2 — Chapter 2

At some point, a turning point that changes one’s life comes to every person.
A beggar might happen to pick up a pouch of gold coins dropped by a rich man.
Or on a drunken night, the person someone argued with and punched in the face might just happen to be the child of a high-ranking noble.

Whether good fortune or bad fortune.
In one way or another, a turning point is bound to come.

Long ago, a wise man said.
That whether one’s life succeeds or fails depends on how one makes use of, or responds to, the turning point given to them.

And here were two people standing at a turning point.

“Aaah! Take me with you! You bought me food! Take responsibility for me!”

A boy who had found good fortune.

“As I already said, I refuse.”

And a man caught in bad fortune.

‘Damn it. My robe is going to tear.’

It was already an old robe as it was.
He had thought it would tear soon, but to think the reason would be a brat clinging to it.
Hoping that he would let go on his own was already hopeless.
If he were that kind of child, he would not have been clinging to him for hours.
He was not clinging to him for money either. If that had been the case, he would have left when Lucas handed him a gold coin.

‘This boy purely wants to follow me.’

Lucas racked his brain.
Was there no good method?
How to swing a sword, how to kill monsters, how to win in combat against people, and so on.
A truly astonishing amount of knowledge was contained in his head.

But even after searching through his head and his experience, he could not find a way to deal with a little beggar clinging to him and demanding to come along. He had only wanted to rest quietly……

After several hours of that meaningless struggle of strength.
Before they knew it, the sky had turned red, and the blowing wind had grown chilly.

‘A good method……’

Because of the knight’s oath, he couldn’t use force either.
Was there no way to detach the brat through proper means?
It seemed like there should be at least one.
No, there had to be.

“Aaah! If you have lots of money and you fight well, you can take someone like me with you! Even if I can’t help, I won’t get in your way! Just let me follow you!”

Perhaps he was the worst possible opponent.
It would have been better to face tens of thousands of demonic beasts instead.

‘As if you wouldn’t get in the way.’

Officially, Lucas was resting.
He had spent his time traveling throughout the continent in search of peace of mind.
Places filled with memories,
famous sites spoken of by the world,
and unknown new islands.
He had spent three years organizing his thoughts in various places.

‘I have not the slightest intention of looking after a child.’

And now, it was about time to bring his rest to an end.
He could no longer leave alone the demonic beasts running rampant throughout the continent.

The cause was unknown, and the speed of the increase was surging.
With the sense of crisis growing, the three empires held a meeting.

The Oratio Empire of humans.
The Natura Empire of elves.
The Calor Empire of dwarves.

Those empires, which had been busy tearing at one another, had gathered to conclude an agreement for everyone.

Compared to the elves or dwarves, the humans’ fighting strength was weak.
An agreement is only fair when both sides possess equal strength.
He had no intention of returning to the imperial court, but at the very least, it was necessary to show that the human side had power as well.

That was why he had intended to bring his rest to an end, only to be threatened by a brat he had never seen before.

“Take me with you! I’ll really work hard!”

Look at that whining face.
He was absolutely not the sort to back down.
Getting involved with someone who does not know how to break their stubbornness becomes exhausting.

“……!”

At that moment, one thought flashed through Lucas’s mind.
Proof of qualification.
It was the first step toward becoming an imperial knight.
It literally meant the act of proving one’s qualifications.

“I’m really confident! All I’ve done since I was born is run and read people, so I have good stamina and I’m good at grasping situations! I’m good at lots of things besides that too. The number of people who got tricked by me—”
“Are you truly confident that you will not get in the way?”
“O-of course!”

At Lucas’s words, suddenly thrown at him, Serpens’s voice cracked.
For hours, he had only said no and refused, yet now he suddenly asked a question.
It was flustering, but it was a hundred times better than refusal.

“I told you I have good stamina and I’m good at grasping situations.”
“I may look like this, but I am a knight all the same. I have to kill demonic beasts throughout the continent and look into the movements of the dwarves and elves. It means living a life where a single mistake, or even a slight gap in skill, can take your head.”
“…….”
“I do not want to face unexpected danger because I am protecting you. That is why, in a dangerous situation, I may abandon you and leave. I am asking if you are confident you will not resent me in such a situation. Accompanying me means walking that kind of path.”

A knight.
Serpens had heard of them too.
Those who protected the empire from monsters like the dragons and minotaurs of myth.
Those who protected the empire from dwarves and elves.

Swords, magic, bows, and the like. If one knew how to use a weapon, if one was strong, one could become a knight.
If one could devote one’s life to the empire, one could become a knight.
But the boy couldn’t.

‘I used to dream of wanting to become a knight.’

Serpens rubbed his nose.

At seven years old, when he knew nothing, he had thought that if he became a knight, he could receive people’s respect.
Now that he was twelve, he knew reality well.
Unless one had overwhelming talent, a beggar could not become a knight.
Even if one had talent, one could not become a knight without luck.

