request that you show me just what I¡¯m doing wrong.¡± Vincent earnestly said. When the rest of the cadets heard what the trash said they sucked in a cold breath. The trash had the audacity to challenge an instructor to a spar.

    ¡°You¡­ Do you know what you¡¯re asking?¡± The instructor had a smile that was not a smile.

    ¡°Yes. I would like to compare notes.¡± Vincent assented. As soon as he agreed, murmurs began sounding out from the crowd.

    By this point the instructor¡¯s eyes had already disappeared behind his big smiling face. The instructor visibly shook as he took in deep breaths and said, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t do if I were to be the one. It would look like I¡¯m bullying you. Why don¡¯t I have a fellow cadet join you?¡±

    ¡®What does he mean? I just want to get some advice to improve myself. Why would I ask another cadet to teach me if they are also learning the same material?¡¯ Vincent wondered.

    Vincent shook his head and said, ¡°No, it has to be an instructor. If not you, I¡¯ll just ask another.¡± Vincent said.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    It was as if the instructor had received a physical slap on his face as he flinched and stepped back. ¡°Good¡­ You¡¯ve got guts! Fine! Everyone make some room!¡± Visibly angered, the instructor commanded the rest of the cadets to step back. ¡°I won¡¯t bully you, Boy. I¡¯ll restrict myself to only the basic movesets.¡±

    ¡°*Snicker* That¡¯s all the instructor needs.¡± A cadet whispered.

    ¡°Then I await your guidance.¡± Vincent said as he crouched low in the origin stance.

    ¡°Good form!¡± The instructor smiled and also crouched.

    The voices of the snickering crowd soon died down and was replaced with an impatient atmosphere. On opposite ends of the clearings were two fighters, one with a stable bearing that seemed to be rooted to the ground and on the other was a silver-haired youth who swayed with the breeze.

    The instructor was the one to make the first move.

    ¡°Do you know the greatest drawback of knowing only the basic forms of Evergreen Swordsmanship?¡± He said as he dashed forward. ¡°It¡¯s that it makes it hard for someone to close the distance!¡± True to his word, the instructor only used basic moves like slashes and chops. Even though they were basic moves, they were still fierce. If their swords were metal, they would¡¯ve rang like bells at dinnertime, drawing in folks by the dozen.

    Blow after blow rained down on Vincent. He managed to block the instructor¡¯s strikes, but just barely. Not only were the strikes fast, but they were also heavy, leaving him no time to retaliate. However, Vincent wasn¡¯t perturbed by these strikes. He earnestly welcomed them and felt a rush of excitement whenever he blocked a strike. To him, who truly hadn¡¯t moved his body so much in his past life, this was proof, proof that he was alive.

    Their spar crawled all over the grass clearing. Jeers and hoots rang out from the crowd, ignored by the two as they danced. Finally, unable to block anymore, Vincent was struck in the shoulder, making him visibly shrank back.

    ¡°There.¡± The instructor breathed out. ¡°Instead of keeping your foot in place, you pivoted, destabilizing your balance.¡± The instructor informed as he pointed at Vincent¡¯s feet.

    ¡°Thanks for the tip.¡± Vincent said as he rubbed his shoulder, but then he returned to the origin stance.

    ¡°Hungry for more?¡± The instructor snickered as he rushed back in.

    Another round of violent attacks resumed. However, this time Vincent heeded the advice and remained in place; keeping in place when taking a hit and moving in the gaps between attacks. Soon, he had found a unique rhythm and if he danced to the tune of the rhythm he could advance and retreat.

    The instructor wasn¡¯t mindlessly attacking out of rage, no matter how angered he was, he still kept in mind their statuses; he was a teacher to the cadet in front of him. It was because of this perspective that he was able to see the rapid growth of the person he was sparring with. At first the cadet was flustered with every strike he made, but now after receiving just a small advice, the student¡¯s bearing had changed. He felt like a whetstone and the student was the blade. This realization made the instructor quite pleased with himself.

    ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re not simple, Kid!¡± The instructor said as he abruptly stopped and blocked an attack by the opposing party.

    ¡°Thanks. I learn from the best, Instructor!¡± Vincent said through gasps of air. Just now he made the first ever attack during the spar. It was only the first of his counterattack.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it seem strange?¡± A cadet murmured to another. ¡°It looks like the trash has grown fangs.¡±

    ¡°Yea, but there¡¯s no way he could beat the instructor though.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, but still¡­¡±

    The scene in front of the cadets was quite different from a minute ago. The two duelers were like two dancers. Instead of a lead, it was like the two for fighting for the role of the lead. With one initiating a step and the other following with a rebuttal and then answering with another step. They weren¡¯t fighting to wound, but fighting to learn. One a teacher and the other a student.

    Finally, just when they both parried each other¡¯s attack, Vincent violently pivoted and spun around. The abrupt maneuver stunned even the instructor; without knowing how to react, the instructor hesitated for just a moment. However, that short moment proved his loss as Vincent¡¯s blade came to rest just under his armpit, poised to slide into his heart.

    ¡°*Huff Huff* Looks like you beat me.¡± The instructor said through his hard breathing. Although he was more skillful than the cadet in front of him, he was getting on in age and wasn¡¯t as fit as he used to. Since he limited himself to just the basic, he could only fight the cadet using his experience and limited skill.

    ¡°*Huff¡­* It was only through your teachings, Instructor.¡± Vincent replied as he withdrew his sword. He saluted as he spoke. ¡°If possible, I could like to join your unit during your demonstrations.¡±

    The instructor¡¯s eyes flash with understanding as he flashed a toothy grin. ¡°As you wish.¡± He then added, ¡°There¡¯s a saying amongst warriors. You can tell a lot about a person from the way they fight.¡± The cryptic message left the cadets puzzled, but only one man knew his meaning.

    ¡°Thank you for giving me this opportunity.¡± Vincent smiled as he bowed.

    Vincent was very happy, so happy in fact that his usual emotionless face revealed a smile. After his bow, as he looked up, he was greeted with a stunned crowd. Even the instructor had a look of disbelief as he stood there frozen in time.

    ¡°Is something wrong?... Instructor?¡± Vincent asked quizzically.

    ¡°Nngh! N-n-notghing!¡± The instructor fumbled out as he waved Vincent away. Having been shooed away, Vincent could only puzzledly guess that he had injured the instructor during their earlier bout and feel apologetic.

    From afar, two stunned men were also arguing.

    ¡°So that¡¯s how he does it.¡± Halt mentioned as he laughed awkwardly.

    ¡°That fucking trash better stay away from my niece or else I¡¯ll cut his thing off!¡± Aster grumbled as he fumed silently.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much on it, Aster.¡± Halt soothed as he patted his old buddy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°So what do you think of the kid¡¯s potential?¡±

    ¡°Hmmph! He¡¯s just a bit better than average, what¡¯s there to say?¡± Aster pouted like a child as he turned the other way.

    ¡°Ha! Right, if he¡¯s just above average then there are no geniuses in this world.¡±

    ¡°Fine! You can get him started on the low-rank movesets!¡± Aster flustered cried as he took his leave.

    ¡°Vincent¡­ He¡¯s gonna be a big deal in the kingdom.¡± Halt mentioned softly as he scratched his chin in contemplation.

 Chapter 7 - Return

    ¡°Status.¡±

    ===

    Status

    [Strength] (20.5)

    [Endurance] (23)

    [Agility] (24)

    [Perception] (33)

    [Magic] (6.2)

    Talents

    [Flexible Body] (null)

    Titles

    [Inheritor of the Aion Ring]

    ===

    ¡°I gained a lot.¡± Vincent inwardly smiled as he traced over his status. He put away the status screen and knocked on a door.

    ¡°Come in.¡± A gruff voice called out from within.

    Vincent calmly entered. He had been at the training camp for a whole year, but this was the first time he ever entered this office. On the opposite side from him stood a tall man. He had the bearing of a general as he slowly turned around.

    ¡°Sir! Cadet Vincent, reporting for discharge!¡± Vincent straightened up as he gave a military salute.

    ¡°The Redwall kid? You¡¯re finally leaving?¡± Aster lightly said. Over the past year, he had silently observed Vincent. Everything that he noticed pointed to the fact that Vincent wasn¡¯t the type of person depicted in the rumors. This contrast had left him questioning the ability of his intelligence personnel. In the end, he had concluded that Vincent was just misunderstood.

    ¡°Sir!¡±

    ¡°Dispose of the formalities, Redwall Kid.¡± Aster motioned for them both to sit down.

    ¡°¡­ Understood.¡± Vincent obeyed the man and sat down. When they were both comfortably seated, he asked, ¡°Is there something you need to talk to me about, Sir?¡±

    ¡°Over the past year, I¡¯ve been watching your progress.¡± Aster pushed forward a file towards Vincent. ¡°You have grown a lot in the last year. Not only has your physical growth been observed but also your conduct.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Vincent received the file and scanned through it. It was a very thorough file, noting his sleep schedule and even the amount of time he spent eating. Perplexed by the investigation, Vincent looked back up at Aster who gave a pained smile.

    ¡°My apologies. However, it was a necessary measure I have to take. After all, it was my niece that was in danger.¡±

    After hearing those words, Vincent finally understood and felt some relief as well.

    ¡°It is understandable.¡± Vincent began to say. ¡°If someone were endanger my family, I too would have done the same.¡± Vincent reasoned. Although he felt no attachment to the Redwall family, he thought of his mother Catherine.

    ¡°Hm.¡± Aster studied Vincent¡¯s face for a short while later before bringing up another matter. ¡°What do you think of our Corps.?¡±

    ¡°The Evergreen Rangers?¡± Vincent asked as he looked out the window. ¡°It¡¯s a great place. The people here are kind. However¡­ I think that this kindness won¡¯t be good to have in the future.¡± Vincent hinted at something as he spoke.

    ¡°I agree.¡± Aster replied as he also stared out the window. ¡°They are only cadets, they haven¡¯t finished their training. Once they finish their training, they¡¯ll be deployed on exercises and patrols. They are a rowdy bunch and it takes a skilled man to lead them.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent looked back at the general¡¯s eyes which looked expectant. ¡°You can¡¯t mean¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Aster stood up and opened up the door. Outside the door Halt had appeared and looked like he was eavesdropping. ¡°Get your ass in here.¡±

    ¡°Hehe, ya caught me.¡± Halt revealed a toothy grin as he straddled on over to the table.

    ¡°I was just informing the Redwall Kid about recruiting him.¡± Aster repeated once more.

    ¡°W-wait.¡± Vincent held up his hand. ¡°Why me?¡±

    ¡°Well for one thing, ya got talent, Kid.¡± Halt leaned back on his chair with his feet propped up.

    ¡°Kuhum, what he meant was that you have a knack for leading. Even though you started off rocky with the other cadets, they respect you for your skills. They fear you at the same as they respect you. That is a talent that not every leader has.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ That¡­¡± Vincent wasn¡¯t sure how to reply to the praise. He was happy for being praised, but if he did acknowledge them it would look like he would accept being officially recruited. Recruitment was the last thing he wanted, because a big event would happen later that would nearly destroy the Evergreen Ranger Corps. Not only that, he still had a role to play. Although he wouldn¡¯t go as far as to be killed, he still had to antagonize the MC a bit to allow the MC to grow.

    ¡°Ya don¡¯t have to say anything, just nod and we¡¯ll begin the procedures.¡± Halt said as he picked at his teeth.

    ¡°No!¡± Vincent abruptly stood up shocking the other two men. ¡°I mean¡­ I still don¡¯t think I am ready for this.¡± Vincent meekly said as he sat down. In truth, he really wasn¡¯t ready to be a troop commander. He was the youngest at the training camp; the average age of cadets was 20 with the youngest cadet aside from him being 18 years old.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Aster rubbed short beard.

    ¡°Well it¡¯s your loss, Kid.¡± Halt seemed to understand Vincent¡¯s meaning and shrugged. ¡°Aster, I told ya the kid ain¡¯t gunna accept.¡±

    ¡°*Sigh* I guess you¡¯re right.¡± Aster relented as he shrugged. ¡°It was worth a shot.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? Why are you two doing this?¡± Vincent asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s not important, Kid. Ya can leave us adults to talk about adult stuff by ourselves.¡± Halt impatiently said as he shooed the youth out. Once Vincent was gone, Halt turned around and said, ¡°So he ultimately didn¡¯t choose this path.¡±

    Aster weakly smiled, ¡°It¡¯s a shame. A once in a lifetime prodigy has escaped our grasp.¡±

    ¡°Ya could¡¯ve just forced him ta stay.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t do. A chained dog is more liable to turn around and bite you once released. Maybe it¡¯s more appropriate to call it a wolf. Anyways, it¡¯s better to befriend the wolf.¡±

    ¡°Ya got that right, Aster.¡±

    ¡°I should send a letter to my brother. He¡¯ll want to know about the Redwall kid¡¯s return.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget ta tell your niece to get closer ta the kid.¡± Halt snickered.

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

 Chapter 8 - William Lightsword

    Vincent felt a sense of relief when he entered the carriage bound for home. He had only known his family for a few short weeks before he had to leave for a year, but strangely enough he missed them. He especially missed Catherine, his mother in this life. When he was at camp, he wasn¡¯t allowed to communicate with them so he had been quite lonely.

    ¡°Young Master, due to increasing monster activity on the road to Redwall, we¡¯ll have to take a detour.¡± The driver spoke out from the front.

    ¡°Monster attacks? Now?¡± Vincent asked quizzically.

    ¡°Yes, Young Master. Ever since the frost melted, the villages bordering the Emerald Forest have been seeing increasing attacks. Since Young Master is traveling alone, it is best if Young Master detours south towards Florence before we make way to Redwall.¡±

    ¡°Florence?¡± The name rang a bell and Vincent sat upright.

    ¡°Yes, Young Master. The town of Florence is within Redwall territory, just south west of Redwall.¡±

    ¡°R-right. Do what you must.¡± Vincent answered back as he sank into deep thought.

    Florence was just an average town that specialized in grains. Aside from being a town, it¡¯s not known for much else. However, there was something in Florence that was really important to Vincent. Vincent gulped loudly as he showed a crazed smile.

    ¡°The opening scene of Blaze Fantasia. The introduction of the main characters.¡± Vincent mumbled to himself.

    Vincent remembered in the prologue of the novel, the MC was arrested by the town guard after having a run-in with Vincent. This was the specific event that was about to happen and he had to prepare himself for making his first impression to the MC. This could determine his fate. A cold sweat crawled down his forehead as he sat in his carriage bound towards his future.

    A few days passed by before the aged walls of Florence came into view. In the time that it took for him to get here, Vincent had conceived a plan. A plan to antagonize the MC, but not to the point where the MC would hate him to death. He had to play his role in the story and use himself to develop the MC; he couldn¡¯t avoid the MC.

    ¡°Young Master, we¡¯ve arrived. It would be best to rest here before we continue onwards to Redwall.¡± The driver said as the escort got off the carriage to present the Redwall seal to the gate guards.

    ¡°Un. Go ahead and do that.¡± Vincent answered. He was hastily adjusting his clothes, not to allow any wrinkle nor dust remain on it. Soon, he would have to present himself in front of an audience.

    They had arrived in the evening and at one of the busier times as the people on the road were quite a few. Vincent¡¯s eyes scanned the crowd in front, caring little for everything else. Soon, as if right on cue, an elderly woman stepped onto the path of the carriage.

    ¡°WOAH!!!¡± The driver called out as the horses buckled. However, they couldn¡¯t stop in time and it looked like the old lady was going to be ran over. Just as the inevitable was about to happen, a blur shot across the street and pulled aside the old lady.

    ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going, Hag!¡± The escort yelled out in a fluster. He nearly fell off his seat when the driver abruptly stopped the horses. Vincent, who had already expected the event, had braced himself so he didn¡¯t suffer.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you watch where you¡¯re going? Everyone has a right to walk the street!¡± An indignant youth answered back. In the youth¡¯s arms was the old lady, she had gotten up and repeatedly thanked the youth.

    ¡°Please, Sonny, don¡¯t anger them. Do you see that crest? They¡¯re from the Redwall Household.¡± She hastily murmured into the youth¡¯s ears.

    ¡°Redwall? Who cares if they are nobles? Even if the King were to stand here, I would still say that they should know who was in the wrong.¡± The youth crossed his arm, he stood aloof as if he didn¡¯t care for a thing in the world and yet his eyes burned with justice.

    ¡°Silly child!¡± The urgency in the old woman¡¯s voice could be picked up as she pulled at the youth. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying¡­¡±

    ¡°Did I hear that correctly?¡± A cold voice sounded out from within the carriage. Soon a face that could match the voice appeared.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°T-that¡¯s!...¡± The gathered crowd sucked in a cold breath.

    ¡°Master Vincent!¡± The old lady grew weak at the knees as she fell down only to be supported by the youth beside her.

    ¡°You. What did you do to her?¡± The youth said as he held up the cowering old woman.

    Vincent examined the dirty youth as he smirked. ¡°Nothing. However, I would like to ask you one thing.¡± He held up his finger, drawing attention of everyone to him. ¡°The crest is a symbol of a noble house¡¯s efforts and duty to the kingdom. They have spent generations shedding blood for the kingdom. For you, a mere commoner to look down on generations of sacrifice, how close-minded are you?¡±

    The youth¡¯s expression grew worse when he heard those words. ¡°Nonsense! Effort and duty? Hah! All I see are pigs who grew fat feeding from the efforts of the masses. They take more than they need and leave little left for those they have sworn to protect.¡± The youth scoffed.

    Vincent¡¯s eyes narrowed as he replied, ¡°By your logic, you mean for the royal family to live among the peasants while shouldering the burden of governing the kingdom?¡±

    The youth¡¯s expression grew worse and just as he was about to answer, a hand was placed over his mouth. ¡°Silence, stupid child!¡± The old lady had interfered and inserted herself between the two. ¡°Master Vincent. Please forgive this child for his impudence. He meant no harm by those words.¡±

    ¡°Hmmph.¡± Vincent sniffed as he looked down on the pair. ¡°You¡¯d do well to heed these words. Social statuses exist to protect the order of things. Think about just who are the protected and who is protecting.¡± Vincent said as he moved to enter his carriage.

    ¡°Wait!¡± The youth shook from of the old woman and made to grab Vincent¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Vincent yelled out. His domineering tone shocked everyone as they froze. Even the youth was momentarily stunned. ¡°If you so as much dare lay a hand on me, don¡¯t expect to be eating from that hand anymore.¡±

    As if taking it as a challenge, the youth moved forward with this intentions. However, before he made contact, a squad of town guards broke into the crowd.

    ¡°Get back right now!¡±

    ¡°Back!¡±

    ¡°Get back!¡±

    ¡°Make room!¡±

    ¡°Get back, William!¡± A rugged guard said as he pulled back the youth.

    ¡°But!...¡±

    ¡°Shut up and get back from Master Vincent!¡± The guard growled with a cautionary tone. His stern expression finally swayed the youth into acceding with his request.

    ¡°Fine.¡± He shook off the guards hand as he took a few steps back.

    ¡°I was wondering what was taking the guards so long. I¡¯ll have to ask my father to review the training regime of the guards in Florence.¡± Vincent said aloud as a warning. His eyes disdainfully looked down at the youth.

    ¡°What?¡± The youth glared back.

    Vincent looked away towards the guard, ¡°Guard Captain. Take this kid away and lock him up for attempting assault on a noble. I will check to see whether you heeded my orders or not on a later date.¡± Vincent entered his carriage right after without hearing a reply. The carriage soon left the bustling crowd, leaving behind a group of angered townsfolks and rumors.

    Soon rumors of the overbearing noble trash, Vincent, would spread around. It was but another rumor amongst many of the horrible deeds of Vincent Silverlight.

    In the carriage, Vincent let out a relieved sigh. ¡°Acting is tough.¡± His hand was shaking from the nervousness. In this point in time, the MC was still weak, but in comparison to him, Vincent was even weaker. The MC was also able to view his status and his stats would be in the high 20s.

    ¡°However, I was somehow able to get through it.¡± He grit his teeth in excitement. His first impression was better than in the original novel. In the original novel, Vincent had injured the old woman in a fit of rage, breaking her legs and had also ordered the guards to beat up William before throwing him in jail. In this scenario, the old lady soon died from the pain and malnourishment and that was the first time the MC, William, wanted to kill Vincent.

    ¡°That reminds me. Another reason why William hated nobility so much was¡­¡±

    Later that night the escort that was attached to Vincent¡¯s carriage knocked on the door to his room.

    ¡°Enter.¡±

    ¡°Young Master, it¡¯s as you¡¯ve said.¡± The escort showed a note with a few details written on it. ¡°The orphanage has not received funding for a few years now. The facilities are little more than walls and there are no staff besides that elderly caretaker from earlier.¡± He looked visibly concerned as he felt apologetic for how he had treated the old woman earlier that day.

    Vincent received the note and looked through the information before tossing it in the fire. ¡°I¡¯ll bring this up to Father once I¡¯ve returned. You may turn in to rest now.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, Young Master. Thank you.¡± A strange expression appeared on the escorts face as he thanked Vincent and left.

    ¡°Why would he thank me?¡± Vincent wondered before turning in for the night.

    Late at night, within a jail cell, a youth was angrily staring through the bars. On the other side was the rugged guard captain. The guard captain looked uneasy as he tiredly sighed, he knew why William was glaring at him.

    ¡°Look, William, there¡¯s nothing I could do.¡± He shrugged, ¡°That noble trash was right, be grateful that Old Gertrude stopped you before you said those words.¡±

    ¡°Those words?¡± William wondered.

    ¡°Treasonous words. If you had said those words back then, I would¡¯ve been forced to take your head and not just arrest you.¡± The guard grumbled as he reached for a flagon.

    ¡°Then when that guy said, to think about who is being protected and who is doing the protecting he meant¡­¡± Realization finally dawned on William as he sucked in a cold breath.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, William.¡± The guard captain took a long swig of beer before adding, ¡°After your released tomorrow, don¡¯t forget to go thank Old Gertrude. Also please be sure to watch what you say from now on.¡±

    ¡°I understand, Sam. Thanks.¡± William meekly answered as he sank back down into the hard cot. He thought back to the silver-haired youth with bright blue eyes. The more he replayed their confrontation, the angrier he got.

 Chapter 9 - Home

    The distance to Redwall from Florence wasn¡¯t far and they arrived late in the evening the following day. On the way, they met with a patrol from Redwall and news of his returned was sent on ahead, so he should at least expect a welcome of some kind back at home. The thought of seeing his mother after such a long time brought a sad smile to his face.

    ¡°Even though I¡¯m no longer your son, I can still feel how much you loved him.¡± Vincent silently said to himself.

    Meanwhile, deep in the Evergreen territory, a letter had been delivered to the Duke. It was sent by Aster Evergreen and addressed to his brother, Zenobia Evergreen. After reading the letter that was personally addressed to him, Zenobia was left with a satisfied smile and called out, ¡°Send in my daughter, Vernon.¡±

    The town of Redwall was a scenic town with a moderate population. It wasn¡¯t the largest population, being just a bit fewer than Florence. Even though Redwall was the town where the lord resided it wasn¡¯t as populated due to its location. The Redwall territory was located at the northeastern corner of the Eidolon Kingdom, surrounded by mountains on its east and the Emerald Forest on its north. However, because of these natural barriers, the Redwall territory had very few conflicts even though it wasn¡¯t as prosperous.

    Vincent looked out the window at the playful children who were playing around the streets. He heard the shouts of hawkers as they tried to draw in customers. The streets were bustling, but at the same time, it was sparse. Everyone in the town were locals and rarely do travelers come this far out from the center of the kingdom.

    Very soon, they¡¯ve arrived in a small grove where the Redwall¡¯s built their estate. He wasn¡¯t expecting much for his return, maybe a cheerful hug from his mother, but when he laid eyes on the main house, he was left speechless. Lined up on both sides of the entrance were servants and maids of the household. In the center was his family and at the front was his sobbing mother.

    ¡°She looks thinner than I remembered.¡± Vincent mumbled to himself and stepped out.

    ¡°Boohoo~!¡± A light weight immediately plastered onto Vincent, nearly causing him to lose his balance. ¡°Vince¡­ You¡¯re home!¡± His mother managed to say through her sobbing.

    ¡°Yea¡­ Mom, I¡¯m home.¡± Vincent tightly hugged him mother. In the one year that he had gone, he had grown a lot, he was already nearly a full head taller than his mother. In front of him, his mother looked so weak and lonely.

    Behind Catherine were the rest of the Redwall family. They were stunned when they saw how much Vincent had changed. The once scrawny and pale looking trash had now become well-built and imposing. What stood out the most were his piercingly cold blue eyes that seemed to study everything that it saw

    ¡°Kuhum. Welcome back, Vince.¡± Zeke was the first to interrupt as he walked forward and clapped Vincent¡¯s shoulder intimately.

    ¡°I¡¯ve returned, Father.¡± Vincent released his mother as he gave his father a light hug.

    ¡°Erm¡­¡± Zeke squirmed uncomfortably before patting his son¡¯s back and stepped away. He wasn¡¯t used to his troublemaking son¡¯s intimacy.

    ¡°M-me too!¡± Vincent heard a cute voice as he felt a tug on his blazer.

    ¡°Hm?¡± Vincent looked down and saw a doll-like girl with red hair pleadingly looking upwards at him.

    ¡°Isabel?¡± He felt his heart melt a little as he bent down and picked her up in a warm hug. ¡°You¡¯ve grown so much!¡±

    ¡°Hehehe~!¡± Isabel giggled as she rubbed her face on his shoulder. In the short time he had before leaving for the training camp, Isabel had been slowly opening up to him. He wondered if she cried when she woke up one day and found out that he had left without saying goodbye to her.

    ¡°Alright, get down. You¡¯re getting too big to be carried.¡± Vincent teased.

    ¡°Hmmph! Big brother is a meanie!¡± Isabel crossed her arms as she began pouting.

    ¡°Haha¡­¡± Vincent smiled as he gently rubbed her head, appeasing the small child.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    He turned over to a pair of mother and son as he studied their stiff expressions. ¡°Mother, I¡¯ve returned.¡± Vincent said as he bowed towards his step-mother, Juno.

    ¡°You¡¯ve grown.¡± Juno said after revealing a satisfied expression.

    ¡°Little brother.¡± Vincent said as he looked at a youth who was two heads shorter than him. The youth always had a gentle smile on his face and had remained at a distance the whole time, making it hard for Vincent to judge him.

    ¡°Welcome home, Brother.¡± Gerald replied formally as he remained distant. After the greetings were done, everyone returned to do their own thing. Vincent¡¯s mother was pestering him.

    ¡°Vince~! You have to tell Mommy everything that happened, okay~?¡± She felt his shoulder and arms for any wounds.

    ¡°Alright, Mom. But first, I need to talk with Father about some things.¡± He moved her aside as he approached Zeke.

    ¡°Father¡­¡± He began to say, but was interrupted.

    ¡°There are some things I would like to discuss with you too, Vince. We¡¯ll talk in my study.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Vincent answered and they soon moved into the study. ¡°You start first.¡±

    ¡°Mhm. First off, it¡¯s good to see you return home safely.¡± Zeke hinted at something as he welcomed Vincent once more. ¡°I¡¯ve already received the letter from General Aster. You¡¯ve done an amazing job. I hope that you won¡¯t forget what you¡¯ve learned so quickly and make another mistake.¡±

    Although his words seemed harsh, Vincent could feel that his father was worried. ¡°I¡¯ve gained a lot at the training camp, Father. Don¡¯t worry, I was too immature back then; it won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    ¡°I feel reassured then. On to important business.¡± Zeke took out another letter. ¡°I have only received this letter earlier this evening. It was sent by storm falcon. Do you know what it says?¡±

    Vincent was curious why his father would bring it up, but remained silent.

    ¡°It was sent by Duke Evergreen. It was a request for your presence.¡± Zeke quietly examined Vincent¡¯s expression before continuing, ¡°I assume the Duke is giving you a chance at apologizing. You know what you should do.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Father.¡± Vincent nodded. He also wanted to visit Duke Evergreen and discuss some things with the Duke. In the future, when the Evergreen Rangers were nearly devastated, the Duke had sacrificed himself. After that event, a civil war broke out, because Duke Evergreen was the leader of the neutral faction and with the leader no longer there, the other two factions were free to act.

    ¡°You also said there were some things you need to discuss with me?¡± Zeke asked as he patiently waited.

    ¡°Yes, I wouldn¡¯t know how to say this without questioning your authority¡­¡± Vincent hesitantly asked.

    ¡°Hah~¡­¡± Zeke had a feeling what was about to come next, but quietly consented.

    ¡°Father¡­ No, Viscount Redwall. During my return, I have come across a case of embezzlement of the state. Funds meant for the common-folk are being misappropriated by corrupt individuals. I will not name the individuals involved in case I might slander the honest and leave it to the Lord to enact justice.¡±

    ¡°Embezzlement?!¡± Zeke¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Please continue.¡± Redwall was a small territory, it was peaceful, but it was anything but weak. As a territory that bordered the Emerald Forest, Redwall has its fair share of battles. Viscount Redwall was a patient man, but he was a righteous lord and would return kindness ten times over but will also repay enmity ten times over.

    Vincent quickly explained the details of embezzlement of public welfare funds for orphanages. He also addressed the problem of under-equipped public security in the town of Florence.

    ¡°Good¡­ Very good¡­¡± Zeke was trying hard not to show his anger. He had delegated responsibility of the town of Florence to a lower ranked-noble, a baron. However, he was technically still the lord of the region and could take away the town if he so wished. However, he had to gather evidence and bring up the topic with the King before doing so, since it was essentially destroying the reputation of a noble family appointed by the throne.

    ¡°I would also add, that more frequent monster attacks have been happening along the Emerald Forest border. I assume this has already been brought to your attention.¡±

    ¡°Mhm. I¡¯ve already read the reports. But, I wonder how Vince would respond to this information?¡± Zeke asked curiously.

    ¡°Hm¡­¡± Vincent rubbed his chin. He knew that the increasing monster attacks was due to something bound to happen in the future, but he couldn¡¯t just reveal this information since he didn¡¯t have an basis for it. ¡°My reaction would be to strengthen the troops around the northern border by recruitment. At the same time, increase the patrols around the northern border.¡±

    Zeke smiled lightly after hearing the response, but shook his head. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be appropriate. First of all, recruiting additional men and bolstering the troops wouldn¡¯t look too good in the eyes of others.¡± His father hinted. ¡°Second, I can¡¯t send more patrols to the north, because it¡¯ll leave the rest of the territory exposed.¡±

    Vincent felt a headache coming along and said, ¡°Why is politics so complicated.¡± He rubbed his temple.

    ¡°Hahaha. Why do you think I left your grandfather to attend the court sessions in the capital while I stay in the territory?¡± Zeke chuckled. ¡°However, there¡¯s a short term solution to the problem.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a solution?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it comes in the form of war dogs.¡± Zeke raised a finger.

    ¡°Mercenaries? Wouldn¡¯t public order become a problem with them around?¡± Vincent remembered that mercenaries weren¡¯t the most civilized people. They were a rowdy bunch that caused problems wherever they go.

    ¡°It would be a problem, but humans can be reasoned with, monsters cannot.¡±

    ¡°You have a point, Father.¡±

    *Grumble~!*

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Zeke chuckled lightly. ¡°Why don¡¯t we stop for today and have dinner. You must be tired from your travel.¡±

    Vincent blushed and nodded.

 Chapter 10 - Ismirala

    Time quickly passed him by as Vincent quickly adjusted to the slow life of a rural noble. However, habits that he had developed in training camp died hard. In the mornings he would wake up with the servants and do light exercises. He would have worked up a sweat and taken a quick bath before waking up his mother who always slept in. Ever since he returned home, she wouldn¡¯t wake up unless he was the one to wake her up.

    Today he was dressed in travel-wear and accompanied by a squad of knight retainers. Zeke and Gerald were both busy dealing with the embezzlement issue so they were there to see him off, and Juno was Juno. So that only left¡­

    ¡°B-brother!¡± He felt a tug on his sleeve. ¡°Can you take me out to play again?¡±

    Vincent looked down at his cute little sister. ¡°I can¡¯t, Bell. Brother has to go to the Evergreen territory. The Duke wants to see me.¡± He patted her head.

    ¡°Hmmph!¡± Isabel pouted, but still nuzzled against his palm like a kitten.

    ¡°I promise I¡¯ll come back quickly and bring you a present.¡± He added, ¡°Be a good girl okay?¡±

    Isabel¡¯s eyes lit up as she said, ¡°Okay! I will!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon, Mom.¡± He gently hugged his sobbing mother again as he got on his horse. ¡°Bell, make sure Mom eats all her meals, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay, Brother!¡± Isabell yelled as he turned around and left. ¡°C¡¯mon Mom! You have to eat more!¡± She said as she pulled a speechless Catherine by the hand.

    Vincent had arranged a meeting with Duke Evergreen and had made preparations in advance. The journey to Ismirala, where Duke Evergreen lived, wasn¡¯t long. In fact, it was quite short. It would take four days if they traveled by carriage, two if by horseback. What¡¯s more, the time traveled could be shortened even more if they cut through the Emerald Forest, which was what they had planned.

    ¡°Young Master, please remain alert when we enter the forest.¡± The escort from back then said. Vincent had finally taken the time to find out his name and it turned out the man¡¯s name was Leo. Leo was an orphan taken in by Zeke and had been put in charge of Vincent¡¯s safety.

    When they entered the Emerald Forest, Vincent was left with a feeling of awe. The patch of forest they were cutting through was just the outskirts of the giant behemoth that spanned across the northeastern border. Imagine a forest with trees so tall that they blot out the sun. Only the sunlight that filtered through the leaves left an emerald glow on the forest floor. There was no undergrowth deeper in the forest, only dead grass and moss.

    This mystical atmosphere was what caused fear amongst the villages and towns near the Emerald Forest border. Now that Vincent had seen this scene, he could finally understand.

    Their little group hustled along at a quick pace in fear of meeting something that they shouldn¡¯t. However, fate had a very interesting plan in store for Vincent in the form of a storm falcon.

    ¡°KUEEE!¡± A loud screech rang out.

    ¡°What¡¯s that sound?!¡± Leo called out, stopping the group. ¡°Young Master, stay close to me. The rest, spread out and keep an eye on our surroundings.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡± Vincent acknowledged as he stealthily retrieved something from his horse¡¯s pack.

    ¡°Leader, I see something!¡± The youngest in the group called out.

    ¡°Report!¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°A bird is being attacked by a group of kobolds! They¡¯ve noticed our presence!¡± The youth hurriedly replied.

    Kobolds. Wolf-like bipedal creatures that resemble werewolves. They are smart enough to form small communities and are a threat to villages. They inhabit the outer area of the Emerald Forest. Their inherent agility and ability to utilize human weaponry make them a threat and very deadly in this forest environment.

    ¡°Shit. We have to kill them or else they¡¯ll call for reinforcements.¡± Leo announced and reared his horse forward with spear drawn. ¡°Cass, stay with the Young Master. The rest, follow my lead! YAH!¡±

    ¡°¡±¡±YAH! YAH!¡±¡±¡± The group yelled as they charged forward. Their spears glowed with deadly intent as the thundering sound of hooves beat upon dead soil.

    ¡°Awooo~!¡± The four kobolds reared their snarling faces as they faced the charging warriors.

    ¡°HAH!¡± A spear immediately silenced a kobold as Leo thrusted outwards.

    ¡°Grrrr¡­¡± A kobold managed to dodge between the trunks of two trees and extricate itself from the charge. The remaining three had died to the initial charge.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let it get away.¡± Leo ordered as he shook off the bloody corpse. Leo felt a lurch in his stomach seeing the kobold bolting away. Suddenly, a blur that moved like a phantom intercepted the creature.

    Thwack!

    The kobold was knocked over and painful began to writhe before it ultimately stopped moving. An arrow protruded from the back of its neck.

    ¡°Phew. It¡¯s not going anywhere.¡± Vincent said as he put down his bow.

    ¡°Y-young Master!¡± Leo¡¯s eyes glowed like stars as he clapped Vincent¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Good shot, Young Master!¡±

    ¡°It was nothing.¡± Vincent said as he got off his horse.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Wait there. I saw something just now.¡± Vincent answered. In truth, he had already seen the kobolds before anyone else due to his high perception. He had also seen what it was that released that shrill cry. Vincent quickly approached a patch of needles.

    ¡°Kuee~¡­¡± A young storm falcon shrieked as he approached.

    ¡°Calm¡­¡± Vincent held out his empty hands. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you.¡± He said as he slowly approached.

    ¡°KUEE!¡± The falcon became agitated and flapped its wings before shaking in pain and crumpling down.

    ¡°Dumb bird. I told you I wasn¡¯t going to hurt you.¡± Vincent softly said as he picked up the tired bird. He examined the falcon for a bit before saying, ¡°It looks like you have a broken win and bruising. He brushed aside the falcon¡¯s feathers and saw a bleeding welt the size of his thumb in the birds rib area. He quickly returned to the group who were busy cleaning their weapons and searching the kobolds for anything they could use.

    ¡°Is that a storm falcon, Young Master?¡± Leo asked bewilderedly.

    ¡°Yes it is. It¡¯s injured badly.¡± Vincent said as he approached his horse and rummaged around, retrieving a salve, gauze, and some water. He had learned first-aid during training camp and even though dressing a bird was different, the fundamentals were still there.

    He broke off an arrow and used it as a makeshift splint while he gently plucked away the feathers in its waist area and dabbed some healing salve on it. He then wrapped the bird in gauze before getting back on his horse. Meanwhile this was happening, the rest of the group watched the amount of care Vincent had taken and were left in awe.

    ¡°Let¡¯s move on. There might be more of them nearby.¡± Vincent said as he cradled the injured bird in one arm while holding the reigns in another.

    ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± Leo was of the same mind and hurriedly led them away.

    The increased pace after their run-in with the kobolds allowed them to arrive in Ismirala rather quickly. It was early evening that they arrived. They first stopped by an animal caretaker and dropped off the injured storm falcon before going to see the Duke.

    ¡°You¡¯ve all worked hard. Take this time to rest.¡± Vincent said as he dismissed his retainers.

    ¡°Young Master, I¡¯ll¡ª¡° Leo began to say.

    ¡°You rest too.¡± Vincent patted his shoulder. Leo worked the hardest of all being the navigator and leader of the squad. What¡¯s more he should be the most stressed since he had to deal with Vincent.

    ¡°Thank you, Young Master.¡± Leo sighed as he left with the squad.

    ¡°Master Vincent. The Duke has been expecting you. He is waiting in the guest lounge.¡± A butler said as he led Vincent inside.

    The interior of the Duke estate was homely. The decorations weren¡¯t exaggerated nor was it too lavish. It emitted a sense of regality while still being subtle. Vincent was impressed as he traversed the well-maintained hall. The Duke was already sitting on a couch when Vincent entered.

    Zenobia Evergreen. He was a man that had an average build and kind face. If it weren¡¯t for his golden hair and golden eyes, he would look like an uncle from next door. In truth, Zenobia Evergreen was descended from a branch of the royal family and like royalty, he naturally exuded an air of charisma around him.

    ¡°Vincent Silverlight.¡± Zenobia said aloud as he studied Vincent¡¯s expression. ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve renounced the Redwall name.¡±

 Chapter 11 - Zenobia

    ¡°Papa! Why do I have to see that man?! He¡¯s just trash!¡± Sophia angrily complained to her father.

    ¡°Listen to Papa, Sweetie.¡± Zenobia gingerly coaxed. ¡°He¡¯s just coming because Papa wanted him to apologize to you. It¡¯s not a matchmaking interview.¡±

    ¡°Hmmph! I¡¯ll show him! If he even has any ulterior thoughts on me, he¡¯ll regret it!¡± Sophia harrumphed as she stormed off. She had just returned for break only to be told this terrible news. If she had known about this, she would¡¯ve chosen to remain in the capital.

    ¡°Hah~ What am I going to do about her?¡± Zenobia said as he rubbed his temple. ¡°I¡¯m spoiling her too much.¡±

    Sophia was already 16. Most girls her age, especially nobility would have already been engaged or married by this point. However, Sophia was a very picky person and wanted to remain untethered so his matchmaking attempts hadn¡¯t been going well, leaving Zenobia is a major headache. Normally this role should be taken up by the mother to seek out marriage candidates, but¡­

    ¡°I just hope she gets married before no one will want her anymore.¡± Zenobia muttered.

    Back in her room, Sophia was angrily pounding a pillow. ¡°Augh! Why the hell should I show him respect?¡± She was referring to Vincent Silverlight, the youth who had barged into her room in an attempt to ¡®rape¡¯ her. Ever since that event she had become insecure and even moved into a different bedroom.

    ¡°I remember him. He looked okay, but his eyes were lecherous. I could already tell he was a shrewd and scheming man. He kept trying to hold my hand during the party last year, ugh!¡± She felt shivers as she shook her arm. ¡°I¡¯ll make it so he¡¯ll regret showing his face around here.¡± She promised to herself as she got up and began making plans before he came.

    ---

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve renounced the Redwall name.¡±

    Vincent flinched slightly when he heard those words, but remained silent. The man opposite him was a Duke and he was a mere trash from a Viscount family. One word from that man and his family would have it tough.

    ¡°Duke Evergreen...¡±

    ¡°Please.¡± Zenobia held up his hand, ¡°Drop the formalities, Vincent.¡±

    ¡°Sir¡­ I don¡¯t believe this is appropriate.¡± Vincent replied. Just what was the duke thinking?

    ¡°No, I insist.¡± Zenobia said.

    Vincent studied the duke for a bit longer before saying, ¡°As you wish. Zenobia, to answer your earlier comment. Yes, I¡¯ve renounced the Redwall name.¡±

    ¡°And what pray you to do such a thing?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because¡­¡± Vincent was slightly panicking. The original novel didn¡¯t provide this information and he hadn¡¯t expected the duke to bring up such a question. Quickly thinking on his feet, he continued, ¡°I wanted to make it very clear that Gerald Redwall, my brother, should inherit my father¡¯s title as head of the household.¡±

    ¡°Oh really?¡± Zenobia smirked. ¡°Then are you saying you are not worthy? Even though you are the eldest son?¡±

    Vincent only felt more uncomfortable as the silence continued on. What was he getting at? These things had happen all in the past and there was no point bringing this up when he had come to apologize. What¡¯s more, he had been here for long enough, but he hasn¡¯t been served any tea.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I understand, Vincent. You were too immature back then and had done things without putting much thought into it.¡± Zenobia waved it aside and finally went to the point. ¡°However, immaturity isn¡¯t an excuse when you tried to do what you did to my daughter, now is it?¡±

    ¡°N-no, Sir!¡± Even though the Duke¡¯s face was all smiles, his glaringly cold eyes were like a snake¡¯s poising to strike. ¡°I was wrong¡­ It was¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want excuses, Vincent. I want the truth. How did things end up like that one year ago? Just what happened?¡±

    ¡°W-well, you see¡­ I don¡¯t remember much¡­¡± In fact, he hadn¡¯t been there at all, so how was he supposed to know. If only he could reveal that information, he would.

    ¡°But you do remember being there at the party, correct?¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡±

    ¡°To be fair, Vincent. Something is puzzling me. You know your reputation and you also know that you went to my daughter¡¯s, for lack of a better word, marriage candidate selection. But here¡¯s the most puzzling thing of all. You see, I hadn¡¯t sent an invitation to the Redwall Household. What could this mean?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir?¡± Vincent was left with a puzzled look as he wondered just how the events happened. The novel only mentioned the events at the party and never what happened leading up to it. Now this was another layer of mystery that he wanted solve. Did someone acted against the Duke by using him as a pawn? He felt some trepidation, imagining that he was playing in the palms of somebody else.

    ¡°Hm¡­ It looks like you also don¡¯t know.¡± Zenobia shook his head in defeat. ¡°Sorry to do this to you, Vincent. I just wanted to know your thoughts on the whole matter. For now, let¡¯s drop the matter, shall we?¡± He clapped his hands and a few maids entered with tea and snacks.

    Knowing that he had just narrowly dodged a bullet, Vincent let out a relieved sigh and took a sip. Bitter. It was bitter, but yet refreshing. Not a bad taste.

    ¡°Blue Sorin. It grows high on the plateaus of the Sorin Mountain range in your Redwall Territory.¡±

    ¡°Ah, no wonder it tasted familiar.¡± Vincent awkwardly laughed.

    ¡°Just kidding. It¡¯s actually Laminella, unique to the northern kingdom beyond the Emerald Forest.¡± Zenobia laughed as he watched the youth struggle to maintain his composure.

    ¡°Sir, have many told you that you are quite the jokester?¡± Vincent¡¯s tone showed that he was flustered.

    ¡°Ah yes, many. Too many for me to recount.¡±

    Vincent was awkward at first, but the atmosphere just couldn¡¯t remain so with such a charismatic person in the room. Soon, the two had already talked for most of the evening. The sun had already fallen and the internal lighting in the house came on.

    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s getting late. I must be going now.¡± Vincent stood up. ¡°Again, I would like to sincerely apologize for what I had done. I¡¯ve learned a lot in that time and many of it is thanks to your forgiveness.¡± He bowed as he gestured to leave.

    ¡°No, no, no. How can we let a guest like you leave? Please, won¡¯t you stay for dinner? I¡¯ll have my servants prepare you a spare room. Stay the night!¡± Zenobia cheerfully bellowed refusing any excuse Vincent came up with.

    ¡°Sir, I really have to go.¡±

    ¡°No, I insist.¡± Zenobia draped his arm over Vincent as he said, ¡°If you really meant your apology, you¡¯ll stay the night.¡±

    What can he say? Vincent was trapped in a dead end and the only way out was to agree to the Duke¡¯s request.

    The dinner was a large spread and hardy. Although the Duke¡¯s methods were subtle and humble, he treated his guests excellently which could be seen by the types of dishes on the table. There were Remifield Geese, Redfur deer, Thousand-yolk egg and many more. It would be impolite to say too much so Vincent only remained quiet. When he looked over to the host, he was puzzled as the host silently sat there and stared at the doorway.

    ¡°Sir?¡±

    ¡°Just wait a moment.¡± Zenobia smiled as if he knew Vincent¡¯s question.

    Vincent was spent just wondering what they were waiting for, but his question was answered by a cheerful girl.

    ¡°Papa! Did he already leave?¡± A beautiful girl that still had a bit of baby fat on her cheeks pushed the door aside. She had on a casual dress that highlighted her rich blond hair and golden irises. ¡°I promise you, I wasn¡¯t trying to hide from him or any¡­ thing¡­ Oh you¡¯re still here?¡± She asked with a look of disgust.

    ¡°Sweetie, is that how you should treat a guest?¡± Zenobia asked as he apologetically looked over at Vincent.

    ¡°Hmph! How is that thing a guest? I don¡¯t ever remember inviting him.¡± Sophia crossed her arms.

    ¡°Sophia.¡± Zenobia sternly warned.

    ¡°But¡­ Papa~¡­¡± She complained. The atmosphere was a little too tense for Vincent as he swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat and spoke out.

    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s quite alright. I understand that anyone would feel this way if the same were to happen to them.¡± Vincent then turned to Sophia. ¡°Lady Sophia, I apologize for what happened and I know fully well that you may never forgive me. I don¡¯t ask for your forgiveness, I just want you to understand that such a thing will never happen again.¡± He bowed as formally as he could.

    When he looked up, the girl was left stunned as she stood there frozen. It was Zenobia who was the first to speak.

    ¡°Sweetie, it would be impolite to leave him like that. Please just forgive him already. He suffered through a whole year of torture.¡± Zenobia mediated as he gave Vincent a sly wink.

    ¡®Oh please, you¡¯re exaggerating.¡¯ Vincent thought to himself as he rolled his eyes.

    ¡°S-since Papa said so¡­ Then I forgive you for attempting to molest me, Pervert.¡±

    ¡°Sophia?¡± Zenobia warned.

    ¡°B-but~!¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s quite alright with me. I¡¯m not asking her to change her thoughts of me, so this is already enough.¡± More than anything, he was hungry and wanted to eat. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±

    ¡°Good call, Vincent.¡± Zenobia chuckled as he began dishing out his own portion. Sophia only huffily snorted as she sat down beside her father and also began to eat while glaring at Vincent. It truly was an informal dinner.

    After dinner, when the servants were clearing the dishes. Zenobia loudly asked, ¡°What will be your plans for tomorrow, Vincent? Surely you don¡¯t plan on leaving the following morning?¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­ I don¡¯t really have any plans. Oh wait, I need to stop by in town for a bit.¡± He remembered the rescued storm falcon. He had left it with a vet and had to check up on it.

    Zenobia¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Great! Sweetie, please show Vincent around the town.¡±

    ¡°Wha-?¡± She asked in disbelief.

    ¡°T-there¡¯s no need, Sir.¡± Vincent worriedly added as he watched the ugly expression on the girl¡¯s face grew worse by the second.

    ¡°No, I insist!¡±

    ¡°Sir!¡±

    ¡°Papa!¡±

    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s decided. Sleep early tonight, Vincent. You too, Sweetie!¡± Zenobia laughed as he quickly made his exit. The two people in question were left to work out their own problems.

    ¡°YOU!¡± Sophia said through clenched teeth. ¡°You better not think about anything funny or I¡¯ll have you castrated.¡± She angrily threatened as she stormed away.

    Vincent felt a cold breeze pass between his legs as he shivered. ¡°How strong-willed is that woman.¡± For once he envied the MC for being able to calm this violent kitten.

 Chapter 12 - A Day Around Town

    Sophia Evergreen. She was the second love interest of the MC in the original novel. She would routinely interact with the MC once the academic year started back in the capital and ultimately join the MC¡¯s entourage after the events of the Evergreen Ranger Corps'' demise.

    ¡°What was her ability again?¡± Vincent pondered to himself. ¡°It was something along the lines of her heritage¡­ The Emerald Forest or something¡­ Oh right it was called Sage of the Forest''s Blessing.¡± He suddenly remembered. Her blessing allowed her to be unrivaled in the forest, even the MC couldn¡¯t match her in the forest. It was this ability that helped resolve the events of the Emerald Forest.

    ¡°Hey! How long are you just going to stand there and stare, Pervert?¡± Sophia called out as she crossed her arms. She was waiting for him at the entrance to the Evergreen estate. She was dressed in a white blouse with a forest green pleated skirt. The simple style looked remarkable on her.

    ¡°I¡¯m coming. Are you really excited to bring me along?¡± Vincent teased.

    ¡°Hmph! I¡¯m doing this and getting it done as soon as I can so it can be over quicker.¡± She scowled as she replied and walked on ahead.

    ¡°Well, before you start showing me around, do you mind if we stop by some place first?¡±

    ¡°It better not be anywhere sketchy, Pervert. I¡¯ll only show you around in public places, where I can scream for help.¡±

    ¡°Ouch.¡± Vincent could feel just how much trust she put in him. ¡°I need to stop by the vet first.¡±

    ¡°The vet? Why the vet? Is it because you hurt yourself? You beast.¡± The amount of disdain was practically dripping from her as she spouted insults left and right.

    ¡°Yea.¡± Vincent was tired of her as he ignored her and walked on ahead.

    ¡°H-hey! What are you doing? You¡¯re supposed to follow me.¡±

    Vincent turned around. ¡°Then I don¡¯t suppose you know where this vet is?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Just be quiet and follow me. The sooner I get this done, the sooner I¡¯ll be rid of you too. It¡¯s not just you who doesn¡¯t want to accompany the other.¡± Vincent was annoyed. There were other things that needed to be done, for one thing he wanted to ask his mother about the ring. It had been a while since he gave it any thought, but lately he wanted to know more about his grandfather on his mother¡¯s side.

    ¡°Good, the feeling¡¯s mutual.¡± Sophia harrumphed as she shut up and followed him.

    Even though he said he was visiting the vet, it was more like a zoo, judging from the chaotic environment they were in. Dogs were barking up a storm and cats were hissing in return. There were barn animals in one corner of the plot of land in the courtyard. Sophia looked pale, but still followed him inside.

    ¡°Oh, hello! You¡¯re back.¡± A man with glasses thick enough to block bullets called out from behind a doorway in the back. ¡°I¡¯ll bring her out.¡±

    ¡°Bring who out?¡± Sophia asked.

    ¡°Be quiet and you¡¯ll know.¡±

    ¡°Vin. Cent.¡± She growled as if she was poised to jab him in the ribs.

    ¡°Here you are.¡± He brought out a cage with an angry storm falcon inside. The makeshift splint had been replaced with a professional one that prevented the bird from spreading its wings. Vincent found it amusing looking at the bird that reminded him of a half-plucked chicken.

    ¡°Kuaa!¡± The bird screeched when she saw Vincent.

    ¡°I must say, boy! It¡¯s not every day you see such a magnificent specimen.¡± The quirky man whistled in admiration.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Aye! This here is a storm falcon, but¡­¡± He pointed to a pattern on the bird¡¯s back, ¡°You see these streaks here? They only appear on lightning hawks. I reckon this bird is a cross between the two, which is a rare thing.¡±

    ¡°Really? It¡¯s that rare?¡± Vincent asked curiously. ¡°How much would she sell for? I¡¯m just curious.¡±

    ¡°Kueee!¡± The bird seemed to understand as she screeched louder. Her eyes seemed to glare at Vincent.

    ¡°I¡¯ll buy her!¡± Sophia asked interestedly.

    ¡°You?¡± Vincent furrowed his brows. ¡°I was just kidding. Please don¡¯t have any thoughts on my chicken.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a storm falcon, Sir!¡±

    ¡°KUEE!¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright. Storm chicken. Whatever.¡± Vincent paid the man and they quickly departed. Sophia kept her eye on the beautiful bird the whole time as they left. ¡°Please stop staring, you¡¯re embarrassing me.¡±

    ¡°Oh please, who would want to stare at you? I¡¯m looking at your chick¡ª f-falcon.¡± She answered huffily as she walked on ahead.

    ¡°Wow you¡¯re such a looker.¡± Vincent said as he opened the cage. Even though he acted like so, he never had any plans to confine the storm falcon; she was free to go wherever she wanted.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Kuee~?¡± The falcon cocked her head.

    ¡°I know what it¡¯s like to be confined to one place. I won¡¯t do that to you. You are free to leave whenever you want.¡±

    ¡°Kuee~!¡± The falcon hopped cutely onto his shoulder and came to rest there.

    ¡°You can¡¯t leave even if you wanted to. I forgot.¡± Vincent chuckled as he revealed his rare smile. If Sophia hadn¡¯t walked ahead, she might¡¯ve seen it.

    ¡°And that there is the auction house. The Emerald Forest is a place full of treasures and many of them turn up there.¡± She pointed to a regal looking building. Even though Sophia complained a lot, she still diligently did her job by showing him around.

    Vincent had also turned quiet and only meekly followed her, drawing her curiosity. From time to time, she would secretly glance over at him. He wasn¡¯t such a bad looker, if he didn¡¯t have such a cold face and poor reputation, he might be quite the ladies¡¯ man.

    ¡°What?¡± Vincent asked when he caught her.

    ¡°N-nothing! I¡¯m just burning your ugly mug into my eyes so that I can avoid you whenever I see you.¡± She flustered said as she quickened her pace.

    ¡°Wait.¡±

    ¡°What now?¡± She impatiently asked.

    Vincent rubbed his chin as he began thinking. ¡°Do you have an idea what an older married woman would like?¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ª? What the hell are you talking about?¡± Sophia felt disgust when she heard those words.

    ¡°I want to buy a gift for someone and seeing that you¡¯re also a girl, you might know what women would want.¡± Vincent shrugged.

    ¡°How would I know?¡±

    ¡°Then how about what little girls want?¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°Kuee?¡±

    ---

    ¡°Thank you for your patronage, young man. Please come again.¡± The clerk bowed as they exited the store.

    ¡°You should¡¯ve told me they were meant for your family first!¡± Sophia grumbled as she pouted.

    ¡°My bad.¡± Vincent said as he carried two wrapped packages under his arm. ¡°I think with this, it¡¯s everything.¡±

    ¡°Then my job here is done.¡± Sophia said.

    ¡°I¡¯m feeling kind of thirsty. Let¡¯s rest for a bit.¡±

    ¡°YOU¡­!¡±

    They stopped by a small caf¨¦ and sat outside on the veranda. Tea cakes were served with their tea and a small tray of berries were offered to the storm falcon. Vincent took a small sip of the tea before grimacing and setting down the tea.

    ¡°The tea is quite good.¡±

    Sophia rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh please, there¡¯s no need to lie.¡±

    ¡°Right. I¡¯m more of a coffee person anyways.¡± Vincent said as he pushed aside the tea.

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you order a coffee?¡±

    ¡°It was too expensive.¡± Vincent shrugged.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a lot of money? You just bought two expensive gifts for your family didn¡¯t you? Or did you spend it all on drinking and paid ¡®services¡¯?¡± She questioned disdainfully.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m in a pinch right now.¡± Vincent didn¡¯t mention that he had given some money to his escorts yesterday evening to enjoy their time off. ¡°I mean I can¡¯t even afford the tea I¡¯m drinking right now.¡± He said as he shrugged once more.

    ¡°What?! What do you mean? I¡¯m paying for this?¡± She huffily asked.

    ¡°You are the host and showing me around.¡± He replied shamelessly.

    ¡°You!¡± She grumbled. She looked like she was about to pounce on him and take a huge bite out of his shoulder.

    ¡°Relax. I¡¯ll show you around when you visit Redwall.¡±

    ¡°As if I¡¯ll ever visit that backward place.¡± She grumbled and sat down. ¡°I¡¯ll just take it as you tricking me and forget about it.¡± She soon finished her tea and they both left after Sophia paid the tab.

    ¡°Kuee~!¡± The storm falcon was delightfully screeching after the meal.

    ¡°Oh I know, I¡¯ll take the falcon as payment.¡± She pointed up at his shoulder.

    ¡°What do you think, uh Thunder Chicken?¡±

    ¡°KUEE!¡± The bird seemed to glare at Vincent, but ultimately didn¡¯t move from his shoulder.

    ¡°Really? You named her Thunder Chicken?¡± She was frustrated at how shameless the man was, but nothing she said seemed to affect him.

    ¡°It¡¯s temporary.¡± He shrugged.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Sophia thought a bit more before saying, ¡°There is a way to repay me.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Do tell.¡± Vincent really didn¡¯t like owing someone a favor, so he was ready to agree to it.

    ¡°I need to make a stop by the local blacksmith to pick up a sword I had ordered. I don¡¯t want to make a second trip to town, so accompany me as I go pick it up.¡± Sophia also didn¡¯t like the feeling of someone like Vincent owing her; better to cash out now before he ¡®forgets¡¯ he owes her.

    ¡°Sure. I can go.¡±

    They arrived in the house of steel and fire as ringing sounds of red metal met sizzling water. Sophia¡¯s mood picked up after they had entered. Vincent observed her as she skipped back and forth between the weapons on display.

    ¡°These are well-made don¡¯t you think?¡± She pointed to a pair of daggers. The ornaments on the hilt of the dagger shone brightly in the dim room.

    ¡°They¡¯re okay.¡± Vincent lightly said while his eyes were glued to a particular sword on a workbench not far away.

    ¡°Lass! Ya finally made it.¡± The blacksmith exited from the backroom and started fawning over her. ¡°Y¡¯see here? I made it specially fer ya. It looks jest as beautiful as ya do!¡±

    He brought out a wrapped sword from the backroom and started unwrapping it in front of them. Suddenly a flash of light blasts out, causing everyone in the room to squint.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ gorgeous!¡± praised Sophia as she took it.

    ¡°Lass, I used a lotta good stuff ta make yer sword. Ya see this? It¡¯s made from chimera scales.¡± He pointed to the leathery handle and also the sheath.

    Although Sophia had been enamored by the dazzling piece of jewelry, Vincent was not impressed. Thunder Chicken was also cocking its head back and forth in confusion.

    ¡°What do you think Thunder Chicken?¡± queried Vincent.

    ¡°Kuee?¡±

    ¡°Yea, it¡¯s just a hunk of metal.¡±

    The outrageous scene also drew the other two¡¯s attention. Sophia was the first to speak.

    ¡°You speak chicken?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a chicken?¡± asked the blacksmith.

    ¡°Pfft, I mean falcon?¡± Her giddy mood couldn¡¯t be changed after seeing her new sword.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I¡¯m just trying to say that what you have there is trash. If you want to die, then use that weapon, otherwise you¡¯re better off using that one over there.¡± He pointed to the sword he had been examining earlier.

    ¡°What are ya tryin¡¯ ta say?¡± The blacksmiths eyes narrowed.

    ¡°Just because you can¡¯t afford something like this doesn¡¯t mean you should stop me from buying it.¡± Argued Sophia as she embraced the sword.

    Vincent¡¯s eyes grew colder by a few degrees. ¡®I was helping you, because I felt like I owe you. Looks like I¡¯ll make you pay for your lesson fees instead.¡¯ He thought.

    Vincent strode on over to the sword on the workbench and picked it up. He gave it a few good swings and said, ¡°Hold out your sword.¡± He immediately struck at her without another moment¡¯s notice.

    Clang! Snap!

    The swords struck each other like thunderclap before the artistically engraved sword in Sophia¡¯s hands snapped off.

    ¡°If this were a real battle. You would¡¯ve been dead.¡± chided Vincent.

    Sophia finally understood just how dangerous things would¡¯ve been if she decided to use that sword. A cold shiver ran down her spine as she looked over to the smith who had cowered behind the counter.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell Papa about this. You¡¯d best not show your face anymore or else.¡± She angrily huffed.

    ¡°Please, Milady! It was a mistake!¡± pleaded the smith.

    It was at that moment that the door to the smithy opened. A refreshing youth with black hair entered. The youth saw three individuals in the room, two of them held blades while the third was kneeling on the ground pleading in tears. He suddenly looked as if he had an epiphany and drew his sword, shouting out loud.

    ¡°Get away from that man!¡± William Lightsword, the MC, roared.

 Chapter 13 - Secrets of the Aion Ring

    The tension in the room was at a breaking point as four people were frozen in time. William glanced back and forth between the smith on the floor and the girl holding a broken sword standing next to the smith. He also took in the familiar cold youth standing a few steps away holding¡­

    ¡°That¡¯s my sword! Not only do you abuse your authority, you also rob honest-folks?!¡± shouted William as he blew hot air out.

    ¡°KUEE!¡± Thunder Chicken felt threatened and shrieked at the top of her lungs, contributing to the chaos.

    ¡°Drop your sword. This is just a misunderstanding.¡± Sophia called out as she stepped away from the smith.

    ¡°So you¡¯re with him on this too? Both of you drop your weapons first, then I¡¯ll lower mine.¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you saying?¡± As a daughter of a noble house, lowering one¡¯s guard in the face of danger was akin to suicide. This stranger who suddenly barged into the room and drew his weapon was definitely a threat to her. She threw down the broken sword and swiftly drew out her own sword.

    Without a moment to react, William dashed forward, intending to deal the first blow. Maybe she was caught unprepared, but she stumbled backwards as she blocked the strike. With the opportunity given to him, William looked like he was about to subdue her by wounding her. It would¡¯ve worked too if only Vincent hadn¡¯t interfered.

    Clang!

    At some unknown time, Vincent had appeared between the duo and parried the strike, ¡°Take this outside or else you¡¯ll damage the wares. I don¡¯t think you both can afford that right?¡±

    William was a poor village boy who moved into town recently so he can¡¯t afford to pay for any damages. While Sophia had been stimulated by the youth and wanted to vent so she went along with Vincent¡¯s advice and they both quickly left. In the free moment that he had, Vincent went to the frozen smith and smacked his face, waking him up from his stupor.

    ¡°Do you know that boy?¡± asked Vincent.

    ¡°Y-yea, Ol¡¯ Gertrude from tha town yonder sent ¡®im.¡± replied the smith.

    ¡°Why is he here?¡± Vincent wanted to understand this reason so he could make adjustment to any deviations from the original plot.

    ¡°Fer a delivery. T-that sword was sent from Ol¡¯ Gertrude.¡± He pointed to the sword in Vincent¡¯s hand. ¡°She said tha boy needed some cash.¡±

    ¡®So that was why. It¡¯s just a minor detail that the author had left out.¡¯ thought Vincent as he let out a relieved sigh.

    ¡°Yer not worried ¡®bout tha girl?¡±

    ¡°And why should I be worried?¡± Vincent revealed a smile that was not a smile. ¡°I¡¯m not the one whose head will roll if she gets injured.¡±

    The smith¡¯s eyes widened in shock upon the realization and bolted out the door shouting angrily.

    ¡°HEY! BOY! STOP WHAT YER DOIN¡¯!¡±

    Vincent nonchalantly dropped the sword in his hand and petted Thunder Chicken before following after the smith. The best resolution was to avoid the MC, if this world was anything like the novel, the MC and Sophia would grow closer from their ¡®duel¡¯.

    Lo and behold, when Vincent saw the two battling it out in the streets with excited smiles on their faces, his predication came true. The smith was still yelling at them to stop, but the two were off in their own special world as they exchanged pointers. Even the crowd thought this was more of a performance than two people resolving their differences.

    Finally, when Sophia ran out of stamina, the duel ended. William barely broke a sweat as he reached out a hand toward Sophia.

    ¡°You¡¯re pretty good on your feet. I can tell that you¡¯ve received formal training,¡± complimented William.

    ¡°Thanks.¡± She shyly answered as she accepted his help.

    ¡°WOOO! That was awesome!¡±

    ¡°Good going you two!¡±

    ¡°Oh my, the young lady might have found her match.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s also quite a looker, good going Lady Evergreen!¡±

    Dozens of cheers erupted from the crowd, embarrassing the two as they awkwardly bowed. The whole time, Vincent only silently watched the performance from afar. Even though Sophia and William met earlier than originally planned, it shouldn¡¯t affect the plot of the story, Vincent assumed.

    After everything was sorted out and misunderstandings absolved, the three were left standing there on the streets. Try as he might, Vincent wouldn¡¯t be able to escape from Sophia, he was her guest after all.

    ¡°Vincent! I want to introduce you two,¡± chirped Sophia. She dragged William over by the arm. ¡°This is William, he¡¯s an amazing swordsman. Did you see just how innovative his moves were? They were also all self-taught.¡±

    Vincent and William both frowned. They knew each other, but they were not on the best of terms. However, William also understood how to keep the pleasant atmosphere.

    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m William. I apologize for my misunderstanding back then.¡± He held out his hand.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Since you know where you¡¯re wrong, then please remember this lesson for next time.¡± Vincent¡¯s words were harsh, but he still took the peace offering and shook hands. ¡°Since I¡¯ve done what was requested. I shall take my leave.¡± Vincent walked away without hesitation after accepting the apology. It had been a long day.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± asked Sophia as she ran to catch up to him.

    ¡°Making preparations to return back to Redwall. There¡¯s no need to accompany me. I won¡¯t be returning to the Evergreen estate.¡±

    ¡°Hm? Really?¡± Sophia had a playful glint in her eye as she skipped beside him. ¡°Is that really it?¡± William looked like a lost puppy as he trailed behind the two.

    ¡°What else can it be?¡± Vincent looked annoyed as he turned around and scowled.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to become hostile,¡± giggled Sophia. For some reason she felt a little giddy. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go home. I also invited William to stay a few days and learn Evergreen Swordsmanship. Didn¡¯t you go to my father¡¯s training camp? They should¡¯ve taught you a bit of it no?¡±

    As much as he wanted to, Vincent couldn¡¯t become friendly with William. It¡¯s because he had to play his role. Part of the reason why is because Vincent would have some connections to less than pleasant individuals. He also planned to use these connections before they ¡®encounter¡¯ the MC.

