《It’s Not Special to be a Transmigrator》 Chapter 1 ¡°Then... Take care!¡± A guy I didn¡¯t know bade farewell to me, swaying around like plants on the side of the road. Or maybe I¡¯m just too drunk to recognize him. ¡°¡­ Yeah.¡± Still, I managed to muster a rather lame response, almost a whisper. I don¡¯t really care if he heard me, it was just a response on instinct. I wasn¡¯t much better by the sound of my voice, but at least there¡¯s still the faint trace of being sober left in me. Sober enough to head towards my residence¡¯s building, conveniently nearby and took the elevator to the eleventh floor. I found a lift attendant welcoming my sight, with an impassive expression as she slowly covered her nose. Without speaking she pressed the numbers on the elevator. Before I knew it, I was already in front of a door. But I knew better, that when drunk, time seems to pass faster than it should. Unfortunately all the doors here looked the same. I was unsure whether I was in the right door but luckily my key fit right in and this time it wasn¡¯t the wrong room. I¡¯d be troubled if it was since I¡¯ve already gone through this a couple of times, with success and failure hand in hand. ¡°Finally¡­¡± I headed straight to the bedroom after locking the door, and I collapsed on my bed like a rag still wearing my suit. It was always the calm before the storm after a drinking party, it¡¯s probably gonna be a horrible morning tomorrow for my head. The good thing is that it¡¯s a Friday night, which means I get to suffer without missing a day of work tomorrow. That also means I get to take a break from a bunch of dealing with shitheads. Dizziness soon took over my head and I closed my eyes. Unfortunately sleepiness never crept in because of the uncomfortable swell of my stomach even after a while, so like an instinct, I took out my phone and started browsing for novels. These novels kept me company during nights where I couldn¡¯t sleep. There were a bunch that were already marked as completed in my library, so just like any reader, I looked for new ones on the recommendations, saving my favorites for when I¡¯m sober enough to enjoy reading. I scrolled for a long time, until one title in particular made me stop. ¡®The Failed Hero¡¯s Transmigration¡¯ ¡®Status: Ongoing¡¯ ¡®Chapters: 412¡¯ A transmigrator. An overused plot where the protagonist starts a new life in another world. Either as a completely unknown extra, or one of the protagonists or villains with well known backstory and development. It was common to find title¡¯s like these nowadays. And also the genre of novels where I started. ¡®Tags: Fantasy, Tragedy, Adventure, Magic, Romance, Etc¡­¡¯ There were many other variants like reincarnation, regression, and even reverse transmigration. Among those, regression was probably my favorite. There was just something satisfying about reliving life once again and doing better than before using knowledge of the future. Perhaps it was so popular because people liked to imagine reliving their life all over again and changing all the decisions they regret. And I had to admit that there was a time that I felt the same. But the days when I would read such a story for weeks were long gone. Except, during the nights I can¡¯t fall asleep. To this day, these stories were still cherished somewhere in my heart. There wasn¡¯t any cover on the story. There¡¯s only the title plainly plastered in it. ¡®Failure, to him, is like a second nature. To a world where awakeners become a hero, Arlen was a bottom rung, F-Rank class awakener with a limited power barely enough to protect himself and make a living. Failure and weakness clung to him like a curse as he died unable to protect his family, witnessing their death before his eyes. After all the darkness, he awakened in a new world, to a new body without the constraints of his previous life. Embracing his second chance, he dedicates himself to growing stronger and protecting his newfound family, vowing to never repeat the mistakes of his past. Haunted by his failures, he forges ahead with determination, intent on becoming even slightly stronger than he was ever able to.¡¯ It was an interesting enough novel to catch my attention. Due to reading too much I could basically picture the whole plot and to some extent, already knew what to expect. But that never fails to excite me nonetheless. I could always refer to the comments on how good the novel is rather than just the rating. Reading it will be my final way of judging whether I¡¯ll see the novel through, and the comments help me build anticipation. Thus my eyes scanned the comment section. And there was one. At the top of them all. With the most dislikes. ¡®@Plotarmor: Another copy paste of a junk food story for young men who can''t change their lives but keep reading shit like this.¡¯ ¡°Huh?¡± The first few sentences caught me off guard. I mean, it is a story meant for rather young, but not that young audiences. Even I, an adult, can enjoy it, you know? Besides, I am basically here to read and be unproductive but enjoying it. ¡®There¡¯s probably no stakes at all with shallow dense mc and only females who want to be with him lol.¡¯ I mean¡­ There¡¯s certainly a lot of those. It can¡¯t be that bad right? Also, it seems like he¡¯s just assuming what''s gonna happen before even reading it. ¡®It''s just another dog shit novel with a dog shit genre that basically brings nothing to the plot.¡¯ Hold up. Now those just made me sober but dizzy at the same time. I felt a bit more awake because of that. The genre is phenomenal and it¡¯s not like that every time. No matter what he says, there¡¯s a reason why this type of novel suddenly popped off like a contamination and swarmed the web with copy paste stories. ¡®@TransmigratedCapybara: I understand that a novel can be bad, but the genre itself is good and hooked up a lot of fans over time with its success.¡¯ ¡®@Plotarmor: Fans? You mean brain dead kids who want to be edge lords. Irl, a modern day transmigrator would be dead ass wishing he died bc of the shitty backwards life. These kinds of stories pander to those who want to live better but don¡¯t want to put out the work for it.¡¯ ¡®@Plotarmor: And the characters are just there to glorify the mc! The love interests are a ton of helpless useless cat girls who rely on mc, without the so-called special plot armor nothing will basically progress!¡¯ This guy is a hater. Yep. Definitely sure of it. But this guy probably read a lot of the same type of novel he hated to be this riled up. I know that feeling, when the disappointment piles up and expectations are not met, you start hating what you used to love. ¡®@TransmigratedCapybara: It¡¯s a story, not meant to be real life. Of course it¡¯d go well, or sometimes not, it¡¯s fully dependent on the author. Also, how¡¯d you know life in another world would be shitty? To me you look like a fan who used to like what he now hates the most, namely, these very types of stories. And, there''s already a lot of good stories with the same genre out there with all the good versions of side characters and love interests you hate so much. Besides, how bad can life be in another world? People fantasize about it, and read it precisely because it is something unreachable from our reality.¡¯ ¡®@TransmigratedCapybara: Even if you don¡¯t like it, doesn¡¯t mean it''s bad, that¡¯s just you tired from reading too much of the same genre and plot. So don¡¯t read it and move on, there¡¯s no need to diss a story you didn¡¯t read and even include the genre. It''s still a good one, just not something that you like anymore.¡¯This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. There wasn¡¯t any comment for a while. I guess that¡¯s that. I¡¯ll be the judge whether it¡¯s good, bad, or just doesn¡¯t fit my taste. Just before I started I saw a red notification on the corner of my screen. It was a personal dm. ¡®@Plotarmor: Then prove it to me. Prove that the trope and genre you love so much is still good. I am honestly tired of it all, so show me something good.¡¯ All that came to me was confusion. How am I going to prove it to him and why should I? I¡¯d rather look for something to read than waste my time. ¡®@Plotarmor: I¡¯ll take the lack of response as a yes then. Do you still want to back out?¡¯ Isn¡¯t it supposed to be the other way around? Anyways I should just block the guy. I¡¯d rather start reading the novel. I hit the block button and there was no more. Nothing. Or anything at all. *** There is an unfamiliar scene before me. Rough walls made of wood and stone, old furniture and wooden cabinets, and a huge worn out bed with a woman lying on it, her arms lying down listlessly. The room was dimly lit by something like a lamp. There was a bed where a motionless woman laid down, surrounded by a man and a middle aged woman. An alarming amount of blood stained the fabric the woman is lying on. I didn¡¯t wake up in my room but instead¡­ Here, whatever this place is. This could be a dream, one where I felt too aware of my surroundings. I stared blankly waiting for the dream to end. Not bothering too much about its meaning or what¡¯s happening. However I slowly became aware of my surroundings far too vivid to be a dream. My heart pounded as the unfamiliar sensation of nervousness crept on me. ¡®Where¡­ am I?¡¯ That thought immediately reminded me of one thing, as if it were a keyword. It was a very familiar phrase I¡¯ve read countless times in every book I read. My dizziness and drowsiness were long gone, the expected hangover and headache didn¡¯t come and the alarm that pissed me off didn¡¯t wake me up. I looked at my hands. All the calluses and rough skin were gone, replaced by small fingers with delicate and soft skin. I touched my face and the rough sensation of stubbles growing off my face became smooth and plump skin. Based on the feeling of my feet, I was standing but still significantly have a rather low view than what I¡¯m used to. ¡®I¡¯m¡­ a kid?¡¯ While my thoughts drifted away at the absurdity of the situation, a man had come to kneel in front of me. Seeing his face, memories flashed in my head along with a slight pain¡­ and I recognized him as my father. No, this kid¡¯s father. He patted my shoulder and looked at my eyes. It was a complicated gaze, wondering what to say to his child. But in the end only a few words came out. ¡°Lotte.¡± When he called by that name, it seemed to resonate with me. ¡°Mother will be leaving us for a while. She has to go somewhere far away, but someday, we will surely meet her again.¡± He embraced me with his arms, which would usually appall me. Receiving a hug form a burly man was the least of what I preferred to experience upon waking up. But there was something lingering deep in my chest that made me still. A familiar feeling I used to have. Grief. ¡°Until then, be a good brother to your sisters, my son.¡± He looked towards a basket with white clothes. There are three bundles of white cloth wound around something small. ¡°Edna, Alea and Guin. Remember their names well. From now on, they¡¯re also a part of our family. Love them as your mother loved you.¡± He smiled slightly and stood up. After that all sorts of memories flooded my brain once again. There was a sharp pain that coursed through my head as it all came to me. Memories that Lotte has lived, his thoughts when his father first yelled at him due to hurting a playmate and how his mother cared for him when he was sick. However it was all insignificant to me in this situation. The pain that came along with the memories reminded me that I am awake right now and that everything before me was reality. There was only one thing in my mind right now. It happened to me. That so called Transmigration. *** Lotte sat by the window in a thatched house as he stared into the distance, it was a rather old fashioned house similar to western rural houses he¡¯d seen. It was quite a sight compared to the plain and simple buildings he was used to. He had waited for a while if he¡¯s ever going to wake up from this overly realistic dream, but unfortunately he was met with disappointment as his mothers funeral just concluded days ago. The woman had turned out to be his mother who died after giving birth to triplets. It was ironic, since Lotte being in this body means the original son has somehow disappeared and similarly died. His ¡®father¡¯ just lost both his wife and son. The burial method has a certain uniqueness to it, and an old man who¡¯s the so-called village chief presided over the funeral as he recited a rite of passage. He understood the language used by the village chief and everyone else without problem. But he neither knew how to read nor write. His mothers coffin was filled with various flower bouquets and wreaths brought by the villagers that represent hope, goodwill and rebirth in the flower language. Flowers were thrown in the casket, before burning and setting it adrift in a river in the middle of the village. After that each family offered some fruits and vegetables along with flowers to us which is one of their customs, to appease the loss of the aggrieved family. There¡¯s honestly quite a lot, since there were several families and almost a hundred people. I later discovered that those who attended were everyone in the village. It is almost only at the scale of a small community compared to modern day standards. My ¡®father¡¯ had left me alone most of the time and busily tended to the three newly born infants. I often catch him with a complicated expression on his face whenever he looks at me. Perhaps he doesn¡¯t know what to say to his son, who lost his mother and started behaving strangely. For the past few days, I had rarely talked or went out. I was busy sorting out my thoughts. Figuring things out is my top priority. There is no doubt that I¡¯m definitely in a fantasy themed world. That guy had said it himself. That bastard who dissed the novel I was trying to read. Just after a day since I went to this world, everything came to a stop when I was alone and I heard a voice in my head. *** ¡®How is it? Did you have a good sleep?¡¯ I jumped back in fright and looked back. But there was no one else around me. I heard the voice clear like it was right next to me or even inside my head. ¡°What the hell? Who¡¯s there?¡± ¡®Unfortunately, I am not ¡®there¡¯. But I am watching you, after all we have a deal.¡¯ A response came immediately talking about things I don¡¯t understand. A deal? What kind of deal and when did I agree? Also, he¡¯s watching me but he¡¯s not there? A camera? Is this a magical prank? ¡®That would be interesting, but it¡¯s not a prank. It¡¯s as real as it can be.¡¯ ¡®You can read my thoughts? This is supernatural alright.¡¯ If he can really read my thoughts then I can fully believe that he really does talk from my head, I just hope it¡¯s not because I¡¯m mentally ill and this is all hallucination. I¡¯ve already been in this place for a day, remotely strange events would already be acceptable to me by now. ¡®I can¡¯t. Only the thoughts you don¡¯t really have any care about can be clearly seen or understood by me. I can¡¯t pry anything more than that without breaking your mind. Being a mentally ill patient is interesting too though.¡¯ Hearing those words, the situation finally clicked. It was one of them. The one I¡¯m talking to, is some sort of an entity. The type of entity responsible for sending people into the otherworld. ¡®Bullseye! You got that right. I am that guy who¡¯s tired of all the transmigration, regression, or another world reincarnation, you name it. I am tired of all the mass produced works! I want to see something more than the ones I¡¯ve read.¡¯ ¡®But why am I here? Why me? Where am I?¡¯ I turned around in fright as I felt something whisper behind me. But as expected there was nothing at all. ¡®Did you forget? I said we had a deal.¡¯ ¡®You might have not read it but.. I took your silence as a yes, since you didn¡¯t speak against it. I even told you a few tips and then here we are.¡¯ ¡®But¡­ I never agreed! I ignored you!¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s the same thing. Ignorance can¡¯t stop me from sending you to another world. Also, it¡¯s not like you were entirely against it. I asked if I can take your silence as an agreement, remember? I even gave you a chance to back out. But nope. You didn¡¯t, and oh I¡¯m so glad we''re here together.¡¯ ¡°What kind of bullshit is that? I never agreed! That''s just an unfair assumption! What kind of god or entity are you to do whatever you want?¡± ¡®The kind that you can¡¯t do anything about.¡¯ It was all bullshit. Just like that, I¡¯ll be here in this unknown world and live as Lotte? His family ain¡¯t even my real family! Nothing in this world that I enjoy is present! It¡¯s uncomfortable and life is backwards and¡­ Wait. Isn¡¯t this exactly what¡­ A faint snicker could be heard around me as I stopped on my thoughts. ¡®I¡¯m glad we have the same opinion. But hold your thoughts. You¡¯re supposed to be on the other side of the spectrum.¡¯ ¡®Anyways, for a little consolation, I assigned you a rather convoluted character. You can either die a dog''s death or die a great person. Or somehow live.¡¯ ¡®I wanted to put you on a completely normal body but I¡¯m merciful so here you are. In a body that can either be normal or special depending on your own capability and opportunity. Well then, there¡¯s still a long time till the story goes. Suit yourself and do whatever you want.¡¯ If I¡¯m in a novel¡­ Then which one is it? ¡®It¡¯s that novel. The one where we ¡®met¡¯ and argued. I hadn¡¯t read it too, but soon I will, from a first class and live action view too. With some variable added, which is you.¡¯ The Failed Hero¡¯s Transmigration? Shit, it was a fantasy-tragedy genre too! Had I read that then I might¡¯ve had some advantage¡­ These types of stories can go hardcore when it comes to the protagonist''s struggle! ¡®I¡¯ll see you again if you make it! Or maybe not if I lost interest. Oh, one last thing. You¡¯re not the protagonist of this story. I put you in an extra that was never supposed to appear. One of the victims, never supposed to be seen again. So, good luck.¡¯ Instinctively I felt the world around me flow once again. While I was left with a lot of unanswered questions and something floating in my face. Time until Chapter 1: 7 years, 24 days and 3 hours. *** ¡®Yeah, that damned novel.¡¯ The novel I briefly saw before falling asleep. For the first time in my life I regretted not reading a novel, and for an absurd reason. Had I read that I would at least have a great advantage here in this world. Furthermore¡­ ¡°Tragedy huh¡­¡± It was right next to ¡®Fantasy¡¯ which bodes ill for me. What kind of tragedy does this story have? I can only hope that the author didn¡¯t write any drastic stuff in there. If I had enough preparation, then I might be able to deal with tragedies that might come my way. Is it seven years for that time frame of preparation? But that¡¯s way too much. Something''s up. He said that there¡¯s still a long time before the story goes. Did the story start already somewhere? Why is the time gap so goddamn big? Other transmigrators would be powerhouses by that time. Usually a story is depicted in scenes for convenience¡¯s sake, it¡¯s the case for almost any story. Who would read a story about a protagonist''s daily life each day? There¡¯s bound to be an uninteresting day or two in our daily lives that we can''t avoid, but in a story that is unnecessary and skipped to keep the flow of the plot smoothly. Unless it was purposely written that way by an absurdly capable author that can keep pumping out interesting chapters about a character¡¯s detailed life every single day without skipping. Well those gaps, where no story or scenes occur, will be my chance to prepare against any threat towards my life. After reading countless novels I had a realization that an author''s favorite is making the characters swept away in a situation unavoidably no matter what they do in the end. It was something to take note of, since I¡¯ve seen many stories that have those same developments, and some are really well done and foreshadowed. In this world, in my perspective and everyone else¡¯s, we are living our lives, and not reading our story. If fate exists in this world, that would be the story written by the author. And I, as a character, is just a puppet dancing in the palm of his hands, living based on his whims without being aware of it. ¡®Except, I¡¯m aware of it. Though there¡¯s hardly anything I can do, since I¡¯m just a kid now.¡¯ I¡¯m still agonizing over the fact that it was me who was brought into this world. But what¡¯s done is already done. Who knows, I might really wake up and everything turns out to be one piece of shit realistic dream. For now, I need to live on. And prepare for the worst things to come. It¡¯s a problem that I have to do all that in a kid¡¯s physique though. With that being said, my determination will be the biggest factor in yielding results that can help me in the future. First, since I¡¯m in a fantasy oriented novel with a tragedy tag, a strong, flexible but tough physique is indispensable to my battle prowess. I plan to exercise and train right away, my frail and childish body be damned. There¡¯s bound to be absurd creatures and monsters in a fantasy-tragedy novel. If there were none, then it might be the people I might have to deal with, or both at the same time. I just hope that the tragedy is not some force of nature that can¡¯t be avoided. Second, I need information. I need to know where this place is, the kingdoms and empires, the powerhouses and even legends, and what it takes to have influence whether it¡¯s through status, skill or actual fantasy like reason such as being a magician or a great knight. Aside from that, there¡¯s a need to watch out for any plots and developments to either steer away from it, or get involved to prevent affecting me negatively in advance. I can do that if I have an information guild but I neither know how to make or manage one. I¡¯m gonna have to find someone to do it for me, that''s how protagonists made an information network. It¡¯s gonna need a lot of money, which I don¡¯t know if I can even gather enough of. Power, Knowledge and Wealth. It¡¯s not much different from what any ambitious man would desire in any world. Come to think of it, a triplet in a rural village like this is a sore thumb sticking out. They obviously have a role to play in the future. But, there¡¯s one more thing. How should I treat my family, specifically my father? He was Lotte¡¯s only family. There won¡¯t be any problems with my three sisters since they will grow up knowing the ¡®me¡¯ version of Lotte, but his father might find me strange, or perhaps he already does. I looked and saw my father clumsily trying to change the napkins of my sisters, and beside him was one of our neighbors who helped feed them. He had no choice since mother, who was supposed to take on that role, had died. He seems like a good father if anything else, being flustered and dedicated to his daughters like that even after losing his wife. He didn¡¯t even make any time to get depressed and went on with his responsibilities right away. Since I¡¯ve changed he¡¯s bound to notice it sooner or later, and acting like a kid isn¡¯t really something I¡¯m willing to do. Well, luckily I¡¯m still young. That means I can slowly change myself into my liking and just behave the way I am naturally. It can be passed off as growing up and anyone who questions me can take it or leave it. Now then. My life inside a story with an unknown fate awaits. Chapter 2 A tree stood alone atop a small hill, with branches stretching further to cast a cool shade beneath it. Looking up from where it stood, the rays of sunshine shone in its gaps and gave it a vibrant color of nature. There, a boy was standing with his eyes closed, holding a wooden sword. His red blood-like hair was a huge contrast to the colorful meadows before him. He raised his sword and opened his eyes, and swung rapidly in front of him. There was no technique or whatever methods. He just swung, thinking of a person in front of him. The falling leaves effortlessly dodged in between his strikes and danced in the wind it left behind. Eventually he stopped and stared at the clear blue skies. He had been swinging his sword in this place for several years already for only one reason. That is to prepare himself for an impending disaster that will come. A disaster only he knew. However he already doubted it in his mind long ago, seeing this peaceful scenery before him. But that peace was short-lived as a figure slowly approached him, holding the hem of her dress as the wind carried the fallen leaves along with it. It caused her prim and proper hair, painstakingly done by her mother, to be untangled in its braids, only adding further to her annoyance. Even so, she mustered herself to approach the boy and call him, so that she doesn¡¯t have to deal with any of this further. ¡°You¡¯re still doing that here, Lotte?¡± But a different word came out from her mouth, with a sharp tone unsuitable for kids talking to each other at their age. Lotte remembered that they used to play together, but after a certain incident all that was left in her heart is resentment. It was a long time ago when they were truly just kids who didn¡¯t understand a thing in the world. ¡°Hey idiot, didn¡¯t you hear me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Still, Lotte remained standing and closed his eyes as once again, he took a stance. Seeing that she¡¯s being ignored, her already high pitched voice rose even further in irritation. ¡°... Hey!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Even so, Lotte didn¡¯t flinch one bit and kept his eyes closed, as if the surroundings were serene and calm. ¡°You¡¯re still ignoring me!?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hey, you idiot!¡± *** A kick on his shin finally came, as a slight pain ran through his nerves making him flinch. He turned his head towards her with a dumbfounded expression. Lotte thought about this girl disturbing him. They used to be close playmates, but that was the ¡®former Lotte¡¯ not him. After becoming Lotte he had been careless with his attitude towards his ¡®playmates¡¯ and they started treating him like a weirdo. It was at the time when he had just transmigrated and was still unable to come to terms with it. Everything felt unfamiliar and he couldn¡¯t feel a shred of comfort due to the stark difference in living conditions he used to have. The longing he felt of the hobbies he enjoyed didn¡¯t help one bit either. Just like that, those thoughts silently devoured his mind as he felt anxious about what¡¯s going to happen from then on. Lotte, thinking that she was just a random kid pestering him, chased her away by yelling and calling her an annoying idiot. Shocked with the unexpected yell from Lotte, she ran away crying, after all she¡¯s just a spoiled kid that rarely got scolded even by her parents. Apparently she bawled quite hard to her mother, and if it weren¡¯t for his father he would¡¯ve been hit by a rolling pin by the madam. ¡°Hey! Bastard! Idiot! Bastard! I¡¯m talking to you!¡± Ever since then, whenever they met, she would stare at him hatefully like she wants to rip him apart. It was only a few years later that she mellowed down, but the grumpy and hateful attitude remained to this day. He partly felt responsible for her change, but it¡¯s not like he can do much, and didn¡¯t really need to. But one thing did bother him a little. ¡®Whom is she learning those words from? She called me a bastard twice.¡¯ ¡°What? You¡¯re being an annoying idiot again!¡± She trembled upon hearing that as that very phrase jogged an unpleasant memory of hers. You could say that he never learned his lesson, because when he had enough of her hateful attitude, he called her an ¡®annoying idiot¡¯. In return she also kept calling him an idiot. ¡°Haa¡­¡± She took deep breaths and eventually her creased brows relaxed. ¡°Dad¡­ Father wants to see you.¡± With that she turned around. And thus, that¡¯s the story of why they call each other an idiot. Well, no one else probably calls her an idiot as much as he does, her mom and foster father are doting parents that would fluster upon seeing a little bit of discomfort on their daughters face, and the other kids quite like her due to her family being one of the richest in the village. Nevertheless he found her reaction quite funny and felt that it didn''t matter even if she got angry, since we were still children. Sooner or later it¡¯ll be just some annoying memories. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Occasionally, a merchant would come to this village once every few months carrying items he requested. Depending on the scale of the request he would in return help him with his business. Specifically food recipes or just ideas in general. As someone who lived from a modern era, there¡¯s a couple of useful knowledge in his head that¡¯s bound to be useful for a merchant in this world. From afar they saw a green tent embroidered with an insignia of a bull wearing a black gold eye patch. With a few guards whose faces he recognized, they let me and Yeona through with a smile and slight bow. Lotte quickly went inside since those smiling guards always gave him the creeps. He still greeted them properly like he always did and they would respond with a slight nod. But not with anything else, they would just stand there on guard. They were always the same set of guards as far as he remembers, so they must be quite the trusted subordinates. Inside the tent a man was admiring an ornament, he wore an elaborately patterned green robe and a dark gold eye patch similar to the bull in their insignia. He stood up and was almost twice taller than me and Yeona with a slightly plump body and long hair reaching to his waist. ¡°Father, we¡¯re here.¡± Yeona said with a respectful tone and admiring gaze, at which Rugner turned towards us and got up from his seat, leaving the ornament on his desk. ¡°There you are Lotte, it''s good to see you again!¡± He greeted us with a hearty smile revealing his one golden tooth and stood up to clasp both our shoulders. ¡°It''s nice to see you too, Mr. Rugner.¡± It was a quite formal greeting, but that was only because Yeona was here. Usually, I¡¯d get straight to business and ask if he brought what I asked for. ¡°Thanks for calling him Yeona. We¡¯ll have a talk for a bit so you can go and have fun choosing the gifts I brought this time.¡± Perhaps knowing that I liked to keep things brief, he tried to dismiss Yeona right away. The transaction between us is being kept a secret from everyone in the village, by his request. It didn¡¯t matter to me since some people are bound to see me carrying stuff I requested, especially my father, but he insisted that it must be kept a secret. Especially from Yeona and her mother. ¡°Huh? Where are you going? Can I go too?¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Perplexed, Yeona had an expression like a kid excluded from playing with others. ¡°Kids shouldn¡¯t meddle when adults are talking, you know?¡± ¡°But you are a kid!¡± She retorted with the usual high pitched voice she had, the polite and calm tone long gone from before. ¡®A kid should act like a kid, and not try hard to be like an adult. Except me.¡¯ Lotte thought to himself as he found Yeona¡¯s reaction amusing. Meanwhile Rugner only chuckled seeing the two of us ¡®get along¡¯ so well. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Yeona, he¡¯s not getting better gifts or something. We''re just gonna have some small talk.¡± It was a sloppy excuse by Rugner as he said that with a bright smile. We eventually got out of the tent, leaving Yeona with a resentful expression. ¡°Small talk¡­ What bullshit..¡± For a moment I almost stumbled when I heard her say that. I recalled that Yeona¡¯s mom is quite the swearer when she argues with Rugner that even I can hear it from afar. Of all the things she could pick up from her mother¡­ We went into the tents further back. In a separate tent filled with boxes of wares he took a chest and brought it in front of me. I stared at it, finding the presentation a little too overboard. ¡°Is that it? Why is it inside a chest?¡± I said with a questioning tone and excitement. He couldn¡¯t have acquired a whole chest of potions right? Rugner coughed and lifted his chin high proudly. ¡°Well, it''s quite precious for a small-time merchant like me. These can be found only in rich cities, but I met a retired mercenary with an excess supply. He gave it for an expensive price due to its rarity, and of course it''s still in good condition.¡± Bullshit. This must be as common as cabbage somewhere in this world. If this world is really that of a fantasy themed one, there must be a huge demand for these potions. Then again, the only proof I had was that I know this is a fantasy world based on a novel. It might be his attempt to make it seem more valuable than it is. I opened the chest and a bluish glow filled my sight. Somehow, it looked more beautiful than any jewels or gold I¡¯ve seen, not that I¡¯ve seen a lot anyways. However it all faded away and what was left was a very small vial. Satisfied, I closed the chest and carried it. ¡®Sorry Yeona, but I do get better things than you.¡¯ I thought and smiled bitterly, but there was one more question on my mind I had to address. ¡°I won¡¯t get an upset stomach right?¡± This is for the consumption of those who practice magical energy, I don¡¯t know if it will have any adverse effect on a normal human but I have to try it regardless. Rugner¡¯s smile faded as he held his chin in contemplation. ¡°You should be fine. The seller told me he doesn¡¯t know if it ever had side effects on a normal person but it should be safe to consume even for a kid.¡± ¡°Yeah, or else I¡¯ll be damned¡­ Anyway, here you go.¡± I handed him a piece of paper. It''s a recipe for a new food to sell. He would take these recipes to a chef and add it to a menu of a restaurant he owns in town somewhere out there. Simple knowledge like these became one of my bargaining chips to get what I want even if it''s out of my reach. I¡¯ve gotten a trove of collections of items from outside because of that. ¡°Huh, this one is¡­ similar to what you gave me before? Is it really good?¡± ¡°Yeah, it would be even better if you can add the bits of jerky...¡± What I gave was a recipe for a pasta I randomly decided to learn how to cook to impress my friends. Who knew it would come in handy in another world. Most of the food here was different from where I came from. But one thing didn¡¯t change, and that is, everyone loved delicious food. My recipes to impress my family and friends paid off well. ¡°Well, I trust your recipes. Just come find me again if you want something from the ¡®outside¡¯.