Only with talent and luck could one dream like ordinary people.
Effort alone could not make a dream come true.
That was the life of a beggar.

‘This is a chance that will never come again. If I die after following him, then I die, but I won’t live like a beggar anymore.’

But a chance had appeared for him to escape reality and dream of an ideal.

‘Like hell I’ll miss a chance to change my life.’

That was the judgment Serpens made.

“Even if you cut me down here with that greatsword, I won’t resent you! If you hadn’t saved me earlier, I would already be dead. And what I resent isn’t people, but the world.”
“…….”

Lucas looked down at the boy who barely reached his waist.
Were all beggars like this? From his words alone, he was no different from someone who had gone through all manner of hardships.
No, he probably had gone through all manner of hardships.
Had he not been in a situation where he nearly died only a few hours ago?
It was only natural that one could not expect an ordinary twelve-year-old.

‘He resents the world.’

You grew up far too quickly.
Lucas felt guilt for no reason and turned his head.
The child did not think like a child.
Was the world that child resented not something made by adults like him?

But he could not be swayed by emotion.
Because needless pity often became poison instead.
That was why Lucas made a proposal to the boy.

“Then I will test whether you have the qualifications to accompany me. And if you succeed, I will take you with me.”
“……!”
“I will take you before a demonic beast. Prove that you can kill it. This is the test I give you.”

Lucas made a judgment so rational it was harsh.
It was not a judgment for his own leisure, but for one boy’s life.

Serpens lowered his head and sank into anguish.
But the silence did not last long.
The boy raised his head again and slowly nodded with eyes full of resolve.
After confirming those eyes, Lucas quietly took a step.

Lucas moved farther away toward the horizon where the setting sun hung.

“Hoo……”

The boy followed him with eyes full of conviction.

---

A crescent moon hung in the sky.
The stars flickered uneasily, and the cool wind had turned rough.

Shff. Shff.

The sound of two people’s footsteps crossing a wide field.
The small feet chasing the person ahead were full of hesitation.

‘How long do we have to keep walking……?’

Serpens wondered if the soles of his feet had been torn open.
He had always been confident in his stamina, at least.

But to do nothing but walk from when the sun was high in the sky until the crescent moon rose.
He had braced himself, but it was not at all easy from the start.

‘My back feels like it’s going to snap.’

He kept loosening his body, but the pain quickly returned.
If one walked over lava after suddenly growing old, it might feel exactly like this.

As if he had noticed the boy’s condition, Lucas spoke firmly.

“As I said, I will not help you until you give up. Even if your life is in danger.”
“I know.”

Serpens fiddled with the dagger in his hand.
It was the blade Lucas had handed him around the time the setting sun was falling, along with an explanation of the test.

‘I have to kill a wolf with this.’

The test Lucas had given was to take down one Horn Wolf alone.
He said a Horn Wolf was only a slightly violent wild wolf with horns.

Strength entered Serpens’s hand.

‘Can I do it? The only animals I’ve killed until now are rats and rabbits.’

The words of a hunter from the village circled in Serpens’s head.
If it was an animal, you could catch it by stabbing only the nape of its neck.
Since he was called a fairly capable hunter, it was reliable information.

‘Right, he said even if it’s a demonic beast, it isn’t much different from a wild wolf. Let’s just think of it as an animal.’

In truth, even if he thought of it as not being a demonic beast, his worries did not fade.
A wolf.
Wasn’t it a dangerous animal even for a sturdy grown man?
Could he really kill a wolf with a body that had no flesh on it, let alone muscle?

Slap!

Serpens slapped his own cheek.
He shook his head hard and corrected his thoughts.

He had to do it. He had gone through all this hardship walking here to take the test, so he couldn’t go back because of one wolf.

‘It’s one. If I catch just one, I can escape the petty thief life.’

The boy struggled to calm his pounding heart.

Awoooo!

As if mocking Serpens, a beast’s cry rang across the field.

“It has appeared.”

Lucas’s calm words.
Those words, tossed out lightly, shook Serpens’s heart once again.

‘In front? Behind? Where is it? Where!’

Serpens’s head whipped back and forth.

“Calm down.”

Lucas’s rough hand was placed on the boy’s head.
Lucas’s hand slowly turned.
Following it, Serpens’s head and gaze moved as well.

Keong! Keokeong!

“Do you see it?”

The boy nodded weakly.

A single beast was running from not far away.
Flickering red eyes and two protruding horns.
A beast that seemed like the very image of a demon was crossing the field and approaching.

‘Kill that? How does that look like just a wild wolf? That’s a monster……’

Serpens’s eyes shook violently.
His two arms and legs trembled.
The closer the demonic beast’s barking came, the more violent the trembling became.

Before he knew it, fear had settled into the eyes that had been shining with resolve.
Lucas spoke to the boy, who seemed to be hesitating.