    ¡°No thanks. You both can go ahead and enjoy your time together.¡± Vincent didn¡¯t bat an eye as he continued walking. What he didn¡¯t know was that they had walked by a temple in a side path. The temple was old with ivy running up the walls, but that only added to the holy atmosphere.

    ¡°Oh! Are you perhaps religious, Vincent? William?¡± asked Sophia in an attempt to change the topic.

    ¡°Mhm,¡± answered William. William wasn¡¯t only religious. He had transmigrated into this world with the help of the goddess. He had been given a second lease at life and also given multiple boons, he was pious towards the goddess Aerith, Goddess of Life. They also just happened to come across her temple. ¡°Do you mind if we stop by so I can make a prayer?¡±

    ¡°Sure! Let¡¯s go!¡± Sophia skipped forward as she entered the temple grounds with William following behind. ¡°Vincent?¡±

    ¡°Nngg! I-I¡¯ll pass.¡± Vincent looked as if he took a punch to the gut and left clutching his stomach.

    ¡°F-fine! I tried!¡± cried Sophia. She felt some disappointment coming from her chest as she watched him leave. ¡°I was just giving you a chance,¡± muttered Sophia as she turned around and followed William inside.

    Back outside, Vincent turned around the corner and immediately tore off the ring from his finger. ¡°AUGH! HAH~ HAH~!¡± The ring was burning so hotly that it left a red welt on his left index finger.

    ¡°Kuaa!¡± Thunder Chicken felt some worry for her caretaker.

    ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± gasped Vincent.

    As if to answer his question, a dialogue boxed opened up.

    ===

    The Aion Ring goes against the Heavens. If the wielder¡¯s identity is known by the gods, he will be destroyed along with the Aion Ring.

    ===

    ¡°Really?¡± Vincent felt breathless. ¡°A random ring that was a family heirloom just happened to be an artifact that even the gods wish to see destroyed. If that was so, then just what is the true identity of the Aion Ring?¡± wondered Vincent. Then he remembered what happened before he got to the training camp. Whatever he does, he had to meet his grandfather again.

    With this goal in mind, he hurried over to the inn his retainers were residing in. He quickly made arrangements to return home, he wanted to ask his mother about his grandfather. Maybe he could find out more about just who his grandfather really was.

    The next day, a man asked his master, ¡°Young Master, are you sure you really do not want to stay for a few more days? The Duke¡¯s daughter sent a message this morning asking if you won¡¯t reconsider.¡± Leo¡¯s words seemed to hint at something, but Vincent didn¡¯t seem to notice as he rejected the request.

    ¡°No, I still have some business to take care of.¡± His mind was dead set on looking more into the Aion Ring and his grandfather¡¯s identity.

    Back in a guest lounge, a maid entered and whispered something to the expectant girl who had gotten up early that morning. ¡°He rejected me?! How dare him!¡± fumed Sophia. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll pretend I won¡¯t know him if we meet again. I¡¯ll watch what he does then.¡± She stormed off, leaving a speechless William and a frightened maid behind.

    The trip home was uneventful and Vincent and his retainers returned without any problems. Vincent dropped off Thunder Chicken to be looked after before looking for his mother.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Mom?¡± He asked a servant who flinched.

    ¡°M-madam is in the garden.¡± The servant answered before running off looking as if he escaped a trial.

    The garden was a beautiful place, especially with summer just starting. The flowers have budded and would open up their petals to greet the sun every morning. These were Daylilies, which shone brightest at midday. They were also sisters to Nightulips, which glowed in the moons luminescence. Right now, Catherine was gently watering these Daylilies.

    ¡°Mom¡­¡± Vincent said as he approached her.

    ¡°Vince,¡± beamed Catherine as she dropped the watering can and embraced her son. ¡°You¡¯re back so soon? You¡¯re not hurt are you?¡± It looked like a routine check-up as Vincent waited for her to rummage through his clothes checking for cuts or bruises.

    ¡°I¡¯m not hurt, Mom. I actually got you something.¡± He reached into his pouch and retrieved a small gift wrapped parcel. ¡°Go ahead, open it.¡± He smiled gently as he urged her. It was only to her that he constantly showed his real smile, only her unfiltered love for her son would allow him to open up to her.

    Catherine looked excited as she opened his gift while at the same moved gracefully. ¡°Oh my! Vince, you got me these?¡± She held up a pair of spotless white gloves. They looked as thin and as soft as silk.

    ¡°They¡¯re woven from cloudworm silk, they¡¯re as soft as clouds and as durable as work gloves. Since you liked tending to the flower garden so much, you can wear these and protect your hands.¡± Vincent felt a bit bashful when he had to explain what the gift was.

    ¡°UMU!¡± Catherine felt a huge surge of happiness pour out from her chest as she embraced her blushing son. ¡°Thank you, Vince. Mommy will treasure it always!¡±

    ¡°Please, just use it. I can always buy you another,¡± entreated Vincent. ¡°Mom, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask.¡± He scratched his cheek as he waited for her mother-son skinship to finish.

    ¡°What is it, Vince? Mommy will be happy to answer any questions. Is it about a girl?¡± She asked as she eyed the second gift in Vincent¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Ah, no¡­ This is for Isabel. I promised her that I¡¯ll give her a present.¡± He said as he put the other gift away. ¡°It¡¯s actually about grandfather... What was he like?¡±

    ¡°You want to know about Papa?¡± Catherine seemed to have regressed back into her childhood age as she bubbly smiled.

    ¡°Yea. What was he like?¡±

    ¡°Papa¡­ Hm¡­ Papa was the strongest person in the whole world.¡± Her eyes looked far off into the distant sky as tears welled up within them.

    Vincent frowned. He wasn¡¯t going to get much information from her in that state. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s alright. You don¡¯t have to say anymore.¡± He would have to find another way of looking into his grandfather¡¯s background.

    ¡°Young Master Vincent, the Master is asking for you.¡± A servant apologized as he delivered the message.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there. Please, bring my mother inside, she needs some rest.¡± The servant was a bit odd-looking after hearing his words, but he ignored him and entered the house.

    Zeke was waiting in his study when Vincent entered.

    ¡°Vince.¡± Zeke said as he walked up to Vincent. ¡°Won¡¯t you return and take up the Redwall name once again?¡±

 Chapter 14 - Unexpected Surprise

    ¡°We both know that would be improper, Father.¡± Vince shook away the hand that was firmly placed on his shoulder. ¡°It would also make light of Gerald¡¯s diligence. No, I prefer if things stay like they are.¡±

    Zeke looked visibly pained as he withdrew his hand. ¡°It was worth a shot.¡± He gestured for Vincent to follow him and they both sat down. He produced a file from a shelf beside his desk and handed it over to Vincent.

    ¡°Are these the investigation results?¡± Vincent asked as he flipped through it.

    ¡°They are. I started off with Florence, since it used to belong to me.¡± Zeke began. The town for Florence belonged to the Redwall family for generations. It recently changed hands a decade ago because of the current lord of Florence and Zeke¡¯s relationship. They were war buddies.

    ¡°So multiple counts of embezzlement and ¡®relocation¡¯ adding on with mismanagement of the territory surrounding the town.¡± Vincent muttered as he read over the report. The current royal family has a high standing amongst the commoners because of their laws that favor the commoners over the nobles. Commoners were giving basic rights and welfare and nobles had to spend a percentage of their taxes on welfare for commoners. Although it would mean less taxes collected by the king, it would mean strong support from the masses.

    Naturally many noble families would be upset, which led to split into three factions within the Eidolon Kingdom: In support for a de-centralized government where nobility held more power, keeping the current centralized government where the royal family was in power, and the neutral faction. Zeke and many of the northern nobles were in this faction. Duke Evergreen was naturally the spiritual leader of the neutral faction regardless of whether he denied the position or not.

    ¡°It would seem my friend has changed since we¡¯ve last spoken,¡± muttered Zeke.

    ¡°Father, what do you plan to do with this information? There are other reports besides Florence.¡± Vincent asked as he closed the file.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I called you in here,¡± sighed Zeke. ¡°I want to know. What are your thoughts, Vince?¡±

    Vincent thought about the original plot of the novel. Until the end of the civil war, the northern nobles stayed neutral with only a few choosing sides towards the end. The factions were also divided into leaders: the crown prince, third prince, and Duke Evergreen were the leaders of the royal faction, noble faction, and neutral faction respectively.

    The royal faction was able to win because of the MC, but a lot of people¡¯s lives were thrown into chaos because of how destructive and long the civil war took. If Vincent was able to help a bit by¡­

    ¡°I think it¡¯s best if Father were to punish more of the harsher cases of corruption,¡± said Vincent as he handed back the file. ¡°Some things like what the Lord of Florence did cannot be excused, especially by the royal family.

    ¡°That makes sense.¡± Zeke echoed as he understood Vincent¡¯s meaning. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I might need to cooperate with the royal family on this matter¡­¡±

    ¡°Naturally. Of course, it¡¯s best to overlook the minor cases, since it would be best not to turn everyone against us. We just need to set an example for the rest.¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°Haha! Are you looking down on me, Vince? How long do you think I have been in the game?¡± Zeke laughed as he ushered Vincent out of the room, he had lots of work to do.

    ¡°Sometimes I envy how good Vincent¡¯s father is.¡± Vincent said to himself. He thought how the original Vincent could do whatever he liked because his father was there to weather the storm of the public opinion.

    He was walking down the hall when a dainty little girl called out his name, ¡°Vince!¡±

    *Poof!*

    ¡°Bell!¡± He chuckled as he picked her up. She was already getting too big to be picked up; she was already ten years old. He still picked her up into a big hug though. ¡°Did you make sure Mom ate every meal?¡±

    ¡°Uh huh! I also made sure Gerald and Daddy and Mommy ate a lot!¡± Her face beamed as she counted everyone on her fingers.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. You are becoming a very responsible girl now!¡± He rubbed her head. ¡°Oh, I brought you a present.¡± He said as he retrieved the package from his bag.

    ¡°What is it?!¡± Her eyes lit up as her cheeks puffed out like a chipmunks.

    ¡°Open it, then you¡¯ll know.¡±

    Without another word, the sounds of paper tearing was heard in the hallway followed by a loud¡­

    ¡°WOW~!¡± Isabel held up a pink ribbon. ¡°Can Big Brother put it on for me?¡± She held up the ribbon with pleading eyes. How could he say no to that?

    He didn¡¯t have a comb on him, so he only used his hands and did his best. The result?

    ¡°It might be a little offside¡­¡± Vincent began.

    ¡°No! I like it! Thank you Big Brother!¡± She hugged his neck and ran off saying, ¡°I¡¯m going to show this to everyone!¡±

    Vincent felt a little warm inside as he watched her run off then returned to his room to rest.

    ¡°It seems that Mom won¡¯t be reliable if I want to find out more about Grandfather,¡± contemplated Vincent as he rolled the ring around while inspecting it. ¡°What would be ideal is if I were able to see him once more¡­¡±

    Suddenly¡­

    Vincent felt a pulling force as he felt his vison black out. When he opened his eyes once more, he was inside the abyss.

    ¡°So you¡¯ve return.¡± The domineering man announced. He frowned after a momentary look at Vincent, ¡°You¡¯re still weak, but you¡¯ve grown.¡±

    ¡°Grandfather.¡± Vincent looked over the man. The man looked like he was in his fifties and wearing elegant clothes that looked foreign to him; they weren¡¯t clothes traditional to the Eidolon Kingdom.

    ¡°By those words, you must be Kitty¡¯s child¡­¡± The man¡¯s fierce look softened somewhat. ¡°I haven¡¯t told her about the ring, since I feared the heavenly tribulations.¡±

    ¡°Catherine is my mother and my father is Zeke Redwall. If this is true then I really am your grandson. I have so many questions to ask you now that I¡¯ve met you again. Will you please answer them?¡± Vincent felt his hunger for adventure growing with every passing word between them.

    ¡°Impossible!¡± shouted the old man. ¡°Kitty¡¯s not married¡­ no that doesn¡¯t matter. You don¡¯t have much time.¡± He hurriedly flicked through a few panels before a text box appeared in front of Vincent.

    ===

    Origin Magic acquired.

    ===

    ¡°This is¡­¡± Vincent was about to ask but was interrupted by the old man.

    ¡°There¡¯s no more time. Improve your magic before coming back. Reach at the very least 50 in your Magic stat.¡± Like the previous time, the old man flipped through a few options on his side and Vincent felt a sucking sensation before forcibly ejected from the abyss-like world.

    ¡°Fuu~¡± Vincent sighed as he laid up in bed. He felt drained of all energy. ¡°I think I understand why he was in such a hurry.¡± Entering the abyss world must require a lot of energy from the user, maybe it was because of this that his grandfather remained so distant when speaking.

    ¡°Status.¡±

    ===

    <ul>

    <li>Status</li>

    </ul>

    [Strength] (22)

    [Endurance] (25)

    [Agility] (25)

    [Perception] (36)

    [Magic] (6.4)

    <ul>

    <li>Talents</li>

    </ul>

    [Flexible Body] (null)

    [Origin Magic] (Beginner ¨C Rank 10)

    <ul>

    <li>Titles</li>

    </ul>

    [Inheritor of the Aion Ring]

    ===

    ¡°What is this origin magic, I wonder?¡± pondered Vincent before he lost himself to sleep.

 Chapter 15 - Origin Magic

    The following morning, Vincent began his daily routine, feeling refreshed. He had his high endurance to thank for his speedy recovery. Unlike last time, he felt his blood pumping as he jogged early in the morning. It was also in the mornings that he had time to think. He had been examining the details of Origin Magic ever since he had woken up.

    ¡°Brother¡­¡± A young voice called out to him.

    ¡°Gerald? What are you doing here?¡± He stopped as Gerald walked out from under the shade. Gerald looked uneasy and nervous, unlike his usual look.

    ¡°Um, I heard Brother returned from the Evergreen estate the previous day.¡± Gerald began to say. ¡°Also Brother brought home some gifts for Isabel and¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh so that¡¯s what¡¯s going on,¡± thought Vincent as he was feeling a little guilty. ¡°I didn¡¯t think Gerald would be jealous of Bell.¡± He jokingly said as he watched his quiet brother fluster.

    ¡°I-it¡¯s not that, it¡¯s just¡­ Never mind.¡± He was about to walk away before Vincent grabbed his hand.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay? I¡¯ll show you what I¡¯ve learned at the training camp.¡± Vincent pointed at the training dummy on the practice field.

    Gerald eyed Vincent quizzically but his long face began to widen out into a bright smile.

    ¡°Okay!¡± yipped Gerald as he rebounded from his depressing mood.

    Vincent began teaching the basics of Evergreen Swordsmanship to the highly impressionable boy. The servants were also gossiping about the change in their troublesome young master and many were impressed with the positive change that had happened in the past year, though they were still frightened of him.

    That morning, Juno had also been strolling around the estate and happened to peek in on the two siblings practicing. She didn¡¯t interrupt them and only silently watched them for a short while before leaving.

    After practice, Vincent was still pondering over the Origin Magic. Ever since he received that notification he felt like something inside him had changed. It could be said that he felt like a covering that had always been over his eyes had been lifted and he could ¡®see¡¯ more than in the past.

    The way magic worked in this world was that the magician had to draw in mana from the world around him and convert it into a usable form. Magicians have a natural affinity for a different element and the mana that they naturally absorb slowly converts into that type of mana. The reason why training magic was so hard was the process of using magic.

    Wild mana takes a while to convert into stable mana within the human body. In order to speed this process up, recovery medicines must be used. Since magic required precise control and concentration, spells must be practiced until they have been perfected. Some people associate a type of spell with a word or phrase in order to help them memorize how the spell is released.

    There are also various ways to strengthen a spell such as using a medium or catalysts. That was why becoming a mage required a lot of resources and why every kingdom categorized mages as a strategic resource when it came to wars.

    ¡°I¡¯ve received the talent for origin magic, but no matter where I look, there¡¯s no mention of this type of magic.¡± Vincent said as he browsed through the library in the Redwall estate. While he was thinking about it, a sudden thought struck him. ¡°Wait, why did I forget? Status!¡±

    ===

    <ul>

    <li>Status</li>

    </ul>

    [Strength] (22)

    [Endurance] (25)

    [Agility] (25)

    [Perception] (36)

    [Magic] (6.5)This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    <ul>

    <li>Talents</li>

    </ul>

    [Flexible Body] (null)

    [Origin Magic] (Beginner ¨C Rank 10)(EXP 0%)

    <ul>

    <li>Titles</li>

    </ul>

    [Inheritor of the Aion Ring]

    ===

    After pulling up his status, he tapped on the Origin Magic talent. Suddenly another text box popped up.

    ===

    Origin Magic is the ability to control magic itself. Stolen from Midgurd.

    ===

    ¡°Wait isn¡¯t this a broken talent?¡± Vincent exasperatedly gasped. ¡°But who is Midgurd?¡± He didn¡¯t remember reading about any ¡®Midgurd¡¯ in the novel so he put it to the back of his mind. The box also went into further detail on just how to use the magic.

    Origin Magic functioned differently as compared to contemporary magic. Unlike the current system of magic, the user of origin magic doesn¡¯t use the mana stored within his body, but shape it out of wild magic in his surroundings. That¡¯s where the difficulty comes in. Since Vincent is using wild magic it would require even more concentration and willpower in order to control the wild mana around him.

    ¡°For now, it¡¯s best to take it slow.¡± He said to himself. He could already feel the mana around him. Every time he drew in a breath he could feel the mana pass through his body it felt like his body had become a filter and whenever mana passed through his body a little bit of it was left behind. He had a hunch that from now on his magic stat will slowly increase, he wasn¡¯t in such a hurry so he wanted to take it slow.

    Instead of focusing on Origin Magic, he had a more pressing matter. Money. Until now, Vincent had relied on the allowance he received from his father. However, he was technically an adult now and it was embarrassing to continue receiving welfare from his father. However, Vincent wasn¡¯t really savvy when it came to economics and how to make money; he was a terminal patient his whole previous life.

    He could take advantage of knowing the future to make some easy money, but the problem is they were in the future and he would need some capital in order to invest in them. While he was wondering about this, Juno walked into the lounge.

    ¡°Vincent?¡± She called out.

    ¡°Yes, Mother?¡± Vincent stood up.

    ¡°Please come see me in my office.¡± Juno didn¡¯t wait for a reply and left as Vincent followed behind.

    ¡°That¡¯s right! Juno is the head of a merchant guild!¡± Vincent remembered his step-mother¡¯s identity.

    ¡°Vincent as you know, you¡¯re no longer a child.¡± Juno began to say after they arrived. ¡°I think it¡¯s time that you consider for yourself how you¡¯ll be able to support yourself in the future.¡±

    Vincent¡¯s eyes shined with understanding. ¡°It seems Mother also has the same idea.¡± Since Gerald would be inheriting the title of Viscount, naturally, Vincent would have to walk down a different path. Juno was probably considering him for a position in her guild. However¡­

    ¡°Mother, business isn¡¯t my strong point. Managing finances and investments isn¡¯t in my interests. However, I do plan on making a few investments¡­¡± Vincent answered the unspoken question Juno was about to ask.

    ¡°Vincent, you are smarter than you seem to let on, so I won¡¯t ask why you turned down my offer. But please, if I may ask, what investments do you have in mind?¡± Her eyes sharpened like a predator after hearing her favorite word.

    Vincent flashed an evil smile reminiscent of the devil as he lowered his voice. ¡°During my time at the training camp, monster activity has increased drastically. There are rumors that an outbreak deeper within the forest was the cause. So something big might happen in the future and with it¡­¡±

    ¡°The price of Emerald Wood would explode¡­¡± Juno finished the rest of his words. Juno could smell an opportunity when she saw one, but, ¡°You are telling me this because you want my help?¡± There was no free meal in the merchant world.

    ¡°Exactly. I have first-hand experience and I can guarantee that something big will happen in the Emerald Forest. All I ask is that I receive 20% of the profits.¡± This was Vincent¡¯s first money-making opportunity. He knew that the Emerald Forest would become a danger zone in the future and also the civil war that happened right after would require lots of Emerald Wood to build war machines.

    ¡°Only 20% of the profits? You could ask for more, Vincent.¡± Juno eyed her step-son, he had changed too much within a year that it left her suspicious.

    ¡°20% is more than enough for me. I only gave you this information and I have no evidence to back this up, so it¡¯s a risk that you will have to take, Mother.¡± Vincent shrugged.

    Juno studied her changed son for a bit longer before deciding to trust him. His confidence in this matter was what finally convinced her. ¡°Do you have a time frame?¡±

    ¡°Within the next year.¡± Vincent announced.

    ¡°I must hurry then.¡± Juno said as she shooed him away. ¡°Does your father know about this?¡±

    ¡°He should be preparing mercenaries along the forest border.¡± Vincent recalled his last conversation with his father. The incident devastated 100km of the forest border it was a huge incident that left the norther border in shambles and it was only through the efforts of the MC and the Evergreen Rangers that the incident was resolves. Naturally Redwall territory wasn¡¯t left scot-free either. It was best if he had his family moved to the royal capital.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do as much as I can in this short time.¡± With this information, she had to work even harder. If the incident was going to be as exaggerated as her son had described it won¡¯t be good if her guild¡¯s headquarter was stationed in Redwall.

 Chapter 16 - To the Capital

    The coming weeks were in a flurry as Vincent prepared to depart to the royal capital. It was the start of the academic year, and he had to retake an entrance exam to renew his placement and ranking. However, that wasn¡¯t the most significant thing on his mind at the moment.

    ¡°Young Master, a letter from Lord Byron¡¯s son has arrived for you.¡± A butler said as he handed over the letter.

    ¡°Thank you, you may leave,¡± said Vincent as he opened the letter. The butler looked a bit awkward as he left. Vincent quickly read the short note. It was a letter of invitation.

    ¡°Looks like the third prince¡¯s faction has start to gather,¡± commented Vincent as he took a sip of his coffee. The third prince was a dangerous man; he would do anything to wrestle the throne from his step-brother, the crown prince. The third prince also favored a life of luxury and leisure and would host parties that go on for days before it ended.

    The letter was an invitation to a party hosted by Duke Vildred, the Duke that was in the nobility faction. It seems that this was a gathering to invite new house families into the nobility faction. By the way, Lord Byron¡¯s son was a ¡®friend¡¯ of Vincent. He, Vincent, and two others were known as the four princes of vice of the northeast.

    ¡°I think I would attend this ¡®celebration.¡¯ What do you think, Emet?¡± Vincent asked the falcon that was sitting on a branch just outside his window.

    ¡°Kuaa~¡± Emet crooned.

    ¡°You like that name, huh?¡± Vincent chuckled as he put down his coffee and got up. Thunder Chicken was just a joke name he thought up. Once he returned home, and Emet healed, he began to bond with the falcon. Emet was a rare breed between storm falcons and lightning hawks. Although Emet was still young, once she grew to her full potential, she would become a queen of the skies unshackled by all. She had also become very close to Vincent, her savior in this short time and decided to follow him.

    ¡°Although I¡¯m no longer the old trash that I used to be, I still need to keep up the pretense.¡± He was referring to the old Vincent. Since he had made such a drastic change, it might detract from the original plotline. That was why he intended to at least show up to this gathering.

    ¡°Status.¡±

    ===

    ?        Status

    [Strength] (22)

    [Endurance] (25)

    [Agility] (25)

    [Perception] (36)

    [Magic] (10.2)

    ?    Talents

    [Flexible Body] (null)

    [Origin Magic] (Beginner ¨C Rank 9)(EXP 15%)

    ?    Titles

    [Inheritor of the Aion Ring]

    ===

    Ever since his Origin Magic talent reached rank 9, he had become able to control a bit of the wild mana in his surroundings. His sensitivity to magic has also been enhanced and could ¡®see¡¯ a glow of magic in the lamps that were powered by magic stones.

    ¡°Origin magic is rather obscure, but I think I¡¯m beginning to understand its use.¡± Vincent murmured as he gathered a thumb-sized amount of mana inside his palm. The mana was invisible to regular humans, but if a magician were to see it, they would see a ball of unstable energy gathering in his palm. What shouldn¡¯t be possible to control is being stably suppressed into the form of a sphere in his palm.

    At the moment, the ball of mana is little more than a mass of energy. Vincent¡¯s current control was lacking, and it took all his concentration to gather that mana; it couldn¡¯t be used in combat yet. However, if he were to¡­

    ¡°Fire.¡±

    *Woosh!*

    The ball of mana roared into life as a blazing fire sprouted from Vincent¡¯s palm.

    ¡°Water.¡±

    The flame instantly extinguished and was replaced by a bubble of water floating carelessly on his palm.

    ¡°Wind.¡±

    A swirling current of air came to life as it replaced the bubble.

    ¡°Earth.¡±

    Dust particles immediately gathered and formed a ball of brown dirt. The shape of the ball kept changing, building an infinite design of possibilities.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°Origin magic is indeed formidable. Not only can I change the wild mana into any element, but I also don¡¯t have to use my mana. But, is origin magic limited only to the elements?¡± His mind went down a trail of thought as he began to experiment further.

    ¡°Infuse.¡±

    He held his breath as he merged the ball of mana and a pen by his side. Through his magic sense, he saw the pen take up the mana. Soon after, the pen began to emit mana and float up, but then the mana dispersed from the pen before the pen dropped to the floor.

    ¡°It looks like I still can¡¯t control it too well.¡± He concluded. Origin magic¡¯s use was diverse and was only limited to his imagination. If he wanted to survive, origin magic would be his trump card in the future.

    ---

    One day, the royal family released a decree that shook the whole Eidolon Kingdom. It was more of a list than an announcement ¡ª the list called forth a dozen names. A dozen house names, from this moment forward, they would be stripped of all their rights and authorities as aristocrats. Effective immediately.

    Under the list was an announcement regarding the head of each of those houses; the heads of the houses listed above will be tried for corruption and treason.

    ¡°Although it says those men will be tried, it¡¯s more of a public execution,¡± Vincent concluded.

    ¡°It is indeed, Vince.¡± Zeke echoed tiredly from behind his desk. He had just arrived home earlier that morning from the capital. It seems that the royal family was already conducting their investigations and Zeke¡¯s cooperation fast-forwarded their plans. His Intel provided evidence on the dealings between various noble houses and was able to implicate and fill in holes for the royal family.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t meet with any troubles, Father?¡± Vincent asked worriedly.

    ¡°If you mean any threats of physical harm, none. But of emotional distress¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what a person deals with if they play with politics.¡± Vincent sighed lightly.

    ¡°You might¡¯ve done the right thing,¡± chuckled Zeke. ¡°Gerald will have to bear a lot of responsibilities in the future. Are you sure you won¡¯t¡­¡±

    Vincent interrupted his father, ¡°Please, I¡¯ve already made my choice, Father.¡±

    ¡°Mhm. As you wish.¡± Zeke shook his head with dismay before speaking up again, ¡°I¡¯ve personally held counsel with the king himself. He appreciated my assistance in this matter, but due to the sensitivity of this matter, he cannot publicly reward me.¡±

    The subject was a delicate topic in the current political atmosphere. The royalty faction has just won a significant battle against the nobility faction in the shadows, and the nobility faction was thirsty for blood and vengeance. If the Redwall house drew the spotlight, Vincent could not imagine the devastation that would happen to his family.

    ¡°That¡¯s why the king will reward Gerald with the title of Count after he inherits my title. As for you, Vince¡­¡± Zeke paused and studied Vincent¡¯s clear and understanding eyes for a while. ¡°I prepared for you the royal crest.¡±

    Zeke produced a golden button-sized token from within his pocket. Vincent¡¯s eyes lit up as he saw the gathering of mana on the medallion. This medallion was the real deal.

    ¡°The royal crest¡­¡± A stunned Vincent spoke as he received the item.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the royal crest. With this, you can seek an audience with the King without any prior notice. In the right hands, this crest is worth more than gold.¡± Since Vincent refused his previous offer, the best he could do was turn over the royal crest conferred to him. Since, without Vincent¡¯s help, he and his close friends might¡¯ve had their names on that list. It was a heavenly feeling knowing that he barely escaped from the noose tied around his neck.

    ¡°Thank you, Father.¡± Vincent readily accepted the crest. He didn¡¯t have any plans to get too involved with the royal family, but the crest might come in handy in the future. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing more, I would like to return and resume packing.¡±

    ¡°The academic year is resuming? Have I been away for that long?¡± Zeke scratched his stubbly cheek with interest.

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been that long. I have a prior engagement that I have to deal with.¡± Vincent was referring to the party with the nobility faction, but since his father has chosen a side, he decided to remain vague.

    ¡°Is that so? Then I can¡¯t hold you back now can I? Go.¡±

    The following morning, Vincent dressed in comfortable clothes that were easy to move in. Since it would take half a month by carriage, he decided against it and chosen to ride there; his belongings will be delivered at a later date.

    It was a bright and crisp morning, the sun had just risen in the sky and the morning birds are singing. Vincent had finished buckling his sword belt and exited his room, and he chanced upon a dainty little figure.

    ¡°Vince~ Wuuuu~¡­¡± Isabel was half awake while still rubbing her eyes. ¡°Are you leaving?¡± She staggered forward and fell into his arms while sobbing.

    Vincent picked her up before softly rubbing her back.

    ¡°Bell, I have to leave for the academy. I¡¯ve already told you this.¡± He carried her as he walked towards the entrance of the house. Along the way, the maids and servants bowed professionally and made way.

    ¡°B-but who will play with me?¡± Isabel whined cutely.

    ¡°You have lots of friends. Don¡¯t lie to me, Bell.¡± Isabel was at the age where she would attend tea parties with the rest of the girls of other noble families. Juno kept herself busy with this tradition, which was why it was hard seeing her around the estate.

    ¡°But¡­ They¡¯re not you~!¡± She complained as she nuzzled against his shoulder.

    ¡°Hasn¡¯t she become too attached to me?¡± wondered Vincent as he walked.

    ¡°Say something~!¡± She looked down at him as he carried her, her smoky half-awake eyes made it look like she was about to cry.

    ¡°Haha¡­¡± Vincent chuckled as he produced a handkerchief and wiped her eyes. ¡°If Bell wants to see me, just write me a letter, and I¡¯ll come.¡± His eyes softened as he continued to coax the child.

    ¡°No! It will take too long!¡± She pouted.

    ¡°Then¡ª¡°

    ¡°I¡¯ll come live with you!¡±

    ¡°To the capital?¡± asked Vincent bewilderedly.

    ¡°Mhm!¡± She bobbed her head up and down excitedly.

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Vincent opened the front door and saw his family gathered up outside, just beyond the entrance.

    ¡°Vince!¡±

    ¡°Brother.¡±

    ¡°Vincent.¡±

    ¡°What is going on?¡± He asked his mother who had approached him.

    ¡°We¡¯re here to see you off, Vince,¡± Catherine answered through teary eyes.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± He felt some warmth seeing people caring for him. In this life, he is loved. He embraced his mother with his free hand. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you.¡±

    Upon hearing his words, Catherine stiffened.

    ¡°Wuuu~! I just got to see my little boy again, and now he¡¯s going far away again.¡±

    ¡°Mom! Mama! Let¡¯s go live with Big Brother!¡± chirped Isabel.

    ¡°Bell, don¡¯t be selfish.¡± Vincent sternly warned.

    ¡°Actually¡­¡± interrupted Zeke, ¡°That might not be such a bad idea. It¡¯ll be safer there.¡±

    A silence whistled through the group before a loud¡­

    ¡°YAY~!¡± Isabel struggled out Vincent¡¯s arm before leaping into her father¡¯s arms.

    While this was happening, Vincent, Zeke, Juno, and Gerald all showed concerned gazes. Vincent was the first to speak.

    ¡°If you must,¡± said the youth. Then Vincent leaped upon his steed and bellowed a loud, ¡°YAH!¡± and left along with his escorts. He veered his steed westward, leaving behind a sobbing mother and family.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait~!¡± Isabel hummed.

 Chapter 17 - Old Friends, New Faces

    Vincent met with few troubles on his way onwards to the royal capital. They were traveling at an extreme pace, set unknowingly by Vincent himself. Vincent lost himself in thought throughout most of the journey.

    ¡°If Bell and everyone moved into the capital, I won¡¯t be able to concentrate on anything else but their safety. The capital is a dangerous place, especially when the future civil war commences.¡± He muttered to himself, hoping he¡¯ll find a solution.

    Emet flew high in the sky above scouting in front of their path. It was due to this eager companion that Vincent hadn¡¯t fallen into any surprises along the way. The peaceful countryside had slowly turned from a barren wilderness into thriving farmlands the closer they were to the capital.

    ¡°The nobility faction is weaker now because of what Father had done, but this is both a good thing and a bad thing. They are weaker now, but that means they are more volatile. I must get to the faction party and find out what I can.¡± Vincent silently promised himself.

    ¡°On top of that. I need to find people I can trust to protect my family.¡± It was a strange feeling, having people precious to him. He felt stifled by this new feeling, but also warm at the thought of it.

    He didn¡¯t want just trustful people; he wanted people that will jump into a fire pit if told. He wanted loyalty, only then, will his worry be calmed. In the world of Blaze Fantasia, there were many kinds of people, but they were also ambitious. Ambition would breed greed and seed ill-intent. The loyal would already have a master and hard to come by, especially this early in the original novel. However, there was one particular group, said to tear through hordes of monsters with ease and fiercely loyal to the death. There was just one thing about this group that was bad¡­

    ¡°Dark elves.¡± Vincent murmured, his eyes gleaming with excitement. ¡°If I remember correctly, dark elves are one of the most dangerous races of beings on this continent.¡± It wasn¡¯t only that; he also remembered that they posed a lot of trouble for the MC later on in the novel. However, their one factor that raised their worth in Vincent¡¯s eye was their intense loyalty to their princess.

    Vincent wouldn¡¯t have time right now, but he still had plenty of time before he would need the dark elves, so he put them to the back of his mind. He finally arrived at the gates of the capital city, Gawain. The royal capital was accustomed to a large stream of traffic. Thus it was easy for Vincent to enter without much trouble. The party would begin within three days and then the following week would be the start of the new academic year. Before that, he had to retake an examination, so he was on a tight schedule after the party.

    The streets of Gawain was bustling with activity. There were especially more people due to the beginning of the school year and also because Gawain was the central transit hub for many merchants. There was the sea to the west, the spice kingdom in the south, the Sorin Mountain Range to its east and finally, the northern countries passed the Emerald Forest to the north. It was for this reason that even though Gawain doesn¡¯t specialize in anything else but grain, it has flourished enough and soon became the capital of a kingdom.

    ¡°Young Master, we have been awaiting your arrival.¡± A butler bowed with an air of regalness. Even the quality of etiquette in the capital was high. ¡°The Old Master wishes to have a word with you.¡±

    Vincent frowned slightly and said, ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡± In truth, a trip that would¡¯ve taken about a week, he had trekked in half that time. He felt a bit sorry for pushing his horse so hard, but it was too late to feel regret.

    ¡°That is the Old Master¡¯s orders, Young Master.¡± The butler remained composed and didn¡¯t show any reaction to his complaints. It seemed this butler has known the old Vincent and expected nothing less of him.

    ¡°Hm... fine,¡± Vincent replied after seeing the butler not budge. It concerned him; Vincent remembered the details of the original Vincent¡¯s grandfather, Tidus Redwall. Tidus Redwall, also known as the Ogre of Vernon Valley. He and his troops were the rear-guard that protected the retreating Eidolon army after a failed scrimmage. In that battle he buried an opposing army of 5,000 alive along with half of his own men. Even though he lost over 300 men, he managed to save thousands of lives. He was hailed as a hero by many and a monster by others.

    Throughout the original novel, after the death of Vincent, the Redwall house secluded themselves in their territory and refused to participate in the civil war. However, it was because of the Ogre of Vernon Valley that the two armies of the royal and nobility faction refused to wage any battles near the Redwall territory. Right now, the person that would cause two large factions to think twice before crossing the territory border was sitting across from him.

    Tidus Redwall, Vincent¡¯s grandfather, was playing chess against himself in the garden pavilion. Vincent had been waiting for his grandfather to speak ever since he greeted his grandfather, but the veteran continued playing his game in silence. Vincent remembered from the original novel that this old man was significantly disappointed in the old Vincent. So more than likely, Vincent was being tested; therefore he stood silently and waited for his grandfather to speak even though he was weary from the long travel.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Twenty minutes later, after black has triumphed over white, his grandfather began to speak.

    ¡°You have grown,¡± said Tidus as he gestured for Vincent to sit. ¡°Care for a game?¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Vincent played white while his grandfather was black. It was a casual game, but because Vincent doesn¡¯t know how to use advanced strategies, his pieces were quickly gobbled up by the black pieces.

    ¡°Vincent, chess requires thinking two moves ahead of your opponent,¡± Tidus said as he dragged his queen all the way across the board to take his bishop.

    ¡°That¡¯s quite true,¡± Vincent bemusedly answered as he took down his grandfather¡¯s queen with his rook.

    ¡°The key words in that phrase is ¡®your opponent.¡¯¡± Tidus shot back as his knight replaced Vincent¡¯s rook.

    ¡°Checkmate.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Another game perhaps?¡±

    ¡°No thanks.¡± Vincent stood up and was about to leave when he heard his grandfather repeat once more.

    ¡°You have grown.¡±

    ---

    Vincent continued his daily routine until the day of the party; his routine hadn¡¯t changed even though he had long left the training camp. On the day of the party, he finally took his time to explore the city, well, a part of it.

    Vincent was dressed cleanly in clothes that were easy to move in. However, he was walking through one of the more barren streets of the capital, a place that was void during the day but came to life at night: the adult entertainment district. Why was he here so early in the day? Or to be specific, why was he here at all?

    ¡°This should be it.¡± Vincent said as he looked up at the bar sign that read, ¡®Drunken Mule¡¯.

    The place was cleared out aside from a few drunkards snoring loudly at the booth. He looked around for a bit before a voice called out to him from above, ¡°Pretty boy! We¡¯re up here!¡± Vincent glanced up and saw a pig-faced youth peering over the second-floor railing. Vincent inwardly shook his head and walked up the stairs.

    There was a trio sitting at a table with plentiful food laid around; however, every dish had been dug into, leaving a half-eaten mess behind. At the meal was the fatty from before, a thin and wiry youth with shifty eyes, and a prideful well-built youth with crossed arms. The proud youth was the first to speak because the fatty already returned to filling his already bloated stomach.

    ¡°Took you long enough. I bet you were too busy wetting your pecker this morning to remember about your old pals, huh?¡± The proud youth revealed a vulgar smile before continuing, ¡°Oi! Fatty, stop stuffing your face. Pretty Boy¡¯s here.¡± He slapped the back of the fatty, causing a mouthful of food to spew out.

    Vincent inspected the food-coated chair and decided to pull up another seat from the table nearby.

    ¡°V-V-Vince, s-sorry.¡± The paranoid looking youth spoke first.

    ¡°Sorry for what?¡± Vincent crossed his arms and raised his eyebrow.

    ¡°F-for w-what w-w-we did at t-the party.¡± His eyes were shaking so much that they looked like they were spinning in his socket.

    ¡°Shut up, will you?¡± The buff youth slapped him to shut him up then turned to Vincent, ¡°It¡¯s because of you that I lost all my money.¡±

    The fatty tried to calm down the situation, ¡°Everyone, calm down. Why don¡¯t we settle this peacefully over a meal?¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten enough already, Fatty?!¡± The proud youth stood up and pointed at the fatty who had somehow sneakily grabbed a drumstick.

    ¡°L-Lionel¡­¡± The paranoid youth also stood up.

    Just when the chaos was about to erupt a bitingly cold voice uttered from the calm young man who had remained still the whole time.

    ¡°Enough.¡±

    The voice sent a chill down the trio¡¯s spine as they all turned to look over at Vincent. The aura emitted by Vincent had grown more intense than ever before, it screamed: ¡°Obey or Die.¡± Of course, this was all in the minds of the trio, because of how much Vincent had changed in the past year. Prior to this, Vincent would always try to kiss ass and obeyed all their commands.

    The proud youth was the first to speak, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Haven¡¯t been getting some pussy at camp?¡±

    Vincent seemed to have figured out something, so he asked, ¡°Who is at fault?¡± His eyes trained on the paranoid youth who shook with fear before pointing at the proud youth, Lionel.

    ¡°So what if I drugged you? Without that drug, you would¡¯ve been too chicken to sleep with the Duke¡¯s daughter.¡± The expression on Lionel looked as if he felt betrayed after doing Vincent a favor. ¡°Plus if you were actually successful, I would¡¯ve been a rich man!¡±

    *BAM!*

    ¡°Vincent!¡± The Fatty stood up as he grabbed a plate and dodged the falling Lionel. Vincent had abruptly spin kicked Lionel in the head, knocking him out cold. After cooling down, Vincent returned to himself.

    ¡°V-Vince?¡± The paranoid youth had somehow ran far away and was peering out from behind the table over.

    ¡°Because of him, I nearly died,¡± Vincent said as wiped drool off his boot using Lionel¡¯s unconscious body. ¡®In fact, Vincent did die. He¡¯s no longer here.¡¯ Vincent thought to himself.

    ¡°P-please don¡¯t! D-don¡¯t hit me! I had n-nothing to do w-with t-this. It¡¯s all Lionel and Karl¡¯s idea!¡±

    ¡°You *Munch* also placed a bet against him, Samson,¡± Karl answered between bites.

    ¡°HIIEEEK!¡± Samson shrieked and ducked down.

    Vincent looked back and forth between the sorry trio and shook his head and proceeded to leave. ¡°I no longer want to be part of this group. If even you guys set me up, then we shall walk our separate ways.¡±

    The two conscious youths stared at Vincent as he walked down the stairs and handed the tavern keeper a gold coin before leaving. Vincent only came to see what it was that these ¡®old buddies¡¯ of his wanted to talk about, but he was sorely disappointed. He had no interest in continuing to associate with them. In the original novel, Vincent had also remained distant from these guys; it seemed this was the reason.

    Later that evening was the start of the main show.

 Chapter 18 - Lancelot Examination

    The party was held at Duke Ellington¡¯s estate. Duke Ellington governed a sizable territory to the south. He grew strong due to the spice-rich country to the south, and now he wanted more power for himself, which was why he became the figurehead of the nobility faction.

    ¡°Vincent Silverlight from the House of Redwall has arrived.¡± A servant announced as Vincent entered the ballroom.

    ¡°Just how I like it. I¡¯m not drawing any attention.¡± News of him renouncing the Redwall name had already spread throughout the aristocrats. His status at this moment was barely higher than a commoner at the point. There was no use getting to know him; thus no one turned to look nor greet him when he entered. Vincent looked around the venue before slinking off into the crowd.

    The strong smell of perfume and over-extravagant clothing left an unpleasant impression on him. These nobles acted posh and elegant, but they couldn¡¯t hide their selfish nature as their haughtiness and swaggering bearing betrayed them. This atmosphere wasn¡¯t going to work. Vincent extricated himself from the crowd and leaned against a pillar in the outskirts.

    ¡°Care for a drink, Milord?¡± A subdued voice asked from beside him.

    Vincent looked over and froze stiff when he saw a maid with a tightly bound bun. Her hair was as black as the moonless night sky. There was a mole just right below her left eye. She was the epitome of an eastern beauty if she were in the modern world. However, her beauty wasn¡¯t what left Vincent speechless. He knew that person.

    ¡°Aya¡­¡± He uttered.

    The woman¡¯s professional smile faltered for a fraction of a second before she answered, ¡°You are mistaken, Milord. The name of this one is not worthy to be known. Please, would Milord care for a drink?¡± She offered him a tray of wine.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Vincent looked thoughtful for a while before shaking his head. It was at the moment that a bell rang throughout the room.

    *Ding Dong!*

    ¡°His Royal Highness, Prince Lysander has arrived!¡± The trumpets blared as the third prince walked in. Everyone turned to watch as an intimidating man entered the ballroom. He still looked quite young, around his twenties. He studied the crowd as he struts in with confidence. Vincent also noticed that the maid had disappeared from his side.

    ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen,¡± began Prince Lysander. ¡°It is an honor to see that every one of you still have faith in me. I promise that when I become King, I¡¯ll pardon our friends who were framed for corruption. The King is being misled into believing this nonsense and I, Prince Lysander, will rid the palace of these misleaders!¡±

    ¡°Yea!¡±

    ¡°Third Prince~!¡±

    The crowd cheered as the Prince entered the ballroom after his short speech. Vincent silently observed the third prince as he continued to greet the nobles. Finally, after wasting plenty of time and having nothing to show for it, he gave up and silently left.

    ¡°More than anything, it was just a morale booster for the nobility faction.¡± He shook his head when he realized that it was natural not to speak of such matters in such an open place. Although his effort today had turned up pointless, at the very least he met with Aya. She was also a key player in the novel.

    ---

    The next day, Vincent crossed over the barrier into the academy city, Lancelot. Gawain and Lancelot, the twin cities, existed side-by-side in harmony, benefitting each other. Today, Vincent was headed for the administrative district to retake his examinations. His scores from the previous year were thrown out since he had suspended his attendance.

    ¡°Please wait one moment while I inform Vice Headmaster Bardus.¡± The receptionist professionally said and left. Not too long later, she returned, ¡°The Vice Headmaster will meet you in the testing center, please follow me.¡±

    She led him through a series of hallways decorated with various medals and portraits of previous headmasters and vice headmasters. Finally, after entering through a set of plain-looking doors, he saw what looks to be a chubby man in a set of robes.

    ¡°So you¡¯ve finally arrived, Vincent Silverlight.¡± Bardus Geringer raised an eyebrow as he gestured for him to sit. In front of him was a set of exam papers. ¡°It¡¯s not normal to accept a student so late into the year, but Duke Evergreen has put in a good word, so our academy has made you an exception.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Vice Headmaster.¡± Vincent saluted in a practiced manner befitting of a soldier, stunning Bardus momentarily.

    ¡°This is a place of learning, not the army. There¡¯s no need to salute.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡± Vincent straightened up and continued, ¡°Captain Halt sends his greetings.¡±

    At the mention of Halt, Bardus grimaced, ¡°That old bastard is still alive and kicking? Hmph. I should¡¯ve dropped him down that ravine way back when.¡±

    Even though Bardus was complaining about Halt, he had a look of cheerfulness hidden away at the corners of his mouth. He continued grumbling about Halt for a bit longer before regaining his composure.

    ¡°Where was I¡­ Oh right. As a reminder, the exam will test both your academic and physical ability. So once you¡¯ve finished the written exam, we will proceed outdoors for the physical exam. You may begin when ready. You have 60 minutes.¡± After finishing giving out his instructions, Bardus stepped back and took a seat.

    Over the past few weeks, Vincent had not been slacking off. Other than training, he had also brushed up on his studies. The curriculum at Lancelot was simpler compared to modern standards, but there were also topics that might relate to governing and economics that require a bit more study for Vincent.

    Right after opening up the exam papers, Vincent¡¯s eyes lit up at the basic arithmetic calculation questions. Even though he was bed-bound his whole past life, he was still able to learn, in fact, learning new things and studying was the only thing he could do. He quickly sped through the arithmetic questions, then the history questions, then economics questions, and finally the magic theory questions.

    Not even 20 minutes had gone by; Vincent had already placed down his pen. Bardus was slightly surprised, not because Vincent finished so fast, but because he thought Vincent had given up. He was slightly disappointed by that thought, but kept it to himself.

    ¡°Finished?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll proceed to the physical test. Cindy, please show this young man to the practice field, I¡¯ll inform Vice Head Julia to proctor for his physical exam.¡± Right after he finished speaking, the receptionist had reappeared. Bardus gathered up the exam to grade and left after bidding his farewell.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    ¡°Right this way.¡± The receptionist called Cindy walked up. The whole way to the practice field she didn¡¯t speak a word. It was awkward, but Vincent felt that it was fine this way; he wasn¡¯t much of a speaker anyways.

    The practice field was more like an arena than a field. It was inside a dome-like building that was connected to the main administration building. Inside it were stands surrounding the central platform where viewers could sit and listen to the instructor. Off to the side were various weapons neatly displayed on racks, it was clear that they were modified for safety. The platform itself was circular and very large, it was at least 50 meters in diameter.

    Vincent was made to wait there after the Cindy left. Out of curiosity, he approached the weapon racks and picked up a short sword to examine.

    ¡°So the blades are dulled, and the tips were blunted. However this weight¡­¡± He swung the sword as if it were a plastic baton. ¡°It¡¯s too light.¡± He placed the short sword back and retrieved a large axe that was nearly the size of his body. He also swung it around with ease.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t touch the training equipment unless you¡¯re under supervision or an instructor is available.¡± A gruff but otherwise feminine voice reproached him.

    Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a middle-aged woman entering the practice field. She was quite the opposite of Bardus. She wore her robes like it was a set of dojo clothes, but they looked worn out as if they were put under stress too often. The set of robes were cut off at the shoulder, revealing her toned and scarred arms that had been casually placed behind her head. The woman¡¯s face itself was average, but the most notable feature was her predator-like eyes and her heroic smile.

    ¡°Vice Headmaster Julia, I presume?¡± Vincent disregarded her words and placed down the axe. Just as the axe head was about to reach the floor Vincent¡¯s hand jerked.

    *Bang*

    A dull sound erupted out as Vincent flew back a few steps. The handle of the giant axe bent into the shape of a fist.

    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?!¡± Vincent cried out, his heart beating furiously.

    Julia stood up in the position where Vincent was standing before with an excited gaze in her eyes. ¡°Your test as already begun.¡± Immediately afterward, another fist flew out towards his eyes.

    ¡°Damnit!¡± Vincent almost didn¡¯t have any time to react and immediately shrank back after abandoning the bent axe and drawing his sword at his waist. Not long after that split-second decision, Julia¡¯s fist knocked over the axe.

    Vincent neatly retreated and flipped onto the platform. It was disadvantageous for him to fight in such a narrow space below the platform. After regaining his calm, he watched as Julia leaped up.

    ¡°You¡¯re not bad, Boy.¡± She grinned as she kicked off the ground, shooting towards him like a human-shaped bullet.

    ¡°This person is crazy! How the hell did Vincent survive this in the original novel?!¡± Vincent thought to himself as he couldn¡¯t do anything and was forced to dodge. Julia was the other Vice Headmaster of Lancelot. If Bardus was akin to water, then Julia was fire. Bardus was in charge of nobles and Julia was in charge of commoners. Bardus was a B-ranked mage and Julia was¡­

    ¡°Vice Head Julia!¡± Vincent yelled through staggered breathing; it took all his focus to dodge her attacks. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s unbecoming for an A-Rank warrior to test me?¡±

    ¡°Hah?! I can¡¯t hear you over all this music!¡± Julia crazily chuckled as she continued to attack. From time to time, Vincent was able to parry a few attacks, but when they came into contact with her fists metallic clangs were heard.

    ¡°Just what kind of monster is she?!¡± He thought. Up until now, Julia had been fiercely attacking. All her attacks targeted all his openings and it took all his concentration just to defend himself. He felt as if she was using a cheat that allowed to endlessly combo her opponent. Not only were her attacks fast, but they were also heavy; each attack jarred his arms and made them feel sore.

    ¡°Take that! That! THAT! HAHAHA!¡± She began to grin crazily as her speed picked up. Nearly overwhelmed, Vincent sucked in a cold breath and stomped his foot down, sending shattered rocks flying up, momentarily halting Julia. Using this opportunity, he jumped back.

    ¡°Kuhuhu, not bad, Boy!¡± She still had her grin as she dusted off the rocks. ¡°That¡¯s a good sword; it¡¯s not even damaged after taking my fists.¡± She pointed to Vincent¡¯s sword which still looked as good as new, not even a dent was on the blade.

    ¡°It¡¯s a gift from General Aster.¡± Vincent replied as he slowed down his breathing.

    ¡°Him? Is he still playing forest ranger with his band of merry men? A real man should be fighting and trading hit for hit on the frontlines!¡± She spoke passionately about the grandeur of a frontline warrior.

    Vincent grimaced and replied, ¡°It¡¯s through General Aster¡¯s efforts that the forest border is safe.¡±

    ¡°Pfft! Give me a week and I¡¯ll clear up the whole Emerald Forest!¡± boasted Julia. ¡°Alright, breaks over. Did you enjoy it?¡± She flashed over an evil grin and immediately attacked again.

    ¡°Hah~¡­¡± Vincent sighed tiredly and submitted himself to be a punching bag for the overzealous meathead Vice Headmaster.

    After about 10 minutes and dozens of bruises later, Vincent finally felt the relentless assault come to an end. His sword laid at his feet. He had a large welt on his cheek.

    ¡°Not bad, Boy. I¡¯d say you are almost C-Rank. Hurry up and get stronger, so I can fight you seriously.¡± She dusted off her hand and walked off. From the point when she arrived to the point where he was beaten into the ground, not even 30 minutes had passed.

    ¡°Crazy woman!¡± He spat out some blood. When she hit his cheek earlier, his teeth had cut into his cheek.

    ¡°Oh is it over already?¡± Bardus had at some point appeared beside him. Bardus looked down on him with an amusing look in his eyes.

    ¡°You knew¡­¡± Vincent growled as he stood up like a newborn fawn.

    ¡°Vice Head Julia is an excellent lady, Vincent. She¡¯s very let¡¯s say¡­ expressive.¡± He looked over Vincent before continuing, ¡°It looks like she quite liked you.¡±

    Vincent angrily glared back and countered, ¡°And this is her way of expressing it?¡± He gestured at his dirtied clothes.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky. Most people who sparred with her ended up with fractures at the very least. So yes, I would say she quite likes you.¡± Bardus nodded his head.

    Vincent felt a shiver passed through his spine as he hugged himself. He quickly changed topics, wanting to put what he had just envisioned behind him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have the results of my exams?¡± He looked at the parchment in Bardus¡¯ hand.

    ¡°As a matter of fact, I do.¡± He unfurled the parchment and started reading from it. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t the proctor for the written exam, I dare say you must¡¯ve had outside help. Nearly a perfect score, Vincent in all segments. Only¡­ your magic theory scores are sub-par, but that¡¯s understandable for a non-mage student. We don¡¯t expect you to have high attainments in the field of magic.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Vice Headmaster Bardus. And about my physical exam scores?¡± Vincent had a pleading look in his eyes as he asked that question.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if Vice Head Julia do the honors?¡± Bardus had a strange grin on his face as he answered back.

    ¡°Please¡­¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m jesting. She said your abilities are above average, equivalent to almost a third-year student. If it didn¡¯t go against our rules, I would¡¯ve put you back into the second-year class, but as per procedure you¡¯ll have to start in the first-year class.¡± Bardus looked apologetic but remained firm in his decision.

    ¡°It¡¯s understandable; I have a request though.¡± There was one annoying bit about Lancelot that would be detrimental towards his future plans.

    ¡°What is the request?¡±

    ¡°In order to facilitate the best learning environment, Lancelot forbids its students to leave the academy. The only exceptions to this are when the school year ends, holidays, or if there are special circumstances. My one request is this; I wish to be able to come and go as I like within Lancelot.¡± Although it was a request, Vincent¡¯s tone sounded more like a demand.

    Bardus ruminated over the strange request, ¡°May I be able to inquire about why you would make this odd request?¡± Normally, any student would be overjoyed to be able to study at Lancelot. It was quite the opposite since many students wouldn¡¯t return home even if the school year had ended. Hence, Lancelot grew large enough to become the academy city and various students had gone on to become researchers living in the city.

    Vincent couldn¡¯t just tell the truth, so he gave a half-truth answer, ¡°I don¡¯t like being tied down to one place. I see myself as a wanderer and want to experience everything for myself rather than read it in books.¡± This was in a sense, a truth.

    ¡°¡­¡± Bardus could feel the passion concealed underneath the youth¡¯s expressionless face. He thought it over for a bit before saying, ¡°It may be possible, but I¡¯ll have to take it up with the headmaster first before it can be approved. For now, you may return and after I have Vice Head Julia write down a set score for your physical exam, we¡¯ll send you the results.

    ¡°I understand. Thank you, I¡¯ll see myself out.¡± Vincent picked up his sword and dusted himself off before leaving the practice field.

    Bardus watched the back of the staggering youth as he left before walking over to the weapon rack. ¡°That muscle brain didn¡¯t go easy at all.¡± He mumbled as he picked up the bent axe. He mumbled a few lines and the metallic handle turned into a malleable clay-like substance and straightened. Not long after, it hardened once more and then Bardus placed it back on the rack.

 Chapter 19 - The Main Cast Assembles

    In the Evergreen estate located in the royal capital, a pair of father and daughter were arguing.

    ¡°Papa it¡¯s not fair! Will is such a talented person! It would be unfair if he weren¡¯t given a chance to go to Lancelot!¡± argued Sophia.

    ¡°Once again, Sweetie, Lancelot is a prestigious school and with prestige comes expenses. I cannot send just any random person off the street to Lancelot; that¡¯s not how it works.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯ve seen what Will can do! He¡¯s an amazing person! Please, Papa~!¡± She hung on to his arm like a child asking to buy toys at a store.

    ¡°Enough!¡± He waved her off, ¡°Just why are you so adamant on this subject?¡± His words seemed to hint at something else.

    ¡°Kuh!¡± Sophia momentarily choked and replied, ¡°T-there¡¯s n-no reason, Papa.¡± Her eyes darted back and forth as she continued, ¡°I-I just don¡¯t want to see his talent go to waste.¡±

    Her reaction was all Zenobia needed to understand the situation. His expression darkened, ¡°Sophia, you are a daughter of noble birth. As my only child, you have a duty to uphold. I cannot permit someone that can¡¯t even afford their schooling to run this household. As a father, I never want to see you suffer, if this man, Will, was it? If he were to marry you, I could only see suffering in your future. He is not grounded; he¡¯s too passionate and prone to follow his heart rather than his mind. He would be like a slab of fresh meat in front of a pack of wolves if he were to join the kingdom¡¯s politics. With that, I cannot approve of your choice.¡±

    Sophia nervously nibbled her lips while listening to her father. ¡°But! He can learn those things! Isn¡¯t that what Lancelot is for?¡± She argued back.

    ¡°Hah~¡­ Sophia. You are still a growing young lady; I don¡¯t expect you to understand. People like Will are like a flame. They burn brightly and intensely, but they will die out after not too long. If they don¡¯t burn out, they will cause a large fire large enough to burn the world. People like Will only have two choices, to overcome their obstacles or be erased from existence. That is why I cannot permit you to follow such a man; I can¡¯t have you taking this risk.¡±

    Sophia felt her heart-throb at the perfect interpretation that her father had of William. It was because William represented an impossible dream that she became enamored by him.

    ¡°If there was a person who suited you, why not Vincent?¡± Zenobia began asking about the person who ignored her. ¡°He would be a perfect candidate. He had renounced the Redwall name, meaning he will marry into the household. Ever since he came back, his bearing has changed greatly. Not only that, he seems to be more intelligent than he let on.¡±

    While Zenobia was singing praises about Vincent, Sophia was fuming angrily. She also agreed that Vincent knew more than he was showing, but ultimately, he had no interest in her and only saw her as a child. She still remembered the way he treated her as if she were a brainless girl when she was showing him around.

    ¡°Ugh! I hate you, Papa!¡± Sophia couldn¡¯t handle it anymore and stormed off.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ---

    Elsewhere in Eidolon, a black-haired youth was traveling with a pack on his shoulder. He was hitchhiking on the back of a caravan wagon, providing escort services in exchange for allowing him to stay with the caravan.

    William, the main character, was on his way to the capital. He had received a recommendation letter from General Aster of the Evergreen Rangers. Unknown to both Zenobia and Sophia, he had met General Aster on his way back to Florence and gotten to know the person. Not too long later, General Aster heard about his dream of being the change for the kingdom and decided to write him a recommendation letter.

    The letter only allowed him to be examined to see if he would be able to attend Lancelot. It didn¡¯t guarantee that the academy will admit him, but he was confident that he would succeed. Now all he had to worry about were the tuition fees.

    William was an orphan. He lived in a secluded village in the outskirts of the Emerald Forest with his parents. They lived a happy and fruitful life, but one day a stampede of monsters ran over their entire village, massacring all its inhabitants aside from William. That day he had gone out exploring and found a hidden cave. From that cave, he obtained an ancient legacy. When he returned, all he saw were the half-eaten corpses of his village with the inheritance, he killed the straggling beasts in the village and buried everyone in his village.

    After holding their last rites, he left for Florence. He had gone to the lord of Florence to inform the lord of the dangers plaguing the edge of the forest, but his voice was left unheard; the lord¡¯s guards turned him away at the gates. With his heart downtrodden and his cries unheard, he roamed the streets, homeless and alone. One day, William was taken in by a gentle old woman, Gertrude. She was an elder to a sizable portion of the townsfolk and respected in the community. Old Gertrude they call her, she would take in orphaned children and raise them in the orphanage that she had volunteered to run.

    William spent five years in Old Gertrude¡¯s care. In those five years, he grew to understand the corruption that spreads among the upper class. Over the years, he watched as the lord of Florence wined and dined in his palace of greed and pleasure, the melody of tunes never ceasing from dawn ¡®til dusk, dusk ¡®til noon, and noon ¡®til night.

    ¡°Are you doing alright, Lad?¡± The caravan hand called out from the carriage behind.

    William jumped up in surprise but calmed and down and answered, ¡°Yea, I¡¯m just thinking to myself.¡± His fists clenched under his travel cloak as he whispered, ¡°I will change this corrupt society.¡± He slowly released his fist and looked up, peering over the side at the gleaming fields of wheat. It was midsummer, soon the time for harvest would come.

    ---

    It was early noon the following day. Vincent had just returned inside after his morning routine when a servant approached him.

    ¡°Young Master, a letter has arrived for you this morning.¡± The servant retrieved the note from his coat pocket and presented it to Vincent.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± said Vincent casually as he took the note and waved away the servant.

    Vincent gave the note a quick look over before recognizing the sender. ¡°So it¡¯s the academy? Is this a follow-up of my exam from the previous day?¡± He quickly opened up the letter.

    Attention Student Vincent Silverlight,

    Due to unexpected and unforeseen circumstances, you have been selected to present a speech for the welcoming ceremony. The honor of giving the welcoming speech for the 1st-year class is an honor bestowed to only the best student of the current year. Due to your scores exceeding every other 1st-year student this year, you have been selected to perform the speech.

    p.s. This is optional. The Headmaster requested you give the speech to allow you the passage in and out of Lancelot at your leisure.

    Signed,

    Bardus Geringer

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like I have much of a choice. Do I?¡± Vincent sluggishly smiled as he retrieved some paper to send a reply.

 Chapter 20 - Making Money

    Vincent placed the matter of the welcoming speech to the back of his mind. His first matter of business was making money. He didn¡¯t plan on living off the allowances given to him monthly; he was considered a grown man, it was time to wean himself off his families¡¯ money.

    There were plenty of methods to make money. Vincent''s knowledge of the novel Blaze Fantasia gave him many options. The only problem is the fact that many of these avenues are not accessible to him at the moment and other various methods required him to put too much effort into them; specifically, extraction, processing, and commercialization. He knew where various rare resources were hidden, but first of all, it would require a highly skilled team to reach the site. Then comes the labor of extracting the resource and skilled workers to process it. Then the hard part was finding a way to distribute said resource in a form that will not bring attention to himself.

    Vincent kept mulling over these few things when a regal woman stepped out of the carriage in the front yard.

    ¡°That¡¯s it! Juno is my solution!¡± exclaimed Vincent as he rushed down the stairs to greet his step-mother.

    ¡°Good afternoon, Vincent. How are things going here in the capital? Is your grandfather doing well?¡± asked Juno as she stepped off the coach.

    ¡°Everything¡¯s as it should be. Mother, do you still remember what we talked about before I left? About the limited¡­¡±

    Juno shifted her eyes quickly before she stopped him, ¡°These matters aren¡¯t appropriate to be discussed out here in the open. We will talk about this inside.¡± They both hurriedly entered and found a secluded study room. ¡°Now we may speak.¡±

    Vincent quickly recounted their discussion about Emerald Wood. ¡°On top of that, with the current political atmosphere, Emerald Wood will become a strategic resource. However, this is an investment a year into the future. I also have some information on the location of another precious material. If Mother wishes, I can sell it to you at a discount.¡± Vincent flashed his evil smile like a fisherman before a bite.

    Juno looked furrowed her brow but still asked, ¡°Can¡¯t you tell me? I thought we were family; we shouldn¡¯t hide secrets from one another.¡±

    ¡°Family does come first, but I¡¯m not inheriting Father¡¯s title; I will also need a way to make a living, Mother.¡± From the short time he arrived in this world, he had understood Juno¡¯s nature. She adored the prestige and regal lifestyle of a lady of nobility and money was at the peak of her interests. She was the head of a merchant guild after all.

    As if a switch had been flipped, Juno¡¯s eyes became calculative. ¡°And your price?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go with the usual. 20% of the profits.¡± Vincent lightly said without much thought. ¡°But I need an advancement pay for the information. How about 3000 gold coins?¡±

    Juno¡¯s eyes bulged from the high price. ¡°Wait a moment. Let¡¯s both take a step back and let me ask you something. What is the material in question?¡±

    Vincent knew she had taken the bait so he continued, ¡°It¡¯s something that every woman would want. The poor can¡¯t get it, but for a lady of nobility, it¡¯s very accessible.¡± He pointed to Juno¡¯s necklace, ¡°A ruby gemstone mine.¡±

    Juno took in a sharp breath. ¡°Gemstones?¡± Gemstones weren¡¯t rare, but at the same time, they weren¡¯t common either. If a person were to discover an averagely sized vein, they would become wealthy enough to live the rest of their lives without worrying about food. The only problem is that gemstone mines are usually seized by the lord of the territory if discovered.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what you are going to ask, and I can say it¡¯s technically within our Redwall territory.¡±

    ¡°Technically?¡±

    Vincent shrugged, ¡°Since you¡¯ll take my offer anyways, I¡¯ll tell you where it is.¡± He took out a map and pointed to a spot that brought a bit of fear into Juno¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious? How did you find out about that location?¡± Her eyes stared at the triangular shapes on the map.

    ¡°The Sorin Mountain Range is also a danger zone, but it¡¯s located on the edge of the outer region. There might be some danger, but it wouldn¡¯t pose too much of a problem for the extraction teams.¡± He circled an area about 50km northeast of Redwall.

    ¡°As that may be, it still would be expensive to hire mercenaries and personnel to trek there and extract the gems. On top of that, it¡¯s a gemstone mine, so it¡¯ll require a higher executive¡¯s supervision. I¡¯m starting to think 20% of the profits is a little bit too much.¡± She resignedly smiled, but from her tone, she had already accepted the deal.

    ¡°It¡¯s not much of a problem. The only things you have to watch out for are the cave trolls.¡± He sternly warned. Cave trolls are precisely what their name means; they live in caves and are vulnerable to sunlight and fire because their skin is flammable. The only problem with cave trolls is that they like to come out at night to hunt and are huge creatures nearly three times larger than a man.

    ¡°They won¡¯t be a problem.¡± Juno studied Vincent for quite a while. Her eyes looked like they wanted to ask him where he got his information. In the end, Juno sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have my secretary draft out a contract and send it to you, Vincent. In the meantime, I need to send a group to verify your information.¡±

    ¡°Take your time.¡± Vincent evilly grinned and left.

    ¡°So young and already acting like a seasoned tradesman.¡± She didn¡¯t know whether to feel happy or disappointed at her step-son.

