Leaning against the wall was Zentia. Perhaps having overheard the entire conversation inside, she smirked sharply at Kain. Between her smiling lips, her fangs glinted. Kain’s face paled as he hesitated.
“Uh, um… sorry?”
“You're late. And why’s it a question?”
Tia flicked Kain hard on the forehead. The thud was loud enough to be heard from the side. The pain seemed intense—Kain rubbed his head, sank to the floor, and teared up. Without a shred of remorse, Tia turned away, approached Yuda, and lifted him up in a flash. Her actions and tone were the complete opposite of how she treated Kain.
“Oh, my pretty Yuda. Do you know how worried I was when I heard you collapsed at the temple? Are you hurt anywhere? Are you okay now?”
It seemed calling her pretty had really pleased her.
Feeling the soft warmth of her chest, Yuda nodded.
“It’s not worth worrying about.”
“The captain’s cooking up a storm for once, so let’s eat here. It’s a hassle to cook at home anyway.”
“Let’s clean them out completely.”
Tia grinned widely and planted a quick kiss on his cheek with a smack.
“That’s the spirit.”
Leaving the crouching Kain behind, Yuda was carried in Tia’s arms to the dining hall. Kaseun’s cooking skills were as impressive as ever. His claim of showing off wasn’t empty—the table was laden with hearty dishes from the morning, enough to make the legs buckle under its weight.
Thanks to that, Tia and Yuda ate heartily and to their fill. The mountain of food, enough to bend the table, disappeared quickly once they started eating. With a satisfied expression from the fullness, dessert fruits came out, providing a clean finish.
They chatted pleasantly during and after the meal—ordinary, unremarkable conversation. With no more food to eat and their stomachs full, it felt like time to head home. The lavish breakfast had come to a complete end.
Tia glanced at Yuda and told Kaseun they should probably get going. Kaseun suggested they stay longer, saying it was too soon to leave, but Tia politely declined. It had been an unplanned visit, and the meal was more than enough, she said, so he didn’t press further. They left the mansion and walked along the well-paved road. The noble district was always quiet. As they walked in silence, Tia spoke to Yuda first.
“Why were you so anxious?”
“Huh? Um… was it too obvious?”
Tia nodded.
“A lot. How much can a kid hide their expression anyway?”
This is awkward. If Tia noticed, then Kaseun must have too. It felt like he’d been rude somehow. His wariness toward Kain and thoughts about the future must have shown on his face.
“There wasn’t any special reason. Just… I want to go hunting soon?”
Two years remained until his coming-of-age ceremony. He had to widen the gap with Kain in that time, and nothing was more important than gaining real combat experience.
“Hmm. True, once you get a taste for hunting, it’s hard to let it go.”
Tia seemed to take Yuda’s words at face value, pulling a pipe from her pocket and putting it in her mouth as she replied. She rested her right arm, holding the pipe, lightly across her chest and summoned magic. With a hiss, the end of the pipe lit up on its own. Smoke traveled through the long stem, filling her mouth.
Hooah-
Opening her mouth, a cloud of smoke billowed out.
“You still have the money I gave you yesterday, right?”
“Yes. 5 silver.”
Yuda answered while feeling the coins in his pants pocket. It wouldn’t matter if he had lost them. He already had a decent amount stashed in his 〈Inventory〉 anyway.
“Then, my Yuda, can this pretty big sister keep asking you to do the errands from yesterday?”
So, she wants me to be her errand runner? Tia took a drag of smoke and pointed her pipe at a sandwich shop in the distance.
“Go buy some.”
"Will you wait for me? Or are you going ahead?"
"I'll go ahead. I'll wait at the fountain in the central plaza. You know what I like, right? Get something tasty."
The 5 silver coins she gave him were more than enough. Jingling the coins in his pocket, Yuda looked at the shop. In that brief moment, several people came and went. It was a famous place, but its great taste and generous portions for the price made it a frequent stop for adventurers and mercenaries, keeping it busy regardless of the time of day.
Leaving Tia behind as she leisurely urged him to hurry, Yuda rushed toward the shop. The entrance was wide open. Just as he was about to pass through, someone stepped in at the same time. The narrow doorway meant one of them had to step aside. Yuda looked up at the person extending their foot.
It was a slender woman in comfortable, practical clothes. With blue hair, she met Yuda’s gaze, snapped to attention, gave a small smile, and stepped back.
“Would you like to go first?”
Her voice was cool, but it carried politeness and courtesy, and she used honorifics despite knowing Yuda was young. Nodding slightly in thanks as he started to enter, he caught a glimpse of the necklace around her neck as they brushed past each other.
An unusual necklace.
Hanging from the necklace was, uniquely, a jousting lance pendant with a sapphire embedded in it.
It felt like an accessory he’d seen somewhere. A sudden memory made him pause and turn around. The woman, who’d just started following him inside, looked at him with a puzzled expression.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s nothing. Thank you.”