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The ¡®outside¡¯ referred literally to the outside of this village. During the time I spent in this world nothing much happened but there was a weird belief that anyone who tries to leave far away from this village would never be able to come back. As I gathered information about it, there¡¯s been one recent case before I transmigrated which is Yeona¡¯s real father before she was born. No one told me how it happened, only that he once attempted it and never came back. Leaving all the wealth behind and his family. In my opinion he might have left to start a new life outside. But Rugner is someone who can go and forthwith in the village despite coming from afar. I had asked him several times but it was a secret he¡¯s unwilling to part with. There was also a time that I tailed them, but they use the same exit everytime. The one guarded by the village chief. So for now, making transactions with him is enough. I found his appearance quite strange as he was one of the visitors of the village who also happened to fall in love at first sight with Yeona¡¯s mother. I had thought that a scenario might be starting. But if I take my age into consideration, it must still be the early stages of the novel. Well, the later a tragedy comes the more time I have to prepare so I didn¡¯t think too much about it. Life had been peaceful in this world and it numbed me of the initial fear I had coming here. At first my life was a constant fear of what incident will happen over the coming days, afraid that monsters will suddenly raid the village, or bandits razing it to the ground and enslaving us. Yet it didn¡¯t happen. So there was no choice left but to train mindlessly, like a broken doll doing the same thing again and again. I call it training but it was just me basically exercising and learning to read and write the language, which apparently is an impressive feat in the eyes of the villagers. Studying seems to be less of a trend in this village, everyone would rather focus on farm work and chores, than how to read and write. Because of that symbols were more widely used to identify places. But it was a small village, so small that I knew everyone who lives here and can recite their names. A hundred and thirty-one residents, Rugner, a merchant, and an old man living on the outskirts and the village chief being the most notable of them all. They are the top three on my list of suspicious people. I had to take note of formidable ¡®characters¡¯ especially those in power, or the village chief who will most likely be one of the key to get out of this closed off village. Rugner was on the top simply because of his freedom to come in and out of the village when the village chief vehemently forbids it, and everyone against it. I think the key in leaving the village lies in convincing him. Every elder in each household apparently hands down a saying to never leave the village, or else tragedy will follow. But then again, I might be the one who¡¯s going to break that very rule. Tragedy will come eventually and I don¡¯t plan to live here for the rest of my life. I¡¯m scared of the future but also unwilling to remain stagnant in this village. At fifteen I will come of age, then I will leave this village. It was far earlier coming of age than the common sense I¡¯m used to but it''s better for me. The earlier I could reach the outside world, the more time to establish a foundation. Maybe once I¡¯m more established I can try and find out whether there''s others like me. I arrived in our house and immediately headed inside my room where a myriad of items I collected were stored. I even had a two-handed sword and a short sword I tried to swing with difficulty as training. But it pales in comparison compared to this potion in front of me. According to Rugner this is the potion that fits what I described the most. A potion that emits a unique energy and is used by people wielding formidable power to achieve their means. I thought that if I drink this, it might cause something to change in my body. If I can acquire power before there¡¯s any escalation in my life then I¡¯m gonna take it. Without further ado, I uncapped the vial of potion and it made a crisp popping sound as bluish smoke rose from its mouth and faded into sparks. It reminded me of carbonated drinks I¡¯ve been missing for a long time. ¡°Here goes¡­¡± And so I drank it all in one gulp. The vial is only as big as an adult''s finger and was easily drained of its contents, it went down my throat like an iced liquor, cold and hot at the same time. *** ¡°Uh¡­ Ah..¡± Lotte couldn¡¯t help but let out a moan because of the refreshing feeling that spread on his chest. It was like drinking liquor, and he thought maybe that¡¯s why mages sometimes had potion addiction. Relying on his shallow knowledge, he sat crossed legged on the floor and meditated by breathing and emptying his mind. But it was easier said than done, since he didn¡¯t know how to achieve a result he desired, even more so if that result is vague. ¡°This isn¡¯t it¡­¡± There was a frown on his brows as he stood up while rubbing his chin, and after some sort of what seemed to be deliberation he went outside in the middle of the night. He did some stretching movements before taking a stance to sprint, he thought that if his body became tired some effects would take place. And so, under the moonlight and torch lamps lighting his way around, he ran as fast as he could to tire his body. The ground was uneven with stone and dirt mixed together, but with the long time he¡¯d spent walking on these roads, he adeptly ran without stumbling on a rock. After a few times circling around the village he was finally out of breath, Lotte focused on the changes in his body and didn¡¯t notice anything different than usual because he was so focused on running so much. ¡°Did I fail?¡± There wasn¡¯t any response or reaction at all, apart from achieving more distance than what he usually did and even that was because he pushed himself to the limit. He thought that it''s really hard to test it, since all he knew about Mana were from novels he read. ¡°Sigh¡­ I got too excited.¡± With disappointment he went home and splattered onto his bed like a rag. He was too excited to test the potion that he didn¡¯t think about the methods at all, so he wasted a precious opportunity that he could¡¯ve used to awaken some sort of power. Like a magic power maybe? Or summoning some monster pet¡­ Or maybe a magic swordsman. With those thoughts he fell asleep¡­ ¡­ Lotte woke up in a bad mood and stank of sweat. He immediately gathered a well water outside and poured a bucket of water on himself and despite the usual feeling that it was not enough, he just convinced himself and went on with the day. If there was anything more unique in his life, that would be the triplets his mother left before perishing in this world. Which were coincidentally born the same time he woke up in this body. He thought that there must be some sort of connection but doesn¡¯t have any way of confirming it. His father meanwhile was a large man and also the strongman of the village. He was able to lift two logs with ease. Due to that strength he was drafted as a member of the village militia, but militiamen in this peaceful place did nothing but walk around donning armors and holding spears. So more often than not, they hunted in the surrounding mountains carefully for any wild deers or boars. Most of the things in the village went on as usual, old people talked among themselves, the relatively young ones did their chores while kid¡¯s played around. As Lotte witnessed these regular people live their lives, that familiar sense of stagnation crept up again. As a child he bore no heavy responsibilities apart from looking after his sisters and playing with them. Therefore he had a lot of time to himself to do whatever he wanted. Including his makeshift training sessions to get stronger. ¡®At the very least I still have more ways to pass time.¡¯ His feet led him to his spot where he pondered his thoughts. A small hill with a large tree on top of it, conveniently on the west side of the village, and also the direction where the outside world exists. He laid down comfortably in the same spot as usual. The winds blew coldly, a sign that autumn is ending and snowflakes will soon cover the ground again. One of his most dreaded seasons, he became sick whenever he went out to train his stamina or cold resistance. He had been chastised by his father several times because of that every winter. ¡°You¡¯re here again.¡± He was jolted awake in the middle of his thoughts upon hearing the familiar voice and looked above him. There, Yeona was peeking out behind the tree holding a book close to her chest. ¡°Shit, why did you suddenly pop out over there?¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®shit¡¯? Also I¡¯ve been here since earlier you idiot.¡± With the occasional remark that she refuses to leave out of her sentences she sat besides Lotte who was sighing. ¡°Just behave this time okay?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who likes this place.¡± ¡°¡­ Fair enough.¡± Usually any kids he would chase away noisy kids he found playing in his special spot, but since Yeona has been rather behave apart from hating on him he let it slide. He wasn¡¯t really in the mood to tease her too. Now that he thought about it, Yeona always found wherever he is, which is quite a feat. ¡®Is she a stalker?¡¯ This place was supposed to be his sacred resting grounds as he enjoys the breeze and cool shade. At first he thought that this place has some significance in the story so he frequented this place but that was yet to be seen until now. ¡°Hey¡­ I have a favor to ask.¡± She had a calm tone and relaxed expression, unlike the usually frowning brows she had when dealing with Lotte. ¡°¡­ What favor?¡± ¡°About this book. You¡¯ve read it before right?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°The Chief told me.¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± The village chief. He used to be fond of Lotte for the reason that he¡¯s the singular diligent child in the village that studies. Seeing him cooped up in the library, made him think highly of him. Unfortunately ever since Lotte expressed his desire to leave the village, the chief¡¯s been aloof to both him and his father. He did read a lot back then for gathering information about this world. Lotte wondered why Yeona suddenly wanted to read too. ¡°Really? From me? Didn¡¯t you hate my guts?¡± Yeona flinched a little hearing that as her eyes darted around. She seemed to be preparing to say a lame excuse. Lotte thought that she must¡¯ve let go of her grudges and is just acting difficult. ¡°I¡­ I want to learn and help my father. If I learn to read, then I can help too! A-and replace you¡­¡± Resoluteness can be seen in her eyes and she seemed to be resolved to see her goal through. Well it is good to learn but why bring a story book? ¡°Maybe father will even take me on trips outside!¡± Lotte stared at her, twirling her hair and felt that it was somewhat adorable that she¡¯s willing to put down her hatred in order to help her foster father, Rugner. But there was no chance that it would come true, madam would never let her leave so does Rugner. All the elderly here are opposed to the idea of going outside, so as their offspring grew up they were taught to not have any ideas. It¡¯s just that, when Rugner came, there was a domino effect that occurred. Knowing that a merchant can go in and out, some younger people started having ideas to go with Rugner and work for him. Unfortunately he flatly refused them no matter what, Lotte was a bit lucky since Rugner valued delicious food recipes and especially liked what he cooked. After that an old man came, donning a rag-like cape and tied up gray hair. Although ragged, his demeanor and speech spoke of his stature. He was basically the picture of a wandering old knight. He settled on the old manor outside the village that used to be a house for the lord and at first it was peaceful. But after a while rumors circulated that he¡¯s an insane killer that took refuge here. But that is another story for another time. Unfortunately Yeona¡¯s bound to be disappointed since knowing how to read won''t make a difference. ¡°Yeah, so what do you want to ask?¡± ¡°Ah! Right there, how should I read this?¡­¡± ¡°By the way, why not ask the village chief ins-¡° ¡°I don¡¯t wanna.¡± ¡°I think he can teach bett-¡° ¡°You agreed already. Shut up and teach me.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Okay.¡± Lotte felt lethargic the whole time due to the comfortable environment and boring book. They read a story book of how a certain fruit came to be, written in the only language spoken by the villager. Unfortunately they only knew how to speak it, not how to read and write. Those who knew how to read can be counted in both hands, including Lotte. Before succumbing to sleepiness, perhaps Yeona¡¯s enthusiastic drive ran out and she went home to rest. Lotte didn¡¯t have any teaching experience but he found Yeona¡¯s learning speed rather fast. The sun was almost setting by that time and Lotte had one more place to go before going home. Every other day, there¡¯s a place he has to go to. That is, to talk to an old man on the outskirts of the village. He lives in a fenced manor which can be easily breached and a dilapidated house. He basically screams the background of an old knight. As for the reason for bothering him, it would be none other than to watch out for any plot that may happen around him. Lotte had an instinct that he shouldn¡¯t dismiss an old man that seemed to carry a story on his shoulders. At the distance a dilapidated manor came into view. The fences were all broken down and had vines hanging on it, while the house itself seemed to be on the verge of falling apart. Yet it stood there despite the ravages of time. In the middle of its front yard, someone sat silently, facing the campfire. ¡°Hey! Oldman!¡± *** Chapter 3 The old man had quite the terrible reputation. That he is a killer on the run or that he¡¯s a madman that will eat you. Surprisingly the rumors were quite severe and caused everyone to stay away from him. I can somewhat relate to him, after all the kids treated me the same way. There was also a time that adults called me crazy because I¡¯m willing to talk to him, but that¡¯s long been fixed. As they can see, nothing has ever happened to me. They used to see me as a weird kid looking for trouble on purpose but that was because of my desperation. Since he won¡¯t respond when I¡¯m being nice I was trying to provoke him by constantly bothering him. Sometimes I feel like I¡¯m not so different from Yeona in that regard. The problem is he¡¯s almost like a mute. I could count in one hand how many times he opens that mouth every week. There was even a period where he didn¡¯t talk for three weeks straight! He¡¯s either foraging or hunting if I don¡¯t find him here. The most often thing he did was fish on a nearby river, and sometimes he would randomly gather wood and fell a tree to repair his house but never actually fix it properly. ¡°Hey, old man, shouldn¡¯t you be telling me your name by now?¡± I¡¯ve been calling him nicknames while pestering him. Usually I settled for Oldman but sometimes I¡¯d use something different to mock him depending on my mood. So far I¡¯ve had about as many as twelve nicknames for him¡­ Well, mocking also doesn¡¯t work on this guy. I¡¯ve tried before and he just ignored me, not even sparing a look. But thanks to that I can tell he definitely still has some feelings, he¡¯s just not someone to show it. ¡°Today, Yeona¡¯s trying to learn the common language by reading a storybook. She thought she could replace me to help her father by learning how to read. Sadly she can¡¯t. Pitiful girl..¡± Just like this he looked at me and listened. Occasionally he would answer, and most of the time I would be irritated. Now I just don¡¯t care. ¡°Today is boring as usual. I wish those kids would come at me more often. Beating them up is quite fun.¡± After years of living here my thoughts naturally wanted to screw around sometimes. I ended up provoking every kid in the neighborhood because of that while having a good relationship with their parents. Usually there¡¯s only silence after I tell him something. But occasionally. ¡°¡­ Being at peace is far more valuable.¡± There will be a curt response. ¡°¡­ I guess so.¡± Just like now, he would answer on some things I mutter. He seems to be a naturally principled and upright person based on my observations. ¡°Yeah. But sometimes peace can get suffocating¡­ During nights, the skies in the village would be clear of any clouds, therefore a starry scene would always appear above us. It was like a paradise here in this village if I only think of the surroundings. Seeing that starry sky, I got up and went home. It was time for dinner. ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°Lotte!¡± ¡°Me! Carry me!¡± Three cute blonde heads greeted me. There¡¯s Edna, a timid and caring girl. Alea who¡¯s always polite but talkative, and finally Guin who sticks to me and likes to be carried. ¡°You still want to be carried? If I don¡¯t grow taller I¡¯m blaming you Guin!¡± I said carrying Guin into my arms anyway. She¡¯s already grown up but still liked to be carried by either me or father. She was the smallest of the three so there¡¯s no problem at all, but she¡¯s gonna have to grow out of it eventually. The three of them are turning seven soon, and they are all intelligent enough to have an interest of their own. Since I had a lot of time to myself I was able to observe them as they grew up. Edna liked to move her body despite being timid, so she runs with me whenever she has the chance and likes to help on the farm. She also runs the fastest among the three. Alea loves going out and talking to other children. But when she plays with them there¡¯s almost always a fight among them that¡¯s gonna happen, luckily she¡¯s never involved. I think she¡¯s a magnet for trouble. Guin, on the other hand, stays inside to read books. I¡¯d like to think she resembles me the most but then I remember I only read books out of necessity. She¡¯s read more books than Yeona. She must be one hell of a genius type character. ¡°Son, the food is ready, come have dinner.¡± As I lived here, I came to think of them as family. There was a distance between me and father at first since he didn¡¯t understand how I suddenly changed but found it in his heart to just accept me. After all, in his eyes I was still his son. I resolved myself to get along with him sincerely and never let my secret out to anyone else. After finishing dinner are my nightly training sessions. With a full stomach I got used to moving around and exerting my body. Worn sacks of hay hung from a tree, wooden posts were embedded on the ground where several wooden swords lay, mostly broken in half. Those were the result of my training, either during the day or during the night. Since I didn¡¯t know how to actually train to be stronger, I just mindlessly swung my sword and did the basic exercises I knew of. Next I¡¯m gonna sprint around the village several times, until I run out of breath. Being full is also part of my training to endure and be capable of running regardless of my condition. Going home after tiring out my body grants me a deep sleep every night. Despite the ridiculous training I had convinced my mind that I did my best to comfort myself. If it were truly enough is still yet to be seen. A few weeks later, Rugner¡¯s caravan left, leaving Yeona who learned to read in such a short time. I put in another request to Rugner, and this time I requested a healing potion. A health potion basically. In exchange for another food recipe. I don¡¯t know if some of my recipes exist somewhere but it¡¯s been nothing but good for him, he said. Luckily the ingredients I knew of had some replacements and similar ones in this world. Ah, I really should be getting more, I should have my own shares from the profit my dishes generate in that restaurant. Just like that time went on once again, visiting the old man every other day, training at the day and night before sleep everyday, my monotone life went on. It was winter in the blink of an eye and everyone rarely went out of their houses. Except for me of course. Since there¡¯s no crops to take care of, I have extra free time to train and check out Oldman who still fished at the frozen river by boring a hole in it. Just in case I also learned important survival skills in the wild like boiling barks and how to start a fire. Fishing was one of them and I often joined the old man. Yeona meanwhile would sometimes call me to teach writing and we studied in their house three times bigger than ours. She never stopped after Rugner left. I mean, it''s good for her I guess? Learning is always good anyways. ¡®Damn, there''s only two of you, and five of us in our house, can we like, switch places?¡¯Even though I¡¯ve lived here for a long time, it was my first time inside their house. Their house is way cozier than ours. As expected of the richest neighborhood and Rugner¡¯s mistress. Madam would eye me suspiciously often but she doesn¡¯t really interfere apart from giving us warm soup. I often reminisce on the days she chased me with a rolling pin. Even in this winter Rugner did not forget to visit with my potion in hand. At this point he probably found a stable source for these things. He said it was a shame I found out but said it¡¯s alright. Regarding the share¡¯s he says he¡¯ll think about it if I give him ten more recipes to which I called bullshit. In the end he acquiesced to my request, at least I¡¯ll have a share of money next time he comes. There¡¯s rarely any use for it in the village but I can bring it outside in the future. Then in this winter, I finally found a lead or rather, it found me. Life had been too peaceful for a very long time, making me wonder if the novel¡¯s genre will ever happen in this world. For each time I swung the wooden sword in my hand, I would question myself. Everytime I ran out of breath, my determination would fade bit by bit. Each time I saw my sister and my father smiling, I couldn¡¯t even imagine a tragedy coming at us. Do I really need to prepare? Is there any need to prepare at all? What tragedy will befall me if it ever does happen? When will it happen? Will it ever happen? Or did the story just have such a long timeskip? Too much time has passed that my memories from earth are somewhat fading away. Too much time has worn down the initial fear I had upon coming into this world. But well, my obsession was still there. The obsession to be stronger, that is, as if training myself will keep my fears away. *** On a night where the snow stopped falling I was walking towards the old man''s manor. It¡¯s a short walk to his manor from the village despite the knee deep snow since I knew the general direction. And there I found him sitting in a campfire wearing a pelt, watching a soup boil emitting a rather fishy smell. Just like before he looked at me silently. Recently, he started responding to me more often. Maybe because winter was a season that made people feel solitude. But he never answers any of the actually crucial questions. Like where is this village and our lord, what are the kingdoms out there and what did he do in the past. He had some reaction when I asked about knights and mage¡¯s but still didn¡¯t talk about it. But I can tell he knew about them. ¡°Hey old man.¡± Today, I plan to show him the potion and observe his reaction hoping to figure something out of it. ¡°Look.¡± I took out a small and thin vial containing a red bright fluid. Unlike the mana potion, it felt warm to my hands. ¡°It¡¯s fascinating right? It¡¯s bright red, and doesn¡¯t freeze.¡± He had an expression I hadn¡¯t seen him show before. Though very slight, it was a bit of surprise and bewilderment. ¡°Where¡­ Did you get this?¡± ¡°From a friend. Someone that could go in and out of this village.¡± ¡®Someone like you.¡¯ I had the urge to say that but refrained from doing so. Apparently he didn¡¯t know Rugner. No surprise there, since he didn¡¯t interact with the villagers that much, and neither did they ever cross paths. He was just here isolating himself from everyone. Unless I visit him, no one would probably know if he died a sudden death.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°It¡¯s also slightly warm.¡± It was a shame that I couldn¡¯t show him the mana potion. Maybe he will be even more surprised then. ¡°Keep it well. That can heal a very severe wound when drunk or poured directly. The heat likely comes from the healing properties.¡± For a moment I was at loss for words. ¡°Whoa¡­ That¡¯s the most you¡¯ve talked ever since I knew you.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t mind. Can you tell me about the person that gave this to you?¡± Ignoring that statement he asked without hiding his curiosity. As expected, it caught his interest. Possessing this potion can only mean that I¡¯ve already made some connection from the outside. This also shows this potion is widely used from wherever that outside contact came from. This world was set in that kind of fantasy world after all. The potions were confirmed but the classic magic and knights were still left to be found out. However there¡¯s a source of information right in front of me. If only I could get him to talk¡­ ¡°If I answer your question, are you going to answer mine? I have a lot to ask, you see.¡± If he wanted to know something, then I gotta learn something too. ¡°In that case, forget it.¡± ¡°What?¡± I didn¡¯t expect him to give up just like that. Just what kind of trouble would happen if I knew a bit about the outside world? ¡°If you really wanna know.. That friend is a merchant. I request him to bring things from time to time, in exchange I help him in various ways. Oh I don¡¯t help him with anything suspicious by the way, and he neither seemed involved in anything like that.¡± I wasn¡¯t entirely sure about the last one, but at the very least Rugner didn¡¯t show any signs of being involved in anything illegal. Of course, even if he is, would he let it show? If I were him I¡¯d hide it at all cost. ¡°¡­ I see. Maybe sometime, could you introduce me to that friend of yours?¡± He really doesn¡¯t know him. But he¡¯s also interested in Rugner now. That means in the long time he spent here, they never came across each other even once. What¡¯s more, the village chief clearly welcomed Rugner, but not the old man. Maybe he¡¯s just favoring Rugner who could bring wares from the outside? ¡°I¡¯d ask that friend but don¡¯t get your hopes up. Anyways, since you know this potion you must¡¯ve seen people using it. What kind of people used them exactly? They must¡¯ve used them during war to heal wounds, right?¡± At that he closed his eyes as if reminiscing memories. But those memories were probably the unpleasant ones with the topic of our conversation and all. ¡°War¡­ Right, something like that is heavily used in war. Were you taught about war here in this village? Or maybe that friend taught you?¡± All the books in the village chiefs abode were what you would call mundane and harmless. While it¡¯s suspicious, maybe it''s just to keep the younger generations'' thoughts innocent, still a few elders in the village knew about war. I¡¯ve asked a few elders but they would just tell me to forget it and never mention it again while shaking their heads. Because of that I developed a certain image for this village. A haven for those who want peace, where the flames of war will never reach. It was the most likely reason I concluded why no one is allowed outside. Although Rugner, and the Old man are still inexplicable exceptions. ¡°I¡¯ve known it all along. I¡¯ve even drunk a mana potion but I don¡¯t really feel any different, I¡¯m kind of worried though.¡± At that he lightly chuckled. It was the first time I saw him do that too. Today must be special since he kept showing new reactions. ¡°You wasted it. It¡¯s only for a mage¡¯s consumption. There¡¯s no other effect at that level of potency.¡± My ears perked up at that. A mage means there¡¯s magic. And that means I¡¯m in for a treat of visuals in the near future. I can only hope that I would have the time to enjoy it and not be amidst a dangerous situation. ¡°So mage¡¯s do exist? What about knights? Surely they do?¡± He sighed and stayed silent for a while, only to give me a slight nod. There it is finally, after all these years. That confirmation. The potion was simply not enough proof for me, for all I know it could be a fabrication by Rugner. But if I show it to another person from the outside, and that someone seems to be of respectable stature then it¡¯s all but confirmed. ¡°Old man, won¡¯t you tell me your story? And about the world beyond this village?¡± With all the sincerity I could muster in my tone and with my head bowed, I¡¯ve lost count how many times I asked. This is even harder than any dating sim I¡¯ve played and the one I¡¯m dealing with is even an old man, not a capture target! ¡°Also tell me your name. You already know mine right?¡± ¡°¡­ My name. I¡¯ve long abandoned my name, but if you insist.¡± But then we both turned our head towards the woods as a crisp sound of branches cracked. It was not the usual crackling sound that came from the burning campfire. What sounded along was a heavy rustle as if something was being dragged on the snow. He gestured for me to be silent and took a nearby makeshift spear. Occasionally a bear or wolf would appear on the outskirts of the village. The bear''s meat and organ would be preserved and the wolf''s fur would be processed into a coat after the hunt, but in this winter they¡¯re usually not active. Before long a figure was slowly coming into our view lit by the campfire¡¯s light. The silhouette looks tall enough for a young bear but too thin to be one. It was a person. As if to confirm my thoughts, the figure talked in a hoarse and trembling voice. ¡°H-help¡­ Us..¡° He stumbled and fell as the snow was slowly tainted in crimson. His neck looked lacerated and ruined as if something rugged tore the skin apart. There could¡¯ve been hope if I used my potion but he probably died already due to blood loss on the way. This is the first death that I encountered in this life. Even back then I hadn''t personally seen anything like this, only in the media. If this is happening in front of me right now then¡­ Is it finally starting? That long awaited development I''d been preparing for. A large enough beast must have wounded his neck like that looking at the size of the bite marks. At the very least, the size of a dog. He said ¡®us¡¯ so there''s probably more people with him. But where did they come from? It¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that he¡¯s the first outsider that I saw. ¡°Head back to the village first.¡± The old man had a resolute gaze as he walked towards where the man came from after checking the corpse, as if he¡¯s ready to take it all alone whatever¡¯s out there. ¡°Wait! I have some weapons we can use!¡± Upon hearing that he halted his steps and nodded at me. *** The village militia was alerted about the situation, however the old man insisted on going alone to scout. The others wanted to move in the morning but he said that there could still be others besides that man so it was best to go as soon as possible. Even if he had to do it alone. To them, he¡¯s just an unfamiliar person with terrifying rumors around him. So they let him be. But as for me, they told me to go home and stay still in the house to which I briefly agreed. In our house, I took two of my most prized collection, a short sword and a two handed sword. In terms of caliber, they were weapons better than the ones forged in the village, good enough to cut wood despite my amateur strikes and not be chipped. Seeing that I am also carrying a sword the old man stared at me. ¡°Don¡¯t even think of following me.¡± ¡°Uh, no it¡¯s for self defense just in case you know?¡± I blatantly lied. With that he left and didn¡¯t argue with me, meanwhile the militia guarded the village and patrolled in the surroundings. He might have thought that I would stay still but¡­ I needed to see what¡¯s going to happen. In order to know what extent the threats I might face will be. *** Lotte ran towards where the old man disappeared, the deep snow unable to hinder him at all. He found the corpse from before covered with cloth and headed towards the direction where it came from. To hide his presence among potential enemies he didn¡¯t bring any torch. But he underestimated the darkness as it crept over the surroundings making him see almost nothing. In this forest with tall trees and withered branches he had difficulty with the moonlight as his only guide. Only now that he regretted his actions. He thought that even if he was curious he should¡¯ve been rational with his decisions. Now he might die to some beast even without finding the old man. Even so, since he¡¯s already outside he had to see it to the end. Lotte wandered straight into the forest at a slow pace, holding the hilt of his sword. After a short while he felt both relief and fear. He had heard where what seems to be a battle is taking place. Low nasally growls and steps in the snow could be heard just ahead of him, the wet sound of flesh being sliced accompanying it. ¡®That¡¯s him!¡¯ He found the old man in a clearing. Holding the two handed sword low, already coated with blood that Lotte couldn¡¯t whether it was black or red. It seemed that he made use of it well. But he did not see any enemy whatsoever. Only corpses of creatures he didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Old man?¡­¡± The old man turned upon hearing Lotte, and in the distance a row of several carriages were toppled missing the horses that pulled it. The scene looked as if a fight had just occurred with all the bloodstain and bodies on the ground. And at the center of it all is the old man, surrounded by corpses of slain monsters. ¡°So you still came.¡± There was a faint sigh and annoyance in his tone, he wondered how a child like Lotte was born in this village. ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t let you die alone, can I?¡± Knowing that he couldn¡¯t really help due to his lack of experience, he just uttered nonsense. But he trusted his judgment, thinking that the old man must not be an easily killed character. Living for years waiting for something to happen, how could he miss this situation that¡¯s like a rope handed to him? ¡°Fool.¡± Byrne uttered with a stern voice. He planned to be foolish from the start so he didn¡¯t deny it, but Lotte was hurt. In his defense he couldn¡¯t miss this opportunity to see this fight even if his life was in danger. It was an experience he would have to go through if once the story finally makes progress. ¡°Duck!¡± Lotte instantly ducked, trusting the insight of the old man and he felt something wet and slimy pass behind his head. It was however without a sound at all making him shiver. Before he knew it the old man was already in his front and swung the sword. There was a sound of flesh being cut along with a growl. Lotte leaned on a tree to protect his back and to spot any blind spot. But looking ahead, there was nothing in front of him, only the darkness and what few places the moonlight could shine on, making him dumbfounded. He could hear rustling but couldn¡¯t see where they were. ¡®I can¡¯t see them?¡¯ He realized what kind of opponent was present. The type that hid in the darkness of the night exceedingly well. Lotte was now convinced that whatever attacked these people were monsters, not just some wolf pack or bears. With dreadful stealth and all. He caught a sight of the shadow that passed by him earlier and it was a creature he¡¯d never seen before. But one thing he remembers is its massive head like a fish. He didn¡¯t know what made them appear at that moment but he currently had no time to figure it out. All his attention was focused on the empty space in front of him. For a while there was only stillness and no signs of any attacks. The old man suddenly slashed to the front as a monster was split in half, astonishing Lotte. Unfortunately it¡¯s blood spattered all over him and Lotte especially as it squirmed in the ground. Only then his sense of smell returned and had to hold back the fluid welling up from his stomach making him retch. ¡°Ugh!...