    ---

    *Knock Knock*

    ¡°Enter.¡±

    Vincent swiftly walked into the room and silently closed the door behind him. Behind a comfortably cushy sofa sat his grandfather, Tidus Redwall. Tidus was leisurely leaning back on his throne whilst fiddling with a mandola. His aged fingers nimbly danced across the strings like an artists¡¯ brush over canvas.

    Vincent felt a breeze of fresh air, but when he looked over at the window, the panes were closed. Feeling like it would be rude to interrupt, Vincent closed his eyes and let his mind travel with the music. Once the music came to an end, Tidus spoke up.

    ¡°Whilst traveling through the fields of Eidolon, I chanced upon a troupe. My company and I weren¡¯t in a rush so we invited them to dine with us for the night. When the evening sun had laid to rest, the troupe performed from their repertoire of songs. It was there that I fell in love with the mandola.¡± He played a classical tune that seemed to brighten up the room.

    ¡°You wanted to see me, Grandfather?¡± Vincent eyed the mandola but didn¡¯t say anything else.

    ¡°I have been informed that you were selected to perform a speech for the welcoming ceremony. How has your preparations come along?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ready. In a few days, when the welcoming ceremony commences, I shall go and give the speech I¡¯ve drafted.¡± In honesty, Vincent was nervous. In his past life he never really had much contact with large groups of people. However, in the past few days, he had been vigorously rehearsing his words and could recite it by heart.

    ¡°Excellent.¡± Tidus stowed away his mandola and presented a letter towards Vincent. ¡°That wasn¡¯t the only reason why I called you in. The previous morning I received this letter from Duke Evergreen.¡± While mentioning the Duke¡¯s name, Tidus closely studied Vincent¡¯s expression.

    ¡°The Duke? Is this related to me?¡± Vincent racked his brain to think of the reason why the Duke would send him a letter. ¡°It can¡¯t be because of his daughter again¡­¡±

    ¡°It is as you¡¯ve said. However, you must be having the wrong impression.¡± Tidus handed the letter over. After a quick scan of the paper¡¯s contents, Vincent released a relieved sigh.

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. The Duke wrote to congratulate me for successfully entering Lancelot and wishing me well.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not all there is, did you happen to read the last bit?¡±

    ¡°He wants me to take care of his daughter? Naturally, as my benefactor, I would watch over his daughter.¡± Vincent tilted his head quizzically.

    ¡°¡­¡± Tidus was at a loss for words. His face flashed colorful shades of red, but he ultimately stayed quiet.

    ¡°Are you alright, Grandfather?¡± Vincent worriedly ask.

    ¡°I suppose it would be wrong for an old man like me to interfere with youth. I¡¯ll let fate run its course.¡± Tidus shook his head in dismay and picked up his mandola once more, playing a tune of season¡¯s past.

 Chapter 21 - Meeting the MC Once More

    ¡°Brother!¡±

    ¡°Vince~!¡±

    ¡°Mother! Bell! You¡¯ve arrived!¡± laughed Vincent in joy as he embraced them both. Gerald followed behind the pair with a hesitant smile on his face. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you too, Gerald.¡±

    ¡°And I too, Brother.¡± Gerald politely answered.

    ¡°We came to stay here in the capital.¡± Catherine beamed as she scanned the surrounding gardens.

    ¡°Me too! Me too!¡± chimed Isabel.

    ¡°Then we can play whenever you feel like, Bell!¡±

    ¡°Uhuh!¡± Isabel giggled as Vincent picked her up and spun her around.

    ¡°Brother, were you perhaps just leaving to run an errand?¡± Gerald splashed cold water over the pleasant reunion.

    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± answered Vincent as he gently let down the disappointed Isabel. ¡°I¡¯m just on my way to sign into my assigned housing on campus.¡±

    ¡°Assigned housing? Vince, are you leaving already?¡± Catherine asked worriedly.

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s mandatory that all Lancelot students stay on campus. Don¡¯t worry Mom. I¡¯m just in the city next door, so I can come to see you whenever you call.¡± Vincent delicately navigated around the subject. He felt like he was avoiding her.

    ¡°Is Brother going away again?¡± murmured Isabel as her eyes grew teary.

    ¡°Bell, do you want to come see where Brother is staying?¡± asked Vincent as he patted Isabel¡¯s head.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll buy you a treat after you help Brother move into his new home!¡± Vincent revealed his genuine smile as he tried to appease the little girl.

    ¡°Okay~!¡± Isabel succumbed to his placating smile.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we enter and have a rest before we depart. You three must be tired after coming all this way.¡± He picked up Isabel and guided his mother and Gerald inside. His father, Zeke, had business elsewhere in the capital.

    ---

    ¡°Here you are, Student William. This is where you will be staying whilst you attend Lancelot.¡± The prefect announced, pointing at a small but well-kept house.

    ¡°W-wow, really?¡± William asked as he eyed his dorm.

    ¡°As per instructions, the top ten ranks within their year are entitled to individual housing. Please confirm that you¡¯ve checked in.¡± The prefect presented a pen and documents.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°And all this is free?¡± questioned William.

    ¡°As a future member of the royal families¡¯ royal knights, all fees for Lancelot¡¯s facilities will be waived granted you successfully graduate within the allotted time. If you have any belongings, they will be delivered here later. Do you have any more questions?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring anything with me.¡± William shook his head.

    ¡°Then I will return. If you have any further questions, feel free to seek any prefect wearing this uniform. Good day, Student William.¡± The prefect professionally bowed and left.

    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe I was able to pass the examinations¡­¡±

    William was able to obtain an opportunity to take the examination with the recommendation letter from General Aster. His evaluation was excellent, and there was nothing wrong with his potential, but no matter how talented someone was, money was required to make the world move.

    ¡°I feel bad for turning down Sophia¡¯s offer, but it would feel like I got close to her to take advantage of her status. It¡¯s not right and unfair for her. I hope she understands.¡± William lamented over the memory of her painful expression when he refused her help. Just as he was mulling over her, another familiar face showed up.

    ¡°Brother~! Look! Look! Is that it?!¡± A little girl was skipping along while holding onto her brother¡¯s hand. Anyone looking at the scene would feel their heart warm up a little only to have it freeze over when they saw the brother¡¯s face.

    The youth holding the little girl¡¯s hand didn¡¯t miss a beat when he saw William. The youth immediately smirked a bit when he saw William and narrowed his eyes before speaking.

    ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± His tone remained chilly as he spoke, ¡°Did you receive aid from Lady Sophia?¡± His eyes seemed like he was looking at trash. Upon mentioning the girl William was thinking about, William felt his face flush hot with embarrassment.

    ¡°Just so you know, I didn¡¯t take her offer no matter what she said.¡± William assumed that Sophia and Vincent were close since he saw them together when he first met Sophia. ¡°I earned this through my own effort.¡±

    It was the first time he saw a different expression from Vincent. Vincent¡¯s eyes widened for just a split second, but if it were an average person, they would¡¯ve never noticed.

    ¡°Oh really? Do tell me, just how were you able to obtain your tuition?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that¡­¡± The prefect that was left behind by the brother and sister duo finally caught up and adjusted his glasses when he saw William. ¡°Oh my gods! That¡¯s Student William; he scored second within the first year class. Second only to you, Student Vincent!¡± The prefect looked like he was in the presence of kings as he kneeled comically in worship!

    ¡°Brother, who¡¯s that?¡± Isabel asked as she studied the heroic youth standing before them.

    ¡°He¡¯s a very strong person, Bell. Stay away from him, okay?¡± answered Vincent, his tone containing a hint of mockery.

    Isabel reacted like a singed kitten as she hid behind Vincent, ¡°Okay, Brother.¡±

    ¡°I did not lie. I¡¯ve received sponsorship from the crown. After graduating, I¡¯ll receive a position in the Royal Knights.¡± William didn¡¯t know why his face stung so much, nor did he felt why he had to explain himself.

    ¡°Oh, a royal knight? That¡¯s¡­ regrettable.¡± Vincent finally said as he lost interest and entered the neighboring house.

    ¡°Student William, don¡¯t take it to heart. Being a Royal Knight is something every commoner wishes to achieve!¡± The prefect patted both of William¡¯s shoulder as he ran in behind Vincent.

    ¡°Just¡­ What do you mean by that?¡± growled William, he felt humiliation at Vincent¡¯s word. ¡°I worked so hard, put so much effort in myself, and now you tell me this?¡± He felt indignant, a part of him understood the meaning behind Vincent¡¯s words, but the other part refused to acknowledge it.

    ---

    ¡°The story has already diverged from its original path. From now on it¡¯ll be tougher to predict the future. That¡¯s expected since I¡¯m no longer the old Vincent, how can I expect that my different actions won¡¯t result in different outcomes? If I had the strength, I would shoulder everything myself, but I¡¯m not strong like William. I can only do things my way.¡±

 Chapter 22 - A Typical Welcoming Speech

    ¡±And now, the first rank of the first years will give a speech.¡± The Head of Admissions announced.

    It was the day of the welcoming ceremony. Vincent was waiting in the right wing of the stage when he heard his cue. Or maybe he hadn¡¯t heard his cue¡­

    ¡°You¡¯re up, Student Vincent.¡± The program director said.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Did you hear me?¡± He tapped Vincent¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Vincent abruptly jumped up, scaring the program director. ¡°I¡¯ll be going!¡± Vincent mechanically walked out onto the stage.

    ¡°Will he be alright?¡± The program director was left without knowing whether to laugh or cry. Vincent wasn¡¯t like this during rehearsal.

    Vincent felt his heart pounding thunderously within his chest. When he tried to swallow it felt like he had just drunk a mouthful of sand. What were his lines again? He had recited it so many times by now, but at this very moment, those words escaped him. He looked over at the hundreds of expectant faces in the crowd and felt his mind blanked out.

    ¡°Calm down. There was some advice I read about how to deal with situations like this. What was it again? I think it was¡­ ¡®Imagine the audience is naked?¡¯¡± thought Vincent. ¡°Why would I want to see them naked? Ahhhh! Whatever!¡±

    Out in the crowd, everyone was looking up at the stock still student. He wasn¡¯t bad looking, but his cold expression and his eyes made him look arrogant. He had walked up to the podium in a confident strut and never made any eye contact with anybody as he looked forward beyond the crowd. Finally, after making them wait for an uncomfortably long time, he finally surveyed the audience. He didn¡¯t even try to hide the derision in his eyes and smirked when he gave his speech.

    ¡°First of all, before I begin¡­¡± He reached into his blazer and retrieved a set of cards.

    ¡°Why the hell are they all smudged?!¡± Vincent silently panicked. There goes his only help. He became frustrated and tore up the set of smudged cards and superfluously tossed it up in the air. Whatever! He¡¯ll just say what he wanted to say, what¡¯s the worst that could happen?

    ¡°I would like to thank the teachers of Lancelot for maintaining such a high standard of learning. I would also like to thank the headmasters of the academy for giving me this opportunity to present a speech for my fellow peers. I know it wasn¡¯t simple to earn the chance to enter into this prestigious academy. It must¡¯ve taken each and every one of you here today painstakingly long hours of practice and study.¡± He glanced at everyone in the crowd, studying their expressions as he continued speaking. Everyone in the audience sat up straighter after hearing his words of praise. They subconsciously nodded their heads along with Vincent¡¯s words. The directors and school heads were also surprised at the change in Vincent¡¯s speech, but when they heard its contents, they silently approved and let him continue.

    ¡°Effort is applauded in our kingdom. We welcome hard workers and what more to show of it than a position in Lancelot?¡± Applause rang out from the crowd, making Vincent pause before continuing, ¡°But sometimes effort just isn¡¯t enough.¡± His words turned sour, causing looks of confusion to spread throughout the crowd. ¡°Look at how hard all of you tried and yet you all still lost to me. I guess in the end; we¡¯ll all succumb to our lot in life.¡± He coolly grinned. His words were actually aimed at one particular person in the crowd; William.

    ¡°Can he say that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s allowed¡­¡± Students began murmuring aloud throughout the venue. Even a few teachers grew pale at the sudden turn of events, but yet none stood up to rebuke Vincent. William also shamefully sunk his head down.

    ¡°Of course, my position is not permanent, I can be thrown off my throne at any time, but right this very moment, just know this; you are all beneath me. Will you just accept this fact? Or will you rise up and throw me off from the top? Whatever your answer is, I don¡¯t want to hear it. Answer me with your actions. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± With a flourish, Vincent swaggered off the stage to the back. The host was slightly stunned as well as everyone else at the venue. Finally, everyone began angrily yelling at Vincent, to come out and explain himself.

    ¡°Vice Head Bardus, this¡­ isn¡¯t appropriate is it?¡± A teacher beside Bardus hesitantly asked.

    ¡°The youth these days sure are hot-blooded,¡± answered Bardus while stroking his beard.

    ¡°What a unique way of presenting a speech. Everyone, don¡¯t take Student Vincent¡¯s words to heart. Any genius will always have an eccentric personality.¡± The host quickly brought order back into the venue. Soon, the event calmly came to an end unbeknownstto Vincent.

    Vincent had already left the welcoming ceremony and had left for the Mission Hall. The Mission Hall, in essence, a hub for students to accept and undertake missions given out by the academy. It wasn¡¯t easy to maintain and run a city-wide academy, so a Mission Hall was built to exchange services for resources. By doing missions issued by the academy, students will be able to acquire contribution points.

    Contribution points (CP) are required for all functions in the academy; students could spend CP to acquire resources or utilize various facilities in Lancelot. There are also multiple methods to obtain CP outside of the monthly allowance with the Mission Hall being one method. However, first-year students are not allowed to take any field missions. Vincent would be the sole exception to this rule, and he went there this day to do just that.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    The student receptionist struggled to maintain a smile as he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry Vincent, but first-years are not allowed to take that mission.¡± What he was referring to was only a D-rank mission, but it was automatically raised up a rank in difficulty due to the type of task it was. The mission was a reconnaissance mission; the person would have to verify and validate the claims of the mission requester. Once a person submitted a request to the academy, it must be checked first before being officially opened up for another party to accept. Missions have this two-step process to lower the casualty rates and increase the success chance.

    Reconnaissance missions were the hardest because anyone who accepted the task would only have the information provided by the requester; they were flying blind. The person must also have a solid history of successes before they¡¯re allowed to undertake such a mission because whatever they said will be taken for a fact when they are reporting the results of their investigations. So it was an impossible request for the receptionist because Vincent had no record of any missions taken.

    ¡°It won¡¯t be a problem on the matter of experience,¡± Vincent answered confidently, he had already predicted this problem. He retrieved a set of documents dated and signed by the Evergreen Ranger Corps¡¯ administrative department. On it was a list of the missions Vincent had undertaken in the last year. What shocked the receptionist were the ¡®A¡¯ results at the end of each listing.

    ¡°Please¡­ wait here for a moment. I¡¯ll bring this up with the Branch Manager.¡± The receptionist bowed with a hint of reverence as he quickly took the documents and disappeared into the back. Soon a stout middle-aged man came out along with the receptionist.

    ¡°Student Vincent?¡± The stout man asked as he studied Vincent. ¡°Normally something like this has never happened before, to receive documentation from another source outside of the academy.¡± He placed the documents on the counter, ¡°I¡¯ve already received the Headmaster¡¯s orders, so you¡¯re free to take field missions. However, I recommend that you not take these sort of missions, even veterans with years of experience can still make mistakes.¡±

    Vincent understood it was for his own good that the branch manager of the Mission Hall was warning him, but¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Branch Manager. I¡¯ve undergone reconnaissance training with the Corps. You should know their standards are the highest within the kingdom when it comes to things like this.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent spoke the truth, and the Branch Manager knew it, so he had no arguments. ¡°As you wish, but find a way to stay in touch, since it¡¯s your first mission.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡± Vincent saluted by habit, but after seeing the branch manager¡¯s sheepish smile, he awkwardly lowered his arm.

    ¡°I¡¯ll register your mission.¡± The receptionist said as he quickly took down the request and logged it under Vincent¡¯s name. ¡°Your mission is to verify the claims of a merchant by the name of Sidth. Three days ago his cargo wagon was attacked by what he claims ¡°hundreds¡± of goblins along the southeastern road near the village of Greenboro. Your objective is to locate the goblin party. Find out their numbers and also assess their threat level. You are not to engage.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡± Vincent retrieved a copy of the mission information and quickly left and returned to his dorm to prep. On his way back he didn¡¯t expect to find a whole street full of festivities. If he had to compare it to something, it was like a job fair. Students wearing the first year colors were exploring around as senior students called out.

    ¡°Come check out our archery club. We are looking to recruit new members!¡±

    There were various stalls lined up along the street. He could see people playing a game of chess. In another booth, a student was reciting a poem, but it sounded more like a chant for a spell before suddenly a burst of fireworks erupted from his palm. A lot of the girls were drawn in by the flashy display followed by the boys as they crowded around the magician.

    ¡°Join our Monster Studies Club. We¡¯ll prepare you to fight any monsters you may meet in your adventures!¡±

    ¡°Join our dance society! We¡¯re looking for new members to advance the world of dance!¡±

    All around him were the seniors yelling enticing phrases to draw in the gullible first-years. He didn¡¯t pay it much mind, choosing to ignore them all. Although it might not be a terrible idea to join a few clubs, it¡¯ll give him an excuse to interact with the MC from time to time. If there was a club he should join, it would be¡­

    *Bump!*

    ¡°Kya!¡± A girly scream escaped from the mouth of the girl that had accidentally backed up into him.

    ¡°Watch where you¡¯re go¡ª¡­¡° The next few words stuck to the back of his throat.

    The girl had fallen after running into him and was nursing her bottom. She was wearing a somewhat short skirt and with her sitting on the ground, revealed plenty of her thigh. The flash of white flesh momentarily drew the gazes of all the boys in the area. However, Vincent¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t watching that; he focused on her face. There was a mole under her left eye. Her facial features were as delicate as a doll, with prominent features distinctive of the eastern culture. A pair of intelligent eyes were also looking back at Vincent.

    ¡°Are you just gonna stand there and stare? Shouldn¡¯t you help a lady up?¡± She revealed a flirtatious smile as she reached out her hand.

    Vincent¡¯s eyes narrowed when he saw her gesture. He knew a lot about what type of person Aya was, and this was definitely a plot cooked up by her. He didn¡¯t accept her hand and even moved back a few steps.

    Aya looked visibly hurt when he did that and tears started welling up in her eyes. ¡°H-how could you?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯ll help you up!¡± A boy called out and walked over.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll help!¡±

    ¡°Forget that asshole. I¡¯ll be here for you! Do you want me to kick his ass?¡±

    Vincent finally understood what happened when he saw a bunch of guys suddenly crowded around her. After they helped her up, she wiped away her tears and said, ¡°Thank you. Everyone, thank you very much. If I could have strong men like you in my club, we could do great things together.¡±

    ¡°What club are you in?¡± A youth asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m in the Dungeon Exploration Society. My club is big, but I feel that the more people there are the better. Don¡¯t you also think so?¡± She tilted her head in a cute gesture.

    ¡°I¡¯ll join!¡±

    ¡°Me too!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll join too! Where do I sign up?¡±

    Vincent shook his head as he turned around and got ready to leave. He couldn¡¯t help but take one last glance at the girl who was busy handing out registration forms. Aya also happened to be looking at him at that very moment; her long eyelashes did very little to hide the playful glint in her eyes. Vincent felt a shiver pass down his spine and decided to walk faster.

    ¡°Now I think I understood why the MC had been tricked by that demoness.¡± Vincent felt like he had understood a universal truth of the world as he left.

 Chapter 23 - Unexpected Development

    ¡°Fweee~!¡± A loud whistle rang out.

    ¡°Kueee~!¡± A streak of gray whistled by Vincent¡¯s head, landing on his outstretched arm.

    ¡°Good work, Emet.¡± He affectionately scratched the storm falcon¡¯s beak after giving Emet a treat.

    It had already been a few days since Vincent had set off on his mission. He packed minimally; he chose to travel with only a small pack and a bundle strapped to the back of his horse. Initially, he only planned to visit the site of the recurring attacks, but with Emet¡¯s help, he was able to locate trails left behind by the goblins.

    Vincent pulled out a map and began to measure the smoke trail up in the sky. ¡°Emet has already confirmed the goblin raiding camp is the source of the smoke, but I can¡¯t just return before verifying their numbers. Out in that direction should be a hillside, so I won¡¯t have much cover if I were to try to approach the camp from the south¡­¡± He murmured to himself while Emet cocked it¡¯s head back and forth as if to study the map.

    ¡°Kuee~?¡±

    Vincent looked up at the bird before saying, ¡°You can rest for now. In a while, I¡¯ll need you to run an errand for me.¡± Emet nodded as if in understanding and flew off, leaving Vincent behind to ponder on his approach.

    ¡°Even if they¡¯re a raiding party, they are too arrogant. They decided to camp near the site of their ambushes, are they really that dumb?¡± Vincent said as he submerged himself into the forest. Hidden from view of the road, he set up a temporary camp and tucked himself in until night. He ate a small meal composed of a few pieces of dried bread and meat.

    When the sun had fallen, leaving only the light of the moon to illuminate the forest, Vincent began his operation. He conducted a final check on his gear before setting out towards the location where the smoke was rising. Along the way, he looked up to see a silhouette of a bird flying low in the tree canopy and felt confidence seep into his limbs.

    In under any circumstances, reconnaissance required stealth and a keen eye. This wasn¡¯t the case for Vincent because even from so far away he could hear the boisterous laughter coming from the camp. The camp was alive with dance and drumming as the goblins¡¯ shadows danced against the flickering flames.

    Vincent had been keeping an eye out for any sentries; even if they were only goblins, they shouldn¡¯t be dumb enough to leave themselves defenseless. Just like he expected, a few slumped bodies were leaning against the trunk of trees about 100 meters out from the camp. Vincent smiled derisively and proceeded past them. It wasn¡¯t because he was a pacifist that he allowed them to live, but because his mission was to gain an accurate understanding of the goblin raiding parties¡¯ strength; killing a few will only alert the rest, and it may even complicate the matter when the subjugation party was dispatched later on.

    Soon, Vincent had come just fifty meters of the raiding camp¡¯s crudely formed walls. They were only high enough to reach up to his chest, so there wasn¡¯t any problem in seeing inside the camp. What he could see wasn¡¯t unexpected, piles of goods strewn about the ground, piles of weapons and armor lay in one corner, and a stock of dwindling foodstuffs were near the central campfire.

    Vincent noted down the gear available to the goblins as he began to count heads. A typical raiding party for goblins would be about 30-50 heads. It was normal for a raid leader to be the strongest of the bunch. So Vincent kept his eye out for the largest goblin and also for any signs of orders being given out amongst the many heads present within the camp. There were also makeshift tents set up which obstructed his counting, but for the most part, this part of the mission went smoothly.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Forty-one¡­¡± Vincent finished counting and was just about to retreat when he heard a loud sound that startled him. It wasn¡¯t because the noise was particularly loud, but by the fact that sound originated from behind him. He tensed up and immediately dashed into the undergrowth, melding into the darkness like an extinguished flame.

    ¡°Fucking greenskins.¡± A voice growled from a ways off. ¡°Why the hell do we gotta go to them?¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Fjord. Do you want them entering our village? See our women and children?¡± Another voice angrily berated the first and shut up the first voice.

    ¡°Quiet, both of you. We should call out to the camp; I don¡¯t want them to think we¡¯re bad guys.¡± A third voice chimed in.

    Very quickly the three owners of the voice came into view. They looked like robust men and wore heavy cloaks to stave off the late-summer night¡¯s cold. Why were there human¡¯s interacting with a raiding camp? Just what were these men doing by showing up here in the dead of night? Vincent wasn¡¯t stupid, his eyes narrowed as he perked up his ears.

    Back in front of the camp, the three men were escorted inside by a group of half-drunk and jeering goblins.

    ¡°Hey watch it!¡± A man yelled as he recoiled away from a spear a goblin had pointed at him.

    ¡°Raid Captain Druznox, we are here in good faith to do trade with you, and this is how you treat us, like prisoners?¡± Another man angrily growled at the crowd of goblins.

    ¡°Snrrr~ Human no like joke? Hur Hur Hur!¡± A low grumbling rumbled out from the depths of the biggest tent in the camp. The three men seemed to shrink away after hearing the voice, but still stayed standing. Just then, the tent flap flung open and revealed a hulking figure that even shocked Vincent.

    ¡°Snrrr~ Druznox feel no good. Fast deal. Human leave.¡± The hulking hobgoblin spoke out in broken common tongue before barking some orders to his subordinates.

    ¡°Yes! Yes! We must hurry and complete this trade, and then we can both be happy!¡± The leader of the trio nervously rubbed his hands as he bobbed his head up and down subserviently. ¡°Fjord, Wyatt, both of you go get the supplies.¡±

    The other two vigorously nodded their heads before hastily retreating back to the road. They looked as if they had just escaped an execution. The leader of the trio then continued to say, ¡°Raid Captain Druznox, may I inspect the goods that you have offered for trade?¡±

    The Druznox flexed his muscles and cracked his knuckles, a show of intimidation before relenting and allowed the man to pass. ¡°Look good. Snrrr~! Very good.¡±

    Vincent also managed to catch a glimpse of the items that were brought out. These weren¡¯t your everyday average commodities. Amongst the pile of goods, Vincent was able to discern a few rare stuffs like blood silk and also pieces of jewelry. Even if he recently transmigrated to this world, he had been exposed to the luxuries afforded to nobility; it was natural for him to recognize those things.

    ¡°How can you say these are good stuff?¡± The man seemed to shake with anger as he picked up a few products. He picked up a jewel and said, ¡°This piece of tin? It¡¯s already lucky if I were able to sell this in the marketplace.¡± He then pointed at a piece of wood sculpture that looked life-like. ¡°That piece of wood is all scratched up, did you damage it when you were fighting? How can I sell this wood if it¡¯s all cut up? And that red fabric, is that stained by blood from the fighting? This is no good!¡±

    Vincent was left flabbergasted at the shamelessness of the man and then impressed at the amount of balls it took to lie straight to a hobgoblin raid leader¡¯s face. Druznox was also puzzled as he scratched his head.

    ¡°Human stuff no good?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all worthless!¡±

    ¡°No trade?¡± Druznox¡¯s tone began to shift.

    ¡°¡­¡± The man fearfully took a step back before quickly saying, ¡°No! You have the wrong idea. I¡¯ll still do trade, but you have to give me a better deal. You damaged the goods while fighting so I can¡¯t make much off this.¡± He quickly scanned around the area and pointed to another pile of stuff, ¡°If you throw in all of that, I¡¯ll do the trade.¡±

    Druznox looked at the trunks of worthless clothing and nodded. Very quickly the trade was finalized, and the trio walked away with a plethora of luxury goods. The goblins were also satisfied with theirs as they began to break open caskets of ale and fresh meat. The jolly atmosphere resumed unbeknownst to them a shadow had already stalked off, following the three men as they left for the road.

 Chapter 24 - Backup

    *Knock Knock*

    ¡°Enter.¡±

    ¡°Branch Manager, there¡¯s an update on the first-year.¡± A receptionist entered before speaking.

    ¡°The Vincent kid? What about it?¡± The branch manager of the Mission Hall looked up from his paperwork.

    ¡°We¡¯ve received a message from his storm falcon. Here you go.¡± The receptionist presented the note and bowed before departing. The branch manager casually opened up the piece of paper.

    Goblin raiding party located. 5km NE of Greenboro. Camp marked on the map.

    45 Heads. IMPORTANT. HOBGOBLIN SIGHTED. IMPORTANT.

    Side note: Men were seen trading with goblins. They¡¯ve entered Greenboro. Maintaining surveillance until further orders.

    The branch manager immediately bolted out of his seat. His eyes trained on the highlighted word: Hobgoblin.

    ¡°Why the hell is there a C-rank monster here?¡± He went for the door and threw it open before speedily leaving. ¡°This mission difficulty has already been upgraded to a C-rank just by the hobgoblin alone. Now there are also humans thrown into the mix? This Vincent kid has such shitty luck!¡± The branch manager looked grim as he went up to a student worker.

    ¡°Good Morning Branch Manager.¡±

    ¡°Find me a reconnaissance specialist. Also, I want a message delivered as soon as possible.¡± The branch manager ordered.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll see who we have available. Right now we don¡¯t have any available birds to use, there¡¯s only an odd-looking storm falcon in the roost, but I don¡¯t recognize it; it came in this morning.¡± The student worker answered.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. It should be the one I need.¡± He hastily scrawled onto, rolled it up and then handed it to the student worker. ¡°Once you find someone, tell them to come find me quickly. There¡¯s an urgent mission I need to brief that person on.¡± The branch manager tiredly sighed as he left. He came like a gust of wind and also went just as quickly, making the student worker unable to know whether to laugh or panic. However, he still followed his instructions.

    ---

    It was midday when Vincent received a reply. He had tracked the three men down the road to the village of Greenboro where they stowed away their cart of luxury goods in a shed. Vincent chose to remain hidden since he didn¡¯t know the identities of these men and it would be best not to draw unnecessary attention to himself.

    The reconnaissance mission level has been upgraded. It¡¯s now a rank C reconnaissance mission. A more experienced student will be dispatched to your location posthaste. Your current orders are to maintain surveillance and update us if needed.

    Back at the Mission Hall, the branch manager was briefing a woman on the mission detail.

    ¡°A first-year student by the name of Vincent has reported a sighting of a possible conspiracy between humans and goblins. The mission was originally a D-rank reconnaissance mission, but with this development it has escalated to a C-rank mission. Your objective is to rendezvous with Vincent and lead the mission. He is currently stationed in Greenboro; he¡¯ll brief you on any new developments once you¡¯ve arrived. We¡¯ll issue you a trail-blazing stallion; I want you to get there as soon as possible.¡±

    The woman had an alluring look in her eyes when she heard the branch manager mention Vincent¡¯s name. She revealed a professional smile.

    ¡°Understood.¡± She acknowledged and left. Outside the office, she stroked her chin, ¡°Is it fate? Meeting him so frequently in such a short time?¡±

    Not long after, she was going over a final check before departing. It was then that a Mission Hall worker ran up to her.

    ¡°Student Aya! A new update just came in!¡± The worker looked like she had just run a marathon as she handed over the message.

    Aya briefly scanned over the contents and said, ¡°I understand the situation.¡± A bird with identifiable golden streaks on its back circled above her when she finally looked up.

    ¡°Kueee!¡±

    Aya reached out her arm like a professional falconer. When the storm falcon landed, she lovingly stroked the bird¡¯s beak in a familiar manner similar to the bird¡¯s owner and cooed, ¡°It says here you¡¯ll lead me to him. Please be quick, Emet.¡±

    ¡°Kuee~.¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ---

    After writing the note and having Emet deliver it, Vincent began to clean up camp. He had seen the men packing their carts full of produce. However, it was simple to tell that under the carts of hay and produce were chests of treasure, the treasure of various unfortunate merchants.

    The following morning the people in question set out, bearing for the nearby town of Rohan. Vincent observed them, perplexed because of the women and children that went along with the trio. They were driving multiple wagons and singing a cheerful ditty.

    Vincent followed the group from a far way off but was slightly annoyed by their slow pace. Seeing other traveler¡¯s on the road up ahead, he rode up and pulled his hood down to seem friendlier as he asked a question.

    ¡°Excuse me, are you perchance traveling to Rohan?¡± asked Vincent as he tossed a silver coin over.

    The traveler looked annoyed by Vincent¡¯s arrogant face, but since Vincent had taken the initiative to pull down his hood and offered a silver coin, the traveler smiled and answered, ¡°Aye. T¡¯is the nearest town.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense. I also happen to be going that way.¡± Vincent replied in his friendliest tone, which was hard to keep up, ¡°Are we the only two going that way?¡±

    ¡°Nay, there¡¯s another group further on ahead. Their kids were damn annoying, so I decided to let them go on ahead and pulled further back. I suggest you do the same.¡±

    ¡°Mmm, that makes sense. However, I¡¯m somewhat in a hurry, I¡¯ll go on ahead. Thanks.¡± Vincent quickly bid farewell to the traveler and pulled his hood back up.

    As Vincent passed by the group he had tailed for the past few days he couldn¡¯t help but glance over at the carts. A few of the kids on the cart saw him and smiled brightly as they waved. Vincent didn¡¯t return the gesture and rode on ahead.

    Since he was traveling at a rather fastidious pace, he arrived in Rohan at midday. He spent this time to groom his horse and also rest. He had been out in the field for a long time and started to smell.

    When dusk came about, just before the gates to Rohan were closed the trio, and their family members finally arrived. They all looked weary, but he still saw the excited eyes of the children from his corner of the street. Not long later, they checked into an inn in the bleaker side of town and turned in for the night. Just as he was retreating, a familiar shriek echoed overhead.

    ¡°Kuee~!¡±

    ¡°Emet!¡± Vincent was surprised she returned so soon. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be guiding the expert?¡± He intimately caressed the bird¡¯s beak.

    ¡°But I¡¯m already here?¡± A seductive whisper breathed into his ear. Vincent reacted reflexively by elbowing behind him and retreat as Emet flew up.

    ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± His hand reached for the dagger by his side.

    ¡°Calm down, Vincent. It¡¯s just me.¡± The woman. chuckled as she drew herself forward and out of the shadows. It was Aya.

    Vincent¡¯s expression furrowed as he asked, ¡°Why is it you?¡±

    Aya looked visibly hurt, ¡°Don¡¯t you miss me?¡± She teased.

    ¡°Not one bit. Since you¡¯re here to lead the mission, I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± He spoke coldly and sheathed the dagger, preparing to leave.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, Vincent. Stay with Big Sis for a while.¡± She shamelessly clung to him and started dragging him toward the main street.

    ¡°Fine! Just let go of me!¡± Vincent impatiently said as he waved off the seductress, eliciting a giggle. They soon found the inn Vincent had rented a room. On the ground level was a tavern. Vincent sat down and ordered himself a meal.

    ¡°You¡¯ll treat right?¡± Aya beamed a playful smile, drawing the gaze of all men nearby.

    ¡°I¡¯m just a poor first-year student. Senior can¡¯t expect me to treat on the first mission right?¡± Vincent answered shamelessly as his meal arrived.

    ¡°Brat. You should be grateful this Big Sis has volunteered her time to come and guide you. Do you know the hardships I went through to get here so quickly?¡± She looked aggrieved as she spoke.

    ¡°¡­¡± It was true, traveling from the capital to Rohan would take a few days even if it were a particularly fast horse. It never occurred to him how she got here so fast.

    ¡°It looks like you understand.¡± Aya grinned in satisfaction and raised her voice, ¡°Boss, two orders of your best ale! My junior¡¯s paying for it, so don¡¯t hold back!¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Vincent looked troubled but relented and watched as the owner chuckled and placed two beers on their table.

    ¡°Gah~!¡± Aya breathed out after taking a long draft of alcohol. ¡°It¡¯s perfect after a long day¡¯s travel.¡±

    ¡°Hah~¡­¡± Vincent resigned himself as he quietly ate his meal. Not long after, he started filling her in on the mission details.

    ¡°Okay, okay! I see how it is.¡± Aya answered in between swigs of ale.

    ¡°And that¡¯s it for the updates.¡± Vincent finished his meal at the same time as the briefing. ¡°Owner, bill please.¡±

    The owner came over, and Vincent quickly paid before getting up.

    ¡°Ahhh~! Wait~!¡± Aya seemed a little drunk as she clung to his arm. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare cheat Big Sis of her drinks!¡± She seemed to have figured out his intention and clung onto him, refusing to let go and also drawing a few raucous laughter from the crowd.

    ¡°Hah~¡­¡± Vincent sighed for the umpteenth time in the inn and plopped himself down.

    Finally, after Aya finished her last mug, he paid her bill and got up to leave.

    ¡°You¡¯ve had enough to drink. You should find a room,¡± said Vincent as he walked toward the stairs.

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± She slurred her words. By this point, any normal person would be passed out drunk on the table, but Aya only looked flushed and tipsy. She followed him towards the stairs.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Vincent paused and turned around.

    ¡°We should turn in for the night.¡± Aya smiled playfully.

    ¡°Yes, we should.¡±,  Vincent seemed to understand her reason and called out to the owner, ¡°Owner, do you have any more available rooms?¡±

    The owner had overheard the cold youth and the playful woman¡¯s conversation and laughed before replying, ¡°We¡¯re all booked for the night.¡±

    Vincent frowned and turned back to Aya, ¡°That¡¯s a shame. It would be best if we stayed in the same inn. It can save me some time to meet up in the morning. Sorry, but it looks like you¡¯ll have to find somewhere else. We¡¯ll meet back here in the morning.¡± Vincent didn¡¯t look apologetic at all as he turned around and climbed the stairwell. Aya and the inn owner was left behind at the bottom of the stairs staring dumbstruck.

    After a while, the owner coughed and said, ¡°Miss, I was just lying earlier. We still have a few rooms. I sympathize with your plight, so you can stay for free tonight.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Aya had sobered up and looked like she didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. ¡°I only intended to tease my cute junior¡­¡± She felt like she was just rejected as she gratefully accepted the owner¡¯s consolation and turned in for the night.

 Chapter 25 - Renting a Room with Aya

    Vincent was enjoying breakfast when he heard a soft *Thunk* from beside him before a grumpy face came into view.

    ¡°Boss, give me breakfast and put it on this guy¡¯s bill!¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡±

    Vincent didn¡¯t react much; he only raised an eyebrow inquisitively. That was all that he needed to elicit a response from Aya.

    ¡°How could you leave a drunk and beautiful woman alone by herself in a tavern? Do you know what could¡¯ve happened to me? I could¡¯ve been taken advantaged of!¡± She looked resentful as her breakfast consisting of some bread and vegetable soup arrived.

    Vincent wasn¡¯t convinced one bit. It would be impressive if she didn¡¯t leave anybody wanting to puke out blood after she was done messing with them. He recalled that not even William came out on top when William and Aya were together.

    ¡°I was worried,¡± answered Vincent. ¡°For the other men.¡± He inwardly finished his sentence.

    ¡°Awww~ you can be cute sometimes too~!¡± Aya looked appeased and attempted to poke his cheek.

    Vincent casually moved out of the way and asked, ¡°I¡¯m going back to monitor the ¡®farmers¡¯. What are your plans?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not much to go on. So I¡¯ll follow you.¡± She looked like she couldn¡¯t hold herself back and cheekily added on, ¡°Please look after Big Sis.¡±

    It was still quite early in the morning, with the night patrol even out and about. However, people had already begun to stir and when Vincent and Aya arrived in front of the inn the farmer¡¯s stayed at, the lights were already on.

    They both maintained their distance and waited at a nearby bench. They looked a bit conspicuous since both were wearing thick cloaks that obscured their faces.

    Aya mischievously grinned and grabbed Vincent without him knowing, ¡°Surprise attack!¡± She clutched onto his arm, her bountiful assets sandwiching him between them.

    Vincent revealed a startled reaction and coldly glared back, ¡°What are you doing?¡± He eyed the teasing girl¡¯s dazzling expression.

    ¡°Hehehe~.¡± She reached up and pulled down his hood along with her own, ¡°Teaching you how to gather information. If you want to gather information in close proximity, you have to blend in.¡± She gazed up at the frosty youth¡¯s immaculate face. Her veteran heart managed to flutter for a bit before calming down.

    ¡°That makes sense, but I don¡¯t see why we have to go about it this way.¡± Vincent extracted his arm from her embrace.

    ¡°Hmph! You¡¯re no fun.¡± She pouted and turned away. Just like that, the two sat there in silence until later when the sun had fully risen.

    Not long later, Vincent felt that something wasn¡¯t right. Aya was also of the same opinion, so they both turned back, making eye contact with each other.

    ¡°They should be out by now.¡± The people he had been tailing were farmers. It was normal for farmers to wake up before sunrise, so it was strange.

    ¡°No one has entered or left that inn ever since we came here.¡± Aya¡¯s usual playful expression had hardened and became sharp.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go check it out.¡± They both went over to the inn, only to find it was locked.

    *Knock Knock Knock*

    Soon after he knocked, the door opened and an unkempt man poked his head out.

    ¡°What do ye want?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this place an inn? Why are you locked?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s it to ye?¡± The man defensively shot back at Vincent.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°I¡¯m just asking because I¡¯m looking for a place to stay while I¡¯m touring the town.¡± Vincent flipped a silver coin in his palm playfully. Nothing that couldn¡¯t be solved with money.

    The man also saw the coin and his eyes lit up, but he looked as if he just realized something and shook his head.

    ¡°Go somewhere else. We¡¯re closed fer business.¡± He followed it up by shutting the door in both their faces.

    ¡°This lying bastard,¡± Vincent mumbled and moved to knock once more, but was stopped by Aya.

    She flashed him a reprimanding gaze and then rapped on the door.

    *Knock Knock*

    ¡°I said we¡¯re closed!¡± The man poked his out once more.

    ¡°Um, excuse me, Sir?¡± The impish girl from earlier disappeared and was replaced by a delicate girl. She nervously fiddled with the hem of her cloak as she asked, ¡°We don¡¯t mean to trouble you. We were both just looking for a place to rest. It¡¯ll only take¡­ an hour.¡± She blushed as she hung her head down and bashfully looked back at Vincent.

    The man seemed to come to an understanding and grinned evilly.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t ye say so sooner, Lad?¡± He couldn¡¯t just turn back two passionate youths. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll let ye two rest here fer a bit. However, it¡¯ll cost ye.¡± He held up three fingers.

    ¡°Thank you, Sir!¡± Aya repeatedly bowed and pulled Vincent forward. ¡°C¡¯mon pay him.¡± She pestered.

    Vincent¡¯s cold face grew colder by a few degrees, but he still paid up three silvers.

    ¡°Are ye pulling my leg, Lad?¡± The man looked astonished. ¡°This place ain¡¯t yer local whore house. It¡¯s a reputable establishment. It¡¯s going against my morals even to do this but fer the sake of youthful passion, I opened my doors, and this is how ye repay me?¡± He looked aggrieved as he held out his hand and rubbed his finger and thumb.

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent narrowed his gaze but handed over a few more silvers.

    ¡°That¡¯s a Lad!¡± The man laughed and led them inside. Aya grabbed Vincent and followed. They were handed a key by the man. ¡°Yer rooms furthest from the stairs on the right. I expect ye to be out by noon.¡±

    After speaking, the man didn¡¯t seem to care any longer, and he quickly ran to the back while jingling the handful of silver coins in his hands. Vincent looked down at Aya who had latched on to his arm. She was also looking up at him naughtily.

    ¡°Shall we go?¡± She teased.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Vincent answered and shook himself free.

    ¡°You¡¯re no fun.¡± She playfully whined and followed him up.

    Along the way, they examined their surroundings. Rooms that weren¡¯t used were left opened; all the rooms were opened. The man had spoken the truth, they weren¡¯t open for service today.

    ¡°Where did they go? Could they have noticed that they were being followed?¡± Vincent questioned himself out loud.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so,¡± Aya replied and dashed into a room on the side. Vincent was puzzled and followed.

    ¡°What the hell? What kind of inn leaves such a large mess?¡± He glanced over the messy room that had blankets and sheets thrown all over the place. It looked like there had been a fight in the room.

    ¡°Take your time and think about it,¡± Aya said as she began to rummage around the sheets, searching for clues.

    ¡°They couldn¡¯t have been abducted by someone else, can they?¡± Vincent concluded.

    ¡°Bingo~! You win a prize!¡± Aya cheerfully chirped as she returned to him, intending to give him a kiss.

    Vincent casually dodged and asked, ¡°Then the only lead we have would be the owner of the inn. That guy was kind of suspicious no matter how you look at it.¡±

    ¡°Hm, that¡¯s our only lead.¡± Aya agreed and they both left the room. Back in the hallway, Vincent was about to go downstairs when he felt a tug on his cloak.

    ¡°What is it? Did you find another clue?¡±

    ¡°No, I was just wondering if you want to make full use of your silver coins.¡± She flashed a seductive look his way and held up a key.

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent left without a reply followed by a giggling girl.

    *Bang!*

    ¡°Who else stayed here last night?!¡± Vincent slammed the man back into the wall. The man cowered in fear as he spoke up.

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know!¡±

    ¡°If you know what¡¯s best, you better tell me now!¡± Vincent pulled out his dagger menacingly. Right now he looked like a typical villain.

    ¡°P-please, Lad! I don¡¯t know, they just paid me to give them a room, but they left already!¡±

    ¡°Let me see the registry!¡± Inns usually kept records of who stayed what night in case there was trouble and the law came knocking. If Vincent studied the guest list in the registry, he might have a lead to go on, since it looked like the owner of the inn also didn¡¯t know much.

    ¡°O-okay just don¡¯t hurt me!¡± Vincent released the man and watched as the man scurried away and retrieved a ledger. ¡°Here¡­¡±

    Vincent quickly flipped to the yesterday and saw a few names on the page. Aya also peered from over his shoulder, then her eyes lit up.

    ¡°I recognize a few of them.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡± Vincent looked up.

    ¡°The names Melvin and Jicar. They should be C-rank mercenaries from the Laughing Ox mercenary guild.¡± Aya spoke with an authoritative tone.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll look for them. Meanwhile¡­¡± He looked down at the owner who had cowered in the corner. ¡°You will keep quiet won¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes!¡± He obediently nodded his head.

    ¡°Good.¡± Vincent left the inn. Aya looked back at the owner and walked over to him, causing the owner to grow hysterical.

    ¡°P-please, don¡¯t hurt me! Heeee¡ª!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, Sir.¡± She stuffed a gold coin into his palm. ¡°My boyfriend is just a little bit mad because the room was too messy and he couldn¡¯t get into the mood. So now he¡¯s going to make trouble for the men that caused the mess.¡± She charmingly winked at the man.

    The man was speechless. Vincent who wasn¡¯t that far away also stumbled.

 Chapter 26 - Desperate Search

    ¡°Did you really have to say that?¡± Vincent angrily mumbled as they entered the main street.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it more exciting this way?¡± She looked exhilarated as she stretched.

    ¡°Fine, do whatever you want. Now, that we have a lead, I¡¯ll go ask around about this Melvin and Jicar guy. What are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not much I can do, I¡¯ll also ask around.¡±

    ¡°Wait, I just remembered something.¡± Vincent tapped his chin in deep thought and continued, ¡°I remember seeing Blood Silk in their possession. It may not be a bad idea to look into their sales in the black market. They are a rarity after all.¡±

    Aya smiled and patted his cheek, ¡°Good boy. Big Sis is pleased with her junior¡¯s memory.¡± She then left while giggling, not waiting for his response. He stared at her mesmerizing silhouette as she melded into the crowd, a complicated expression hung on his face.

    In a bar a street off the main road, Vincent was calmly drinking. This was the fourth tavern he visited, the first three turned out unsuccessful. He was in a terrible mood, but still maintained his calm, it was part of his training.

    Finally, a group of unruly men sauntered into the tavern spouting a mouthful of rubbish.

    ¡°Them assholes stole our gig. Now, what are we supposed to do, Huh?¡± A henchman began to bootlick the leader of the group.

    ¡°Those Laughing Ox guys have been acting too overbearing lately. Who do they think they are? Don¡¯t they know there¡¯s a pecking order around here?¡± Another groupie chimed in following behind the first.

    At this time, Vincent¡¯s ears perked up as he listened to the men complain.

    ¡°I found them!¡± He thought to himself.

    ¡°So Boss, what should we do now? Our big job just flew out the window.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The boss was in the center of the group of men at their table. He remained distant and chose to cross his arms and close his eyes.

    ¡°Boss?¡± They all were waiting for their leader¡¯s decision. Finally, the man spoke up after making them wait so long.

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    *GROWWWL~*

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°R-right! Let¡¯s get something to eat first!¡± A man reacted first and raised his arms like an elementary school kid and yelled, ¡°Owner, your best dishes! I want all of them!¡±

    ¡°Damn, I should¡¯ve thought of that first.¡± Is what the expressions of the rest of the men were revealing. After their food arrived, the group of unruly fellows seemed to stray off the topic of the Laughing Ox guild, so Vincent went over to them.

    ¡°Hello, friends.¡± He raised his hand and ordered, ¡°Boss, an order of ale for these strong men.¡±

    ¡°Right away!¡±

    ¡°Wow, thanks, Kid.¡± Henchman #1 gleefully said.

    ¡°Not bad, a person with eyes as sharp as yours will make it far,¡± said Henchman #2. Only the boss didn¡¯t react and sat there, his gaze questioning Vincent¡¯s intentions.

    ¡°It¡¯s like this¡­¡± Vincent began to explain, ¡°The Laughing Ox guild also messed with my men¡¯s mission. You see, we¡¯re a small mercenary band that just formed not too long ago. It was our first subjugation mission, but halfway through our mission, the Laughing Ox guild interfered with the battle. We suffered major losses and even allowed the targets to escape. We failed our mission.¡±

    ¡°Aye Lad, that is a sad thing indeed.¡± Henchman #1 was furiously nodding his head in agreement. He too suffered through the indignation of bullying from larger guilds.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°We¡¯ve only just managed to recoup our losses from that day. Now that I hear Laughing Ox is back to using their malicious tactics again; I want them to suffer some losses of their own.¡± Vincent looked resentful as he spoke, he even managed to convince himself!

    Finally, after listening to Vincent¡¯s explanation, the boss spoke up, ¡°If you¡¯re looking for them, don¡¯t look anymore. They left on an escort mission earlier today.¡±

    ¡°An escort mission? Can you expand on the details?¡± Vincent¡¯s eyes lit up.

    ¡°Sure, it¡¯s not like I took the mission, why should I care.¡± The boss shrugged and continued, ¡°They¡¯re escorting a rich man from the spice lands in the south. He¡¯s on his way to Gawain. As for the finer details, I wasn¡¯t told. If you¡¯re done gathering information, leave; I don¡¯t associate with shady organizations.¡± The boss¡¯ words seemed to hint at something, but he still maintained a smidgen of tact.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Vincent revealed an evil grin and placed down a few coins to pay for the drinks and left.

    Even though he knew the Laughing Ox guild took on a giant escort mission, he still had to check. He went to their headquarters, which was just an office building in Rohan and asked around.

    ¡°Jicar and Melvin?¡± The receptionist pondered. ¡°Those two left on a mission this morning. If the request is urgent, we still have a few men who can take up your request.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s fine.¡± Vincent shook his head and left.

    Something didn¡¯t bode well, Vincent had a nagging feeling that the rich person the Laughing Ox guild was escorting had something to do with the missing farmers. Since it¡¯s so coincidental that the mercenaries stayed in the same inn that the farmers stayed in, even though their guild has their headquarters in Rohan. Usually, there would be housing for such a guild.

    Unsure of what to do, Vincent decided to return to the inn from the night before and wait for Aya. It wasn¡¯t long before Aya also returned. Her expression was downtrodden, void of good news. She came over and sat down with a heavy expression on her face.

    ¡°No news either?¡±

    ¡°The mercenaries took up a request earlier today. It seems the two people on the list also went along, so I can¡¯t find out much on that lead.¡±

    ¡°What about the blood silk?¡±

    ¡°None.¡± She shook her head. ¡°That last sale of blood silk in the black market was half a year ago. No one¡¯s ever heard of any new stock in circulation.¡±

    Vincent also felt an enormous pressure descend down onto his shoulders. Who knew such a simple reconnaissance mission would end up into a dead end search of a conspiracy?

    ¡°Our only hope is finding out where the farmers disappeared to, but my intuition is telling me that they got involved with the Laughing Ox guild,¡± Aya muttered worriedly.

    ¡°Why do you think so?¡±

    ¡°Laughing Ox is a mercenary guild, but that¡¯s just a front. The core members of the guild used to be infamous bandits a few years ago. This is a little secret that¡¯s not known to the public.¡±

    Vincent abruptly shot up, ¡°Then you don¡¯t suppose¡­¡±

    Aya nodded her head grimly, ¡°If we can¡¯t find them by tonight, then there¡¯s no more point in looking for them ever again.¡±

    ¡°Damnit!¡± Vincent pictured the innocent smiles of the children riding on the back of the carts. He rushed out and blew a loud whistle.

    ¡°FUEEE~!¡±

    ¡°Kueee~!¡±

    A storm falcon with a wingspan of five meters flew down and perched on his outstretched arm.

    ¡°Emet, urgent mission. Look for the farmers from yesterday. Do you understand?¡± Vincent sternly ordered.

    ¡°Kua!¡± Emet looked like she understood and flew off. Aya also exited the inn and approached him from behind.

    ¡°Your bird can understand commands like that?¡± She asked intrigued by the notion of a bird understanding human speech.

    ¡°She¡¯s a special breed,¡± Vincent replied, his gaze resembled a mother¡¯s gaze as he watched Emet fly off. ¡°I haven¡¯t taught her how to search yet, but I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll figure it out.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope so.¡± Aya¡¯s gaze wandered over the back of the man. His broad and lonely back doesn¡¯t seem to match up with the information she had gathered on him. She was left feeling a little complicated and engrossed, her intuition telling her there was more to this man than what is on the surface.

    ---

    ¡°We can¡¯t just wait around.¡± Vincent reentered the inn and went up to his room and retrieved his gear. When he returned outside, Aya was already kitted out, her lithe body was snugly wrapped in tight leather.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Vincent nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s split up, we¡¯ll cover more ground that way.¡±

    They quickly split off, Aya walked in one direction and Vincent in the other. They searched high and low for any traces of the farmers and their families. They asked the townsfolks if they remember seeing any farmers entered or left the town since last night, but how could they know? Rohan was a large town, there are dozens of farmers entering and leaving. Finally, late into the evening, Vincent returned to the inn crestfallen. Aya also had no luck and also returned empty-handed.

    ¡°Owner, get me a drink,¡± Vincent said, this would be the first time he would drink while on the mission.

    ¡°It looks like our mission ends here,¡± Aya spoke, giving voice to the thoughts they both shared. She no longer felt motivated to tease Vincent. ¡°Our last task is to inform the Mission Hall, and hopefully, they will intercept the Laughing Ox guild when they arrive in Gawain.¡±

    Vincent was feeling bitter, when the ale arrived, he was just about to take a swig when he heard a familiar noise.

    ¡°KUEEE~!¡±

    ¡°Emet!¡± Vincent jumped up and rushed out, followed by Aya. Outside, the storm falcon was circling overhead inciting Vincent to shout.

    ¡°GO!¡±

 Chapter 27 - Rescue Mission

    Out in the more suburban areas of Rohan, a little girl was worriedly scurrying back and forth.

    ¡°Please Mister, help me.¡±

    ¡°Go away, Brat!¡± The man swatted her away and continued walking. The girl then ran to another man.

    ¡°My family is in danger!¡±

    ¡°Street Rat, get away from me, or I¡¯ll show you!¡± The man beckoned with a fist. The little girl then saw a dashing young man and ran toward him.

    ¡°Mister, bad guys have taken my family. Can you help me?¡±

    The man stopped in his tracks and crouched down. His hand brushing away the dirt from her cheek.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Child?¡± His gaze looked compassionate as he brushed off the dust on her clothes.

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± The girl uncomfortably looked up at the young man, but shook her head and answered, ¡°My family needs help. They were taken away by bad guys. Can you help me?¡±

    The man¡¯s eyes softened as he spoke in a soothing voice, ¡°Naturally. Why don¡¯t you follow me and I¡¯ll take you to report this to the town guards.¡± He reached out his palm, waiting for her to take it.

    ¡°Nngh¡­¡± She subconsciously pulled back and looked over the clean young man one more time. Finding that there¡¯s nothing discernible in his concerned eyes, she reached out to grab his hand.

    ¡°Get away from her, Scum!¡±

    *Bam!*

    A clean boot landed on the young man¡¯s face, launching him a few meters to the side. The owner of the boot adjusted his balance as he positioned himself before the girl. Another person suddenly embraced the puzzled child and brought her away as the youth drew his sword.

    ¡°Which person dare¡¯s to kick this lord¡¯s face?!¡± The young man angrily shot up from the ground, his eyes shooting beams of red light.

    ¡°I dare,¡± Vincent replied calmly, too calm that it sounded abnormal. The young man managed to identify his assailant, but when he met Vincent¡¯s gaze, he swallowed the next words that were about to come out of his mouth.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°What were you going to do to this little girl?¡± His sharp gaze narrowed slightly. There were multiple angles he could attack the young man from, it was only a matter of which would bring more pain to his target.

    ¡°N-nothing. I w-was just helping¡­¡± That man broke out in cold sweat as he felt the intimidating glare coming from Vincent.

    ¡°Did that man do anything to you, Little Sister?¡± Aya gently coaxed.

    ¡°Nuh-uh.¡± She shook her head, but still looked worried. ¡°Big Sis, I need help to rescue my family.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Wait here.¡± Aya looked over at Vincent, ¡°Let him go, we don¡¯t have time for him.¡±

    ¡°Tch.¡± Vincent clicked his tongue and sheathed his sword. ¡°Get out, before I change my mind.¡±

    ¡°Hieee~!¡± The man ran off.

    ¡°Where¡¯s your family? What happened?¡± Vincent then turned around to question the little girl. He recognized her, she had the brightest smile on her face when he rode by their cart.

    ¡°Nngh!¡± She shrunk behind Aya after seeing Vincent¡¯s cold glare.

    ¡°Ah! Stop that!¡± Aya chopped at Vincent¡¯s head, to which he casually dodged. ¡°You¡¯re scaring her. Okay, Little Sister, show us where your family is, we¡¯ll help you.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re over here.¡± She began to run through narrow alleyways. The pitter patter of her bare feet sounded out as she ran. This realization brought a frown to a cold youth¡¯s face, so he decided to do something about it.

    ¡°Uwaa~!¡± The girl felt herself float up and finally in the arms of the cold youth.

    ¡°Vincent¡­¡± Aya trailed from behind, part of her felt relaxed while another part was giggling at his awkward interaction with the little girl. ¡°Stop for a minute.¡± She ran up and carried the little girl off of Vincent and placed her on his back.

    ¡°Mmm, much better.¡± Vincent thanked Aya and continued, ¡°Show me where they are.¡±

    ¡°Un!¡± The little girl felt safe and secure while riding on the young man¡¯s back and began to point them the way.

    Soon after, the trio stopped; not far from their location was an aged and abandoned warehouse in the suburban part of the town. This place might¡¯ve been prosperous when the town was first founded, but by now the warehouse and its surrounding houses make up a part of the slums of Rohan.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡°There. The bad men tied us up and threw us in there.¡± The girl was shaking as she pointed to the warehouse. She was the smallest in the family. She had managed to escape through a small hole in the dilapidated building with the help of her father.

    ¡°Alright. You wait here.¡± Vincent let down the little girl, choosing a spot to conceal her, before performing the last check on his gear.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Aya questioned, her brows furrowed with concern.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to save them,¡± Vincent replied as if stating a fact.

    ¡°How? Are you going to go through the front? Drawing the attention of every man within one kilometer of the warehouse?¡± She sternly reprimanded. It was at times like these that she found his mature disposition had cracked and revealed an innocent interior; it was a refreshing change.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they won¡¯t find me,¡± Vincent said confidently. ¡°You wait here and watch the girl.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Aya vehemently rejected. ¡°I¡¯m in charge here. This mission is out of your jurisdiction. You will follow what I say. Right now, you will wait here and wait for my signal.¡±

    Vincent finally looked up from examining his weapons when he heard her change in tone. Just as he was about to argue with her, he felt a soft and moist warmth press against his lips. There was a taste of candied cherries in his mouth left over after Aya moved away.

    ¡°We¡¯ll do it my way.¡± She playfully watched his innocent stunned expression and sauntered off toward the warehouse. She didn¡¯t do anything to hide her presence as she languidly approached the warehouse door.

    At the gates, the two henchmen looked on with interest as a provocative lady approached them. She had on a leather corset that significantly enhanced her hourglass figure. She was also sporting a beauty mark under her left eye as she shot beams of interest their way. It was already late evening, the sun had just set, and it should be around this time that the night-life of Rohan woke up.

    ¡°Excuse me, boys.¡± She blinked, drawing attention to her fine and long lashes. ¡°I seem to have lost my way, and I was hoping that one of you two would be able to show me to the adult entertainment street.¡± Her sharp gaze traced over the henchmen¡¯s bodies like they were undressing the men.

    The two men felt a hot flush gather in their groin area as lascivious smiles traced over their face.

    ¡°Look Gim, you were complaining that we won¡¯t get any action tonight. And now it¡¯s here.¡±

    ¡°Hur hur hur.¡± The other man dumbly laughed as drool pooled out from the corner of his mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a traveling whore before, but I ain¡¯t complaining.¡± The first henchman said as he looked back at Aya.

    ¡°I prefer the term, entertainer. Please, if you treat me nicely, I¡¯ll also treat you nicely.¡± She giggled as she reached up and stroked the man¡¯s coarse face. The man felt a tingle pass through his spine upon her touch.

    ¡°Come here, you little minx!¡± He crudely grabbed her outstretched arm and started dragging her inside.

    ¡°Ah~ You should be a bit gentler to the opposite sex.¡± Aya teased. She shot a sharp glance back in the direction Vincent was at. Warning him to put down his bow that he had prepared to use. Then she mouthed out the words, ¡°Watch the entrance,¡± before being pulled inside.

    ¡°Gim, watch the entrance, I¡¯ll have fun with the whore first.¡±

    ¡°Hur hur hur.¡± The man dumbly laughed and vigorously nodded.

    ¡°Big Brother, you¡¯re not going to save Big Sister?¡± The little girl worriedly asked.

    Vincent clenched his fist but remained still. ¡°She¡¯s a strong girl. Trust her a bit more.¡± These words were more for himself than the girl. Even though he wasn¡¯t allowed to interfere, there¡¯s at least something he could do. Vincent got up and hurriedly hid the girl behind a stack of barrels and crates.

    ¡°Where are you going, Big Brother?¡± The little girl asked.

    ¡°Stay here, no matter what happens, do not come out. Be good.¡± Vincent left without waiting for a reply.

    He looked up at the surrounding houses and quickly sunk into the shadows. Night has fallen.

    Quietly on his perch like a stone gargoyle, Vincent silently waited. It had been half an hour since Aya had entered, but nothing has happened as of yet. This only made him feel more concerned as his fingers brushed over the shafts of his arrows nervously.

    Finally, after almost an hour has passed, a disturbance broke the silent night.

    *CRASH!*

    A lifeless body was thrown out of the second story window of the warehouse.

    Gim, the dumb henchman out front woke up with a start and ran over to see the commotion. He saw a man laying on the ground bleeding out from stab wounds. Gurgling noises rose up from the man as blood pooled into his throat.

    ¡°Ah! AH! ENEMY ATTACK!¡± Gim screamed as if his life depended on it, afraid he wouldn¡¯t be heard, but shortly after he was silenced permanently.

    *Thwack!*

    An arrow embedded itself into his neck and he fell over.

    ¡°Shit!¡± Vincent cursed at his slow reaction, but it was already too late. All around him, the buildings and houses lit up as people began to groggily dash out. Some people were half-dressed, and others were still in their sleepwear. All of them were enemies.

    Vincent¡¯s eyes flashed with terrifying resolve as he stood up from his perch. Like a deity protector, Vincent drew back his bow into the shape of the full moon and rained judgment down onto the half-awaken men below.

    *Thwack!*

    Each shot¡­

    *Thwack!*

    Signaled the end of life.

    *Thwack!*

    Pretty soon, the men below understood that someone was killing them off from afar, but they couldn¡¯t find out the location of the assassin. They saw a dozen of their brothers go down from the unknown assailant¡¯s arrows and felt a cold frost pass down their spines. Right now they were trudging through the darkness into their own deaths. They helplessly retreated back into their homes and didn¡¯t dare poke their heads out.

    ¡°This is as much as I can do. I can only wait for her to come out.¡± Vincent sat back down onto his perch. His vigilant eyes surveyed everything below him; he was like a sovereign beholding his kingdom.

    Not long after, the front doors of the warehouse pulled open and a bunch of shaken people staggered out. A few of them were sobbing while others were crying with happiness. Following behind them was a tattered girl who looked like she was limping. Vincent felt his heart shaken, but he maintained overwatch, waiting for everyone to leave before he retreated; he didn¡¯t forget to pick up the little girl.

    When everything concluded, a few of the more courageous thugs approached the warehouse. They saw their dead companions bathing in pools of blood as they laid on the ground. Even worse, just behind the entrance of the warehouse, were dozens of lifeless bodies each with their throats slashed. They were men who have killed before, but they¡¯ve never seen such a ruthless sight.

 Chapter 28 - Reckless Girl

    When the escapees arrived in a safe place, everyone began to rejoice. They finally saw the sky that they thought they would never see anymore. After their joy, came their despair. They were ruthlessly tortured, a few of the older girls also had lifeless looks in their eyes.

    Vincent had a furious look in his eyes as he approached them from behind. He saw the familiar figure in the crowd of people and walked forward.

    ¡°Mama!¡± The little girl on his back cried.

    ¡°Henriette!¡± A woman plowed out from the crowd and ran forward. She picked up her baby and began raining down kisses and tears on her child.

    ¡°Thank you! Thank you!¡± She said through heartfelt sobs.

    ¡°Where are the men?¡± Vincent searched through the crowd, only to see women and children. Upon mentioning that, everyone in the group began to wail.

    ¡°Gone¡­¡± The woman who picked up Henriette uttered.

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent looked on and finally approached Aya.

    ¡°Good job taking care of my back.¡± She teased through a lazy smile.

    Even though Aya looked carefree, Vincent could understand much more. He understood her more than anybody else. She was his favorite character. Although she put up a cheerful front and acted mature, she always sacrificed the most. For the first time, Vincent walked up and embraced the girl. He squeezed her tightly in his embrace, hoping he could ground her to reality.

    ¡°You should rely on me more. I¡¯m not as weak as you think.¡± He hoarsely said as he felt her body tensed up at his touch.

    Damnit. He knew what kind of person Aya was, and yet he still couldn¡¯t pull himself away from her. He knew what kind of methods she would use and yet he let her do it. He tried to watch the world play out like he was reading a book but felt himself being drawn into its pages. Now, it was too late; he couldn¡¯t treat everything like it¡¯s just a story any longer. Aya was just a character, a fictional character that was a foil for the main character. She is a living, breathing person.

    ¡°*Sniff* You bad guy. Is this how you pick up girls so easily?¡± Aya¡¯s quivering voice managed to reach his ears.

    ¡°Just rest, you deserve it.¡± Vincent soothed her like a child. Soon after she limply fell into his embrace; all strength left her body as she submits herself to the kingdom of sleep. Vincent picked her up and then turned back to the women and children.

    ¡°Tonight you all live to see the rising sun once more. This could be a blessing, but also a curse. You will be hunted, captured, and killed. Your husbands can no longer protect you. Go home if you must, run if you will, but come morning the beast will awaken and chase after your trails. What will you do?¡± He eyed each and every person. He perfectly framed the situation of the people present.

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± A woman said, crying pitifully.

    ¡°I want to leave. To go far away from here. Anywhere is better than here.¡± Another young woman said, her eyes looked far off.

    ¡°Can we follow you?¡± The mother of Henriette plead.

    ¡°No. I¡¯m not a saint. I have no need for you all.¡± Just as Vincent said that the girl in his bosom stirred, causing some worry to flash across his expression. Finally, he relented.

    ¡°Please Mister.¡± Henriette tugged on his cloak, her large eyes looked just like Isabel¡¯s.

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you follow me, but I have a way to protect you.¡± He gestured for the women and children to follow him. His pace was slow partly because of Aya in his arms, but also because of the injured women and children.