Seeing her tilt her head, Yuda hurriedly stepped inside. There was no doubt.
She’s a blue lance knight!
The blue lance knights were one of the elite knight orders representing the Byron Empire.
On the battlefield, they wore plate armor enchanted with all manner of magic, blue capes fluttering, wielding thick conical lances in one hand and rectangular tower shields in the other. With overwhelming defense, they blocked enemy attacks, pushed forward, and shattered enemy formations.
When the Byron Empire was founded, several kingdoms staked their fates in battle, only to be annihilated by the blue lance knights and fall. Having built their reputation, the knights continued to fight on the front lines whenever war broke out, even after the empire solidified its power.
They were the first to charge and the last to retreat, securing the rear for their allies’ safe withdrawal. The blue lance knights didn’t care about status. Talent was prioritized above all.
If deemed talented, they endured grueling training and had to survive to earn the label of apprentice knight. However, apprentices weren’t full members. Uniquely, they were given three years to roam freely and act independently.
For those three years, they traveled and operated on their own. The freedom was meant to let them wander, gain diverse experiences, and return.
They could train under waterfalls in the mountains to hone their skills.
They could slay magical beasts for the empire’s people.
They could register as mercenaries or adventurers to build their fame.
After three years of wandering, they’d get a chance at a test and interview.
Passing meant advancing from apprentice to mid-tier blue lance knight. From that moment, they’d enjoy wealth, honor, and exceptional treatment while carrying out missions. She must have come here to rise above her apprentice status.
Yuda was already certain she was a blue lance knight. She carried no armor, shield, or weapon—symbols of a knight—but that was only natural for a blue lance knight.
This was a world where magic was commonplace. Like knight orders representing kingdoms or empires, the blue lance knights’ armor, shields, and even weapons were engraved with magic, allowing storage in a subspace. By channeling magic through their bodies, they could summon particles from the air and fully equip themselves, like magical girls transforming.
But beyond all that, the one reason Yuda was certain she was a blue lance knight was simple: the jousting lance-shaped pendant around her neck. That was the biggest proof. Glancing at her as she followed him into the shop, Yuda muttered quietly.
'Status window.'
──────────────────────────────
「Status Window」
[Name: Jeanne Atruare]
[Title: None]
[Real name: Wolf of the Blue Moon]
[Level: 16]
[Class: Blue Lance Knight (B)]
[Race: Human]
[Strength: 30(D) / Potential A]
[Stamina: 33(D) / Potential S]
[Agility: 27(D) / Potential B]
[Mana: 37(D) / Potential B]
[Mana Resistance: 51(C) / Potential S]
[Charisma: 5(F) / Potential A]
[Knowledge: 18(F) / Potential B] ◀ Special
[Luck: 56(C) / Potential C] ◀ Special
[Favorability: 0 (Neutral)]
[Trust: 0 (Neutral)]
「Traits 3/5」
[Blue Moon] - Rank: A
[Wolf’s Blessing] - Rank: A
[Apprentice Blue Lance Knight] - Rank: D
「Skills 4/5」
[Guardian Spirit of the Nation] - Rank: A
[Chivalry] - Rank: B
[Imperial Shield Technique - Blue Lance Knight] - Rank: B
[Imperial Lance Technique - Blue Lance Knight] - Rank: B
──────────────────────────────
Seeing the status window pop up, Yuda was startled when he confirmed her name. It was a name he knew well—no, a name he remembered. She was the first person listed in his 〈Records〉 under “Companions to Recruit If Possible.” He had wondered if it might be her since a blue lance knight was here, but to think it was actually her. Yuda glanced at her while picking out sandwiches. She seemed to be deliberating over which of the appetizingly sliced sandwiches to choose.
Yuda moved the sandwiches he’d buy onto his wooden tray with tongs, checking her info again.
‘Jeanne Atruare.’
Sorry to compare her to Tia, but Jeanne had far greater potential, with higher-ranked skills and traits. If he could take a companion, he’d want her. But it was impossible now. In a game, he could approach her, complete a preset quest, and recruit her, but sadly, this was reality.
Approaching her out of the blue with zero favorability and trust might cause a misunderstanding. And what would she think if a kid suddenly came up and said, “Please be my companion!”?
Her presence in Serenia Castle meant fate was flowing like the game, according to his knowledge. If so, he could undertake the hidden quest to recruit her two years from now, on his coming-of-age day. When the time came, he could naturally make her his companion.
Yuda went to the counter to pay for the bread. He might have bought a bit too much, as 5 silver coins were turned into 7 copper coins.
He glanced once more at her back as she still deliberated, then left the shop without lingering.
If it’s fate, we’ll meet again before the quest.
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
***Author’s Note**
Yes, everyone.
Just trust me and follow along.
Even if that path leads to a cliff or a desert where water’s hard to find.
We’ll reach the destination.
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