¡± Meanwhile the old man remained unfazed and steady in his breaths slashing onto another vermin, with an effortless swing, thus ending its life. Soon after more appeared and surrounded him. Eyes glinting in the dark lingered around the old man as if floating in the darkness, at that moment Lotte was enthralled by the scene in front of him. A man wielding a sword surrounded by eerie glints, as all of it surged towards him paying Lotte no mind at all. At that moment there was only the sword in Lotte¡¯s eyes. The old man with each swing of his sword tore apart several monsters at once, gradually his blade left afterimages and the vermin slashed by his sword''s weight were flung away in half or more. There weren''t any special effects or aura Lotte expected. The blade danced, almost glowing in a blue tint despite all the blood, the eyes of the monsters looked like stars pouring into the center. That scene was forever engraved in Lotte¡¯s mind, having never seen any bloodier slaughter in front of him. Finally the brief moment that seemed to last longer that it should ended as the last of the vermin were slain. Unfortunately, Lotte waking up from a daze breathed in the stinky smell of blood and found himself splashed with some of it. Finally he couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. ¡°Ah¡­ Uueegh..¡± After vomiting to his stomachs content, Lotte saw the old man checking the corpses one by one. The bodies always have a torn throat, a prime target for predators to strike and some were even partially eaten on their face and parts uncovered by clothes. Thanks to that, the old man found it easy to predict the monsters movements despite their stealth. They only focused on one place again and again which is his throat. The monsters had a fish head and fangs reminiscent of an angler''s maw. They grew fins on their frog-like limbs and had two pitch black eyes, with a rather small body compared to the size of their head. The old man walked towards the other carriages while observing indifferent to all the vermin he had slain. As for Lotte, he felt that he had to get away from the smell of the pooling blood so he stood up and walked towards a random tree he could lean on. But on the tree he saw a corpse wearing rags as clothes, with dirt all over the body and a gaping wound on the neck. It seemed to be a kid just a few years older than him, shackled on their purple neck and wrists. ¡°A slave?¡± It wasn¡¯t an unknown concept to him. As an avid reader, he¡¯d seen plenty of novels with slaves, and some of them becoming a main character, but more often than not, they were portrayed rather half-heartedly for the audience¡¯s sake, or perhaps just due to laziness. And further away is the scattered remains of other children just about his age. They were all the same, with half eaten heads or limbs making a grotesque scene. The old man had a frown as he shook his head at the scene before him. The old man slowly went towards the remaining carriage that had not fallen. The others were either overturned or were already breached by monsters and it was the only one left with the least damage. With a pull, the carriage¡¯s door burst open, for a moment his sharp expression lingered only to turn into astonishment. ¡°What did you see?¡± Lotte asked, afraid that there¡¯s more corpses inside. He didn¡¯t want to vomit at the sight of partially eaten body again. Without receiving any response he walked closer and was startled when the old man dropped his sword. He was looking inside as if he''d seen something that shouldn¡¯t be there. ¡°¡­¡± Inside Lotte only saw a motionless kid, with blood trickling from his neck. The wrists and ankles were still shackled tightly but the chains connected to it were already broken. It was a pretty tame sight compared to all the others he saw outside. ¡°Hey, old man, what¡¯s the matter?¡± The old man, as if struck with a realization, turned towards Lotte with widened eyes. ¡°That¡¯s right you¡¯re here¡­¡± He hurriedly went inside the carriage and held the dead kid¡¯s hand to check if there was still some pulse. After a sigh of relief, he took the kid into his arms and faced Lotte. ¡°Kid.. No, Lotte. I would like to ask you a favor.¡± Lotte was somewhat shocked with the old man''s behavior, he had been referring to him as ¡®kid¡¯ all this time. Whatever prompted his behavior to change was a curious thing to him. Through the series of weird actions of the old man, Lotte¡¯s mind instantly surmised what¡¯s going on. The old man standing in front of the carriage, a kid inside the carriage wounded, and lastly, the old man asking for a favor. It didn¡¯t take long for Lotte to get that the old man wanted his potion. He wanted to use it for the remaining life in this mess. Assuming that life can still be saved. But he can¡¯t easily give it. The desperation he felt ever since he came to this world may have faded, but it was still there. It didn¡¯t disappear and he kept it in the back of his mind, almost becoming a hidden obsession. ¡°What kind of favor? And why?¡± The old man looked at him with a gaze, as calm as ever, but with resoluteness behind it, appearing to be prepared to face any consequences for his goal. ¡°The potion you have. This child needs it.¡± Lotte wanted to make use of his potion well. He was certain of it now, that through this old man some progress in the story will finally take place. ¡°That¡¯s easy. But¡­¡± He took it out and played with the vial, tossing it into the air and catching it. The old man warily followed the vial on his hand, and Lotte, despite fearing that it might be snatched, kept his calm facade. ¡°A favor in exchange for a favor. What do you think, old man?¡± Lotte smiled leisurely as he felt that something is finally happening in his uninteresting life so far. ¡°Just three things. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to do them.¡± ¡°First, I want knowledge from outside this village. You know I¡¯m deathly curious about the outside world. Of course I¡¯ll be reasonable and wont go overboard with my questions.¡± At that, the old man nodded. At this point he had no reason to refuse. ¡°Second, you will teach me how to use the sword and how to fight in general. The world out there must be a cold place to those that can¡¯t protect themselves. And lastly¡­¡± *** ¡°And lastly¡­ Once you find it in yourself to go ¡®out¡¯, I want you to spread some stories for me.¡± The old man blinked, bewildered. Lotte¡¯s first two conditions made sense, a desire to know about the outside world, and the second which is the desire to learn how to fight. In this strange village he came to that only knew of peace, Lotte was the one and only anomaly that sought thrill in his life, rather than living peacefully. He was the total opposite of all the villagers'' way of living. While he only met them briefly they were not as daring like Lotte. It¡¯s not as simple as the courage of a fearless kid. ¡°But of course, it doesn¡¯t end with that. When people who know these stories come to you, help them within your means. Of course, it¡¯s up to your judgment of character if they¡¯re worth helping.¡± ¡°I can do that. However, where exactly should I spread these stories of yours?¡± It was a simple request. But it was as simple as it was strange. In what way does it affect him? Are those people who knew of his stories somehow connected to this village? Is it some form of message for the people outside he is in contact with? Does he¡­ know what this place is? ¡°Wherever you go, apart from this village! You¡¯re probably not going to stay here forever with that kid right? Is he your liege? Or maybe your grandchild? Who knows, your gray hair might not be its natural color and it used to be dark blue.¡± He had considered it, but hadn''t made up his mind. Yet this kid seemed to think that it¡¯s definitely going to happen. Whatever¡¯s going on inside this kid''s head was hard to understand for an old man like him. Right now, I can clearly tell his difference compared to all the villagers. They all lived peacefully with no desire to venture out of this place, even forbidding their own child. And even Lotte wasn¡¯t an exception. I had come here ostracized and was avoided by the villagers. The village chief also requested me to keep my distance. And to not tell anyone about anything from the ¡®outside¡¯. But this kid, he never stopped asking. He had knowledge a remote village would be unable to teach. And an intense curiosity of the outside world. ¡°Oh also, if the people you meet are rotten enough¡­ You can kill them. That depends on you though. Hmm, you should also be the author¡­¡± Was it a careless choice of words, or does he really know what ¡®rotten¡¯ meant? Is that his true motive? To kill those kinds of people? I had lived for almost sixty years and the strange things I encountered kept piling up ever since coming to this village. A rumored haven for those who sought solace, where peace is everlasting and life is abundant. The rumors couldn¡¯t be trusted after all, the only thing that proved to be true was its rather far distance from the rest of the world. With that our conversation ended. He gave me the vial of healing as promised and I fed it to this kid I do not know of. Lotte was wrong about one thing. This kid is someone I had never seen, yet resembled the people I¡¯ve served most of my life. Especially a once great person that I served. If this kid were truly one of the heirs I would have already raised my blade and fled this village. Once again, I was prepared to stain my blade with innocent blood. But I don¡¯t recognize him. Even with hair like the night sky just like my lord, and the pendant of a four pointed star in a crescent moon. There was no young boy his age among all the heirs. He does remember the young lord who became the most hideous of them all. And the precious young miss who didn¡¯t even come of age and died. Had she lived, she would¡¯ve been the same age as this kid and Lotte. We went back to the manor, and I covered the kid with a blanket. I might not need it as I have my ways to keep my body warm but it¡¯s different for this child. I slept as all sorts of thoughts swirled inside my head. It was unbefitting for an old man like me. Those crawling vermin. They were creatures that usually lived on the shores of archipelago¡¯s. It was unsettling to see them here on land, as they only lingered on shores. Will this village finally lose its peace? The slave caravan and all those innocent children who died. I could only pray that they will find peace in their deaths and burial. Where were they headed to the point of reaching this village? I had traveled for almost half a year struggling in order to reach this place. And the only survivor, that resembling my liege¡¯s kin. Was he a bastard son? A hidden lovechild? If so¡­ Depending on his temperament, I might have to raise my sword once again. Towards the people I used to serve. And to honor the oath I pledged. In the end, I didn¡¯t get to sleep at all. Chapter 4 Lotte went to the old man''s place in the early morning days after the incident. The villagers have been alerted and armed, with patrols switching during the day and night. There was also an increase of armed militia due to the looming threat of what Byrne called as crawlers and barricades were set up around the village. It was a pitiful number of eighteen people though, including my father. The village never needed soldiers and the militia were only for patrolling and keeping order so there were a few suitable to fight. Byrne also talked to them about the possibility that investigators from other towns will come to this village. From their faces, they didn¡¯t understand what those ¡®investigators¡¯ were for, so it was dismissed. And in this mess, the village chief remains wholly unseen. Byrne was the old man''s name. Just hearing it told Lotte a lot what this kind of character the old man is supposed to be, and he thought that it was a typical but rare name for a knight. He probably has a household name but chose not to say it, and since Lotte didn¡¯t find any reason to know urgently, he didn¡¯t ask. He was bound to be entangled with him sooner or later whether he wanted to or not. At least that¡¯s what he thought. The village put the dead bodies in the burial grounds. While some of the monster corpses were butchered and preserved to be food. Crawlers are in the end, fish type monsters with frog limbs and sharp fangs. Of course they were cleaned thoroughly as it ate humans, but the village couldn¡¯t exactly be picky about it. The militia men¡¯s first thought was to store those monsters rather than burying them, which surprised me. There was no shortage of food in the village, but during winter they sparingly used their reserves of food. To Lotte, those monsters simply looked like a hybrid of fish and frog. He had eaten plenty of fish before but not frogs. But, he was certainly going to refuse eating those vermin. That night, Lotte gave his potion to the kid, who survived in the end. Although the kid has been unconscious for a day or two already. Meanwhile Byrne seemed to be focused on improving the living conditions around him and tending to the kid. But today, I¡¯m going to settle when my ¡®lesson¡¯ starts. Byrne asked for time until the kid woke up, but at this rate the kid might not wake up for a while so he is going there to straighten things up. A kid possessed by a transmigrator. Byrne who came from the outside to a peaceful village, probably living in hiding with the skills to slay stealthy monsters like crawlers. A kid found amidst the annihilated slave caravan whom Byrne places a significant degree of importance to. Rugner who can go in and out in a village where going out is forbidden. And the village chief¡­ He had been silent these days. In fact, Lotte felt like he hadn¡¯t heard or seen him in the past months. Still, Lotte felt like things were slowly coming together. With those people in mind, he wondered what entanglement they would be involved in. He finally felt like he was in the middle of a story as it should be and not a mundane life in a peaceful village. There was both relief and fear in his heart because of that. If only this world could leave out it¡¯s own tragedy tag and focus on the fantasy aspect instead. Lotte found the old man boiling a soup once again. But this time it had a proper fishy and herbal smell. He¡¯s been cooking more often and repairing the manor hurriedly. Maybe all thanks to a certain kid. ¡°Byrne! How¡¯s the kid?¡± The old man turned to Lotte with squinted eyes, his lack of sleep apparent to him. ¡°Just who¡¯s that kid for you to look like that?¡± ¡°You can think whatever you want. Can you take this in the fireplace? Have some of this too.¡± He pointed at the tied branches by his side and gave Lotte a bowl with fish soup and bread submerged on it which he took without reservations. Fish were a rare food in the village and they rarely had a chance to eat it. ¡°So you finally fixed the fireplace! I was wondering how you¡¯re alive despite the cold every night.¡± That¡¯s right. It was as if the old man was impervious to cold. ¡°Can I learn that too?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not swordsmanship.¡± ¡°Tsk, stingy.¡± ¡®So it¡¯s some sort of skill he learned? Or maybe he developed it through the years he trained. It might even be the ¡®Aura¡¯ I¡¯m thinking of.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but feel excited at the thought of wielding it personally. Lotte put the woods in the fireplace that, on the contrary, didn¡¯t look fixed. Instead it has a temporary measure that could fall apart anytime. And a kid is lying down peacefully near the heat to keep him warm. His neck was no longer torn and bleeding, but the marks that chains left on his wrists and ankles were testament of what he had to go through. Now that Lotte could see clearly, the kid wore an unusual rusty necklace. Usually slaves will have all their possessions taken but he managed to keep it. It must¡¯ve been important for him. Her. Honestly Lotte was confused about the kids gender. He looked like he could be very handsome but also very beautiful even with all the dirt on his face. But Lotte made up his mind to think of him as a boy. It was his instinct and he trusted it. A boy blessed with heavenly appearance, and will probably break a lot of hearts. He is a little envious even though in his opinion he was quite handsome himself, with a tall body and unique dark red hair. He took after his beautiful mother with the same hair color apparently. ¡°Hng.. Uh.. Ahh! Aaahhh!¡± The kid suddenly flung his arms around as if to escape from something. ¡°Shit!¡± Lotte was startled and hurriedly stuffed some soaked bread on his mouth to shut him up, two days of sleep probably left him really hungry. A soaked bread would be the best to give his body some time to digest properly. ¡°Hey! Calm down, Calm down!¡± ¡°Mmph! Mmm!¡± Lotte further shoved the bread and the boy realized that he¡¯s no longer in danger. Then came the pang of hunger and thirst. The slightly salty and savory smell of the bread blanked his mind out as he devoured it like a beast. ¡°Slow down, slow down. There¡¯s no monsters here, slow down.¡± He finally calmed down and ate while Lotte was patting him on his back. Lotte could feel that the kid''s body was very thin as he patted his back, meaning he hadn¡¯t eaten properly for a long enough time. Upon hearing the commotion the old man entered silently, but just lingered by the door with a strange expression. The kid finished eating and turned to Lotte. ¡°T-Thanks¡­ Are you.. An escapee?¡± ¡°No, we just found you unconscious.¡± Lotte looked at him. His limbs were so thin, to the point that Lotte thought he could easily snap them. Most likely a result of suffering hunger for a long time. The fats that a child would have were long gone. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not the one you should be thanking.¡± Had he not given the potion, this kid would have died. But it was Byrne in the end who requested for the potion. Lotte never thought of using it on the kid, thinking that he was just a random slave that had died. ¡°He saved you. You¡¯re in his precious manor. I just happened to be there when you woke up.¡± Lotte gestured towards Byrne who had been standing nearby, watching them silently with a complicated gaze. ¡°Who?¡­ Huh?¡± The kid froze up upon seeing Byrne. To Lotte it was a sign that the old man was recognized and they had definitely seen each other before. If they knew each other rather well, being shocked and silent shouldn''t be their first reaction. But it seems to be a more complicated relationship than he thought. As Lotte was thinking about their connection to each other, a bowl flew before his eyes and hit Byrne squarely in the head. ¡°The hell?¡± Strangely enough, despite the former fierce display of skill before, the bowl squarely hit Byrne in his face. It was a little comical to Lotte when a guy like Byrne was hit but the kid couldn¡¯t be more serious. ¡°Hey! What are you doing?¡±Lotte hurriedly caught the other hand reaching for the tray. Those were the things Byrne borrowed from him. But why is this kid having such an intense tantrum? ¡°¡­ He saved me? Him?¡± The kid repeated those words mockingly as if he was going mad. His arms were trembling as Lotte held it to stop him from causing any further mess. Although he quickly bowed just realizing the mistake he had made. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry! I.. I just thought.. You were¡­ someone I knew.¡± Byrne neither looked angry or infuriated. Such a mistake is nothing to him. Lotte however felt unsettled with the whole situation for some reason. ¡°It''s alright¡­ You must despise that person if you throw a bowl upon seeing them.¡± He wiped some soup that had gotten on his face as he stepped further inside the room. ¡°I too, thought that you were someone I knew.¡± Hearing that somehow gave Lotte an ominous feeling. Lotte used to provoke the old man back then too, by throwing some stones or sticks. The old man just deflected or avoided it, igniting his curiosity and just made him more driven to learn how to fight from him. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. But he never tried to do it again since he was rather afraid of the risks that came with it. It was better to muster up some good and sincere impressions with old folks like Byrne, which in the end somewhat succeeded. Lotte was sure of it now. That they knew each other from somewhere and they didn¡¯t have the best of relationship. ¡°¡­ Could you leave us for a while Lotte?¡± Even after all these years trying to get the old man to open up, Lotte still didn¡¯t know his past or the different sides of his personality. However, since he went as far as to save that kid, he trusted that Byrne wouldn¡¯t do anything drastic. ¡°Sure. But what are you going to do?¡± ¡°Some¡­ matters have to be settled. That¡¯s all.¡± At times like this, it was better to let the situation resolve itself. Lotte thought that it would turn out to be a simple scenario where the saved kid would thank him and Byrne. But whatever it is that is about to take place had nothing to do with him so he could only take a step back. For now at least. ¡°Alright, but I hope that regardless of the outcome, you will honor our promise¡­ Byrne.¡± And so, his combat lessons were left to be settled tomorrow. Still, it couldn¡¯t go on like these. Whatever beef the kid had with Byrne had nothing to do with keeping his promise. ¡®Tomorrow regardless of what happens I¡¯ll have my training, and if not¡­ I¡¯ll have to be a little headstrong.¡¯ If he offends Byrne then so be it. At worst, he will just go back to punching logs and playing with wooden swords. *** Byrne took a seat in front of the bed and the kid just looked down, not uttering a single word. Silence and the flames burning the firewood enveloped the room. Neither of them seemed to want to talk. However Byrne could see the kid clenching his fists. Byrne does not recognize the kid. Only his features were familiar to him, prompting him to save his life. But the kid seems to recognize him. And rather well at that. First, he had to know where that necklace came from. ¡°Where did you get that necklace?¡± Like a reflex, the kid held onto the necklace, as if afraid that it might be taken away. ¡°It''s mine!..¡± The kid held the necklace close to his heart and curled to cover it with his arms, afraid that it would be taken away. ¡°My father gave it to me.¡± ¡°¡­ Your father?¡± That would mean that it''s someone from the household he knew. But if by any chance, his father wasn¡¯t a simple kin of his lord but rather¡­ Someone from the direct lineage. Then things will be a little difficult. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± The kid seemed hesitant to speak his name, trembling slightly and biting his lips. ¡°Just call me¡­ Saul.¡± After somewhat calming down, Saul introduced himself. Byrne stood up from his seat with a frown, which startled the kid. He drew his sword and pointed it towards Saul who only held a necklace. ¡°Do you know what that name signifies?¡± Saul stared at the tip of his sword with fear. However throughout the years of living in hiding and running away, he brushed with death more often than he could count. Each time he cried whenever one of the servants that fled with him were hunted, until there was no one to cry for anymore. He wandered and stole to live until he was caught and enslaved to be sold. They were chained and brought somewhere but were attacked by monsters on the way. Thinking that it was a chance he escaped, but was instead bitten on the neck by one of the monsters. In the end he hid inside one of the carriages as lost consciousness. He woke up with a piece of bread shoved in his mouth. For a moment he forgot everything that happened to him and ate his fill. He thought that he was saved by that other kid with the red hair. ¡°It''s the name¡­ Of the man you betrayed.¡± At first he doubted his eyes. But before he knew it, he had already thrown something to his supposed savior. He used to admire him, always standing astutely by his father¡¯s side, overlooking the knights and commanding them. His appearance aged significantly but nevertheless resembled him. The most loyal and trusted knight of his father, and to whom his wretched brother learned everything. Saul held the tip of the with his hands as his blood dripped. He didn¡¯t make any sound and stared towards Byrne¡¯s eyes as his vision blurred. Even so he didn¡¯t wail. He tried to, at least despite the tears streaming down his cheeks. ¡°Are you going to kill me too?¡± Amidst his burning anger, he knew that in this moment he was powerless. But seeing the man before him, he couldn¡¯t stop his anger. All his bottled up resentment that day, and all the hatred he had came pouring at this moment. On that day where his father needed him the most, he turned his back at the bidding of his brother. ¡°No.¡± Byrne withdrew his sword. ¡°It¡¯s no longer necessary.¡± He sheathed it in his scabbard and turned his back. ¡°Whoever you are¡­ You¡¯re free now. Do whatever you want, whether to stay or leave. But¡­ I advise against thinking about revenge. The household is no more, and that''s an undeniable reality.¡± But before he left he gave the kid words that may help to decide his own fate. He may very well be a hidden lovechild from his lord''s lineage. A bastard outside the dynasty between the lady and the lord. Even if he appears in the household once again, he¡¯s merely a bastard without any legitimacy, and all the vassals that were left favored the young lord. He should be the patriarch now. He convinced himself that there was no need to dig further what the kids name is. ¡°Think of the future and how you want to live from now on.¡± ¡°How dare you!.. Why.. Why did you betray us!?¡± He could not muster any response to the kid. How was he supposed to explain that he merely followed orders? How could he say that he regretted it all and ran away like a coward? How can he say that it was all in order to honor a pledge to his own lord? In the end he left without an answer. And the child, somehow being the only survivor of his family, cried until his voice was no longer heard. *** Lotte saw that Byrne was chopping wood as usual and the kid was still staying inside the house. Curiosity pushed me to check out the kid but found that the door was locked. I knocked loudly a few times but the door didn¡¯t open. Was Byrne kicked out of his own house? Lotte wanted to piss off the kid but refrained, recalling that he went through a quite horrible experience of being enslaved. ¡°Uh, something definitely happened.¡± He wanted to eavesdrop so badly, but remembering the old man''s formidable senses made him retreat. To characters like the old man, it was best to stay honest. Meanwhile poor Byrne was swinging an ax as the sound of wood being split was continuously heard. ¡°So, how did your talk with the kid go?¡± Lotte was curious what they talked about, but Byrne just kept his eyes on his work. Focused on splitting the dried woods, maybe to use as firewood this winter. ¡°Fine I won¡¯t ask. But, you remember our promise right?¡± Lotte threw a wooden sword he had been carrying, knowing that the old man could catch it easily, which he did just after another swing of the ax. Byrne let out a breath and took his and Lotte¡¯s sword. He then threw them to the side far from their reach. ¡°Since you want to be trained, prove it to me. That at the very least you are somewhat capable of enduring.¡± Instead of the sword he gave Lotte a smaller ax. ¡°Split all this wood. I will fell more trees until we have enough.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re making me do labor?¡± It reminded him of the unreasonable masters of the protagonists. Asking their apprentice to do miscellaneous chores, basically making them their caretaker. For a second, Lotte had thought that the righteous knight he knew of was not so righteous after all. ¡°If you want to give up just say so.¡± Followed after that line, taunting his resolve. They would call this bullshit testing one¡¯s tenacity and determination and whatnot, and Lotte experiencing it now was nothing but annoyed. ¡°I came to you to learn combat, Byrne. Why do I have to do this? To prove my determination and tenacity or something? Do I really need these roundabouts?¡± Byrne threw over some dried logs in front of Lotte, ignoring his protests. ¡°Like I said, prove it to me. I¡¯ve never taught combat half heartedly.¡± Especially to all the squires that were once his apprentice, who became his comrades and were nothing but memories now. They all gave their best to live and survive with what knowledge they learned in the battlefield where they had to either perish or kill. ¡°It¡¯s quite simple, yet you have so many complaints. You know its purpose but refuse to accept it. Where is that attitude going to take you? Outside the village?¡± He stared at Lotte from where he stood looking down at him. ¡°Just live in the village quietly.¡± That struck a chord on Lotte¡¯s pride. Living in the village quietly? Hell no. Before he was on edge everyday, cautious towards everyone and scared that something might happen. But in recent years he was so bored that he wished something would happen! Like that one guy who got their walls destroyed resulting in all the unthinkable consequences that followed. Maybe waiting for tragedy to happen simply turned him rather fearless when it came to his thoughts that eventually influenced his attitude towards living in this world. To Lotte, transmigrating here was no different than dying once, after all he lost everything and had to start over. For a while he lamented at the living conditions which were the worst he experienced so far. ¡°Prove it, you say?¡± But Byrne was severely underestimating him. As an adult inside a kid¡¯s body he had the tenaciousness he built over the long years of boredom. After a few days. Byrne was speechless. Thanks to Lotte, repairing the manor was proceeding smoothly. When they chopped wood, he wasn¡¯t slow at all and didn''t get tired easily. A regular kid wouldn''t even be able to swing the ax, yet he did it easily. When Byrne realized he needed nails, Lotte went and asked for some in the village. Something he would be hard pressed to do since he didn¡¯t build any relationship with the villagers and they all avoided him like a plague. When they needed tools for the furniture, Lotte brought everything he needed. It amazed him even more, as a highborn since childhood he never had to worry about this kind of menial work and he rarely helped in construction as volunteer work. At this point it wasn¡¯t simply being indebted, he basically owes Lotte a lot of favors. But Lotte would annoyingly grin whenever their eyes meet which mildly irritated him. As for the kid, he was just living inside the house, barely eating and in a daze most of the time. ¡°Alright, you¡¯ve proven your sincerity. I will teach you combat.¡± It had only taken them a week at most to repair the manor substantially. From this point onwards there''s few things to worry about the state of the manor. He could gradually repair it by himself. ¡°You would be such a shitty old man if you still don¡¯t accept my sincerity after everything.¡± With a vein slightly bulging, he threw a wooden sword towards Lotte. Even these were brought by Lotte, reminding him of the fixers in town¡¯s who gathered everything they needed from their network. In his eyes Lotte was now more than just a curious kid and is now a reliable young man. ¡°First, show me everything you¡¯ve got. Do your best to land a hit.¡± ¡°Finally¡­¡± Now before him was an actual person. Not the forever still wooden posts he beat up almost every single day or the sandbags hanging on the trees. Before this he had been training by himself for a very long time. Lotte took a deep breath and raised his sword. He then sprinted and swung knowing it will be either blocked or parried, focusing his strength in that one strike and making sure not to lose his grip. The clashing sound of a wood sword echoed in the manor. Lotte only ever stood in front of a dummy, so he blindly swung wherever he wanted to. Or it seemed. Byrne felt it the moment their sword clashed. It was an improper strike, without any footwork behind it as if it was just a bat being swung instead of a sword. Moreover there wasn¡¯t any effort to aim at any opening. It was nothing short of displeasing brute force. But it was strong and had a solid grip that didn¡¯t shake at all. Moreover he was fast. He swung again and again but each strike was as powerful as the other. Amidst their spar, he noticed that Lotte was targeting the same spot more often. Against an obviously more powerful opponent, he opted to destroy the sword and deprive him of his weapon, carefully choosing what part of his sword to use so that it wouldn''t break first. Byrne frowned upon it, as it goes against his style of looking for an opening and striking where his opponents were weak. It was more reminiscent of how barbarians overwhelmed sword users with their overly large axes and strong body. He preferred to end his opponent with as few lethal strikes as possible on every opening he could find. A habit he developed after fighting at the frontlines for too long, as all he wanted was to quickly finish every battle and go home. It reminded him of his days as a young knight. So he shifted his sword aligning where it hasn¡¯t been struck every clash. At that Lotte let out a chuckle, but he didn¡¯t stop. Instead with more momentum he changed from swinging to stabbing and mixing the two together. Just like before he was parried and rendered futile. Gradually Byrne¡¯s face began to show a strange expression. He expected Lotte to succumb due to lack of stamina. Lotte¡¯s hands should¡¯ve begun to hurt by continuously exerting his force for every strike. He should have ran out of breath long ago judging by the force he swung his sword. But contrary to expectations, Lotte¡¯s hand didn¡¯t show any reaction of being hurt. At a young age, he held and swung the sword blindly countless times so his hands had long developed calluses from practice. Without knowing any technique, he just focused on speed and power achieving what Byrne is witnessing right now. Moreover his stamina was nothing short of monstrous. He couldn¡¯t imagine just what kind of training and mental fortitude this child had to achieve such results. He was reminiscent of young talents, or above them even. Realizing that, he moved onto the next stage. ¡°From this point on, I will occasionally strike back.¡± At this moment, Lotte was huffing slightly but still had energy in him. ¡°Huff¡­ Okay..¡± Catching his breath he unleashed a flurry of strikes and stabs again. Gradually he made a pattern and attacked more efficiently. What began as a simple flurry of strikes, became a dance, he struck at every side of Byrne by constantly circling around him. It was bound to happen, as his state was nearing its peak from all the warm up earlier. He got used to it just like when he practiced. At first he would be unorganized, but as he grew tired, his mind would feel clear of any thought apart from swinging his sword. Although very faint, Byrne noticed that Lotte was partially in a trance state. It meant that he was giving his all to overcome the challenge in front of him. However.. ¡®No, it¡¯s too early.