    In the middle of the night, Weisel a small-time warehouse manager of a particular guild was busy locking up. Just as he pulled the doors closed he heard a loud noise.

    *Knock! Knock!*

    Weisel gave a startled jump and jumped back in fright. Behind him were a group of filthy women and children with a youth carrying a woman. The youth was the first to speak.

    ¡°Is this the Valentine Group?¡± He questioned.

    ¡°What if it is? What if it isn¡¯t? Why should I speak to you strangers?¡± Weisel gathered up his courage and continued speaking, ¡°Where are the guards? How did you get into this courtyard?¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°Mister Weisel.¡± A young guard called out from beyond.

    ¡°Alan!¡± Weisel angrily glared at the teenager, ¡°Why did you let these people in?¡±

    ¡°Mister Weisel, we turned them away at first, but Young Master here beat up Holmes and Peter.¡± The youth began to recount the events from earlier, his eyes were shining with admiration. ¡°Then he turned around and kicked all three of us, and we all flew very far away.¡±

    The whole time, Weisel didn¡¯t know whether to scold the boy or laugh. What kind of person boasts about getting their ass kicked? However, before he could say anything, Vincent spoke up.

    ¡°I¡¯ll repeat it once more. Is this the Valentine Group or not?¡± A frigid tinge crept into his voice.

    ¡°It is!¡± Weisel answered. ¡°But what¡¯s it to you? If you¡¯re here to rob us, don¡¯t even dare, we don¡¯t even have much!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    These guys are a bunch of fools! One boasts about getting his ass kicked, and the other brags about being poor!

    ¡°It¡¯s like this.¡± Vincent sighed and crouched down and fished out the Redwall Crest from his bag. Immediately upon seeing the crest, Weisel and the young guard knelt down.

    ¡°How could I fail to recognize the Young Master of the Redwall House? Please excuse this ignorant person.¡± Weisel said. The young guard had already seen the crest, so he wasn¡¯t surprised.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem.¡± Vincent replaced the crest and stood up.

    ¡°It is a problem, Young Master! How may we help you?¡± He was just a warehouse manager of a branch of Juno Valentine¡¯s merchant guild! How could his status compare to her son? Even if Vincent was only the trash of the family, Juno was extremely protective of their reputation.

    ¡°Look after these people, and tell no one about them. Make sure they¡¯re well-fed and taken care of. In a few days, send them to the capital to look for the Redwall House.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Young Master.¡± He didn¡¯t bother to ask any questions and immediately summoned more people to help him, which included the young guard. Finally, he had some time and managed to ask, ¡°Young Master, where will you be staying?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother with me. I¡¯ve got it settled.¡± Vincent made sure that everyone felt safe before leaving. It was midnight before he returned to the inn. The owner was just about to lock up when Vincent returned.

    ¡°It¡¯s you, Son! I thought you weren¡¯t returning tonight!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here. Is there any food left?¡± Vincent tiredly asked.

    The boss was about to say no, but saw the bruised and battered sleeping woman on Vincent¡¯s back and relented, ¡°There¡¯s still some soup left. I¡¯ll heat it up. Why don¡¯t you two go wash up, the food will take a while.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Vincent carried Aya upstairs to his room and laid her to rest on the bed. His movements were as gentle as soft snow and as smooth as water. He began to remove her armor and gear. Just as he reached out for her belt, a smooth and jade-like arm snaked out and latched onto his throat, threatening to crush it.

    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Her fierce eyes glared up at him. She looked like a tigress that had been woken up. She finally recognized Vincent and weakly released him.

    ¡°Can you get up? It¡¯s not good to stay in those clothes.¡± He said as he looked over the dirty and bloodstained clothes.

    ¡°No. I¡¯ll do it tomorrow.¡± She weakly said and laid back down.

    ¡°That won¡¯t do. I need to inspect you for any injuries.¡± Even the smallest cut could become infected. In war, diseases kill more people than swords and magic.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s nothing serious.¡± She reasoned, intending to push him away.

    ¡°Why are you so complicated?¡± He didn¡¯t bother to listen to her protests and stripped off her clothes. However, he froze up when he saw the red marks on her skin. A red hot fury began to cloud over his eyes as he bit his lip until blood seeped out.

    Aya grabbed the shirt in his hands and covered herself up. Her suppressed look of pain did little to hide how frail she was at this moment. Vincent breathed deeply for a second and then stood up.

    ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll be back.¡± He slung his bow over his shoulder and picked up his quiver.

    ¡°No!¡± Just as he opened the door, he felt a shivering body press itself onto his back. A pair of arms looped around his waist, preventing him from taking another step. ¡°Don¡¯t go¡­¡±

    Vincent froze and asked, ¡°Why?¡± He was angry. There were other ways to save those people, ways that didn¡¯t involve her sacrificing her body. Yet she chose such an extreme method.

    ¡°They¡¯re safe now, so there¡¯s no need to go back¡­¡±

    ¡°Hah~¡­¡± Vincent closed the door and carried her and set her down on the bed once more. ¡°You are a stupid woman, you know that?¡± She had a complicated past, it wasn¡¯t fully explained in the novel, but he knew that she had lost a lot of her loved ones.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m just a stupid woman.¡± She leaned on his shoulder as tears streamed down her cheeks. ¡°I don¡¯t know any better. I only know that as long as I¡¯m the only one that hurts, it¡¯ll turn out fine.¡±

    ¡°From now on, you have to be more selfish. Don¡¯t just think about others, think about yourself first.¡± He gently caressed her hair like a mother pacifying a child. ¡°If you have no one to rely on, you can rely on me.¡±

    ¡°Un~¡­¡± They both sat there in silence. Vincent spoke up first.

    ¡°Where is it?¡±

    ¡°Where is what?¡±

    ¡°The rest of the powder.¡±

    ¡°I used it all up already.¡± She weakly answered.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Fine. They¡¯re in there.¡± She pointed to her satchel. Vincent quickly retrieved what looked like a small bag of pink powder. It was a slow activating weakening powder. The very same powder that she used on all the thugs inside the warehouse.

    ¡°I¡¯m confiscating this.¡± He placed the powder away before also walking back to her.

    ¡°Why? It¡¯s not yours!¡± She looked resentful as she opposed his decision. ¡°Wha¡ª Hey! What are you doing?!¡± Vincent began rummaging through her trouser and retrieved another small bag of the same powder.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t look angry enough, so I had to double check,¡± Vincent answered and continued to search; he stopped after finding another two bags.

    ¡°You evil person!¡± She weakly pounded on his shoulder in protest.

    ¡°Without this poison, you won¡¯t be as reckless.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re no fun¡­¡± Then she playfully latched on to him. ¡°You have to pay to take my things! Take this!¡± She kissed his cheek before dashing under the covers.

    ¡°You¡­¡± Vincent cupped his cheek before breaking out into a serene smile. Unfortunately, the girl was too busy hiding to see it. ¡°I¡¯ll be downstairs, wash up and come eat before going to sleep.¡±

 Chapter 29 - Mission Conclusion

    The following morning, Vincent woke up late. It was the first time in a long time that he woke up so late. It was nearly noon by the time he had awoken. However, there was another person who had woken up even later. Beside him was a young woman with lustrous black hair and a beauty mark under her left eye. Her skin glistened like white jade under the beams of sunlight raining through the window.

    It would cause a misunderstanding if it weren¡¯t for the fact that Vincent had slept on the hard floor and the girl had taken up the whole bed. Last night Aya still wasn¡¯t feeling well enough and kept pestering him to let her stay with him for the night. If it weren¡¯t for his conscience, he really might¡¯ve made a mistake with such a mesmerizing beauty so close to him.

    Vincent moved over to the sleeping beauty and flicked her forehead.

    ¡°Ack!¡±

    ¡°Wake up, we still have a job to do.¡± Considering that the women were traumatized by the events of the previous day and the shape they were in, he didn¡¯t bother asking them any questions. They still need to find out just who was going on, so after Aya managed to wake up, they returned to the Valentine Group.

    ¡°We know what you have all been up to. There¡¯s no point in hiding it. What we want to know is what happened after you¡¯ve arrived in town.¡± Vincent questioned the mother of Henriette. She had calmed down somewhat by this point.

    ¡°It¡¯s like this¡­¡± She began to retell the events of the past few days. ¡°After we entered the town, we rested in the usual inn, the one Old Yannan runs. Then in the middle of the night, a bunch of men barged into our rooms and beat up my¡­ my husband. We were blindfolded, gagged, and dragged away. We were taken to that¡­ that hell hole! My daughter she¡­ she¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Vincent. Don¡¯t make them recall things like this.¡± Aya soothed the woman. Vincent also felt a pang of guilt and relented.

    ¡°Then tell me, what is your relation to the goblin raiders?¡±

    The woman looked aggrieved and answered, ¡°It¡¯s my husband, he and his friends thought of a grand plan. A plan to make them rich. They would take the spoils from the goblins and trade it for tools and food. It was a good idea, I have to admit, even I went along with it, but¡­¡±

    ¡°But it only resulted in other¡¯s coveting the riches that you have.¡± Vincent finished her words with a bitter look. The woman weakly nodded in grief. If she knew this would happen, she would¡¯ve never listened to her husband. Now her life along with the lives of all the women and children were ruined.

    ¡°Aya, I never had a look inside. Were the items inside the warehouse?¡±

    ¡°No, they had many things, but nothing as expensive and luxurious as blood silk.¡±

    ¡°Then the stuff they took might¡¯ve already exchanged hands.¡± Vincent frowned. ¡°Before anything else, I have to send an update to the Mission Hall.¡± Vincent excused himself and left.

    Outside, he called over Emet and wrote down the events of the past few days. Making sure to point out his suspicions before sending Emet out. The mission was now officially out of his jurisdiction. What had started out as a minor goblin reconnaissance mission had unfolded into a full-blown organized criminal network. Only the kingdom¡¯s intelligence department can handle something of this scale.

    Vincent returned inside, shaking his head in defeat. He was surprised to see that everyone was waiting for him. When he got closer everyone bowed.

    ¡°¡±¡±Thank you very much!¡±¡±¡±

    ¡°Thank you Big Brother! Big Sister!¡± Henriette hugged Aya and ran over and hugged Vincent too.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do much. It was all Aya¡¯s doing.¡±

    ¡°But if you didn¡¯t suppress their reinforcements we never would¡¯ve been able to make it out of there,¡± Aya said as she watched his embarrassed face.

    ¡°Then thank me later. Right now, they should be looking for us. We should get out of town as soon as possible.¡± They also needed to report their mission failure and debrief with the Mission Hall. ¡°Lay low for now, in a few days, when the commotion dies down, the Valentine Group will bring you out of the town. From there you can choose to go wherever or come look for my Redwall House in Gawain.¡±

    ¡°Thank you once again, Young Master.¡± The woman said as tears formed in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll see Young Master again shortly.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Young Master.¡± The women and children bowed once more after Vincent and Aya left.

    On the street, ¡°I didn¡¯t think the trash of the Redwall House could be so compassionate.¡± Aya teased.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get used to it.¡± Vincent snapped back and retrieved his horse from the stable; Aya did the same.

    ¡°So I guess we go back?¡± Aya smiled affectionately at Vincent. Vincent frowned, he knew she had returned to her playful self once more.

    ¡°What else did you have planned?¡±

    ¡°We could still rent a room.¡± She lasciviously grinned.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m quite alright. Let¡¯s return. Yah!¡±

    ¡°Aw~! You¡¯re no fun!¡±

    ---

    It took them half a week to return. When Vincent and Aya entered the Mission Hall, the receptionist immediately recognized the signature silver hair and the devastatingly beautiful girl and called for the branch manager.

    ¡°Vincent! Aya! Come back with me. We¡¯ll talk in my office.¡± It was a rare sight to see the branch manager invite a student personally.

    In his office, the branch manager finally revealed his thoughts. It was a disturbing revelation. The information that Vincent and Aya uncovered was sensitive, so no one but the highest echelons in school knew about it.

    The branch manager of the Mission Hall, along with Vice Head Bardus and Vice Head Julia were present. Aya looked uncomfortable while Vincent kept calm and sat up straight.

    ¡°Thanks to your timely message, we were able to apprehend the culprits who had conspired with goblins. We were able to trace the serial numbers of the blood silk to the original owner¡¯s reported losses and seized the products when they arrived here in the capital. All the men from the Laughing Ox guild have been detained, but we didn¡¯t have enough evidence to detain the merchant from the southern lands.¡± The branch manager sweated bullets and handed the report to everyone at the meeting.

    ¡°Furthermore, Vincent and Aya were able to uncover a criminal organization within the folds of the town of Rohan under the rule of Count Montefort. Such a large and obvious criminal organization had gone unnoticed up until this point in time. Further investigations have been proposed, but the royal family has put out an order to cease all activities relating to the criminal organization of Rohan. They will be undertaking this investigation.¡±

    Everyone at the meeting frowned. It wasn¡¯t a secret that Count Montefort was an ardent supporter of the royalty faction.

    ¡°Finally, to conclude, Vincent and Aya will be receiving a private commendation and reward for the efforts they have put forth.¡± The branch manager finished his short announcement before loud resounding clapping echoed throughout the office.

    ¡°I¡¯m amazed by you, Vincent. It has not even been a month, and you¡¯ve already caused a lot of headache for the higher-ups.¡± Bardus was the first to speak.

    ¡°Wanna fight again, Kid?¡± Julia cracked her knuckles.

    ¡°N-no thanks. Maybe Aya wants to test herself.¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Aya quickly shook her head like a top.

    ¡°Pity.¡± Julia frowned and left, possibly to look for a sparring partner.

    ¡°What happens now, Vice Headmaster?¡± Vincent asked Bardus.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    ¡°Now for your rewards.¡± Bardus retrieved two badges from his pocket, ¡°Vincent Silverlight, from this point on, I appoint you Prefect of the first-year class. May you assume the duties and responsibilities appointed to such a title.¡± He handed over the badge which resembled a sword and shield, the crest of Lancelot. Then he turned over to Aya and looked her over with a complicated gaze.

    ¡°Bleh~.¡± She stuck out her tongue playfully.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll take better care of it this time, Aya Hana. It wouldn¡¯t look good to lose your Prefect title twice.¡± He didn¡¯t say much more and handed her the badge.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡± She giggled and received it.

    ¡°Along with the reward, you both will also receive 500 contribution points. This is equivalent to the rewards of a rank A mission.¡± They quickly went through the procedures and left.

    Outside the hall, Vincent turned around and asked Aya, ¡°Do you have some free time tomorrow?¡±

    Aya paused and processed his words for half a beat and then grinned, ¡°Perhaps¡­ I can make some room in my veeery~ busy schedule tomorrow for you.¡± She sidled on over to his side and jabbed his ribs. ¡°You know all you have to do is ask, you don¡¯t need to go on such a roundabout way of asking me out.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not asking you out?¡± He only wanted to ask her for her help, but Aya took it the wrong way and smiled as she skipped away.

    ¡°Tomorrow at noon. I¡¯ll see you in front of the transit station.¡± She giggled as she ran off. Vincent stared at her, his head shaking at the misunderstanding as he returned back to his residence.

    ¡°Hahhh~¡­¡± Vincent let out a relieved sigh after he entered the warm bath. He felt all the stress and fatigue melt away as he sat there. With some time to himself, he began reflecting on the past few days.

    He could¡¯ve done things better. He didn¡¯t have to let Aya do what she had done. If only he were a bit stronger, a bit faster, maybe thing would¡¯ve turned out differently. An image of a frail girl¡¯s bruised collar-bone reappeared in his mind. He subconsciously clenched his fist as a frigid air brought down the temperature of the water.

    ¡°If it were William¡­ What would he have done?¡± Vincent asked himself before leaving the bath and going to sleep. It was a restless sleep that night. The events of the warehouse kept presenting itself.

    The next day came around; it was a rest day. Vincent chose a casual outfit that didn¡¯t stand out too much and left for the transit station. It was a little early, about thirty minutes before noon, but when he arrived a beautiful girl was already there waiting for him.

    ¡°You¡¯re late!¡± complained Aya. Her cheeks were puffed up cutely, detracting from her usual mature look. She was dressed in a short pastel yellow skirt and a sleeveless white blouse. They all worked to accentuate her womanly charms.

    ¡°If anything, I would have to say you¡¯re too early. Come on, let¡¯s go.¡± Vincent didn¡¯t like the stares that he was getting so he flagged down a carriage.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to compliment my clothes?¡± hummed Aya from beside him. She twirled around, eliciting a few more gazes from the male population surrounding them.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t spin around like that, your skirt is too short.¡± Vincent objectively answered and got on the carriage.

    ¡°Is it that hard to give me a compliment?¡± mumbled Aya as she followed behind.

    They traveled to the commercial area of Lancelot. It was a city-esque setting where students could enjoy their time off and relax. Vincent¡¯s first stop was a small apothecary, where he bought a few salves for wounds. Then they stopped by an arm smith; he purchased a few arrowheads and also a set of arrows.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± fumed Aya. She had her arms crossed and kept tapping her foot. Vincent finally came out after ordering his arrows. ¡°So you finally remembered about me.¡±

    ¡°Did you want to buy something? Since we¡¯re here, we can stop by the places you want to go.¡± Vincent answered. Truthfully, he felt a bit guilty for going where he wanted.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that!¡± She ran over and hugged his arm, ¡°Is this how you treat a lady when you take her out on a date?¡± She made sure to rock back and forth as she spoke. Vincent¡¯s eyes narrowed before he shook her off.

    ¡°You must be misunderstanding something here.¡± He wanted to take her mind off of what happened back then and also ask her for a favor. ¡°Why don¡¯t we find some shade first before I tell why I invited you out today?¡±

    ¡°You need me for something?¡± She picked up her head. ¡°Well~ I don¡¯t mind if we do it here¡­¡± She began motioning to undress before Vincent abruptly stopped her.

    ¡°Why does it always lead to that with you?¡± He muttered, he was now holding her hand. She then turned her hand around and clasped onto his. Vincent smiled coldly. This sneaky girl will play him to death at this rate.

    William and company happened to walk by at the moment. William saw the girl he had been crushing on and Vincent holding hands while smiling at each other. He felt his heart ache from a strange pain as he ran up to them. Before he could think about what to say, he had already separated the two.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± William asked in a confrontational manner. He pulled Aya to the side.

    Vincent¡¯s eyes grew cold when he saw how roughly William pulled her away. The air began to chill as the mood dropped harshly. Behind them, Sophia and another girl had walked up. Sophia also saw the strange scene and felt a stuffy feeling in her chest.

    ¡°You¡¯re hurting her.¡± Vincent coldly stated. William finally realized his mistake and released her wrist.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Senior. I¡­ I only did it in the spur of the moment.¡± William apologetically bowed.

    ¡°You¡­¡± Aya picked her brain for a smidgen of a second before continuing, ¡°You¡¯re the new student William, right? I remember seeing you sign up for our Dungeon Exploration Society.¡±

    William¡¯s face lit up as he quickly answered, ¡°Yes! So you still remember me!¡± He was about to say more but then remember his situation. He got closer to Aya and whispered in a not-too-soft voice into her ear, ¡°Miss Aya, you must stay away from this man. He¡¯s a huge gigolo and has toyed with the hearts of many young women. He¡¯s the absolute worst. Whatever sincerity he¡¯s shown you are most likely to get at your body.¡±

    Vincent¡¯s warning fell on deaf ears as Aya gently pushed away William and glided over to Vincent. She familiarly hugged his arm and said, ¡°If what you said were true. It would be so much easier for me.¡± She showed a lascivious smile as she looked up at Vincent. Vincent harrumphed before shaking her off. ¡°Do you see what I mean?¡±

    William just stood there stunned. Sophia and the other girl was also stunned. Sophia felt a bit of anger when William slandered Vincent but remained in place. Part of her wanted that girl to believe William¡¯s words and stay away from Vincent.

    ¡°Can I speak now?¡± Vincent asked rhetorically. ¡°First off, what I do is my business. Don¡¯t insert yourself into matters you know nothing about. Second of all¡­¡± Vincent glanced over at Sophia and the girl. Sophia felt a shiver pass down her spine as she guiltily looked down. ¡°I¡¯ll just leave it at that.¡± He then walked off and past Sophia and the other girl, refusing to look at them.

    Aya giggled seductively and walked up to William. In a low whisper, she said, ¡°Remember to use protection.¡± Then she blew into his ear teasingly before running after Vincent. William mindlessly stared at the odd pair¡¯s backs while feeling his heart racing. Once he registered her words, his face flushed red and also walked off. Sophia looked in Vincent¡¯s direction and followed after William.

    Vincent found a small restaurant and rested inside. After ordering their meals, Vincent still remained grim and silent.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Upset that William poked at your sensitive spot?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡± He was upset that Aya had come into conflict with the MC¡¯s party. Aya would play a pivotal role during the rebellion later on; she would support the MC¡¯s party with her information networks. If she were to have conflicts with the MC now, it might prove detrimental to their future cooperation.

    ¡°Cheer up.¡± She patted his head dotingly and said, ¡°Rather than a person who thinks with his heart, I prefer a man who calculative, cold, distant, and a real softie at heart.¡±

    Vincent felt the corner of his lips twitch in irritation, but ignored her words. About half of everything Aya said was pure bullshit and flattery.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Aya saw that Vincent seemed to zone out once again. In a moment of brilliance, Aya smirked and sneakily crawled over to his side. Her face drew closer to his and¡­

    *Smooch!*

    Vincent flinched and abruptly turning his head around, coming face to face with a sparkling pair of dark-brown eyes.

    ¡°Feeling better now?¡± She asked, smiling from her eyes. He could smell her refreshing scent.

    ¡°Why did you do that?¡± He began to feel his heart waver.

    ¡°Hehe~ You looked like you needed it.¡± She giggled and returned to her seat.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah~! You¡¯re just too innocent!¡± Aya was starting to suspect the rumors about him being a playboy was all a lie.

    Vincent coughed loudly and then took the initiative to steer the conversation away. ¡°Senior, the reason why I called¡ª¡°

    ¡°Just Aya is fine.¡± Aya interrupted.

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent paused before resuming. ¡°Then, Aya, the reason why I asked you out here today is to ask you for a favor.¡± He took out a document, it was the registration form for the Dungeon Exploration Society.

    ¡°Just this?¡± Aya took the paper and gave it a quick look over and agreed. ¡°Although, why would you have such interests in this? Could it be you want to become a dungeon explorer?¡± Vincent didn¡¯t answer her question and only smiled in response.

    ¡°How much do you know about the Church of Light?¡± His lighthearted tone was a stark contrast to his intentions. Aya sensed the hidden meanings behind his words and looked around before leaning in.

    ¡°Why do you want to know about the Church of Light?¡± The Church of Light was the most aggressive religion on the continent. Its followers detest anything corrupt, immoral, and injustice. Unlike other churches and temples, the Church of Light had a strong zealous army. They have subdued and quelled many evil uprisings throughout history.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious.¡± Vincent laughed robotically. His fake laugh was not convincing at all. ¡°I heard that the Church of Light is providing sanctuary to the last elven royal ofEmerald Forest. I also heard that she was a beauty beyond compare. That¡¯s why I was interested.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not fair,¡± complained Aya. ¡°You have such a beautiful person right beside you, and you dare to look at another woman?¡± She pouted and crossed her arms.

    Vincent genuinely smiled and played along and said, ¡°Sometimes a man wants what they can¡¯t have.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Aya revealed a stunned expression, then blushed. It was the first time she felt her heart skip a beat for another man. To stabilize herself and give her some time to recover, she replied, ¡°Fine, I might have some way to look into her for you, but you owe me!¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± Vincent dropped a rare thank you and got up to leave.

    ¡°Is that the only reason why you dragged me all around town?¡± She fumed as she spoke out loud.

    ¡°No, I also wanted to see if you¡¯re alright.¡± She understood the meaning behind his words and felt a slight warmth creep into her enclosed heart.

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me!¡± She looked unconvinced and then said, ¡°If I found out you lied to me, I¡¯ll use this favor and make you sleep with me!¡± If it were any other men, they would¡¯ve jumped at that chance. Vincent just lifted the corner of lips.

    ¡°I know you. You wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± He soon left after settling the bill.

    ¡°That smooth-talking bastard.¡± She kicked the seat and resumed eating her cake. After a while, a mysterious glint appeared in her eyes.

 Chapter 30 - Convincing Children

    Vincent checked his status once he returned.

    ===

    ? Status

    [Strength] (23.2)

    [Endurance] (25.3)

    [Agility] (25.4)

    [Perception] (37.1)

    [Magic] (20.7)

    ? Talents

    [Flexible Body] (null)

    [Origin Magic] (Beginner ¨C Rank 6)(EXP 66%)

    ? Titles

    [Inheritor of the Aion Ring]

    ===

    Vincent was impressed with how much he had gained. It wasn¡¯t easy to earn more stats after he had reached twenty in each of his stats. However, he felt disappointment at the rate his magic stat was growing. If he wanted to unlock the Aion Ring¡¯s secrets, he needed to reach 50 in his magic stat. With how things were going, he needed to become stronger.

    The magic tower was an option that he could try. They have special rooms that increased a person¡¯s focus and concentration. Earlier this wasn¡¯t an option for him, only magic course students were allowed on the magic tower¡¯s grounds. However, with his prefect status, he was able to enter.

    The magic tower was a mystical place. As soon as he crossed over the grounds and entered the land belonging to the magic tower, he felt like he had entered a supermarket. A warm current blew against him, and he felt that the air was humid. It was already autumn, but the air around him felt like it was still summer. The detraction was interesting, to say the least.

    He didn¡¯t waste any time and managed to obtain a training room at the confusion of the staff there. It cost him 5 CP for every hour of use for the superior training room.

    When he accepted the exchange, the staff didn¡¯t make it too hard on him and showed him to the training room. It was a small room, consisting of a desk, writing materials, and a chair. The training room was used for magic students to concentrate while they practice their magic circle drawing.

    The room was dense. Vincent felt like he had walked into a layer of fog as he felt the air in the room clung to his skin. It was an experience similar to the dark cave back at the training camp. He adjusted himself and began to focus and breathe in the rich and wild mana in the room. Each breath he took slightly raised his affinity with the mana. His mind emptied itself of all unnecessary thoughts, and he only focused on his breathing and feeling the mana filter in and out of his body.

    He spent his time like this for the better part of the night. He was only woken up by the sound of his growling stomach.

    ¡°What time is it now?¡± He mumbled as he clutched his shriveled stomach. ¡°Status.¡±

    ===

    ? Status

    [Strength] (23.2)

    [Endurance] (25.3)

    [Agility] (25.4)

    [Perception] (37.9)

    [Magic] (25.1)

    ? Talents

    [Flexible Body] (null)

    [Origin Magic] (Beginner ¨C Rank 6)(EXP 66%)

    ? Titles

    [Inheritor of the Aion Ring]

    ===

    ¡°Amazing! Just this short bit of time and I raised it by that much?!¡± He finally understood what it felt like to use an EXP boost in real life. It was really cheap that the privileged had access to nice things like this. He lamented at the cruelty of reality as he left. He had been there for 12 hours, so he paid 60 CP.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    The following day Vincent didn¡¯t go back to the magic training room. He went to class.

    Lancelot had a laissez-faire approach to teaching. They would teach those willing and ignore those that slack off. Attendance was mandatory for classes and the only thing that matter were the students test scores. If a student was smart enough, they could test out of all the theoretical courses if they wanted. The courses Vincent was taking are: Herbology, Beginning Monster Anatomy, Statistical Calculation and Management, and Combat Training I.

    He only went to class to obtain the material, it shouldn¡¯t take him long to finish studying the material and test out. After classes, a girl came over to him and handed him a note.

    Heya~! Did you miss me? I know you do! Anyways, our Dungeon Exploration Society (DES for short) will be hosting a fun event for our newcomers. You should join in! It¡¯ll be held at Training Ground 1B tomorrow evening. You have to be in a group of four to join in. Don¡¯t be so anti-social and find some friends! If you can¡¯t find anybody, Big Sis can help you!

    XOXO

    Aya Hana

    Vincent¡¯s mouth twitched upon reading the letter. In the circle of high society, one should use formal speech whether speaking or writing to the other. He knew Aya was a casual person but wasn¡¯t she a bit too casual? Either way, he had to find another three to fill the numbers. His problem though was how was he going to find people? He blew off everyone at the welcoming ceremony and never spoke with anyone since. Just as he was desperately thinking of a plan, three stooges appeared nearby.

    ¡°Why the hell are you eating in class? Do you know how bad you made me look by eating beside me in class?¡± Lionel angrily berated as they left a classroom.

    ¡°*Munch**Munch**Munch*¡± A large youth replied while tearing a large chunk of meat off a drumstick.

    ¡°Are you listening to me?¡±

    The fatty nodded but continued eating. Lionel also looked resigned as he bitterly took the lead. Samson was the first to notice that a particular person they used to know was eyeing them from afar. He flinched and doze behind Lionel, eliciting a few choice words from Lionel.

    ¡°Fuck¡­ What the hell do you want?¡± asked Lionel.

    ¡°L-Lionel, look it¡¯s¡­ Vincent.¡± Samson managed to stammer out before going silent. Lionel reacted like a lion that had his tail stepped on.

    ¡°Damn. You finally decided to show your face, Playboy? I still haven¡¯t repaid you back for the last time.¡± He began cracking his knuckles.

    Vincent felt no intimidation at all from Lionel and motioned to them, a gesture of peace. ¡°Why don¡¯t we move to a place more suitable?¡± His eyes gleamed playfully, making the trio react with confusion.

    Not long later, the four princes of vice gathered in a restaurant once more. Two people were coldly staring at each other. One person was gobbling down the mountain of food paid for by one of the cold youths. The final person was jittery as he looked around at all the expensive-looking furniture in the restaurant.

    ¡°So?¡± Lionel asked impatiently, ¡°What the hell do you want?¡±

    ¡°Your cooperation,¡± replied Vincent in an as-a-matter-of-factly tone.

    ¡°What¡¯s in it for us? Why should we help you when you blew us off the last time?¡± Lionel was still feeling bitter about being knocked out with one kick, especially by someone as trashy as Playboy.

    ¡°Times have changed, Lionel. We can¡¯t continue to act like how we used to in the past,¡± reasoned Vincent as he drank a cup of tea. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can tell that some things seem to be happening behind the backdrop of our kingdom¡¯s politics.¡±

    Lionel understood Vincent¡¯s meaning, as much as he wanted to deny it, he could feel an invisible pressure in the political weather. Karl and Samson also grew glum, getting green over the topic of conversation. Finally, after getting their attention, Vincent brought out his main goal for calling them there today.

    ¡°In times like these, we brothers have to stick together,¡± began Vincent. ¡°We are all from the northeast, and all our families have chosen to maintain a neutral stance to the two sides waging war in the shadows. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve all been approached by people from both sides, correct?¡± Vincent eyed all of them, seeing their lack of eye-contact spoke volumes.

    ¡°So what? Why should I maintain a neutral stance if I¡¯m offered so many incentives from choosing a side?¡± Lionel wasn¡¯t convinced as he rebutted.

    ¡°Lionel, think about it. You¡¯re a smart person.¡± Vincent patiently explained. ¡°We¡¯re all just minor characters in this war of two giants. With our reputation, do you think we won¡¯t be the first to be discarded as a pawn by the side we chose?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Everyone looked grim as they pondered Vincent¡¯s word. They all knew although they hate to admit it, that they were trash. If they were to join a faction, their families would be the first to discard them, if not their own faction.

    ¡°This is a truth, whether or not I like it, it¡¯s the truth.¡± Vincent¡¯s harsh words pounded on their eardrums like the hammering of the judge¡¯s cudgel. ¡°However, it¡¯s not too late to make something of ourselves. We can still change. We must take this opportunity to change.¡±

    ¡°H-how do we do that?¡± Samson asked from the side.

    ¡°We must change everyone¡¯s perception of us.¡± Vincent held up his finger, ¡°I have an opportunity. Tomorrow evening, the Dungeon Exploration Society will be hosting an event. We should attend it, and show to everyone that we can become something.¡± Vincent, at the moment, sounded like a two-faced politician convincing an illiterate group of farmers that burning their fields was the best way to protest for their rights. Lionel wasn¡¯t totally convinced as he spoke up.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to attend a minor event like that to prove myself.¡± Lionel adamantly shook his head and crossed his arm in defiance.

    ¡°I suppose so,¡± replied Vincent. Even though Vincent accepted Lionel¡¯s decision, his eyes looked at Lionel as if he was looking at trash. Lionel understood that familiar gaze and abruptly stood up.

    ¡°Stop looking at me like that.¡± Lionel berated. ¡°I can do it if I wanted to, I just choose not to.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure you can. I guess this will be the first time we do something without you.¡± Vincent shrugged and looked over at the other two. ¡°Karl, Samson, what are your decisions? Will you be mediocre or choose to ascend?¡±

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Samson ruminated as he glanced between an incensed Lionel and a calm Vincent.

    ¡°There¡¯s an opportunity to make a lot of CP from the event.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± Samson immediately answered.

    ¡°Karl?¡±

    ¡°Will there be food?¡± Karl asked back, he was nibbling on a pair of pig trotters.

    ¡°There will be food.¡± Vincent planned to order some takeout just so Karl would go. Wherever there¡¯s food, there will be Karl.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Lionel, what will you be doing tomorrow, since you¡¯re not coming with us?¡± Vincent looked at Lionel with pity.

    Lionel felt the corners of his lips twitch in irritation, but ultimately grit his teeth and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re all going, I guess I can make some time and show you guys how to do things.¡±

    ¡°Then I look forward to your help,¡± thanked Vincent as he got up to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll send you guys the information later.¡± When he turned around, an evil smile not too different from that of a villain was displayed on his face. The trio didn¡¯t know that they were helping him count the money that he made from selling them off.

 Chapter 31 - Dungeon Exploration Event

    The following evening, Vincent arrived at Training Ground 1B. There were already dozens of people waiting around when he arrived. When he studied everyone there, they were also doing the same. Many recognized him as the top first-year and immediately felt hostile towards him; he did blow them off during the welcoming ceremony after all.

    Not too far off, a group consisting of the leaders of the Dungeon Exploration Society were busy explaining the process of the event and signing up new members. A large banner was erected with the prizes of the event; the top spot was a 100 CP for the group that obtains the most points.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t here yet?¡± Vincent looked around the area for the three stooges, but couldn¡¯t find them.

    At another end of the waiting area, William and his party also gathered. Sophia was a second-year student, but since she never participated in any of the Dungeon Exploration Society¡¯s events, she was thrown into the first-year group. She kept a positive attitude when she heard about the event even though she wasn¡¯t much for crawling through monster-infested labyrinths.

    ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s no danger?¡± She asked for the twentieth time.

    ¡°It¡¯s only a beginner level practice dungeon; there shouldn¡¯t be anything dangerous. Even if there are, you got me here. I¡¯ll protect you.¡± William confidently replied and struck his chest.

    ¡°Yo! I¡¯ve got our lot. We¡¯ll be the 14th group to go, so we got some time to kill.¡± A handsome youth called out as he joined William¡¯s group of three. The fourth person was a dainty red-haired girl off to the side.

    ¡°Thanks, Alec.¡± Alec rubbed his head innocently as he kept his eyes trained on Sophia. ¡°Sophia, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll also be there to protect you if anything were to happen.¡± Sophia felt some discomfort when she saw his honest and direct intentions, but chose to remain silent.

    Suddenly, off to the side, she saw a familiar youth with silver hair and an aloof aura. Sophia¡¯s eyes brighten a little as the corners of her mouth arced up ambiguously. However, when she saw him walk over to a particular girl with a mole under her eye, she felt her chest ache.

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± asked William.

    ¡°Nothing.¡± Sophia bitterly turned around and stormed off.

    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s still worried?¡± Alec asked with concern.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. Why don¡¯t you go check on her?¡± answered William.

    Since the three stooges haven¡¯t arrived yet, he decided to approach Aya and get the registration procedures over with. When he approached, she was still surrounded by plenty of infatuated men trying to monopolize her attention.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Vincent called out. Aya¡¯s head perked up at his voice, and she began to search around for him. When their eyes met, Aya broke out in a happy smile, eliciting a couple gasps from the crowd.

    ¡°Did you manage to find a party?¡± She asked as she made her way over. The men surrounding her parted like the Red Sea before Vincent and Aya.

    ¡°Yes, I have.¡± Vincent ignored the various hostile looks shot his way, his demeanor calm and steady like a natural gigolo.

    Aya made a playful show of peeking behind him before asking, ¡°Where are they? It can¡¯t be that they ran off after taking your money?¡± She giggled and patted his shoulder.

    ¡°You¡¯re real funny.¡± Vincent replied back, ¡°But it¡¯s my old friends.¡± Just as he was saying so, Lionel and his group swaggered on over.

    ¡°Hey, Playboy! I came just like I said I would.¡± Lionel made a show as he patted Vincent¡¯s shoulder like a subordinate. When he saw the woman in front of Vincent, his eyes flashed like lightning.

    ¡°Good, you made it on time,¡± said Vincent. ¡°I was starting to think I¡¯ve been let down.¡±

    ¡°No problem, Playboy. We¡¯re brothers, if you¡¯re ever in need of help, we¡¯ll always be here for you. Right guys?¡± Lionel turned over to Karl and Samson.

    ¡°Y-yes, Lionel.¡±

    ¡°*Nom* Where¡¯s the food?¡±

    ¡°Here.¡± Vincent took out a packed lunch and handed the largest pack to Karl, who immediately opened it and began feasting.

    Aya was left dumbfounded staring at the eccentric group assembled before her eyes. One of them looked cold, lazy, and aloof. Another was proud, arrogant, and domineering. The smallest in the group looked cowardly, paranoid, and jittery. Finally, the last one looked carefree, obedient, and hungry. It was strange to see four people with such different personalities gathered together.

    ¡°This is your group?¡± Aya asked Vincent, not knowing whether or not she should laugh. Vincent was about to answer, but Lionel interrupted.

    ¡°*Cough* It might be Playboy that invited us, but I am more fit to be the leader of our group.¡±

    Aya¡¯s brow perked up at Lionel¡¯s reply as she asked Vincent one more time, ¡°Really?¡±

    Vincent really didn¡¯t care, so he shrugged. He was just interested to see how the MC¡¯s party turned out. Everything seemed normal and according to the script. William has already met Alec Lennings and Faris Nightingale, these two people made up the core members of William¡¯s group along with Sophia. With his curiosity satisfied, he was only there to enjoy himself.

    Aya felt disappointed at his noncommittal answer but chose to move on to a different topic. ¡°Since you¡¯re all here, then here you go.¡± She handed Vincent a pamphlet and also a lot, they were in the 15th position to go through the beginner practice dungeon.

    ¡°Ha! Something like this, we don¡¯t need it.¡± Lionel scoffed as he looked over Vincent¡¯s shoulder at the pamphlet.

    ¡°I suggest you read it; it could provide some useful information.¡± Aya looked at Vincent¡¯s aloof expression one more time before going over to help another group that just arrived.

    Now that they were by themselves, Lionel finally had time to ask Vincent a few things.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that girl? Is she yours? Did you two already do it?¡± Lionel shot a handful of questions in Vincent¡¯s way.

    Vincent grew a bit irritated and answered, ¡°No. Her name is Aya Hana, and she¡¯s not an object that belongs to anyone. I also suggest you stay away from her; it¡¯s for your own good.¡±

    Lionel felt like he was threatened and stubbornly puffed up his chest, ¡°And what if I don¡¯t do as you say?¡±

    ¡°Then start digging out your grave, because you won¡¯t know how you¡¯ll die,¡± Vincent warned. Aya may look like an easy girl, but everything surrounding her was like smoke and mirrors.

    ¡°Sheesh, calm down, Playboy. Since when did you get so attached to a girl?¡± Lionel backed off after seeing such a side of Vincent. ¡°So how are we going to tackle this dungeon?¡±

    ¡°I thought you said we don¡¯t need the guiding pamphlet?¡±

    ¡°Naturally, because we got you, we don¡¯t need the pamphlet.¡± Lionel shot back.

    Vincent let out a sigh before saying, ¡°Just go gather the two that wandered off while I look over the pamphlet.¡±

    Not long later they all gathered again. Samson was the first to speak once they regrouped.

    ¡°Vincent, I checked with the gambling bookie for this small event, and it looks like the odds are 5:1 of us winning first place,¡± Samson said through an excited voice. ¡°The odds for other parties were in the 1.4:1 range. I don¡¯t think anyone expects us to place first.¡± Samson was usually a cowardly person, but when it came to money, he always spoke with confidence.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± Lionel began to say.

    ¡°Samson¡­¡± Even Vincent felt a bit frustrated.

    ¡°I bet 25 CP on us taking first place!¡± said Samson gleefully. Vincent and Lionel smacked their foreheads. Samson might act confident when it came to money, but he was a well-known gambling addict. He lost more times than he had won.

    ¡°I hope you know what you¡¯re doing.¡± Vincent shot back before continuing, ¡°Since we¡¯re at this point, we¡¯ll decide on roles for each of us.¡±

    ¡°Roles?¡±

    ¡°Yes, in dungeon exploration, each person has a designated role in the party. It¡¯s to streamline the activities of the people in an expedition. The Dungeon Exploration Society taught these kinds of things to train prospective adventurers. The pamphlet has all this information. Now there are four of us here, so I¡¯ll give each of us a role.¡±

    ¡°Why do you get to decide our roles? Isn¡¯t it up to me, the leader, to decide your roles?¡± Lionel furrowed his brow.

    ¡°Hear me out, if you don¡¯t like the roles I gave each of us, you can change it,¡± Vincent said. After hearing no arguments, he continued, ¡°Samson, you¡¯ll be in charge of mapping out the dungeon. You¡¯re taking a course in cartography right?¡±

    ¡°R-right. I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    ¡°Karl.¡± Vincent turned to Karl, he was off to the side nibbling on a jerky. ¡°You¡¯re in charge of our supplies. Make sure to protect it along with our food.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll protect food with my life.¡± Karl stood up and at attention upon hearing the severity of his task.

    ¡°Finally, Lionel. You are our leader, so you can¡¯t do any of the minor stuff. For you, I¡¯ve delegated the most important role.¡±

    Lionel¡¯s ears perked up and asked, ¡°That¡¯s what I like to hear. What¡¯s my role?¡±

    ¡°You will be our vanguard. You will be our first line of defense along with being tasked to protect Samson and Karl. Do you like it?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! Good job, Playboy. That¡¯s exactly like how I pictured it. A strong and proud warrior like me protecting the weak by fighting in the frontlines. As the leader of our group, I commend you.¡± Lionel patted Vincent¡¯s shoulder, bellowing with cheerful laughter. He didn¡¯t notice that Vincent had a villainous smile on his face since Vincent had bent over.

    ¡°Finally, I¡¯ll take over the role of scouting. It¡¯s a dangerous task, but someone has to do it.¡± Vincent shrugged and played it off as if he had no other choice.

    Since they sorted out their roles and prepped for it, they lined up. By this time, many groups have already gone through the dungeon and came out on the other side. The leaders of the Dungeon Exploration Society withheld the points each party obtained were waiting until everyone has gone through before tallying up the points.

    Since they were lined up, Lionel¡¯s party was next to William¡¯s party. William¡¯s party were going through the motions of their roles when they explore the practice dungeon when they saw Vincent and his party walk on over.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that William? The guy that lost to you in the rankings?¡± Lionel¡¯s loud mouth couldn¡¯t rest one second as he incited William¡¯s attention and anger as soon as they came closer.

    ¡°We won¡¯t know how long Vincent will maintain his top ranked position. I¡¯ll let you show it off for now, but don¡¯t get too comfortable.¡± William derisively said as he got his group and entered the dungeon.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°Damn, Playboy. Does everybody hate your guts?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± No one would think you¡¯re mute if you don¡¯t speak. Vincent wanted to smack the loudmouth, but remained still.

    ¡°How well do you think you¡¯ll do?¡± Aya asked as she approached.

    ¡°Not too bad.¡± Vincent wasn¡¯t confident.

    ¡°What the hell? We¡¯re going to beat everyone. Have more confidence in me.¡± Lionel intruded in their conversation.

    ¡°See?¡± Vincent grimaced, eliciting a look of pity from Aya.

    ¡°Ah! It looks like it¡¯s your turn. Good luck!¡± Aya clapped her hand and started pushing them toward the door. ¡°Try to at least beat the average time of 15 minutes!¡±

    As soon as they entered the mock dungeon, the entrance closed behind them. For this practice trial, they were handed a few equipments by the club. For starters, they were given lamps that could be lit. They weren¡¯t anything fancy, they just used oil as fuel. The fancier ones would use a light shard as an energy source.

    Since it¡¯s just a short dungeon, aside from a lamp, they were made to carry standard gear that they would utilize in a real situation; Karl also had to carry an extra 40kg of weight to act as the supply carrier, to which he could hardly notice with his bulky frame. Samson was also issued a paper and writing utensils to draw a map.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take the lead. You guys follow about 10 meters behind me.¡± Vincent¡¯s demeanor changed at the drop of a dime. His usual aloof and cold nature swapped into a calculative and alert attitude.

    ¡°Just because you¡¯re a scout doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯ll have to listen to your commands.¡± Lionel was the first rebut as he pointed in a different direction. ¡°Let¡¯s go down that way. That¡¯s the right direction.¡± The path split up in two directions.

    ¡°Does it really matter which direction we take?¡± Vincent asked.

    ¡°It does. Just trust me, my intuition is usually right.¡± Lionel confidently went on ahead.

    ¡°Lionel! W-wait!¡± Samson seemed to notice something and was speaking up when the floor dropped out from underneath Lionel.

    ¡°Wahhhh~!¡±

    *Splash!*

    Everyone ran over and peered over the edge.

    ¡°You okay down there?¡± asked Vincent with an amused smirk on his face. Vincent had noticed the trap as soon as they stepped into the corridor. There was a pressure plate hidden underneath the stone tile. Down below a sputtering youth crawled out of the waist-high water and climbed back up.

    ¡°Pu! Pu! They should change the water at the very least!¡± complained Lionel. The stale stench of the water reeked as he tried hard not to gag. ¡°Why are you just standing there? Pull me up!¡±

    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve had your fun, just let me do my job.¡± Vincent harshly reprimanded and started leading the way. This time, Lionel didn¡¯t argue and just silently fumed as he followed.

    With Vincent leading the way, they didn¡¯t have many troubles. One time they came upon a small trap that blocked off the path behind them as soon as they opened a door. The trap¡¯s intention was the separate the group, but with Vincent¡¯s timely help and expertise they were quickly able to retreat before they were separated. Another instance, Vincent pulled back Karl who had unknowingly fell for a booby-trapped cake.

    The traps weren¡¯t deadly nor did they differentiate much from each other. There was only so much the club leaders could do to set up harmless traps; otherwise they would scare away potential club members after their first event of the year. Not long later, Vincent and his motley group of eccentric individuals exited from the other end of the dungeon.

    ¡°Good going back there, Samson. If you didn¡¯t tell me about the dead end earlier, we would¡¯ve wasted another couple minutes backtracking.¡± Vincent praised Samson generously; out of the trio, Samson was the most useful.

    ¡°I helped too,¡± muttered Lionel while kicking away a pebble by his foot.

    ¡°Your time was 14 minutes and 34 seconds.¡± A club member called out as Vincent¡¯s group walked by. They went over to the table and handed over their map.

    ¡°Wow, who was the person that drew this map?¡± A student asked, looking at Vincent. The excited youth drew the attention of the surrounding club members, so they came over and also looked at the map.

    ¡°Brad, can you pull out the blueprint?¡± A leader-like club member asked another.

    ¡°Right away.¡± The student in question then rummaged around a few files and pulled out a neat map nearly identical to Samson¡¯s map.

    ¡°Amazing¡­ It¡¯s nearly a perfect copy.¡± The club leader complimented the attention to detail that Samson paid to trap placement on the map. ¡°It says here, ¡®Karl ate all our food.¡¯ Why would you write this?¡±

    ¡°T-that¡¯s because¡­¡± Samson paused and hesitated before continuing, ¡°Once Karl runs out of food, he starts throwing a tantrum.¡±

    The club leader still didn¡¯t understand, which was very obvious just from looking at his confused expression. Vincent mentally facepalmed and began to explain the meaning behind Samson¡¯s words.

    ¡°When Karl throw¡¯s a food tantrum, it¡¯s tough to get him to do what we say. In this case, he ran off in a different direction in the dungeon and somehow found some cake in the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Oh! The cake! Haha!¡± The leader snapped back in laughter, ¡°Did you like our little present?¡±

    Vincent didn¡¯t find it as amusing as everyone else and frowned. ¡°Putting itching powder on the cake was a disgusting idea.¡±

    ¡°¡±¡±Hahahaha~!¡±¡±¡± Everyone gathered there started laughing.

    ¡°The itching powder only made Karl hungrier.¡±

    *GROWWWL~!*

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Can I go get food now?¡± Karl complained.

    ¡°Go! Just go!¡± Lionel started shoving Karl away from the crowd, his ears red from embarrassment.

    ¡°Hehe¡­¡± The club leader scratched his head awkwardly, not knowing whether to be impressed or scared of Karl¡¯s stomach. ¡°Why don¡¯t you guys get some rest, we¡¯ll announce the scores after the rest have gone through.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡± Vincent nodded and walked off and rested nearby. Samson also nervously came over and stood near Vincent. Since Lionel went off with Karl to look for a food stall, Samson was stuck in an awkward position with Vincent.

    One year passed since the last time Vincent talked with any of them. In that one year, Samson felt that Vincent had changed into a different person. The Vincent of the past often leered at women lasciviously his lustful intent very apparent on his face. Now, Vincent became very cold and distant. This distant attitude felt arrogant, but this was a different kind of arrogance compared to Lionel; it was like Vincent always had his eyes staring far off into the horizon. This change made Samson unsure of what was going through Vincent¡¯s mind, and this unknown caused Samson to be wary and respectful of the new Vincent.

    ¡°How¡­ Do you think we d-did?¡± Samson began to speak, he placed a lot on them winning.

    Vincent stayed quiet for a bit longer before answering, ¡°Does it matter how well we did?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Samson didn¡¯t understand Vincent¡¯s words.

    ¡°Right now, you three could hardly be considered to compete alongside everyone else. What you should be asking yourself is: ¡®How well did I think I did?¡¯.¡±

    ¡°So you mean?¡± Samson¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You did this for us?¡±

    ¡°You can take it however you like.¡± Vincent shrugged and turned away.

    Samson felt his heartbeat quicken as a feeling of camaraderie blossomed within him. Since Vincent had changed, he had thought Vincent no longer cared about them, but now¡­

    ¡°We¡¯re back.¡± Lionel yelled out as they came over. Karl was following behind with a handful of candied snacks. ¡°How did we do?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re about to find out,¡± replied Vincent.

    ¡°Everyone gather around!¡± The club leader from earlier began shouting, calling everyone in the surrounding to go over to the table. The other club leaders and club members also gathered. Aya was amongst the crowd as she stood up front beside and other club leaders.

    ¡°First of all, I would like to thank everyone here for taking time out of their lives to attend out Dungeon Exploration Society¡¯s small event.¡± Everyone clapped. ¡°Furthermore, we have tallied up every parties¡¯ scores and came to a consensus on the three winners of the event. Fourth-year Aya Hana will reveal the top three groups. Everyone, give her a hand!¡±

    *Clap Clap Clap*

    ¡°Thank you, everyone.¡± Aya waited for a long while until the cat-calling and whistling quieted down before continuing, ¡°First, I¡¯d like to explain our scoring system for this event to clarify any confusion that everyone might have. If you¡¯ve looked through the handouts that were passed around you may already know them.¡±

    ¡°The scoring system was in the pamphlet? Why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡± Lionel frowned and asked Vincent.

    ¡°You said you didn¡¯t need it.¡± Vincent shrugged and ignored the rest of Lionel¡¯s complaints.

    ¡°There are three categories that we used to score each group: time, trap detection, and mapping. For time, it¡¯s out of 100 points, with the fastest time scoring 100 and any time slower than that being a percentage of the fastest time. Trap detection is a bit different. Points were given depending on actions taken for traps that groups encountered. If a group disabled a trap, they earned 5 points. If a trap was set off on purpose, they earned 3 points. If a trap was found and circumvented, 2 points. Finally, if a trap was triggered, they earn 1 point.¡±

    ¡°Why would we earn points for triggering a trap?¡± A person in the crowd wondered.

    ¡°I can answer that.¡± A leader stepped out. ¡°What we look for is for our members to earn experience dealing with traps. Even if a trap was triggered by someone and they ended up in an embarrassing state, they still have their lives since this was a training session. We want our members to embrace the knowledge that they learned by making a mistake, but at the same time remembering not to commit the same mistake for next time. So we encourage everyone to encounter as many different types of traps as they can during training. Does that answer your question?¡±

    ¡°...¡± The crowd remained silent. Everyone was silent in deference to the leader¡¯s foresight.

    ¡°Well, another reason was that it was amusing watching everyone falling for gag traps.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    ¡°Asshole!¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s the real reason behind it! Give us our goodwill back!¡±

    ¡°Now~ everyone calm down.¡± Aya calmed the crowd after their outburst. ¡°Moving on. Our third criteria for scoring everyone was in the ability of the map that each group managed to make. The more detailed the map, the higher the score. Now that everyone knows our grading criteria let¡¯s move on to our top three groups!¡±

    *Clap Clap Clap*

    ¡°In third place we have¡­ Group 4! With a total of 188 points¡± Everyone started clapping while a handsome youth got walked up and shook hands with the leaders. ¡°Third place will receive a free tutoring session with our leaders on dungeon exploring. They will also be given the opportunity to join in with alumni from the academy in a tour through a conquered dungeon.¡±

    ¡°How envious.¡± Samson whined, ¡°Think of all the things they may find in a real dungeon. How much do you think it¡¯ll sell for?¡±

    ¡°Pfft! It¡¯s just a conquered dungeon, the most it could have are just weakened beasts to kill. How much could you earn from a slime?¡± Lionel brushed it off and snorted derisively.

    ¡°Next we have our second place winner! They scored a whopping 244 points out of a possible 300 points. They also clocked in the fastest time of 12 minutes and 10 seconds. Everyone, welcome Group 14 to the front!¡±

    Vincent looked disturbed as he saw William awkwardly stood up and went up to Aya. William reached out and shook her hand, his gaze trained on her peerless face as he refused to let go.

    ¡°Student William, you can let go now.¡± Aya politely reminded as every man leered at William with malicious intentions.

    ¡°Ah, sorry about that.¡± William grew flustered and released her hand and shook the other leader¡¯s hands.

    ¡°For our second place winner, they will also be receiving the rewards that Group 4 got along with an additional prize of five meal tickets each to use at any academy cafeteria.¡±

    ¡°What?! What a great prize.¡± Karl mumbled as his eyes grew serious. He turned to Vincent and said, ¡°We gotta try harder next time.¡± Vincent was speechless since Karl was the one who held them back the most.

    ¡°Ooo~¡­ This isn¡¯t looking too good¡­¡± Samson nervously nibbled on his nails, he could see his 25 CP bet flying away right before his eyes.

    ¡°Finally, our first place winner.¡± Aya showed a mischievous smile as she looked over at Vincent. ¡°With a total of 252 points, this group barely clinched first place. Let¡¯s all welcome Group 15!¡± Vincent was about to walk up, but then Lionel held him back.

    ¡°What are you doing? I¡¯m the party leader. Remember?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right.¡± Vincent coldly smiled and looked back at Aya; she was confused when Vincent stepped back.

    Lionel strut over to the desk much to the disapproval of everyone present.

    ¡°Why the hell is he here?¡±

    ¡°Lionel and his cronies got first place? Was it rigged?¡±

    ¡°Most likely, the son of Baron Richard, Lionel Richard was rumored to have bought out an apparel store just to burn their clothes saying that the clothes were trash.¡±

    ¡°Hmph! You¡¯re all just envious of my magnificence.¡± Lionel harrumphed, inciting the ire of everyone there. Vincent breathed out a tired sigh while Samson was dazed from winning his gamble.

    ¡°*Cough* Student Lionel, please accept your reward.¡± Aya held out her hand.

    ¡°Naturally.¡± Lionel fixed his collar and grabbed her hand and gave it a kiss.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°How presumptuous!¡±

    ¡°Trying to one-up all of us single men? Do you dare to face the consequences?¡±

    Vincent unexpectedly furrowed his brow. Lionel paid no attention as he straightened up and asked, ¡°I give you my permission to go out with me.¡±

    ¡°Damn, this man got guts.¡± Vincent coldly chuckled. He didn¡¯t know why he was irritated. The other men in the crowd started swearing and calling for Lionel¡¯s head. How dare he act so snobbish in front of their goddess?

    ¡°I would have to decline, Student Lionel.¡± Aya glanced at Vincent before turning back and adding, ¡°There¡¯s already someone else I have in mind.¡±

    ¡°OHHHH!¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°Is this true, Goddess?! Who is it? I promise I won¡¯t kill him!¡±

    Lionel was also stunned and felt bitter resentment at the lucky guy that Aya fell for. Since he was a handsome man, there are more girls out there willing to throw themselves at his feet, so he didn¡¯t feel too bad and just laughed.

    ¡°I understand, you love someone else. People make mistakes sometimes, but let me warn you. I won¡¯t wait for you.¡± Lionel coolly recovered from his rejection and incited even more disdain, something that came naturally to him.

    ¡°Anyways, for our first place winner, they will receive all the previous reward along with a whopping 100 CP split amongst them!¡± Aya could feel the mood dropping so she quickly concluded the event and bid everyone a good night.

    Lionel returned to everyone with his rewards in hand. After splitting up the 100 CP, everyone received their portion of the prize and got ready to leave. Samson also cheerfully danced circles around the group while checking the CP he earned from his well-placed bet on his ID badge.

    ¡°How did it feel to be rejected by a beauty?¡± asked Vincent with a smirk.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t rejected. I never asked her out in the first place. I gave her the chance to ask ME out. Too bad she doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s best for her.¡± Lionel haughtily shrugged.

    ¡°Whatever you say.¡± Vincent felt a sense of relief and also went back to his residence.

    Off to the side, William was glaring at Vincent.

    ¡°Why do I keep losing to him? He¡¯s just trash that takes advantage of his position.¡± He mumbled angrily to himself. He didn¡¯t know when, but he had already started seeing Vincent as a rival that he refused to lose to. He wanted to show that a person doesn¡¯t need status to rise up in the world. Just because Vincent was born into a higher starting point in life didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t be surpassed by someone less fortunate.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, William.¡± Alec comforted his pal, ¡°He might¡¯ve just gotten lucky. Anyways, something like this won¡¯t tell us much about whether he¡¯ll succeed in an actual dungeon.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± William breathed deeply and calmed down, ¡°You¡¯re right. Thanks, Alec.¡±

    ¡°Oh right, I heard that Vincent has been ditching class since day 1. What do you think he has been doing in that time?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not going to classes?¡± William¡¯s curiosity was aroused.

    ¡°Yea. Do you think he¡¯s spending these few days messing with women outside?¡± Alec¡¯s tone grew sinister like a resentful woman who chanced upon a juicy piece of gossip.

    ¡°If he thinks just because he¡¯s ranked first, that he could take it easy, then I¡¯m disappointed in him.¡± William shook his head in disgust and left.

    ¡°Right? You shouldn¡¯t care about trash like that. Just focus on yourself.¡± Alec chuckled and left with him.

 Chapter 32 - Home Visit

    It¡¯s been a while since Vincent returned home, so the following day he left Lancelot. When he returned home, he saw his all too familiar frail mother tending to a small flower garden while wearing the gloves he gave her. She was working up a sweat pruning the remaining flowers, prepping for winter. By now the air had already become chilly, so she wore thicker clothes. Her attention was focused solely on her garden that she didn''t see him until he was up right next to her.

    ¡°Mom,¡± called out Vincent. He watched as his mom¡¯s figure froze before she robotically turned around and revealed a bright smile.

    ¡°Vince.¡± She stood up and embraced her son. If anyone else were to look upon this scene, they looked more like sister and brother than mother and son. ¡°How are you doing? Have you been eating well? Are your classes too hard? You have to come home more often!¡± She affectionately began to nag him.

    ¡°I¡¯m doing well, Mom.¡± He felt himself relax for the first time in a long time. He wasn¡¯t sure when it started, but he had already started opening himself up to this new family that he was reborn into and it was heartwarming.

    ¡°Well, Mommy hasn¡¯t!¡± Catherine began complaining about adjusting to life in the busy city. ¡°Do you know how much noise the city has? Mommy found it hard to even think sometimes! Also! Also! There are too many people, and they stare when Mommy goes out! Mommy doesn¡¯t feel safe when she goes outside the estate! Muuu~ Mommy just wanna go back to Redwall.¡±

    Vincent patiently sat beside his mother and listened to her complaints. Right now he felt more like an older brother than her son, but he didn¡¯t pay it much mind. It¡¯s good to be youthful sometimes, and he rarely got to see this side of his mother.

    ¡°By the way, Mom. Where¡¯s Bell?¡± By now the little red bundle of energy would already be climbing all over him, but she was nowhere in sight.

    ¡°Bell? She left just before you came. She was invited to a tea party by Count Wernicke¡¯s daughter. Oh!¡± Catherine clapped her hands in delight, ¡°Mommy just remembered something. Does Vince remember the princess of the Evergreen family?¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about Lady Sophia?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Yes! She¡¯s hosting a birthday ball. There was an invitation for you. Your grandfather was just about to send it to you, but you can go see him instead.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go see Grandfather.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Stop by and see Gerald too, your little brother misses you. Even though he doesn¡¯t say it, Mommy can tell!¡± She confidently thumped her chest with a triumphant look on her face.

    ¡°Okay, Okay. I¡¯ll go see him. You take care too. Don¡¯t overwork yourself, Mom.¡± He hugged her and told the servants to make her rest earlier since it has been getting colder the past few days.

    Vincent wandered around the house and saw Gerald within the study, busy concentrating on a few documents. Gerald was so busy that he didn¡¯t even notice when Vincent knocked and came inside.

    ¡°Gerald.¡±

    ¡°!!!¡± Gerald reacted like he just got scalded by a hot cup of tea and sat up straight. ¡°Brother. You have returned.¡± Gerald spoke in an even tone.

    ¡°Is that all?¡± Vincent raised an eyebrow, it seemed Gerald had grown up in the short time he had been away. Vincent could still remember how the kid was so excited to learn swordsmanship from him, but now he was calmly brooding over paperwork behind the desk.

    Gerald heard Vincent¡¯s words and a familiar smile crept over his face, ¡°Things haven¡¯t been calm lately. Father has also been up to his neck in work, so I volunteered myself to handle some of Father¡¯s workload.¡± He showed the contents of his work without much regard for secrecy.

    ¡°Impressive.¡± Vincent ruffled his younger brother¡¯s hair in a practiced motion. ¡°I can see you¡¯re putting a lot of effort into your work, Gerald.¡±

    ¡°Ah~ stop!¡± Gerald looked annoyed as he struggled away from Vincent¡¯s vigorous display of affection. He looked embarrassed and smoothed over his hair. ¡°I¡¯m not a kid anymore, Brother. Please refrain from treating me like so.¡± He put up a tough front but his smile betrayed his thoughts.

    ¡°Alright. Alright.¡± Vincent shrugged and backed off. ¡°Has Father discussed with you about the movements in the kingdom?¡±

    Gerald¡¯s frowned when Vincent brought up the topic.

    ¡°He did.¡± Gerald got up and closed the door before continuing, ¡°Brother, you have to stay away from both sides. Father has decided to remain neutral, so watch out and do not be tricked.¡±

    ¡°Even if you say that, I¡¯ve already renounced the Redwall name. What can they use me for if I have no relations to our family?¡± reasoned Vincent.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    ¡°You¡¯re too na?ve, Brother.¡± Gerald smiled, ¡°Even if you¡¯ve renounced your rightful name, how can anybody not tell that you still have feelings for us?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡± Vincent looked away embarrassed.

    ¡°Brother.¡± Gerald got up and walked over, ¡°Both factions have already approached us after finding out that Mother has started stockpiling strategic assets. Many other merchants have also started doing so, but Mother was the first and managed to stockpile a large percentage of resources. Mother¡¯s actions have drawn the attention of both sides, and they¡¯ve approached her. I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯ve approached you¡ª¡°

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t make any deals. How can they use me if I¡¯m officially not part of the Redwall¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m worried about. You know our parent¡¯s temperament, if you were to fall into any troubles, they would do anything to get you out.¡± Gerald¡¯s warm words melted Vincent¡¯s firm heart.

    ¡°I understand.¡± Vincent only spoke up after a while.

    ¡°Since Mother and Father care so much about you. Why don¡¯t you come back? Become a Redwall once more?¡± Gerald had a pitiful look on his face just like a puppy.

    Vincent smiled picturing the overlap between Gerald and a puppy. ¡°You know I can¡¯t do that. That would be slinging mud over the Redwall name. Can I simply abandon and retake the Redwall name like it¡¯s a stick by the roadside?¡± Most of all though, Vincent didn¡¯t want to usurp the authority that Gerald had worked so hard to achieve. If he rejoined the Redwall, the question of the next lord of Redwall would be pulled forward. Gerald has to become the next Lord Redwall, it''ll leave him free to pursue his dream.

    ¡°B-but¡­¡±

    ¡°No more. Let¡¯s not mention this topic anymore, because I¡¯ll maintain my stance on this subject.¡±

    ¡°As you wish¡­ Brother.¡± Gerald was still too young and couldn¡¯t hide his disappointment on his face.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you return to your work. Work hard. Until another time.¡± Vincent casually tussled his brother¡¯s hair once more and left.

    ¡°Take care, Brother.¡± This time Gerald didn¡¯t look discontent with Vincent¡¯s gesture.

    Once Vincent left Gerald¡¯s workroom, he went to his grandfather¡¯s lounge. The musical sound of percussed strings echoed out from his grandfather¡¯s room as he approached. Ever since his father returned to the capital, his grandfather had taken it easy.

    ¡°Vincent. Have a seat.¡± Tidus put down his mandola. ¡°I¡¯ve already been informed that you know about the invitation sent by Duke Evergreen.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Grandfather.¡±

    ¡°Ever since your mistake at the Evergreen estate a year ago, I never expected for another invitation to arrive. In hindsight, that mistake has become a boon for our family.¡± Tidus looked wistful as if reminiscing about the past. ¡°How is your study coming along?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been a bit busy lately, but I¡¯m keeping pace with my studies,¡± Vincent answered vaguely. He had only attended one day in class, but he had already studied most of the materials for his courses, so it wasn¡¯t a lie.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Tidus¡¯ tone contained a trace of hidden meaning as he took out a letter of invitation. ¡°Here. I was about to have it sent to you in Lancelot, but since you¡¯re here, take it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Grandfather.¡± Vincent hastily took the letter and got up to leave after not finding any other topics to talk about with his Grandfather.

    Just before he left, Tidus spoke up, ¡°Focus on your studies more and stop going out too much.¡± Vincent froze up and still continued walking. Tidus already knew about the events that transpired in Rohan with the criminal network.

    Vincent bid farewell to his mom before leaving. The ball was arranged for the weekend, so he still had time to prepare a gift for Sophia. The only problem was he was clueless when it came to what women like. He had thought about clothes, but Sophia was the young lady of a Dukedom; there was nothing she couldn¡¯t get if she wanted. Since he was stuck, he approached his only girl friend, Aya.

    ¡°So? You asked me out just to ask about another girl?¡± She looked peeved as she impatiently crossed her arms.