¡¯ If he went on like this his body would get used to blindly swinging around which bodes ill for a swordsman. All that his body will be used to is following those repetitive and meaningless movements. So he put his feet forward to trip Lotte who couldn¡¯t avoid it. But Lotte merely rolled and stood up once again to launch his flurry of slashes right away. Seeing that, Byrne thought that he had to take heavier measures. To not lose his concentration is commendable, but this is not how a swordsman should fight. More so, not someone who wants to protect themselves. He tightened his grip and in a quick slash, struck Lotte¡¯s hand. Surprisingly, he managed to keep his grip on the sword. So Byrne struck once again, this time with much more force and just as precise. ¡°Argh!¡± Finally after losing his weapon, Lotte stopped and stared at his hand knowing that he got carried away. It was wrought with blisters and blood, but that was the last thing in his mind. After training by himself for so long, he became so accustomed to just slashing without thinking. It was like he saw Byrne as a target¡­ Byrne had similar sentiments. He thought that he would be teaching a normal kid, but Lotte¡¯s physique and state were anything but normal. Monstrous stamina, a formidable grip, and an incredible focus. No, rather than focus it was like an obsession. ¡®An obsession¡­¡¯ ¡°What have you been doing to yourself?¡± He often saw Lotte ever since he came to this village. The only one who welcomed him and visited everyday to ask questions about the outside world and what he used to do for a living. At the time he didn¡¯t intend to answer Lotte since the village seemed to be kept away from any matters outside the world. He had come from somewhere far away after all, and he actually preferred the village this way. Although the villagers developed a misunderstanding towards him, he tried to steer this child away from the world outside of this haven. But now¡­ ¡°I already told you before. What, did you think I was lying?¡± ¡®Before?¡¯ Byrne frowned. If that was true then¡­ Breaking countless wooden swords, treating his peers as sandbags, breaking dummies for hitting it too much and those weird exercises he said¡­ Byrne was speechless. How did a kid have that kind of mentality and fortitude? To obtain a body like this, it was as if he was a descendant of those beastmen tribes that were born with strong and unique physiques¡­ ¡°I usually train myself a lot.¡± Byrne felt anticipation. If all this were only the results of training... He was far. Far too ahead, even compared to him at that age. Most likely, only kids his age from a prominent warrior families could compare to him. ¡°Ever since my sisters grew up, I¡¯ve been having more time to myself lately. So there¡¯s that.¡± His old passion for training unpolished talents were lit once again. What if a warrior born this way kept his mindset until his prime? What if he awakens and becomes a master? What kind of results does Lotte have at the end of his road, or even during his journey. But he put those thoughts at the back of his head in the meantime. Carefully, he will need to gauge whether what he¡¯s teaching will be a ruthless monster or a man with a righteous heart. He didn¡¯t want to release another disaster upon the world. ¡°For what reason?¡± Lotte¡¯s eyes slightly widened. He never had any reason other than he felt that his life would be threatened if he stayed weak. If he just wanted to stay in the village, then he didn¡¯t need any prowess to fight. But he wanted to get out of this village, fight monsters and see the world. Maybe even learn magic if he had a talent for it. Since he¡¯s in another world, he will take this opportunity to fully experience it himself. Of course, that won¡¯t even work as a reason. But he already had an answer in mind that will convince Byrne to teach him diligently without going too deep into the matter. ¡°Well¡­ After my mother died, that¡¯s when I decided to become strong. Also I have my three adorable sisters, I gotta protect them from heinous men.¡± ¡®After his mother died¡­¡¯ Byrne wanted to know how Lotte¡¯s mother died but it was too sensitive of a topic. It might be the reason why a kid at this young age has an obsession. Maybe there was more to this town other than its peaceful facade. ¡°Then, is It in order to protect your family?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah I guess.¡± At such a young age¡­ How did he lose his mother for him to have a mindset like that? ¡°Alright. You¡¯ve proven yourself enough. I¡¯m also convinced of your determination.¡± Byrne believed that such a child, although a cheeky one, deserves to be taught how to protect oneself. But looking at Lotte¡¯s temperament and thinking of his reason, he found it in himself to trust him. ¡°But, my way of sword is that of a knight. That is what I will impart to you.¡± ¡®I cannot teach you the ways forged in bloodshed.¡¯ Of course what he¡¯s going to teach is bound to be usable in killing too. But it won¡¯t be as brutal as the lesson the battlefield taught him. Not yet at the very least. This time he wanted his apprentice to take a different path. ¡°Fine by me.¡± To Lotte it didn¡¯t matter if it was knightly or roguelike. All he needed was to learn fundamentals and techniques. Eventually what he learned will integrate with his own style. That was the case in the novels he read. ¡°Then, I shall. There will be lectures along and what you need to know about the world. You can ask your questions then.¡± His eyes lit up as he¡¯d been meaning to ask about those exact topics a lot. ¡°Should I call you master?¡± ¡°No need.¡± Byrne winced at that word, recalling a once cherished memory, now unpleasant to even cross his mind. ¡°Ok, teach.¡± ¡°¡­ Just call me ¡®Sir¡¯.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± At last, it seems to be finally the ¡®right¡¯ path, perhaps one of the most important and crucial moments in preparation for the scenario that will happen in the future. There were several trainings and demands by the old man. Such as cleaning the manor. Lotte thought that in the end he couldn¡¯t escape the caretaker curse of the apprentice protagonists. To compensate for his effort, he stayed at the manor most of the time to train. He felt more at ease and in his so-called ¡®zone¡¯ when he trained there. Any training methods he did before had to stop, the old man claimed that he had trained improperly for too long that it developed into habit, almost ruining his potential. Luckily, it resulted into Lotte obtaining a ridiculously trained body at a young age and was stopped at just the right time.. From that point onwards he trained in the morning and listened to lectures after lunch. It was a pretty light schedule compared to what he used to go through, but he was learning and developing much more rapidly than before. It was not all training and lessons, there was also the meditation that the old man insisted to be necessary. Lotte had the most difficulty with it as a man from the modern era that naturally had idle thoughts at all times. And amidst all that, from somewhere a gaze would sometimes look his way. Chapter 5 Winter eventually came to an end. The birds chirped as the biting cold was replaced by a gentle breeze. The river thawed and flowed again. Soon, days will be busy for the whole village, plowing on the moist earth once covered by snow. Sunlight shone between the clouds. It was the prelude to the season of harvest, where the once silent village will be bustling with festival and produce. It once played around in Lotte¡¯s head that he might be in a slice of life novel. Due to the fact that he¡¯d been stuck here for so long without any events to remind him of being in a fantasy and tragedy. Time until Chapter 1: 2 years, 21 days and 16 hours. The timer, that once he thought of, would always appear and remind him how much time he had left, before the story ¡®starts¡¯. Swoosh! The sound of a sword cutting through the air can be heard. A young man with a rather toned body held a wooden sword facing the morning sun shirtless and drenched with sweat. He repeatedly swung it with power and grip while using form and footwork, all the things he learned from Byrne. A tight but loose enough grip to maneuver the sword easily, and proper step and distribution of force using his foot and whole body for each strike. After that, he held the sword in his other hand and did the same with almost equal proficiency. With the long years of repeated training and boredom, he had somewhat achieved equal strength and efficiency in both of his arms. He could be partly called ambidextrous. However, Lotte had no aspirations to be a dual wielding swordsman because it didn¡¯t feel like a safe fighting style for him. He simply wanted to be able to switch hands should the other be unusable in order to catch his opponents off guard. Byrne left him to his own devices after teaching a breathing technique he was told to practice. To his surprise it worked wonders when it comes to exerting strength and prolonging his stamina. Until he was able to do it naturally at all times, he was to focus on it and the basic swinging of his sword. However, there¡¯s also struggles. The foundation of his body and determination was phenomenal, but in terms of comprehending the sword techniques, his results were average at best. Said by the expert himself, Byrne. Lotte thought that maybe it had something to do with him being an otherworlder, that maybe being an adult inside the head of a kid was the cause. His mind was already past the age of learning and insight. But he had no problem learning how to read quickly back then though? Anyways he didn¡¯t understand. So he just did as he was told, living a life training at dawn, helping at the farm and listening to a short lecture after lunch and then training again. He might not be a genius but he can keep training to attain just as much as a genius could. He¡¯s tapping into the discipline he developed, from his past and current life. He lived unlike his days at his former world, where he would sit in front of a screen all day and go home after an unhealthy dinner with co-workers. Recently however, there was a gaze that he often felt. It all started after he trained his footwork and breathing. ¡®Is he looking again?¡¯ The kid they found had been nothing but a freeloader. He almost forgot his existence, a huge mistake for a transmigrator who should be aware what kind of world this is. After all, this kid might be a character with a vital role in the future. There was one time that he was changing clothes right then and here but he suddenly recalled the kid. So he just recently started being conscious and paying attention to him. He seems to be watching when he¡¯s training and until he finishes but refuses to come out. So instead of completing his training, these days he would stop the moment he felt a gaze just to tease the kid. He could just continue training in his own home or somewhere else. ¡°Huff, that¡¯s enough I guess.¡± That feeling of being watched was his cue. He¡¯s been training for only half an hour or so because of that. He could only imagine what that kid was thinking right now and found it amusing. Lotte didn¡¯t have any bad intent towards the kid at all. He found that he was being watched for consecutive days and just didn¡¯t like it, so he was messing with the kid. He could confront him but he¡¯d rather annoy the other party instead. Most people who shut themselves in like that won¡¯t budge when you confront them and based on the kids current state, letting him get out from his hiding is better. After leaving, the sense of being stared at disappeared and he felt comfortable. Lotte¡¯s been rather sensitive and conscious of his surroundings recently and felt satisfied thinking that it was because of meditating. Next day, the same thing happened and so did the following day¡­ Eventually. ¡°Why are you slacking off on training?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lotte was planning to train as usual after consulting with Byrne, and then leaving once he felt that familiar gaze again. He had almost forgotten the fact that the kid could walk out of the house if he wanted. It took longer than expected for the kid to decide to confront him. ¡°How did you know? Did you see me?¡± *** Saul had a lot of thought on his head ever since he woke up in a dilapidated manor owned by ¡®that man¡¯. The days when he was hungry, stealing food just to survive, getting chained and brought into filthy prison were already blurry in his mind. However the scars remain on his memories. The feeling of helplessness was still there lurking in the depths of his emotions. And anger. Burning anger. Towards his brother. And most of all, his powerless self. At first he only felt sadness. He cried, unable to sleep at night, fleeing from place to place with what''s left of the retainers, living the lives of a fugitive. He never had any idea that common people could live such hard lives back then. He never thought about needing to beg for food, nor eating rotten fruits just to quench his hunger. He also never thought that lives, as precious as they are, can be taken and sold so easily. Eventually the blame turned into anger towards his brother. But in the end, it was all because he couldn¡¯t do anything. Once the vassals that fled with him were hunted down, leaving him alone in the streets. Then he was caught by slave traders, looking for orphans in the slum. With his dark blue hair, it was a rather rare sight among the common people who usually had blonde or brown hairs. At the very least, he did not need to look for what to eat, with scrap food coming every other day. But the hunger weakened him bit by bit, although he was too hungry to notice. Just like that, he lay in a dark prison with other kids, waiting for anyone to ¡®buy¡¯ them. The chains that bound him marked his neck, wrists and ankles. Until the day they were taken into the caravans. Seeing all the men surrounding them, carrying weapons he was resigned to his fate. Somewhere on their way, he heard the sounds of screams and growls. Small crawling creatures with fish heads, protruding thorn like fangs on their mouth. When night came, the monsters became unseen and one by one killed the guards of the convoy. The pain from his neck being bitten by a small one was still vivid in his mind. He ran back inside a random carriage that he found. After that he lost consciousness, and what greeted him was a boy his age that shoved soaked bread in his mouth. The savory taste of the soup the bread soaked from was the most delicious he ever had ever since. Saul didn¡¯t think that the boy would turn out to be Byrne¡¯s apprentice. After the day he talked with Byrne, they never had any other interaction again. Apart from the food that will be left on the floor outside his room. He tried to resist eating whatever Byrne gave him, but hunger has become too painful of a memory to him. In the end he swallowed it hurriedly. Just like that he lived. If he could even call it living. After a while he decided to look outside. It was the end of winter and it reminded him of the beautiful flowers that grew on their manor which he admired everyday as they slowly bloomed. He didn¡¯t know if it was the same for this place, but he was expectant. Unfortunately there was nothing but green grass and muddy ground outside. But in the middle of all that was a boy. He was the bread boy. He never saw him again after he shoved that bread in his mouth. Saul had never been so glad after eating a simple bread soaked in soup. The boy who saved him was now swinging a sword repeatedly. He was sweating despite the coldness left by winter, and his blood red hair glistened, wet from all his sweat. Slowly, the boy turned into soup soaked bread in his eyes¡­ He was hungry once again, but the food would only come later at afternoon¡­ As he watched the bread boy train, he wondered what today''s dinner would be¡­ It became Saul¡¯s habit to watch the bread boy. Had he known how to wield a sword in his hands, maybe he could have done something apart from running away. At night he clumsily mimics what the bread boy did and sometimes imagines holding a sword. Something he was never allowed to do back in his home. The coldness left by winter finally lost its presence and it was a full blown spring with gentle winds and warm sunlight. These days, after waking up to watch the bread boy train, he was met with disappointment. The bread boy who¡¯s usually very diligent only trained for a while and left. It was still early and the sun was still up. It kept happening to the point that he could barely watch him train.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. So he was left with more time to his own thoughts again. Saul had been thinking why he had to survive. Why was he told to live on? He was alone and everyone else who had come to flee the household had died. Coming back to the household was out of the question and would just waste all his and everyone''s struggle. In the first place he didn¡¯t even know where he was. Everyone has a reason to live and to keep living. It can be as simple as to just fill their stomach, or some grand purpose like leading the common people. And as for him¡­ he must live. In order to remember. To carry the weight of what happened. From the moment the guards, once loyal protectors of his family, turned against them, seizing his mother and father, and to the last servant who stayed by his side until the bitter end. He must live, and one day, make the one responsible pay. Even against his brother, and everyone else who conspired alongside him. The time he spent fleeing with the few loyal servants who risked everything to keep him safe was brief but precious. Their sacrifices, their unwavering kindness¡ªthey were memories etched into his soul, ones he would carry forever. ¡®Urg¡­¡¯ Just the thought of his brother made his head throb. He heard the wails of his mother like it was transpiring in front of him again, as his fathers head with eyes devoid of life fell to the ground. At first he felt fear. But in time, seeing all of the remaining servants struggle to live and run away made him curse his existence. Was it not enough to kill their own parents? That he had to come after him too? Byrne had advised against taking revenge towards his brother. But now, it was the only way he could be at peace. Byrne too, was someone he hated and had to atone for his sins of turning a blind eye with his brother''s tyranny. But unlike his brother, Byrne can still redeem himself. By atoning in a different way. That''s why. After seeing the bread boy train half heartedly for the past few days, he couldn¡¯t help but confront him. Instead of Byrne wasting his time on this guy. He needs him to achieve his revenge. Whether it¡¯s to be similarly trained, or personally cutting down those who betrayed them. ¡°You¡¯re not serious at training at all. You¡¯re¡­ wasting his efforts.¡± The boy touched his chin and looked up as if thinking about something. ¡°Who¡¯s effort?¡± Innocently he tilted his head and stared at him in confusion. ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb with me!¡± He found his voice slightly raised, with irritation bubbling up from within. ¡°Aren¡¯t you his apprentice? Otherwise, why would he ever train you?¡± ¡°You mean Byrne?¡± It was not uncommon for formidable knights to take an apprentice or train squires. He remembered that Byrne himself had once trained a whole company of squires numbering almost thirty individuals, and his brother as his official apprentice and successor. But once his brother bared his fangs against his own family, Byrne didn¡¯t take any action to stop him. That day, Saul had wondered why Byrne, a respected knight, didn¡¯t lift a finger against his brother¡¯s tyranny. Now, living in a dilapidated house, he found him training a young boy. The boy was clearly a commoner, a status that barred one to learn the way of the sword and apprenticeship to a knight. But there he is, wasting the efforts of an even more acclaimed knight. Byrne must have been unable to face the weight of his inaction. Perhaps he had fled from the household to escape the consequences, seeking solace in a place far removed from the past. Time had left its mark on him, the once proud knight had significantly aged, his hair now entirely gray, his demeanor quieter, almost diminished. And along the way he took a simple boy as an apprentice. Once again. Saul doesn¡¯t remember how much time had passed since he saw him, but Byrne had turned into an old man from a well respected knight. ¡°Instead of training you¡­¡± Saul muttered, in a low trembling voice, ¡°he should atone for his sins. He needs to come with me.¡± The words escaped like a breath, but they carried across the the boy. Lotte paused and exhaled deeply to face the other kid. ¡°What sins? Do you know Byrne from somewhere?¡± Of course, the boy before him knew nothing. None of Byrne¡¯s past nor his deeds. Saul realized the boy had no connection to his thoughts or plans. Yet, the sight of him slacking in his training stirred an irrational frustration in Saul. He had called the boy out, but for what? It was a petty display of anger. The boy was nothing more than a distraction, irrelevant to what he had to do. Byrne was the one he needed to face. To convince. Or, if that failed, Saul was prepared to fight and die trying to bring down his brother. ¡°¡­ Forget it.¡± With a sharp exhale, he turned his back on the boy, whose name he hadn¡¯t even bothered to learn. Their interaction had to end here. Once he spoke to Byrne, he¡¯d leave whether with a knight by his side or alone. ¡°If you want, I can ask him to atone for his sins.¡± Saul froze, the words striking an unexpected chord. He turned slightly, glancing over his shoulder. Why would the boy even suggest such a thing? ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°The name¡¯s Lotte, by the way.¡± ¡°No¡­ What did you say? You¡¯re going to ask him what?¡± Saul didn¡¯t even pay attention to his introduction and ignored the hand reaching out for a handshake. ¡°I said.¡± Lotte grinned faintly and, without a word, walked to a nearby log, a crude resting spot he must have dragged there himself. With a deliberate motion, he sat onto it, planting the tip of his wooden sword into the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll ask him to atone for his sins. For you.¡± Saul wondered why Lotte would even consider doing such a thing. Was he willing to jeopardize his position as Byrne¡¯s apprentice? He knew nothing about the boy, except for the fact that he was being trained by Byrne. Did Lotte know anything about Byrne¡¯s past? It seemed unlikely; Saul couldn¡¯t imagine Byrne sharing his deepest regrets with a mere apprentice. The thought stirred a sense of displeasure in Saul. This boy, with his smug attitude, is the one Byrne chose to train? ¡°What do you even know? And that isn¡¯t up to you. It¡¯s Byrne¡¯s decision.¡±Saul¡¯s voice had begun to be tinged with irritation. To Saul, Lotte was just a commoner¡ªa nobody from who knew where. Apart from the loyal vassal who had stayed with him during his darkest days, Saul had little trust for commoners. To him, they were selfish opportunists, always ready to exploit the misfortunes of others. Perhaps Byrne was trying to escape his own guilt. Taking in a stray like Lotte, training him, might have been Byrne¡¯s way of moving on. Saul didn¡¯t know how their arrangement began, but with Lotte¡¯s attitude, it was bound to bring only disappointment. ¡°Oh, you misunderstand.¡± Lotte¡¯s voice interrupted Saul¡¯s thoughts, laced with an unsettling confidence. ¡°It could totally be up to me.¡± Saul¡¯s brows furrowed as Lotte flashed a smug grin. Where was his confidence coming from? ¡°I¡¯m his precious apprentice, remember? Do you think he¡¯s gonna train a random kid from nowhere?¡± Lotte stood up to meet Saul''s eyes directly, closing the distance between them with deliberate steps. Saul found himself taking an involuntary step back as Lotte leaned in, speaking in a low voice that dripped with arrogance. ¡°You know¡­ Byrne treats me really well. Free food, a roof over my head, even a personal bodyguard. As a kid, I wouldn¡¯t have survived alone.¡± Lotte¡¯s grin widened. ¡°Sure, training is tough, but there¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting him go. Not when he¡¯s so useful to me.¡± Saul¡¯s mind snapped. The words sank in like barbs, cutting through his composure. Without thinking, he swung his fist, anger surging through him. Lotte didn¡¯t dodge and the blow landed squarely on Lotte¡¯s face. ¡°You.. You¡¯re only exploiting him?¡± Saul growled, his voice trembling with fury. Lotte didn¡¯t flinch or retaliate. Instead, he straightened, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip with an amused expression. Saul¡¯s anger boiled over. This boy wasn¡¯t training with Byrne out of admiration or loyalty¡ªit was all for his own petty gain. In Saul¡¯s eyes, Lotte was no different from the commoners he despised, selfish, conniving, and always looking to take advantage of others. ¡°Aren¡¯t you doing the exact same thing?¡± Lotte smiled, unfazed by the punch as though it hadn¡¯t even landed. ¡°Freeloading, eating the food he gives you every day? You don¡¯t train, you don¡¯t help out¡ªyour just another mouth to feed. Not so different from me.¡± ¡®Me? Just another mouth to feed?¡¯ Saul¡¯s fists clenched, his eyes trembling as much as his voice. ¡°Besides,¡± Lotte continued, his tone cutting like a blade, ¡°is it so wrong to keep myself fed if all I have to do is be his apprentice? Meanwhile, you just sulk in that room of yours. Byrne obviously values your life enough to save you and keep you around¡ªdespite your attitude.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know anything¡­ Anything I had to go through!¡± ¡°And yet you¡¯re worse than me,¡± Lotte knew what this kid in front of him had to go through. But that doesn¡¯t stop him from calling out his hypocrisy. ¡°At least I¡¯m useful. But you¡­¡± The air between them grew heavy as Saul¡¯s fury reached its breaking point. He swung his fist again, but this time Lotte caught it with ease. ¡°¡­ You won¡¯t be getting a second free hit.¡± With a swift pull, he yanked Saul forward, throwing him off balance. Saul stumbled and hit the ground, the cold mud clinging to his hands and knees as his chin struck the earth. It was a humiliating position¡ªone he had become too familiar with in his life. ¡°My offer still stands,¡± Lotte said, his voice now low and serious. ¡°But there¡¯s a condition: take me with you when he starts to atone for his sins.¡± Saul¡¯s mind was a mess. He hated Byrne for his inaction, for the pain that lingered in his memory, yet he also despised the thought of Lotte exploiting him. And yet, Lotte had also been the one to feed him when he just woke up. But its probably not Lotte who had fought off the monsters. It was Byrne. And somehow, he was in there, wounded inside the carriage. Byrne, who must¡¯ve found his hair color familiar, took him. A tight knot of frustration coiled in Saul¡¯s chest. He grit his teeth, anger and confusion swirling within him. Just then something fell to the ground in front of him. It was a wooden sword. ¡°Take it.¡± Saul looked up, mud streaking his face, to see Lotte standing over him. His gaze wasn¡¯t mocking or amused this time. It was steady. ¡°Are you angry?¡± Lotte asked, his voice calm but provocative. He held a wooden sword of his own and kicked the one he just dropped, letting it rest closer to Saul¡¯s reach. ¡°Try to hit me. Just once, and I¡¯ll leave the old man on my own.¡± The words hung in the air. Saul stared at the boy, confusion and frustration swirling within him. Why was Lotte doing this? What did he want? And yet, despite the uncertainty gnawing at him, Saul¡¯s trembling hand reached for the sword. His knuckles brushed against the coarse wood as his grip tightened around the hilt. The chance had been given. And Saul was going to take it. *** ¡®Come on, pick it up¡­¡¯ Lotte¡¯s eyes remained locked on Saul as the boy hesitated, fingers brushing the wooden sword. Impatience bubbled beneath his cold facade. Since earlier, he¡¯d been goading Saul, trying to provoke him into fighting. He had to test this potentially, one of the special characters in this world. Fleeing from their noble household, getting caught by slavers, and getting recognized by Byrne, a seemingly formidable warrior. It all points to a special character with a heavy purpose in the story. To Lotte, Saul seemed frail and easy to manipulate, emotionally driven noble kid. Lotte had finally found a mentor, a source of information, and perhaps even a ticket to go outside. He wasn¡¯t about to let his chance slip through his fingers. If this kid was important enough for Byrne to save, then there was something more to him. Undoubtedly, that¡¯s his noble blood running through his veins. Ha, it¡¯s always the nobility thing with these kinds of plot. If Byrne had sworn fealty to the boy¡¯s family, there was a real risk he might leave. Even with Byrne¡¯s stern demeanor, Lotte had learned that loyalty could sway the strongest resolve. ¡®Before that happens, I need to stall him¡ªor, better yet, make sure I go with them.¡¯ ¡°¡­ Just once?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lotte¡¯s tone was steady. ¡°Hit me just once. I¡¯ll only get one chance to knock the sword out of your hand. If I can¡¯t do that, then forget we ever talked and go do whatever you want.¡± In Saul¡¯s hand, the weapon was heavier than he expected, the weight straining his arms. Still, he raised it and took a stance. Lotte¡¯s lips curled into a sneer. He recognized that stance¡ªit was the one Byrne had drilled into him during training and the one he had been practicing with while Saul was secretly watching. ¡°Heh. So you have been watching me well.¡± Lotte liked how easy it is to talk to Saul. ¡°Haah!¡± Without further ado, Saul charged forward, swinging the sword with all his strength. But his eagerness betrayed him. Lotte sidestepped with ease, leaving his foot in Saul¡¯s path. The boy stumbled but managed to twist his body and swing again. It was a miss. Still, Saul recovered, stubbornly keeping his balance. Again and again, he struck, each swing slower and more desperate than the last. Lotte dodged them all effortlessly, his movements fluid and precise. Compared to Byrne, Saul was a beginner. His strikes were wild, his footwork clumsy. By the time Saul¡¯s breathing turned ragged, Lotte decided it was time to end the game. He gripped his wooden sword tightly, and with just enough force. Byrne¡¯s technique training had honed his natural advantages¡ªhis taller frame, his speed, his endurance and most of all his monstrously trained body. All of it culminated in this moment as he moved to disarm Saul with a controlled strike. ¡°Ugh!¡± A single swing sent Saul¡¯s wooden sword flying, snapping it in half. A sharp jolt of pain shot through his wrist, drawing a startled yelp from his lips. Tears pooled at the corners of his eyes, threatening to spill. The farce was over. Saul had never stood a chance, and now he stood frozen, fists trembling at his sides. Lotte, on the other hand, had gotten what he wanted¡ªsort of, he found that there¡¯s nothing special with this character yet. This wasn¡¯t about humiliating Saul. He just needed to leave a lasting impression, a crack in the boy¡¯s stubborn defenses that could pave the way to a connection. Or so he¡¯d planned. Right now, Saul and Byrne¡¯s situation felt straight out of one of the stories Lotte used to dream up. The estranged noble boy, far from his home and family, paired with the grizzled knight hiding in an unremarkable village¡ªeach holding secrets and regrets. This was the kind of story that could shape a nice backstory, and for some reason, he¡¯d stumbled into it. Lotte¡¯s imagination ran wild, piecing together half-formed theories, trying to fit himself into their tale. But his thoughts came to a screeching halt. ¡°Ugh¡­ Ughh¡­ Aaarrgh!¡± The sound wrenched Lotte¡¯s attention back to reality. ¡®Wait. Is¡­ is he crying?¡¯ Saul¡¯s voice cracked, his breaths coming in uneven gasps. He scrubbed at his eyes with the heel of his hand, trying to fight back tears. This was worse than when he¡¯d accidentally made Yeona cry when she pestered him to play. He hadn''t expected Saul to break down so quickly like this. The boy¡¯s eyes were red, his expression twisted with frustration and shame. Lotte froze, words caught in his throat. This wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d wanted. He needed Saul to talk, to be steady enough for questions, not spiraling into a meltdown. ¡°You! You and Byrne¡­ and Brother! I¡¯m going to kill you all!¡± What the fuck? He got included on his kill list right away? And Byrne and his Brother? Lotte had to process what he heard for a moment. Those were some brutal words coming out from Saul¡¯s mouth. ¡°I swear it.. I swear in the name of my family honor!¡± Saul stared at Lotte with red teary eyes and gritted teeth. Lotte couldn¡¯t help but feel pity instead of intimidation, due to how Saul¡¯s face makes him feel like he had just bullied an innocent kid. Which he technically did but¡­ ¡°W-wait, wait!¡± Lotte raised his hands in a placating gesture with panicking voice. ¡°Calm down first! I¡¯m not an enemy!¡± He was antagonizing him a bit yes, but he expected a level headed surrender instead of an outrage like this. ¡°Waaahhh!¡± Saul didn¡¯t wait. He turned around and bolted toward the manor, his muffled sobs trailing behind him. Lotte stood there, dumbfounded, as the boy disappeared into the distance. His hand, still outstretched in a futile attempt to calm Saul, dropped to his side. ¡°Well¡­ that didn¡¯t go as planned.¡± He sighed, running a hand through his hair. This wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d miscalculated someone¡¯s breaking point, but it never got any less awkward. He shifted his weight, kicking at a splinter of Saul¡¯s broken sword, trying to piece together what just happened. Still, there was some valuable in this mess. ¡®Family honor¡­ and a grudge against Byrne and his brother. Sounds like a succession conflict. That confirms his noble origins. He could be a runaway, escaping a power struggle. But why would Byrne, one of their knights, be out here? What sins is he hiding?¡¯ The pieces of the puzzle weren¡¯t fitting together yet, but Lotte felt a faint thrill. He was getting closer, and sooner or later, Saul would crack. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll have to wait. This kid¡¯s harder to control than I thought.¡± He smirked, but his thoughts lingered on Saul¡¯s anguished face. For all his bravado, the boy was still just a kid¡ªscared, angry, and lost. And Lotte couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of story he¡¯d stumbled into. *** The next day. Lotte came before sunrise to start his apprenticeship duties of cleaning the manor daily, even though the cold morning air was still biting at his skin. His first duty, as always, was to clean the floor of the manor¡ªan endless chore he¡¯d recently come to know too well. He smirked remembering his reflection on the polished wood gleaming back at him. ¡°Starting from today he will be training with us. Come, introduce yourself to your senior.¡± A boy stepped forward from behind Byrne, eyes still reddened from the previous day, and a slouched posture filled with suppressed animosity. The dark blue hair¡ªa telltale sign¡ªwas unmistakable. ¡®Did this guy just¡­ Switch sides? He hated Byrne just until yesterday!¡¯ Lotte¡¯s heart raced as he processed the sight. Just yesterday, Saul had sworn vengeance on him, Byrne and his brother. Now he was here, stepping forward under the guidance of the very man he hated. Byrne gently nudged him forward with a kind gesture, his expression as calm and steady as always. ¡°Go ahead. Introduce yourself.¡± ¡®What¡¯s with that gentle attitude Byrne? I was there first! I fixed the manor for you, and brought unused furniture in the name of being the only kind kid that helps the stranger out in the village!¡¯ ¡°I-I¡­ My name is.. Saul. Senior¡­¡± Byrne nodded, a satisfied gleam in his eyes, his approval clear. He looked almost refreshed, as though a weight had been lifted. Lotte couldn¡¯t suppress the swirl of emotions inside him. Confusion, intrigue, and a tinge of jealousy. He was jealous of a kid. His curiosity gnawed at him. What happened between yesterday and today? Why is Saul, who was really angry at the world just yesterday, suddenly an apprentice too? Lotte wanted to ask so bad what happened and agonized at the fact that he couldn¡¯t eavesdrop, and even if he tried, the old man would catch on easily. Instead, he kept his thoughts to himself, feeling the tension in the air. The boy he¡¯d sparred with only hours ago was now standing before him. The atmosphere was filled with unspoken questions, with emotions that neither Saul nor Lotte could voice yet. The day ahead loomed, and as much as Lotte wanted to ask for answers, he knew that the only way to understand what was going on would be through time¡ªand through watching. His curiosity burned brighter than the incoming sun, but for now, he would have to wait. Chapter 6 ¡°Just like that? Old man, this is unfair, I had to go through all those roundabouts you told me to do but he just gets to be your apprentice that easily?¡± Lotte¡¯s thoughts were complicated as he stood on his hand on a rock in the middle of the river, his body aching from the position and the weights strapped to his legs. The strain is almost unbearable, but his irritation made him grit his teeth and hold his position, even as sweat dripped down his brow. This punishment was ridiculous. ¡°Is my resolve a joke to you?¡± He waited for five years before finding someone who could mentor him. He had to do labor and sacrifice his precious potion to save a kid to be taught. Then that kid who hated him is now his apprentice? And now he''s being punished for fighting an angry powerless brat? The unfairness of it all still gnawed at him. Saul, who had barely gone out from his room, is suddenly an apprentice? ¡®Is this a major character privilege or something?¡¯ ¡°Stop talking and focus, if you don¡¯t want to fall into the currents.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± Byrne, as always, remained unfazed. His calm, collected nature only served to further intensify Lotte¡¯s sense of unfairness. He used to be so silent and moral, but Lotte realized that the old man had a way of deflecting any accusations of bias with his philosophical musings, as though the weight of his experience gave him an automatic pass on favoritism. As the minutes stretched on, Lotte couldn¡¯t help but steal glances at Saul. The kid was sitting there like nothing had happened, looking comfortable while Lotte¡¯s body screamed in pain. But he flashed a sneer at Lotte, Saul was looking at him like he was a joke. ¡®What the?¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re already way ahead of him, Lotte. Don¡¯t be upset,¡± Seeing Lotte¡¯s distorted face, Byrne said in that same detached tone. ¡°Saul is from a bloodline of warriors. His untapped potential is... significant. He needs to be nurtured.¡± ¡®Oh really?¡¯ Lotte couldn''t help but mock the idea in his mind. If Saul¡¯s such a hidden gem, then where was it yesterday when I knocked his sword out of his hand in one hit? But instead of challenging it, Lotte swallowed the bitterness rising in his throat. His punishment wasn¡¯t over, and if he spoke too much, the consequences might just make this feel like a vacation. From his position, Lotte noticed Saul, glancing at him with that same familiar sneer again. It was like the kid was savoring the awkward tension between them. That angry kid from yesterday was gone and replaced by this brat. Then, Lotte¡¯s lips curled upward involuntarily. ¡°Really huh? I didn¡¯t see any of it yesterday though?¡± Lotte remarked looking at Saul while returning a smug smile despite the sweat trickling down his face. Saul flinched slightly at the remark, his eyes widening as if Lotte had caught him off guard. It was enough to make Lotte feel a bit better in his position. He was glad that the kid was easy to talk to and taunt. Byrne, as always, maintained his air of calm and authority. ¡°Later on, we will have a lecture starting from the basics, etiquette and chivalry, the foundation of what it means to be a knight.¡± ¡°Again?¡± Lotte had heard enough of this lecture already and would rather know about other topics. As far as he was concerned, chivalry was just an obstacle to avoid offending pompous nobles. Who cares about all that formality when survival¡¯s on the line? He¡¯s more interested in the combat lectures. But Lotte kept his mouth shut. Byrne had the patience of a saint, and Lotte was under no illusion that he could get away with voicing his objections again. ¡°Stay there for ten more minutes Lotte.¡± ¡®Arrgh!¡¯ Even if Saul didn¡¯t become Byrne¡¯s apprentice, Lotte concluded it was only a matter of time before he would. The logic of this world¡¯s story must work that way, them meeting in this place was probably in preparation for when Saul will finally take his revenge. The story was unfolding before Lotte. He didn¡¯t know how much of an impact Saul would have in the story and what his relationship will be with ¡®Arlen¡¯ the supposed main character but the impression he left with Saul will help him form a connection with him and perhaps other characters in the future. Saul had a reason to seek out Byrne¡ªa thirst for vengeance, for power. He needed strength, and where else would he turn but to the only man who could teach him? If the story was following its typical path, then Saul would be trained, and eventually, he would gain the power he needed. Lotte sighed, his body straining under the weight. ¡®I¡¯ll give him credit for having the guts to ask Byrne for training, though. It couldn¡¯t have been easy. Even if Saul had been a noble, holding onto that kind of anger and frustration and letting it go couldn¡¯t have been simple for a kid his age.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know if Saul still considered Byrne an enemy at this point, he hadn¡¯t expected him to swallow his pride and ask for help. It was... impressive in a way. This works too as Lotte couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that he now had an opportunity. I could get close to him, befriend him, and maybe get some information. Though I don¡¯t expect much from a kid. Even if he¡¯s a runaway noble. He felt like a nosy neighbor peeking through the window, itching for the next piece of gossip. After his punishment, he found Saul. He was by the river, washing his face. Lotte approached slowly from behind, unable to resist the temptation to catch him off guard. ¡°Wah!¡± The sudden shout made Saul stumble backward, nearly slipping into the water. He whipped around, his face contorting in a mix of surprise and annoyance. Lotte couldn¡¯t help but pause, momentarily struck by the sight. Even in that flustered state, with wet, shoulder-length hair clinging to his face and his small, delicate features, Saul somehow looked... unfairly good. His expression was a mess, but even then, it was clear that the kid had a face meant to be admired. ¡®He must really be a major side character¡­¡¯ Lotte mused, if with these looks, Saul wasn¡¯t one of the more important side character then it''s such a waste. Saul''s hand twitched as if he wanted to strike Lotte on instinct, but he held back, the tension in his body clear. He remembered how Lotte had floored him yesterday. ¡°¡­ What do you want?¡± Lotte snapped back to reality, but forgot what he was supposed to ask. His mind was occupied with reminding him that he does not swing the other way around. ¡°Nice to meet you, Junior. How does it feel to be my junior?¡± ¡°It sucks. Leave me alone.¡± Lotte laughed, unphased. ¡°Hey! That¡¯s not how you talk to your senior. You don¡¯t know yet, but Byrne taught me that juniors should always respect their seniors.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not someone respectable. You¡¯re just someone who exploits Byrne.¡± ¡°Still hung up on that huh?¡± Lotte found it amusing what his reaction will be once he finds out that all of that was a lie. There was silence for a little while without any of them moving. ¡°I¡¯m curious, though,¡± Lotte said after a moment. ¡°How did you do it? Byrne literally flipped his attitude¡ªI''ve never seen him look so... alive before.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡± When did this kid start to act like Byrne? ¡°But¡­ There¡¯s one thing I¡¯ll tell you. You¡¯ll be my first.¡± ¡®First?¡¯ Saul pointed at him with clear and calm eyes. ¡°My first stepping stone,¡± Saul continued, his voice steeled and confident. ¡°I¡¯m going to learn from Byrne to defeat you. Surpass him, and eventually defeat my brother too. Mark my words.¡± If he didn¡¯t have enough power, then he just had to train for it. He was young and is a prospect of a warrior family. His brother was strong, but was also capable enough to be supported by the various factions of the rebellion. Then, he just had to be even stronger. Stronger than what his brother would have imagined. The determination in Saul¡¯s eyes was unwavering, and Lotte actually felt slightly nervous. He had felt it before from people who was extremely certain of their goals and dead set to accomplish their goal. Saul¡¯s words were wrapped in a deep, quiet resolve. It wasn¡¯t just about training anymore¡ªit was a lifelong pursuit of vengeance. Lotte could feel the weight of it. Was there really that much hatred between Saul and his brother? Was it a battle to the death, a story of only one surviving in the end? He¡¯d seen this kind of tragic story play out in novels, but to see it in real life, in the eyes of a child so determined to destroy his own flesh and blood, was something entirely different. Lotte couldn¡¯t help but wonder, should he stop him treading on that path of no return? No, he realized. Not yet. Saul¡¯s path was already set, but that didn¡¯t mean Lotte couldn¡¯t try to help him find another way, even if it meant meddling in his business. No child should carry such a heavy burden, especially not someone so young. Reading it as a novel was another thing. But actually seeing a kid, dead set on the pursuit of growing stronger to kill his brother¡­ Is the tragic side of this story finally showing? Regardless, he doesn¡¯t have any capacity to stop it. Not yet, at least. Although he felt a little determined to do so even if it was meddlesome. Living the rest of his childhood like that, instead of fond memories is such a waste.. ¡®But I guess his childhood was already over the moment he left his family.¡¯ Lotte thought, a pang of sympathy striking him. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll see about that, junior. But first, you¡¯ve got to actually land a hit on me.¡± Saul¡¯s glare deepened, but Lotte could see the determination behind it. It was even more clear that he took this seriously as much as a goal in life. Saul had a mission, a purpose, and Lotte was now part of it. Lotte still had a lot of questions, but it can wait. Two years is a long time, compared to the five years he already spent here. He can make Saul talk about himself eventually. A kid is easier to convince compared to an old man like Byrne. For now, he just had to get along with the kid. Even if his first impression wasn¡¯t the best. And thus, Lotte and Saul¡¯s training together had started. Whether they would remain rivals or form some kind of strange bond, time would tell. On the day their series of training started¡­ The days of relentless training had become a blur for Lotte. Each day was grueling, pushing him further than he ever thought possible. But somehow, despite the exhaustion, the physical strain, and the mental fatigue, he could feel the power of his trained body.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. His muscles were building, his reflexes sharpening. It was a hard-earned progress, and he couldn''t deny the satisfaction of seeing himself improve. But when he glanced behind him during their runs, he saw Saul struggling to keep up. The kid was severely out of shape. Lotte could see how pale Saul is, his labored breaths could be heard in short bursts as he tried to push himself further. His face was almost funny, as he struggled to run. ¡°Are you alright back there, junior?¡± Lotte called, but Saul didn¡¯t even seem to hear him. His own ragged breathing seems to have drowned any voice around him. ¡°Ugh!¡± Lotte halted his steps. He looked back and saw Saul who had his face planted on the ground. Byrne had let Lotte be in charge with Saul while they trained together, in exchange for Saul treating him like a real senior. He stood before Saul who still grasped for breath heavily and was coughing. His face upon looking up was full of dirt just like the day he saw him. Some bruises found themselves in what once used to be spotless skin. ¡°This is the basics of the basics junior. As you can see, I¡¯m wearing weights, and you¡¯re still more winded than me. Do you think you can get at my level?¡± Saul gritted his teeth, struggling to get up, but after a moment, he managed to force his legs beneath him. He limped and passed by Lotte without looking back. "Still refusing to talk, huh?" Lotte muttered to himself, watching Saul wobble away. At least his determination was impressive. In turn, Lotte did the same, but at full speed. ¡°Just scream if you can¡¯t take it anymore okay? I¡¯ll come running to rescue you.¡± Saul felt the wind rush by his side as he stared wide-eyed at Lotte who was now far ahead than him, leaving dust in his trails. Lotte lost count how many times he passed by Saul. Next was brutal strength training. They had to carry sandbags in certain positions, Lotte piling them on top of his weighted gear, while Saul struggled with even a fraction of the weight. Next they had to hold their breath underwater, an act of which Lotte is familiar with. It was one of the crazy training he came up with during his last five years of boredom, and now he¡¯s at the stage of being able to move underwater for a long duration. Saul meanwhile had to breathe almost every few seconds and couldn¡¯t help but float like a log. During swordsmanship training, Saul was too tired to even keep up and clumsily swung his sword with his form all over the place. But all of that was just a part of their daily training, and Byrne had told them that it was just the beginning. That there was more they had to do. Byrne had promised to push them both to their limits¡ªand he certainly wasn¡¯t holding back. With every sparring against the old man, they were beaten to a pulp and experienced pain they didn¡¯t even know existed. Lotte felt pain the most in those moments compared to his previous and current life. Saul just straight up fell down and curled his body, unable to endure. It wasn¡¯t a friendly practice session, Byrne treated every encounter like a real battle, he countered with absolute precision and attacked with heavy blows. Lotte had nearly passed out from exhaustion once, but it was nothing compared to the way Byrne beat Saul with brutal efficiency. One hit had Saul vomiting right there on the training ground. He wondered if this will help them in the long run, but he decided to grit his teeth and swing his sword anyways. This was something he wanted and wished for, for his own sake. For whatever will come when the story starts. Enduring hits, is in a way, a form of training to toughen up too. ¡®Was he not serious with our training back then?¡¯ There was the pain in his body, but what stuck Lotte the most is the cold, resolute look in Byrne¡¯s eyes. There was something in that gaze, something he had seen at the same day he asked for the potion. It reminded him of the craftsman back in the village, the one who had worked tirelessly on perfecting his craft. Every strike, every move Byrne made felt deliberate, as if he was honing them like a piece of unpolished steel, shaping them into something stronger. Like a craftsman polishing his best piece. ¡®Is that how it is? Saul¡­ Is that kid the reason?¡¯ The more Lotte thought about it, the more unsettled he became. Saul was young, too young to bear the weight of such high expectations. Was he really intending to create a weapon out of Saul? Did he actually support the kids desire for revenge? Suddenly, Lotte found himself annoyed at the whole situation. He wanted to know so bad. He wanted information, and the conclusions he could come up with were simply not enough. It was a shame that for now, all he could do was keep training, keep pushing. And so, the days repeated. Waking up, training, eating, and repeat. Until an accident occurred one day. Lotte had become used to the sound of Saul¡¯s footsteps and rugged breathing behind him that when it disappeared, it immediately halted him in his steps. He turned just in time to see Saul veering off the path, his legs giving way beneath him. The next thing he knew, Saul collapsed, his body crumpling onto the rocky terrain as his face hit the dirt. *** When Saul opened his eyes, the view came into focus, and he realized he was back in the room he¡¯d come to loathe as much as he relied on it. The light of the lamp and the faint scent of herb told him exactly whats going on. His body, had been pushed too hard. His arms and legs felt like they were being ripped with so much as a small movement and occasionally pulsed due to the intense training they had gone through. His rugged breath didn¡¯t stop for almost half a day every time they trained. His throat felt dry and he felt dizzy swinging a sword during the swordsmanship lesson. There wasn¡¯t any memory of anything he learned. He only remembered that he was having a hard time. But at least, it made him forget the other forms of pain that he couldn¡¯t get rid of. He recalled what happened to him. As he ran and took deep breaths, he started to lose his way. His vision was fading and he no longer knew where the way was. Instinctively he thought of the back he has been chasing for a certain time now. He didn¡¯t see any visage of the dark red haired kid in front of him. And then the last thing he remembered was Lotte¡¯s voice somewhere in the distance, calling him. Then nothing. He shifted slightly, only to wince as a sharp pain shot through his side. A soft clatter made him turn his head. He didn¡¯t have the energy to lift it more than a few inches, but it was enough to see him sitting there. Lotte. The red-haired boy was sitting on a stool, a bowl of soup in one hand and an ever so infuriating faint smile plastered across his face. He blew on the spoon and held it out toward Saul. ¡°You really have to stop doing this, junior,¡± Lotte said, his tone a mix of exasperation and amusement. ¡°If you keep fainting like this, Byrne¡¯s going to think that I¡¯m bullying you.¡± Lotte blew on a soup before slowly feeding it to him, but Saul scowled and turned his head away, though that made even his neck ache. ¡°Why is it always you?¡± This was the second time that he found Lotte by his side upon waking up. ¡°What, do you want Byrne to spoon-feed you instead?¡± Lotte retorted, laughing. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re gonna have a really good time.¡± The thought of Byrne hovering over him, with nothing but that serious stare and silence between spoonfuls of soup, was horrifying enough to make Saul grimace. Even if Byrne had accepted him as a disciple, it was a different matter when it came to getting along with him. Besides training and lectures, they basically didn¡¯t talk at all. He hated to admit it, but he¡¯d rather Lotte fed him even if he pisses him off and avoid that awkward situation with Byrne. He let Lotte help him sit up against the headboard, every movement sent jolts of pain in his limbs. Lotte, meanwhile, was doing this because Byrne seemed to be doing something important. He was always meditating and there was an overbearing presence around him whenever he got close. He showed worry upon hearing about Saul¡¯s accident, but told me to handle it in the end. Was this Byrne¡¯s way of pushing them to get along? Well, it wasn¡¯t like Lotte hadn¡¯t already planned to smooth things over with Saul. If Byrne wanted to nudge things along, so much the better. Saul glared at him over the rim of the bowl, but the warmth of the soup and the tantalizing smell kept him from retorting. He sipped it cautiously, the rich flavor easing some of the tightness in his chest. He hated that it was comforting. ¡°It¡¯s delicious right?¡± Lotte said with a triumphant smirk. ¡°I cooked it myself.¡± They say that a person¡¯s way to his heart is through the stomach. No one would hate someone who can feed them good food. He hated it even more now that Lotte was right. It was more delicious than what Byrne usually cooked. But even as he sat there, regaining some semblance of strength, the same thought burned in his mind. ¡®I¡¯m not giving up. No matter how hard it gets.¡¯ After Lotte was done feeding him¡­ ¡°Now I need to wipe you down.¡± ¡°W-what? Wipe?¡± ¡°Yes, you don¡¯t want to stink like sweat do you?¡± Lotte brought hot water for Saul, since he had a cold. Along with a tub and towel. Saul¡¯s eyes widened, and he recoiled. ¡°Y-You¡¯re going to?¡± he stammered, panic rising. ¡°No, I¡ªI can do it myself!¡± Lotte raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t argue. ¡°If you say so. I¡¯ll just leave this here,¡± he said, placing a tub of hot water, a towel, and some soap on the table. ¡°Call me if you need anything, though.¡± He wondered if wiping someone who has a cold with hot water was not the norm from where Saul came from, but if he says that he can do it himself then that saves him some effort. His father used to do it for him when he got sick due to training too much and also to his little sisters. At first he was embarrassed and against it too. But he gradually got used to that strange tradition. For an instant, Lotte saw something shine in Saul¡¯s neck. He didn¡¯t pay it any attention before, but Saul had a pendant he always wore. The shine was gone when he blinked, but he was sure that it was already rusty. ¡°What are you looking at? Get out!¡± He didn¡¯t want to talk anymore and just left. ¡®He sure is rude to someone taking care of him.¡¯ Saul watched Lotte leave, still trying to wrap his head around everything. Lotte had been acting strangely helpful, so¡­ responsible. Maybe it was all just for show, maybe he had some ulterior motive, or maybe he was genuinely trying to make up for his earlier behavior. Saul couldn¡¯t decide. Once Lotte was out of the room, Saul reluctantly began to clean himself up with difficulty. The hot water soothed his aching muscles, though it didn¡¯t make his mind any clearer. Then, something caught his eye¡ªa glimmer from the pendant around his neck. Saul paused, fingers brushing over it. The charm had been with him ever since he left home, it was already rusted, but lately, it seemed tarnished, its shine dulling more with each passing day. ¡°D-don¡¯t you dare peek at me, got it?¡± He called out, trying to ensure that Lotte was gone. He hadn¡¯t realized how loudly he¡¯d spoken, but Lotte, thankfully, was still outside. A long silence followed, and Saul finally exhaled, grateful for the moment of privacy. Lotte, however, was out there thinking of scenarios how to bully Saul played around in his mind but he had to hold himself back for the sake of befriending him. *** In the following days that Lotte took care him of, Saul realized that Lotte was very different from when they met each other. He would come to take care of him, covered in sweat and catching his breath. He never stopped training even though he already performed really well in every physical aspect, yet he was still smarter than him. As if the scumbag he met from before was someone else entirely. And in the midst of it all, he didn¡¯t complain, as if all of this didn¡¯t bother him one bit. ¡®Was it all an act? Is he doing his best so that Byrne won¡¯t make him leave? Or is he just being kind to spite me later on?¡¯ ¡°Why do you keep helping me?¡± Saul asked one afternoon, frustration slipping into his voice. Lotte answered with a shrug. ¡°Like I said, we¡¯re fellow apprentices. I¡¯m your senior, so I¡¯m just looking out for you. And besides, if I don¡¯t take care of you, Byrne will make me handstand carrying weights again.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ So that¡¯s why.¡± ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t tell him that, okay? I¡¯ll kill you if you do.¡± Saul could only shake his head. Lotte¡¯s behavior was still hard to read, although the guy might have started off as a jerk, he was proving to be a much better person nowadays. And Saul? He wasn¡¯t sure what to think about this version of Lotte. When Saul finally recovered, the doubts and questions that had been gnawing at his mind were quickly shoved aside. There was no time to dwell on as his relentless training resumed But the training didn¡¯t lighten in the slightest. Byrne came at them even more mercilessly and harsher. He didn¡¯t spare Saul any kindness or gentleness. Instead, he stood by and watched as Saul struggled through training, offering only instructions. Rinse and repeat, Saul would push himself past his limits, end up bedridden for days, then get up again to run alongside Lotte. Every time Lotte had to take care of Saul, while Byrne left them alone. Lotte didn¡¯t realize when, But Saul could finally run a full round around the village, even if he still couldn''t be compared to him. The kid who could barely hold his breath under water was now able to last longer. During rest periods, they ate together. During sparring with Byrne, they suffered together. And sometimes, they even slept under the same roof of the manor after a long day. Saul no longer got sick due to the intense training. ¡°Hey, junior, do you still hate me?¡± Lotte asked one day, filled with curiosity. ¡°I do.¡± Saul didn¡¯t even hesitate with that response. Although, for Lotte, it was a much better reaction than before. Going through hard times together does pay off. ¡°Heh, you don¡¯t say.¡± He grinned amused by the answer. Lotte had a feeling that Saul¡¯s hatred to him had definitely toned down a little bit. Both lay there, looking up at the starry sky. It was the same sky Lotte had seen countless times before, both in this life and the one he barely remembered. But he never seemed to get tired of it. If the vast sky during the day comforted him, the starry ones during the night awed him. Even as it reminded him of how much he had changed. The days when he sat for half a day in front of a monitor, got yelled at by his superior and used his salary for drinking with coworkers could barely be remembered. Even the days he spent in this world, cooking different dishes and training with random movements felt faint. He used to be alone, pushing himself through self taught crazy ideas of training. But now, there was Byrne, his mentor, and Saul, his junior. Lotte had once been alone in this, but now¡­ now it felt different. He was supposed to be in a fantasy story, but it felt real in its own way. Time until Chapter 1: 1 year, 299 days and 14 hours. The countdown was still there, ticking away in the back of his mind. It appeared as he willed. Until now, he still didn¡¯t know what clearly happened to Saul and how he ended up here. Hoping that this moment is a good time¡­ ¡°Do you think this is all worth it?¡± He didn¡¯t know if he was being melancholic, but that was how he intended to sound to appeal more genuine to Saul. ¡°What?¡± ¡°This training. I don¡¯t know about you but¡­ what are we even doing this for?¡± Saul shifted slightly, discomfort written on his face. He didn''t like where the conversation was heading, and his answer was sharp. ¡°You lied, didn¡¯t you?¡± Lotte didn¡¯t flinch, just smiled softly. It was a smile that had carried him through a thousand difficult moments in life, one that Saul would probably never understand. It was an easy lie to discover. Just by observing how diligent he was, and whenever he left before sunset was already a dead giveaway. He didn¡¯t think that Saul wouldn¡¯t mention it for this long though. He wondered whether Saul realized too late or just couldn¡¯t care less. "You¡¯re not staying with Byrne because you need someone to provide for you. You never needed it. Did you do it because it amuses you?" Saul¡¯s tone was sharp, and Lotte felt a little startled. The questioning tone and doubt was apparent. Was it that bad of a lie? Lotte¡¯s relaxed smile faltered, and he glanced at Saul, his expression slightly frowning. Saul had pieced together his own conclusions, and they were against what Lotte expected. After all his act as an amazing senior who took care of his junior this is what he gets? In the silence, Saul''s voice grew quieter this time. ¡°You still have your family. You¡¯re still in the village you grew up in. People who love you are still around... Why do you train so hard? Why do you want to be this strong?¡± Lotte stared up at the stars to think of an answer, letting Saul¡¯s words linger in the air between them. How could he answer it without revealing too much? How could he explain that it was because he was sent by an entity to become a character in this Fantasy-Tragedy novel, for entertainment purposes. "Hmm... So that I won¡¯t lose them." He closed his eyes for a moment as if thinking about the important people in his life. "But... First, I can¡¯t lose myself. I have to be strong enough to survive, strong enough to protect them." Saul¡¯s eyes narrowed, as he wondered. ¡°But why did you lie to provoke me?¡± Lotte hesitated, his fingers brushing over the edges of his clothing. He hadn''t thought much about it when he provoked Saul. It had just been... a way to get a reaction, to make the boy vent. It wasn¡¯t supposed to be anything deeper than that. ¡°I just wanted to distract you, I guess,¡± Lotte said finally, a bitter chuckle escaping his lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t want our conversation to end like that, and you looked like you were carrying a lot of weight on your shoulders, keeping yourself shut in that room. So why not provoke this kid into venting it all out?¡± Remembering that day made him smirk. He was desperate to know this kid he labeled as a special character. Boredom had really changed him these past five years-six soon. Maybe his brain became muscle due to training too much? ¡°I still don¡¯t know what sin Byrne did to you or your family, but that was the only thing I could come up with in the heat of the moment to get your attention.¡± He looked sideways at Saul, the weight of the truth sinking in. ¡°You¡¯re doing all of this for revenge, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re chasing after your brother. I know I have nothing to do with it, but I don¡¯t want to see a kid live like that. A childhood is supposed to be a happy and cherished memory.¡± Lotte was really hoping that Saul would understand and open up, but Saul''s gaze hardened as he stood up and looked down at him. "You¡¯re meddlesome. You should mind your own business." Unfortunately the kid still refused to open up. Saul left without so much as a word of goodbye as always. But he knew that their relationship might never be the same after this. "You¡¯re right." Lotte said quietly. "I should. But I hope, one day, you realize that there¡¯s more to life than that." Chapter 7 ¡°When does combat begin?¡± Byrne¡¯s voice echoed in the surroundings, drawing the attention of his two pupils. ¡°It begins not with our body, but with the readiness of our mind. The resolve to engage and the will to triumph against your enemy. Even a weak child or a frail elder can possess this resolve should their will burn strong.¡± Lotte and Saul sat on the grass, with straight backs despite their exhausted bodies. Lotte had heard this lesson before, but he didn¡¯t mind hearing it again. As someone who came from a rather civilized world, combat was not something he often encountered. Although he did get involved in a few squabbles in his youth, those were merely kid quarrels. ¡°Second, is a trained and enduring body that will not crumble when faced even with an incredible amount of strain. Calmness under severe pressure and ability to respond to it.¡± Weight training came to mind during the early days he came into this world, but he didn¡¯t want his height to be stumped so he avoided carrying heavy objects as exercise. His goal was to be capable of carrying his own weight with his strength, whether in somersault, high jumps and climbing. He climbed trees, leaped between branches, and practiced flips until the world spun. Each failure taught him a lesson, often at the cost of a bruised body. His swordsmanship came next, hours of swinging a wood sword, striking dummies, focusing on brute force. One of the few strength focused training he did was swinging a wooden sword and punching dummies. Still he was more than capable of exhibiting formidable strength. Now Byrne made them run around carrying heavy straps on their body and during sparring. Intensifying the strain much more on their bodies. What''s surprising was, Saul is somewhat able to keep up albeit still with a lower weight than Lotte. The gap of years of training between them simply wasn¡¯t possible to bridge in the amount of time Saul has trained. Lotte has trained at an extremely young age, up to the present after all. ¡°After that is the basics. Attacking, defending, dodging and footwork. It applies to all forms of martial arts. With a weapon in hand, or without it.¡± So far, I¡¯ve been faithfully following the training. I¡¯ve been repeating slash, thrust, quick cuts and heavy strikes countless times. It was rather easy since I already did that before, it¡¯s just more elaborate now. I¡¯ve even started to apply it when we spar with Byrne. And Saul¡­ Saul was slow. He was having a hard time performing those basics, and gets tired easily. So far, defending is the only thing he could do when facing Byrne, but he always had that defiant look on his face every time. ¡®He must be frustrated.¡¯ ¡°Even as a swordsman, I learned all the methods I needed to engage in unarmed combat. I used to train soldiers, to knights that later on became formidable pillars in the battlefield. That training is what you will get. The strength you gain from this is what you will need in the future.¡± Briefly, he seemed to look at Lotte. But Lotte was too dazed to notice it. ¡°From now on, you will no longer spar solely against me,¡± Byrne announced with his usual steady voice. ¡°To grow, you must face someone of equal strength. Only by battling your peers can you sharpen your skills and your mind.¡± ¡°Oh! Does that mean we won¡¯t spar with you anymore?¡± Saul quickly turned to me with a begging expression for me to shut up but it was too late. My mouth had ran off on its own. ¡°Besides getting beat into shape that is.