    ¡°Yes, more specifically, Lady Sophia.¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Aya puffed up her chest. She was irritated at his low EQ but decided to calm down. ¡°So what is it?¡±

    ¡°Help me pick out a gift.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Aya refused without hesitation.

    Vincent frowned, ¡°Why? With your information network, there¡¯s nothing you don¡¯t know about.¡±

    ¡°What information network?¡± Aya shifted her posture, ¡°I only happen to know a few more people than most. I wouldn¡¯t say I have an information network.¡±

    ¡®Oh please! If you didn¡¯t have an information network, then the whole intelligence department of the kingdom knew nobody.¡¯ Vincent tiredly complained in his mind.

    ¡°What does she like?¡± Vincent asked,

    ¡°You!¡± Aya shook angrily. She was just about to decline to help him but then thought of something, and a smile appeared on her face. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell you.

    ¡°Really?¡± He thought he would have to coax her further.

    ¡°Lady Sophia loves archery. It¡¯s natural since she comes from a family famed for their marksmanship.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Vincent scratched his chin. He didn¡¯t remember when Sophia started liking archery. If he remembered correctly, in the novel, she had a dislike for archery in the early chapters of the book. Things might¡¯ve changed since he began interfering with the plot.

    ¡°Yes, so find her a gift relating to archery and you will get on her good side.¡± She snickered as she got up and left. She couldn¡¯t help but steal a final glance at the contemplating youth before she left.

    The bows in the capital can never be on par with those made in the Evergreen territory, so bows were automatically shut down as a gift idea. The next thing he thought about was arrows. Arrows of all kinds were sold in stores in the capital, but he felt that they weren¡¯t sincere if he just bought them. Therefore, Vincent decided to make a set of arrows himself and quickly went to buy the materials.

    His first choice was obviously his mother¡¯s guild in the capital. While there, he bought bundles of cut emerald logs, a bundle of storm falcon feathers, and spiral-tipped arrowheads. Spiral-tipped arrowheads were designed for their penetration ability. After gathering the materials, he retreated to his residence in Lancelot and worked on the arrows over the coming days.

    He worked on the arrows and also continued to practice in the magic tower, honing his magical abilities. Finally, on the day before the weekend, he looked over the set of 20 spiral-tipped arrows. Each arrow gleamed with a polish of resin as they were neatly packaged in a simple wooden case. They were packed with leftover wood shavings from working the shape of the arrows. A small red ribbon secured the lid of the wooden case. The package looked simple and yet refined like a work of minimalism.

 Chapter 33 - Birthday Ball

    It was the evening of the birthday ball. Vincent was dressed in an inconspicuous and diminished ballroom attire. He chose to go with a more conservative color of royal blue. It may not stand out, but upon closer inspection showed a hidden sense of sublime pride.

    When Vincent arrived, he was shown in after presenting his invitation. A butler was in charge of receiving gifts and took away Vincent¡¯s gift. When Vincent handed over the simple wooden casing with the red ribbon, the butler showed a look of derision before hiding it and accepting the gift.

    Inside the ballroom, many people of stature had already gathered; they were busy socializing in their own small cliques. The people of high nobility talked amongst themselves and so too did the low nobility. Not only that, Vincent further observed the three distinct camps within the room. The Royalty Faction, Nobility Faction, and finally the neutral camp. People of their groups were shooting glares at their foes, doing very little to hide their discontent. It seemed that the tension between the two groups was higher than he imagined.

    At the far end was Duke Evergreen and Sophia; they were greeting various nobles of both main factions. She also saw him, her calm demeanor lifted up a bit, but he saw that she was busy, so he turned around and casually wandered about. When Sophia watched Vincent leave without going up to her, she felt a bit of disappointment and frowned.

    ¡°Sweetie, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Zenobia asked his daughter.

    ¡°Nothing, Papa. I¡¯m just a bit tired.¡±

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you go take a break? You can resume greeting the guests afterward.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Papa!¡± She beamed happily and ran off in a direction in search of Vincent. How could Zenobia not have noticed the cool youth that had just arrived? He drew the attention of all the females wherever he went.

    Vincent didn¡¯t like the posh and lavish display of wealth amongst high society, so he retreated to the gardens and rested on a bench. The sun had already set beyond the horizon, and the soft glow of the lanterns lit up in the garden; it was a beautiful sight and presented an air of ambiguity for its observers.

    ¡°You came.¡± An elegant and feminine voice called out from the side. He looked over and saw Sophia walking over. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would come, after everything that happened,¡± Sophia recalled the little hostility between William and Vincent. By now, she figured out that they weren¡¯t on the best terms. Although she liked William, a strange part of her always thought back to this cold and distant youth. When she spoke to him, she wanted him to answer her along the lines of: ¡°I came because I wanted to see you.¡±

    ¡°I came because I received an invitation.¡± Vincent was impressed with the beauty of the girl beside him. A companion of the MC was no simple person! Upon hearing his response, Sophia felt a bit of disappointment, maybe it was because Vincent noticed it, but he continued, ¡°I also brought a gift. Your butler should have it.¡±

    ¡°A gift? For me?¡± Sophia¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°What did you bring?¡±

    Vincent could tell that her mood was better now, so he replied, ¡°I¡¯ll let you find out yourself.¡±

    ¡°Hm~ alright.¡± She squinted her eyes in pleasure and sat down next to him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have to greet the guests?¡± asked Vincent after seeing her casually sitting beside him.

    ¡°I¡¯m taking a break.¡±

    ¡°Is that appropriate?¡± Vincent has never heard of the hosts taking a break from greeting the guests.

    ¡°Do you think the daughter of a Duke has to give face? Everyone¡¯s too busy pleasing my father, no one will dare question my actions.¡± She spoke with some authority. It reminded him that she was a daughter of high birth.

    ¡°I forgot.¡± Vincent acknowledged his mistake and changed the topic, ¡°How¡¯s school treating you?¡± It was just a weak attempt at starting a conversation, for the most part, he didn¡¯t particularly care.

    ¡°It¡¯s coming along as expected.¡± Sophia maintained her elegant posture as she recounted her days in the academy. They continued their conversation for a while longer before Vincent asked her about William.

    ¡°William¡¯s been training hard. I assume he wants to overtake me. What are your thoughts on this matter?¡± He wanted to find out how much William had grown since the start of the academic year.

    ¡°W-why, are you asking about him?¡± Sophia lost her composure for the first time. Whenever the topic of William was brought up, she grew flustered. However, when Vincent was the person to bring it up, she felt some unexplained guilt.

    ¡°I¡¯m just curious.¡± Vincent shrugged, he tried to stay nonchalant.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing going on between him and me if that¡¯s what you¡¯re wondering.¡± She guiltily explained. ¡°And he has become stronger since the start of school. He¡¯s scarily strong; strong enough that the instructors cannot teach him anymore.¡±

    ¡®So it¡¯s going along according to the plot.¡¯ Vincent was satisfied with her words.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±

    ¡°B-but you¡¯re also strong¡­ I think¡­¡± She misunderstood his words and tried to appease him. Her panicked expression looked lovely in the dim lighting. When Vincent saw her flustered look, he smiled and chuckled, stunning the panicked girl.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m not as strong as you think I am. I¡¯m only asking because I can tell that William will go far in life.¡±

    ¡°You think so too?¡± She shook herself out of her stupor and leaned toward him with excitement. When she noticed how close they¡¯ve gotten, their faces just inches away from each other. She could feel his warm breath tickling the corners of her face from the close distance. She shrank back in embarrassment, ¡°Please excuse my improper behavior.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s quite alright. I¡¯m used to it.¡± Vincent casually dismissed her actions, making her a little angry.

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± asked Sophia, but she instantly regretted her words.

    ¡°It¡¯s just there¡¯s a girl that keeps clinging on to me. I know she¡¯s only trying to tease me, so I think nothing of it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talking about Aya Hana, right?¡± Sophia frowned.

    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± Vincent remained ambiguous, refusing to expand on the topic. After seeing the reluctance on his face, Sophia picked up the courage and started speaking.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    ¡°You must stay away from that woman. She¡¯s not who you think she is.¡± She nervously gripped the hem of her dress. She didn¡¯t know why she was saying these things. Sophia leaned in close, and in a voiceless whisper, she added, ¡°Aya Hana has ties to the crown prince. She¡¯s a dangerous woman.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha.¡± Vincent leaned back and chuckled. How could he not know about Aya¡¯s identity? He was sure he knew more about Aya than anybody else in the world. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me twice. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± He appeased the worried girl beside him.

    ¡°Do you?¡± She felt like he was acting like a playboy again, toying with Aya and planning to throw her away after taking some advantages. Her mood improved a little. Just as she was about to say more, a maid entered the garden.

    ¡°Milady, Master Zenobia wishes for you to return to greet the guests.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± She turned to Vincent and said a few more things before reluctantly departing. Vincent sat there, enjoying the calm atmosphere for a while longer before a silhouette appeared beside him.

    ¡°Are you trying to eat from two plates, Vincent?¡± The seductive voice asked, pulling at his heart. He turned to look and saw a gorgeous woman beside him. Aya was dressed in a maroon dress that displayed a sizeable portion of her cleavage. The back of the dress was bare, showing milky white skin all the way to her lower back. The dim lighting only helped to cast a soft glow on her healthy skin, even Vincent couldn¡¯t help but gulp in anticipation.

    Aya was amused at his reaction and asked, ¡°How do I look?¡± She crossed her arms, accentuating her assets. However, it only worked in opposition to her goal as Vincent calmed down.

    ¡°You look great.¡± It was a very bland reply.

    ¡°Is that all?¡± Aya frowned but didn¡¯t dwell on it further and sat down in the spot Sophia had been sitting.

    ¡°Is there a reason why you¡¯re here?¡± asked Vincent, he was sure that she had overheard his conversation with Sophia.

    ¡°I¡¯m hurt, Vincent. Do I need a reason to be with you?¡± She sidled closer to Vincent.

    ¡°Everything you do has a reason to it. Stop playing around. Shoot.¡± He gave her permission to ask what was going on in her mind.

    ¡°Then I won¡¯t stand on ceremony.¡± She giggled. ¡°I never knew you were so interested in William. I thought you two were on bad terms with each other, but I guess that¡¯s just my imagination.¡±

    ¡°I guess you could say we are on bad terms, but just because we¡¯re on bad terms I can¡¯t be interested in him?¡± Vincent kept calm and continued speaking his mind, ¡°He¡¯s an impressive person. There are very few people these days with eyes as bright and clear as his. There are even fewer that are willing to voice their opinions against a greater authority. That¡¯s why I think William is an impressive person.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Aya¡¯s eyes lit up. She also agreed with Vincent¡¯s views; William was an upright person, a bit stubborn and gullible, but she didn¡¯t dislike that type of person. However, she thought that there was a man more impressive than William. ¡°If you think he¡¯s so impressive, why do you antagonize him so much? Is it because he has what you don¡¯t?¡± She teased.

    ¡°You could say that.¡± Vincent was a bit envious of William¡¯s strength, but he didn¡¯t covet it. William has a considerable amount of responsibility, something that Vincent wasn¡¯t sure he could handle. ¡°To answer your question, Aya¡­ It¡¯s because I acknowledge his strength that I''m so harsh on that person.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Aya as she cocked her head to the side.

    ¡°William is a stubborn person. He only sees things his way. That kind of personality is tough to teach and guide. If he¡¯s led down the wrong path, he could prove to be a disaster. Therefore, it would be better to direct his contempt toward someone, a person that would grind against him, honing his motivation and goals. He¡¯s like a heated and malleable piece of metal; you have to use force to shape him rather than gentle direction or else you¡¯ll get burned.¡±

    Aya felt like she saw Vincent in a new light. He was willing to antagonize and draw the hatred of William just so that William will not become like him. But the thing Vincent didn¡¯t know was that she didn¡¯t see him as a bad person at all. After interacting with him in this short time, she could tell Vincent was underestimating himself.

    ¡°That still doesn¡¯t explain why you¡¯re doing this. Why, William?¡± Aya asked the first question that popped up.

    Vincent didn¡¯t say a thing and just smiled back mysteriously. How could she understand that William was the MC and destined to a life of glory and adversity? Therefore, he remained silent. However, the silence only gave Aya more questions. Her curiosity was threatening to devour her as she began to itch from holding back her curiosity.

    ¡°Please do me a favor and help guide William down the correct path.¡± His words held hidden meanings when he spoke to her.

    ¡°Another favor? You¡¯re going to owe so much, and you still haven¡¯t repaid that last favor.¡± She pouted and crossed her leg, revealing a sizeable portion of her thigh from the slit in her dress.

    ¡°Then what do you want from me?¡± Vincent asked as his eyes were trying hard not to dart at her exposed thigh. She really was too damn seductive, even his usual aloofness cracked with every action she made.

    ¡°Hm~ I wonder~.¡± Aya grinned evilly and looked all over his body.

    ¡°What?¡± Vincent frowned.

    ¡°Nothing~.¡± She leaned on his shoulder. ¡°One day, I¡¯ll make sure to recoup all the favors you owe me, and at that time you can¡¯t refuse.¡± She whispered.

    ¡°Naturally,¡± Vincent answered back before distancing himself once more.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on William. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Aya laughed and sat back up. Vincent felt relief when he heard her promise. He relaxed a little as his cold expression softened. Then he asked her about the progress with the Church of Light.

    ¡°Have you found out anything about the elf princess?¡±

    ¡°You always get straight down to business. Why are you rushing so much?¡± She complained slightly before saying, ¡°The elf princess will be taken to the world tree to perform a pilgrimage rite next month.¡±

    ¡®November? I guess the church decided to move at this time in the novel due to the monster attacks. Then the fallout of this event was what lead to the Emerald Forest Disaster.¡¯ Vincent thought to himself.

    ¡°I¡¯m not too familiar with their customs. What do you mean by pilgrimage rite?¡±

    ¡°Well, every decade elves have to return to their world tree to perform a ceremony to receive the world tree¡¯s blessing. If they don¡¯t, their strength will wane, and they will die. I heard this would be the first time the elf princess will be going through the ceremony ever since the Church of Light took her into their custody 17 years ago.¡±

    If that was true, then the elf princess has been deprived of her blessing for nearly a decade. An elf cut off from their blessing from the world tree was like a bird without wings. He couldn¡¯t imagine the mental damage this would¡¯ve caused to her psyche. He felt even more resolute to rescue her, this time, not just for himself but for her own good.

    ¡°That¡¯s so cruel.¡± Vincent voiced his opinion.

    ¡°Why? They were corrupted when their world tree fell to darkness. Why do you care so much about a dying group of dark elves?¡± Aya probed.

    ¡°Even so, do you not feel pity for a girl that lost everything she had? Locked away by the people that took everything from her?¡± Vincent¡¯s word struck a memory Aya had hidden deep inside of her; she remained silent for a long time.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to rescue her, aren¡¯t you?¡± She finally asked.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Why would you do that for someone you don¡¯t know?¡± Aya asked while studying him with emotional eyes.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m a fool,¡± Vincent answered after a long while. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell anybody else about this.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you are a stupid fool!¡± Aya berated him, momentarily losing her composure. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m even getting emotional about something so stupid.¡± She violently blinked, trying to control herself.

    ¡°It just shows that you also care, otherwise why would you shed tears for someone else?¡± Vincent took out a handkerchief and handed it over to the teary beauty.

    ¡°That¡¯s not it. I¡¯m not crying!¡± Aya denied his words but still took his handkerchief. When she settled down, she said, ¡°The church will form a convoy next month to travel to the northern bastion of Eidolon, Northgard. That¡¯s all I know. What you do with that information is your matter.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Aya.¡± Vincent got up to leave. Now that he had a direction to walk in, he was going to busy himself.

    ¡°Wait!¡± She called out to him.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget. I¡¯ll make you repay every favor you owe me with interest when the time comes. You better not refuse me at that time.¡± Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke.

    ¡°Naturally,¡± repeated Vincent; he nodded and left.

    After greeting the guests, Sophia ran back out into the garden only to see it bare and devoid of life. Where had he gone? The person she wanted to see, could he have left already? She wanted to ask him for the first dance. She looked dejected as she searched everywhere in the garden.

    ¡°Sophia?¡± A handsome youth walked up behind her. ¡°You father was wondering where you have disappeared to. He asked me to come to get you.¡±

    ¡°I understand, Alec. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± She resigned herself and angrily clenched her fist before returning to the ballroom. She returned to the crowded room full of empty smiles.

 Chapter 34 - Vincent Silverlight the First

    Over the coming days, Vincent redoubled his efforts on his training. He wanted to reach 50 in his magic stat before departing for the north. In the meantime, he got in touch with General Aster. The world tree was located deeper inside the Emerald Forest and would require experts from the Evergreen Ranger Corps to act as guides. This was his opportunity to get close to the princess.

    Vincent had a feeling he would be away for a long time, and so he took his tests and examinations ahead of time. The rest of the time was spent on training and earning CP through minor subjugation missions around the capital. Throughout this time, rumors of Vincent going out to play began spreading amongst the student populace. His poor reputation grew even worse since he didn¡¯t clarify the truth behind the rumors. After a few weeks passed, Vincent checked his status once more.

    ¡°Status.¡±

    ===

    ? Status

    [Strength] (24.1)

    [Endurance] (25.9)

    [Agility] (26.3)

    [Perception] (42.5)

    [Magic] (50)

    ? Talents

    [Flexible Body] (null)

    [Origin Magic] (Beginner ¨C Rank 1)(EXP 0%)

    ? Titles

    [Inheritor of the Aion Ring]

    ===

    Vincent smiled with satisfaction; he had done it. Over this short but intense period, he had become very sensitive to mana. His Origin Magic talent had reached the pinnacle of the beginner level. Not much longer and he would be able to advance to the intermediate stage. He could feel the mana from all living things in his surrounding unless they know methods to hide it. Most of all, though, was the fact that he would be able to enter the Aion Ring.

    ¡°Sanctus Aeternum.¡±

    He felt a vacuum suck up his consciousness as his vision went black. When the dizziness faded, he opened his eyes. He was standing in a field of snow. There was snow as far as the eye could see.

    ¡°Where am I?¡± This wasn¡¯t the dark world that he saw in the last two times he entered the ring. He reached out and caught a snowflake in his palm and couldn¡¯t feel any cold from the melted snow.

    ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± An old man stood facing away from him. Who knew when he had appeared, he was like a ghost, coming and going as he wished. The next thing Vincent knew, the old man was standing before him.

    ¡°Grandfather.¡± Vincent probed.

    ¡°Who are your parents?¡± The old man asked to confirm once more.

    ¡°Catherine Silverlight and Zeke Redwall,¡± Vincent stated.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Are you lying to me, Boy?¡± A threatening tinge came over his tone.

    ¡°Believe what you want. I don¡¯t have a reason to lie to you.¡± Vincent shot back.

    ¡°But Kitty wouldn¡¯t¡­ With the Redwall boy?¡± The old man shook his head, ¡°Where is Arden Valencia?¡±

    ¡°Arden Valencia?¡± Vincent felt the name was familiar, but couldn¡¯t recall.

    The old man studied Vincent¡¯s expression and let out a sigh before continuing, ¡°That tells me everything I need to know. I hope kitty knows what she¡¯s doing. Boy, what is your name?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying, but I am Vincent Silverlight.¡± He decided what the old man was saying was unimportant at the moment. He had some questions of his own he wanted to ask. ¡°What is yours, Grandfather?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± The old man smiled amusingly to himself. It had been a long time since a whelp spoke so confidently in front of him. Moreover, they had the same name. ¡°I¡¯m Vincent Silverlight.¡±

    ¡°Are you mocking me?¡± Vincent furrowed his brow.

    ¡°It should be me saying those words, Boy.¡± A threatening chill erupted from the old man¡¯s relaxed demeanor.

    ¡°Then¡­ Mom named me after you?¡± Vincent asked dumbstruck.

    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised.¡± The old man shrugged, this action was nearly identical to Vincent¡¯s gesture.

    ¡°Then how do you supposed we resolve this confusing way of addressing one another?¡± Vincent asked, maintaining his polite tone.

    ¡°Just call me One, and you¡¯ll be Two,¡± said One. It was easy to tell that One didn¡¯t care enough to think too deeply about such matters. ¡°Let¡¯s get down to important matters. Your time here is still limited since your strength is still not high enough.¡±

    ¡°I understand, One.¡± Vincent echoed, He tried to grow accustomed to the awkward way of calling his Grandfather.

    ¡°As I thought, this naming is quite atrocious.¡± One muttered, ¡°Just call me Grandfather.¡±

    ¡°I agree. I¡¯ll just call you Grandfather.¡± Vincent concurred.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°Then back on topic, Boy.¡± Vincent didn¡¯t like the way his grandfather called him, so he interrupted.

    ¡°Call me Grandson.¡±

    One looked amused and asked, ¡°I find Boy a better name. Don¡¯t you think so, Boy?¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s how you like it, then go ahead and use it, Old Man.¡± Vincent shot back, refusing to give up on this matter.

    ¡°Cheeky Brat.¡± One smiled while tousling Vincent¡¯s hair.

    ¡°You asked for it, Old Man,¡± Vincent remarked and tried to dodge One¡¯s hand, but it honed in on his head like a bird of prey.

    ¡°Before anything else, let me ask you. Do you know anything about Aion¡¯s Ring?¡±

    ¡°Aion¡¯s Ring? Wasn¡¯t it called the Aion Ring?¡± Vincent asked.

    ¡°You read the information table?¡± One was referring to the display that popped up last time Vincent was there. ¡°These two names could be used interchangeably. The Aion Ring and Aion¡¯s Ring are one and the same. Aion created this ring, and the ring¡¯s fate is to last for eternity, thus they could both be the name of this ring.¡±

    ¡°Aion? I¡¯ve never heard of him.¡± Vincent commented.

    ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to. Aion is not a person. Aion is an existence far above the world of gods and immortals. He has no gender, neither male nor female, but for the sake of speaking of him, they assigned him a gender.¡±

    ¡°They?¡±

    ¡°Our predecessors. The previous holders of Aion¡¯s Ring.¡± One answered.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand, why would such a supreme being create this? I still don¡¯t understand what this ring is capable of. Can you tell me what it does?¡±

    ¡°Even I don¡¯t know the full extent of the ring. Who are we to question the decisions of a supreme being? Aion might¡¯ve done this because he was bored. He might¡¯ve had a greater purpose in forging this ring. Or might''ve even forged this ring to wage eternal war amongst the minor existences. Your guess is as good as mine, Boy.¡± One shrugged and walked forward.

    ¡°Then, what do you know?¡± Vincent felt like his grandfather was speaking in tongues.

    ¡°What I know might not be appropriate for you to know. I can tell you what you need to know, but any more and it can be harmful to you. Only when you are strong enough to shoulder the responsibility of this knowledge will I entrust them upon you.¡±

    ¡°Then what can you tell me?¡±

    ¡°Like the last time you were here, I want to warn you not to let any gods see this ring. The power of Aion¡¯s Ring can disguise itself in the presence of the gods, but if you¡¯re not careful, they still might detect it. I know you¡¯re going to ask why the gods hate the ring so much. Let me explain.¡± One bent over and scooped up a pile of snow.

    ¡°Do you know that gods are immortal? That cannot die. But what if there was a weapon that can kill a god? If such thing were to exist, what kind of uproar would this cause in the heavens?¡±

    ¡°Then, are you saying that this ring is a weapon?¡± Vincent couldn¡¯t see how a ring can kill a god. Can it somehow expand and choke a god to death or something?

    ¡°It¡¯s precisely as you¡¯ve said. Aion¡¯s Ring absorbs the essence of a god when they sustain a fatal wound. If the person didn¡¯t have a ring, the god would just disappear and reappear after recovering from their injuries. The ring cannot be destroyed since it was forged by an existence of a higher realm. Thus, the gods covet the ring, since whoever wields the ring, holds power over the heavens.¡±

    ¡°Then why are we mortals? We¡¯re the bearers of the ring, and yet here we are.¡± Vincent was skeptical of his grandfather¡¯s grandiose storytelling.

    ¡°Fool, did you think we don¡¯t know?¡± One looked smug and explained, ¡°Your predecessor was betrayed, and Aion¡¯s Ring was stolen from him. He was killed; his essence sealed away in the ring. In the ensuing chaos after the ring was stolen, the heavens waged war amongst themselves over its possession. Finally, a lucky mortal chanced upon the ring after it had fallen into the mortal world. That¡¯s why until this day, the gods are still searching for it, and they would kill anyone they find that possessed the ring. However, every time, your predecessors were able to send it away before it fell into the gods¡¯ hands.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just hand it back to them?¡±

    ¡°Why? And live a life of mediocrity?¡± Scoffed One. Vincent then understood the reason behind every predecessor¡¯s desire to keep the ring. With the power to kill even gods in your possession, what is there not to covet?

    ¡°Is there anything else I should know about this ring?¡± Vincent wanted to ask about more secrets of the ring. Right now, his interest as a reader was piqued. Why had he never heard of such a subplot within the novel? In fact, this plot would¡¯ve been way better than the original novel.

    ¡°There are too many things to explain right now, you aren¡¯t ready to know more. All I can tell you about the functions of this ring is that it allows the bearer to inspect their inner self. They can understand more about themselves and use the information to improve. Another function is as you¡¯ve witnessed. It allows you to speak with past bearers of the ring. Aion¡¯s ring is called the ring of eternity for a reason.¡±

    ¡°Then if I¡¯m speaking with you, Old Man¡­ Then doesn¡¯t that mean¡­¡± Vincent felt a sense of loss.

    One smiled and nodded.

    ¡°What should I tell Mom?¡± He planned to tell his mom about meeting his grandfather.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell her anything. It¡¯s best if she doesn¡¯t know the truth.¡± One tried hard to protect Catherine from the secrets of Aion¡¯s Ring. ¡°If you tell her anything, I¡¯ll come out of this ring and kick your ass, do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Pfft, fine. Whatever, Old Man.¡± Vincent felt respect for One, but couldn¡¯t help replying childishly. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t tell Mom anything¡­ If you tell me about the Origin Magic that you gave me.¡±

    ¡°Origin Magic? Hehehe.¡± One chuckled for a moment and then asked, ¡°I guess you must be curious. Let me tell you about another function of Aion¡¯s Ring. It¡¯s the power to steal a god¡¯s power. This is the true worth of Aion¡¯s Ring.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Vincent straightened up in shock.

    ¡°Any god killed by the bearer of the ring will have their essence absorbed into the ring, effectively stopping their revival; a form of death. At the same time, their powers and abilities can be used by the ring bearer. That¡¯s why the gods fought so hard to obtain this ring.¡± The daunting words struck at Vincent¡¯s eardrums like the sound of thunder. He finally understood the severity and meaning in possessing such an artifact.

    ¡°Then this Origin Magic that you gave me was from¡­ a god?¡± Vincent tilted his head in admiration. This could only mean one thing: his grandfather has slain a god.

    ¡°It was only a minor god. A subordinate of the God of Magic that hasn¡¯t even developed the ability to ascend to the heavens. I believe they were called earth deities or something, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± One waived the compliment aside looking irritated, but a corner of his mouth was twitching. ¡°I gave you this skill because it was what you needed at the time. I hope you can master this skill before picking up any others.¡±

    ¡°Then, you are saying that you haven¡¯t looked much into this ability?¡± It was the ability to control the elements, how could One not be curious. Unless One had obtained powers more formidable than¡­

    ¡°Why settle for a match when I can use a torch?¡± One answered proudly. ¡°I¡¯ve told you all that you need to know. Leave.¡± One waved his arm once more, Vincent began to feel a sucking force, but he quickly shouted to get One¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Suddenly the vacuum disappeared.

    ¡°What else do you want?¡± One looked annoyed like a doting grandparent.

    ¡°Old Man, from now on I¡¯ll have to do lots of things and travel a lot. My shoulders become sore so often from carrying all these heavy equipment. Don¡¯t you think your grandson deserves a better life than that?¡± Vincent shamelessly smiled over at his grandfather. It¡¯s as plain as anyone can see. He was begging his grandfather for a favor!

    ¡°Cheeky Brat.¡± One¡¯s lips twitched once more, but he navigated through an invisible menu, then Vincent received a notification.

    ===

    Inventory has been unlocked.

    ===

    Vincent broadly smiled when he saw the notification.

    ¡°Thanks, Grandpa!¡± He embarrassedly scratched his cheek.

    ¡°You got what you wanted, Boy. Now leave.¡± Not a second later, Vincent was thrown out of the ring¡¯s inner world. One turned around and affectionately looked at the spot Vincent had been standing. Then he let out a sigh and disappeared.

    Vincent woke up after leaving the world of the ring. When he woke up, he found out he had a letter sent by General Aster in reply to his pleads. He had been selected to participate in the escort mission for the Church of Light. It was under the pretense of in-the-field training for a potential recruit.

    Vincent applied for leave and left for the north the very same day he received the letter.

 Chapter 35 - The Journey North

    Vincent was able to use a trail-blazing stallion on his way to Evergreen Territory. The rendezvous point was in a small mining town called Little Rock, the final destination before having to cross uninhabited territory to the north. The Church of Light and supply convoy were waiting for the right conditions to travel to Northgard.

    The passage to Northgard passed between a small mountain range and the Emerald Forest. The path was the safest point of passage because the steep cliffs of the Valen Mountains to the west make attacks from that direction impossible. The same was for the opposite end of the forest in the Redwall territory, but ever since the Battle of Vernon Valley, the passage has been blocked.

    When Vincent arrived, he first reported to the Evergreen Ranger Corps branch office. All the towns and villages bordering the forest had stations and offices for troops to resupply before resuming their patrols, Little Rock was no different.

    ¡°Cadet Vincent Silverlight, reporting in for duty.¡± Vincent saluted the officer in charge.

    ¡°I¡¯ve received your mission details.¡± The officer sputtered and handed over a folder with papers. ¡°Please read over the details, then join up with the rest of the squad.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡± Vincent saluted and left. He quickly opened the mission brief and wasn¡¯t surprised. They treated him like a greenhorn and didn¡¯t expect him to do much. His mission was to follow the Forest Stalkers and provide support where he was needed. They were basically saying, ¡°Stay out of our way, and do what you¡¯re told.¡±

    While training with the Evergreen Ranger Corps, he heard a lot about the accomplishments of Forest Stalkers. They were the cr¨¨me of the crop of the Evergreen Rangers. Any person picked out from the Forest Stalkers would be able to go toe to toe with a royal knight. If they fought in the forest, royal knights would only be toyed until they¡¯ve died. Right now, five of these people were standing in front of Vincent, studying his every movement.

    ¡°I¡¯ve received the mission brief.¡± Vincent was the first to speak. He held up a file. ¡°I¡¯ll stay out of the way.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Everyone only studied Vincent for a short while longer before resuming their gear check. Being experts in reconnaissance and marksmen, every Forest Stalker had a quiet and patient disposition. Since Vincent already understood his role, what do they need to say? They could save their energy and continued prepping.

    Vincent awkwardly stared at the busy individuals as they packed their gear and sharpened their tools. Finally, a woman off to the side giggled and strolled over. He had noticed her earlier when he came in; she was also a Forest Stalker, but she stood out because of her tanned skin and beautiful facial features.

    ¡°We¡¯ve already received our brief from General Aster, Vince. Can I call you that?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Mm, that¡¯s fine with me. And you are?¡± He shook her outstretched hand.

    ¡°Yeriel. The others aren¡¯t too good at babysitting, so I volunteered to look after you.¡± She giggled when Vincent frowned when he heard the word ¡®babysitting¡¯. ¡°Don¡¯t take it to heart, Vince. To us, you¡¯re just like a newborn chick. We can¡¯t entrust you with anything, so just follow us and see how we operate. Maybe you¡¯ll learn a thing or two.¡±

    Vincent wasn¡¯t convinced by her words, but since Yeriel took to the initiative to explain things, he didn¡¯t make things too difficult for her. He didn¡¯t have much to do since he¡¯d already packed his gear before he came.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be in town restocking my supplies.¡± He made an excuse and left.

    After he left, one of the Forest Stalker asked Yeriel a question, ¡°Do you think he won¡¯t mess things up for us?¡±

    ¡°That boy seems reliable. At least he listens to explanation and isn¡¯t rash.¡± Earlier had been a sort of test by Yeriel to sound out Vincent and he had spectacularly passed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what General Aster is doing, letting a whelp join in such an important mission.¡± Another Forest Stalker spoke up. ¡°But I don¡¯t mind as long as he stays out of our way.¡±

    ¡°Agreed.¡± Another echoed his opinion.

    They had just finished speaking of Vincent when a haughty person in a white robe entered. He had a broach on his robe indicating he was a bishop of the Church of Light.

    ¡°The archbishop has sent me to confirm whether or not you are ready to depart.¡±

    ¡°All our people have arrived. We will be ready at any moment.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. We depart in three days. Be ready by then.¡± Although the bishop was demanding, the Forest Stalkers also have their own pride. No one acted subserviently nor do they act arrogant. The church asked for Duke Evergreen¡¯s assistance, so he sent his Forest Stalkers, but they answered to only the Duke and General Aster, not to the church.

    Vincent spent the next few days exploring the small town of Little Rock. The church had its own housing, so he wasn¡¯t able to find the princess, but he didn¡¯t mind it. From what he gathered, she would die if she didn¡¯t perform the pilgrimage. Even if he rescued her, he would still have to bring her to the world tree. Then it was time to leave for the northern bastion of Eidolon.

    The large convoy had over 300 men, about half were the Church of Light; the other half were the troops delivering supplies to Northgard. Vincent and the Forest Stalkers were broken off into three groups. Two were assigned to scout the road ahead. Two fell back behind the convoy to sweep for any dangers following the convoy and Vincent, and Yeriel were attached to the center of the convoy.

    ¡°Fwee~!¡±

    ¡°Kueee~!¡±

    Emet flew down and landed on Vincent¡¯s outstretched arm. He gently brushed her beak. She had grown a lot in the last months, reaching nearly two meters in wingspan.

    ¡°That bird looks so pretty. Does she have a name?¡± Yeriel¡¯s eyes lit up.

    ¡°Her name¡¯s Emet. She¡¯s a cross between a storm falcon and a thunder hawk,¡± replied Vincent. He watched as Yeriel brushed Emet in a familiar fashion.

    ¡°Coooo~.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s well trained.¡± Yeriel was impressed. ¡°Did you use our method of training?¡± She was referring to the Evergreen Ranger Corps methods of training animal companions. They often used animals as scouts and guides, namely fowls, on patrols and missions.

    ¡°Her training isn¡¯t finished, but she¡¯s a quick learner.¡±

    ¡°Kuah!¡± It might be because Emet understood him because she happily beat her wings and took off.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to train my own bird, but I don¡¯t have the time to look after one,¡± Yeriel complained. ¡°I¡¯m always sent on missions.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you assigned to a region? If you are, you can always have someone take care of a bird for you there and go see if from time to time.¡± Vincent began to make suggestions.

    ¡°That may be so but¡­¡± Yeriel continued to speak. Like so, they both continued their conversations about training and various methods to train their companions.

    The start of the journey was uneventful. Everyone in the convoy was moving in an orderly fashion. The supplies were securely protected by the regular soldiers that have done a supply delivery many times in the past. With the added troops from the Church of Light and its priest, everyone felt confident and safe.

    ¡°Did you know? The outer region of the forest is pretty safe, but as soon as you enter the inner region, you better be prepared to fight for your life.¡± Yeriel started teaching Vincent about the Emerald Forest.

    There were fewer monsters in the inner region, but each one of them has adapted to life in the forest and could kill and protect their own territory from invaders. The inner region was remarkably different from the outer region. It was eerily quiet, devoid of life.

    ¡°Looks like Basil and Tom took care of some strays.¡± Yeriel happily chimed as she rode up to a pile of monster carcasses. They were verdant-tail wolves, an indigenous species that populated the forest. ¡°Their meat is tough, but they can be used to supplement our rations.¡± Yeriel had a few soldiers drag the carcasses onto a supply wagon.

    ¡°I guess all of you don¡¯t waste anything?¡± Vincent was intrigued.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± replied Yeriel. ¡°Out here in the forest, we have to make use of everything we gather. It¡¯s only respectful of the bounty the forest brings.¡±

    The Forest Stalkers were fanatics when it came to the forest. They lived 80% of their lives in the woods and would easily bump that number to 100% if they didn¡¯t have to report to town for missions and tasks.

    The church was in a rush; thus the pace set for the convoy was quickened. Every second out in the field was an increasing chance that they would be raided by the dark elves hidden in the forest. The elven princess was their only method of controlling these wild and corrupt race. In the evening, the train stopped and set up camp with their backs to the wall-like cliffs of the Valen Mountains. They arranged their carts and wagons in a defensive formation to maximize their protection.

    Vincent, along with the Forest Stalkers, was assigned to be sentries. Like during the day, they would work in groups of two. The soldiers would also be sentries for the camp, but their detection skills were utterly atrocious compared to Forest Stalkers and Vincent.

    ¡°Ever since I¡¯ve unlocked [Inventory], my life has become easier,¡± Vincent mumbled as he practiced taking out a canteen of water and taking a swig. Space magic was a rarity, and not many mages had expertise in this circle of magic. Often times, the only mages that could use such types of magic were old and aged beyond their noon years.

    Some objects could store things in a pocket space, but such things were rare, and they were hardly large enough to make use of for items like furniture. However, Vincent¡¯s [Inventory] was different. Right now he could access a space the size of 6m3. He stored the essentials like his food, tent equipment, and bedroll. He also stored the extra ammunition for his bow in [Inventory] and only kept a quiver on him. His only worry is that it might draw the attention of others if he took things out in midair, so he planned on buying a space bag when he had the opportunity.

    Vincent and Yeriel were part of the last watch, just before dawn. When it was his turn to go on watch, Basil and Tom came back to the tent and woke him and Yeriel up, and then took their spots. Vincent groggily sat up and followed Yeriel as she chewed on jerky to rouse herself.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Want one?¡± She handed him a piece.

    ¡°How can I stand on ceremony?¡± Vincent graciously accepted.

    Unlike regular sentries, Evergreen Rangers liked to wait up in trees; it was safer, and they were less likely to be spotted. They both found a tree about 200 meters out from the camp and climbed up. Vincent was situated 50 meters away from Yeriel; they were in view of one another. He gave her the okay signal, and they both sat back and waited.

    From time to time, Vincent could see Emet fly down from above the treetops. He also had his ears trained to pick up any noise, since it¡¯s already autumn, there were dry leaves on the grass below; anything that happened to walk nearby would reveal themselves just from the sound.

    The job as a sentry was a dull duty, but it was also important. With Yeriel and Emet to also help keep watch, he began to meditate. He closed his eyes and felt the wild mana in his surroundings. The forest felt different from the city. The mana was pure like untouched snow. When he breathed in, he felt his cells become energized, and this left a tingling sensation on his skin. Although the wild mana in the forest was refreshing, he could also feel an ominous presence coming from the northeast, in the direction of the world tree. He blanched when he thought of the corrupt world tree and the dark elves. Dark mana felt drastically different from the elemental mana.

    Just as he was paying attention to the ominous presence of dark mana, he also noticed brown specks coming from underneath him. Out of curiosity, he opened his eyes and looked down, but saw nothing. The brown bits only appeared when he used his mana sense. This startling realization caused a cold breeze to whip past him. It was only now that he realized he could hear a faint rumbling sound. This unnatural sound alerted him, and he threw a rock in Yeriel¡¯s direction.

    *Thunk!*

    The pebble drew her gaze, and she looked over at him in confusion.

    Vincent pointed down below him and gestured to listen. Yeriel was puzzled and closed her eyes and tilted her head down. She listened for only a few seconds and shot upwards like she was just stung by a bee.

    ¡°Shit.¡± He could see her lips cursing. She reached into her quiver and took out an arrow with a firework attached to the tip. She lit it and shot it up into the sky.

    *FWEEEE~!*

    The firework whistled as it shot up into the air, leaving a trail of red smoke. The camp began to rattle with increasing urgency as the clanging of metal woke up everyone inside the camp. Yeriel also looked concerned and took out what seemed to be a flute.

    ¡°FWEEEE!¡± She blew hard into the flute for a full minute. At the end of the minute, the rumbling grew worse as the ground began to bulge. Vincent watched as a few ugly and wrinkled heads popped out of the earth, their guttural groans were hauntingly terrifying.

    ¡°Cave trolls!¡± Vincent¡¯s iris constricted, and he hastily raised his bow and took out an arrow and lit it. He shot it at the troll nearest to his position.

    ¡°UAAAAGGGHHH!¡± The troll went up in flames like a barbeque grill and kerosene. His guttural moans became shrieks are he began rolling on the ground, trying to stop the fire that clung to him like glue.

    Yeriel also began firing fire arrows down at the intruders. The men on the ground also heard the commotion and started to move in their direction, but as soon as they walked away, more trolls crawled out of the earth.

    Limbs and screams filled the forest as the sentries were ambushed from below. They didn¡¯t stand a chance as the trolls¡¯ numbers rose.

    ¡°H-how can this b-be?!¡± A solder stuttered as he faced a group of trolls.

    ¡°GRAAAUUUU!¡± They roared and sung down their club-like fists, smashing the soldier into a meaty paste. They proceeded to the other soldiers.

    Men began to flee in fear. They ran off into the forest. Others ran back to camp. The smart ones climbed trees. As soon as the sentries abandoned their posts, snarls and growls started coming out from deeper in the forest. Vincent and Yeriel, who were both busily dealing with the trolls, shifted their attention to the noise.

    From further in the forest, kobolds started bounding forward. The sinister look in their eyes drowned the deserting soldiers in fear as they were quickly overwhelmed by the tide of monsters. Vincent also swore and called out to Yeriel.

    ¡°What do we do?!¡± He watched as Yeriel stopped shooting at the burning trolls and started shooting at the kobolds.

    ¡°We get the hell out of here.¡± She threw a smoke bomb down and leaped down; someone with her athletic ability wouldn¡¯t be hurt by the fall.

    Unlike trolls, kobolds could use weapons. They weren¡¯t safe up in the trees. Their only option was to retreat back to camp but to do so, they would have to weave through the staggering numbers of trolls with kobolds chasing them from the rear. Vincent was slightly panicked as he slid down his tree. He watched as Yeriel started running, trying to keep close to her tail as she ran.

    A troll approached them from the side and swiped at them. Yeriel sped up, and the swipe missed her, but Vincent wasn¡¯t so lucky. The smoke had obstructed his view, and by the time he noticed it, the troll¡¯s arm was inches from his face.

    ¡°Guh!¡± Vincent rolled forward, barely dodging in time. This maneuver though, caused him to slow down. He watched as Yeriel got further ahead and felt his heart rate increase as he redoubled his efforts. He looked around as he ran, making sure to pay attention to any attacks. He could hear the sounds of the kobolds getting closer. He might¡¯ve even heard the kobolds¡¯ breathing, but he didn¡¯t want to turn around to check.

    Seeing that he was pretty much left to fare on his own, he began to despair. A few of the trolls were still rolling on the ground in pain as the fires on their body burnt out. He saw this and felt some inspiration.

    ¡°Flame.¡± A ball of fire came to life in his palm. ¡°Wind.¡± A small vortex formed in front of him. The whirlwind and the flame by itself wouldn¡¯t be able to harm anything, but when combined¡­

    *WOOSH!*

    The vortex erupted spewed out a tongue of fire as he ran past. The dry leaves that had gathered in the vortex went up in flames. The flaming leaves shot everywhere. The ones that made contact with trolls immediately lit them up like a bonfire. The fire began to grow out of control as more and more leaves went up in flames. He heard the yelps and growls of pain behind him grow further away as he ran towards camp.

    ¡°Make way!¡± Vincent cried out as he broke out from the forest and onto the road. The soldiers were stunned, they didn¡¯t expect another survivor to escape from the ambush. Only Yeriel and Vincent made it out; the sentries had all been either killed by trolls or crushed under the kobold charge. Vincent ran into the camp of the soldiers and leaned against a wagon to catch his breath.

    ¡°Good job, Vince. You made it too.¡± Yeriel patted his back. Vincent glared at her coldly. She had left him to die. He now knew her true nature. She may seem friendly but she was cold-hearted. He was just about to reply to her when a person yelled.

    ¡°Prepare for the attack!!!¡±

    The growls and snarls from the forest grew closer. However, just when he thought they would burst out from the burning forest edge, the sound stopped. The other soldiers also relaxed a little. They may have thought the monsters retreated, but then a low rumble was heard. Vincent had heard this sound before.

    *Boom!*

    The earth exploded.

    ¡°GRAAUUUUUU!!!¡± A hairy and matted beast shot out from the ground.

    ¡°Attack! Attack!¡± The commander yelled as men ran forward to engage the beast.

    *Boom! Boom! Boom!*

    Much to their surprise, more and more trolls started crawling out from the ground around them, throwing them into chaos. Vincent and Yeriel didn¡¯t have time to warn them. The monsters were using the same tactics from earlier!

    ¡°Fall back! Don¡¯t overextend!¡± The commander began to pull the soldiers into a defensive formation. The priests and mages in the back also began chanting. Vincent could feel a dam of mana build up in the mages.

    Out in the tree line, kobolds ran out one after another, their battle cries unsettling the soldiers.

    ¡°What are you doing just standing there? Shoot them!¡± Yeriel shouted as she shot fire arrows one after another at the trolls. The other Forest Stalkers were doing the same thing. Their priority was incapacitating the trolls until the soldiers have dealt with the kobolds.

    More than 30 trolls were involved in the attack. As one after another troll went up in flames, the morale of the soldiers picked up.

    ¡°Fire!¡± The commander ordered the archers to start shooting into the enemy line. Kobolds one after another fell to the rain of arrows.

    ¡°Fire blast!¡± A mage shouted as a stream of flame shot over at a large group of trolls, blowing them back and setting them on fire.

    ¡°Maintain the formation.¡± The kobolds crashed into the soldiers as the fighting ensued. Kobolds were armed but unarmored; they only had their natural tough fur as protection. Their boon was that they were agile and fast; if a man wasn¡¯t careful, a kobold could latch on to his neck and tear out his throat.

    ¡°Agh!¡± A soldier let out a fatal cry and fell down.

    ¡°Damnit!¡± The soldier¡¯s companion cursed and slew the kobold, only to be shot by the kobold archers hidden in the tree line.

    ¡°Vincent, change targets. You and I will target their archers!¡± Yeriel shouted and shot a well-placed arrow into the tree line, eliciting a yelp.

    ¡°Understood.¡± Vincent shot his last fire arrow and started focusing on the archers. However, he also began to hear a strange sound from behind him.

    *Clink Clink*

    Vincent¡¯s sharp ears picked up the clicking sound, it stood out from all the fighting because it sounded like metals tapping on glass.

    *Fwip!*

    *Fwip!*

    Then he started hearing sounds like a zipper being zipped. Out of curiosity, he turned around to look behind him and froze. All the hairs on his body stood on end as a burning sensation crept all over his chest.

    ¡°BEHIND US!!!¡± He shouted in a frenzy and dived down, barely dodging a spray of web.

    Parallel to the cliff wall, man-sized spiders with metallic carapaces were crawling. There were also wriggling masses of webbed humans stuck to the wall. He watched as a priest was abducted and attached to the wall. A spider then crawled over and sunk its teeth into the webbed man, who began to seize up and finally died.

    The commander also heard Vincent¡¯s shout and turned to look. His expression fell when he saw the spiders. They were already struggling in the front lines, but now their backline was being threatened. He felt a headache coming along. Just as he was about to send some men to the back, a Forest Stalker spoke up.

    ¡°We¡¯ll handle them, you focus on the front.¡± The Forest Stalkers finished setting all the trolls on fire, they turned their attention to the spiders on the wall. Everyone began firing armor-piercing arrows at the large targets. The spiders proved to be a slippery target. When arrows came close to them, they spat out a ball of web, stopping the arrow. The only things they could do was distract the spiders, allowing for the mages to chant their spells.

    ¡°Icicle lance!¡±

    ¡°Wind Blade!¡±

    ¡°Fire Blast!¡±

    Spells, one after another, shot out at the spiders. Without support from the mages and archers, the soldiers also began to lose their ground. The trolls also began to recover after the fire burnt away all their hair; they were now enraged from the pain.

    ¡°GRAAAAHHHH!¡± A troll angrily tore through the ranks of the soldiers. The kobolds made use of the opening and pierced into the center of the formation.

    ¡°Are you almost finished dealing with the spiders?!¡± The commander asked the mages.

    ¡°Almost done!¡± A mage replied.

    Vincent watched as the spells bombarded the cliff wall. There were only a dozen or so spiders, so after about half of them died to magic spells, they retreated. The Forest Stalkers began to snipe down the kobolds in the tree line. The archers also reinforced the soldiers in the front line with focused fire.

    Vincent also calmed down after the spiders retreated and started shooting down the kobold archers. He kept his attention divided to their backs, just in case the spiders came back.

    With the added support of the backline, the kobolds started dying in droves. The convoy¡¯s only problem were the trolls. Each troll was easily twice the size of a man and their strength was unimaginable. Each time a troll attacked, a soldier would fall.

    The fighting continued until daylight. The sun started rising over the horizon. As the sun rose, the trolls began to groan in pain. They were inherently weak to sunlight due to their sensitive eyes. As their vision went away, they became easier to kill.

    ¡°They are weak! Now¡¯s our chance!¡± The commander charged into the struggling trolls, slaying a troll by himself. He felt satisfied after being able to avenge his fallen men.

    Meanwhile, Forest Stalkers continued to shoot at the weak spots with pinpoint accuracy. They didn¡¯t shoot frequently, but every arrow would either kill or incapacitate their target long enough for the frontline soldiers to land the killing blow.

    *Boom!*

    A fire pillar erupted, killing the final troll. The rest have either fled or have been killed. The kobolds have long abandoned the troll and retreated back into the forest. When the smoke from the fires have cleared, the commander felt a sense of loss. He looked over the battlefield and saw bodies of both men and monsters, many of them were breathing their last.

    ¡°Go. Save as many as you can.¡± The Archbishop commanded his priests. Throughout the whole fighting, he had been inside his tent, guarding the elven princess along with the church¡¯s elites.

    The commander of the supply convoy didn¡¯t have authority over the church, so he even if he was angry at the church, he couldn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Much appreciated, Your Grace.¡± He saluted. Any help right now is better than nothing. He watched as the priests ran forward and started healing the injured. The ones that were beyond saving, they could only say their last rites.

    Vincent also watched the devastation on the battlefield. His fingers trembling from firing so many arrows. In his year of training and field exercises, he has never suffered so many losses on his side. This was a real battlefield. He felt sick to his stomach and dry gagged. Once he was feeling better, a Forest Stalker came up to him.

    ¡°Name¡¯s Locke. Commander of the 5th squad. You did well, Kid.¡± He shook Vincent¡¯s hand. ¡°Commander Basache called everyone to debrief in his tent. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡± Vincent felt a bit of pride, being acknowledged by a Forest Stalker wasn¡¯t a simple feat.

 Chapter 36 - Pact of Heaven and Earth

    In the tent, the commander looked grim. He was seated in front of a map as his lieutenant read the report.

    ¡°We lost 66 men. A further 107 were injured. Out of our supplies and wagons, three were damaged beyond repair. Another 5 have received major damage, but they should still be operational.¡±

    ¡°Tell me the good news.¡± The commander mumbled.

    ¡°The enemy suffered 227 casualties. Of those casualties, 44 were cave trolls, 5 were armored wallcrawlers, and the rest were kobolds.¡± The commander and everyone present felt better hearing the losses of the enemy, but that still doesn¡¯t answer a few questions that some of them have.

    ¡°How were they able to get so close before the signal was raised?¡± Commander Basache asked Yeriel and Vincent. Vincent felt all the eyes of the high-ranked individuals in the tent look his way.

    ¡°It was my mistake.¡± Vincent finally spoke up. ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to tell that what I was hearing were cave trolls.¡± He began to explain how he heard the faint rumbling, but couldn¡¯t make the association. ¡°In my confusion, I notified Yeriel, and she sent the signal.¡±

    ¡°Is this the truth?¡± Commander Basache turned to Yeriel.

    ¡°That¡¯s the truth.¡± Yeriel also recounted from her point of view, and it was the exact same story.

    ¡°*Sigh*¡± The commander felt the rage escape from his body. ¡°Why are cave trolls out here in the forest edge? They damn well got us.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Vincent couldn¡¯t help but speak up. A few officers shot a glare his way for speaking out of turn, but the commander stopped them and answered.

    ¡°Cave trolls are solitary monsters. They also live deeper in the forest within the hills and valleys. This attack was obviously pre-planned.¡± Commander Basache shot a look at the archbishop.

    ¡°The Church of Light will naturally reimburse the Kingdom of Eidolon for their losses. Thaesis is a fair and just god. He rewards good and punishes evil.¡± The archbishop bowed.

    ¡°Will he bring my dead men back to life?¡± retorted Commander Basache. The archbishop didn¡¯t reply, and apologetically smiled and shook his head. ¡°Please forgive me, Your Grace. I lost a lot of good men out there.¡± Commander Basache massaged his temples.

    ¡°I understand. No harm was done. The church has also lost some men, but we take care of our own. They have gone to serve with our god, Thaesis, in the afterlife.¡±

    ¡°I hope that is the truth.¡± Commander Basache calmed down and began to relay orders to his lieutenants. ¡°Gather the supplies and repair the damaged wagons. We¡¯ll try to fill the rest of the wagons with the supplies from the broken ones. What we cannot carry, we¡¯ll use or destroy.¡±

    ¡°Then are you saying we¡¯ll stay here for a time?¡± Locke spoke up. He felt responsible for the failure of his people to detect the advance of the enemy.

    ¡°That is the plan.¡±

    ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­¡± A bishop at the side spoke up.

    ¡°Hush.¡± The archbishop silenced his subordinate.

    ¡°If the Church as a better plan, let me hear it. Or would you like to go on ahead without the supply convoy?¡± Commander Basache coldly berated the bishop. Right now the Church of Light was on thin ice.

    ¡°We accept your decision, Commander.¡± The archbishop worked to calm down the mood in the tent. ¡°Then, with this, is there more to say?¡±

    ¡°Next time something like this happens, I expect the templars to help my men. The Church is responsible for these events, so I expect them to put just as much effort in dealing with them.¡± His words held a hidden meaning that everyone in the tent clearly knew without a straightforward answer.

    ¡°I understand.¡± The archbishop assented but added on, ¡°I would like to reiterate that a worse future awaits the continent if she were allowed to go free. Please keep this in mind the risk the Church of Light will be taking if we decrease her guards.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a risk I¡¯m willing to take.¡± Commander Basache wasn¡¯t perturbed by the archbishop¡¯s threat.

    ¡°Then, so be it.¡± The archbishop said and left the tent.

    Once the mood in the tent settled down, the commander turned to Locke and his Forest Stalkers.

    ¡°I expect that the events of today have taught you guys something.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re reflecting on our lapse in concentration. It won¡¯t happen next time.¡± Locke sounded apologetic as he answered.

    ¡°Good. You may leave.¡± Commander had a lot of work to do. He had to account for every fallen soldier and relay the news back to base. He also had to talk to his men.

    Outside the commander¡¯s tent, Locke also berated Yeriel for her failure to detect the enemy in time. Instead, it was the greenhorn, Vincent, which noticed the oddity.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Leader.¡± Yeriel looked tearful as she bowed.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you these days? I feel that you aren¡¯t yourself,¡± lectured Locke.

    ¡°I have no excuse. You may punish me however you wish, Leader.¡±

    ¡°Enough. I still need you for the mission, but when the mission is over, go to the punishment hall.¡± Locke waved her away and left.

    Vincent looked over at Yeriel and felt a bit of pity for her, but when he remembered how she abandoned him, the pity went away.

    ¡°You must hate me, huh?¡± She meekly asked with her head down. ¡°I mean I just left you behind like that. Anyone would act like you.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, alright?¡± She tearfully apologized. Her hands pulled at her vest. ¡°I knew I messed up, so I wanted to warn the camp as soon as possible. I forgot you aren¡¯t like us.¡±

    Vincent felt like her words were reasonable, but he still felt guarded by her pitiful figure. Yeriel wasn¡¯t a character introduced in the novel, but he still remembered a particular girl. She liked to use her beautiful face and acting skills to play men and take advantage of them. The prettier the girl, the more dangerous her fangs.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I accepted these dangers when I accepted the mission.¡± He answered back and returned to his tent to rest. Emet landed on his outstretched arm and cooed softly to comfort him. Yeriel watched him depart and also went off on her own.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    The convoy spent the day treating the injured and repairing the wagons. The battlefield was cleared, and the corpses were buried; the monster carcasses were burnt. The commander and the fallen soldier¡¯s companions paid their respects, and nighttime fell.

    Everyone was on edge ever since the attack. That night, no one slept. The sentries were increased, and everyone was prepared for another night raid, but none came. The next morning hundreds of puffy eyes greeted the morning sun, and the convoy moved out. The caravan left behind a dozen marked graves and a large portion of burnt trees. Vincent saw the consequences of his action of lighting up the leaves to stall the attack. He was glad the fire didn¡¯t spread any further.

    ---

    The rest of the journey was peaceful. Ever since the attack on the first night, they didn¡¯t run into anymore massive coordinate attacks. This might be a sign of relief or maybe the calm before the storm, but Commander Basache didn¡¯t want to find out. He increased the pace of the supply train.

    The convoy finally arrived at the outskirts of Northgard. Off in the distance, a lone castle stood. The ground was matted with dried blood, giving off an air of desolation and death. However, when the castle spotted the caravan, the horns of the castle sounded out. Not long after, the gates of the castle opened, and the convoy was let inside.

    As Vincent passed by the soldiers of Northgard, he felt a crushing pressure assault him. These men were hardened veterans. The church¡¯s men also felt the pressure, and their expressions frowned. Commander Basache left to meet with the logistics officer of the garrison. The rest of the supply troops also began unloading the supplies.

    The Church of Light departed to a different section of the castle, away from the soldiers. Vincent watched as the church¡¯s men left. He kept a close watch on the most luxurious carriage, where the elf princess was riding.

    ¡°C-crown P-prince? Is that you?¡± A shaky voice called out from the side. Vincent turned to look.

    ¡®The crown prince is also here?¡¯ He thought as he looked around. Suddenly, a weathered man approached Vincent.

    ¡°Crown Prince Valencia? You¡¯re alive?!¡± He performed a strange salute and kneeled down, drawing the attention of a few more veterans of Northgard. The majority of the men were confused, but a few more also ran forward.

    ¡°Prince!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡±

    ¡°Bless the heavens!¡±

    Vincent was confused by this point and pulled up the kneeling man.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? I¡¯m not a prince.¡± He coldly asked the man. It looked like the soldier finally came to his senses.

    ¡°What was I doing? You¡¯re too young to be him.¡± He studied Vincent¡¯s face and asked, ¡°Mayhap, I know your name?¡±

    ¡°Me? I¡¯m Vincent Silverlight.¡±

    ¡°Silverlight?!¡± The man studied Vincent''s face one more time before he once more kneeled down, the others behind him also followed. ¡°Greetings to Young Master Silverlight!¡±

    ¡°Just what is going on?¡± Vincent nervously looked around as more and more eyes started to look his way.

    ¡°Young Master. I¡¯ve long wanted to meet you.¡±

    ¡°And you are?¡± Vincent felt incredulous at the strange development.

    ¡°I am Drugal. I served under Grand Marshall Vincent Silverlight.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Vincent¡¯s brows shot up. This man served under his grandfather? Then it all came back to him. The Kingdom of Valencia. The kingdom that fell to the demons after the Goddess of Darkness, Dova, opened up the gates to the demon realm.

    He remembered reading about the lore behind Valencia when the MC journeyed to the north to quell the demons. However, that was much later in the novel. Then wouldn¡¯t that mean that his grandfather was from Valencia? Wouldn¡¯t that make him and his mother a resident of Valencia? What more, his grandfather was the Grand Marshall, the person in charge of all the military of Valencia. His grandfather was also the holder of Aion¡¯s Ring, how could he have fallen so easily? Something about this smelled fishy.

    ¡°Ever since Valencia fell to the demonic invaders, we retreated to Eidolon. However, our loyalty to our kingdom still remains strong, so we''ve decided to stay and keep watch over our border.¡± The soldier explained. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet the descendant of our Grand Marshall. I can see his features in you, Young Master.¡± The man grew tearful as he vehemently shook Vincent¡¯s hand.

    ¡°I-I see.¡± Vincent grew embarrassed as person after person came up to him and shook his hand. He could easily tell that these men were strong. Their aura reminded him of Vice Head Julia Flambert, the crazy fight maniac. Doesn¡¯t this mean that every one of them were equivalent to A-Rank warriors? He felt more secure knowing these men were protecting the northern border of Eidolon. He also felt a bit of pride at the strength of the people of Valencia.

    ¡°Young Master, if you have time, please drop by the barracks in the evening. We must celebrate this fateful encounter.¡± The soldier excitedly plead.

    ¡°If I have time.¡± There was just too much for him to take in right now, so he didn¡¯t give a direct answer.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you there.¡± The man grinned sheepishly and returned to his post along with the rest. Vincent also went to rest in the barracks.

    ¡°Grand Marshall Reginald. The Church of Light humbly thanks you for offering shelter to its followers.¡± The archbishop humbly spoke towards a weathered old man.

    ¡°Did I have much of a choice?¡± Grand Marshall Reginald grumbled. ¡°I¡¯ll say it once again. None of my men will be taking orders from the church. Hurry and do what you came here to do and get out of my sight.¡± He wasn¡¯t subtle in his way of handling relations.

    ¡°Naturally.¡± The archbishop maintained a pleasant smile and left.

    ¡°This damned Church of Light¡­ If they helped during the invasion years ago, would Valencia have fallen? Fucking two-faced twats.¡± Grand Marshall Reginald cursed and returned to his paperwork.

    Grand Marshall Reginald, otherwise known as Duke Reginald. He was a landless noble, tasked with the defense of the north. During the demon invasion nearly two decades before, he held the northern bastion of Northgard against the horde of demons. Even to this day, he and his men have a firm grasp over the region. Many of his men were Valencia¡¯s loyal heroes, and he had gotten close to them over the years and sympathized with their loss.

    The Grand Marshall wasn¡¯t a simple man. He had been serving under the king for over half his life. Now at the ripe old age of 87, he was at the end of his life; a life of war and battles has hastened his aging. Everyone in Eidolon admired this stalwart figure, because of his dedication to the kingdom. Even more, admired his men, the best of the best. Each man was B-rank or above in their class; it was the dream of all soldiers to reach this level of strength. Even though the kingdom had so many powerful soldiers in their army, they were all concentrated in Northgard, but why was this so?

    In Valencia, the demon invaders have set up their homes. After purging the old residents of Valencia, the aristocrats from the demon realm have begun their reign. The only thing stopping them from invading Eidolon was the Emerald Forest and Northgard that blocked the sole safe passage south. If the aristocrats were ever cohesive in their military efforts, they might¡¯ve taken down Northgard already. This thought was what kept Grand Marshall Reginald up at night.

    While the threat of invasion looms over Northgard, the fat pigs in power in the capital were fighting over the succession to the throne. These actions have made Grand Marshall Reginald lose faith in Eidolon¡¯s next generation. He had already extricated himself from the politics of Eidolon and let fate run its course.

    Over the next couple of days, Vincent rested. At one point, he caught a glimpse of the elf princess. She captivated his eyes when he first saw her. She was an exquisite beauty; she had long black hair that reached down to her waist. Her delicate face looked like it was carved from jade. Her dainty nose and thin lips accented her large eyes. But the eyes¡­ Her eyes were devoid of life; they were unfocused as if they stared off into the past.

    ¡°Pack up. We¡¯re moving out tomorrow.¡± Locke commanded his men. Everyone started checking their gear and ammunition. For this mission, they had to climb the Valen Mountains.

    The pilgrimage for elves was unique. It all started because of an ancient legend when the earth was first created. Back when the world was first created, a promise was struck by the earth and the heavens. The earth will support the heavens, and the heavens will protect the earth. The world tree and the spring of life were the manifestations of this promise. The world trees will hold up the heavens; a gift from the earth. The springs of life were the water that rained down from the heavens to nurture and protect the earth.

    The elves were the protectors of this promise. They would travel to and fro from the spring of life and the world tree, watering the tree with the water of life. In return, they are granted the blessing of the tree. This ceremony has lasted since the creation of the world to this day. If the elves ever stop performing the ceremony, the world tree in that region would die, and death will spread all over the land. Every continent had its own world tree and spring of life. This was also the reason why the Church of Light refuses to hunt down all the corrupted elves. They still have a duty to perform.

    The following morning, Vincent looked up over the distant peaks of the Valen Mountains. The spring of life was three days journey away. Upon the dead mountain, there was very little air and no form of vegetation. It was also a dangerous place, because more than likely, the dark elves would attack. However, when he looked over at the elf princess, his resolve solidified.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Move out.¡± Locke commanded, and the pilgrimage began.

 Chapter 37 - Fountain of Life

    The elf princess, Church of Light¡¯s templars, and Forest Stalkers were climbing the Valen Mountains. Two Forest Stalkers were assigned to scout out the path to the world tree, so only four of them joined the Templars.

    The Templars were the Church of Light¡¯s elites. Every Templar was equivalent to A-rank warriors and priests. There was even an S-rank paladin accompanying the group. Vincent was in awe at their display of strength. Next to these warriors of the church, the Forest Stalkers paled in comparison. In total, the party had only twenty people.

    Vincent was stuck as a porter, tasked with carrying the extra supplies because he was the weakest of the group, coming in at C-rank. He brought the overly bulky supplies like bedrolls and sheets. The more essential things like food and water were stored in the their space bags. Even though things have turned out this way, Vincent wasn¡¯t complaining.

    ¡®This is an opportunity for her to escape, but why isn¡¯t she moving?¡¯ Vincent thought as he stared at the docile little girl. She looked no older than Isabel, but yet her eyes were dead.

    The journey was easy because there were no monsters up in the mountains. They only had to watch out for falling rocks. The season was also changing, so everyone was wearing thick cloaks to fight off the cold. Locke, in charge of navigation, was in the lead and using a map. As their elevation increased, the cold got worse. Vincent also felt a bit of pity for the elf princess; she was only dressed in a thin gown and barefoot.

    Vincent took out a cloak and started walking towards the elf princess, but then a hand blocked him. It was Yeriel.

    ¡°Don¡¯t. No one is allowed to approach her.¡± Yeriel shook her head and dissuaded him.

    ¡°Why are they so cruel?¡± muttered Vincent.

    ¡°Cruel?¡± Yeriel sniffed in derision. ¡°The church sees everything dark as corrupt and evil. She¡¯s lucky that they haven¡¯t beheaded her in the name of Thaesis.¡±

    Vincent frowned in anger and put away the cloak. He looked up at Emet that flew high above the clouds. Emet was a storm falcon, they could fly to insane altitudes above the clouds, so he was worried about her.

    As the Templars marched, they had their heads bowed in prayer. The paladin also recited scriptures as he walked; these were devout followers of Thaesis. Faith was stronger in this world because the gods interacted with the mortals and created miracles and sent down prophecies.

    When night came about, the group had made a good start. The experts in the party naturally wouldn¡¯t let Vincent perform sentry duties, so he had plenty of rest at night. In the morning, after a light meal of dry bread and cured meat, they resumed their march.

    There were no monsters or threats on the mountain, but everyone had one hand on their weapons. An attack could come at any time, so they had to be ready.