¡± Saul glared at me once again like he was going to kill me. Well it is what it is. This is a good time for him to vent all that anger too. But sparring with someone of equal strength? The two of us were hardly equal. Just like before I would be flooring this special character of the story. *** The time came and we were facing each other for the second time. To be honest I was slightly nervous, but I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d lose. A battle was just that thrilling for me. Even against Saul. And I don¡¯t plan on holding back. Once again, I found Saul in that familiar stance. We have been receiving techniques from the same person after all. The kid from before, to the kid that is now Saul overlapped for a moment. Saul has a much more built body now, but he was still smaller and thinner than me. I have the advantage both in experience, build, and mentality in general, as a person who lived a different life before. After a silent moment, the tension in the air was broken by the first move. Saul charged first, his eyes wide and fully focused on Lotte. Unlike the last time, his sword were properly placed in a stance, ready to bring down a strike once he reached his opponent-Lotte. Lotte sighed in his mind and thought that Saul was still too impulsive despite having built a somewhat acceptable body through training. Saul looked slow in his eyes which were simply so used to trying to keep up with Byrne and his flurry of hits. He side stepped effortlessly and the sword had missed its target. Lotte countered with a swift thrust, which Saul barely managed to dodge in panic. For Saul¡¯s lacking foundation and experience, he had grown especially when it comes to defending strikes. Because that was all he could do against Byrne. Lotte had witnessed it himself. Once in a while, Saul would attempt to get a hit at Byrne only to fail and get his face struck. After that exchange, seemingly unsure of what to do, Saul curled his body and waited for Lotte to strike. Lotte was familiar with it, Saul would shrink his body and defend against Byrne his absolute best. So he responded in kind by breaking that very defense. Since the opponent was just watching him, there was room for a singular heavy hit. A quick strike, a heavy strike, and a thrust. Those were among the techniques he had polished by himself, when he started training. But a simple vertical strike was easy to predict. So a feint was the answer. The sword did not proceed from above, but instead was pulled back as Lotte spun and used the momentum for an even more powerful strike. Saul, caught unprepared, barely parried the sword as his sides were struck. The force sent him tumbling to the ground. Luckily his sword had not broken this time. But Lotte didn¡¯t let Saul catch his breath. What came next was a flurry of strikes in an attempt to wear down Saul. Byrne watched them intently, lost in his thoughts. He had been training them, but it was an irregular method of training. Instead of steadily making them learn and develop, he had to shape them up into an able warrior before their coming of age. If the young man that is Saul wanted revenge against his brother, and if Lotte wanted to see the bigger world, there¡¯s no room to be lenient at all. Luckily, Lotte was already a tough child even before training. Saul however, was raised from a comfortable upbringing despite coming from a family that produced warriors. The only reason he was keeping up was the burning desire to be strong and take revenge with his own hands. Byrne hoped for the better, with Saul forgetting about revenge and living a quiet life. But eventually, Saul would find himself in situations where he has to protect himself. It was the least he could do, for the last offspring of his former lord, and friend. His lord¡¯s eldest son had all but turned into a tyrant. The day before he accepted him as an apprentice, Saul had proved himself, a true descendant of their household. To which, Byrne was grateful for as even one person had survived the onslaught that occurred. Although he is now a runaway, with no riches of a noble whatsoever. He had expected him to be overwhelmed by Lotte, but Byrne was confident. That the blood running in Saul¡¯s veins will aid him in overcoming the wall in front of him, despite his inferior body, and technique. Saul defended like his life was on the line, and Lotte leisurely struck while walking in circles. He would go for disabling Saul but he had no experience whatsoever how to actually do it, they were only beaten up by Byrne after all, and trained to develop their body and stamina. So he decided to experiment. He dashed up close to Saul, enough to stun him momentarily, and as expected. He was easily able to bypass his tight guard focused on the sword. He then swung from below to hit the opponents knees. ¡°Urk!¡± The second hit. It was a hit to the side of Saul¡¯s knee. From there on, Lotte had an easier time breaching his defense. It was a fairly simple and short spar, there was no need for the dogfight tactics he had always dreamed to test. ¡®This is the end.¡¯ Lotte saw that Saul was finally slowing down, yet he still had plenty of stamina, to fight a dozen times more. A thrust to finish the spar once and for all. In that instant the sword missed, barely scratching Saul¡¯s chest. ¡®He dodged?¡¯ Surprise was clear from Lotte¡¯s eyes. Saul, gripping his sword down tightly¡­ ¡®An upward swing!¡¯ Fortunately it only grazed Lotte, as he stepped back a few steps with his head tilted back. For a moment he was stunned. It was the second time that Saul had attacked or exchanged a blow. And it almost hit him. It was a proper counter. Lotte smirked. He thought that maybe, it was time to stop playing around and let his strength loose. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Just as he was preparing to pummel Saul, he heard Byrne announce the end of the spar. Leaving Lotte¡¯s fighting spirit with nowhere to vent and sparing Saul who was already panting and sweating. ¡°Hah, just when things were getting interesting too.¡± Saul couldn¡¯t believe it. He was out of breath yet Lotte looked like he hadn¡¯t even gone through a battle. It wasn¡¯t as brutal as when they were beaten by Byrne but it was equally taxing. He hated his frail body even more and desired to train further. ¡°So, who won?¡± Byrne looked at Lotte for a moment upon hearing that. He initially didn¡¯t want to make this competitive but¡­ ¡°Lotte, wins.¡± He hoped that this will bring Saul¡¯s potential even more. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The training for the day ended with that spar. As Lotte walked home, he thought about the last moment before Saul countered. He let his guard down. Knowing that Saul was weaker than him, mentally younger, and has lesser training experience with fighting. Living in peace for five years since coming into this world, numbed him of the fear he initially harbored. Next time¡­ He won¡¯t be as merciful anymore. *** Upon coming home he was greeted again by three happy blonde heads, with Guin asking to be carried again, Alea going on about her day while playing with the kids and Edna who silently welcomed him. ¡°Lotte.¡± ¡°Hm? What is it father?¡± When I first came to this world, it was quite awkward to call this man my father. I got used to it eventually though, we literally lived with each other and I had to act like his real son. Sometimes I felt sorry, but being an otherworlder is something I will take to the grave with me should I never find a way back home. ¡°Could we have a moment?¡± ¡®Did something happen?¡¯ Father and I rarely talked with each other over the years. Of course there were some father and son moments especially while taking care of my little sisters, but that was it. Outside the house, I found father gazing at the night sky. However the skies were cloudy and the moon wasn¡¯t even present. ¡°Are you still doing that apprenticeship?¡± ¡®So that¡¯s what this is about.¡¯ As his son, of course he knew what I did around the village. He never complained much with my training and only told me to be always careful. But my intention for doing so¡­ He was against it. To go outside and see the bigger world. And to train in order to prepare myself for that world. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s going well, and I even have a junior now.¡± In any case, Lotte wasn¡¯t planning to stop ever. This is his lifeline. The only way to find out how to go back to his world. If he stayed here in this village, he might just find a wife among the other girls in the village and life a decadent life here. He didn¡¯t want that. He has to get involved at the center of the story, or the sidelines if it is too dangerous. Also, he was incredibly bored. Since he¡¯s already in this world, he wanted to see warriors fighting against monsters, and mage¡¯s casting magnificent spells. Maybe he''ll even get a harem? It was only a food for thought back in his world, but Lotte knew that more often than not, stories with an otherworlder as a protagonist have a harem centered around them. Most of it was forced, and premature, which is why a lot of them sucked. Of course he knew a few ones that turned out great though. He wondered if the main character of this world had a harem¡­ ¡°A junior¡­ An outsider again? Was it the kid you told me about? The one the old man took in?¡± ¡°Yes, that one. He¡¯s quite the handful, but were managing just fine.¡± When I first trained myself father wondered what I was doing. I simply told him that I wanted to train and become a strong knight. I remember him asking why I¡¯m doing it. When I answered that it was because I wanted to go outside. He had the same face as he had right now. He would always look melancholic whenever the ¡®outside¡¯ were mentioned, but also with a frown. Unlike the other villagers who would just straight up scold me when they hear me wanting to go outside. ¡°That¡¯s the most outsider we ever had since your mother came here.¡± His expression quickly faded as he beckoned me to sit beside him. ¡°Are you still against my dream father?¡± I asked with amusement and a bit of a chuckle. Had he been my real father I wouldn¡¯t be this bold. But since I¡¯m an adult anyways, I didn¡¯t care. Luckily, it didn¡¯t make our relationship worse. ¡°Even if I am, eventually I won¡¯t be able to stop you. You¡¯re growing Lotte.¡± He clasped my shoulder and shook me slightly. ¡°You¡¯ve become strong. Strong just like your mother.¡± ¡®Mother?¡¯ ¡°She was strong? Physically?¡± I¡¯ve never heard of that. No one has told me about my mother ever since I came into this world. I didn¡¯t know if mother was also strong like me, but I became strong because I trained like a madman. Hm, is she physically strong then? Father looked at me for a moment, gauging my reaction. He seemed to think that mentioning my dead mother might affect my mood suddenly. ¡°Yes.¡± He had a rare smile as he started talking about it. ¡°Back then, she beat me to a pulp on sight. Luckily I managed to calm her down when I used my large body to hug her.¡± But that smile faded as he went on. ¡°She¡­ seemed to be running.¡± ¡®What? Why am I only hearing this? Shit, is this an important piece of information? Of all things, why didn¡¯t I investigate ¡®this¡¯ body¡¯s origin more. I thought that the mother was not important since she died right away.¡¯ I was most focused on my three sisters. Anyone would be, since it¡¯s very rare that they¡¯re born as triplets. I took care of them especially since I was expecting for them to have some sort of role in the future. ¡°It¡¯s as if something terrifying was chasing her. Back then, she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep, and I had to be there for her to calm down. She didn¡¯t trust anyone in the village.¡± Father seemed like he wasn¡¯t done telling stories so I chose to be silent. ¡°After a while she was finally able to walk around. But not without holding my hand to the point that it hurt. It was pretty endearing to see her like that, and I felt that I had to protect her at all cost.¡± ¡°The villagers and the chief were against keeping her. But I insisted. I¡¯ve already fallen for her. She¡­ She definitely had nowhere to go.¡± ¡°I never asked why she was running back then. And she never told me where she came from, nor did she look back ever again. We lived a happy life and had you. Then your sisters.¡± Father stopped there for a while. His complicated expression returned again as he spoke with a graver tone. ¡°Lotte¡­ If you ever find your way outside. I¡¯ll never know what you¡¯re going to see out there. Your mother fled to this place. Probably because there was something dangerous to her out there.¡± He turned to me and clasped my shoulders. ¡°Should you find yourself out there¡­ Promise me that you will be extremely careful.¡± It was a strange experience. This side of his father were a first time. He had only ever scolded him lightly due to training too much and skipping some responsibilities here and there. ¡°Yes¡­ Father¡± Of course his father just like the rest of the villagers were against it. Even Yeona, who dreamed of going outside, was against it. While Rugner doesn''t want to help and keeps his mysteriousness up. Today was another piece of information he overlooked. He came too late at knowing about his own background. If that danger outside is something that can recognize the resemblance he bore with his mother, he¡¯d be a target without knowing anything. He pledged to himself to have more awareness than he could ever that night. *** Lotte was pumped for training the next day. He was expecting to be beaten up by Byrne as usual, although now that he would also spar with Saul, he can beat him too and vent his frustration. Why was Byrne so insistent on unfairly beating them down? He was getting used to being hurt at this point. He learned to endure after repeated days of getting struck. However what welcomed him was Saul, with swollen red eyes. ¡®This guy¡­ How much did he cry?¡¯ He had a fierce expression on his face and stood stiffly. His mouth was curved downwards as if he never wanted to smile or laugh again. The loss yesterday impacted him more than it should. Lotte decided to forgo teasing Saul for today, else their relationship might never improve. ¡°Did he cry himself out yesterday? Why didn¡¯t you console him?¡± Lotte decided to ask Byrne why he just let Saul like that. The corner of Byrne¡¯s eyes twitched as he looked at Lotte. To be honest, how could he do it knowing that he sinned to that kid? He was able to teach him as a repentance with his inaction and he was used to being strict, but as for comforting Saul? He wasn¡¯t worthy, and it¡¯s not his place anymore. And ever since his wife and child died he never knew how to exactly handle situations like these. He spent too much time fighting and training instead. ¡°You go and comfort him. This is also a part of a seniors duties. A camaraderie with each other.¡± ¡®Hah? Isn¡¯t that kid like, your lord? Or future lord? Why is he passing the responsibility to me?¡¯ ¡°Me?¡± Lotte was about to protest but then he remembered their somewhat shaky relationship. ¡®Maybe I could?¡¯ Besides, who else does Saul know in this place anyways? There¡¯s only me and Byrne. He must feel so alone. He never went beyond Byrne¡¯s manor to meet the villagers so he doesn¡¯t know anyone there¡­ ¡°Wait¡­ That¡¯s it!¡± Saul¡­ Needs some company! He¡¯s still a kid, if he meets a kid his age then he might forget his sadness momentarily and won¡¯t feel so pressured into living solely for vengeance. Meeting new people might make him feel refreshed, that¡¯s how it was to me after graduating college anyways¡­ ¡®I might need Yeona¡¯s help with this.¡¯ Yeona¡­ She was fairly attractive compared to other children in the village, with her ¡®prim and proper¡¯ upbringing contributed by her mothers way of raising her and Rugner¡¯s expensive clothes as gifts. Maybe Saul would feel motivated after seeing her? Who knows he might even develop a crush on her. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s decided.¡± Lotte thought that it would be amusing to see how Saul acted in front of a girl. He could already see him stuttering or trying to demonstrate etiquette like a noble clumsily. *** Early in the morning, she would wake up to wash herself with hot water and wear the dress prepared beforehand by her mother after fixing her bed. Then she will braid and tie her hair, which used to be done by her mother. In order to be independent she learned it herself until she was able to do it alone. One of the teachings from her mother she kept to herself at all times, were that an upstanding woman should always groom herself and wear clean proper clothes. ¡°Honey! The breakfast is ready!¡± Her mother prided herself in cooking, yet she always found it rather¡­ lacking in flavor. That is not to say that the food wasn¡¯t delicious. It¡¯s just that her mother preferred the dishes naturally as it is to preserve the flavor she says. While Yeona agreed, she just preferred it slightly more seasoned¡­ Something similar to how Lotte cooked meat skewers. ¡°Hmp..¡± Thinking about that guy soured her mood instantly. The guy never ceased to tease her, and basically nicknamed her an idiot. Now, they call each other an idiot whenever they meet. It was so childish but she couldn¡¯t help being caught up in annoyance. She and her mother sat silently at the dinner table. She had no other siblings, she also knew that her real father had left before she was even born, to the ¡®outside¡¯ of the village. Everyone in the village testifies that it was because no one ever comes back from going out. But, another man whom she considers her ¡®father¡¯ could do it. He was someone from the outside who fell in love at first sight with her mother. At first she didn¡¯t like him, but the gifts he brought with him were way too pretty and never seen before to her eyes. He was ¡®Rugner¡¯. Mother was being courted by that man for four years now. She once asked him how he was able to go out and come back safely. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m amazing.¡± She believed him without a doubt. How else can he go back and go out, unlike her ¡®real¡¯ father that she never met? ¡°If you become amazing like me, you can eventually go out without consequences. Listen well to your mom and you will be like me too one day. Then we can all leave this place together!¡± She aspired to be good at everything she does. She was going to lead a different life compared to everyone in the village when she grew up. Maybe the time will come when she¡¯s the one who can go in and out of the village just like her father. She¡¯s going to love seeing Lotte¡¯s surprised expression when that happens. That the kid he called an idiot can go out unlike him. ¡°Heh..¡± However¡­ That guy was dreaming dangerously. He wanted to go out on his own, even though there was clear evidence of people not getting back when they did that. Truly an idiot. She could remember it clearly. The day that Lotte had changed. It was when his mother died. He was down for quite a while, and at that time she wanted to cheer him up. But being much younger back then, maybe she really was an ¡®annoying idiot¡¯ for pestering Lotte to play with her. She remembers liking to play with Lotte because of his hair. It was red and pretty, the only color she saw as vibrant around this village. Most people had blonde or brown hair like her own. She hated that she developed a liking for red dresses because of that. ¡®Though I never wore it in front of anyone¡­¡¯ She felt embarrassed being seen in a dress the same color as Lotte¡¯s hair. What if people thought she liked it? Well, she does like the color. Only the color. Recently, she''s been busy reading the books in the chief''s study. The chief wasn¡¯t there but everyone was free to go inside anyways. She decided to finish reading the books inside, just like Lotte. She couldn¡¯t stand the fact that a person like Lotte who always trained and sweated was more well-read than her. If she couldn¡¯t even read as much as him, then she¡¯s really going to be an idiot. She made a fist and decided to continue reading later on. ¡°Oh? You seem fired up, honey?¡± Her mother noticed her expression and asked. ¡°Yes mother. Today, I¡¯ll finally finish reading all the books.¡± She found it tedious, but also had fun reading the stories. After reading all that, she could finally get back on track to one of her hobbies. Which is observing how Lotte improves himself. She¡¯d been thinking about training too, even though she hates the heat, dirt and sweating. ¡°No stalking again today I guess then?¡± Her mother spoke with an unperturbed tone and half-lidded eyes looking down on her plate with an ever so faint curve on her lips as she bit on a piece of fruit. "*Cough cough* Mom!" She had told her countless times that she wasn¡¯t a stalker¡­ She¡¯s just observing how Lotte exercises as reference when she decides to exercise too. Her mother herself said that besides proper food, exercise was a good way to keep fit and healthy, and also maintain one''s youthful beauty. Her appearance spoke for itself, as the flower of the village. It was unfortunate that she still wasn¡¯t willing to marry even after all these years. Though she could tell that she was opening up to Rugner. As for observing Lotte¡­ It began when she was so angry with him. She had wanted to take revenge on him back then. But she wavered. She saw him screaming as he tired himself out until he was lying on the floor breathing roughly. At first she was scared because he seemed to be going mad. But as she grew up, she realized why Lotte had changed. The day that Lotte looked down was when his mother died. She didn¡¯t understand what it meant to lose someone back then, but maybe Lotte already did at that time. Those screams and frustration must be the result of all that. She couldn¡¯t bear to imagine if the same thing happened to her mother. Her anger faded significantly after that. She would have liked to be friendly with him again. If only Lotte stopped calling her an idiot¡­ Which he didn¡¯t. She became curious what he¡¯s up to after they stopped playing together. Just like before he would tire himself out while swinging a stick. Then it became a wooden sword. Then he ran around the village until he fell down, and eventually ran with strapped weights in his body. He would close his eyes while standing and suddenly slash at the air, then smirk with a satisfied smile. She thought Lotte was really going crazy several times. And then, he once walked out of the village. He climbed a relatively low but grassy hill on the horizon which just happens to have a singular tree that provided cool shades from the sun. It became a daily habit of his to do that after tiring himself out. Since then she would watch Lotte from afar. But she couldn¡¯t catch up to him because he walked too fast so she had to memorize where he trains and goes to then wait there. Except whenever he goes to the mad old man. ¡®What is he thinking? Associating himself with a rumored killer¡­¡¯ The village chief even briefly appeared to warn them all to stay away from that guy. Yet, Lotte did just the opposite. Yeona never wanted to go anywhere near that place. Lotte might be fine but she understood her limit. She couldn¡¯t run fast or jump long distances like Lotte. Also, he was strong unlike her, who was forbidden by her mother to hold a sword to maintain her soft touch. Because of that, she rarely saw him again. He used to train in their backyard all the time, where she could see him just fine. But now, after disappearing in the distance she doesn''t know what kind of crazy stunts he¡¯s up to. She always wondered how one guy could be so dedicated? His endeavors were nothing short of foolish¡­ Training to prepare himself for when he goes out? Does he think he¡¯s as amazing as ¡®Father¡¯? Unlike him, her ¡®Father¡¯ wasn¡¯t alone when he travels outside, and he has people he can count on, even though they were odd. Then again, those two were closer than they look. They still have secret dealings she didn¡¯t know yet, the reason why her ¡®Father¡¯ always calls Lotte. And just as she wondered about him.. Later on that day, the person in question had shown himself. With another kid she didn¡¯t recognize. Yeona stared at Lotte and the kid, dumbfounded. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Yeona, this is Saul. Saul this is-¡° ¡°No, no. After that?¡± ¡°Uh well¡­ Let''s all play together!... Hehe!¡± The first thing that Lotte thought to do in order to cheer up Saul, was to make him meet Yeona. Maybe he will feel inspired to do better knowing that there''s a pretty girl just around the village. But his expectations betrayed him. He forgot that Saul himself is almost as pretty if not prettier than Yeona. He looked confused and annoyed without even a speck of pretense to look like a nice person in front of Yeona. And Yeona. She was staring daggers at me. Did she somehow regain a newfound anger at me? That, I didn¡¯t know. I could only push through this situation now somehow. ¡°So¡­ Shall we play catch?¡± ¡°With how fast we run, she''s never gonna catch us.¡± Although he joined later than Lotte, Saul was now in a physical degree beyond kids his age. ¡°Why did you even bring me here? Just to introduce me to a countryside girl?¡± The latter part was almost a whisper but Yeona heard it clearly. Yeona, not one to back down, felt annoyed. ¡°Lotte¡­ Who¡¯s this fake chick?¡± Saul flinched and glared at Yeona upon hearing that. ¡°And play? Since when did you like playing again?¡± She felt a little intrigued when she heard Lotte calling for her after almost not even visiting her for half a year but what was this? He was with another kid she never saw around the village, someone with a pretty face dressed in Lotte¡¯s former clothes even. Some time ago, there was some news about monsters and people from outside. She head that there was only a single survivors among the group of people. Is that kid that one survivor? She never thought it would be a girl. She also had a wood sword in her waist, and her hands had some obvious calluses. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ Not a girl. As for playing¡­ Well we could play a different game then. What do you like-¡° Yeona shut the door and cut off Lotte. He felt speechless. He never thought that they would somehow dislike each other. Saul¡¯s disinterest wasn¡¯t helping either. It was supposed to be a surprise for him. ¡°She seemed rude. What are we doing here anyways?¡± Saul asked and Lotte wondered that himself. He was supposed to have fun teasing Saul by now but alas, he didn¡¯t care about Yeona one bit. He even seemed annoyed. ¡°I told you, it''s a break. We¡¯re on a break. I especially asked Byrne to let us off today.¡± ¡°But I want to hurry up and train so I can beat you up.¡± ¡°Hey, If you train, I train too. You¡¯ll never catch up." After a brief thought, Lotte decided to change their destination. "Let¡¯s just go to my house.¡± ¡°Your house?¡± Saul sparked some interest in what kind of household could have brought a boy like Lotte. The environment must be intense to raise someone who only thought of training and being annoyingly full of himself. Meanwhile Yeona looked at them with a sharp glare from the window¡­ She planned to see just what Lotte was up to once again. Especially after hearing that they were going to his house. That house¡­ She never got to visit there but he¡¯s bringing another kid in? She felt that it was audacious. Chapter 8 CHAPTER 8 It was a poor village. That was Saul¡¯s impression upon seeing where Lotte lived. It was at a close distance to the similarly in poor condition manor where Byrne lived. Still, it wasn¡¯t too bad. Living his former life as a noble had long been pushed in the back of his mind. He¡¯d been in filthier places and eaten filthier food he never imagined before. Still, his current life was better than that. Besides, ¡°The whole village looks clean.¡± Unlike the cities he¡¯d visited, the people wore, worn but clean clothes. The scenery was full of farmlands instead of stone houses and taverns. There were no greasy men drinking mead in the middle of the road and everyone diligently did farm work or basked in the sun. There¡¯s rarely any trash on the road, and no smoke comes from smithies or workshops. It was just like her home. Far from the cities and encased in high walls, although instead of wheat, colorful flowers decorated their land. ¡°Of course. We have a proper trash disposal system and a general cleaning every month. The militia had no purpose so I suggested working their bones a little bit.¡± Saul blinked. ¡®A system?¡¯ He didn¡¯t know what Lotte meant, but judging by the smug grin on the boys face, he was taking credit for it all. Saul doubted him. Yet, somehow, a small part of him thought it wasn¡¯t impossible. The way Lotte carried himself was strange like that, he appeared easy going yet he¡¯s still smarter and sharper than him, especially during lessons. He¡¯s almost always cheerful and unperturbed even when they train, like he was living his life to the fullest at all times. He always had something to say and sometimes caused Byrne¡¯s annoyed face to resurface. ¡®Not as much as he annoys me though.¡¯ His outlook in life was also much different than him. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± They stood in front of a thatched house that gave off a rather cozy ambiance. But his eyes wandered to the house they had just come from, the one where the rude girl lived. It was only a few houses apart. The village was smaller than he thought. ¡°It¡¯s not as large as Yona¡¯s residence back there, but it''s comfortable to live in.¡± Lotte went ahead and went inside. Upon entering three blonde heads peeked out from behind a shelf. ¡®C-cute!¡¯ Saul¡¯s deadpan expression finally cracked as his eyes sparkled. Seeing that, Lotte smiled, proud of himself and his idea. Anyone would find his sisters adorable, they were a blessing from the heavens in this boring ass world. He was glad that it seemed to cheer up Saul. ¡°They¡¯re my three precious sisters. They were all born at the same time. Amazing right?¡± Lotte beckoned for them to come over as they all stuck to his sides. They gazed at Saul silently, perhaps curious about the rather dark color of his hair. ¡°T-Three at the same time?¡± Saul gulped. Back when he was young, they were taught how women gave birth. He heard that it was very painful and that laboring was an arduous nine months. He never knew that three children at once was possible. ¡°Their mother?¡± ¡°She died giving birth.¡± Lotte shrugged and uttered without batting an eye. ¡°Oh! I-I¡¯m sorry¡­ ¡° Saul reflexively apologized. His stomach tightened, since he also knew how it feels to lose someone. He tried to match Lotte¡¯s detached expression, but it unsettled him how he could just say it so casually. If he thought about it, then it must¡¯ve happened years ago looking at his grown up siblings. Would the pain fade away for him too then? Is he going to be as unperturbed as Lotte as time passes? ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ve come to terms with it quite a long time ago.¡± ¡­ An awkward silence followed. He thought that Lotte brought him here for a reason, but he didn''t know what it was and he had nothing to say. The three kids only looked at him with curiosity but didn¡¯t approach. ¡°¡­ Hey, you three, what are you guys doing? Your brother brought a friend, introduce yourselves.¡± The three clinging on his sides sprang up to action as if only realizing that Saul was a person after staring at him. ¡°Hello, I am Alea! I¡¯m the eldest of us three!¡± Alea had a high pitched voice and a smiling face, Saul felt like he was looking at a miniature Lotte, without the red hair. ¡°I¡¯m Edna¡­ Um, father said I¡¯m the eldest though?¡± Edna was the tallest and is rather tanned compared to the other two. Her voice was meek and faint, likely embarrassed at meeting someone new. ¡°Guin. Nice to meet you.¡± This one gave Saul the strangest impression. She was the palest and smallest of the three and showed the least expression compared to the other two. She neither seemed embarrassed or excited, only staring at him intently. Lotte then looked at him expectantly, as if waiting for a response. ¡°T-they look like good kids, I guess.¡± ¡°Not that. Its your turn, Saul.¡± ¡®My Turn?¡¯ Saul had always been surrounded by older people that took care of him, so this is a new experience he didn¡¯t know how to approach. He¡¯s always been the younger one. ¡°H-hello. I¡¯m Saul. I¡¯m an acquaintance of your brother¡­ ¡° He forced a smile and tried to present himself as proper as possible but he failed as his words trailed off. Lotte, seemingly unsatisfied by Saul¡¯s introduction, quickly chimed in. ¡°He¡¯s my junior apprentice. We¡¯re training together under a mentor.¡± With a triumphant smirk, Lotte added ¡°I already beat him twice too.¡± The siblings simultaneously uttered an amazed ¡®whoa!¡¯ and clapped their hands hearing that. ¡®This guy? He¡¯s annoying even in front of his sisters too?¡¯ ¡°Ugh.¡± Saul rolled his eyes and almost cursed in front of the other kids, he wondered if Lotte had done something to brainwash his siblings. They admired him a bit too much too easily. Afterwards, Lotte gathered them around a table with a tower made of pieces of wood. ¡°Alright we¡¯re playing woodstacks!¡± ¡°Woodstacks?¡± Saul frowned, hearing the lame name of the game. ¡°Yes.¡± It¡¯s a rather easy game to replicate. Lotte just had to request the village craftsman he got along with to craft it using his descriptions. Although he didn¡¯t actually know how it was played, it¡¯s easy to just make up his own rules. ¡°We stack these pieces of wood to make a tower, and remove them separately below the highest removed layer to get them out of the formation like this.¡± Lotte gently pushed a piece of wood in the middle out. ¡°Then we stack the ones we get on top to balance it, until the loser makes it fall apart. The winner will be the one that took a turn before the loser.¡± Lotte¡¯s siblings were already excited and familiar already with the game, since they exclusively had access to it because only Lotte had it in the village, meanwhile Saul couldn¡¯t believe that he¡¯s really seeing a new game for the first time. Back in the household, he also liked playing, but the toys popular with young nobles didn¡¯t appeal to him that much. He preferred picking flowers and riding in a horse with his father to go around their house. Most of his other memories¡­ were fun times he spent with his brother, but he¡¯d rather not recall it anymore. But who would play without a reward? Lotte decided to part with his short sword if Saul won the game, and cook the favorites of his sisters if one of them wins or if he loses. And the whole time, Guin was staring at Saul, making him slightly uncomfortable. ¡°Is something on my face?¡± Saul asked as nicely as possible. In turn, Guin tilted her head with a questioning gaze. ¡°Are you¡­ a sister?¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°!!¡± ¡°Pft!¡± ¡°A pretty sister¡­¡± Alea innocently chimed in too. ¡°Puhaha! Yes, she¡¯s a pretty sister!¡± ¡°No! I''m not!¡± Saul eventually lost his composure because Lotte laughed at him too much. Lotte, knowing Saul¡¯s tendency to seclude himself, made his punishment as the loser the condition to agree to hanging out with him and his sisters the next time he asks. He knew that this former noble kid would honor his promise to accept the punishment, since he was still too young to conclude that he could just not do it since it¡¯s not a big deal. And indeed, Saul could only grit his teeth reluctantly. On the outside at least. After that, Saul felt like he just saw a whole new world. Lotte had more collections of games in his house, such as familiar games like darts that only the adults could play. He always wanted to try throwing some, Lotte even told him that it''s a good practice for throwing knives¡­ Eventually the sun set and night came. Saul felt out of place as he had dinner with Lotte¡¯s whole family. ¡®The food was much tastier than what Byrne cooks..¡¯ But in the corner of his mind, Lotte¡¯s porridge whenever he got sick was still the best he¡¯d ever eaten. He shook his head to snap out from his thoughts. For a moment Lotte didn¡¯t seem so bad in his eyes anymore. The scummy and annoying kid who beat him up while lying that he¡¯s exploiting Byrne was also a doting brother who made up silly games and entertained his sisters. It was supposed to be a warmhearted scene but Saul felt a pang of pain in his chest. And even envy. ¡®If that tragedy never happened¡­¡¯ More than ever, he realized what his life could¡¯ve been. ¡®Why?¡¯ The questions popped up again. ¡®Why did he do it?¡¯ A familiar face came to mind. From the kindest smile to the cold and bloodied smirk he had that day. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You¡¯re making that expression again.¡± Lotte was now in front of Saul, standing before him. After dinner Saul had excused himself to go to the bathroom. But he never asked where it was so he went after him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know that expressions like that can make you ugly?¡± Then again, it must have little effect on a face like Saul¡¯s. It turned out that this guy was sulking again, but despite having that distorted face he was still looking pretty like a distressed damsel. At this point, he was tired of noticing Saul¡¯s features that became apparent day by day. ¡°Lotte¡­¡± Saul¡¯s eyes were misty and his expression on the verge of crying evoked an urge to protect him from the bottom of his heart. Lotte was beginning to think that there¡¯s something strange going on with him whenever he sees Saul. There¡¯s always that sense of confusion. ¡®Hm?¡¯ Lotte thought that it was strange. He definitely thinks that Saul is a boy, but his feminine features were too strong. While he¡¯s as handsome as he is pretty, he¡¯s still going to be a man in the end. But there was this irking feeling at the back of his mind he couldn¡¯t get rid of. Looking at Lotte¡¯s dazed expression, Saul bit his lip and clasped something dear to him. A pendant he had been keeping since he was forced to run away from home. A rust covered four pointed star, clasped by a crescent moon. ¡®Right! He must be one of those! A trap character!¡¯ Lotte realized at that moment what had been bugging him. He almost forgot that authors tend to put trapped characters in the world of their novels too. To think he would encounter one even before the story started. Lotte stared at Saul and their eyes met. ¡°You¡¯re a trap!¡± Lotte said in a rather excited voice and nodded. ¡°Huh?¡± Somehow Saul felt extremely offended at that remark. He wanted to go back to the manor but Lotte stopped him suddenly. Rough hands covered his cheeks as their eyes met again. Lotte used his thumbs to squeeze his cheeks up ¡®gently¡¯. ¡°Wut ar yu dowinng!-¡° He tried to shake him off but he held firmly enough to keep him in place. Then he saw Lotte smile. It was a faint smile. It was also a familiar smile. It was one he would always see, looking up excitedly as he swung in the air. Whenever his brother came home¡­ He always comes first to greet her. But that brother¡­ He had turned into a tyrant now. A tyrant who ruthlessly annihilated any competitions and opposition in the family. A bloody usurper. Lotte looked nowhere near like his brother but their faces overlapped. He was cheerful, confident and smart like Lotte. He always chased his back. He was amazing and reliable. At this moment it finally sank in that she had lost everything. There was nothing left for her in that household even if she goes back. She was truly alone. The cold wind of the night blew, as the leaves stroking the grasslands made a sound. Something tickled Lotte¡¯s face while the wind blew. Funnily enough it felt like hair. ¡°You should try to smile. I haven¡¯t seen you smile since meeting you.¡± Lotte uttered weakly, almost half asleep. ¡°I mean, there¡¯s so much more to life¡­ Damn kid, just don¡¯t be sad all the time, it makes me feel bad teasing you, okay?¡± The hands that were holding her began to loosen. Lotte didn¡¯t know why, but what he was feeling right now reminded him of a certain feeling right before coming to this world. He was becoming drunk rapidly. ¡°What¡¯s happening to me? Saul, you look¡­ really different.¡± Clasping her glowing pendant, she pushed Lotte lightly. Even so, the boy was still trying hard to stare at him even if his vision was probably blurring already. As if he was burning the sight before him. ¡°This is your fault too¡­¡± She looked at the pendant and a soft and completely different voice had come out form her mouth. Since she was alone¡­ There was no need to be afraid. There¡¯s nothing she¡¯s going to lose, nor will anyone lose her. She felt peaceful. She looked at the boy before her. ¡®If I ever disappear¡­ will this annoying guy be sad? Cry? Or get angry? Will he remember me for the rest of his life?¡¯ The face of her brother was suddenly clearer than ever in her memories. But that too was long gone. That man wasn¡¯t her brother. Something else must have replaced him. Something sinister. She decided that it was so. In order to resolve herself. Lotte by this time was wobbling like he¡¯s drunk. She had to bask her pendant in the moon everyday. The effect of the pendants charm were lasting shorter and shorter as time passes. Now even her true self had been revealed to an outsider. An outsider from all the circumstances that surrounds her. Lotte slowly lost his footing and fell down. But ¡®she¡¯ caught him before he hit the ground. If this was before she trained, Lotte would be a significant weight to bear, but now, its doable even with a slight difficulty. ¡®I can carry you now too.¡¯ She was reminded of the times she found herself at the back of this boy. With a smirk plastered on his face, and uttering annoying remarks. There wasn¡¯t a day that she didn¡¯t get annoyed. There also wasn¡¯t a day where Lotte wasn¡¯t with her. Even more often than Byrne. She wondered¡­ If one person, just one person could possibly replace everything that she lost? After looking at his face for a while, she didn¡¯t know what to do. So she just gently laid down Lotte on the ground and left. Lotte woke up in his bed the next day, feeling refreshed, but without any memories of when Saul left after dinner. It made him regretful and annoyed that he didn¡¯t know the results of his plan. Upon going to their very own training grounds he polished himself, he was surprised to find someone else there before him. He was wearing the clothes he¡¯d given him due to not having his own, holding a wooden sword and swinging it. Based on his wet hair and rough breaths, he had been training there for quite some time. ¡®Impossible, Saul woke up before me and is even training?¡¯ He needed to wake up Saul often for oversleeping, so he couldn¡¯t believe the sight before him. As if feeling his gaze, Saul turned around and their eyes met. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Saul let out a rather soft surprise. ¡°H-Hey¡­ uh.¡± His eyes nervously darted around. Then, as if resolving himself, he looked straight at Lotte and, ¡°Good morning.¡± Saul tried to smile as best as he could, resulting in a crooked mouth instead. Lotte stood stunned for a moment before leaning back with a smirk. ¡°Oh? Finally practicing how to smile now? Gotta say, it¡¯s an improvement from your usual grumpy face.¡± At that Saul immediately frowned and the smile he tried so hard to show disappeared completely. But his face remained slightly tinged with pink. Meanwhile, a certain gaze from somewhere looked at them. ¡­ The training of the two children continued. As time passed Byrne increased the intensity of their training. They still spent the same time training, but more variety were finally included, such as unarmed combat, stretching and weapons training. He desired to train them on various weapons until they had a certain degree of familiarity with it, while also looking where their potential lies. Lotte as usual produced overwhelming results. He managed to understand how to use a weapon much faster, while Saul lagged behind and moved a bit more clumsily. However he was pleased to see that Saul has finally managed to train without being bothered about his loss against Lotte. It was a good sign. And just as he expected, both of them wielded the sword better than any other weapons. As he watched the two of them, Byrne gradually realized¡­ That Saul would win had they spent the same time training from the start. It has only been a few months, but he knew how heavy Lotte swung his sword. It was nothing short of abnormal for a kid. Still, it was at a manageable degree. But Saul who spent even less training and had a frail body adapted by parrying and counter without breaking his flow. Unfortunately he couldn¡¯t keep up due to his inferior stamina. Meanwhile Lotte overwhelmed Saul with sheer strength and speed on top of the occasional tricks that catch Saul off guard. He could call it a dirty and unfair way of fighting, but the results can¡¯t be denied. Lotte was the perfect training partner for Saul. Those were the exact type of opponents he needed to learn dealing with. Maybe because Lotte realized it himself, Byrne had seen him training even during the nights despite the already difficult ordeal they had to go through in the day. Lotte had gone into a training frenzy. Stopping him came to mind, but considering his dream to get out of this village, he will need more strength than what he currently has. ¡®At the very least, he needs to awaken¡­¡¯ He already gave both of them the method. It was all up to their potential to harness the strength they need. Now, only time can tell when they are ready to face the world. He remembered the day Saul revealed his true identity. The young miss and daughter of his friend. Wearing the pendant his friend kept for ¡®emergency measures¡¯. He never knew what its purpose was, but that was his answer when he questioned him. He never thought that it would be a piece of charm that can overturn and ¡®plant¡¯ an illusion in a person''s head and that it would end in the hands of the young miss. Even now from afar, had the young miss not revealed himself and excluded him among the targets of the charm, he would be thinking of her as an unknown boy and a bastard child. She had inquired about the truth of what happened that day and if there¡¯s anything more she needed to know regarding her fathers death. Unfortunately, the events left me unaware of what had transpired as I was away on a mission when it took place. There was only the memory of taking an oath to my lord, of not raising my hand against the young master and the household when I came back, no matter what happened. I had thought that it was a successors fight that would transpire, but to my dismay, the youngest had usurped his position through ruthless bloodshed. I had come too late despite trying to finish the mission as fast as possible. Questions flooded my mind at why it all had to happen. But I had to restrain myself and honor my last memories of him. At least, at that moment. But now, that one moment is enough. There will never be a second precedence. ¡®Forgive me, Saul¡­¡¯ This old heart of mine has grown more fickle on the inside, but tough on the outside as time passed. I can only allow it once. Should the young miss surpass my expectations¡­ There will be no one to stop her from taking her revenge. And the same goes for me. My emotions boiled and led me to awaken from my meditation. ¡®It seems there''s still a long way to go¡­¡¯ In order to regain my strength, I had resumed training myself. Ever since I knew that my sword was needed once again. Whether it''s through protecting the young miss, or aiding her revenge. After a year and half of spending my days wallowing, my old body deteriorated more than I thought. Even so. ¡®It will be enough.¡¯ With a swing, the water on the river parted as the droplets reflected the moonlight. Byrne, holding a mere branch, stood by the side of a river. Countless fish ¡®that were attracted¡¯ were swarming from the waves that parted and fell on the ground behind him. One by one he took the fishes and disappeared in the direction of the manor. The next day, Lotte cooked and they had a feast eating different dishes of fish. Chapter 9 ¡°Hah!¡± A pair of wooden swords clashed, emitting a clacking sound in the air. ¡°Put some more strength to it.¡± ¡°Haaah!¡± ¡°Try not to shout too much.¡± ¡°Hya!¡± ¡°*Sigghh*¡± Lotte let out a long sigh. It was his turn to be the defender to help Saul to polish his offensive capabilities. But it wasn¡¯t showing much promise and he even lets out distracting sounds. Maybe he got too used to being in the defense due to Byrne who beat us without a break during our spar with him. ¡°What!¡± Saul protested in frustration. He really was trying his best to put out all his strength in each strike. The problem is¡­ ¡°Junior¡­ Why do you squeal when you strike?¡± ¡°You told me to do that!¡± Saul shouted indignantly with red tinged cheeks amidst his rugged breath. He did tell him to shout with each blow to rev up himself, but instead, adorable squeals were coming out. Lately, his junior seemed to be even more of a trap. ¡°Ugh, my head¡­¡± For some reason, dizziness started affecting him. He was never this easily tired before. ¡®Is he what they call an ¡®energy vampire?¡¯ Before it was Saul who always got tired first, but recently he would get dizzy whenever they sparred. Especially during unarmed combat and grappling lessons. Although he could recover quickly, it was annoying. Maybe he needed to step up his training. ¡°D-dizzy again?¡± Saul sounded like he had a guilty conscience but he paid it no mind. The kid couldn¡¯t be at fault, after all he was vastly weaker than him physically. If he were to also catch up to him then he would go crazy and curse this ¡®novel¡¯ world for the power imbalance. Saul was already so good at parrying and countering, so his strategy most of the times is to use overwhelming speed and strength. There''s also his superior senses he''s been developing. ¡®No doubt a major side character. Maybe one of Arlen¡¯s allies?¡¯ Such trap characters often stick with the protagonist of novels as an adorable comic relief role, Saul could be attributed to one. ¡°Shit, I¡¯m really dizzy. Let''s resume after a light rest.¡± He laid down in a grassy patch and closed his eyes. Meanwhile Saul stared at him suspiciously. He knew that the charm''s effect was assaulting Lotte more and more often, making him suspicious if he was having inappropriate thoughts. The charm effect is closely tied to the owner''s desire so sometimes it produces unexpected results¡­ Like this time. It''s causing Lotte to be dizzy, the only person around her and the focus of her attention. While she didn''t want Lotte to know she''s a girl, she also didn''t want Lotte to think of her as a brute. In fact she wanted to just appear as her usual self¡­ but she was afraid that the way he treated her would change. And its too late to show it now. She was fully aware that her own confusion is causing the charm to react towards Lotte more fiercely. Her screams of power sounds like squeals and Lotte would notice it, and so does the charm which will suppress Lotte ¡®recognizing¡¯ her as a girl. In the end it''s a cycle. ¡®Hmph, in the first place, he wouldn''t be dizzy if he didn¡¯t think of something inappropriate.¡¯ The charm only reacts fiercely like that towards those on the verge of perceiving she''s a girl. Or along those lines. Because of that, she had to go home early everyday as the charm''s energy was draining much faster than usual. Compared to before, the necklace had grown weaker over time due to the intense exposure and overuse during her days as a beggar and slave. She stared at the red haired boy who closed his eyes while catching her breath. It''s been more than half a year since they started training together. A lot has happened in that time. At first, Lotte was just the boy who fed him bread. Then a displeasing guy who took advantage of Byrne. Before eventually becoming a fellow apprentice who supported her without complaints despite fainting all the time during training. He even cooked and fed her whenever she''s sick. Although he would rub salt in her wounds by talking nonsense about being weak and fainting all the time, or that Byrne will think he¡¯s bullying me for pushing myself. She would rather hear his interesting stories he sometimes told when she''s more sick than usual. Ironically, she liked those moments the most even if she was suffering. He also introduced her to his sisters and his dad¡­ And the people in the village received her kindly. Must be solely because she¡¯s with Lotte and they trusted him that much there. Although there was that one rude girl she didn¡¯t like. After staring at Lotte for a while, an idea came to her mind as she took a leaf that had fallen on the ground. It''s not an exaggeration to say that she¡¯s had her fair share of experience with Lotte¡¯s relentless pranks. Such as dangling a rat at her, putting extreme spice in her food, and smashing metal pots together to wake her up. She was annoyed to the core. If only he wasn''t that annoying¡­ Anyways. Those were only the few of the torments she went through, there was even more during training time such as taunts. It was about time to get back at him. Carefully, she approached him and crouched to take a fallen leaf from the ground. She brought the pointy edge of the leaf near Lotte¡¯s nose. At first, upon light contact his face twitched. But then his face scrunched in irritation. ¡°Pft!¡± She held back the laugh that was about to come out. It was nothing short of amusing and a new experience for her. She was always at the receiving end, but now it''s different. ¡®This¡­ This is fun! Is this why he¡¯s always pranking me?¡¯ That day a dangerous discovery was made by the innocent young miss of the von Asher household. Caught in the moment, Saul kept trying to tickle Lotte¡¯s nose, her grin widening each time his face crumpled. But before she had enough, a hand shot up grabbing her wrist in a swift motion. With a firm tug, she was pulled off balance and flipped over. Now she was underneath and facing Lotte who had a smirk on his face. ¡°Having fun huh?¡± he drawled, his tone laced with amusement. ¡°When did you get so bold?¡± He was glad that Saul was finally daring to somewhat mess with him. But to mess with him means that he¡¯s prepared to be messed up in return. Just as he thought of what to do with the daring imp in front of him, he noticed something strange with Saul''s gaze. It wasn¡¯t the first time that a particular situation happened with the grappling lessons from Byrne, they had wrestled against each other multiple times on the ground, even as it rained and they tumbled on mud. At the time, Saul was focused and trying to win. But now, she was just innocently messing around. Her chest was beating violently as heat rose up to her face. Hence. Smack! A sharp slap hit Lotte in the face. He blinked, stunned, and his smirk wiped clean off his face as he registered what just happened. Saul didn''t wait to see his reaction. She scrambled out underneath Lotte and bolted, embarrassment filling up her face. She wanted to hide in a hole. Lotte just sat there, one hand pressed to his stinging cheek, curious and wondering why he had to be slapped. Although it wasn¡¯t very strong, a slap was still a slap. It was a horrible feeling like he was rejected by a high school crush. ¡°What the hell just happened?¡± He spent some time idling with those thoughts occupying his head. At nighttime. Light scribbling sounds rustled inside Lotte¡¯s room. The flames of the lamp and shades of shadows danced in soft motion. He¡¯d been writing a diary, containing a few significant events that he found important. Even though seven years is a very long time, enough to make him feel distant from his former life as an earthling, he didn¡¯t forget his situation and origin. There are still a lot of unanswered questions and it looks like he was going to spend even more time in this world aside from the seven years here in this village. At this point he had come to accept that he, too, is a part of this world''s story. He still didn¡¯t feel like a character in a novel at all. It felt more like he was just bound to die of boredom in this village. The good thing is, he¡¯s not grasping at straws anymore. There''s Rugner, Byrne and Saul, characters that will possibly lead him in the direction of the story. Someday they will be part of the chapters that will take place. Coincidentally, he wondered if the no show village chief is going to play a part once he¡¯s outside. When he comes of age, it will also be the day that the countdown has passed. There must be some special condition that had to be met by then. Halting his thoughts, he returned to organizing information in his diary. He was pleasantly surprised that he can write in two languages. Both his former language and this current world. It''s an advantage he can make use of if he ever trains spies. Since he wasn¡¯t even at chapter 1 yet, the quarter of the book wasn¡¯t even filled, taking notes of everything that happened since he came into this world.Stolen story; please report. When the village chief opposed his desire to go out in the world and flipped his attitude over, and when Rugner appeared to chase after Yona¡¯s single mom. The likes and hates of Rugner and the chief. The day Byrne came to the village and lived in the abandoned manor. When he gave his potion to Saul and managed to convince Byrne to teach him how to fight and about the outside world. Of course, he won¡¯t forget the day that Saul suddenly became his junior, and the bits of information he gathered during their scuffle. Since then, he hadn¡¯t asked since time was on his side. And indeed it was. Saul didn¡¯t leave and Byrne trained him too. Most likely, when the countdown finishes, Saul and Byrne will leave just like him. Time until Chapter 1: 1 year, 78 days and 3 hours. Like before, the countdown hadn¡¯t disappeared and is always by his side. It would be nice if he had an interface like system power similar to the the game protagonists. ¡®Arlen, from a world of hunters and a system most likely have something similar.¡¯ He has yet to meet Arlen but he recognized the trope where that guy belonged well. The words ¡®F-Rank¡¯ and ¡®awakeners¡¯ are basically a dead giveaway. Striving to be strong and being free of the ¡®constraints¡¯ of potential is common too, but sadly, even in this world he¡¯s going to experience pain, with that ¡®tragedy¡¯ tag his author put in. ¡®I¡¯m included in that too of course. I guess we''re comrades in arms now.¡¯ First, the lectures with Byrne. This is where he benefited the most. And he realized one dreadful fact. Leaving the village might be far more difficult than he thought. He asked for a map, but Byrne refused saying that he didn¡¯t know how to draw one. Which is strange. A knight is still a noble, and he should¡¯ve had a few drawing lessons when he was young. Furthermore, he¡¯s a strong knight, and he said himself that he used to lead a squadron. If a commander can¡¯t even draft out a simple map he shouldn¡¯t be in that position. Meaning he was refusing it for some other reason. There¡¯s something he didn¡¯t want me to find out. When asked where this village is located, he vaguely answered that it was at the edge of the continent. Meaning? It was in a nigh unreachable place. A few things came to mind. Such as the village being separated by a wasteland difficult to travel. Or that it''s located on a large island. Since there are rivers around the area, it has to come from a larger body of water. ¡®That might be why the intervals of Rugner¡¯s visits are four months.¡¯ He had no doubts that a merchant could afford ships or boats to sail. If that''s the case, then running away just became an even more impossible task. Boats, or horses might be needed, but both of those were nonexistent in this village. When asked how he knew of this place, he answered that he found this ¡®peaceful village¡¯ through a discovery of a rumor during his journey. It is a peaceful village alright. But hearing it from rumors? So the people outside aren¡¯t sure about the village¡¯s existence either. That¡¯s why, there¡¯s hardly any contact. And the fact that the chief forbade anyone from going out contributed to that. But then again there¡¯s Rugner who¡¯s a unique existence. Three years ago he appeared, a merchant who can go in and out of the village without the chief¡¯s obstruction. If he could do that and no merchant competitors didn¡¯t even feel suspicious to investigate¡­ He might be monopolizing the information for himself. And he¡¯s doing really well hiding it. Although there¡¯s not really much value the village can provide except from crops and produce. ¡®Come to think of it, he never had an interaction with the village chief¡­¡¯ He would only stare at me flatly, like he¡¯s annoyed last time I questioned him. Rugner might be someone on the same standing, or even above the chief in that case. The true identity of that guy has a role to play in this village. Perhaps, someone who monitors all of us? As for why Byrne came here, he already asked that question back when Saul was still not present. ¡®To find peace.¡¯ Is the answer he gave. That can only mean that from this village, there is a danger or conflict possibly affecting him out there. The dangers could be monsters. Or else, how is the protagonist from a ¡®system world¡¯ going to level up? What about the conflict then? This is where Saul comes in. They seem to be related in a vassal and lord relationship. And Saul¡­ He was crying about killing me, Byrne and his brother before. Then maybe Byrne ran away from that very conflict. Seems about right. ¡®Revenge is fueling Saul¡¯s drive to train. Unlike me, who''s doing it to survive in the future and deal with my boredom.¡¯ Lotte didn¡¯t know what Byrne did, but Saul can still coexist and even train under him so his involvement must not be that deep. Saul hated his brother the most. And his own self was unfairly included so that can be ignored. Since they were both males and seeing that Saul ended up here away from home, it must be a succession dispute. There was several scenarios in his head that could have led Saul here, but in any case the conflict must not be far off from that. ¡®A young master undergoing a training arc and coming back overpowered? Sounds like a classic to me.¡¯ This also meant that the government model outside thankfully bore semblance on the ones in the novels he read. It won¡¯t be too difficult to adjust when the time comes. Why bother with it? Because almost every time the protagonist would end up in a web of political conspiracies in the early middle or late middle arcs. ¡®Well, that ain¡¯t me but better to be careful.¡¯ There exists an empire on the continent. Two of them keeping each other in check. One in the northern lands where winter is cruel, and the other at the center of the continent, the Imperial Lands of Regalia. Byrne considered them as the strongest superpower of the present era. He briefly mentioned the existence of theocracy and religion too. His face scrunched upon hearing it at the time, those poor religious bastards were always painted filthy in every fantasy novel. The religions of every goddess always had that one corrupt official ruining everything, and saintess in distress. Several events from those places will definitely pull the protagonist along. There¡¯s so much more information he learned. The confirmed presence of magic and mages, knights or warriors with extreme physical prowess and colorful aura, with Byrne as an example, and the everlasting threat of different monsters in mana dense areas around the world. It wouldn¡¯t be a fantasy without the monsters, mages and combatants. There''s also adventurers, and the presence of different humanoid species too, such as beastmen. He couldn''t wait to finally see a cat girl or elf in real life. Despite being stuck in here, this world has so much more to offer that Lotte will never know of. As they say, if you can¡¯t get rid of it, then enjoy it. In his case, since he got caught up in being sent as an extra in a novel, he might as well enjoy it. There¡¯s still the lack of history and information about how the goddess¡¯s religion came to be, but he can inquire outside someday. Since this is an isolated village, it can¡¯t be helped that there''s a huge setback on information. All the other information was still unanswered such as his background, why the village is isolated and so on¡­ But all of this was enough to satisfy him for now. Seeing that the lamp that he lit was about to run out, he flipped the notebook close and turned off the lights. It was the end of another day. ¡­ Time could be a fleeting moment, or sometimes an endless ordeal. For Lotte and Saul, it was something they had stopped paying attention to. Two relentless years of training stripped them of distractions, turning them into formidable warriors that would not shame themselves in the battles to come. The edges of the wooden sword they used were chipped and splintered. Each strike rang out in the forest with the rustling of leaves. Steps cracked the fallen branches as they danced in an exchange of blows. Lotte attacked faster, heavier and direct with his blows, and Saul maneuvered his sword to turn those strikes into counters when an opening presented itself. Saul opted for a thrust in an opening near Lotte¡¯s stomach, only for his target to vault over and somersault midair to strike from above. Saul was ready, he had plenty of experience on Lotte¡¯s acrobatic prowess when they sparred. Twisting the sword from its handle to meet the incoming attack, he lowered his stance and deflected the strike over his head in one fluid motion as his feet slid away from where Lotte landed. A visage of an edge flashed before his eyes along a gust of wind caused by the sheer power it carried. As he expected, upon his landing Lotte followed up with a backslash. An opponent who didn¡¯t know him would¡¯ve been blown away. Saul himself was a victim of that dreadful strike countless times. Throughout two years, dozens of wooden swords had been broken and replaced. They became familiar with each of their fighting style, and the banters in between the exchange disappeared. The lighthearted spar became a whetstone that sharpened their attitude in combat. Still, Lotte had the physical advantage. But, Saul had something to balance his lack of strength. ¡®Talent.¡¯ Byrne had told him that it is something he had over Lotte who relied on his physical power. For that reason, he was imparted with the secret technique of the von Asher family, albeit, partially. Unfortunately, there was nothing to impart for Lotte, as Byrne said that his fighting style didn¡¯t suit him. A more explosive technique with that kind of body as foundation would be ideal. But Byrne neither had any techniques of the sort, as a knight serving the household, he learned the families designated swordsmanship for knights to the extreme, and gradually developed his own. He had watched how his lord wielded the secret techniques when teaching his sons. While he didn¡¯t master it, with his experience he could still impart the essences of the technique to Saul. Presently, only the current patriarch, Saul¡¯s brother, had complete knowledge over the technique and no one else. Even so, Saul didn¡¯t believe that it gave him an edge. For two years, he still hadn¡¯t managed a win or draw, with or without the technique. To him, the raw strength, speed and stamina of Lotte were their own kind of talent. At the end of each day, he¡¯s still the one who will be left tired, while Lotte would spend the rest of the day with spare energy to train. They silently stared at each other, waiting for someone to take the first move. He could feel their tension tightening and saw in Lotte''s eyes that it was time to end this. He braced himself at the incoming attack. At first Saul wanted to take on Lotte defensively like he always did. To endure and look for openings, and counter at that opportune moment. But training together like this won''t last forever. Soon, Lotte will come of age. As he always said, he¡¯s going to leave the village once that happens. It was the same for them. He wanted to show Lotte how much he¡¯s grown. That his strength that had been meager at the start of this training is now plenty enough to face him. Before Lotte could begin, Saul took the first step. ¡®Von Asher Family Technique¡¯ ¡®First Style, Shadow Flow¡¯ What unfolded before Lotte¡¯s eyes is the sword technique that had been the cause of his frustrations. He didn¡¯t know if it was really their difference in talent, but the technique just made no sense to him. He couldn¡¯t learn it even by watching. The image of Saul and his overlapping strikes filled his view. The steps his opponent took were few but rapid, Saul¡¯s meek figure made it look weak. But just like how Saul who knew his attacks, it was the same for him. He had something like a trump card too. Calmly sensing his surroundings, his eyes became unfocused. His sense heightened and the skin of his body tingled even at the wisp of wind. It couldn¡¯t be called his own secret technique, but his senses were sharper than ever. Besides he knew in general how Saul¡¯s attack worked. ¡®It''s a quick succession of three strikes on one side, then the last one from behind my neck.¡¯ In front of him, Saul phased to his side like a ghost. A total of three strikes. All three parried and the only one left was the strike from behind. But this time, the fourth one didn¡¯t come. His guard didn¡¯t feel anything. With hurried steps, he turned to see Saul with his sword pulled back, as if in preparation to deliver a blow. ¡®Third Style¡¯ Saul, remembering the training he took and committed to memory. ¡®Cutting Drift!¡¯ He shot forward with great force and met Lotte, the sword drawing a horizontal arc. Saul was no longer the same weak kid back then, using his weight and trained body to exert force, the dash pushed back both of them by a distance. Lotte managed to avoid getting his sword destroyed. Had that happened, the battle would¡¯ve ended again without conclusion. And he refused to let that happen. In a week or so, he¡¯s going to turn fifteen, his coming of age. That meant the countdown would run out, and he had to leave by then. He knew that Saul felt the same. That¡¯s why he¡¯s going all out to respond in kind. Enduring the blow, he used Saul as a propeller to step back and gain his footing. He hated how techniques could work in sync. If not for his tight grip he might¡¯ve let go of the sword with that strike. ¡®It''s time to rampage.¡¯ Lotte¡¯s demeanor took a complete change as he took a deep breath. Saul stiffened as he saw a smirk curl up to Lotte¡¯s mouth. Taking a deep breath, Lotte brought his sword all the way back, for a downward strike. At first Saul sidestepped easily, but he didn¡¯t carelessly counter despite the seemingly slow attack. An upward blow came rapidly, then a horizontal slash and so on. Lotte was the only one who could endure the strain of rapid but equally powerful blows and be fine the next day. ¡®Second Style, Riposte!¡¯ Saul followed up with a quick thrusting attack only to have his counter deflected again by one of Lotte¡¯s rapid swings. His wrist tingled as the blow connected and he pulled back instantly. ¡°Is that it, Saul?¡± Breathing roughly, Lotte dashed towards Saul. Straining himself like this has been occurring more and more during their spars. It meant that Saul was managing to endure his onslaught. Eventually, he will be able to completely bridge the gap between them. After training tirelessly, he learned that he could exert his body to be in its constant strengthened state. All thanks to his years of mindless physical training, his body could bear the strain. Controlling elaborate attacks became harder, but it was the only thing he could do. In order to keep up with Saul, as absurd as it sounds. One time he almost lost, then he came back the next day with this newfound power. But even that was being eclipsed right this moment. ¡®You might not know Saul¡­¡¯ ¡°Urgh!