    The first mountain was quickly passed. The second mountain had a small gorge, but they circled around it. Finally, the party arrived at the base of the third mountain. Near the summit of this mountain was the spring of life. Halfway up the mountain, the incline grew steeper, making it impossible for Vincent and a couple other porters unable to ascend.

    ¡°Alright, take off the packs, I¡¯ll stay here with a couple others and watch our equipment,¡± Locke commanded. He selected a Forest Stalker and two Templars to watch over the equipment. The Templars looked towards their paladin.

    ¡°Do what he says. We won¡¯t be long.¡±

    ¡°By your will, Your Grace.¡± They went over and started sat down in prayer. Locke and the other Forest Stalker began to spread and maintain a perimeter. Locke was also busily charting a course back down the mountain.

    ¡°Then I guess it¡¯s just you and me, Vince.¡± Yeriel calmly said as she patted his shoulder. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see what the spring of life looks like.¡±

    ¡°Me too.¡± Vincent distantly answered and followed the rest of the group up.

    They continued climbing and soon disappeared into the cloud layer. Vincent felt the cold moisture cling to his body as his body started shivering. Everything in their path was slick and wet from the clouds, making their way up dangerous. However, soon they passed through the dense clouds and saw the clear open skies above.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°There it is!¡± A Templar announced as everyone increased their speed.

    Just a dozen meters away was the sole oasis on the dead mountain. A small pool sat in the indentation of the summit. Lush greenery cupped the pond within its palm. Trees on either side of the oasis bore bright ripened fruit. From above, dribbling down into the basin, raindrops trickled down from the sky; they seemed to materialize from thin air as they fell.

    ¡°Praise Thaesis!¡± The templars kneeled in worship. This was a gift from the heavens. They began to recite scriptures. Once they were done, everyone approached the pond. It was like they were back in the kingdom, it was impossible to think that anything grew on this dead mountain.

    ¡°What are these fruits?¡± A Templar asked as he picked up a grape-like fruit that was bright orange.

    ¡°Nothing in the texts tell of these fruits, but I can sense a divinity coming from them. Why don¡¯t we take a few back?¡± Another Templar replied.

    ¡°Do so.¡± The Paladin agreed. While a few templars were busily picking fruits, the elf princess approached the pond.

    The elf princess began to undress. Vincent grew embarrassed and looked away. Yeriel was amused by this and started snickering.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect someone with your face to be so innocent.¡± She toothily grinned.

    ¡°Shut up.¡± Vincent scoffed in reply and turned his attention back to the fruits. He could also feel a strange aura coming from the fruits with this mana sense. He started walking toward the fruits, but then Yeriel stopped him.

    ¡°What is it this time?¡± Vincent asked in an annoyed matter.

    ¡°Just sit and listen.¡± She shushed him and closed her eyes.

    Meanwhile, the elf princess entered the pond and started singing a hymn, it was in a tongue unknown to him. However, he fell into a trance as she sang. When he finally woke up from the illusion, the elf princess was already out and clothed. The paladin, satisfied with the conclusion of the first part started gathering up the party.

    ¡°Have you gathered everything?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± The templars replied. The trees and bushes were devoid of fruits; they have picked everything clean. How greedy were these templars?

    ¡°Then let us return.¡± Just as he said so, a few men started screaming.

    ¡°Uggh!¡±

    Vincent jumped back in shock when he saw a handful of guys starting to vomit. In the vomit, he saw bits and pieces of vibrant fruits. The men continued retching and emptying the contents of their stomach. After their stomachs were empty of fruits, blood was the next to come out.

    ¡°What is going on? By the light of Thaesis!¡± The paladin ran over and help his men up, but it was too late. Everyone that had eaten the fruits had already passed on to the afterlife.

    ¡°Y-your Grace!¡± Another Templar fearfully crawled away. He then took out the fruits he gathered and threw them on the ground, ¡°These fruits are cursed!¡± A few like him also threw away their fruits. They were thankful that they hadn¡¯t consumed the fruits.

    ¡°Nothing in the text spoke of these things.¡± The paladin grimly announced. Then a look of realization dawned on him. ¡°We have to return! Quickly!¡± He hoped they weren¡¯t too late.

    Everyone hastily trudged back down. When they passed through the cloud barrier, they saw a sight that caused them to blanch. Vincent also felt a pit settle down in his stomach when he saw them. At the location of their equipment, five dark elves were cleaning their weapons. The two Templars and Forest Stalkers laid at their feet. Vincent felt his blood run cold when he saw Locke laying behind the lead elf¡¯s feet.

    ¡°There are fewer than before you ascended.¡± The lead elf evilly grinned, ¡°I see you¡¯ve discovered our gift.¡±

    ¡°So it was you.¡± The paladin¡¯s nostrils flared as he took out a hammer and shield from his space bag. The other templars acted in the same fashion.

    ¡°When the fighting starts. Run as far away as you can.¡± Yeriel whispered to Vincent. This was not a fight he could take part; everyone here was at least an A-rank or above. With the loss from before and the people dead at the elves feet, the Templars had only nine against the elves¡¯ five. With the natural strength provide by the world tree¡¯s blessing, they were stronger than each templar typically. This was going to be a tough fight.

    ¡°Kid, take the elf and run.¡± The paladin looked over at Vincent. Even though it might seem pointless, he had to take a chance.

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent saw his opportunity, so he nodded.

    ¡°You think we¡¯ll just let you get away? Kekeke.¡± The lead elf chuckled like a villain. ¡°Die!¡± He threw a dagger at Vincent. Vincent couldn¡¯t react at all, and before he knew it, the knife was right before his eyes.

    *Clang!*

    It bounced off the armored gauntlet of the paladin.

    ¡°Get going, Kid.¡± The Paladin roared and charged at the elves. The templars issued their own cries in reply. The paladin gathered a force inside himself and shouted, ¡°Last Will!¡±

    A strong surge of mana enveloped the area. The elves sneakily backed off, but just as the leader elf stepped away, a dagger plunged into his thigh.

    It was Locke!

    ¡°Kehehe! I¡¯m not going to go down without a fight. Die with me!¡± He let out a laugh that mimicked a guttural sound.

    ¡°You should be dead! Gah!¡± The elf stabbed down, ending Locke¡¯s life. He removed the dagger and ran back, but it was too late. The paladin arrived and slammed down his hammer, creating a thunderous boom and heavily wounding the elf. If it weren¡¯t the divine spell ¡®Last Will¡¯, Locke¡¯s resentful will wouldn¡¯t have come back to life and dealt a decisive strike. The elf cursed his ignorance and fell back behind his comrades.

    Vincent saw his chance and grabbed the elf princess and ran off.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let him get away!¡± The elf leader commanded. A few of the elves started giving chase.

    ¡°Light Protection!¡±

    ¡°Holy Smite!¡±

    The Templars jumped between Vincent and the elves, effectively blocking the pursuers. With his chance, Vincent picked up the docile princess and sprinted off. He didn¡¯t look behind him as the loud booms of fighting and devastating spells clashed. He also didn¡¯t see Yeriel¡¯s eyes that were focused on his back as he ran.

 Chapter 38 - Threes Company

    Vincent ran until he was out of breath. On his back, the elf princess was passively resting. She only tightly clutched the necklace around her neck that contained the water of life. Even though Vincent was carrying another person, he didn¡¯t feel any strain. She was just too light!

    ¡°I can¡¯t go back the way we came, who knows how many elves are lying in wait.¡± But he couldn¡¯t go back south either, it was too far. His only option was the climb down the mountain, down the sheer wall-like cliffs onto the road. He didn¡¯t have a choice, they elves also wouldn¡¯t expect him to do that with only his C-rank capabilities.

    When night came around, Vincent finally arrived at the edge of the cliff. He peered down over the edge and felt dizzy. They were probably more than 100 meters up from the ground. He decided not to overthink it and rest.

    Now that he had some time to think, he looked at the elf princess that just sat there staring off to nowhere. He then took this chance and took out a cloak and draped it over her body. She didn¡¯t show any reaction. He didn¡¯t have shoes fit for her size, so he gave up on that idea. He¡¯ll just carry her anyways.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± He asked.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Can you hear me?¡± He curiously waved his hand in front of her, but she didn¡¯t show any kind of reaction.

    ¡°Hah~¡­¡± Vincent gave up and started rolling out a bedspread. He couldn¡¯t start a fire since he didn¡¯t have anything to use as fuel and he didn¡¯t want to be discovered. For his meal, he took out the same bread and cured meat.

    ¡°Do you want some?¡± He held out the food. After a short pause, the princess took the bread. Vincent smiled softly and also started eating.

    ¡°¡­¡± She stared at him.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s true, all elves are vegans.¡± He finished his meal and then spoke up, ¡°Get some rest, we have a lot of ground to cover tomorrow.¡±

    Vincent then began to plan his route to the world tree. For sure, he wasn¡¯t going to send the elf princess back to the hands of the church. This was too prime an opportunity that he couldn¡¯t miss. He planned to take her straight to the world tree and perform the ceremony. With his help, hopefully, the princess would be grateful and help him in return. After his experience with the dark elves from earlier, he wasn¡¯t too keen on meeting any dark elves before he helped the princess. They were more likely to put an arrow in him and trust him. He stayed up pretty much the whole night guarding the princess.

    The next day, Vincent began experimenting with his magic.

    ¡°Come out.¡± He commanded. He felt a surge of mana form in front of him before a portion of rock protruded outwards. ¡°This will have to do.¡± This was his plan to climb down the mountain.

    He looked over and saw the quiet princess woke up. Even in her half-asleep state, she looked cute. She looked like a demure chick as she sat up.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Vincent asked as he handed her some water to wash up. When they had their breakfast, he then pulled out a rope. ¡°Princess, I¡¯m going to strap you to myself. This is so you won¡¯t fall.¡± Hearing no reply, Vincent went ahead and tied her to his back. Then he approached the cliff.

    ¡°Here goes nothing¡­¡± He closed his eyes and felt the earth mana around him. His will controlled a wisp of the earth mana and directed it to the cliff face. ¡°Come out.¡±

    *Rumble!*

    After a bit of grinding, a mound of rock stuck out. Vincent had made it large enough to be able to support at least three of him. He jumped up and down on the outcropping and stopped after he was satisfied.

    ¡°¡­¡± The princess continued to stare at him.

    ¡°We¡¯ll continue down like this, Princess.¡± He then thought of something and then said, ¡°Tell me if you need anything.¡±

    The journey down took the majority of the morning. Vincent wasn¡¯t tired from using magic since it wasn¡¯t his mana that he was using. However, he was mentally exhausted. It took a lot of concentration to control the wild mana, and he also had to worry about his footing the whole time. By the time he reached the ground below, he was drenched in sweat.

    ¡°Here we go, Princess.¡± He untied her and let her rest too. Throughout the whole ordeal, she had remained docile and quiet. When he was breathlessly sprawled out on the ground, she looked over, but her eyes remained unfocused.

    After his short break, Vincent then took the princess and entered the forest. Being in the forest was safer than on the road. Right now, he couldn¡¯t afford to meet any monsters or humans.

    The plan was to cut across the forest, going straight to the world tree instead of going north to Northgard. However, that plan entails him passing through the woods. He was familiar with the forest, but he wasn¡¯t confident this time around. For the most part, he was traveling with a defenseless girl, and second of all, this time around, he¡¯ll pass very close to the inner region of the forest.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I have much of a choice.¡± He resigned himself to the ordeal and continued.

    The Emerald Forest was home to a wide variety of animals and monsters. For the most part, these creatures stayed away from human contact, but in recent years they¡¯ve begun attacking humans and human settlements. This was true for the southern region of the forest, but perhaps the north wasn¡¯t the same.

    His journey through the forest was uneventful; everything near the corrupted world tree was devoid of life as if the darkness has scared away all living things. He kept his wits about, but for the most part, he concentrated on his breathing. He had more than 30 kilometers to travel. 30 kilometers might seem short, but through uneven terrain filled with monsters would equate to a full day of travel and it was already past noon.

    *Crack*

    Vincent heard the noise and froze in his footsteps. The sound came from just beyond his visual perception.

    *Crack*

    He took out his sword. Having the princess on his back made it impossible to use his bow. Whatever caused the noise wasn¡¯t small. The cracking sound grew closer and closer from behind him. He braced himself, ready to fight a bloody battle.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    ¡°I¡¯ve finally found you.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Yeriel walked into view. She looked injured, limping as she moved. Her armor was torn, and a bloody gash was on her exposed side. He wasn¡¯t sure where her bow went, but she only had on her, a shortsword.

    ¡°It looks like you¡¯re okay.¡± Vincent didn¡¯t know if he should be disappointed that she survived. This meant that his plan was doomed to failure.

    ¡°Just barely¡­¡± She mumbled.

    ¡°Where are the rest?¡± He probed. She was the only person he heard.

    ¡°Dead,¡± announced Yeriel. Her expression was grim.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± His eyes flashed with cold light for a split second. A ruthless idea crawled into his thoughts.

    ¡°Why are you all the way out here?¡± Yeriel also grew wary. ¡°This isn¡¯t the way back to Northgard.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Vincent¡¯s refusal to answer was all it took for her to understand the situation. She stumbled back and hastily drew out her shortsword.

    ¡°Look, Vince, it doesn¡¯t have to be this way.¡± She shakily tried to reason. Right now, she was in no shape to fight against him.

    Vincent didn¡¯t reply and let down the princess.

    *Shhinnnggg*

    He unsheathed his sword. In his palm, mana began to gather.

    ¡°Stop! Stop! Timeout!¡± She held up her hands in surrender.

    ¡°I can¡¯t let you live since you know what I¡¯m about to do.¡± He solidified his resolve and lunged toward her. He launched a gust of wind, throwing the already teetering woman off balance. Then his sword plunged straight at her chest.

    ¡°Damnit!¡± She clenched her jaw and kicked the ground, launching backward, but at the same time tearing open her wounds.

    Vincent didn¡¯t lose his rhythm; he adjusted himself and attacked once more.

    ¡°You leave me no choice.¡± She took out a pill and ingested the medicine.

    *Boom!*

    An invisible burst of power blew Vincent back three steps.

    ¡°Magic? How is it possible?¡± He never sensed any mana coming from Yeriel; this seemed too coincidental. Why was she hiding her abilities?

    ¡°Do you understand now?¡± Yeriel¡¯s voice had taken on a cold edge.

    Vincent looked at her once more and his jaw dropped. Yeriel¡¯s features have noticeably changed. Her once brown hair had turned black. Her eyes were also more sharply angled. The most notable change though was her ears. They elongated and came to a sharp point.

    ¡°Dark elf¡­¡± His brain started throbbing. This explained why she was acting so strange. The elves had a spy placed within the convoy. Even knowing so, Yeriel wasn¡¯t considered friendly. She had wanted him to die.

    ¡°You see?¡± Since her mana was unsealed, her wounds began to heal at a rapid pace. ¡°We¡¯re on the same side.¡±

    ¡°Stay away from me.¡± He threatened. He was like a dog barking at a wolf, what could he do against a dark elf? An adult elf was equivalent to an A-rank; he would be like putty in her hands even if she were injured.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t we all be friends?¡± She smiled as she approached. Vincent threateningly waved his sword around, but his limbs were rigid and refused to obey his brain. ¡°Put down your sword. Let¡¯s talk it out.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Vincent resigned himself. Who was he trying to convince? The matter has grown out of proportion. He angrily cursed to himself at his hopelessness.

    ¡°Good boy.¡± She sidled over to his side, taking the elf princess in her hands. ¡°Princess, we have been waiting ever since Ithvije fell. Today, you have returned to us. With you as our beacon, we will rise once more.¡±

    ¡°Impossible. The church will never allow the dark elves to live peacefully.¡± Vincent argued. He knew how ruthless the Church of Light could be, so how could they let the dark elves live after knowing that their princess has returned to them?

    ¡°They can¡¯t kill what they can¡¯t find.¡± Yeriel¡¯s expression darkened.

    ¡°Do you think living a life hiding in the dark is an acceptable way to live?¡± Vincent scoffed. He had forgotten he originally wanted to take away the dark elves, using them to protect his family from the shadows. After seeing the princess, his way of thinking had changed. He wanted to save her, free her from her fate to be used as a hostage. Most of all, he wanted to see her eyes filled with hope and life because those eyes had reminded him of his previous life.

    ¡°Then are you saying you know a way, a new way of life for our kind?¡± She rebutted threateningly. How can a human child that hasn¡¯t even started growing his hairs tell her how to live?

    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡± Vincent paused; he hadn¡¯t thought it out at all.

    ¡°Please do not give us false hope. Apathy is better than the promise of false hope.¡± Yeriel picked up the princess, ¡°I will let you go because of your good intentions.¡± She got up, ready to leave for the world tree.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Vincent followed her. ¡°Let me help as much as I can.¡±

    ¡°What can you do? You are weak. You are slow; I can move faster on my own.¡±

    ¡°You still need me. You are tired. You need to rest. What¡¯s more, with the two of us, it¡¯ll be easier to convince the church if we happen to chance upon them.¡± The Church of Light most likely have received notice that their paladin has fallen by now.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    It was now Yeriel¡¯s turn to pause. Right now, she was just showing a false display of power. Her health is very fragile at the moment. During the battle on the mountain, she had been struck by the paladin and sustained internal damages.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we rest here for tonight?¡± It was already dusk. They were both tired from the fighting and the running. What¡¯s more, Yeriel had to treat her injuries.

    ¡°Fine.¡± She hesitantly agreed and plopped down the princess. ¡°Start a fire and boil some water. I want to clean my wounds.¡±

    ¡°Start a fire? Here?¡± Vincent wasn¡¯t worried about a forest fire; he didn¡¯t want to attract attention.

    ¡°Do you think any monster dares to face against an elf?¡± Yeriel laughed derisively.

    ¡°That makes sense.¡± Vincent took the pot from Yeriel and poured some water out from her canteen and soon had a fire going. Yeriel undressed at the side, she didn¡¯t see him as the opposite gender as she exposed herself and started cleaning the open wounds.

    Vincent saw a large welt on her ribs, it was gross and deformed. More than likely, her ribs have been broken. Yeriel wrapped up her torso, right now there wasn¡¯t much that could be done until they reached a settlement and have it professionally treated. Vincent felt a hot flush as he sneaked a few glances in Yeriel¡¯s direction. Even though he lived two lives, right now, he was a youth in the midst of puberty.

    ¡°Look all you want, but I don¡¯t see how this could interest you.¡± She mocked her warped features. Ever since the corruption of the world tree, her skin darkened, her hair turned black, and her mana became corrupt just like the tree. The elves were inherently tied to their world tree. Whatever happened to the world tree happened to them.

    ¡°Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.¡± Vincent quoted a line from his past life.

    ¡°You¡­ I bet you¡¯re a gigolo, aren¡¯t you?¡± Yeriel snapped back.

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± He shrugged and started preparing a meal. Since there was a fire, he might as well prepare some stew.

    Soon after, a pleasant smell wafted out into the area. The smell of cured sausage with dried vegetables was so tempting at the moment; even Yeriel drooled at the thought.

    ¡°Give me a bowl.¡± She demanded.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t elves vegan?¡± He turned to look at the princess.

    ¡°Are all humans greedy for power?¡± She shot back. ¡°Now give me a bowl.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Vincent grumbled and spooned out a bowl. When she received her bowl, she began shoveling down the food like a vacuum. Vincent watched at the wonderful display of crudeness. He felt happy inside. Who doesn¡¯t enjoy seeing a person happily eating the food they cooked?

    ¡°You¡¯re a pretty good cook, Vince.¡± She spoke up after gesturing for another bowl.

    ¡°Thanks I suppose.¡± Vincent felt depressed, seeing his stew disappearing before his eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look so down. I acknowledge your abilities.¡± She embarrassedly coughed. ¡°I¡¯ll allow you to travel with us.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Who knew that all he had to do to convince her was cook a simple meal? He just threw what he had into a pot, it wasn¡¯t anything too complicated. He gave up trying to understand dark elves and just began to cook himself another pot.

    ¡°Would you also like the same thing, Princess?¡± Vincent turned and asked.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    She didn¡¯t reply, as expected, but he thought he might¡¯ve seen her head shake. For this pot, he decided not to include meat in it. When the stew was cooked, he handed her a bowl. Although she didn¡¯t say anything, she still picked up the bowl.

    Vincent smiled. ¡°Be careful. It¡¯s hot.¡± He handed her a spoon and then began spooning out his own portion.

    ¡°I also want more.¡± Yeriel complained from the side.

    ¡°Eating too much will give you a stomachache.¡± Vincent rebuked and ignored her complaints. Like so, the three of them rested for the night, preparing for the tough journey tomorrow.

 Chapter 39 - Ithvije

    In the morning, Vincent woke up feeling cold. The weather had gotten colder overnight. His dew-drenched cloak heavily clung to his frame, making him sneeze. Yeriel had already woken up earlier because she had taken the night watch earlier that morning.

    ¡°Princess, are you awake?¡± Vincent gently shook the curled up princess, but his hand froze when he touched her. Through the blanket, he felt her ice-cold body. ¡°Yeriel?!¡± He called out.

    ¡°Did something happen?¡± Yeriel heard the urgency in his tone and jumped down from her perch.

    ¡°Something happened to the princess!¡± He urged her to be faster.

    ¡°What?!¡± She ran over and placed her hand down on the princess. After a momentary pause, she moved away and mumbled.

    ¡°What do you think is happening? Is she in danger?¡± asked Vincent worriedly.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°Let me check.¡± He felt her forehead and felt the heat coming off it. Then he felt her limbs, they were ice cold. Her breathing was rapid, and her cheeks were flushed. This looked like the symptoms of a fever, but she appeared fine just yesterday.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s normal. There¡¯s a strange mana coming from her.¡± Yeriel said.

    Vincent heard her mumblings and also closed his eyes and used his mana sense. It was true! He could see a golden light encased in a black aura inside the princess. Was it a curse?

    ¡°Are you talking about the golden energy that¡¯s being surrounded by dark energy?¡± He asked. Yeriel was shocked by his question.

    ¡°You can also see mana? Are you a mage?¡± She studied him a bit but concluded, ¡°No, your body hasn¡¯t refined the wild mana, but this is intriguing. This deserves further study.¡± Her gaze crawled all over him like a pervert over a young woman.

    ¡°Can we not do this right now?¡± urged Vincent. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is the dark mana, I assume, attacking her body?¡±

    ¡°Pfft!¡± Yeriel scoffed, ¡°As if, it¡¯s the opposite of what you¡¯re thinking.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Vincent cocked his head to the side.

    ¡°She¡¯s probably poisoned by the church¡¯s Sundew Essence.¡±

    ¡°Sundew Essence?¡± Wasn¡¯t Sundew Essence a treasure of the church? It was an extraction of pure light from the sun. The extracted essence could purify any darkness from a creature.

    ¡°Seems like it.¡± The church must¡¯ve given her a bit of it to keep the princess under control. Now that the princess¡¯ powers have waned, the pure light essence has begun to wreak havoc inside her body, since she was now inherently an existence of the darkness.

    ¡°What should we do? How do we get rid of it?¡± Vincent hastily asked. He watched on helplessly as the little girl shivered.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do to remove the poison. We can only have her complete the pilgrimage and restore her powers; only that can keep the Sundew Essence poison at bay.¡±

    ¡°Then we don¡¯t have much time. Let¡¯s get going.¡± Vincent didn¡¯t wait for an answer and tidied up the makeshift campsite.

    With Yeriel by his side, he didn¡¯t worry about any dangers. Elves were the most fearful existences in the forest. As long as they don¡¯t enter the inner forest, no monster would approach them. This made the journey more manageable, but they still took care to keep a watch out for the church¡¯s followers. It was nearing nighttime when they neared the world tree.

    ¡°This is the world tree¡­¡± Vincent commented breathlessly. He had only ever seen the tree from afar. Now that he was so close, he swallowed in anticipation. It felt so surreal, to see something straight out of a fantasy novel, but he was definitely living in one.

    ¡°Shh! Don¡¯t you see those people over there?¡± Yeriel sternly warned.

    They have arrived in the outskirts of Ithvije, the ruined elven city. During the initial corruption of the world tree, the city had fallen to chaos. The burst of dark mana corrupted the weaker-willed elves, and a rebellion occurred. After the uprising, the Church of Light also attacked the city in the name of Thaesis. The already weakened elves weren¡¯t able to hold out, and the city fell within two weeks. Now that Vincent saw the elegant architecture torn by war and destruction, he felt a sense of loss.

    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± He could see a hundred men or so patrolling around the tree, their torches like fireflies in the darkness. The majority of them were concentrated on the platform where the ceremony was held. A bowl-like pedestal formed the site where the water of life should be deposited.

    ¡°¡­¡± Yeriel looked deep in thought.

    ¡°Yeriel?¡± Vincent nervously asked.

    ¡°Shut up, I¡¯m trying to think!¡± Yeriel was frustrated and snapped at him.

    In the darkening land, he could see torches lighting up one after another. The city of Ithvije glowed with a mysterious atmosphere reminiscent of a forbidden world. Vincent wanted to explore this foreign world, but now wasn¡¯t the time, when he looked back at Yeriel, she finally came up with a plan.

    ¡°We will never be able to perform the ceremony with so many of the church¡¯s people guarding the pedestal. We will need a distraction, the bigger, the better.¡±

    ¡°So what do you have in mind?¡±

    ¡°The royal treasury. It should still be intact.¡± Yeriel spoke confidently. ¡°There should be an object in the treasury that will help us.¡±

    ¡°How are you so sure about that?¡± Vincent was skeptical. ¡°It¡¯s been nearly two decades since the city fell. How is the treasury still intact?¡± Even if the church is just and righteous, that doesn¡¯t mean all its members followed the same moral principles.

    ¡°I just know.¡± Yeriel shrugged. ¡°It requires the bloodline of an elven royal to open the vault door. How good are your sneaking skills? We¡¯ll be moving using the cover of darkness.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent eyed her for a bit longer, something still doesn¡¯t add up, but he didn¡¯t have a better plan. ¡°Adequate enough.¡±

    ¡°Good. Then stick close to me.¡± Yeriel picked up the princess and slipped through the shadows into the alleys of the buildings. Vincent stared in awe at her movements, they matched the movements of a cat as she slinked from shadow to shadow. Vincent also quickly followed after her, although his skills weren¡¯t on the level of Yeriel, he should be adept enough not to be noticed by amateurs like the church¡¯s peons.

    As they crept through the ruins of Ithvije, Vincent¡¯s gaze wandered through the nooks and crannies of the dilapidated buildings. The architecture of the elven buildings reminded him of a blend of modern and Victorian styles. The outside of the houses was adorned with elegant swirls and gilded with leaf designs. Each building was as tall as skyscrapers to match the giant evergreens beside them.

    While Vincent was mesmerized by the mysterious beauty of a fantasy land, Yeriel had her own troubles she had to deal with.

    ¡°It¡¯s getting dark, Brother John. I will light a torch for us.¡± A person wearing a set of clean robes announced.

    ¡°Thank you very much, Brother Simon. I¡¯ve been meaning to suggest this notion for a while.¡± John, the man who replied, was dressed in a set of leather armor with a mantle draped over his shoulder to stave off the cold.

    Simon bent over and began rummaging through his bag. A look of success showed on his face as he pulled out a crude stick. He then took out a set of flint and soon got a fire going. However, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a lick of a shadow that didn¡¯t belong to either of the two men. It might¡¯ve been just his imagination, or it might¡¯ve been something else.

    ¡°Brother John!¡± Simon grew alert and waved the torch in the direction where he saw the shadow.

    ¡°Did you find something?¡± John ran over, his hand drawing the sword by his side.

    ¡°I think I saw something out of the corner of my eye.¡± Simon weakly answered. Ithvije was a place of many mysteries and even after the church purged the corrupted elves from inside its walls, there were always stories of their resentment that lingered in the city.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long day, Brother Simon. Ever since we lost contact with Paladin Arcturus¡¯ group, we haven¡¯t had it easy.¡± John reasoned. ¡°Why don¡¯t we do this instead? Let¡¯s gather a few more of our brothers and then search the surrounding buildings?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Simon eyed John closely. It was easy to see that John was also afraid of going alone into the alleyways of the elven buildings. Simon wasn¡¯t going to fault him for that. The ruins were definitely haunted. ¡°Let¡¯s do that. Come on, Brother John.¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    The two churchmen quickly scooted off. In the spot where Simon thought he saw something, a head poked up. Vincent felt his heart pounding like drums; he was almost caught. He was too busy admiring the city and lost focus for a bit there, nearly being caught by the church. Yeriel also angrily stormed over once they have left, in her hand were a pair of daggers, ready to impale the two men as soon as they spotted Vincent.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± Vincent awkwardly apologized.

    ¡°If I didn¡¯t need your assistance, I would¡¯ve left just now.¡± She berated. ¡°Pay more attention next time.¡± She carried the elven princess once more.

    Vincent meekly followed behind.

    ¡®What if they had seen me?¡¯ He questioned himself. He never thought about it. He was technically fighting against the church, if they saw him, how would the church retaliate? Will they target his family? Call them heretics and devil worshippers and sentence them to death?

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t do that. I have to hide my face.¡± He quietly told himself. He quickly fashioned a cloth out of a thin fabric and covered the lower half of his face. He pulled up the hood of his cloak and covered the rest of his head, leaving only a small slit large enough for him to see.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Yeriel asked, just realizing his actions.

    ¡°Hiding my face. I can¡¯t let them see me.¡±

    ¡°Oh? I thought you were prepared to openly oppose the Church of Light.¡± Since Vincent didn¡¯t mention it, she had assumed that Vincent didn¡¯t care if they found out his identity.

    ¡°It was an oversight.¡± Vincent felt a bit of relief knowing that his face was covered and his embarrassed expression wasn¡¯t seen. Like so, their conversation ended, and they quickly crawled through the ruins. It looked like the two men, John and Simon, were oddities that broke off from the main patrols; they were the only two patrolling near the outskirts.

    When Vincent and Yeriel neared the palace, Vincent felt some awe and also sadness. He saw the once magnificent testimony of elven architecture collapsed and in ruins. Half the palace had collapsed. The other half was on the brink of destruction. The church¡¯s men were patrolling around the perimeter of the palace, refusing to enter the rubble that once was the home of the elven royal family. How were Vincent and Yeriel supposed to reach the vault in this state?

    ¡°Where exactly is the vault in this place?¡± Vincent was skeptical, there was nowhere in that rubble that could hold the royal vault.

    ¡°The main path to the vault should¡¯ve collapsed during the battle. However, I know that there¡¯s an alternate path to it.¡± She shifted the princess to her other shoulder and took out a map. The leather-skin map looked worn and faded. ¡°In the rear of the palace walls, there should be a fountain. See here?¡± She pointed to a spot on the blueprint of the palace grounds.

    ¡°You mean to tell me there¡¯s a hidden passageway to the vault?¡± Vincent felt incredulous at the plot device in play. There just had to be another route? Bullshit! ¡°And how do you know this? Where did you get these blueprints?¡±

    ¡°Does it matter at this point?¡± Yeriel looked impatient and stuffed the map away. ¡°The only way to get there is through the gap in the patrol routes. I can make it, but I¡¯m not sure with your speed¡­¡± Her eyes were enough to tell him what she meant.

    ¡°I understand.¡± Vincent blamed poor ability once more. It wasn¡¯t that Vincent was weak, he was stronger than an average man, but compared to monsters like dark elves and templars, he was as defenseless as a newborn chick.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to find another way in.¡± Without waiting for his reply, she dashed off, leaving a gust of wind in her wake, leaving him behind.

    Vincent sat back and studied the groups patrolling the walls of the decrepit palace. There were four groups, each with about four men. Their paths were clear, and they were all in each other¡¯s line of sight due to the design of the palace. Their torches looked like burning wisps in the night as they float back and forth in a mesmerizing fashion.

    ¡°She was right, there really is no room for me to enter.¡± Just as he said so as if by some miracle, two familiar faces ran from the city and approached a group.

    ¡°Brother Charles! We think there might be remnants hiding in the city. Brother Simon said he saw something.¡± John hurriedly called out. They had gotten lost and took the long way to the palace where their patrol group was stationed.

    ¡°Are you sure, Brother John?¡± Charles eyed the two suspiciously. The two were rumored to covet elven-made bobbles and trinkets. ¡°Our orders are to stay here and maintain vigilance.¡±

    ¡°But Brother Charles, there¡¯s evil hidden within the back alleys of these ruins. Don¡¯t you think we¡¯ll earn great merit if we were to vanquish it with our own hands?¡± Brother Simon begged. It¡¯s naturally well-known that great danger also yields great rewards.

    ¡°Brother Simon does have a point. What do the rest of you think we should do?¡± Brother Charles felt confident. He had been stuck in the bottom rung of the church hierarchy for too long, it was always his dream to ascend the ladder and join the Templar Order of the Church of Light. Today might be his chance, and with such a large group, he felt his confidence grow unbounded.

    ¡°I¡¯m for it.¡±

    ¡°Anything but here, this place gives me the creeps.¡±

    ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s go. Brother Simon, Brother John, please lead the way. We¡¯ll find this evil and vanquish it in the name of Thaesis.¡± Charles said as they gathered up their bags.

    From afar, Vincent watched it all played out and didn¡¯t know whether or not he was lucky or unlucky. His mistake from earlier actually helped him. With a break in the patrol, Vincent leisurely approached the crumbled walls of the palace and climbed over to the garden.

    He waded through the knee-length grass to the back of the palace, where a lone fountain stood amongst a graveyard of sculptures. He felt a melancholy drizzle down on him as he passed through the once beautiful garden of Ithvije¡¯s palace.

    ¡°Good, you¡¯re here. I¡¯ve already gotten the hidden door opened.¡± Yeriel popped her head up from behind a giant sculpture of what looked like a unicorn knight. There was an opening where two tiles should¡¯ve been. After telling him to follow, her head disappeared into the darkness.

    Vincent studied the black hole wondering how deep down it was before he dived in after her. Thankfully, it was an incline and not a straight drop as Vincent slid down the ramp until he reached the bottom. The only light now was the moonlight the seeped in from the hole above. Vincent reached back and was about to turn on his lamp, but a hand stopped him.

    ¡°Huh!¡± Vincent stuttered and kicked back in the darkness at the unknown contact.

    ¡°Idiot. It¡¯s me.¡± Yeriel mumbled quietly, assuaging his shock. ¡°Don¡¯t turn on your light yet; we have to go further first or else they might see it.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense,¡± answered Vincent. He almost made another mistake. Even though they were underground, they can¡¯t deny that even a speck of light stands out in the darkness, especially from the palace. Not long after, Vincent finally turned on the lamp and saw the brick-laden walls of the hidden passageway.

    ¡°Just a bit further and we¡¯ll have reached the vault,¡± Yeriel said as she hurried. Her urgency could be seen by her unsteady breathing.

    ¡°Will we really be able to enter the treasure vault? Isn¡¯t the princess comatose? How will she open the door?¡± Vincent questioned.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, she¡¯s only in an unconscious state to reduce the pain of the poison that¡¯s assaulting her body. We can rouse her if needed. How else was she going to perform the ceremony?¡± Yeriel asked.

    ¡°That makes sense.¡± Vincent shut himself up, his curiosity seemed to be provoking Yeriel. Not too long after, they came to a fork in the passageway and Yeriel entered one path.

    ¡°The other path leads to the armory, but that way is blocked.¡± She said without hesitation.

    ¡®The Armory? It¡¯ll be great if I could obtain a few elven-made weaponry.¡¯ Vincent shot a wistful look down that corridor.

    ¡°Don¡¯t expect to find anything in the armory, that place has already been cleared out after the initial invasion of the church,¡± Yeriel said as if she could read his mind. ¡°The rest of the palace is tied to the armory, so they had access from that side.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± Vincent answered, and they resumed their pace. Shortly after, they arrived at a dead end.

    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Yeriel let down the princess and took out some smelling salts from her bag.

    ¡°Here?¡± Vincent looked at the wall in front of them. He was going to say that there wasn¡¯t anything there but stopped himself. This was the city of the elves, he couldn¡¯t use human logic to explain how things are around here.

    ¡°Just wait,¡± Yeriel said and woke up the princess.

    ¡°*Sniff* Kuh!¡± The princess woke up with a cute cough, and groggily sat up. Her limbs were shaking as she curiously looked around.

    ¡°Princess Arya, please, we need your assistance to open the vault to the royal treasury. This is our only chance of saving your life.¡± Yeriel pleaded with the expressionless princess.

    ¡®Princess Arya¡­ So that¡¯s her name.¡± Vincent repeated that name in his mind, intending to memorize it. Meanwhile, Princess Arya looked back and forth between Vincent and Yeriel for quite some time before opening her small mouth to speak.

    ¡°Prithee tell me what of my kin? Dost I sacrifice thine brethren for the mere benefits of breathing a second longer? That is a life for naught. Begone from mine own presence. I wish for peace in mine last moments.¡± Her emotionless words coldly slashed at Vincent¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡°Princess Arya! Do not do this. Even if the royal treasury house powerful artifacts, if we were to take it away, it¡¯ll not fall into the church¡¯s hands, but our own people¡¯s hands. Why do you still refuse to do this after knowing this much?¡± Yeriel kneeled in plight.

    ¡°What of it? Will a war not be waged whence these weapons walk the world? ¡®Twas for the benefit of peace that mine Father sealed them here. Is it not? Art thou a subject loyal to mine Father? If thou hast loyalty still in thy veins, then honor his last wishes.¡± Princess Arya adamantly refused to open the gate and laid back down, resigned to her fate.

    Meanwhile, Vincent¡¯s memories were brought back from his previous life. A life of fear, apathy, and disregard. He died after giving up on himself, what was he supposed to do? His body refused to obey his will. In the end, everyone abandoned him, even himself. Wasn¡¯t Princess Arya, no, this little girl the same way as he was before?

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡± Vincent angrily swore and grabbed her shoulders. ¡°Life is precious! You can¡¯t just give it up so easily!¡±

    ¡°Vince!¡± Yeriel hurriedly got up to separate the two, but Princess Arya motioned for her to stop.

    ¡°Rightfully so. Mine own people¡¯s life art above mine. Whilst I slept in the halls of Thaesis, mine own kin seek refuge from the light. If¡¯t be true, the treasury to be opened and the weapons to be retrieved, then mine own kin would be doomed. That is a fate I cannot allow.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Vincent¡¯s argument began weakening. How was he supposed to argue this point? Princess Arya knew that the dark elves sought revenge if she were to open the vault and retrieve its weapons and armors would there not be another war? It was for this greater good that she refused and would rather let her chance at life disappear.

    ¡°Princess Arya, if you don¡¯t open the vault, a war will begin regardless of whether or not we have the weapons. Just like how you will sacrifice your life for us, we will do the same for you. It¡¯s up to you to decide if we arm ourselves will the artifacts of our kingdom to fight, or we fight using sticks and stones. Regardless, we will fight!¡± Yeriel vengefully shook her fist with determination. Princess Arya froze up for the longest time upon the realization that she cannot prevent the extermination of her people. When this dawned on her, she looked like she aged a few years.

    ¡°Prithee tell me dost thou believe that revenge begets more revenge? An eye for an eye? What would¡¯t accomplish?¡± She bitterly said before breaking out of Vincent¡¯s grasp and approaching the wall. ¡°Weakness, thy name is compassion.¡±

    Vincent felt a surge of mana in the surroundings before hearing a click. What was once a wall of a dead end soon began to move, sliding up like a guillotine before sealing their ultimate fate. Should he enter? If they take out the things from inside the vault, there would be a war between man and elf. Vincent felt an identity crisis upon approaching this dilemma.

    ¡°Our enemy is the Church of Light. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Yeriel said as she picked up the silent Princess Arya and paved the way into the treasury.

 Chapter 40 - Confrontation at the World Tree

    The interior wasn¡¯t all too dark. The magical glow of elven artifacts provided enough light that allowed Vincent to see even without his lamp. He also noticed that instead of the stone wall from the passageway, the inside of the vault was lined with bark. This could only mean one thing¡­

    ¡°Could it be that the vault is inside the world tree?!¡± Vincent gasped in surprise.

    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± responded Yeriel. ¡°The safest place is inside the world tree. Unless someone wants to commit blasphemy by destroying the world tree, everything inside is safe.¡±

    Yeriel was busy storing the essential artifacts within her space bag. Unlike [Inventory], space bags were objects blessed with space magic. They function in the same way as [Inventory], but if they are damaged, their fragile space can tear and spill out its contents.

    ¡°Hrm.¡± Yeriel grimaced. She didn¡¯t have enough room to store all the valuable artifacts. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to make multiple trips. On that note¡­¡± She removed the two daggers from her belt and exchanged it with another pair from a pedestal.

    ¡°What are those?¡± Vincent pointed and ask. He was looking at an ornate bow and a set of arrows that were glowing in the darkness.

    ¡°I was looking for that.¡± Yeriel excitedly skipped over and picked them up. ¡°The bow of Selvyrus. Legend says that he used this bow granted by Goddess Luna to slay the cyclops that were invading from the north.¡±

    Vincent felt envious as he watched Yeriel test out the string of the bow. He wanted to take some things for himself too, but there were two individuals here that could slay him with just a word. Instead, he was fascinated by the books hidden away in the corner of the treasury.

    ¡°Ah, those¡­¡± Yeriel ran over and skimmed over a few titles, ¡°They are just epics of our legends and myths. They aren¡¯t the highest priority right now.¡± She tossed them aside and resumed looting and gathering the valuables of the vault.

    Princess Arya looked resigned as she weakly sat down, her fingers tracing over the painting of an older male elf. Vincent watched as her lips trembled and teardrops rained down from the corners of her eyes. He felt pity for the girl and approached her, wanting to comfort her.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± He awkwardly asked. Of course, she wasn¡¯t okay, but he didn¡¯t know how to comfort a girl!

    ¡°*Sniff* Dost thou want to take a gander at mine own folly? What can I do but shed tears of regret? I cannot live nor can I die? What is mine life worth if¡¯t be useless to humour mine kin?¡±

    Vincent studied the helpless girl and sat down next to her. ¡°I can¡¯t empathize with you since I am not a royal nor have I lost everything. But I can say one thing.¡± He placed his hand over his heart, ¡°Even if you think you have lost everything, remember that there is still someone that believes in you. That person is yourself. If you abandoned even yourself, then you will have truly lost everything.¡±

    Princess Arya looked up at Vincent. Through her teary eyes, she managed to make out a calm youth that was a fraction of her age, yet who had more wisdom. She watched as he lightly reached over and patted her head.

    ¡°Even when you stop believing in yourself, I¡¯ll believe in you. Once this is over, you can convince your people. I refuse to believe that the people willing to die for you will refuse to listen to your words. You can only do this if you¡¯re alive. Live on. You must live on.¡± He urged her as he patted her head.

    ¡°Uuu~¡± Princess Arya didn¡¯t know why but tears continued to flow down her cheeks, even stronger than before. She leaned on his shoulder and cried, letting out her resentment and pain that had been locked away for nearly the past two decades. Vincent sat there and silently patted her head.

    ¡°What are you doing to Princess Arya?¡± Yeriel finally came back after gathering the artifacts. She had exchanged her leather gear with a shinier set that looked like velvet. Something about the armor told him that this material was even stronger than steel despite its appearance.

    ¡°She¡¯s been through a lot, let her rest a bit,¡± Vincent said as he felt her breathing calm down.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this. The longer the poison acts inside her, the weaker she will become. We have to act now while she can still perform the ceremony.¡± Yeriel reached behind her and pulled out a pendant, ¡°Here, a small gift for your help.¡± Then she handed a horn over, ¡°Also, use this once we¡¯re outside.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Vincent asked, his mind trying to work out what kind of weapon it was.

    ¡°It¡¯s a horn. You blow into it.¡± Yeriel picked up the princess, and they both left the vault.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t a horn be the last thing we want to use?¡± argued Vincent.

    ¡°That would be the case if it weren¡¯t for the fact that this artifact is the Horn of Faerin.¡± Yeriel said. ¡°During Faerin¡¯s rule, he made a pact with the treants of Emerald Forest. He was given three favors by the treants in exchange for saving their elder with a drop of sap from the world tree. Through the ages, we have used up two of those favors. The first time was when the cyclops from the north invaded Emerald Forest. The second time was to fight the Church of Light.¡±

    ¡°And this will be the final favor.¡± Vincent grasped the horn tightly and tucked it away. ¡°What about this pendant?¡± Vincent asked.

    ¡°This artifact is our gift to you. Princess Arya, you wouldn¡¯t mind that, would you?¡± Yeriel questioned.

    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Princess Arya assented after quick consideration.

    ¡°Then let me explain. Eleanora¡¯s Tear is the name of that pendant. With it, it¡¯ll allow you to absorb the wild mana better and purify it at a faster rate. It also functions as a container for refined mana. I can see that you¡¯ve only started to unlock the first gate. With this, you¡¯ll open it much faster.¡±

    ¡°The first gate?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, humans don¡¯t refer to it that way.¡± Yeriel scratched her head in thought before saying, ¡°Basically, it¡¯ll help you break through the chains of mediocrity. You¡¯ll be able to become stronger.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Vincent then quickly wore the pendant, watching it glow with a blue hue in the lamplight.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±

    The three of them quickly left the tunnel, once they reached the outside, Vincent stowed his lamp. He watched as Yeriel replaced the tiles at the base of the unicorn knight statue. Princess Arya regained her bearing and once more assumed a stoic face, albeit this time she was continually observing Vincent.

    ¡°The plan now is to use the horn to call the treants?¡± Vincent asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s the plan. So I need you to go back to the city outskirts before blowing the horn.¡± Yeriel nodded.

    ¡°So you want me to create a distraction that will lead the church¡¯s men away? I can do that, but are you sure the treants will listen to me?¡± He wasn¡¯t even sure if they will come if he blew the horn.

    ¡°¡­¡± Yeriel looked perplexed before saying, ¡°You¡¯re right. We can¡¯t take that risk.¡± Without another word, she took the Horn of Faerin from him and took a deep breath before placing her lips on the horn.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°BLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU~!¡±

    The siren-like noise brought chills to Vincent¡¯s skin. The noise that followed the horn was a loud rustling in the trees as rumbling noises caused vibrations on the ground.

    ¡°The treants have awakened. Let¡¯s go. The whole church should be coming this way.¡± Yeriel picked up Princess Arya and dashed away.

    Meanwhile, Archbishop Lectival was busy worrying about the outcome of Paladin Arcturus¡¯ group. He held a life crystal that was tied to Paladin Arcturus¡¯ life force. Right now, the crystal had dimmed, and that did not bode well. Since then, he had moved the church to the site of the world tree and stood guard. On this particular night, he was awaiting news from the Pope when he heard a horn blow off in the distance.

    ¡°Archbishop Lectival, a war horn has just sounded from the direction of the royal palace. What should we do?¡± asked a templar.

    Archbishop Lectival set down the dim life crystal and responded, ¡°Send a detachment to investigate the site. I¡¯ll have my men deploy around the basin of the world tree.¡± What he had feared had come. He had to accept that Paladin Arcturus had failed in his duty, and it was now up to him to prevent the dark elves from rising.

    ¡°Hurry!¡± Yeriel urgently whispered as they sprinted away from the palace walls. Vincent closely followed as well as he can, but it was hard to run in the dark, especially while navigating around the rubble. Somehow he still managed to do it.

    Yeriel and Vincent retreated to a safe distance and watched as dozens of torches converged around the palace. The torches quickly scattered and dug all around the palace grounds.

    ¡°Since the plan has changed, we¡¯re going to have to think on our feet.¡± Yeriel handed over Princess Arya. Vincent was surprised by the sudden burden, but when he received the girl, she felt as light as a woodland critter.

    ¡°What do we do then?¡± He asked as he adjusted the princess to a more comfortable position.

    ¡°I originally wanted you to lead them away from the world tree, but it seems they are smarter than I expected.¡± Yeriel watched as the templars stayed around the site of the ceremony. ¡°The weaklings will have their hands full dealing with the treants coming in from the outskirts. I¡¯ll draw the church templars away from the pedestal; you will bring the princess to perform the ceremony. Got it?¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡± Vincent nodded, and they quickly split up. Vincent hid in the dark as he slowly approached the location. The templars also knew that something was going to happen soon so they lit up the whole area before drawing their weapons.

    Vincent arrived in position and as if right on cue, a handful of light arrows shot out from the darkness, instantly killing their targets.

    ¡°They¡¯re attacking from the west! Move!¡± The templars picked up their blades and charged west towards Yeriel. She continued to shoot, each arrow impaling an unlucky fellow as they approached.

    A few templars stayed behind, but after witnessing their brothers falling to the assailant in the dark, they angrily gripped their weapons and ran after them. They quickly checked to see how their fallen brothers were faring, but after confirming that they no longer drew breath, they followed after the main force.

    ¡°Now¡¯s our chance,¡± Vincent whispered and began to gather mana. He felt the steady breath of the wind in the surroundings. With a flick of his wrist, the torches in the surroundings were blown out. Vincent didn¡¯t wait another moment and dashed for the platform. It might be because Yeriel was an excellent distraction because Vincent and Princess Arya faced no obstruction on their way to the pedestal.

    ¡°Hurry, Princess. I¡¯ll guard you while you perform the ceremony.¡± Vincent let down the Princess and drew his bow, prepared to defend her.

    ¡°¡­¡± Princess Arya stared at him for a moment longer before turning around. ¡°With the Heavens as my witness and the Earth as my pledge. I have come to confirm the promise between both worlds¡­¡± She began to chant as she pulled out the Water of Life and deposited it into the basin.

    *Woosh!*

    A surge of wind blew off Vincent¡¯s hood off as he stared up at the tree. The world tree began to glow with a golden light as mana began seeping out of it. The vibrant life mana caused a plethora of growth as the plants in the surrounding began to thrive. It was like rainfall after a long drought, the forest came alive and reveled in the abundant mana. Princess Arya was also the same, she closed her eyes and began to manipulate the mana, gathering it. However just at the moment¡­

    *BOOM!*

    ¡°Guahh!¡± Vincent crumpled down in pain as a terrifying blast of dark mana spewed out the world tree. Princess Arya also knit her brows in concern and tried to break away from the connection.

    ¡°Kyaa!¡± A powerful blow knocked Princess Arya over.

    ¡°Did we fail?¡± Vincent weakly muttered as he crawled over to check if Princess Arya was alright.

    ¡°Kukukuku!¡± A sinister laugh echoed from beside them.

    ¡°Yeriel?¡± Vincent was puzzled. Wasn¡¯t she busy distracting the templars?

    ¡°I¡¯ve finally obtained it.¡± She chuckled as she reached out. A vacuum effect occurred as Vincent witnessed the dark mana being drawn into Yeriel.

    ¡°Damnit! We¡¯re too late!¡± A few of the surviving templars hobbled back to the area. They looked like they had just returned from war.

    ¡°Young man! Stop her before it¡¯s too late!¡± A bishop yelled out as he began to chant magic.

    ¡°What?¡± Vincent felt puzzled. His brain couldn¡¯t process what¡¯s happening, but what he could tell, was that Yeriel had hurt Princess Arya. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Vincent got up and approached Yeriel, intending to get the answer out of her.

    ¡°Back off!¡± Yeriel sneered, and a burst of dark mana blew Princess Arya off the platform. ¡°Be a good sheep and wait your turn to be slaughtered.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± A priest cried as the ominous dark mana gradually disappeared inside of Yeriel.

    ¡°Thaesis has decreed that evil shall be vanquished, Holy Smite!¡±

    *Boom!*

    A burst of light shot from the sky, burning away the hazy dark mana floating in the air. The beam of light then struck Yeriel, burning away a great deal of her armor. Even the elven armor cannot protect her from the spell of a holy archbishop.

    ¡°NOOOO!¡± Yeriel shrieked in anger. She had only managed to absorb three-quarters of the ominous mana. Someone had interrupted her at the crucial moment.

    ¡°Archbishop Lectival, you¡¯re here!¡±

    ¡°Thank Thaesis. We¡¯re saved.¡±

    The templars cried in relief as an old man dressed in a set of white and gold approached. He was sandwiched on both sides by the elite templars of the church. They all glowed with magic that lit up the area as they walked.

    ¡°It seems I was too late.¡± Archbishop Lectival murmured.

    ¡°You¡¯ve ruined all my work.¡± Yeriel looked crestfallen as she stood there, glaring daggers at the archbishop. ¡°I¡¯ll have your head for that.¡± She announced as a cocoon of darkness enveloped her.

    ¡°Child of the World Tree, you have fallen from Thaesis¡¯ grace. Repent now, and you may still be saved.¡± Archbishop Lectival responded and began to gather his mana once more for another spell.

    ¡°Repent? Hahaha! Why should I repent?¡± She scoffed.

    ¡°Do you not fear the wrath of Thaesis?¡±

    ¡°Why should I fear Thaesis?¡± She began to chuckle creepily and reached into her bag and pulled out a white mask. When Vincent saw the mask, he thought he felt Aion¡¯s Ring quiver slightly, but it might¡¯ve just been his imagination. Vincent quietly peered over at the Church of Light¡¯s group and saw their confused expressions. However, their archbishop was different. His eyes were stuck wide open, and his mouth opened and closed in astonishment.

    ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­ Can it?¡± Archbishop pointed at the mask.

    ¡°What do you think this is? Ha!¡± She laughed as she put on the mask.

    ¡°The mask of the Godslayer!¡± Archbishop lost his composure and roared out, ¡°How can you be here?! Thaesis hear my plea! Send me your soldier in hopes that I vanquish this great evil from this land!¡± He lifted up a rosary while chanting. As soon as he finished, the rosary crumbled down into dust.

    ¡°You think an angel will save you? I¡¯d like to see you try.¡± She laughed and watched as the night sky lit up like day time. The clouds in the sky parted as an angelic figure flew down from above. The white wings of the angel spread open like a cover of light as it descended. The odd happening around the world tree was witnessed by the soldiers of Northgard along with the scouts of the demon army in the north.

    ¡°Lord Reginald, something seems to be happening at the location of the world tree. Should we send a squad to scout it out?" A retainer asked the Grand Marshall.

    ¡°No, whatever happens, is not our problem.¡± The Grand Marshall answered. He could not afford to weaken his forces. ¡°Put your men on standby, we might have a battle on our hands soon.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Sir!¡± The retainer saluted and hurriedly left the office.

    ¡°If the damned church had helped Valencia in her time of need, Valencia would¡¯ve never fallen. Don¡¯t expect a damn thing from me.¡± Grand Marshall Reginald cursed under his breath as he turned away from the window.

    Elsewhere in the northern tundra, a hog rider rode into camp.

    ¡°Lord Xishol, the world tree has begun spewing out dark energy. There also seems to be the Church of Light at the base of the world tree.¡± The hobgoblin dismounted and kneeled as he relayed the information.

    A pale-faced man sat on a throne of skull and bones, drinking from a goblet filled with blood. His scarlet eyes looked down at the messenger below his feet. He set down the goblet and asked, ¡°How goes the war with Northgard? Has that pig, Barthom, made any progress?¡±

    ¡°Lord Barthom has been requesting for support from the other Lords, but none have responded to his call. At this rate, there won¡¯t be any progress at all.¡± An ogre by the side responded.

    ¡°Send a messenger,¡± Lord Xishal began. ¡°Tell Barthom that I¡¯m willing to lend my aid in exchange for twenty of his finest virgins.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Milord!¡± The hobgoblin quickly left on his hog.

    ¡°No matter Barthom¡¯s reply, have the troops sharpen their blades.¡± Lord Xishol commanded and returned to his meal.

 Chapter 41 - I am the Godslayer

    Vincent retreated away from the clearing, after seeing the tension building up between Yeriel and the Church of Light. On one side, Yeriel was dressed in a provocative set of garments created by the darkness wrapping around her body. The situation was too dangerous for him to remark at how much fanservice this world was given. Archbishop Lectival and his templars were at the other end of the spectrum. The angel had its face covered and was wearing a robe tied at the waist with a sword belt. No matter how he looked at it, the Church of Light was the stronger force, but they were shivering in fear.

    ¡°Ever since she pulled out that mask, the Archbishop¡¯s expression had changed. He mentioned Godslayer? Did Yeriel have such a reputation?¡± Vincent questioned, he tried to rouse the unconscious princess in his arms, but she didn¡¯t respond. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Whichever side wins will be bad for us; we have to get away from here.¡±

    ¡°I recall that the Godslayer was a man. Why are you in possession of his mask?¡± Archbishop wanted to understand the inconsistency. It has been almost two decades since the Godslayer disappeared.

    The mask that Yeriel was wearing had no distinctive features aside from a blue gem on its forehead. Yeriel¡¯s black irises from behind the two slits of the mask showed a sinister fury as she laughed in derision.

    ¡°Why is it so surprising? I slew the Godslayer and took my trophy.¡± She lifted up her arms as her shadow spread wide despite the sunlight from the angel.

    ¡°You? Took down the Godslayer? Don¡¯t jest with me, spawn of Darkness.¡± The archbishop motioned for his templars to attack. Bright flashes of light shined as their armors lit up with runes.

    The angel was the first to act as it spread its wings in righteous elegance and dashed at Yeriel. A trail of light followed behind.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Yeriel sunk into her shadow and dodged the initial strike. Then she popped up behind the angel with the twin daggers she picked up in the vault. The metal clang echoed out as they bounce off the angel¡¯s armored wings.

    ¡°Just give up and repent,¡± Archbishop demanded as his templars broke forward, storming toward her back while the angel attacked from the front.

    ¡°Rise up,¡± Yeriel shouted. As if on demand, dark shadows broke through the ground like the walking dead, grabbing on to the legs of the templars.

    ¡°Impossible!¡±

    ¡°Thaesis guide me!¡± A templar chopped at the black arm, the light on his blade searing the black mass and issuing a resounding hiss.

    More and more shadow warriors began crawling up from below, threatening to overwhelm the templars. With more room to maneuver, Yeriel returned her attention to the angel. The angel was twice her size, but nothing about it was slow; it moved at her speed with the help of its wings.

    Yeriel parried a stab aimed at her chest and slid up the blade, threatening to close in, preventing the angel from attacking. However, the angel countered with a swift flourish of its wings, leaping back. Then it began to gather mana and aiming its palm towards her.

    ¡°Light Prism!¡±

    A mirror encased Yeriel, trapping her inside.

    *Boom!*

    The angel shot a beam of light right at the prism, shattering it like glass. A cloud of smoke erupted as the ground blew up from the attack. Swiftly, the angel charged forward once more without a care for the smoke.

    ¡°Fuck!¡±

    Yeriel shot out from the smoke like a bullet with the angel in hot pursuit. Her arms flexed as she reared back and threw something at the approaching angel. The object reflected the angel¡¯s light before it could recognize what it was¡­

    *Clink!*

    The flask shattered, spilling out a black liquid. The angel reacted by shielding itself with its metallic wings.

    ¡°KIEEEEEEEEK!¡± The angel shrieked out in pain as the corrosive liquid burnt through its wings. It then fell onto the ground, rolling around to wipe away the liquid. To no avail, the liquid stayed on, and Yeriel watched as the holes in the angel¡¯s wings widened.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see you try to fly again.¡± She capitalized on her advantage and pulled out the bow of Selvyrus and began firing light arrows at the downed angel.

    ¡°Greater Heal!¡± Archbishop shouted. In reply, the holes in the angel¡¯s wings quickly filled out once again with feathers. ¡°You¡¯ll have to do better than that.¡±

    With the archbishop as support, the angel didn¡¯t have much fear as it struck at Yeriel repeatedly. Yeriel watched as the templars quickly regained their composure and began methodically smiting down her shadows.

    *Bam!*

    ¡°Guh!¡± A shoulder tackle knocked Yeriel back. A black welt formed on her now pale chest. The stark contrast of black and white left behind a devilish urge to dominate the woman to any observers.

    *Boom! Boom! Boom!*

    Loud explosions echoed out from further beyond the clearing. The treants have finally arrived. They crushed walls and buildings like giants walking over the earth. The bottom-rung church warriors were like mice as they stabbed the treants with toothpicks of metal.

    ¡°Kuhuhu. You better hurry if you want to stop me here today. They¡¯re coming.¡± Yeriel laughed derisively. She had been on the defensive because she couldn¡¯t run and also because she was waiting for assistance from the treants.

    ¡°Holy Soldier of Thaesis, I plead thee! We must smite down this evil with haste!¡± Archbishop also felt the urgency and quickly began casting support magic on the angel. As if on command, the angel¡¯s sword began glowing with white light.

    *Kuoong!*

    The blade split in two, the angel was now wielding dual swords. A pair of glowing eyes lit up from under the dark hood. Yeriel replied by withdrawing a small pendant from her bag.

    *Clang!*

    Two swords struck down, threatening to shred their target into piles of flesh. Just as they were about to hit, a barrier appeared, negating all force.

    ¡°Dark Severance.¡±

    *Swish!*

    Yeriel¡¯s daggers slashed forward, drawing blood for the first time in the battle. The angel failed to defend itself in time, taking a hit to its chest.

    *Boom!*

    ¡°Archbishop! Our men have been routed. The trees have come alive. Great resentment from the dead elves has roused the forest to attack us. What are your orders?!¡± A messenger ran in from the south where the treants were attacking from.

    ¡°¡­¡± Archbishop looked impatient. ¡°Hold them off as long as you can. We cannot let the Godslayer escape. Especially if she¡¯s a dark elf.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡± The messenger saluted and ran off. Just as he rounded the corner¡­

    ¡°Kuaack!¡±

    A branch impaled the messenger, instantly killing him.

    ¡°Krrrrk!¡±

    A creaking noise echoed out from the surrounding. A towering humanoid tree as tall as three men peered around the corner. On its body were marks and damaged that were inflicted by steel swords and basic magic spells. What¡¯s most remarkable, though were the bloodstains all over its body. After the first treant appeared, another followed. They were too late.

    ¡°Time''s up. Kuahaha!¡± Yeriel laughed gleefully and recalled her shadow warriors. Immediately upon retracting her shadows, her presence became heavier.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Treants are creatures of nature. How can they work with these corrupt beings?!¡± Archbishop was about to curse, but instead quickly ordered his men to change targets and attack the treants. There were only five treants in total, but they were more than enough to handle the twenty-odd templars that remained standing.

    ¡°Here I come.¡± Yeriel¡¯s wounds began regenerating at a visible pace. Finally, she launched a flurry of rapid attacks at the angel. Even with two blades to defend itself, wounds kept appearing one after another on the angel. Golden blood poured down from the sky as the two figures of white and black fought.

    ¡°Kiieeeek!¡±

    An attack snuck through its defenses, knocking the angel from the sky. A black gash appeared on its robe as a black mist emanated from the wound.

    ¡°Greater Heal!¡±

    The wound began recovering, but then stopped. The black mist prevented the healing spell from working.

    ¡°That ability! The Goddess of Darkness, Dova¡¯s blessing!¡± Archbishop Lectival¡¯s heart sunk to the pit of his stomach. Things might be getting out of hand at this point. If only Paladin Arcturus were here, they would¡¯ve easily handled Yeriel.

    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough playing around, time to die!¡± Yeriel bolstered her efforts and attacked once more. She left wound after wound on the angel. After taking each hit, the angel weakened further and further. The dark mana in the surroundings began gathering, preventing the sunlight of the heavens from reaching the angel.

    The angel¡¯s light began to dim.

    ¡°Divine intervention!¡±

    *BOOM!*

    The sky exploded as the black mist in the sky tore open once more. The light struck down on the angel.

    ¡°Gah!¡± Yeriel shirked back in pain as a hiss sounded out from her burnt forearm. However, the wound quickly healed after a few seconds.

    ¡°Take this, Holy Soldier!¡± Archbishop Lectival threw out a bottle of shining liquid. Sundew Essence, the treasure of the Church of Light.

    The angel, under the protective light of Divine Intervention, uncorked the bottle and gulped down its contents.

    *Zing!*

    The black mist disappeared from its body, vanquished by the pure energy of the sun. The angel and Yeriel were getting ready for phase two of their battle, but it was too late.

    ¡°My apologies, Archbishop¡­¡± A templar cried out as he got crushed by the remaining treant. The battle on their side had turned for the worse. They managed to slay four of the treants and heavily wounding the last one, but they all died in the process.

    ¡°¡­¡± Archbishop knelt down by his dying subordinate¡¯s side. The lower half of his body was crushed, and he was losing too much blood. ¡°Rest my brother. Thaesis will guide you to the afterlife.¡± He looked over at the treant and began chanting.

    The angel stoically raised its weapons at Yeriel.

    *Clang!*

    The exchange between the two blades happened again. The angel gave up its defenses and focused on dealing as much damage as it could, fully intent on sacrificing itself. Archbishop Lectival wasn¡¯t having a good time either; he was a supporting caster and used spells under the teachings of Thaesis. Treants were creatures of nature, so the light that burnt the unholy and corrupt wasn¡¯t effective against the treants.

    ¡°It looks like the fight is ending soon.¡± Vincent looked grim. He continued to run away from the world tree, but he was finding it harder and harder to escape. The damage caused by the two monsters fighting in the air had torn away a lot of the surrounding buildings. He was always on his toes to stay clear of the residual damage from the fight.

    ¡°Holy Smite!¡± Archbishop Lectival shouted once more.

    *Boom!*

    The treant fell over.

    ¡°Kiieek!¡±

    *Bam!*

    The angel fell out of the sky. The handle of Yeriel¡¯s daggers dripped golden blood as she descended onto the ground. The angel struggled to stand up, its wings fluttering uselessly.

    *Chak. Chak. Chak.*

    Yeriel slowly approached the angel, her footsteps echoed out like the bells of execution.

    ¡°No!¡± Archbishop shouted, but it was too late.

    *Kachak!*

    ¡°KIIII...¡± The dagger plunged into the struggling angel¡¯s throat, a bloody gurgling could be heard as the angel tried to shove away its killer.

    ¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡± Archbishop sank down, the life in his eyes withered away.

    ¡°Kuah~¡± Yeriel sighed in relief. She expended a great deal of energy fighting tonight. If it weren¡¯t for the power granted by the corrupted world tree, she would¡¯ve never have won. She watched as the glow radiating from the angel slowly faded. She took her prize and collected the golden blood into a glass bottle.

    ¡°This is the strength of the Godslayer¡­¡± Archbishop Lectival sighed and resigned himself to his fate.

    ¡°Watch carefully, Minion of Thaesis. Today I slew his angel. Come tomorrow, I¡¯ll have his head.¡± Yeriel walked over to the now despairing priest.

    ¡°You won¡¯t get away with this. The world now knows the Godslayer walks the land once more. You¡¯ll never have another peaceful day.¡± Archbishop Lectival threatened as a pair of hands grasped his throat.

    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± Yeriel snickered and tightened her grip.

    *Kuluk.*

    A cracking sound resounded out, the man jerked violently and limply fell down.

    Yeriel stood up and surveyed her surroundings. The battle between her and the Church of Light devastated the whole area. Many buildings laid in ruins, bodies were strewn all over the place. The lifeless angel also began dissipating into dust. Thaesis has begun recalling his holy warriors and servants.

    ¡°Now where''re the two little mice?¡± She hummed playfully. Since the process was interrupted midway, she wanted to redo the ceremony. Yeriel closed her eyes, her shadow once more enlarged and engulfed the whole area, spreading outwards towards the rest of the city.

    ¡°Shit!¡± Vincent cursed under his breath, he saw the moonlight disappear as a wave of darkness swallowed up the city.

    ¡°Found you~!¡±

    *Woosh!*

    A gust of wind blew as a figure appeared in the sky above his head.

    ¡°What do you want with us? You got what you want, right?¡± Vincent yelled out, his feet shuffling backward.