¡± ¡®But the one you¡¯re facing, has been training for seven years. Seven. Long. Years.¡¯ ¡°There!¡± ¡®I¡¯m losing the tempo though.¡¯ His strength and speed might be augmented, but he paled in comparison to technique. Saul deflected Lotte¡¯s sword as it pivoted upward. From there, he found an opening. In his eyes, it was like seeing a ray of light. The result of his effort that will break the wall in front of him. The wall that is Lotte. But to Lotte, it was like being draped in a veil of despair. Was that all his training amounted to? The days when he would almost go crazy, doing the same thing, or doing nothing at all fueled the despair and loss he felt. Was all of it meaningful? He wished to keep his position as an untouchable senior to Saul but¡­ ¡®Is it because Saul is a more special character than I thought?¡¯ He had no benchmark in terms of how strong his peers are in this world but¡­ He must be pretty strong himself with all that mad training. Then Saul, who¡¯s about to defeat him right now¡­ ¡®Damned kid. You¡¯ve grown strong.¡¯ He might despair, but he¡¯s lived enough to be down in the dumps because of just one loss. One loss out of seventy nine battles. He was still way ahead. Although he might need to cool off later. Losing isn''t exactly pleasing especially when you tried your best to improve. Lotte¡¯s eyes followed the sword of Saul that had stopped, just enough to touch his cheek. There was a moment where only their breathing could be heard. Both swords then dropped on the ground. It was the end of their training. The last they''ll ever have. Lotte was already preparing to leave. Of course, he didn¡¯t expect to grow as an unbeatable existence, but he still took a hit from this loss. Imagine spending seven years training only to lose against someone who trained for two. Knowing that it''s someone, possibly one of this novel''s main characters doesn¡¯t help. He looked at Saul, curious what his expressions are, finally winning after two years. ¡°I won...¡± A sweet voice he''d never heard before muttered. There he could see a girl with a bright smile. It was just enough to show joy, but her moist eyes made it apparent how significant this moment is. The world stopped for a moment. Or is it just his gaze that stopped? Even his brain stopped working and couldn¡¯t make out this situation. Saul already had plenty long hair reaching his shoulders, so he tied it up. But now, that hair unfurled itself and reached beyond the waist. The wind seemed to remind Saul of her current state as her unfurled hair scrambled on her face. ¡°N-No! Lotte!¡­ this is!..¡± Realizing her mistake, she hurriedly looked around. Meanwhile, Lotte finally comes to his senses¡­ ¡°Saul¡­ All this time. You weren¡¯t a trap?¡± But how come he didn¡¯t notice? It¡¯s been two years, some signs were supposed to show at least. But he saw none of that towards Saul. Although now her voice sounded different. Saul, who was looking for something on the floor, suddenly turned around. She felt that irksome irritation at the word trap and found out today what it meant. Even so, it wasn¡¯t the most important thing right now. She flashed the necklace that had somehow fallen on the ground to Lotte¡¯s face. ¡°Today, you didn¡¯t see me as a girl! After I won and we left on good terms like always after my sword touched you!¡± She¡¯s been numbed to Lotte¡¯s taunts whenever she lost that it can be called ¡®good terms¡¯ in her book. The rusted necklace gleamed like it was new for a moment as it swayed in Saul¡¯s hand. Meanwhile Lotte stared into the air. Seeing that he¡¯s still, Saul waved her hand in front of Lotte a few times before wearing the necklace and sprinting away. In a minute or so, the necklace¡¯s power will take effect. Alas, by using it like this, she no longer had enough stored power to maintain its previous effects. She had to conceal herself before Lotte came to. Luckily, the sun was about to set, so Lotte wouldn¡¯t have any reason to look for her. The last time she tried to skip training, Lotte hunted him like a beast and dragged her despite crying that she needed a break. She didn¡¯t want to show her true self to Lotte yet. Somehow, the thought of it brought great shame and fear at the same time. Furthermore, there is a goal she¡¯s trying to achieve. Any distractions would be detrimental until then. But maybe, once her revenge is complete. ¡®Maybe I can tell him then...¡¯ The girl ran in light steps towards the manor where she lived, her ears red tinged and hair waving along the breeze. Chapter 10 End of the Countdown ¡®Am I really affected this much?¡¯ Lotte found himself alone in the clearing they used to train, with Saul having already left. The only thing he saw was his and Saul¡¯s sword dropped on the ground. Was he that dazed and shocked that he didn¡¯t notice him leaving? Their battle had ended with Saul¡¯s sword stopping upon touching his skin. Saul used to be flung away with a full powered swing from him, due to the difference in their physique. Gradually, he started from being able to endure hits, to deflecting it. So when that happened he destroyed Saul¡¯s sword with sheer force. But even that force started to be redirected and dispersed. The technique taught to that guy does wonders. He once tried to copy Saul but it felt suffocating. The style of countering someone and deflecting strikes only worked when he was dealing with a stronger opponent like Byrne, and Byrne relied on finesse and technique more rather than force. Trying to counter and disperse the strike of someone with such fine control is a fool''s errand. He reckoned that it would be perfect for someone similar to him, someone who uses explosive strength. So when it came to Saul, he took advantage of his relentless stamina. Attacking until Saul dropped onto his knees tired from their spar, he had counted it as a victory every time, but if Saul possessed the same strength and stamina like him? He wasn¡¯t so sure who¡¯d be on their knees. Furthermore, Saul learned an annoying footwork. Luckily he still hasn''t thought of using it to dodge. He didn¡¯t know why or maybe Byrne was just waiting for Saul to realize its use himself. He envied the techniques Byrne taught to Saul. He envied this special character he found. He wondered how much more he¡¯s going to be surpassed when they grow up. ¡®It¡¯s all because of that technique.¡¯ Saul would receive private guidance from Byrne from time to time. Since it was a technique unique to Saul¡¯s family, he was excluded from learning it. And as Byrne said, it didn¡¯t suit him. It was fine. Once he got out, he just had to find one on his own. Or maybe, he can pioneer a new technique. In those cases, the protagonists he knew already had something as a basis and foundation for their new technique. Although he didn¡¯t know if he will be fortunate enough to do the same, at least, he was familiar with the process. ¡®It¡¯s pointless to stand around here.¡¯ Usually he would train right after their spar. But this time, he was going to take a vacation. All in preparation for his journey. *** ¡°Thank you for all the guidance.¡± With a sincere bow, Lotte faced Byrne. Yesterday was the last day of their training and his role as instructor. To think that years ago he was just an old man the villagers told him to steer clear of. Training with him was definitely hard, but training by himself was even harder without any direction to follow but his own ideas. Even though he hadn¡¯t learned secret techniques like Saul, he learned many more about this world, and strengthened his foundation. ¡°So¡­ Does this make you my master?¡± Lotte asked, lifting his head up with a smirk. Like always Byrne stared at him with that stern gaze. But for the first time in two years, Lotte found the old man sporting a smirk in his face. ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t deserve that title. All I did was create a blank slate.¡± ¡°A blank slate you say? I¡¯ll take that as a compliment I guess?¡± In a way, that description suited him. Someone with an outrageously trained body without any style to speak of. Just speed and power. ¡°Indeed. You can take it as such.¡± ¡®A monstrous blank slate.¡¯ Byrne had those exact thoughts in his head. Even though his greed to train Lotte and see him wielding his swordsmanship was appealing, he had to hold back. A much better mentor with suitable technique out there would definitely find Lotte. ¡®Should he make it out, that is.¡¯ Byrne thought of the final hurdle the boy would need to pass before making it outside. Unfortunately he had no words he could offer. ¡°I, too, express my gratitude to all the aid you gave to Saul. Had it not been for you, he might not have broken out of his shell sooner.¡± Byrne remembered when Saul came asking for his tutelage, to his revealing of identity. Lotte had instigated Saul by showing him how weak he was at the time, which led to wanting to grow stronger. He also took care of Saul like a real brother. It might be natural to him as someone who had three sisters to take care of. Byrne would have never known that the kid they saved was not a bastard but a true child of his lord. His resolve to take up his blade would never come to pass too, had he not met the lost and alone young miss. Just like how he pledged his blade for his old friend, it''s now time to do that same for the young miss. He could not bear the thought of swearing fealty to the other kinslayer years ago, hence he left instead. It will never turn the household back to how it used to be, but aiding the fall of the kinslayer''s reign will be the final redemption he could give himself with his remaining years. ¡°Oh you, it''s no big deal.¡± As if too proud of himself, he puffed his chest and lifted up his chin. ¡°Are you guys leaving soon too?¡± ¡°Indeed, preferably before you do.¡± ¡°Really? You can¡¯t stay for longer?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid we can''t.¡± ¡°It¡¯s gonna be my coming of age though¡­ there''s going to be a celebration.¡± ¡°Congratulations. I will make sure to relay that to Saul and tell him to visit in advance.¡± ¡°You really can¡¯t? I¡¯m cooking for everyone though¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Unfortunately, time is of essence. The young lord''s potential won¡¯t sit around and develop itself.¡± Even Byrne had tasted how well Lotte cooked his food, but the secret technique he could teach Saul was incomplete. Their journey will be needed because of that. A journey to their own homeland, the place, where the complete knowledge of said technique is retained. ¡°I see. That''s all then.¡± He sighed giving up on making them stay longer. It was a shame since he wanted to go all out that day for these two. They would see a new world of flavors of all the unhealthy recipes he had in mind. ¡°Where¡¯s Saul by the way? Is he in his room?¡± Lotte turned and headed towards Saul¡¯s room. He was already familiar with doing this, since sometimes Saul has a tendency to oversleep. Just as he was about to reach for the door a hand stopped him from doing so. There was only one person who could do that without him sensing it. ¡°The young lord is currently resting. I¡¯ll be sure to tell him to visit you, so you can excuse yourself now.¡± Byrne had this usual stern gaze but with a tinge of threatening aura. ¡°O-oh. Okay.¡± Maybe he went too far with pranking Saul? Byrne used to not care at all what I did since I never really did anything harmful¡­ ¡°Ah wait. Tell him I said congrats. I don¡¯t know if you were watching but he won against me yesterday, you know?¡± Byrne had a faint smile on his face as he shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s better to tell him those words yourself.¡± He said, seemingly sure that Saul will visit Lotte on the following days. ¡°¡­ Alright then. Make sure I¡¯m there to see you guys off before leaving okay?¡± Even though he knew that the world he went to was a novel, he couldn¡¯t help but feel some attachments. The seven years he spent here really contributed to that. Why did he even have seven years to spend before the chapter starts? In a village he couldn''t leave too. Luckily, he''s now somewhat equipped with the strength and training he went through. Without anything else to say, he left the manor without looking back. Next time would be the last time they see each other. *** A week has passed, and it''s the day before his departure. The week he spent was nothing eventful. Ever since they stopped training, he hasn''t been able to see Saul since then. He had to admit, he somewhat missed their passionate spar. His daily exercise was halted too, since he decided that the time for vacation is ripe. After training so intensely for so long, he figured he deserved a brief moment of respite. But now, in front of his humble abode stood the person himself, Saul. With new clothes and a ¡®real¡¯ sword strapped to his waist. It came from one of his collections that he traded with Rugner just a while ago. It was the sword recommended by Byrne, saying that it''s the most suitable one for Saul. He called it an Estoc, a sword that looks like a rapier with a thin blade. While Saul parried and countered his strikes a lot, most of his attacks were thrusts and his footwork technique was excellent for speed and dodging. Sizing up Saul with his gaze, he recalled that this is his first time visiting on his own, ¡°Hey there, I think it''s the first time you¡¯re visiting on your own, junior.¡± ¡°Hmph, I just wanted to see if you¡¯re taking your loss well.¡± Unaffected and having spent most of her time bickering with Lotte while they trained, she had learned to match his snarky remarks with ease. ¡°Oh? Well, as you can see, I¡¯m still stronger than you. I will admit your win though.¡± He stepped towards Saul, who eyed him warily, unsure of what he was about to do. Then with a smug grin, he continued, ¡°But, it''s one win out of seventy-nine loss, junior. You still have a long way to go.¡± He looked down at Saul, who, despite standing a full head shorter, had managed to close that gap during their last match. It was impressive, really though he would never tell Saul that. With Lotte¡¯s smiling face drawing closer, Saul felt his face heat up. She scowled, pushing him away, ¡°Ugh, I¡¯ll beat you as many times as you want in the future, so just wait.¡± Saul clasped her necklace for a brief moment feeling the power stored within. The past few days, she¡¯d been accumulating its power in order to sustain its ¡®disguise¡¯ longer and much more complete. It was for something she wanted to do before they left. ¡°Bahaha! Alright, I¡¯ll look forward to that!¡± Sometimes Saul felt like Lotte laughed like an old man, just like right now. He always had a noisy and boisterous laughter whenever he found something funny. ¡°Lotte¡­ Um, we¡¯re about to leave.¡± She looked straight at Saul and uttered those words. At that he froze. ¡°¡­ You guys really can¡¯t wait huh?¡± He knew that they had a goal to achieve but he honestly felt that their farewell was a bit cold and heartless. ¡°No! That''s not it! I just¡­ Come with me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­ Just for a bit. Walk with me before we leave¡± ¡°Huh?¡± At first he thought that he was being recruited by this ¡®young lord¡¯ as Byrne usually referred to him. But then, a walk? What is he, a kid? And letting him walk him? Is this a pet walk? Lotte¡¯s mind was spiraling into strange thoughts when Saul grabbed his hand and dragged him around. In the end he smiled and chose to stay silent. Maybe this little friend was just too embarrassed to say he wanted to spend time with his senior. They walked around the village, with Saul still holding his hand. He could feel the bruises it had but it was softer than he imagined. ¡®Unlike my hands.¡¯ Stolen novel; please report. His hands by this time were riddled with rough calluses. He somewhat envied Saul who already trained for two whole years but still had a smoother palm. Some of the villagers greeted them as they walked around. They didn¡¯t speak to each other, and just let their feet take them where they pleased. A tree at the top of the hill stood tall. But what used to be lush and full of leaves was a shadow of its former self. It wasn¡¯t the season where it bloomed leaves and flowers unfortunately. ¡°Huh, this is my favorite spot. I never took you there, right?¡± Lotte looked around in nostalgia. He hadn¡¯t been there for quite a long time now. Maybe half a year? He forgot about this place when he started feeling pressured by Saul. ¡°Usually it''s full of leaves and flowers all around. A shame its not there right now.¡± He kept talking, not minding that Saul had not answered him. After a while he noticed that there must be something in his mind. ¡°Junior, is something bothering you?¡± He still called him the same old junior which Saul seemed to have acknowledged. Saul shook her head, with a worried tone he looked at Lotte, ¡°Not me. You. Are you going to be fine?¡± ¡®He must be asking whether I¡¯ll be fine leaving on my own.¡¯ ¡°Of course. Who do you think I am? I beat your ass seventy nine times.¡± Ignoring the last sentence, she seriously pondered, ¡°Even so¡­ What about your sisters? Your family?¡± Lotte was more than willing to listen to Saul most of the time, but this topic had come up from his father, to the villagers and to the village chief. He was tired of hearing it again and again. With slight irritation he scowled, ¡°¡­ Where is this coming from all of a sudden Saul?¡± He was averse to answering those questions. As he had already made up his mind and spent so much time for that moment. It used to be something he feared, leaving this village that is. But he could never forget the person he used to be. He still wanted to go back to the life he used to live. He couldn¡¯t bear the thought of staying here in this village, growing old and safe just because he didn¡¯t want to get caught up in whatever situations the novel¡¯s story will plunge him into. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s peaceful here Lotte. You¡­ You¡¯re different from me.¡± Unlike her, Lotte didn¡¯t have anyone to take revenge to. He just wanted to go outside. That was all. ¡®Different? Ah¡­¡¯ Lotte had an unpleasant premonition where the conversation was going. Was this the effect of growing closer to Saul? ¡°What do you mean? Tell me straight Saul. That way, I can understand you.¡± When Saul heard Lotte¡¯s voice she started feeling nervous. Somehow, his tone and demeanor were heavier and she knew the reason why. Thinking back, it was always Lotte who made Saul angry, albeit only with harmless pranks. He neither meddled with her decision or tried to stop her. They rarely had any problems with each other, because Lotte was one sidedly keeping their relationship that way. ¡°Lotte.¡± For the longest time there was something she wanted to ask Lotte. Before she knew it, Lotte had become somewhat a part of her life too, ¡°Can¡¯t you stay here?¡± She finally let out the question she wanted to ask for quite some time. ¡°Ah?¡± Lotte never expected that question to come out and confront him. Furthermore, it''s from Saul. He would understand if it was his father, a random elder in his village or the village chief but¡­, ¡°Well, you know me and my answer to that.¡± He stretched out both hands to his side as if proclaiming something grand and gave an exaggerated shrug, ¡°It¡¯s impossible! Ahahaha!¡± A loud and almost historical laugh came out from him. Contrary to his laugh, he felt annoyance rise deep within him that was slowly turning into anger. ¡®This guy too? What¡¯s with everyone in this village telling me not to leave?¡¯ ¡®Then what, should I pretend the seven years I spent preparing is a joke and live a mundane life here?¡¯ ¡®Should I forget that I am from earth and is forced against my will to be in this novel!?¡¯ ¡°Hahaha, you say some funny things Saul¡­ Haah.¡± ¡®Different eh? Yeah, unlike you I¡¯m real and¡­¡¯ He had to stop his thoughts right there. He felt like something might snap if he went any further. Knowing and seeing the people in this world kept reining that emotion. He knew that the person facing him right now is a kid. Strangely enough, of all people to make him feel this way, who knew that it would be Saul. He even had those genuinely concerned eyes look on his face. But just staring at those eyes right now boiled his blood. ¡®What does this kid even know? Wait, when I provoked him, he probably thought of the same thing¡­¡¯ Only now that their situations were reversed. And Saul was genuinely trying to convince him without any lies. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have told him why I train.¡¯ It was inevitable to open up the topic when they had idle time together. Without anyone as a companion or peers to talk to, unknowingly, he was in the same situation as Saul. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down first. He had to remember that Saul is just a character¡­ No, scratch that. Saul is a living and thinking being with a mind of his own. ¡°Lotte, I¡¯m serious! I have Byrne to protect me, but you-¡° By this point her voice had turned hurried, trying to come across her intentions to Lotte. ¡°Saul. That''s enough.¡± ¡°But, your sisters! What about them?¡± ¡°Father will be there. Why do you suddenly want me to stay here?¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m worried. I don¡¯t know what will happen to you because you¡¯ll be alone!¡± ¡°Then ask Byrne to take me with you.¡± ¡°N-No! You know why we can¡¯t!¡± ¡°Hah, then just worry about me. I¡¯m definitely leaving after I turn fifteen. Just so you know, father already gave up preventing me. Only the chief and the villagers oppose me. As for my sisters¡­ I¡¯ll miss them but I have to go.¡± Until now, he still hasn''t figured out why they had to be triplets. Not that he was complaining though, they were cute and like real sisters to him. He would do everything he could to protect those three. ¡°It¡¯s not just because of freedom. I have to leave for my own survival. For the village¡¯s survival. I don¡¯t want everyone here to be stuck forever.¡± While the reality is that he needs to leave this place in order to find a way back home and to not implicate the villagers with the storyline should tragedy come looking for him. The entity that sent him here, while not hostile, was looking for entertainment. And what kind of entertainment did those kinds enjoy the most? ¡®Struggle. Overcoming difficulties. Sometimes just straight up seeing someone fail and then lose interest.¡¯ He shivered once again at the realization he had buried deep within his memories. He knew too well how ¡®they¡¯ are always depicted as selfish in the novels he read. He was also sick of living here. He just couldn¡¯t. It might sound shallow as it seems but, he¡¯s sick of his peaceful daily life, waking up to tend to the land and animals and then basking in the sun. The world out there was so much bigger than this small village. Saul just stayed silent. She gave up changing Lotte¡¯s mind. It was just an attempt that she hoped to somehow work. But now all that''s left is¡­ Her other plan. Lotte impatiently looking around started to head past Saul, ¡°Are we done here? If we are, I''m leaving.¡± The last moments they were left with were rather unpleasant but it is what it is. Saul was trying to meddle too much. ¡®I guess its the consequence of growing closer to him.¡¯ Not only did it made Saul meddle with his decisions, it even made him angry. Angry that someone he had camaraderie with would say something he didn¡¯t like to hear. As ridiculous as it sounds, he found Saul¡¯s company special before he knew it. At first he thought he was going to establish a connection to a character for information and discard it later, but before he knew it, they had become close with each other. He hadn¡¯t even asked about what really happened in his past. ¡®This turned into a failure huh. I¡¯m actually friends with a kid?¡¯ Maybe his mind digressed with his age as he grew up. He had read about those side effects of transmigration or reincarnation on some of the novels he read after all. Just before he passed by Saul, he was stopped again. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°If I can¡¯t persuade you then¡­ For the last time, come with me.¡± ¡°Sigh. Okay.¡± They¡¯re not going to see each other ever again anyways. At least it seemed unlikely until he was somehow involved with the storyline. This time Saul no longer held his hand. Lotte silently followed as they walked. They went past the village once again. ¡°¡­ Once we leave, we¡¯ll head back home. Only for a moment though. We need to leave after taking what we need.¡± As they went on Lotte kept silent while Saul rambled, telling him of their plans when they leave. ¡°Byrne said it¡¯s going to be a long journey. And a dangerous one, since people might notice my hair.¡± She twirled her tied up hair and played with it. Usually it would be longer but right now her disguise was in full effect. In this world darker hues of hair were rarer on the outside. They were often associated with those with special bloodlines like nobles and royalty or clans. His own hair might be a product of that so he had to keep it in mind just in case. ¡°Ah, also, when I turned sixteen, he said that I¡¯m going to Harun Academy.¡± Saul skipped ahead a few steps and turned to him playfully. But Lotte gave no reaction despite seeing that. Not even a tease. In his eyes, Saul was just being the usual misleading character that he is. If it weren¡¯t for the question and atmosphere earlier he would be playing along. He was feeling immature at being angry with the kid. Even so he couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°I do remember Byrne mentioning it.¡± The imperial academy, located at the heart of the Regalia Empire. It''s been on the list of places he needs to go as the protagonist, Arlen, has a high chance to study there. There were other notable academies around the world too, named after their nations heroes, though. Of course there''s a chance that Arlen might be in one of those. If that happens, things would get interesting since this novel''s protagonist won¡¯t be on the side of the empire ¡°To be honest I¡¯m a little excited. Byrne said that if I want to fulfill my revenge, going into the academy, establishing myself there and gaining my own people will all be vital for me.¡± ¡°Byrne¡¯s right. You¡¯ll need all of that.¡± At this point Lotte had calmed down a bit. ¡°It¡¯s strange. Before I couldn¡¯t even think of my brother without crying and getting agitated. I went from feeling fear to being angry whenever I did.¡± ¡®But with Lotte occupying my mind because he¡¯s pissing me off, it became bearable. Enough to decide that I had lost my real brother.¡¯ She took a glance at the boy behind her. Lotte had grown significantly taller than before. At his age he¡¯s probably gonna grow more. She wondered if she could still reach his head when they reached their twenties? To Lotte¡¯s surprise, they entered somewhere he rarely explored Deep in the forest surrounding the village. It could be said that he had literally scouted and mapped out the surroundings of the village in his mind. He tried finding ways where it''s possible to climb or camp out in order to leave. In the particular direction they went, it was one of his off limits places. It was the only known way that Rugner takes when he¡¯s leaving. The one where Byrne came from and the path where the village chief''s house is. There was once a time he dedicated to get past this pathway. Only to be caught by the village chief regardless of the time he took this route. He wondered if the chief even slept. Ever since then he felt a little afraid of that guy. There was clearly something strange with him being able to do that. Hence he decided to stop prying and considered the village chief as a type of risk that must not be provoked. Unlike Byrne who''s still docile, the village chief had almost lost himself back then berating him for dreaming to leave this village. They went past the manor where they sometimes spent the night together. And finally the training grounds where they last sparred. ¡°We¡¯re here Lotte.¡± Saul stopped in his tracks and stared at him. Just looking at him made Lotte feel guilty with that pretty face of his. ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡± Not wanting to show his change, he tried to sound flat. Saul only smiled at him sweetly. From behind a tree, Byrne appeared carrying a packed bag of belongings. His former ragged clothes were replaced by new and tough leather ones, obviously equipped for traveling. ¡°Byrne? You¡¯re here too?¡± ¡°Have you said your farewell?¡± He said as he stared at the confused Lotte. ¡°Not yet.¡± She shook her head and walked as close as possible towards Lotte, ¡°Can you turn around?¡± ¡°???¡± ¡°Please?¡± ¡°¡­ Ok.¡± What can he do if his junior pleaded with him like that? He turned around and felt a little nervous. Questions like what if they hit him unconscious popped up, or what if they suddenly take him into their journey? All of those were quickly shattered and a warm embrace enveloped him from behind with an obvious smaller build. ¡°Saul!?¡± He wanted to break free but decided against it. He felt a little touched that Saul would be this attached to him by the end of their training. Strange thing is¡­ He was feeling something from behind that should not be there. Maybe it was just because of the leather clothes? ¡°Ahem. The young lord has something to give to you.¡± ¡°???¡± Why is Byrne suddenly talking for Saul? ¡°Don¡¯t turn around no matter what.¡± ¡°¡­ Okay?¡± He felt light touch putting something in his neck. He realized that it''s a necklace. Along with that is the strange feeling at the back of his mind, like there''s something he¡¯s about to realize. ¡°So it has come to this?¡­ I understand.¡± ¡®I wish I did too.¡¯ Lotte figured that Saul was giving him that strange necklace. He had suspicions about its significance since sometimes it would seem to be anew instead of the usual rusty and old appearance. But why give it to him? Why can''t Saul talk? Is this some sort of play or prank? He then shivered and heard a whisper in his ear. It was a female voice. Strangely enough, he just knew that he heard it before, but the memories were nowhere to be found. From that whisper, strange knowledge came to his mind. How to utilize the necklace, how to refill its power, and what are the conditions to use it. One of the conditions was the user has to be someone precious enough to its previous owner. Meaning that he was precious to Saul, that kid. Once again his heart felt touched. He wanted to ruffle his hair at this moment. But whose voice was that whisper? ¡°In the Imperial Academy. Please¡­ Let¡¯s meet again in two years.¡± The voice from behind gave him a gentle push, ¡°Please, be well. Goodbye.¡± The world slowed down as it all came to him. Saul¡¯s memories in his mind had turned to normal. The memories that had been repressed returned and the Saul he knew in each of the moments they spent together became completely different. He forgot to turn around for a while. The significance of this moment had to be considered or figured out. When he came to a few seconds later, Byrne and Saul were gone. As if they vanished in thin air. He mustered up his courage or just didn¡¯t care, but he ran forward with all his might. To no avail. What came to view was the village chief''s abode instead. And it was the last thing where he wanted to be right now. That place gave him a sense of danger that wasn''t there before. The time he needs to cross is upon him not until tomorrow. So he didn¡¯t chase any further. ¡®Shit. I was set up. For whom was this type of plot supposed to be?¡¯ His mind whirled. This kind of development is usually reserved for a certain kind of character. A main lead. A main heroine. Was Saul someone who¡¯s supposed to be one? With this kind of backstory? What prompted her to show her true self? ¡®Am I in someone who''s a potential protagonist?¡¯ That would be a pleasant surprise. But recalling the synopsis of the novel clearly stated that Arlen was the protagonist, a failed hero and awakener who transmigrates into a new body. ¡®Did that entity make me a variable?¡¯ he recalled the entity that sent him here because they argued. If so, the goddess of this world won¡¯t just let him be. The existence of theocracy means that a goddess is watching over this world. But nothing happened so far. ¡®Maybe due to lack of interfering power? An oath? Or some other sort of restriction?¡¯ Once again the lack of knowledge about the story stumped him. What was there and wasn''t before was ¡®him¡¯ for certain. ¡®Let''s think about it slowly and calm down.¡¯ While walking back he analyzed his own situation once again. First, he formed a hypothesis on how the original events were supposed to go. With that kind of revelation from Saul it was safe to say that the seven years he spent there were for experiencing the backstory stage of the story. An added extra that was not supposed to be there. At the point he came here, he witnessed his sisters being born, and his mother dying. Why was he in that moment and not at the start of chapter one? ¡®Significance.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know what, but there must be some meaning. A reason why it had to be that way. He was meant to experience his own, or this character''s backstory. Then becoming part of a major character and heroine¡¯s backstory too. ¡®Come to think of it, was that her real name?¡¯ Well, since he called her as Saul, he would keep doing so. ¡®She said to meet in the imperial academy.¡¯ As if she was pleading too. It''s a promise he could easily keep, since its one of his destinations. The problem is. He stole one of the main heroine¡¯s hearts? That was the best way to put it. He was no stranger to developments like these. He had to admit, Saul will probably grow even more beautiful in the future and catch the protagonist''s attention somehow. Or maybe the other way around. But does that mean¡­ He¡¯s going to be in opposition to the protagonist? ¡®Shit. Do I have to fight someone with plot armor?¡¯ As much as he liked the plot armor of protagonists, he didn¡¯t want to be on the receiving end of it. It was still early in the night but he already wanted to sleep. All this convoluted information with nowhere to fit into was in his head. As instant as the moment he thought about it, the countdown came into view. It had changed its color at some point. It was now blood red as if hinting at a grim future. ¡°Damn, please don¡¯t do this.¡± Surely, that entity will appear again right? He wanted to ask so many questions and maybe, ask for some freebies that could help him too. Lotte came to a sudden halt. He had yet to enter the village, but it has come to his view. Some distance over, he could see a silhouette. Some he hadn¡¯t seen for a long time were standing there. ¡°Tonight''s certainly a night to be celebrated.¡± The figure walked over, revealing a gentleman just past his middle ages. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Lotte?¡± It was the village chief. ¡®He really appeared at the right moment.¡¯ As if the world is telling him that somethings up, a dangerous character was right before him. ¡®Is this an ambush?¡¯ ¡°Chief¡­¡± he reached out for his waist instinctively, only to grasp thin air.