    Yeriel descended as tendrils of darkness latched on to his body, separating Vincent and Princess Arya. She traced over the princess with a wistful look in her eyes then looked over at Vincent.

    ¡°I only want the princess; she¡¯s my key to unimaginable power. You however, are expendable.¡± She laughed and walked over to Vincent.

    ¡°Guh!¡± Vincent flinched when she gripped his face. Although he was afraid, he was furious inside. ¡°Everything you¡¯ve done so far, was it only so you could obtain this evil power? What about the promise of saving the princess? Saving the elves of Emerald Forest?¡±

    ¡°How cute.¡± Yeriel giggled and patted his cheek. ¡°You are still a fledgling and don¡¯t understand that there are all kinds of people in this world. And the elves? What of them? They are weaklings not unlike all mortal creatures on this earth.¡±

    ¡°Then tell me¡­ You spent nearly two decades plotting all this just to obtain power?¡± Vincent was unconvinced, there must be some deeper meaning behind her actions. He at least wanted to understand her motives before dying. He was too angry over the betrayal to even think about the notion of death.

    ¡°Kuhahaha¡­ Two decades?!¡± Yeriel chuckled and took off the mask. ¡°You thought I spent two decades to come up with this plan?¡± Her shoulders shook as if she couldn¡¯t hold back her laughter anymore. ¡°One century.¡± She held up a finger, ¡°I had planned this for one whole century before everything arrived at this point.¡±

    ¡°One century¡­¡± Vincent¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°T-that can¡¯t be! That would mean¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± She evilly grinned, ¡°It was I who tainted the world tree. Everything all started with me. The fall of the elves of Emerald Forest. The invasion of the Church of Light. The demon portals of Valencia. It all began with me.¡± She laughed as she reminisced of the past. ¡°Even the fall of the previous Godslayer.¡±

    *Shiing~*

    Vincent felt Aion¡¯s ring shiver.

    ¡°Do you know why I did all this?¡± She angrily gripped Vincent¡¯s neck. ¡°Revenge!¡± Her eyes shot daggers at him. ¡°When the cyclops were invading from the north, the royal family sent my father to die. He alone stood on the battlefield as the royal family escaped inside the walled city. Have you ever seen your own father butchered before your very eyes? I called for help from every one of his friends, but they all turned me away at the door.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent looked on, he felt her grip steadily tightening around his throat.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I swore that day. I would have my revenge on everyone. The people of Valencia that herded the cyclops to the borders of Ithvije were at fault. The royal family was also at fault for abandoning my father. In my time of need, only one person¡­ No. One entity answered my prayers.  My Goddess Dova, she promised me power. Power, strong enough to seek my revenge.¡±

    ¡°Guh!¡± Vincent struggled to breathe.

    ¡°That¡¯s why¡­¡± She released him. ¡°I find you quite cute.¡± She cupped his head in her palms. ¡°Your eyes have the look of someone that has given up once before and yet here you are so lively and full of zeal. It makes me want to blacken that bright soul. Corrupt it under the shroud of darkness.¡±

    Vincent shivered when he felt the intentions behind her words. Her captivating eyes were beckoning him to jump into the abyss. He finally noticed how intimate their position was. Her luscious red lips in stark contrast to her pale skin.

    ¡°Join me, Vince.  Goddess Dova can give you unimaginable power. With it, you will no longer feel helpless.¡± Her words were smooth like silk as she crooned into his ear. Vincent felt his breathing quicken as her devilish smile closed in, threatening to suck out his soul and seal his fate. His mind began to grow hazy, it might be from a spell, but he didn¡¯t feel any mana being emitted by her.

    ¡°I¡­¡± He struggled to answer, his mind growing hazier by the second. ¡°I¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it. Submit to me. Submit to Dova¡­¡± She smiled as she watched the young man in her arms, slowly losing consciousness. Finally, Vincent closed his eyes.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Fearless even in the face of death. My goddess will appreciate this offering.¡± She placed the mask back on her face, getting ready to leave the area.

    ¡°Freeze.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Yeriel turned around in shock. The supposedly unconscious youth coldly spoke out. Yeriel felt her heartbeat skip when she heard the voice. The authoritative voice had no resemblance to the youth of under two decades old. Instead, it sounded like a king that stood at the top of the world.

    *BOOM!*

    ¡°Kyaaah!¡± A terrifying force blew Yeriel back nearly twenty meters. The tentacles bounding the youth¡¯s limbs were shredded apart. Yeriel picked herself up from the rubble and glanced up. ¡°Who are you? You¡¯re not Vince!¡±

    ¡°A mere champion of a minor goddess has no right to speak to me.¡± The person answered and picked up a white mask with a blue gem on its forehead. He brushed it lightly and wore it.

    ¡°My mask!¡± Yeriel felt her face, ¡°When did it fall off?¡±

    ¡°A peasant wishing to wear the clothes of a king. How laudable.¡± The man sarcastically replied. The aura emanating from the man began growing at an astonishing rate. Yeriel felt her limbs shiver as the image of the man seemed to double in size every second.

    ¡°You! This pressure is¡ª!¡± She only felt this much pressure once in the past. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be dead! I saw Goddess Dova and Thaesis strike you down! How can you still be alive?! You are the¡ª!¡±

    ¡°Godslayer.¡± The man finished her words for her.

    *Snap!*

    *WHOOOOSH!*

    A red cloak replaced the one he was wearing. His red cape fluttered in the wind as the elements began wildly vibrating in anticipation. The Godslayer walked the land once more.

 Chapter 42 - The Truth is Revealed

    ¡°NO! This can¡¯t be!¡± Yeriel broke down in fright, her legs shaking in fear.

    Vincent the First breathed in the fresh night air. It has been quite some time since he walked the land.

    ¡°For taking great care of my grandson, here a gift.¡± Vincent the First pulled out a bottle that shined with a ruby light and tossed it over to Yeriel.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a potion of enlightenment?¡± Yeriel lost herself as greed clouded her eyes.

    *Thwack!*

    ¡°Gah!¡± Yeriel felt a burst of pain as she flew another twenty meters away.

    ¡°That was for toying with my grandson.¡± Vincent the First was holding on to a cane with a blue gem on the handle. Right now, he looked like a dandy gentleman with a mask on his face, a cloak, and cane. This appearance starkly contrasted with his bloodthirsty presence.

    ¡°Toying with a lady¡¯s heart won¡¯t earn you the favor of women.¡± Yeriel angrily shot back up and shot a blast of dark mana forward. She desired the potion that the Godslayer had just picked up.

    ¡°Trying to play magic with me?¡± Vincent the First held up his palm, the dark ball of mana stopped in midair. ¡°You are centuries too early.¡± He pointed his cane and shot the dark mana back at its caster.

    ¡°Kya!¡± Yeriel bounced back.

    ¡°Do tell me, Girl. Who taught you your information?¡± Vincent the First asked as he stuffed away the potion and picked up Princess Arya.

    ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± Yeriel defensively shot back, nursing her injury. Right now she was being suppressed just from sheer pressure alone, there wasn¡¯t anything she could do but answer his questions and buy herself some time.

    ¡°Because they managed to raise such a fool like yourself.¡± Vincent the First tapped the cane on the ground resulting in a resounding echo.

    *Clang!*

    Pillars of roots shot out of the earth and bound the dark elf.

    ¡°Me a fool? Just what makes me so foolish? Is it the fact that I¡¯ve misjudged your identity? How could anyone have guessed that the man that died that day wasn¡¯t the Godslayer?¡± argued Yeriel.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡± Vincent the First shook his head. ¡°Let me ask you this, one century ago, during the time of the cyclops invasion. The people of Valencia drew the cyclops south toward the Emerald Forest. The defensive pact between the elves and Valencia meant that both nations were cooperating to annihilate the cyclops. The plan was that Selvyrus would use Faerin¡¯s horn to call upon the help of the treants and hold off the cyclops against Ithvije¡¯s impregnable walls.¡±

    ¡°So what? They still abandoned my father, letting him die alone in front of the walls. I watched the cyclops slaughter my father as everyone watched. In the end, everyone cared for themselves.¡± Yeriel shook with fury, threatening to break out of the wooden chains binding her.

    ¡°Let me finish.¡± Vincent the First held up his hand. ¡°One particular elf sold himself to Thaesis. He was convinced that the cyclops were soldiers sent down from the heavens to help him fulfill a prophecy.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Yeriel quaked in shock as she felt her resolve waver. Memories of her father quickly passed through her mind.

    ¡°The prophecy in question stated that on one particular day when the sky grew black like night, demons would invade from the demon plane. The halls of the forest-folk would run red with blood as brother will slay brother and kin will slay kin. Doesn¡¯t that prophecy resemble something that happened two decades ago?¡± Vincent the First quipped.

    ¡°No¡­¡± Blood drained from Yeriel¡¯s face. The corruption of the world tree, the blackened sky from the outbreak of dark mana during the initial corruption, the civil war between the elves as they slew their own played through her mind. ¡°I started¡­ All of this?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s more, you played right into the gods¡¯ hands. The cyclops are the known gatekeepers of heaven¡¯s gates. Then why do you suppose they have descended onto the earth? That¡¯s why I asked you, who taught you your information? Because they¡¯ve done a poor job!¡± Vincent the First¡¯s voice picked up a tinge of malice.

    ¡°I-I refuse to believe it!¡± Yeriel teared up and cried out in denial.

    ¡°Believe it or not, everything has already happened. It¡¯s too late to change all that¡¯s happened.¡± Vincent the First looked melancholic and looked off to the south. ¡°We all played magnificently into the hands of the gods. They treated our lives like pieces on a chessboard. Even I was unable to change our fate.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Yeriel had been struggling all the while, but now she stopped moving altogether. ¡°Kukuku~¡­¡± A sinister laugh escaped from the elf.

    ¡°¡ª!¡± Vincent the First shrank back in shock. He pointed his cane, and the binding roots pulled apart, tearing up the girl.

    ¡°Nice try, Godslayer.¡± The elf reappeared in the air. ¡°I can¡¯t have you destroying my precious toy. It took me over a century to mold such a beautiful toy.¡± The malicious voice giggled some more before brushing her hair aside.

    ¡°Dova. It seems that the girl is more precious to you than I thought.¡± Vincent the First went on the defensive.

    ¡°Of course. She is my daughter, after all.¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°Kukuku~, Thaesis found out about her and sent down his cyclops to kill my sweet Yeriel. Her father was the same when he found out my true identity, so he had to be killed.¡±

    ¡°Hah~¡­¡± Vincent the First hated what he was going to ask next. ¡°Then the destruction of Valencia and Ithvije were¡­¡±

    ¡°Collateral damage.¡± Dova shrugged, ¡°Who knew that the Godslayer resided in Valencia? When we found that out, Thaesis and I joined hands temporarily to slay you. But¡­¡± Her eyes flashed interestingly, ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought you weren¡¯t dead.¡±

    ¡°Hehehe~¡­¡± Vincent the First chuckled, ¡°I won¡¯t die until every last one of you are sealed away.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try.¡± Dova laughed and flew up into the sky. ¡°Although, not today. My poor daughter is exhausted from all the fighting.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent the First stood in place and watched as she flew higher and higher.

    ¡°Not going to stop me?¡± She shot back a smirk but didn¡¯t stay for the answer, afraid of being proven otherwise.

    Once Dova disappeared, Vincent the First sunk down. Right now he was borrowing Vincent¡¯s body and couldn¡¯t exert too much power. If Vincent was stronger, perhaps Vincent the First could¡¯ve fought Dova, but right now that option was not on the table. Vincent the First turned over to the sleeping princess and raised her up.

    ¡°Awaken.¡± He uttered.

    ¡°Hm¡­¡± Princess Arya stirred awake from a long dream. ¡°Who art thou? Have mine own life come to past?¡±

    ¡°You are still in Emerald Forest. The danger is gone, so you can rest easy.¡± Vincent the First put her down and let her sit up.

    ¡°Yeriel¡­ Hast thou seen mine retainer? What of that silver hair child?¡± Princess Arya lost consciousness right away after being knocked aside by Yeriel. She had slept through all the happenings within the last few hours and only now had she awoken.

    ¡°Calm down. Let me explain.¡± Vincent the First took off the mask of the Godslayer and started explaining the events of the last few hours.

    ¡°So¡­ all of¡¯t ¡®twere the work of the gods?¡± Princess Arya despaired. She felt grief and loss, knowing that her people suffered because of the whims of the gods above. She angrily cursed the heavens in her mind at the unfairness.

    ¡°Unfortunately so, Princess.¡± Vincent the First got up.

    ¡°From whence dost thou come?¡± Princess Arya asked. He was the same boy that convinced her earlier, but the air around him has drastically changed since she was last awake.

    ¡°Me? I¡¯m just a ghost.¡± Vincent the First smiled wryly. ¡°What do you plan to do from here, Princess?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± She looked up at the lightening sky. Dawn was only a short ways away. ¡°I know not. Perhaps I shall leave this world.¡±

    ¡°Is this about the poison?¡± Vincent the First examined the girl. She was still hopelessly suppressing the pain that the light poison was causing to her body. ¡°This all came about because of your connection to the world tree.¡±

    ¡°Alas, tis the gage betwixt the heavens and the earth. We have nary but aught to do against fate.¡± Princess Arya laid down on the ground, resigning herself to her horrible fate.

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent the First stared at the princess for a long time. ¡°Is that truly your desire?¡±

    ¡°*Sniff*¡± Princess Arya turned away.

    ¡°If that is your wish. Then I will leave you here today. But¡­ If you want to fight against your fate¡­¡± He held out his hand, ¡°Then follow me to destroy the heavens.¡±

    ¡°¡ª!¡± Princess Arya¡¯s heart shook upon hearing the young man¡¯s decree. He was a boy a fraction of her age and yet he promised her the heavens. How could any young maiden not feel their heart rate speed up? Before she knew it, she had already grabbed onto his outstretched hand.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go and remove your curse.¡±

    ¡°Curse? Dost thou meant mine poisoned self?¡±

    ¡°No. The curse of the world tree.¡± Vincent the First pointed up at the massive canopy overhead. The leafless branches of the corrupted world tree loomed overhead as if challenging his decree.

    ¡°T-thou mustn¡¯t!¡± The world tree may be corrupted, but it was still a pact between the heaven and the earth. Destroying the world tree was on the level of blasphemy against the heavens.

    ¡°Open your eyes, Princess.¡± Vincent the First picked her up and flew towards the base of the world tree. ¡°You¡¯ve been lied to your whole life.¡±

    ¡°N-No!¡± She pleaded, but he refused to listen. He pointed his cane forward, straight at the world tree.

    ¡°Vincent. Today is the day to announce to the heavens that the Godslayer has returned.¡±

    *BOOOM!*

    A raging inferno lit up the brightening sky, engulfing the entire tree in its flames.

    ¡°Nooo!¡± Princess Arya shrieked out in pain as a terrifying wave of pain assaulted her body. Her instinct as the tree¡¯s protector was forcing her to move to protect the burning world tree.

    In the northern tundra of Valencia, a gathering of demons also witnessed the sight of the sky-high conflagration. Every demon stood still and watched on in stunned silence. Lord Xishol also stopped sipping from his goblet and stood up from his throne.

    ¡°This power¡­ I¡¯ve only felt it once before¡­¡± He pondered to himself as he watched the tree burn.

    In the bastion of Northgard, the soldiers on the wall also dropped their weapons in awe. Grand Marshall Reginald stared off to the east, at the pillar of flames that burnt to the high heavens.

    ¡°The Church of Light has done it now.¡± Grand Marshall Reginald cursed under his breath. ¡°But why do I feel this wave of energy¡­ familiar¡­¡±

    In the deepest region of the Emerald Forest, an ancient stirred awake.

    ¡°My friend. It has been a long time.¡± The ancient voice spoke aloud, causing the monsters of the inner region to quiver with fear. The presence momentarily stayed in place before quickly departing to the north toward the world tree.

    In a golden throne room surrounding by winged angels on all sides, a godly existence felt the wave of energy. It came from the direction of the world tree located in the continent of Alasia.

    ¡°Milord, Goddess Dova, seeks an audience.¡± A six-winged seraph bowed and spoke out.

    ¡°Let her in.¡± He playfully waved his hand. He watched as a devastatingly gorgeous woman walked down the hall toward his throne. ¡°What brings you in today, Dova?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s still alive,¡± Dova spoke out only three words, silencing the entire room.

    ¡°The Godslayer?¡± Thaesis furrowed his brow and stood up. ¡°No, that can¡¯t be. We watched him die. Then can it be¡­ a successor?¡±

    ¡°I think so.¡± Dova concurred.

    ¡°Do you know his identity? Anything that can help us locate him?¡± Thaesis felt a bit of fear. That day, two decades ago, a few gods with Dova¡¯s and his strength barely managed to kill the Godslayer. Even then, they lost half their numbers to that man.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you find out yourself?¡± Dova wasn¡¯t on friendly terms with Thaesis. Why would she help the enemy that tried to kill her daughter? Plus, things would become more interesting this way. This new Godslayer was quite different from the past ones, and Yeriel had some connections to him. It might be interesting to see how things turn out.

    ¡°If you aren¡¯t willing to help then get out of here.¡± Thaesis coldly stated. Dova had obviously come to gloat at his slow response to the ongoing events on the earth.

    ¡°I¡¯ll come and go as I please.¡± Dova smiled wryly and walked out.

    ¡°Send down a message to my servants in Alasia. They are to locate the Godslayer.¡± He commanded his seraphs.

    ¡°Milord, what about the world tree?¡±

    ¡°What of it? It¡¯s just one of many chaining the earth. Why should we care what happens to it?¡± Thaesis answered back putting a stop to the conversation. ¡°Now go!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Milord!¡± The seraphs all flew off, some went to spread the news and others, to relay the prophecy to the Church of Light.

    ¡°It might¡¯ve escaped my grasp last time, but this time¡­ I¡¯ll finally obtain that ring.¡± Thaesis swore under his breath and sat back down.

 Chapter 43 - The Beginning

    The world tree totally burnt down into ash in under an hour. The powdery remains, a testament to the strength of the flames of which devoured its limbs. In the location which used to be the base of the world tree, Vincent the First gently cradled the exhausted elf princess. Her body shivered like a newborn fawn in the autumn breeze.

    ¡°W-what did¡¯ st thou inflict upon mine person?¡± She weakly protested, her breathing was ragged from the intense pain felt from earlier.

    ¡°There is a price that must be paid.¡± Vincent the First pulled out a canteen from out of nowhere. ¡°Come. Drink.¡± He beckoned.

    ¡°¡­¡± Princess Arya felt wary but still obeyed. If the youth wanted to do anything to her, he would¡¯ve done so a long time ago.

    ¡°As of this moment, you are free. The chains that have bound you to the world tree are no longer.¡± Vincent the First explained, ¡°Long ago there was a race of existences similar to the gods. They lived in peace and harmony, following the natural laws of nature. They do not know of death nor of strife and warfare. This race of immortals was called the Fae.¡±

    ¡°The Fae?¡± Princess Arya¡¯s ears perked up. There were vague stories of this race in the storybooks of her childhood, but they were only myths and legends.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. The Fae originally owned this world. They are immortal, but can still die to disease and wounds of the flesh. The gods felt threatened by this peace-loving race and forced them to submit to the gods. When they refused, the gods cursed them to serve. The lucky ones were sealed away in another dimension. The unlucky ones were cursed to protect a make-believe pact between the earth and the heavens. That pact, to this day, is¡ª¡°Vincent the First looked over to the pile of ashes nearby.

    ¡°¡­¡± Princess Arya understood the rest of Vincent¡¯s words without him finishing it. But everything that she had been taught was making it hard for her to honestly believe him.

    ¡°Do you feel that?¡± Vincent the First closed his eyes. The breeze picked up and blew away the ash. The evergreens shook with reverie as if they had been freed from an unseen restriction. From the destruction of the world tree, the surrounding plant life began to recover at a visible speed.

    ¡°The powers of nature. It speaketh to me.¡± A strange connection had formed between Princess Arya and Nature. It felt like a phantom limb, something that was there and at the same time not.

    ¡°The powers of the Fae will slowly return to you with time,¡± said Vincent the First. He stood up and got ready to leave.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Princess Arya begged. He looked like he was about to leave her. ¡°Whither shall thee travel?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t abandon you.¡± Vincent the First rubbed her head like a grandfather. ¡°I made a promise to bring you to overturn the heavens, and I intend to keep it. For now, you have to gather your brethren that have scattered to the corners of this land.¡± The other dark elves of Emerald Forest should¡¯ve also experienced what Princess Arya had. They will soon understand that fundamental truth of their world has been altered.

    ¡°Can¡¯t thee aid me in mine quest?¡± She asked expectantly. Her pleading eyes were cute to look at, but Vincent the First obstinately shook his head.

    ¡°I cannot do that. There is someone else to fulfill that role. Right?¡± Vincent the First turned to one side of the clearing.

    ¡°Fufufu! As expected of the Godslayer.¡± An ancient voice rang out. A mist gathered in the ruined streets of Ithvije. The stagnant breeze blew in a chilling layer of cold into the already dead city.

    ¡°Faerin. I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re still alive.¡± Vincent the First greeted.

    ¡°The same to you, O¡¯ Godslayer.¡± A figure dressed in a ragged robe strode out from the mist. In his hand was a staff with a lamp swinging from the top. He looked like the ferryman to the great beyond.

    ¡°Faerin?¡± Princess Arya furrowed her brows. This stranger had the same name as the first king of Ithvije.

    ¡°That¡¯s correct. He¡¯s the same person as the Faerin that founded the city of Ithvije.¡± Vincent the First looked grim as he spoke. ¡°Say hello to your ancestor.¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°¡­¡± Princess Arya¡¯s eyes enlarged to look like two giant moons.

    ¡°Hello, young one. It must be a handful trying to comprehend what is happening.¡± Faerin pulled down the hood obscuring his face. The revealed face of Faerin wasn¡¯t what she had pictured. Instead of a well-worn grizzled face of wisdom, it was a handsome grown man in the prime of his life. ¡°Surprised? We Fae cannot grow old. It¡¯s a curse of immortality~.¡±

    ¡°As lighthearted as usual.¡± Vincent the First harrumphed.

    ¡°Aw come on~, Godslayer.¡± Faerin grinned and walked to their side, ¡°I¡¯m just trying to lighten up the mood.¡± He playfully waved away the mist.

    ¡°Still hiding from the prying eyes of the gods, I see.¡± Vincent the First commented.

    ¡°Those fools upstairs are still convinced I died.¡± Faerin laughed and looked over to his remaining relative. ¡°I must thank you for releasing her seal. I never had the guts to do it myself.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s bound to happen sooner or later, regardless.¡± Vincent the First shrugged.

    ¡°But you¡¯ve now put yourself in great danger due to your actions.¡± Faerin embarrassedly smiled. ¡°By the way, I found this on my way here.¡± He clapped once, and a small treant walked over, carrying a wounded bird on its head that resembled a nest.

    ¡°Emet!¡± Vincent the First was momentarily overcome with Vincent¡¯s emotions. Due to all the action, Vincent didn¡¯t have time to pay attention to his companion.

    ¡°That¡¯s her name? I found her shot down by one of Selvyrus¡¯ arrows.¡± He took out a silver arrow.

    ¡°It must¡¯ve been the work of Yeriel.¡± Vincent the First cursed under his breath for letting her escape after hurting his family. ¡°Thanks for saving her.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do much.¡± Faerin chuckled. ¡°But this bird is quite intriguing. Do you mind if I raise her for a while? There¡¯s something I want to test out.¡±

    ¡°If it were anyone else, I would¡¯ve declined, but¡­¡± Vincent the First fully trusted Faerin. They had quite a history together as the Godslayer and the Sage of the Forest.

    ¡°Great! Thanks!¡± Faerin excitedly laughed and picked up Princess Arya.

    ¡°Uncouth man! Let go of mine person this instant!¡± Princess Arya grew flustered and tried to wrestle from his grasp.

    ¡°Ow! Hey!¡± Faerin took a smack to his cheek and dropped her. ¡°I¡¯m your ancestor! Is this any way to treat your only family?¡±

    ¡°I do not acknowledge thee as mine own kin.¡± She crossed her arms and turned her head away.

    ¡°Godslayer~! Convince her for me! I¡¯m really her great-great-great-great-great-great-great¡ª¡°

    ¡°I get it!¡± Vincent the First smacked Faerin¡¯s head and turned to Princess Arya. ¡°Princess, this person really is your ancestor. As embarrassing as it may be to be related to this¡­¡± He looked at the dumb smile on Faerin¡¯s face, ¡°idiot, he¡¯s still the only person you can rely on.¡±

    ¡°What about thee?¡± Princess Arya asked expectantly. ¡°I wish to follow thee.¡± Vincent the First frowned. He was only a ghost that existed inside Aion¡¯s Ring. It was only due to a particular circumstance that he was able to manifest himself using Vincent as a vessel.

    ¡°I cannot allow you to.¡± Vincent the First shook his head. ¡°Faerin, I¡¯ll leave her to you. At the same time¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, Godslayer?¡± Faerin looked like he was about to jump for joy.

    ¡°Look after my family.¡± Vincent the First looked sorrowful, ¡°Since I can no longer¡­¡± Vincent the First suddenly fainted. The pressuring atmosphere disintegrated.

    ¡°It looks like the Godslayer overtaxed himself.¡± Faerin checked on Vincent¡¯s condition before concluding that he was only unconscious.

    ¡°What dost thou plan to do with him?¡± Princess Arya moved in between Vincent and Faerin as if to guard him.

    ¡°Please, Little Ancestor. I don¡¯t have the guts to harm the Godslayer.¡± Faerin smiled wryly. ¡°If I had, he would¡¯ve ended my life plenty of times over. I¡¯m just studying how the Godslayer was able to possess this youth.¡± He¡¯d seen the face of the Godslayer before, and that person somewhat resembled the youth before him. However, dozens of years had passed since they last met. A human should¡¯ve aged a great deal even if they¡¯ve broken through the third gate and achieved near-immortality.

    ¡°What dost thou mean by thy words?¡± Princess Arya grew confused. Is he not the same person she met a while ago?

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Faerin felt a headache coming on, so he changed topics. ¡°Anyways, let¡¯s leave for now.¡± He carried Vincent and Princess Arya with the help of his treants.

    Faerin along with the Vincent, Arya, and Emet soon depart for the center of Emerald Forest. Along the way, Faerin was humming a cheerful tune despite the atmosphere of the party. One creature was wounded severely from an enchanted arrow, another just found out her true identity, and the final person was unconscious, and without further analysis, his condition was unknown. Yet, the person helping them looked as if it was just a casual stroll through the woods.

    ¡°Ancestor?¡± Princess Arya tested.

    ¡°Yes, Little One?¡± Faerin turned her way.

    ¡°Art thou really mine kin?¡± she asked for the umpteenth time. Faerin frowned.

    ¡°I really have to do something about the way you speak. That¡¯s like so old. Aren¡¯t you younglings supposed to use like ¡°hip¡± terms and stuff?¡± Faerin asked back.

    ¡°¡­¡± Princess Arya felt like this relative of hers was quite different from what she imagined the Faerin of Ithvije to be.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Little One. I¡¯ll explain everything once I treat the two hurt fellows.¡± His tools were located at his home in the center of Emerald Forest.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll accept th- your words.¡± Princess Arya corrected her manner of speaking. Faerin¡¯s face lit up like a grandparent seeing their grandkid walk for the first time.

    ¡°As expected of my great-great-great-great-great-great-great¡ª¡°

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Princess Arya cursed and turned away in shame. She felt her image of her ancestor crumbling before her eyes. ¡°Why am I related to this person¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Little One! I will prove to you that you shouldn¡¯t be ashamed of being related to me! Come on, let¡¯s go! I have a lot to tell you!¡± Faerin joyfully picked up the pace and raced home.

 Volume 1 Sidestory - A Night to Remember

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget. I¡¯ll make you repay every favor you owe me with interest when the time comes. You better not refuse me at that time,¡± I said.

    The boy in front of me smirked devilishly and answered, ¡°Naturally.¡±

    Ugh! Why is he so irritating! Can¡¯t he ever react like an average youth?! But I guess that¡¯s what makes him different¡­

    I watched Vincent as he left. In the short time that I interacted with him, many inconsistencies kept showing up. It all started about a year ago when he was severely beaten at Duke Evergreen¡¯s estate. Ever since then, his character¡¯s changed drastically. I even heard that he stopped approaching women. Don¡¯t tell me! An image of a hammer cracking open nuts popped up in my mind; I hastily pushed it aside.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way¡­ Right?¡± It would be a shame really¡­

    I returned back inside to the ballroom. Whenever there are significant events where the upper nobility gathers, there¡¯s bound to be friction. The aristocracy is a rare kind of breed. Where else would you see creatures that politely greet each other while plotting to murder their entire family behind each other¡¯s backs?

    I grabbed a drink off a passing servant and waltzed into the throng of masked devils. Passing by a particular lady of the court, I heard her electrically-charged gossip shooting off into the headless chicks surrounding her.

    ¡°Did you hear about my Madam? I recently found out there might be something going on with her and a retainer of my lord¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°No way~!¡±

    ¡°Really~? Tell me more!¡±

    I didn¡¯t stay longer to listen to the rest of the conversation. The nobility, if they weren¡¯t backstabbing each other, they would rather waste time creating drama. This is why I despise this kind. Instead of using their time to develop themselves and their character, they use it on petty squabbles. That¡¯s why I fully support the actions of Prince Lexus. It¡¯s time to cleanse the filth from the upper class.

    My job today was to blend in with the crowd and gather intel. And I might¡¯ve just stumbled upon an interesting bit of information.

    ¡°Viscount Pernia, have you heard about the royal family¡¯s actions when dealing with Count Montefort?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe I have. Would you care to elaborate?¡± Two men were sipping wine from their glasses while standing beside a pillar.

    ¡°After conducting their investigations, the royal family concluded that Count Montefort¡¯s sheltering of a criminal organization was an unfounded claim. If you ask me, I swear that they are just doing this because the Count is a supporter of their rule. What say you?¡±

    ¡°Hrmm, I don¡¯t particularly have an opinion about the royal court¡¯s decision. However, I do worry much for the people of Rohan. They must¡¯ve suffered greatly.¡± Viscount Pernia frowned. He was part of Duke Evergreen¡¯s faction and thus maintained a wait-and-see position.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it anger you how the royal family is playing favorites? Isn¡¯t this a sign of corruption?¡± The other lord was obviously opposed to the royalty faction.

    It seemed Viscount Pernia wasn¡¯t interested in speaking more on the subject, so I left and went to a different area of the ballroom. This time, I saw a few lords from the nobility faction that I recognized. They were lords from the southern regions of Eidolon and dealt a lot in trade and commerce.

    ¡°The Merchant Union have been complaining more and more about the taxes of my fief. The problem is, I can¡¯t do anything about it. I haven¡¯t changed it ever since I took it over from my father!¡± A noble complained to his buddies.

    ¡°Aye. It¡¯s the same for me.¡± A fellow-sufferer patted his friend on the back.

    ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily because of the taxes being too high, but the dangers on the road have increased. They are taking too many risks for the amount of profit they earn. An acquaintance I know recently sent me a request to increase the patrols of my fief.¡± A third one chimed in.

    ¡°You don¡¯t suppose it¡¯s because of that thing that happened recently in Count Montefort¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Shh!¡± He silenced his buddy and looked around a bit before saying, ¡°It¡¯s exactly that. There have been increased attacks on merchants in the roads around Rohan. Any merchant cart not bearing the royal crest have been robbed and pillaged. So now merchants have begun to refuse traveling south to the rest of our fiefs. At least, that¡¯s what I heard.¡±

    ¡°Those damn royals!¡± Another man cursed, outraged by the scheme cooked up by the royal family.

    ¡°Shh! Do you want your head¡­¡± He made a slicing gesture and nervously looked around.

    ¡°Enough of this talk. I don¡¯t feel safe speaking of such in this place.¡± The three nobles quickly walked off. I stayed a bit longer, so to not draw any suspicions before walking away.

    This time, I spot a few notable lords from the neutral faction. The neutral faction and their lords are an enigma. I just don¡¯t understand why they aren¡¯t joining the royalty faction, because it¡¯s evident that the nobility faction is corrupt and abusing their lineage to take advantage of the less fortunate. By choosing not to side with either side, the neutral lords are turning a blind eye to corruption and in my eyes, are just as bad.

    Even though I don¡¯t utterly despise them, I still think that they might just be waiting to take advantage of the chaos during an opportune moment. So it¡¯s a good idea to keep watch over their actions. Therefore, I casually joined a few youths that I¡¯ve seen time to time at the academy; they¡¯re the children of a few lords of the neutral faction, and I¡¯ve seen them around Vincent from time to time.

    ¡°Karl, are you ever full?¡± The blonde complained. This person is Lionel Richard. He¡¯s the son of Baron Richard, a vassal of Count Redwall.

    ¡°I will be full when all the food in the world is in my stomach!¡± The large youth stated righteously back. His hands were holding a drumstick each like he was ready to play a drum solo.

    Karl Brennigan. Son of a Count of the northeastern noble¡¯s neutral faction. He was always picked on by other children of nobility until Lionel took him under his wings. Finally¡­

    ¡°T-trade has decreased by 30% in the southern region. I-I don¡¯t think it¡¯s good, b-but w-who am I to complain? The trade in m-my father¡¯s fief increased by 20%!¡± Samson happily chirped out.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    ¡°And when did you care so much about this stuff?¡± Lionel shot back.

    ¡°C-can¡¯t you see, Lionel?¡± The boy fearfully stammered back, ¡°M-more trade means more taxes! More taxes mean more money! And more money means a bigger allowance!¡±

    ¡°You and your gambling addiction. When will you learn that¡­¡± Lionel began flexing, ¡°Looking strong and cool is the ultimate beauty in life. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± Lionel turned in my direction. I¡¯m surprised that he had time to pay attention elsewhere other than himself.

    ¡°*Cough* Strong and cool is good,¡± I remarked, trying to blend in. ¡°But just looking strong and cool is a bit¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Lionel paused and studied my face a bit, his eyes narrowed as if he¡¯s trying to dig up my secrets. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve seen you somewhere before. Are you one of my fans?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± The nerve of this guy! He asked me out just the other day, and he already forgot who I am?! If I weren¡¯t on a mission right now, I would¡¯ve slapped him silly! ¡°You must be jesting, Student Lionel. I¡¯m a good friend of Student Vincent.¡±

    ¡°V-Vince? I don¡¯t think I remember seeing you¡­¡± Samson spoke up, looking wary.

    ¡°Do you have any food?¡± Karl asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any fo¡ª¡°

    ¡°Then I don¡¯t know you.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± What is up with these people? Why does Vincent know so many ¡°special¡± people?

    ¡°I was the person that handed you the contribution points¡­¡± I answered Samson.

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± The boy¡¯s eyes lit up like fireworks. ¡°I remember you! You¡¯re a good friend of Vince! Lionel! Don¡¯t you remember her?¡±

    ¡°Hrm¡­¡± Lionel crossed his arms and thought long and hard for a good second before saying, ¡°Since Sam spoke up for you, I guess I can allow you to stay and worship me.¡± He tilted his head in a 45-degree angle, looking saintly.

    What do I do at this point? I was speechless that these three clowns managed to pull me along to their pace. What I wanted to know was their opinions on the matter of the three factions.

    ¡°Student Lionel is a very ¡®cool¡¯ individual. You know what is more cool? Speaking about what you think is happening in the kingdom.¡± I carelessly tried to steer the conversation in the right direction, hoping they might say something useful.

    ¡°No, no, no, you got it all wrong!¡± Samson spoke up. ¡°What¡¯s coolest is money! With money, you can buy so many things! That¡¯s the coolest! Of course, I still think looking cool and strong is also cool.¡± Samson appeased Lionel.

    ¡°Food is cooler,¡± Karl stated his case and went back to eating.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I got out of there. I have much more respect for Vincent now. Being able to deal with these¡­ people on a daily basis will make someone go crazy. Just how does he do this?

    After leaving the three idiots, I managed to gather a bit more information and quietly left the venue. I was starting to feel that the duke and his daughter were keeping a close eye on me. Thus it was time for me to leave and report the results of my investigation.

    I made my way through the streets of Gawain, heading to the center of the capital city. In a small side-corner of the castle walls, I knocked a few times and was led inside and entered a wing of the royal palace. In a lit room that resembled an exotic jungle of exquisite luxury, a young man laid on a chaise lounge chair, reading from a textbook as thick as a grown man¡¯s thigh.

    ¡°Your Royal Highness, Crown Prince Lexus. I¡¯ve gathered the information that you¡¯ve asked of me.¡± I kneeled down as per protocol.

    ¡°Speak.¡± Crown Prince Lexus spoke lazily.

    ¡°The nobles¡¯ reactions regarding the royal court¡¯s investigation on the Montefort case is mixed. The neutral lords expressed no opinion on the decision, but a couple has shown that they appreciated the increased trade in their region due to the actions of the crime network in Rohan.¡±

    Crown Prince Lexus sat there, revealing no emotion on his face. He was already starting to exhibit the aura of a leader. This was a regular occurrence for me, aside from giving me orders, he hardly ever speaks about anything else other than his goals.

    ¡°Continue.¡±

    ¡°The nobility faction lords have expressed their suspicions about the connection between Guernica and Eidolon. They have found out after the royal court indicted Count Montefort¡¯s steward for the Montefort case. Somehow they were able to obtain the pass that the merchant carrying the goods obtained from the bandits in Rohan. They saw that the pass had the seal of the Montefort House.¡±

    Crown Prince Lexus frowned for the first time throughout the conversation.

    ¡°This is quite a problem.¡± Crown Prince Lexus said. ¡°As my personal maid, you should know how much of a problem you¡¯ve caused me.¡±

    He was speaking about the Rohan investigation. If I hadn¡¯t gone with Vincent back then and aided him in his mission, the bandits hiding within Rohan wouldn¡¯t be exposed so early. The Crown Prince was planning on using them to weaken the forces of the southern lords, but they were exposed too soon. The connection between Eidolon and the spice land to the south, Guernica, was also exposed. I made a huge blunder, and the Crown Prince was the type to dispose of people that have outgrown their uses.

    ¡°M-Master! I am still thankful to you for saving me back then. If it weren¡¯t for Master, I cannot imagine where I would¡¯ve ended up. Therefore, I¡¯ve done everything with Master¡¯s interests in mind.¡± I bowed my head in servitude. The Crown Prince was responsible for saving me from the slavers that captured me from Honkai, my homeland. He even took me in and taught me how to take care of myself. Even now, he plans to let me return home. Once he¡¯s crowned king, he wants to secure a trade alliance with all the kingdoms on the continent.

    ¡°Oh? Do tell me. What do you mean by those words, Aya.¡± Crown Prince Lexus finally showed a different expression from his usual listless look.

    ¡°I found great promise within the youth that I helped. Even using many of my sources, I still cannot understand the depths of his strength.¡± I began to explain.

    ¡°Is this about the fool of the Redwall family? Vincent something?¡±

    ¡°Silverlight, Master,¡± I answered for him.

    ¡°Oh yes, the majestic House of Silverlight. What a shame really, to have fallen so far to only a pair of mother and son.¡± Crown Prince Lexus remarked while looking disgusted.

    ¡°The House of Silverlight? Isn¡¯t the House of Silverlight only a fallen noble family?¡± In my investigation, there was mention about the Silverlight house, but other than being a fallen noble house, nothing else found.¡±

    His handsome features grew darker on his face. ¡°Forget about those two. If the mother still retained her honor as a woman of noble birth, I wouldn¡¯t have such a poor opinion of her, but she had to go and carry a bastard child.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± My head shot up in shock. ¡°Master, how come I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing?¡±

    The crown prince listlessly shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s widely regarded in the upper circle as a taboo. The daughter of the Silverlight family lost her mind after her country was razed down by demons. Ever since then, her mental development stagnated, retaining the mental age of 16. Then she had to go and have a truss with a stranger outside the Redwall House¡­¡±

    ¡°No way¡­ Doesn¡¯t that mean¡­¡± I recoiled from the shock.

    ¡°Her child is a bastard child. Can it not be any clearer? Viscount Redwall has red hair and green eyes. The Silverlight girl has silver hair and blue eyes. The son also has silver hair and blue eyes.¡±

    ¡°No way¡­¡± I fell down in shock. A buried secret was just revealed to me tonight, and I¡¯m not sure how to interpret this. Does Vincent know? Should I tell him?

    ¡°If that isn¡¯t enough to dissuade you, there are also other telltale signs. The House of Silverlight is famous for its heritage of great mages. They were famous enough to put our court magicians to shame. Even many magisters gathered in Valencia to learn from the Silverlight family. Then what do you think I expected when the son was born?¡±

    ¡°Master, there¡¯s no need to explain any further.¡± A nauseating feeling continued to expand in the pit of my stomach. I knew the answer to the crown prince¡¯s question. Vincent was tested for the gift of magic and failed. Such a pure bloodline was tainted. That could only mean one thing¡­

    ¡°If you understand, then there¡¯s no need to bring that person to our side. Focus your efforts elsewhere. For example, I found an amazing gem that needs polishing.¡±

    I managed to pull myself up to my feet, but I cannot help but feel a sort of guilt for Vincent. Did Vincent¡¯s past really matter? While thinking about him, I recalled his words.

    ¡°Is Master speaking about William?¡±

    Crown Prince Lexus expressed surprise but then smiled with an ¡°as expected¡± look on his face. ¡°It¡¯s good that you haven¡¯t focused solely on one person. Yes, William has potential. I want you to groom him to become my sword in the future. Stop focusing on Vincent and instead, raise William. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± I steeled my heart and answered him. The day when I return home was just around the corner. To do so, I¡¯ve sacrificed too much.

    ¡°Very good. You may leave.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Master.¡± I bowed and left. It felt like a part of me was shaken up and wanted to deny everything I was told tonight.

 Volume 1 Sidestory - William Lightsword Part One

    ¡°William, you are this world¡¯s last hope. Please save this world.¡± The voice of my goddess faded away as I lost consciousness.

    I woke up in cold sweat, shivering even though I had layers of blankets covering me.

    ¡°Damnit. This dream again.¡± I got up and started my training. Ever since I was reincarnated into this world by the goddess of life, Aerith, I¡¯ve dedicated my whole life to her. I saw the evils of society and how backward this world was. It was like a standard transmigration story that my otaku friends always talked about. However, I was experiencing it in the flesh.

    A lot has happened since then. I saw the worst of society. Poverty-stricken villages, the corruption of the aristocracy, human-trafficking, I¡¯ve seen them all. I¡¯ve also had it happen to me. My whole village was destroyed by a flood of monsters. When I went to beg for help from the lord in charge of my village, he ignored my pleas. Ever since then, I swore that I would cleanse the upper class of their filth.

    After finishing my daily workout, I returned home and cleaned myself up. Suddenly, a knock was heard at my front door.

    *Knock Knock*

    ¡°William, are you awake?¡±

    ¡°One minute!¡± I hurriedly got dressed in my gear and left. When I exited, the faces of the few friends I¡¯ve made in this world greeted me. From left to right they were Alec Lennings, the heir of a baronet family, a family of famous knights. Faris Nightingale, a quiet, but otherwise cunning girl that always gets what she wants. Sophia Evergreen, the daughter of a Duke and the person that convinced me that not all aristocrats were corrupt. Finally, there was Aya Hana.

    I have been attracted to her since the first time I saw her beauty. She resembled my childhood friend from my past life. I swear I¡¯m not lying! Anyways, she has been hanging around with Vincent, that detestable person, but I think things have begun to change. I haven¡¯t seen in him a while, Alec tells me that he¡¯s wasting his life away in the red-light district. However, it¡¯s good to see that Aya was finally able to get rid of that man.

    ¡°What took you so long, William?¡± I watched as Sophia pouted with her hands around her waist.

    ¡°Hehehe~! Every young man needs their alone time, Lady Sophia.¡± Aya giggled and spoke ambiguously. I blushed a little at her words. I noticed that Sophia seemed uncomfortable with Aya, but that might just be my imagination. ¡°Then are we ready to leave?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± I answered. We hurriedly joined up with the rest of the seniors from the Dungeon Exploration Society. Today was the day we visit a conquered dungeon to get a feel for what an actual dungeon was like.

    The location of the dungeon was nearby, close to the capital. It was controlled by the royal family. When we got there, I saw a small village that was set up around the mouth of the dungeon.

    ¡°Halt! No one is allowed beyond this point.¡± A soldier blocked our path. I looked over to the club leader, Sven.

    ¡°No worries. We¡¯re here on a learning excursion from Lancelot Academy. Here are our papers.¡± Sven produced a set of documents with the signatures of the academy heads.

    After a brief moment, while the soldier was getting the documents examined, we were let inside the village. Inside, I saw a lot of soldiers doing their day-to-day activities such as training, drilling, resting, etc. I also saw many craftsmen processing monster materials and lugging around carts of magic crystals. A conquered dungeon was a goldmine. That¡¯s why it belonged to the kingdom once conquered. As we approached the waiting point, just outside the dungeon entrance, the leader-like soldier approached our group.

    ¡°Who¡¯s the one in charge?¡± The soldier asked.

    ¡°I am.¡± Sven stepped out. Sven was a fourth-year student and would soon graduate. He has already submitted his aspirations to the academy and would join the adventurer¡¯s guild upon graduation.

    ¡°I want to go over the details of this excursion. Would you please step inside with me?¡± The leader spoke out in a neutral tone. Although it¡¯s called an excursion, Aya tells me it¡¯s more like a babysitting job for the soldiers.

    ¡°It smells disgusting,¡± Faris complained and covered her nose. She has a stronger sense of smell than most people.

    ¡°This is the sacrifice adventurers have to make. Just bear with it.¡± Aya smiled wryly.

    Alec also sniffed a bit, ¡°I don¡¯t smell anything. Do you?¡± He asked me.

    To be honest, it does smell a little stale. But it¡¯s expected since a dungeon shouldn¡¯t have too good of a ventilation system in place.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±

    ¡°It smells horrible.¡± Sophia also complained, covering her nose. Our seniors looked at us like a parent watching their child grow up. It was unsettling.

    Soon after, Sven returned from the building, holding a map of the dungeon.

    ¡°Alright, everyone. Form into teams, we¡¯ll move as one group, but we¡¯ll practice what we were taught in the academy.¡± We quickly formed a team. It was me, Aya, Sophia, Faris, and Alec in one group. I don¡¯t know why, but everyone chose me as the team leader.

    ¡°Student William, you¡¯re the team leader?¡± Sven looked confused and shot a look at Aya.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s good practice,¡± Aya answered back, to which Sven nodded and handed over a crude map.

    ¡°Here. There are limited copies, and the soldiers expect it back after. So don¡¯t lose it. We¡¯ll be taking this route throughout the dungeon, stop by the dungeon core room and then take this route outside.¡± He traced the route over the map. ¡°For the most part, we¡¯ll follow the soldier patrol, so there¡¯s no need to worry.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡± I handed the map over to Faris, who was in charge of navigation and retold what Sven told me.

    ¡°Everyone all set?¡± The sergeant asked. ¡°Then let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Here we go.¡± I nervously said and stepped forward into the dark interior of the dungeon.

    ---

    ¡°Over there!¡±

    ¡°Hyaa!¡± I chopped down and split the white-striped ground bat in half. It wasn¡¯t a tough fight, these monsters were only D-rank, I¡¯ve fought many of these weak types when I was exploring near my old village.

    ¡°Good job, William.¡± Aya happily shouted and sliced up another ground bat. Sophia and Faris worked together to kill their own target. Alec was busy holding off another three with his massive shield.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take one more, Alec!¡± I shouted and managed to draw a ground bat away, alleviating some stress from the otherwise occupied Alec.

    The rest of the group were also busy handling their own monsters. The soldiers held back and allowed us to fight these weak mobs, but stepped in a couple times to protect the less fortunate students.

    ¡°Good job, everyone. Let¡¯s move in further.¡± The sergeant called out, and we continued our trek. We rounded a couple corners, also cleared a few traps that the dungeon core created. Finally, we arrived in the dungeon core room, well¡­ outside of it.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ¡°Patrol Team Davis will be relieving Patrol Team Craven of their duties. Good work out here.¡± The sergeant in charge of our group said while saluting another soldier.

    ¡°They are?¡± The sergeant of the Patrol Team Craven asked. ¡°They don¡¯t look like workers to me.¡±

    ¡°These are the students from Lancelot. They¡¯re here to see how we do things.¡± Sergeant Davis answered back.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Sergeant Craven smiled and waved, ¡°Call me Sergeant Craven. Why don¡¯t I show you the operations inside the dungeon core room?¡±

    ¡°Craven, is this okay with the captain?¡± Sergeant Davis asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s not like it¡¯ll hurt to let them see this, right?¡± Sergeant Craven shrugged and led them inside.

    ¡°It¡¯s your head, not mine.¡± Sergeant Davis sighed and started organizing his squad to replace Sergeant Craven¡¯s squad.

    ¡°Everyone, understand that this isn¡¯t a normal occurrence. So please pay close attention to what we¡¯ll see.¡± Sven quickly thanked Sergeant Craven.

    They were led inside the room. What greeted their eyes when they entered were rough workers vigorously chipping away at the crystalline materials lining the dome-like interior of the core room.

    ¡°Welcome to the dungeon core room.¡± Sergeant Craven readily introduced everyone to the actions of the workers. ¡°They¡¯re busy mining the mana crystals. These naturally occur in the dungeon core room.¡±

    ¡°Mana crystals are a purified form of mana.¡± I commented and then asked, ¡°But why would they appear in this room specifically?¡±

    ¡°Not sure, I¡¯m just doing as told.¡± Sergeant Craven shrugged and started moving toward the center of the room where a stargate-looking ring was erected. ¡°This is the dungeon core.¡±

    ¡°Amazing!¡± Alec¡¯s eyes glowed with excitement as he approached the structure.

    ¡°Hold it!¡± Sergeant Craven held out a hand to stop the proactive teenager. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to approach the core.¡± The serious look on his face told everyone that he wasn¡¯t kidding around. The workers and soldiers around them also wore grim expressions.

    ¡°Alec, did you not read up on anything before coming?¡± Sophia hastily berated the youth.

    ¡°Who needs all that unnecessary information¡­¡± Alec started to argue back but stepped down under the stares of everyone. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll be sure to reflect upon my mistakes.¡± He gingerly retreated back into the crowd of students.

    ¡°I understand that the youth are curious, but safety is of utmost importance. Here, let me demonstrate what would¡¯ve happened if you had approached the core.¡± He motioned for a worker on the side to cross the wooden barricade.

    The worker appeared reluctant, but with a bit more urging from the sergeant, swallowed his fear and leaped over the fence.

    *KSSSHHHHHHHRRRRRK*

    The dungeon core came to life. The ring lit up as runes appeared around the gate. A viscous bright blue screen glossed over the center of the ring, emitting a pulsing wave like a ripple in a calm pool of water. A short moment later and a small ground bat popped out of the gate.

    ¡°Kill it.¡± Sergeant Craven commanded. The soldiers surrounding the wooden barrier crossed over the swiftly dispatched the new monster. ¡°There¡¯s a short window between summoning monsters that we¡¯re allowed to approach.¡± He answered the unspoken question.

    ¡°Sergeant Craven, I noticed that earlier you asked a worker to approach the dungeon core instead of one of your men. Is there a reason?¡± Sven asked excitedly.

    ¡°You have a keen eye. There¡¯s a reason for that.¡± Sergeant Craven proudly stood up straighter and said, ¡°If any of the soldiers were to approach, a strong monster would step through the gate. We can¡¯t risk this when children are about.¡±

    I narrowed my gaze a bit. This wasn¡¯t the first time that adults looked down on me because of my age. However, I was here by invitation from the Dungeon Exploration Society and didn¡¯t want to cause any trouble for Aya, so I remained silent. At the very least, I tried to stay out of it.

    ¡°What do you mean by children?¡± Alec, who was already embarrassed earlier, decided to speak up. He came from a long line of somewhat famous knights, so he might be a bit stubborn when it came to others underestimating his abilities. ¡°Age has little to do with ability.¡± He challenged.

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Sergeant Craven also narrowed his eyes in contempt. Having his authority challenged in front of his subordinates was the same as smacking his face. More ever, the reason he invited the students to observe the operation in the dungeon core was to stroke his ego. ¡°And I suppose that you flowers that are cultivated within a glasshouse can hold up to we who have marched through blood and fire?¡±

    I could sense the atmosphere turning bad and was just about to interrupt when Alec hurriedly looked around for support. When I saw his gaze land on me, I knew there was no way of getting out of this.

    ¡°Ha! You? Marched through blood and fire? The most action you¡¯ve seen is probably the occasional goblin on your daily patrols. Everyone knows that true battles are waged in the outskirts of the kingdom.¡± As a child of a proud line of knights, he also spent time following his father in campaigns to subjugate monsters in the wilderness surrounding their small land.

    ¡°You¡­¡± Sergeant Craven shot out a deathly glare. Alec had poked at his sore spot. He was just about to curse out Alec but then stopped and smiled coldly. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you prove that you are superior? Show me your resolve.¡± He pointed at the dungeon core.

    ¡°That is¡­¡± Alec hesitated and looked back at me once more. This time, the Sergeant caught the subtle glance and also trained his bloodthirsty gaze this way. The Sergeant looked like he came to an epiphany and stomped over my way.

    ¡°So you were behind all this.¡± He assumed. ¡°Who are you to challenge my authority?¡± His voice boomed loudly.

    ¡°Sergeant Craven¡ª¡° Aya tried to interfere.

    ¡°Shut up! I¡¯m talking to this kid!¡± Sergeant Craven yelled. ¡°Speak! What are your intentions?¡±

    I honestly have nothing to do with this. This is why I hate nobles. Their pride always causes trouble wherever they go. Although Alec was to a lesser extent, in the end, he was still a noble.¡¯ I thought.

    ¡°I¡­¡± I was about to answer, but then a particular hothead answered in my stead.

    ¡°He¡¯s William. The best swordsman of Lancelot Academy in the last century. Do you think you can speak that way to a prodigy?¡± Alec challenged back. Seeing that I was pulled into this butting of stubborn hotheads.

    ¡°Damn, so this scrawny kid is a prodigy?¡± Sergeant Craven sarcastically asked. He scrunched up his facing for a brief moment and then said, ¡°Then you go instead of that braggart.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± I frowned. I have a bad feeling about this.

    ¡°Are you also an idiot?¡± Sergeant Craven scoffed, ¡°Of course you! Go!¡± He violently grabbed my shoulder and shoved me in the direction of the dungeon core.

    ¡°Sergeant¡­¡± I tried to ask.

    ¡°What are you waiting for, Will?¡± Alec also urged. His pride was also being challenged.

    ¡°Then, I have to?¡± I looked around at the other students, many of whom were also children of nobles and felt their pride being challenged when the sergeant called them cultivated flowers. They all remained silent, no one was against me approaching the dungeon core.

    ¡°Sergeant Craven, I think everyone should take a step back and cool down. Doing this won¡¯t achieve anything and will only put everyone¡¯s lives at risk.¡± Aya was the only reasonable voice in the crowd.

    ¡°Him? I¡¯ll be amazed in he could even call out a ground bat.¡± Sergeant Craven sneered. Right, I do look a bit malnourished because of my past, but I know myself the most, and I know what would come out of there wouldn¡¯t be a good thing.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think you understand,¡± I tried to explain my circumstance, but was interrupted.

    ¡°Getting cold feet? If you don¡¯t have the balls to back up your claim, then don¡¯t start shit you can¡¯t finish.¡± Sergeant Craven came to a conclusion and sneered.

    I really wanted to just let it go. I really didn¡¯t want to cause any trouble, but the look of disappointment from everyone was too hard to bear. I vowed that ever since that day, I will never bow down to anyone that humiliates me. Is this the extent of my resolve? No! You dare to challenge me? Then I will answer your challenge, for I am, William.

    ¡°Step aside,¡± I commanded and shoved aside the sergeant. He stumbled a bit and flushed with embarrassment. I stepped over the barricade and watched as the core hummed to life.

    *KSHHHHHHHRK!*

    *BOOM!*

    ¡°!!!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°What? HOW?!¡±

    ¡°R-r¡­ RUN!!!¡±

    ¡°RAAHHHHH!¡± A beast with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle leaped through the gate. Fire spewed out from its beak as it burnt down a handful of workers. Pandemonium exploded around the entire room as panicked people shoved their way out of the room.

    ¡°What the fuck!¡± Sergeant Craven roared as he grabbed the collar of Sven. ¡°Who the fuck is that kid?!¡±

    ¡°W-William. Royal Knight Candidate¡­¡± Sven shakily responded, an odorous liquid flowing down his leg.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± Sergeant Craven quickly waved to his men, ¡°Everyone, hold the beast back. I need to go get reinforcements.¡±

    This bastard. Is he trying to save himself at the expense of his men? I watched as everyone shook where they stood, then drew my sword. This would be a challenge for me. If I can slay this monster, this means that I am not weak. I am better than HIM.

    ¡°What did you do?!¡± Sergeant Davis shoved his way into the core room and saw the panicked Sergeant Craven running toward him.

    ¡°One of the kids summoned a boss! I need to go report this to the captain outside!¡± He stammered out and rushed past Sergeant Davis.

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll hold it back as long as I can.¡± Sergeant Davis looked grim, but his gaze remained unwavering.

    ¡°Y-yes.¡± Sergeant Craven kept his head down and ran off.

    ¡°You kids retreat. Follow Sergeant Craven out!¡± Sergeant Davis¡¯ voice raised by an octave as he watched the griffon tore off a man¡¯s arm with a swipe of its front paw.

    ¡°Sir! I can help!¡± I answered.

    ¡°No! This is a result of our negligence. We will take care of this matter. Retreat! That¡¯s an order!¡± Sergeant Davis and his patrol team rushed forward. Their orderly conduct gave the students some confidence as they retreated.

    ¡°C¡¯mon Will! Let¡¯s go!¡± Sophia grabbed my arm and pulled me away. I was about to shake her off but saw Aya¡¯s worried look.

    ¡®Maybe it was best if I listened to the sergeant. At least, I¡¯ll escort Aya to safety before coming back.¡¯ I thought as I followed after the panicked students.

    ¡°Hold the left! We cannot let this beast past!¡± Sergeant Davis ordered as I ran past. I took one last look at the sergeant before promising to myself that I¡¯ll return swiftly.

 Volume 1 Sidestory - William Lightsword Part Two

    ¡°Captain! I-it¡¯s all the kids¡¯ fault! I tried to stop them, b-but they didn¡¯t listen!¡± Sergeant Craven fumbled weakly on his knees in front of a man donning his armor.

    ¡°What¡¯s done is done, Craven. You¡¯ve disappointed me, just wait here quietly and receive your punishment once I return.¡± He put on his helmet and strapped on his sword belt. ¡°As for the rest of you, I request that all of you return back to the academy. I¡¯ll formally submit a follow-up investigation once I¡¯ve handled everything over here.¡±

    ¡°But, Captain!¡± Sergeant Craven¡¯s face paled by another few shades.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Captain Kale shouted and left. We all followed behind; all the other students were afraid of drawing the captain¡¯s anger.

    ¡°Wait. I¡¯m coming with you.¡± I shouted out.

    The captain paused and turned around, the intimidating air around him frightened the other students.

    ¡°Will¡­¡± Sophia tugged on my sleeve.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can handle myself.¡± I reassured her and walked over to the captain, ¡°It was partially my fault this happened. No matter what you say, I¡¯m coming too.¡±

    ¡°You will just be in the way.¡± Captain Kale answered back.

    Angered, I swiftly drew out my sword and pointed it at his neck.

    ¡°Will!¡±

    ¡°William?!¡±

    Alec and Sophia both yelled in shock. However, the captain didn¡¯t react at all until after he felt my sword on his neck.

    The captain smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re not a simple kid. Alright, you can come along. Everyone else, return home.¡± The captain called out and organized three squads to follow him into the dungeon.

    I followed the soldiers as we hastily sped through the memorized path to the core room. When we arrived, the sound of battle still rang out, which gave me hope. We haven¡¯t gone longer than 20 minutes, and there were still survivors. The captain didn¡¯t pause to investigate the situation and barged through the entrance into the dungeon core room.

    ¡°C-captain!¡± Sergeant Davis struggled to stand on his feet. A quick look around the room, and it was clear to see that the two squads have been massacred. Sergeant Davis was the last person alive; he had lost an arm and sustained injuries all over his body.

    ¡°KWEEEEEE!¡± The griffon let out a playful shriek as it tossed Sergeant Davis aside. The loud noise as he made an impact with the wall made a few soldiers wince and shake in their boots.

    ¡°Get into formation! Pull forward and maintain a perimeter around the beast!¡± Captain Kale issued orders and drew out his sword. A blade shot out just in time to parry the incoming attack of the griffon.

    I also followed the captain¡¯s action and drew my sword. While the griffon was distracted, I dashed into its flank and attempted to injure its leg. For such agile monsters like this, immobilizing it was a priority. However, my attempt failed. The beast spun around and blew me away with a flourish of its wings.

    ¡°Be careful, Kid.¡± The captain moved in a practiced fashion. I could tell that he wasn¡¯t like Sergeant Craven. He probably had gone through his fair share of battles. I watched as Captain Kale brushed aside the beast¡¯s talons and attacked the opening left behind.

    ¡°RAAAH!¡± The griffon breathed out a flame in an attempt to pull away. The captain grunted in pain as he rolled away.

    ¡°That burns!¡± The heat from the flames singed his hair, releasing a bad odor in the room.

    ¡°Hup!¡± I chopped at the beast¡¯s exposed back. It hit! However, it was only a light wound. The griffon¡¯s fur was thick and sturdy, even with my rank B strength, I hardly did any damage. While I was momentarily stunned by this realization, I failed to pay attention to the griffon¡¯s response.

    ¡°KUAHHH!¡± The griffon turned around, and its tail tripped me up before its front legs slammed into my chest.

    ¡°Kuh!¡± I flew back a few meters. I quickly stood up and checked my injury. ¡°It¡¯s only a scratch!¡± I called out to the captain. I managed to move away in time to avoid the griffon¡¯s talons.

    ¡°Good!¡± The captain answered and looked around. I could see that the soldiers finally finished surrounding the beast. ¡°Everyone! Intermittent attacks in clockwise order! Attack!¡± The soldiers began jabbing at the griffon, taking turns to run a few steps forward and stabbing their spears out before backing off.

    ¡°KUAHH!¡± The griffon fell into confusion and tried to attack a soldier, only to have another couple of soldiers attack from another direction. It spun around, thrashing around to intimidate the soldiers. It was at this time that I saw the captain dash forward and inflict a deep wound on its side.

    ¡°Good! Keep it going!¡± He ordered as he ducked under the griffon¡¯s wing.

    I also made use of the confusion and attacked. My blade bit down on the back legs of the griffon, eliciting a painful howl. Now if only things could continue on like this, it would be great. However, nothing ever goes as planned.

    ¡°RAAAAAHHHH!¡± In a panic, the griffon started spewing out flames, it was as if a fire hydrant was knocked over, except instead of water, flames were spat out.

    ¡°GUAAAH!¡±

    ¡°Fire! I¡¯m on FIRE! HELP! AUUUUGGGGHHHHHH!!!¡±

    ¡°Captain!¡±

    The soldiers flew into pandemonium as the formation crumbled. The soldiers fell down and started rolling on the ground to put out the flames that were cooking them alive in their armors. I had managed to duck behind a metal mine cart in time and avoided the fire. The captain was also sharper than the rest and hid. Finally, after shooting out its flames, the griffon regained its composure and got up. The injuries it had sustained now made it more furious than ever.

    ¡°Kid, go help my men. I¡¯ll distract the beast!¡± Captain Kale commanded and dashed off.

    I wasn¡¯t too helpful in these situations, but I did what I could. When I ran up to the closest man, I saw burns severe enough to be categorized as third-degree burns on his face and arms. His cheeks were burnt deep enough that I saw his teeth and gums underneath. His breath was ragged, and I could hear a gurgling noise every time he breathed out. What¡¯s worst of all was the smell of burnt flesh that was reminiscent of pork. The graphic image and smell nearly made me vomit.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°This one is a goner,¡± I concluded and moved on.

    The next soldier was more fortunate. When I ran over to him, he managed to put out the flames already but was groaning in pain. I quickly stuffed my hand into my waist pouch and pulled out a few healing potions. With my meager resources, I could only afford the basic ones so they can only stop the bleeding and close the wound.

    ¡°Here. Take these and help others.¡± I stuffed a few bottles into his arms and opened up a bottle and poured it over his wound on his side. The murky liquid that flowed out reminded me of wine. A sizzling sound could be heard when the health potion made contact with the wound.

    ¡°Augh!¡± The soldier grunted. ¡°Thanks.¡± He nodded and hobbled to his comrade. I also did the same, and at the fastest speed possible, we started treating the injuries.

    Meanwhile, Captain Kale was busily running circles around the griffon. His sword flashed from time to time, signaling his attempts at fighting back. Suddenly, the griffon stretched out its wings.

    *WHOOOSH!*

    Captain Kale was briefly knocked off balance by the gust of wind. The griffon took the opportunity and shot a pillar of flame.

    ¡°GAH!¡± Captain Kale dived to avoid the flames but didn¡¯t make it in time. He was struck squarely on the chest and was blown back a few meters. The griffon was worthy of its reputation as a relentless hunter. It didn¡¯t give any respite for Captain Kale and leaped at the downed captain.

    ¡°Oh, no!¡± I ran forward and intercepted the beast, forcing it to defend itself. ¡°Are you alright?!¡± I shouted behind me.

    ¡°Kuh¡­ Just about¡­¡± Captain Kale said. A brief glance at his condition told me otherwise. The captain may be more robust than the ordinary soldier, but even willpower cannot overcome the severe burns all over his arms and chest. His arm was shaking with the effort to hold his sword.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not,¡± I concluded and faced forward. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it from here. Get yourself treated first.¡±

    No matter the captain¡¯s opinion, I¡¯m probably the only person left that¡¯s able to defeat the griffon. I may not be as skillful as the captain, but my strength should still be on par with his.

    ¡°Kuaaah!¡± The griffon shrieked, signaling his attack.

    I dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the front paw. I tried to strike at its exposed side, but the griffon has wisened to my tactics; it whipped its tail around, forcing me to defend myself. Our exchanged happened in only a split second, but I had already understood the amount of pressure the captain shouldered. My respect for that man has grown much in this small time frame.

    The griffon also seemed to understand that I was weaker than the captain and was now filled with confidence. I watched as it strutted around confidently, which irritated me that much more.

    ¡°This bird brain dares act cocky in front of me?¡± I grumbled. This behavior reminded me of a particular man with silver hair. My blood burned hot when I imagine his condescending attitude. Are the gods mocking me?

    When the griffon attacked once more, this time, instead of dodging, I charged in. Maybe it wasn¡¯t expecting such a reckless attack because I managed to get inside its guard.

    ¡°HAAAH!¡± I stabbed with all my might, imaging that the wall of fur was that man.

    ¡°KWEEEE!¡± The griffon fell back with a sharp cry. I held onto my sword as it slid out of the beast. ¡°KWEE!¡±

    ¡°Hah¡­ Hah¡­¡± I felt my heart pounding hard in my chest. It was the first time I felt such exhilaration in a while. Being reckless was¡­ exciting. ¡°Come at me you stuck up bitch!¡± I roared.

    ¡°RAAAHHH!¡± It breathed out a mouthful of flames. The griffon must¡¯ve run out of ideas because it always used this attack when it felt threatened. However, this also meant that it can¡¯t use this attack many times. I activated the gift that I received from my goddess.

    [Sword of Light]

    My blade glowed white-hot as I waved it in front of myself.

    *Crash!*

    The flames split in half and passed by harmlessly around my body. I watched as the griffon paused and cocked its head dumbly.

    ¡°My turn!¡± I ran forward and sliced off one of its wings.

    ¡°KUEEEEEE!¡± The griffon crashed down and thrashed about in pain. I nimbly dodged around the monster as I occasionally stabbed down. Each stab with my ability active meant an unblockable attack. The ability [Sword of Light] can cut apart the untouchable and also shreds apart any creature of darkness. However, I have to end the battle quickly, or it¡¯ll soon drain my stamina.

    ¡°Look! His sword is shining with light!¡± A soldier commented.

    ¡°A sword brimming with light. I can feel its warmth.¡± Another soldier chimed in. Pretty soon, everyone was staring awestruck at me, though I try not to pay attention to them. Now that the griffon was riddled with holes and lost its wing, it was only a matter of time before it died. The loss of blood was already too much, as evidenced by the sluggish movements of the beast.

    ¡°Captain, you mustn¡¯t move too much!¡± A soldier wrapping the wounds of the captain strained his voice.

    ¡°Let go of me, I need to see this!¡± Captain Kale sat up and watched as I slew the griffon. My blade glowed with white-hot intensity as I sliced off the monster¡¯s head.

    ¡°Fuuu~¡­¡± I released a pent up breath as I released the [Sword of Light] ability.

    ¡°WOAAAAAAHHHH!¡±

    ¡°YEAAAAHHH!!!¡±

    ¡°HE DID IT!¡±

    All the recuperating soldiers ran up to me and choked me in a tight hug. I think the only thing worse than fighting a boss monster is to be choked to death by a group of dirty, sweaty, bloodstained men.

    ¡°Enough!¡± Captain Kale¡¯s voice rang through the crowd. ¡°It¡¯ll be troubling if our savior died from something like this,¡± he joked as he walked forward.

    ¡°Captain.¡± I performed a military salute, albeit sloppily.

    ¡°Kid, what¡¯s your name?¡± Captain Kale¡¯s eyes gleamed with admiration.

    ¡°William, Captain.¡± I sheathed my sword.

    ¡°What¡¯s your family name?¡± He asked after waiting a bit longer.

    ¡°I have no family name,¡± I answered his question. I have gotten asked this question many times in the past. It might be due to my proper etiquette from my past life that made people mistake me for a person of the gentry.

    ¡°No family name?¡± Captain Kale looked puzzled for a moment before his eyes solidified with resolve. ¡°William, your actions today will not go unrewarded. I can see potential in you. It would do a disservice to this kingdom if we were to let such a good seed like you go. My sword!¡± He held out his bandaged arm.

    ¡°Sir!¡± A soldier ran forward and presented the captain¡¯s sword. I watched on in confusion.

    ¡°William, kneel down and receive my words.¡± Captain Kale announced. I looked around me, puzzled. However, everyone around me had already stepped back and remained silent. Seeing that I was confused, Captain Kale chuckled and said, ¡°You¡¯ve never seen a knighting ceremony before, Kid?¡±

    ¡°Sir!¡± I finally realized what was happening and kneeled down.

    ¡°With the power given to me by King Xander of Eidolon, I dub thee William Lightsword. May his blade shine ever bright, and his integrity be incorruptible. May he stand against injustice, uphold the moral values of a knight, and wield his blade to protect the weak. Stand, William Lightsword.¡±

    ¡°Sir!¡± I stood up, still baffled at the unexpected event.

    ¡°Son, from now on, everyone will be watching you. Do well not to stain the title of knighthood.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir!¡± I saluted. The captain turned around and started ordering the soldiers to treat the wounded and look for survivors. However, at this time, I finally thought of the question that had been bothering me ever since. ¡°Sir!¡±

    ¡°What is it, William?¡± Captain Kale looked back.

    ¡°Just who are you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know me, and you still went along with everything?¡± Captain Kale laughed before saying, ¡°Kale Ellington, son of Duke Ellington.¡±

    Thunder rang throughout my mind when I heard the family name, Ellington. Duke Ellington was the leading supporter behind the third prince, the leader of the Nobility faction. A million thoughts ran through my mind, particularly the fact that Kale Ellington was a compassionate man. He cared about his men and even risked his life to protect theirs. He was upright, but not cold and detached. He was proud but humble. How can such a person belong to the Nobility Faction?

    ¡°Pleasure.¡± I shook Kale Ellington¡¯s hand, and we quickly reorganized and retreated from the dungeon core¡¯s room. I don¡¯t remember much else of what happened throughout the rest of the day.

    My mind kept bouncing back and forth the revelation that maybe I was wrong. Maybe things weren¡¯t all black and white; there was no right side and no wrong side. Although I kept this to myself, I will try to view the world through my own eyes and not through what other¡¯s tell me.

 V2 Chapter 1 - Eccentric Duo

    When he woke up, he noticed that he was under an unfamiliar ceiling. His body felt very light, light enough to be considered floating on clouds. The odd feeling was very unsettling like wading through a pool of water. Then suddenly, the memories of Yeriel grasping his throat replayed itself in his mind.

    ¡°Could it be¡­ that I am her captive?¡± His throat felt hoarse, the point was further emphasized by his rough and deeper tone. He grasped at his throat with the intent of searching for a collar. ¡°Yeah right, that only happens in those shitty wish-fulfillment novels.¡± He joked to himself, only to realize his limbs were not bounded.

    Vincent sat up slowly, shaking off the groggy feeling of having slept for what seemed like a century. He lightly stretched his arms and legs, getting a feel for them before returning to examine the room he had woken up in. The room was simplistic; there was only a bed, drawer, table, and a few chairs.

    ¡°So where am I?¡± Vincent asked himself and looked out the single window in the room. Beyond the window was a forest of trees the size of skyscrapers. What is more, the world outside was dark, so maybe it was night time. A perfect time to escape if he really was captured.

    Vincent¡¯s first thought was to rub his ring, only to find it missing. Then, he checked the drawer to see if his gear was inside.

    ¡°Empty. I¡¯ll worry about that later.¡± Vincent frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll have to make do with this.¡± He was dressed in just a pair of briefs and an undershirt.¡± He hurriedly made his way outside, only to be stunned by the sight that captured his view.

    *WHOOSH!*

    ¡°Woah!¡± Vincent fell backward into the room. There was an empty void just outside the door. To be precise, there was a ladder that led down to the base of the tree to his left. In front of him, was a shortcut to the ground.

    ¡°I nearly ended my life just like that. Fuck!¡± Vincent thought to himself before picking himself up and climbing down the ladder. A few moments later, he hopped off the ladder and observed his surroundings. When he looked up at the room he had just woken up in, it could no longer be seen. If anyone were to walk by this place, they would never notice the room.

    Vincent looked up, hoping to make sense of where he was. In the past, he was taught how to use the stars to navigate. When he looked up, there was nothing. There were no stars, no moon, and then he realized why.

    ¡°Could it be? The trees are covering up the sky?¡± He felt his heart drop to the pit of his stomach. ¡°Wasn¡¯t the inner region of Emerald Forest said to have no sky? A world in complete darkness under cover of the trees?¡± Right at that moment, a crooning noise came out from above.

    ¡°Kueeh~!¡±

    Vincent looked up and smiled before calling out softly, ¡°Emet!¡± His face lit up with joy, ¡°I forgot about you. Where were you this whole time?¡± He laughed and reached out to her.

    ¡°Kurururu~¡± Emet landed on his outstretched arm and looked offended. She turned to the side and refused to look his way. ¡°How dare he forget about me?!¡± Emet seemed to say.

    ¡°Sorry. Sorry. I won¡¯t forget about you next time,¡± Vincent tried hard to appease his companion.

    ¡°¡­¡± Emet remained silent for a while longer before happily flapping her wings, ¡°Kueee!¡±

    ¡°Ahaha!¡± Vincent chuckled cheerfully when Emet intimately pecked at his thumb, a habit that displayed when she wanted attention. While the two were bonding, a third party made her entrance.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± The person observed.

    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Vincent warily asked and jumped back, he instinctively reached for his sword, only to find it missing.

    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± A small girl floated out from beyond the misty outskirts of the forest. Her figure was about as tall as his little sister, Isabel. However, what stuck out most to him were her eyes. They were twinkling like starlight in the night sky, deep and mysterious.

    ¡°P-Princess?!¡± Gasped Vincent exasperatedly. This was such a sudden change. The last time he had seen her, she had the eyes of a person that had given up on life, but now¡­ ¡°Is this a dream? Am I dead?¡± Vincent comically poked Emet, looking for an answer.

    ¡°Kuee!¡± Emet sharply glared back and flew over to the little elf girl.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t dead.¡± Princess Arya stated once more and played with Emet. ¡°We¡¯re in the depths of the Emerald Forest. Do you not remember?¡± She cocked her head to the side as if studying a strange specimen. The youthful appearance did well to play off her innocent expression and made her look as harmless as a bunny.

    ¡°How did we end up here? The last thing I remembered was us being caught by Yeriel¡­¡± Vincent drooped his head down.

    ¡°¡­¡± Princess Arya paused and hesitated for a bit. The tension in the air could be felt by all three parties. ¡°Actually, we have been captured by Yeriel and imprisoned by her. Right now, we are in her maze prison deep inside the Emerald Forest.¡±

    ¡°No way¡­¡± Vincent felt despair and his eyes wandered in search of a path out of the gloomy forest.

    ¡°Pfft!¡± A snicker escaped from just beyond Vincent¡¯s vision.

    ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± Vincent shouted. ¡°Show yourself!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just me~!¡± An odd-looking man hopped out from the darkness. He was dressed in tacky clothes that do not match. He was wearing belts all over his body with bits and baubles attached to it. On top of the mismatched clothes was a long and gray mottled cloak that could do with a bit of washing. He sported a face that made anyone want to slap it just to wipe off the dumb smile on it. If it weren¡¯t for the peerless handsome face, anyone that saw this man would call for security.

    ¡°Did I do well, Great Ancestor?¡± Princess Arya walked over while petting Emet.

    ¡°That was perfect. I give it 100 out of 10! Magnificent!¡± The man held up his thumb and petted the little princess.

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent frowned, he had been tricked.

    ¡°Did you like my prank, Vincent?¡± The man skipped forward until he was just a few steps away.

    ¡°That was a distasteful joke.¡± Vincent felt bitter, and it took all his willpower to restrain himself from slapping that dumb smile off his face. After taking a moment to calm himself, Vincent asked, ¡°So? Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Oh~!¡± The man was shaken and staggered back a step, ¡°How can you already forget about me? I¡¯m your great-great-great-great-great-great-great¡ª¡­¡° The man looked like he was going to continue for a while longer, thankfully Princess Arya intervened.

    ¡°Please forgive my great ancestor, Vincent.¡± Princess Arya was smiling bitterly. ¡°Although he may not seem like it, this person is Faerin, the first king of Ithvije.¡±

    ¡°Little Grand Heir, please have more respect for your Grand Ancestor!¡± Faerin harmlessly beckoned with his fist, eliciting a contemptuous smile from Princess Arya. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?!¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Nothing, Ancestor.¡± Princess Arya wasn¡¯t one bit convincing with her wry smile.

    ¡°Once your two-man stand-up routine is over, would you mind explaining everything to me from the beginning?¡± Vincent couldn¡¯t help but interject, otherwise, they would spend all day going nowhere.

    ¡°Stand-up routine? What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Stand-up? Is that something that¡¯s ¡®hip¡¯ these days?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Once everyone got back on track, Vincent was finally keyed in on what happened after he blacked out. The party entered a similar-looking house built into the trunk of a tree where Vincent got dressed, and his gear was returned. Now, while sitting and examining the mask, Vincent was still finding the whole situation surreal.

    ¡°It¡¯s still hard to believe. So this mask belonged to my grandfather?¡± asked Vincent. He examined the featureless white mask. The mask covered his entire face, there were no holes for eyes, nose, or mouth. There was only an engraving of a snowflake in the forehead. Inside the snowflake, a blue gem was embedded.

    ¡°So do you have any idea why your grandfather appeared back then?¡± Princess Arya wondered and asked out loud. ¡°Will he show himself again?¡± She asked innocently.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Vincent shook his head. He doesn¡¯t remember anything, so he was taking their word for it. ¡°However, I might be able to find out at some point.¡±

    ¡°Really?!¡± Princess Arya¡¯s eyes lit up before she quickly restrained herself. ¡°Is that so? Please tell me.¡±

    ¡°Why are you so interested in this?¡± Vincent asked, he felt there was something not quite right about the situation. Whatever happened to him, wasn¡¯t her concern.

    ¡°Yea, Little Grand Heir, why are you so interested~?¡± Faerin who had been quiet the whole time finally spoke up.

    ¡°B-because, I just want to¡­¡± Princess Arya flushed and refused to answer anymore.

    ¡°I guess you feel indebted to my grandfather for saving you.¡± Vincent gave her a way out.

    ¡°Y-yea!¡± Princess Arya hastily concurred.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll help you a bit if I get the chance. However, even I have no idea how it happened back then.¡± Vincent lied with a straight face.

    ¡°Then I thank you, Vincent.¡± Princess Arya flushed red and nodded.

    ¡°Now then~!¡± Faerin clapped and brought everyone back to the topic. ¡°What are your plans from here, Vincent?¡±

    ¡°Since I¡¯ve been asleep for a week, a lot of things must¡¯ve happened. I¡¯d best return as soon as possible.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure about the consequences of his actions at the world tree, but he decided to take it in stride and not worry too much.

    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s the best idea?¡± Faerin grinned as he asked, his tone contained a hidden meaning to them to which didn¡¯t escape Vincent¡¯s senses.

    ¡°What do you mean? Did something happen?¡± Vincent asked worriedly.

    ¡°Indeed, something has happened.¡± Princess Arya was the one to answer. ¡°The destruction of the world tree unleashed a huge amount of dark mana. The hidden dungeons in the Emerald Forest absorbed this large portion and started producing many monsters. This, in turn, caused¡­¡±

    ¡°A monster outbreak!¡± Vincent concluded. His mind started working overtime. ¡°This should be the end of November if that¡¯s so then wouldn¡¯t that mean monster outbreaks started half a month early? If that happened then, the harvest would¡¯ve been delayed, and once the first snowfall arrives, it¡¯ll be too late by then.¡± Vincent thought to himself.

    ¡°Why do you look so worried?¡± Princess Arya asked, but then realized something. ¡°Could it be that you are a resident of the northern territories of Eidolon?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent¡¯s silence all it took to make it clear to everyone.

    ¡°Then this is a problem,¡± concluded Princess Arya. She nervously tapped her knee and looked over at her ancestor.

    ¡°Is something the matter, Little Grand Heir?¡± Faerin asked dumbly.

    ¡°Muu~!¡± Princess Arya pouted and refused to look at Faerin.

    ¡°Oh~! Vincent! My Little Grand Heir is refusing to speak to me. What do I do?!¡± Faerin started wailing like a 9-year old. ¡°Little Grand Heir, speak to your great ancestor. I promise I will help, Vincent. Is that what you want?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Okay.¡± Princess Arya stopped puffing her cheeks and shortly answered afterward.

    ¡°Oh~! Little Grand Heir is the best!¡± Faerin shot up his thumb and looked back to Vincent. His tone sounded like a proud grandparent. From behind Faerin, Princess Arya was holding a triumphant peace sign, leaving Vincent speechless.

    ¡°Then, I thank you, King Faerin.¡± Vincent bowed.

    ¡°Please! Call me Great Ancestor.¡± Faerin embarrassedly waved away the title.

    ¡°Ancestor, Vincent isn¡¯t your descendant.¡± Princess Arya reminded.

    ¡°Oh~! You¡¯re right!¡± Faerin seemed to just realize but then said, ¡°Well, he¡¯s going to be a step-descendent soon anyways.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Princess Arya¡¯s cheeks flushed while she was glaring at her ancestor.

    ¡°Please stay focused.¡± Vincent massaged his temples. ¡°Since King Faerin has some relations with my grandfather, I won¡¯t be formal and call you Godfather. Is that alright?¡±

    ¡°Oh~! Perfect! Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡± Faerin approved much, stuck out two thumbs up and beamed with excitement. After he calmed down, Faerin then began, ¡°Anyways, after your grandfather disappeared, he told me to protect his family. Naturally, being the bestest friend your grandfather has, I will do what he says!¡±

    ¡°Then I won¡¯t stand on ceremony and thank you ahead of time.¡± Vincent bowed once more. ¡°I¡¯ll also have to trouble Godfather for another matter.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡± Faerin cocked his head to the side.

    ¡°Please guide me out of the forest.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the need to hurry?¡± Princess Arya was the first to speak.

    ¡°The kingdom has been unstable for a while now. Now, with the monster outbreak, I fear that something might happen. I have to be there to react faster to any new developments.¡± Vincent didn¡¯t feel any need to hide anything from the two faes in the room. If they wanted, they could easily destroy a large portion of the cities of Eidolon.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think anything you do will have much impact on the overall picture.¡± Faerin finally said something with substance.

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent clenched his fists, ¡°But still. I have people I want to protect. Therefore, I will fight.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s just people, I guess it¡¯s possible.¡± Faerin chuckled and stood up. ¡°But not with your current power. Follow me.¡± He beckoned.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Vincent wondered and followed Faerin outside. They both climbed down to the ground. Once on the ground floor outside, Faerin stepped forward and threw out a punch.

    ¡°Block this.¡±

    *Boom!*

    Vincent immediately reacted and grabbed the fist coming his way. However, he incorrectly predicted the force behind it and was thrown back nearly ten meters. He swiftly jumped back up, prepared for a follow-up attack.

    ¡°What are you doing, Godfather?¡± He questioned. Although it looked like he took a lot of damage, surprisingly, he was unscathed.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell? Are you hurting anywhere?¡± Faerin grinned and asked.

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent realized something and examined his body. ¡°Strange¡­¡±

    ¡°What stage are you at right now? Why don¡¯t you take a guess?¡±

    ¡°Stage?¡± Vincent asked, confused about the direction the conversation was heading.

    ¡°The gate¡­ How do you youngsters refer to it these days? Hm¡­ Oh right! Rank! What rank are you, do you suppose?¡±

    ¡°Rank?¡± Vincent quickly inspected his stats.

    [Status]

    ===

    Status

    [Strength] (30)

    [Endurance] (31)

    [Agility] (32.5)

    [Perception] (50)

    [Magic] (77)

    Talents

    [Flexible Body] (null)

    [Origin Magic] (Beginner ¨C Rank 9)(EXP 89%)

    Titles

    [Inheritor of the Aion Ring]

    [Vessel for the Past]

    ===

    ¡°No way? I¡¯m already B-rank?¡± Vincent was exasperated. Not too long ago, he had already reached the limits of his growth. Somehow, before he even realized, he already broke through his boundaries. What¡¯s even more surprising was the drastic increase in his perception and magic stat.

    ¡°You¡¯ve broken through the first gate, Vincent.¡± Faerin grinned. ¡°From now on, many more paths lay ahead of you. I hope you make the best of this opportunity and to help you along the way. Let me give you some advice.¡± Faerin smiled benevolently and lifted up his knotted wooden staff.

    Balls of flames lit up the dark forest floor like fox fires. They float back and forth like pendulums, threatening to draw the viewers into an eternal sleep.

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin your first lesson, Vincent.¡±

 V2 Chapter 2 - Meeting the Four Spirits

    ¡°Father, I have organized the reports that were sent in and have it set aside for you. You may take your time perusing them.¡± Gerald announced after he entered his father¡¯s study. ¡°Father, by chance have you heard anything from Big Brother?¡±

    Zeke Redwall sighed heavily as he picked up the report, ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. I have sent a request for an investigation, but no one will take up such a risky job with the monster outbreaks happening.¡±

    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Gerald looked downtrodden as he hung his head. ¡°Where ever he is, I hope that he is alright.¡±

    ¡°I do too, Gerald.¡± Zeke dismissed his son and returned to studying the documents. So far, there have already been numerous incidents of monsters attacking travelers on the road. Thankfully, he heeded Vincent¡¯s advice and called for more mercenaries into his territory. His close friends had also done the same and were very grateful for his insightful information. Zeke¡¯s only worry right at the moment was the incorrect timing; Vincent had predicted they would attack after the harvest, but the outbreak happened much earlier than anticipated. On top of that, his troublesome son had disappeared for far too long without sending word, which worried him to no end.

    ¡°Zeke? Are you in there?¡± A woman knocked on the door and asked.

    ¡°Come in, Catherine.¡± Zeke felt a headache coming.

    A woman dressed in casual attire came in, her face was pale, and she looked like she hadn¡¯t slept well in over a week. However, under all of that, she was a natural beauty that could turn heads when she entered a room. Zeke was also a victim, captivated by her when he first met her. To this day, he still wished that she was his woman.

    ¡°Zeke, have you heard a word from Vince? I¡¯m worried about him.¡± Catherine came in complaining. Her limpid eyes seemed to pull at his heartstrings with each movement. Her eyes were red, revealing that she had been crying. The only times Zeke had ever seen her cry was when she received a message that the grand marshal had fallen in battle and whenever Vincent was involved.

    ¡°I forgot there was also that one time¡­¡± Zeke muttered softly to himself.

    ¡°What was that? Did you find out something?!¡± Catherine stiffened momentarily and ran up and clutched his forearm. If anyone had barged in on this scene, they would¡¯ve passed it off as a typical interaction between husband and wife, but Zeke knew otherwise.

    Zeke bitterly smiled to himself and shook his head before explaining, ¡°No, I was just caught up with something. Vincent is a tough child, I know he¡¯s safe.¡±

    It might be that Zeke¡¯s affirmation was all Catherine needed because after hearing his words, her strained face relaxed. ¡°Thank you, Zeke.¡± She thanked him and left the study as swiftly as she had come.

    Zeke kept watching the door long after she left.

    ---

    ¡°Let¡¯s play a game, Vincent.¡± Faerin laughed merrily as he made the balls of blue flame dance around the area. ¡°What I have here is a crystal ball.¡± He pulled out a transparent spherical object from one of the baubles hanging on his body.

    ¡°Is this for training?¡± Vincent was interested in the prospect of being trained by Faerin. If his conjecture was correct, Faerin was the legendary Sage of the Forest that William¡¯s party met. The Sage was a saintly individual that guided William and his party in their training and even bestowed Sophia a blessing. Right now, this broken character was about to teach him something.

    ¡°Hm~ I guess you can say that~?¡± He quickly put back the crystal and pulled out another one identical to the last one.

    ¡°Why did you put it away?¡± Vincent questioned.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Don¡¯t pay it any attention.¡± Faerin nervously chuckled and then beckoned, ¡°Come, Vincent. I want to test your aptitude for magic. If you are a descendant of Vincent the First, then you should have insane compatibility with mana.¡±

    ¡°Oh, alright.¡± Vincent was confused. As far as he knew, the original Vincent had no aptitude towards magic, but maybe it¡¯s because it¡¯s a hidden talent that wasn¡¯t able to be awakened? His mind drifted off into endless fantasies of overpowered characters awakening late into the plot.

    Vincent was about to pick up the crystal ball when Princess Arya made her appearance. She took one look at the crystal ball and asked, ¡°Great Ancestor, why are you giving Vincent a slime?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Vincent became alert and took a second look at the ball. Now that he was closer, he could see the crystal ball shivering, struggling to break out of an unseen restriction.

    ¡°Little Grand Heir, you are ruining your great ancestors fun!¡± Faerin stamped his foot and pouted. Princess Arya gave a peace sign and started playing with Emet.

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent wasn¡¯t sure how to react, so he decided to ignore it. ¡°Please, Godfather, I don¡¯t have time to fool around.¡±

    ¡°Oh~! I guess you¡¯re right.¡± Faerin became serious and put the ¡°crystal ball¡± behind his back and brought it back out again. ¡°Okay, I guess we should start.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent stared for a long time at Faerin.

    ¡°W-what is it, Vincent?¡± Faerin couldn¡¯t make eye contact and kept looking away.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Alright! I get it!¡± Faerin put away the slime and took out the crystal ball from earlier, all the while mumbling, ¡°Youngsters these days don¡¯t know how to have fun.¡±

    Finally, the real crystal ball was taken out, and Vincent took it in his hands. As soon as he touched the crystal ball, he felt a warmth encompass his hand as the ball started heating up, soon a hot wave covered his body. Suddenly a flash of bright white light lit up the whole surrounding as the legendary sparkle of awakening signaled the birth of a hero¡­ not!

    ¡°Nothing happened?¡± Vincent asked.

    ¡°Well, no. I need to activate it first, why was something supposed to happen?¡± Faerin¡¯s playfully chuckled.

    Vincent coughed and quickly changed the topic, ¡°Then please hurry.¡±

    ¡°Alright~!¡± Faerin twirled his fingers for a bit. As he was doing so, Vincent felt fluctuations in the area as the mana began to gather. The mana gathered up into a strange formation, ultimately four alien bodies appeared. Vincent tried looking with his eyes, but there was nothing there, but he could ¡°see¡± them.

    ¡°Godfather, I think something happened,¡± Vincent warned the clueless fae while he continued to twirl his fingers like a conductor in an orchestra.

    ¡°Oh~? Vincent can see them too?¡± Faerin¡¯s eyes lit up as he increased the pace of his conducting. Soon, the four bodies of fire, earth, water, and air began to twirl, dancing along to the tuneless song.

    Vincent felt a burst of pain in his head as he tried to keep up with the dancing mana. As far as he knew, mana didn¡¯t have bodies and couldn¡¯t ¡°dance,¡± but what he was witnessing was telling him otherwise. Finally, just as the pace of the ¡°song¡± increased to a terrifying speed, it came to an abrupt halt. Faerin¡¯s conducting stopped, the four mana existences froze, and Vincent stiffened.

    ¡°Guah!¡± Vincent stumbled and fell down. Just now, he felt a burst of pain in his head as four strands of pure elemental mana coursed throughout his body, ultimately residing in his head.

    ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± Faerin picked up the dropped crystal ball and returned it into its storage. ¡°How do you feel, Vincent?¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡°I feel terrible.¡± Vincent sluggishly answered he was still trying to shake off the dizziness and the pain.

    ¡°That¡¯s expected.¡± Faerin laughed for a while, but then stopped. ¡°You four can leave now.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The four spiritual bodies remained in place.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make me take it out again!¡± Faerin threatened and kicked at the air. The fire spirit moved back and dodged the kick, causing Faerin to stumble a bit and had to use his staff to retain his balance. ¡°I¡¯ll get mad. I¡¯ll really get mad!¡± Faerin feebly threatened.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Godfather?¡± Vincent asked worriedly, he could tell that Faerin was having an argument with the four elemental bodies gathered there. However, he didn¡¯t know what they were, but he was soon given an answer.

    ¡°They are spirits.¡± Princess Arya walked over, knelt down beside Vincent and asked, ¡°Are you hurt?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not hurt.¡± He answered and also soothed the worried Emet while sitting up. ¡°But, going more into the topic, what are spirits? Are they ghosts? Also, how come I¡¯ve never heard about them?¡± Vincent had read about spirits in the novel, but they were regarded as myths.

    ¡°Spirits are¡­¡± Princess Arya looked like she was struggling to find an explanation for them. While that was happening, Faerin finally resolved his differences with the four spirits, resulting in a section of his cloak being singed.

    ¡°Vincent? They would like to speak with you.¡± Faerin had the look of a slimy henchman sucking up to his boss as he pulled Vincent up and pushed him toward the four spirits. In the lead was the Spirit of Water.

    ¡°What do they want?¡± Vincent asked Faerin, who was busily trying to push him forward.

    ¡°Just talk to them, and you¡¯ll find out.¡± Faerin finally pushed Vincent until they arrived right in front of the water spirit and quickly ran away and rejoined Princess Arya.

    ¡°Great Ancestor?¡± Princess Arya was just as clueless as Vincent.

    ¡°Shh! Don¡¯t disturb the spirits, they are spiteful creatures.¡±

    *Whoosh!*

    A gust of wind blew Faerin¡¯s cloak over his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry~!¡± Faerin pitifully cried out and ducked behind Princess Arya. ¡°Little Grand Heir, protect your great ancestor. He¡¯s being bullied!¡±

    Princess Arya pushed away the clinging man and curtsied to the invisible spirits, saying, ¡°I apologize on behalf of my great ancestor. To atone for his mistake, I allow you to inflict on him whatever punishment you may deem necessary.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Faerin was between crying and laughing, ¡°Little Grand Heir, how could you turn on your grand ancestor!¡± He started running away as the wind spirit chased after him, whipping him from time to time.

    Vincent watched with a pensive expression and then turned back to the water spirit. ¡°How am I supposed to communicate?¡± Vincent thought to himself. Soon, he had his answer. The spirit reached out with a tendril of mana; Vincent also understood the motion and reached out with his hand. When they met, Vincent blacked out.

    When he opened his eyes again, he saw a man dressed in golden armor flying high up in the sky. The man was surrounded by four hues of light as he fought a second man. The red, blue, green, and yellow lights were dancing around him as fireballs, water whips, wind blades, and earth spikes were shot out simultaneously. The number of magic attacks looked like an army was launching an offensive, but they all originated from one man.

    The other man, the adversary of the golden armored man, in contrast, wore plain clothes. To be fair, it was rather dull compared to the golden armored man, but it was still exquisitely made clothing, fit for a king. The most prominent feature of this man, however, was the white mask on the man¡¯s face.

    ¡°Godslayer¡­ Grandfather?¡± Vincent asked out loud, but no voice came out. Before he knew it, the golden man reached out, and Vincent felt pain as he felt his body losing strength. Then a massive wave of water was generated in the air and threatened to wrap up the Godslayer.

    ¡°Hmph! Na?ve!¡± Vincent the First scoffed and snapped his fingers, a barrier immediately formed around him. The wave came and was brushed off quickly before Vincent the First pointed his cane at the golden man.

    ¡°@#%!^!#¡± The golden man shouted in a foreign language before forming layers upon layers of earth around his body. Vincent could tell that the man was fearful of his grandfather¡¯s attack. The man kept putting up more layers, but it was too late.

    For some reason, he started slowing down, it was like the golden man was wading through water and the water then turned into molasses. Finally, the golden man stopped moving altogether. Vincent watched as the Godslayer flew over to the golden man and pulled out a hammer. The Godslayer gently tapped the gavel to the crystal-like shell, then a crack immediately formed on it.

    *Crack!*

    The cracks spread in a web-like manner before the crystal defense broke like smashed glass, reveal the frozen golden-armored man inside.

    ¡°It was your mistake to piss me off.¡± Vincent the First said lightly. Then he reached out with his cane and tapped on the frozen man. ¡°So, you must die.¡±

    When the cane touched the man, he crumbled into dust and was blown away by the wind. The moment the man disappeared, five bodies appeared in his place. Vincent finally understood what was happening.

    ¡°You are now free.¡± Vincent the First said as he turned to each of the four elemental spirits. Then he trained his eye on the fifth ¡°spirit¡±, ¡°I welcome you to Aion¡¯s Ring.¡±

    ¡°URAAAAAAHHHHH!!!¡± A screeching noise like grating metal roared out from the spirit as the ring sucked in the ghost of the golden man.

    The Godslayer turned to leave, but the four elemental spirits kept following him. So he turned back and asked, ¡°What else do you want?¡± He sounded impatient.

    Vincent watched as his host, the water spirit, extended its tendril-like mana and communicated with the Godslayer for a moment. Once that was over, Vincent the First spoke up, ¡°You say that is my fate?¡± He chuckled lightly then added, ¡°I won¡¯t let fate govern me. I accepted this burden ever since I took up the ring. So, there¡¯s no need for you worry.¡± Vincent the First bid the spirits farewell and flew away.

    Finally, Vincent was thrown back out into reality. He woke up and found he was laying on a pillow of leaves. When he opened his eyes, he caught Princess Arya studying him and asked, ¡°How long was I asleep?¡±

    Princess Arya didn¡¯t look away and answered, ¡°About half an hour; not too long.¡±

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± It was impolite to keep staring at a person¡¯s face. This was an unspoken rule in modern times and also in ancient times.

    ¡°Your face.¡± She bluntly answered without missing a beat.

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent gave up and sat up and saw Faerin bitterly sowing up his cloak that had multiple tears in it. The spirits were gone, but Vincent remembered the last words the water spirit said before ending the memory.

    ¡°Please save us. We will become your strength and join your fight when you point your sword at the heavens.¡±

    ¡°Save them? Aren¡¯t they already free?¡± Vincent muttered to himself as he walked over and asked Faerin the same question.

    ¡°The spirits?¡± Faerin bitterly smiled and looked around before speaking. ¡°There are only four elemental spirits in the world. They can split up portions of themselves. However, the gods sealed up the spirits along with the rest of the fae in the tiny world. Only the fae that signed the contract were allowed out. I guess the same thing happened to the spirits.¡±

    ¡°Then, when the spirits asked me to save them, they want me to unseal them?¡± Vincent asked.

    ¡°I guess?¡± Faerin picked his ear. ¡°If you ask me, I¡¯d rather they stay in there. They¡¯re nothing but bullies!¡±

    *Bang!*

    A rock flew down and hit Faerin¡¯s head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Faerin cried out and ducked his head before whispering, ¡°See?!¡±

    The earth spirit was finally appeased, and the attacks stopped.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a great sage?¡± Vincent felt his image of the man crumbling.

    ¡°Sage?¡± Faerin sat up, ¡°I guess you can say that. I am a great and powerful person, after all!¡± He stood up and confidently stuck out his chest. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew past him, reminding of his position, ¡°I¡¯m not strong, just too annoying to die. Just too annoying to die.¡± He began to kneel and apologize to the empty air.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Faerin whined, ¡°When you live as long as I have, you will come to understand a few things about life. The first rule is you must never anger the spirits. The second rule is you must never anger your wife.¡±

    ¡°Why did you add the second part?¡±

    ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Faerin scratched his head.

    ¡°I can answer that.¡± Princess Arya spoke up. ¡°There was a legend about Great Ancestor. In the past, he angered his wife by forgetting about their date in the moonflower garden. Because of that, he wasn¡¯t allowed in the bedroom for a decade.¡±

    ¡°P-Please Little Grand Heir, at least give your great ancestor some face!¡± Faerin feebly beckoned.

    ¡°Hehe.¡± Princess Arya contemptuously laughed and continued, ¡°The Fae are a matriarchal society. They only turned patriarchal after signing the contract and changing into elves. Probably at the bequest of a certain man.¡± She eyed a particular fae that was trying to hide behind Vincent.

    ¡°I see, but that doesn¡¯t explain something.¡±

    ¡°Great Ancestor¡¯s wife is the Oracle of Spirits. Whatever the spirits wanted, they spoke through her. Imagine how life would be if invisible eyes are keeping watch over you and reporting everything to your wife.¡± Princess Arya displayed a sardonic laugh once more.

    ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t it be, the first rule: never anger your wife. Second rule: never anger the spirits?¡± Vincent joined in and chuckled mischievously. Although his image of the Sage of the Forest has crumbled down, at least it was more easygoing.

    ¡°V-Vincent not you too!¡± Faerin complained. ¡°I knew I shouldn¡¯t have called the spirits¡­¡± He mumbled.

    ¡°That reminds me!¡± Vincent realized the main point was to test his aptitude and asked, ¡°So what were my results?¡±

    Faerin evilly grinned and revealed an expression of schadenfreude and replied, ¡°Absolutely horrible compatibility with the elements.¡±

 V2 Chapter 3 - Discovery

    ¡°How could that be?¡± Vincent wondered. If anything, he could be considered a prodigy with his ability to manipulate mana right from the source.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Faerin shrugged lightheartedly. ¡°But, that¡¯s what the results from the aptitude test showed. However, you were able to see the spirits, so it might just be broken. Why don¡¯t we do this?¡±

    Vincent watched as Faerin rummaged around under his repaired cloak and pulled out another crystal ball. This object, unlike the first one, had some murky gaseous contents inside that reminded Vincent of a thunder cloud. Next, Faerin skipped over and placed the ball in Vincent¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Here, take this,¡± Faerin commanded and then twirled his fingers a bit more. The dark cloud in the ball rumbled and began to destabilize. ¡°What do you see in there?¡±

    Vincent didn¡¯t understand the question, but still answered honestly, ¡°A mass of energy?¡±

    ¡°Ding! Ding! That¡¯s correct!¡± Faerin lightly clapped. ¡°To be precise, this is compressed wild mana. This device is used to train young fae on how to control their mana. To decrease the risk of hurting our youths, we devised an imitation device that is used to mimic our bodies.¡±

    ¡°Great Ancestor, please don¡¯t lie. It¡¯s just a toy children play with.¡± Princess Arya grabbed the ball and very quickly, the murky cloud in the ball separated, and four distinct sections appeared. There were four quadrants: red, blue, green, and yellow. ¡°Vincent, don¡¯t get swindled by Great Ancestor. Elves are born with an innate affinity with all four primary elements, I would expect no less from the fae.¡±

    ¡°Tsk!¡± Faerin clicked his tongue, ¡°Always ruining my fun.¡±

    ¡°What were you trying to accomplish by lying to me?¡± Vincent asked.

    ¡°It would¡¯ve been fun to see you worship this like it¡¯s a treasure.¡± Faerin didn¡¯t hesitate and spoke his mind.

    ¡°Godfather¡­ I¡¯m starting to lose my respect for you¡­¡± Vincent dejectedly answered back.

    ¡°Oh~! Those words hurt!¡± Faerin acted devastated and then bounced back, ¡°But no worries, once you can imitate what my great-great-great-great-¡°

    ¡°Great Ancestor.¡± Princess Arya interrupted.

    ¡°Little Grand Heir, please let me finish.¡± Faerin continued to add a few more ¡°great¡¯s¡± before ending with, ¡°granddaughter. Then I can begin teaching you a skill of your grandfather¡¯s!¡±

    ¡°You want me to separate the mana?¡± Vincent asked and reached for the crystal ball in Princess Arya¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t treat this task lightly, Vincent. I¡¯ll have to let you know, humans are unlike the fae. They have little affinity with the four primary elements, at most, they would only have a dual elemental affinity. Only every once a century will there be a genius that can wield the powers of all four elements to their¡­¡± Faerin was interrupted by sight in front of him.

    The murky black cloud immediately separated into four quadrants, precisely in the way Princess Arya had done. Princess Arya was also bemused and stared up at Vincent¡¯s face.

    ¡°As expected of the Godslayer¡¯s descendant.¡± Princess Arya grew flustered as she spoke.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°How can this be?! You¡¯re cheating! Cheater! Go die!¡± Faerin became indignant and threw a tantrum.

    ¡°Great Ancestor, please maintain your image in front of the younger generation.¡± Princess Arya kicked his shin.

    ¡°Ow! Okay, stop is Little Grand Heir! I¡¯ll stop!¡± Soon after regaining his composure, Faerin coughed lightly and said, ¡°It seems your body is holding some sort of secret.¡±

    ¡°Really? Tell me that secret.¡± Vincent grew interested and waited for his response.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either.¡± Faerin shrugged, ¡°But I can confirm that your body holds no mana of the four elements. When the elements passed through your body, there should be a rejection of the elemental affinity corresponding to your body. How should I explain this¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you mean perhaps the situation is similar to how the eyes can perceive the color that is bounced off when light hits an object? In my case, if the fire element is unable to enter my body, I would have an affinity with it?¡± Vincent tried to explain his conjecture.

    ¡°Right you are, Vincent!¡± Faerin nodded and agreed with Vincent. ¡°But what do you mean? Light bouncing off an object?¡± He started scratching his head.

    ¡°I guess you don¡¯t understand it after all, but I think I know where you¡¯re going with this.¡± Vincent quickly brought the conversation along, ¡°Then what do you suppose I do?¡± Vincent asked while tossing the ball up in the air.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Faerin caught it and realized something. ¡°Wait! How are you able to do that?!¡±

    ¡°Do what?¡± Vincent asked.

    ¡°This!¡± Faerin held out the crystal ball.

    ¡°What did I do?¡± Vincent grew more confused but then realized. ¡°Oh, you mean this?¡± He canceled his control over the mana in the crystal, and it quickly returned to a dark cloud.

    ¡°Exactly that!¡± Faerin then tried to imitate Vincent. The four elements appeared, but Vincent could feel a connection between the ball and the Faerin. ¡°You see?¡± He tossed the ball up, the connection of invisible mana was still maintained, but the moment he released it, the ball turned back into a murky cloud.

    ¡°It¡¯s an ability of mine.¡± Vincent quickly manipulated the mana in the ball once more, and the murky cloud once again became four colors. Unlike Faerin, there was no connection between Vincent and the crystal ball.

    ¡°Amazing.¡± Princess Arya stared wide-eyed. ¡°Vincent, don¡¯t you understand the meaning of his discovery?¡±

    ¡°No, perhaps you would like to explain it to me?¡± Vincent looked puzzled, and the speechless and panicking Faerin didn¡¯t look like he was going to be sane enough to explain anytime soon.

    ¡°As far as I know, all manifestations of a spell must be connected to a source. To do this, the caster must connect to the mana and then use their will to manipulate the mana to their choosing. This is the method elves used to cast magic. Humans are similar, but they aren¡¯t able to directly control the wild mana and must purify it inside their body first. What you just did, has never happened before, at least amongst mortals. You can remotely control mana without connecting it to yourself, and such an ability is only limited to¡­¡±

    ¡°The gods.¡± Vincent grimly concluded. He knew why he had this ability now. It all started when he obtained the skill [Origin Magic]; this skill was most likely from a god that his grandfather had slain.

    ¡°Yes. Only gods can assert control over mana in this fashion.¡± Princess Arya answered. Even the Pope of the Church of Light was unable to use remote magic without the use of a supportive device, and he was considered the person closest to Thaesis.

    ¡°Vincent! This is an amazing discovery! Come let¡¯s go play!¡± Faerin finally recovered from his shock and began dragging off the youth. ¡°I know just what to do. This ability of yours is just like your Grandfather¡¯s. Back then, I saw him training with this ability in mind. Come! Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Vincent yelled in fright as the ground whizzed beneath his feet as he was dragged off.

    ¡°Great Ancestor!?¡± Princess Arya cried out from behind.

    ¡°Little Grand Heir! Go find your brethren, I¡¯ll be busy training Vincent. Bye bye!¡± He shouted as he ran off.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Princess Arya pouted, but what Faerin said made sense. ¡°Emet!¡± She called out.

    ¡°Kwee~!¡± Emet flew down and landed on her shoulder.

    ¡°Do you want to help me look for my kin?¡± Princess Arya stroked Emet¡¯s beak.

    ¡°Cooo~!¡±

    ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s go!¡± Princess Arya giggled, her voice sounded like tinkling chimes as she took off in another direction with the hawk flying above.

 V2 Chapter 4 - Training Begins

    ¡°Vincent~! Are you ready?¡±

    Vincent felt a shiver run down his spine.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t use that tone when calling my name,¡± replied Vincent, the nauseating sound nearly caused him to vomit.

    ¡°Hmph! You¡¯re just the same as your grandfather!¡± Faerin complained as he finished setting up concentric rings around Vincent. ¡°All done! Wow~! I¡¯m amazing!¡± He shamelessly praised his own work.

    Vincent was finding it hard to maintain his usual aloof attitude when it came to the unpredictable fae in front of him. Whenever he tried to remain distant and calm, Faerin would do something annoying that inevitably forced him to retort in some manner. So in the end, he just gave up and went with the flow.

    ¡°Yes, you are the greatest, Godfather. So what are these for? It looks like markers used for target practice.¡± Vincent randomly threw out an idea.

    ¡°Oh~! Vincent, you are very bright! That¡¯s right, we¡¯re going to train your spatial awareness! If you can master this, you¡¯ll be unstoppable!¡± Faerin dumbly smiled as he stuck his thumb up.

    ¡°If it¡¯s just this, I¡¯ve already done something similar. Back while I was training in the Ranger Corps, I¡¯ve had plenty of practice when using the bow.¡±

    ¡°Oh, but this isn¡¯t the same!¡± Faerin searched around under his cloak and pulled out a wooden shield and threw it over to Vincent. ¡°Here hold this and try to block my magic.¡±

    Without giving Vincent a moment to prepare, Faerin shot a spurt of water from his palm. Vincent reacted quickly and ducked behind the wooden cover. When it was all over, he peeked over the edge.

    ¡°That¡¯s what it¡¯s like to shoot an arrow,¡± stated Faerin. ¡°Now, this is what I¡¯m trying to teach you. Block this~ fufufufu.¡±

    Vincent suddenly felt something wasn¡¯t right and ducked behind the shield again, but was momentarily stunned when an orb of water formed in front of his very eyes.

    ¡°Shit!¡±

    *Splash!*

    ¡°Pffft!¡± Faerin started laughing as Vincent was knocked over sputtering. ¡°Do you see how amazing this ability is?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s annoying.¡± Vincent dryly said as he wiped his face. ¡°But I think I understand what you mean now.¡± The unpredictability of this type of magic would catch anyone unaware. Even when the enemy has an understanding of this ability, it¡¯ll still be hard to defend against.

    ¡°Ding! Ding! 100 points! As expected of Vincent¡¯s grandson!¡± Faerin excitedly clapped before continuing, ¡°Aren¡¯t you proud of me? I¡¯m going to teach you this super-strong ability!¡±

    ¡°If I remembered correctly, wasn¡¯t it my grandfather that came up with this training method?¡± Vincent wryly smiled.

    ¡°¡­¡± Faerin pouted, ¡°You¡¯re no fun! Hmph!¡± He frowned for only a split second before recovering, ¡°But I revised his training! I improved it! I swear on the elements!¡±

    *WOOOSH!*

    ¡°Ow~! Okay, I¡¯m sorry I won¡¯t swear on your name!¡± A strong gust of wind blew Faerin over, causing a silly scene.

    Vincent inwardly chuckled and motioned to high-five the air. He hadn¡¯t expected a response but was surprised when he felt a slap from the air.

    ¡°That¡¯s unfair! You¡¯re teaming up together!¡± Faerin complained.

    ¡°Godfather, let¡¯s get started. I really want to try this ¡®amazing¡¯ and ¡®perfected¡¯ method you invented.¡± Vincent appeased the childish old fae.

    ¡°Hmph! I knew you would admit to my brilliance.¡± Faerin felt satisfied and started casting a few spells. The dim lighting of the forest interior lit up a few degrees as balls of different colored lights appeared around the area. They floated around dancing around Faerin as he continued to cast spells. Then with a flick of his wrist, the magic balls of light flew out and arranged themselves all over at various distances to Vincent.

    ¡°Let me guess¡­ Target practice?¡± Vincent asked.

    ¡°I guess you can say that?¡± Faerin pointed over at a dim glowing ball of yellow light and said, ¡°The goal of this training is to neutralize the magic spell by using the exact amount of mana corresponding to the opposite element of the spell. For example, that is an earth-based magic spell. You need to use a wind-type spell to cancel out the spell.¡± At this point, Vincent felt a fluctuation of mana as a gust of wind formed directly over the ball of earth mana and put out the yellow light.

    ¡°You mentioned a precise amount. There must be a reason.¡± Vincent observed.

    ¡°Right!¡± Faerin then pointed over to another ball of blue mana. ¡°If you use too little mana¡­¡± The fire mana fluctuated slightly before being dispersed by the ball of blue light. ¡°And if you use too much¡­¡± A raging ball of fire enveloped the blue ball and engulfed it. However, soon after the fire died down and a red ball appeared in its place.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Vincent commented at the intricate design of the spell Faerin had invented.

    ¡°I know! I¡¯m the smartest person in the whole world, right? Tell me, I am so!¡± Faerin puffed out his chest like a big dog waiting to be praised.

    ¡°Right, Godfather is the smartest.¡± Vincent resisted the urge to pat Faerin¡¯s head.

    ¡°Okay, go ahead. Have a try and tell me what you think.¡± Faerin impatiently urged.

    Vincent started by focusing on the nearest orb of mana. It was a fire orb, floating about chest height and five meters away from him. He felt the water mana surrounding the ball of fire mana and commanded it to engulf the fire orb. A thin film of water coated the red sphere, threatening to squeeze it out, but after constricting for only a second, disappeared.

    ¡°Oh~ So close!¡± Faerin commented. ¡°Vincent, you have to concentrate harder!¡±

    Vincent nodded and tried once more. Unlike last time, he decided to use a more considerable amount of mana.

    *Woosh!*

    The fire orb that was the size of a fist was engulfed in a basketball-sized water ball. Vincent shook his head and release his control. When the water ball disappeared, the red orb was replaced by a blue one.

    ¡°Oh~ Too much power,¡± Faerin commented. ¡°Vincent, you have to lower the amount of power. You know, back when I was a young fae I was able to do this with my eyes closed!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent held it in and tried once more. He failed.

    ¡°Tsk! Tsk! Vincent, you know when I was watching your grandfather he was able to do this easily on the first try.¡± Faerin somehow took out a bag of roasted nuts and began nibbling on them.

    ¡°¡­¡± Vincent tried once more. He failed.

    ¡°*Munch!* You know, Arya is also able to do¡ª¡°

    ¡°Shut up! Or go away!¡± Vincent screamed at the noisy fae and threw the wooden shield from earlier. The shield landed squarely on Faerin¡¯s face.

    ¡°Oof!¡± Faerin flopped over, spilling his bag of nuts. ¡°MY NUTS!¡±

    Vincent evilly smiled and returned to his practice. Faerin miserably scrounged around the ground picking up his nuts and dusting it before throwing it back in the bag. When he finished, he had learned his lesson, so he left to go do something else.

    With the annoyance gone, Vincent was finally able to concentrate. He took his time, feeling out the ball of water mana. In his mind, there was a scale that was comparing the water mana and the fire spell. He started off low and continued to add more mana, watching the scale slowly tip to equilibrium. Finally, he opened his eyes and cast the spell!

    *Fshhh!*

    A flame ignited into existence, swallowing the blue orb whole. As the water mana and fire mana fought for dominance, Vincent watched on. In the end, the water ball dispersed, and the flames fizzled out, leaving darkness in the area. Vincent smiled proudly to himself and then looked on to the rest of the orbs.

    His next target was a further one, about twenty meters out and nearly ten meters above the ground. When he finally calculated the amount of mana to use and casted the wind spell, it appeared right next to the ball of yellow light.

    ¡°I missed?¡± Vincent felt flabbergasted. He was off just by a few centimeters, but for him, one of the best archer¡¯s of his year, this left a foul taste in his mouth. He doubled down and concentrated once more. He calculated the amount of mana again while staring hard at the yellow orb like a madman holding a grudge against the sun. Finally¡­Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    *Woosh!*

    A small tempest of wind ripped apart the yellow light, putting out the light in the area.

    ¡°Alright!¡± Vincent silently cheered to himself and began to advance forward. He took his time, moving from the inner ring forward as he blew out mana orb after mana orb.

    From beyond the darkness, Faerin smiled like a proud grandparent. He had been watching ever since he left Vincent alone. Since it was his spell, he had to maintain it and keep it active for Vincent to practice on. He munched lightly on his nuts while watching Vincent like it was modern entertainment.

    ¡°Oh~ he missed one.¡± Faerin sighed lightly and ate a nut. ¡°What I said earlier might be a little harsh on the boy, but I can¡¯t have him being too proud of his talent. Vincent, you must work harder! For both your grandfather¡¯s wish and your future!¡± Faerin made a ¡®fighting¡¯ pose and continued to munch on nuts.

    ---

    Back in the capital, Gawain, the investigation of the griffon dungeon incident finally came to a conclusion. The royal court judicial committee called knight captain Kale Ellington and the students of the Dungeon Exploration Society into the hearing. When William entered the hall, he saw the duke¡¯s son standing at attention at one end of a table. He also saw the crown prince sitting beside the judicial committee above the ground floor.

    ¡°Will, let¡¯s go,¡± Sophia whispered as she tugged on his sleeve.

    ¡°I know,¡± William replied as he took his place at the other table. He knew that this day would come. The dungeon was an essential asset to the kingdom, and he was partially responsible for what happened that day. Even though it was due to the taunts of the other party, he was still the person that summoned that griffon. Two squads of soldiers were wiped out in the incident along with a handful of workers. The damage inside the dungeon core room caused the momentary closure of the dungeon while repairs were being made. Now, the royal family wanted to mete out the punishments that were due.

    Although Sophia¡¯s father was busy in his territory, he still sent down a reliable subordinate to help provide assistance to Sophia and her classmates. Sophia was a little disappointed when her father didn¡¯t show up. Alec, on the other hand, was nervous, because he was the reason William took up the challenge. He felt guilty for bringing down the rest of the party, so he had trouble meeting the eyes of the other members of William¡¯s small circle of friends.

    ¡°Just stay silent and listen to the final judgment. Whatever you say will not lower the degree of punishments.¡± Aya whispered to the rest of the group.

    ¡°In conclusion, the royal court has decided that punishment is due for both offending parties. However, punishment and reward must be separated. Due to the timely action of both parties, losses were minimized. In accordance to the laws upheld by the royal court, we will now disclose the punishment agreed on by all members of the judicial council.¡±

    ¡°Firstly, Knight Kale, due to your inability to control your men, allowing for the students of Lancelot academy to enter the dungeon¡¯s core room, you will be stripped of your status as a captain of the royal army. You will also be held accountable for providing for the livelihood of the fallen soldier¡¯s families for up to five years. Furthermore, you will receive thirty lashes. However, the judicial council would also like to reward your actions in preventing the damage in the dungeon from escalating. We have decided to reward you with a chance to join the royal knights.¡±

    The whole time the judicial council was announcing their decision, Kale was silently standing at attention. However, when he heard of his discharge from the royal army, he visibly deflated. When he was given a chance of joining the royal knights, William half expected him to quickly accept. However, Kale¡¯s reaction was just the opposite.

    Kale glared angrily before answering the court, ¡°I will never join the royal knights. My place belongs on the battlefield, not locked away inside the royal palace. I accept the punishments, but I¡¯ll have to decline the rewards.¡± Kale didn¡¯t wait for a response and left the court hall, stunning all the students within. William was the most shocked.

    ¡°Was this what he meant?¡± William thought to himself as he recalled Vincent¡¯s mocking words when he mentioned he would become a royal knight.

    ¡°Now then, as for the students of Lancelot, hear out your punishments.¡± The judicial council turned their attention to the students who huddled closer together.

    ¡°We await your decision,¡± Aya replied.

    ¡°For overstepping your authority and entering the dungeon¡¯s core room, the court had come to the decision that your club activities will be suspended from this day forth until further notice. Lancelot academy will be responsible for the loss of revenue incurred by the consequences of your actions. That will be all for the group as a whole. Now for the individuals responsible in this case, Alec Lennings.¡±

    ¡°Yes, your Honor.¡± Alec swallowed the lump growing in his throat and stepped forward.

    ¡°For failing to withstand the taunts of the other party, succumbing to pride, which resulted in the deaths of many. Come forth and receive your punishment.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, your H-honor.¡± Alec kneeled.

    ¡°You will receive thirty lashes in the capital square as punishment. The punishment would be harsher if we weren¡¯t to put your age into account, so therefore, be grateful.¡±

    ¡°I understand, your Honor.¡± Alec acknowledged the decision and blanched. Just ten lashes with the rod would leave a full-grown man bedbound for a month. His punishment called for thirty lashes, he would be crippled if he took that many.

    At this time, Aya felt something was going to happen and quickly looked at William. Sophia also felt the same, since she had been staring at William since the beginning. William, at this time, was clenching his fists angrily and trying hard to hold back the words he wanted to say.

    ¡°Will!¡± Sophia cautioned.

    ¡°William.¡± Aya reminded gently.

    However, their words fell on deaf ears. William stepped forward and shouted.

    ¡°I disagree with the decision!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The deafening silence the followed left the students in the hall frightened out of their wits. Anyone who defied the decisions of the court always ended with a worse punishment. Right now, William was doing precisely what Aya and Sophia didn¡¯t want him to do. However, Alec was moved by William¡¯s actions.

    ¡°I will follow him to the end of this world.¡± Alec silently swore to himself. While everyone remained silent and didn¡¯t dare argue against the court, only William stood up for him. Even his father, sitting in the gallery, did not dare fight the judgment.

    ¡°Knight William, do you dare disagree with the decisions of the royal court?¡± There was a subtle tone of anger hidden away within the man¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t agree!¡± William had also seen the public demonstrations of lashings and knew the implications. If Alec were to take thirty lashes, he would definitely be crippled. Although Alec was proud and a bit too straightforward, he was still an upright person. William cannot accept such a fate for his friend that he just made.

    ¡°Oh? Then what do you suppose we do in this case?¡± Lexus, the crown prince, interrupted. He found this scene exciting and different from his regular boring routine.

    ¡°¡­¡± William stared at the crown prince momentarily before answering, ¡°The punishment should be reduced. Alec Lennings is a talent that the kingdom cannot afford to lose, especially when the kingdom is still being threatened by the monster outbreaks in the north.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, do you mean to tell me he alone will be the answer to the attacks in the north? Don¡¯t jest with me.¡± Prince Lexus derisively laughed.

    ¡°No, I want to reach a compromise.¡± William began, ¡°I wish for his punishment to lighten, but be redirected to a more positive outcome for both the kingdom and himself.¡±

    Prince Lexus felt amusement by William¡¯s words. In the end, William was just playing with theatrics and putting on a display of obedience. The hidden meaning behind William¡¯s words was that William did not agree to the royal judicial court¡¯s ways of doing things. However, William was a person the crown prince was trying to pull into his camp, so he compromised.

    ¡°The judicial court rarely compromises once a decision has already been made. However, your words convinced me somewhat.¡± The prince started to say. William felt the tense muscles on his face began to relax, but then the prince¡¯s next words surprised him. ¡°Then, as punishment, you will receive half of the strikes that Student Alec would have received. In turn, you and he both will head north and join in the defense against the monster outbreaks.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Aya was the first to speak up.

    ¡°Silence! His Highness, the Crown Prince, is speaking!¡± The judge shouted out and waited for Prince Lexus to continue.

    ¡°As for your own punishment, you will also be receiving thirty strikes for your part in the damage of the dungeon. On top of the fifteen, you will be receiving from Student Alec¡¯s punishment, which will bring you to a total of forty-five lashes from the whip. Will you accept?¡± Prince Lexus looked down on William with the eyes of a sadist, waiting for William¡¯s answer.

    ¡°I accept!¡± William didn¡¯t hesitate and answered.

    ¡°Will!¡±

    ¡°William!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be crazy, Will!¡±

    Everyone shouted for William to stop. If thirty strikes would cripple a full-grown man, forty-five would definitely kill him.

    ¡°William¡­¡± Alec started tearing up, he felt that this was what it meant to have a brother that would die for you. His resolve hardened, and he shouted out, ¡°Your Highness, I will accept my punishment in full. I am the son of a royal knight of the kingdom. Therefore, I can take this much punishment!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too late, your friend as decided to accept half your punishment and I¡¯ve already approved of it.¡± Prince Lexus chuckled as he stood up and left. Before exiting the hall, he announced one more thing, ¡°We will discuss your rewards for killing the griffon after your punishment has been meted out.¡±

    Aya was furious at the Crown Prince¡¯s decision. She could never understand the thoughts that were going through his head. However, she believed the crown prince would never hurt one of his ¡®people¡¯, as long as they are still of some use.

    Since the final decision was made, the royal court was adjourned, and the council members began leaving. Alec was visibly moved as he walked over to William. The rest of the students felt some relief that they weren¡¯t personally responsible and so didn¡¯t receive any other punishments, so they left quietly. Only Sophia, Aya, Faris, Alec, and William were left behind.

    ¡°William¡­¡± Alec began to say.

    ¡°Stop.¡± William held up a hand, ¡°Before you thank me, remember that I¡¯m doing this because I believe that I can take this much punishment. I also don¡¯t want to see you... crippled.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, don¡¯t lie to me. It¡¯s obvious the latter statement was the main reason.¡± Alec wryly smiled and gave William a big bear hug. ¡°Thanks, buddy. I owe you my life.¡± He couldn¡¯t imagine what his life would be like if he were crippled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t over exaggerate. You¡¯re strong enough to withstand thirty lashes.¡± William scratched his cheek in embarrassment.

    ¡°Will, you idiot!¡± Sophia came over, pinched William hard enough to draw blood. She was frustrated at his good-guy attitude. It was Alec¡¯s fault in the first place for putting everyone in this situation, she believed that he should¡¯ve been the only one punished in their group.

    ¡°What¡¯s done is done, Sophia.¡± William lightly smiled.

    ¡°Will you be alright, William?¡± Aya asked from behind. If William weren¡¯t confident, she would immediately beg the crown prince to lighten the sentence.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aya.¡± William felt his heartbeat quicken when he realized Aya was worried about him. This left a fuzzy feeling behind in his stomach.

    ¡°Do well,¡± Faris stated before leaving alone.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you on the other side,¡± William joked lightly as he left to prepare for his punishment.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll follow you wherever you go,¡± Alec responded and followed him out.

    Only Aya and Sophia were left behind. The latter turned to the first, and coldly asked, ¡°I hope your master knows what he¡¯s doing.¡±

    Aya smiled lightly and answered, ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry, Princess Sophia.¡±

    ¡°Hmph! Don¡¯t call me that! I will never accept the third prince.¡± Sophia stomped angrily and left. Aya snickered silently as she followed behind.

 V2 Chapter 5 - The Seventh

    ¡°Fuuu~¡­¡± Vincent let out a long, drawn-out sigh. He was surrounded by darkness, but a couple dozen meters out, floating bubbles of various colors could be seen.

    ¡°I never knew it would be so taxing¡­¡± To cast spells far away. He didn¡¯t feel much drain on his mental strength, but as the frequency of his spellcasting increased along with the distance, he became dizzy. Right now, he felt as if there¡¯s a metal pin worming its way through his brain. If he forced himself to continue, he was going to double over and vomit.

    From far away, Faerin finished his snacks and jumped down on the ground. Something about the way he walked seemed to say that he expected this outcome.

    ¡°Wow~! That was awesome! You put out so many lights!¡± Faerin laughed as he clapped exaggeratedly. Although Vincent knew Faerin was genuine, something about the fae¡¯s tone irritated him.

    ¡°You knew this would happen, so why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    ¡°But where would the fun be in that?¡± Faerin laughed and started skipping around.

    ¡°Ope!¡± Vincent held the urge to vomit.

    ¡°Hahaha~!¡± Faerin stopped dancing around crouched down, patting Vincent¡¯s back. ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a break? It¡¯s night time so you should get some sleep.¡±

    While in the inner forest, there was no concept of day or night, just darkness. However, Vincent wasn¡¯t going to complain because he was feeling like Faerin was in his head throwing a tantrum. So, some rest would be welcomed. He forced himself up and dragged his body up a tree before collapsing onto the bed.

    ¡°You should wash first before¡ª¡°

    ¡°Get out!¡± Vincent grumpily casted a pinpoint accurate wind spell that blew the door shut in Faerin¡¯s face.

    *Thunk!*

    ¡°Oof!¡± Faerin doubled back and nearly fell off the tree branch. ¡°By dose!¡± He cried, covering his face.

    That was the last thing Vincent heard before drifting off to sleep. That night, he saw a strange dream. In the dream, his grandfather was standing in a garden. His back was towards Vincent, but Vincent knew that it was his grandfather.

    ¡°Papa!¡± a little girl ran past Vincent and hugged his grandfather¡¯s thigh. She was like a ray of sunshine displayed against his grandfather¡¯s gloomy paradise. Vincent saw his grandfather¡¯s shoulder¡¯s relaxed when he noticed the girl.

    ¡°Kitty, what are you doing out here?¡± His grandfather bent down and picked up Catherine. ¡°You¡¯re still recovering from your cold. You shouldn¡¯t be out here.¡± He softly reprimanded his daughter.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Ehehe~!¡± Catherine blushed as she tugged at her father¡¯s beard. ¡°I wanted to see Papa.¡±

    ¡°Papa¡¯s a bit busy right now, Kitty.¡± He rubbed his beard against her face, eliciting a playful complaint.

    ¡°But you don¡¯t look busy?¡± Catherine asked.

    ¡°Papa¡¯s just taking a quick break before going back to work.¡± He smiled and placed her down. ¡°Kitty, do you like flowers?¡±

    ¡°Mhm! I like them!¡± She beamed brightly while vigorously nodding her head.

    Vincent¡¯s grandfather bent down and rubbed his daughter¡¯s head. ¡°Papa loves them too. These are your mother¡¯s favorite. Do you know what they¡¯re called?¡±

    ¡°I know! I know!¡± Catherine jumped up and down before thinking long and hard. ¡°They are¡­ Winter Blues!¡±

    His grandfather let out a chuckle and said, ¡°Close, but not quite.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not?¡±

    ¡°They are called Winter Sapphires. I gave these to your mother to tell her how much I love her.¡± He bent forward and picked a Winter Sapphire and gave it to Catherine.

    ¡°Papa!¡± Catherine couldn¡¯t hide her glee as she accepted the flower. She paused for a bit after admiring the flower and then picked another one. ¡°Here! One for Papa too!¡±

    ¡°Haha, thank you, Dear.¡± He accepted the flower. ¡°Alright, this is enough playtime, Kitty. You have to go back inside.¡±

    ¡°Aw~! But I want to be with Papa a bit longer!¡± She pouted and crossed her arms.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be busy for a while.¡± Vincent¡¯s grandfather shook his head. ¡°However, if Kitty promises to grow big and strong, then Papa will make some time to spend with her.¡±

    Kitty peeked out of the corner of her eye and asked, ¡°Promise?¡±

    ¡°Promise.¡±

    ¡°Ehehe. Okay!¡± The joyful smile returned to her face as she hugged her father and ran away.

    ¡°Jorge, escort my daughter inside.¡± Vincent the First coldly commanded once Catherine was out of earshot.

    ¡°Understood.¡± A voice spoke out from out of thin air.

    ¡°Also, find out who the maid in charge of my daughter is. Investigate her background. If she¡¯s clean, fire her immediately and replace her with someone trustworthy. If you find something wrong, find out what you can from her and then kill everyone connected to her.¡±

    ¡°That shall be done.¡±

    Soon after, the dream ended and Vincent groggily woke up. When he opened his eyes, he stared dumbly at the ceiling. The only light came from a pot of glowing mushrooms by the bedside. He felt a chill hearing the last bit of the dream of his grandfather.

    ¡°In the end, was this dream real or not?¡± Vincent asked himself. ¡°Let¡¯s find out. Sanctus Aeternum.¡±

    Vincent felt a sensation of being sucked into a vacuum and briefly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he appeared in a small empty tavern. The location was eerily quiet except for the creaking of the building settling down. Suddenly, a cacophony of noise erupted as a drunkard made his way down the steps leading to the second floor.

    ¡°Huh? You¡¯re here already? Damn, I thought I could sleep a little longer.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Vincent unknowingly imitated the sound. The man that came down wasn¡¯t Vincent the First. Instead, this man looked rugged. He was only about 160 centimeters tall, dark-skinned, thin and wiry. He also looked and smelled like he hadn¡¯t showered in over a month. Not to mention the strong smell of alcohol coming off his body. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°What? He hasn¡¯t told you about me? Figures.¡± The man mumbled and pulled a chair over and took a seat across from Vincent. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m the seventh inheritor of Aion¡¯s ring. Also, the eighth cannot be trusted.¡±