“Did you not say you were confident?”
“T-that was!”

The distance to the Horn Wolf gradually shrank.
There was less and less room to hesitate, and less and less time to think.

“Did you not say you would not be a hindrance while accompanying me? Yet you tremble before a mere wolf?”
“But!”

Keogeong!

The Horn Wolf was reflected in Serpens’s eyes.
The next time he blinked.
Those massive teeth would pierce his throat.

Lucas spoke firmly until the end.

“If you wish to escape your cruel reality, prove yourself, boy.”
“Damn it!”

Serpens gripped the dagger with both hands.
It was a clumsy stance no matter who looked at it.
Even the beast could tell that the small boy was frightened.

Kyao!

At the same time, a sharp cry rang out, and the Horn Wolf lunged at Serpens.

Swish.

Serpens quickly rolled to the side and dodged.
Without even giving him time to fix his posture, the Horn Wolf lunged again.

Wham.

“Ugh!”

A massive forepaw aimed for the boy’s head.
He hurriedly blocked it with his left arm, but what came back was immense pain.
His mind grew hazy from the sudden impact.
Was his arm broken? Whatever the case, it seemed he would not be able to use his left hand for a while.

The one-sided attacks continued, and the pain accumulated.
But the more the pain grew, the more venom began to rise in him along with hatred for his past life.

‘Like hell I’ll lose…… to a damn son of a bitch!’

Serpens gritted his teeth.

Prove yourself.
Lucas had given Serpens a chance to change his life.
The boy didn’t want to lose that chance.

Once again, the wolf’s forepaw drew a massive arc.

Shk.

An attack he barely reacted to.
He avoided a fatal blow, but blood began to flow from where the claws grazed him.

‘Just one blow. Let’s aim for one blow.’

No matter how it looked, a beast was still a beast.
To win in a situation where he was inferior in both physical ability and experience, he had to use his head.
If he could not even do that……
Then even if he lived as a beggar, he had no right to blame the world.

But a chance to land that one blow did not come easily.
As the Horn Wolf’s attacks continued, wounds increased all over Serpens’s body.
Pain and fatigue gradually piled up.
Before long, even dodging began to reach its limit.

At that moment, one plan came to the boy’s mind.
If one calculated the odds, it was close to a gamble.
But if that was truly the only way to break through the situation,
could it not be seen as a clever move rather than a gamble?

If he failed, it would be a meaningless death.
But if this dog’s death was a struggle for a better life,
it would be a hundred times better than returning to Satus and repeating the past.

Thud!

“Keheok!”

And in that instant, his breath stopped.
The Horn Wolf drove into the boy’s abdomen with its weight behind it.
Fortunately, he was not stabbed by its horns, but the impact sent his body flying into the air.

Thud. Rrrroll-.

Serpens twitched and coughed.
Seeing him full of openings, the Horn Wolf let out a cry.

Kyaooo!

The Horn Wolf opened its massive mouth and lunged.
A leap to sever its prey’s breath.
It did not take long for the demonic beast to pounce on Serpens.

Shk!

Amid the scattering dust.
A wretched sound rang out fiercely.

Step. Step.

Lucas, who had been quietly watching the situation, began to move.
The tragic sight before his eyes.
There was a boy covered in blood, and over him lay the Horn Wolf.

‘Crazy brat.’

Lucas silently held out his hand.

Snatch.

“Keheok! Keuhak! Hooha……”

A blood-red hand grabbed his.
It was Serpens’s hand as he noisily breathed out.

“W…… would this much…… count as proof?”

His trembling hand spoke for the boy’s critical condition.

‘He pretended to collapse, drew the attack in, and stabbed the dagger under its jaw.’

Without answering, Lucas turned his gaze toward the demonic beast that had become a corpse.
The familiar handle of the dagger lodged under its jaw.
It was the dagger he had given Serpens.

‘Should I call him bold, or reckless……?’

Lucas had not thought Serpens would succeed.
No, to begin with, it was not a proposal he had given expecting him to succeed.
It was a demonic beast that would only become an even fight against a sturdy grown man.
Though he had driven the boy into it, he had not wanted him to die.
That was why he had intended to frighten him moderately, save him once he asked for help, and then detach the boy from him……

‘For someone holding a sword for the first time, unable to overcome fear, this would be difficult even for an adult. He said he was twelve, didn’t he? If only the place he was planted had not been barren soil, this is a talent that would have borne fruit to some degree.’

“No, was it because it was barren that it could hold fruit?”

Awoooo!
Keong! Keogeong!

Then, from the other side of the field, the cries of enraged demonic beasts rang out.
A common trait of beast-type demonic beasts. They lived in packs.
The beasts that had lost their comrade bared their teeth toward the two of them.

“Lu……cas.”

Serpens was terrified.
His body was in critical condition. He might die.
The places where that wolf bastard had bitten and cut him would not stop bleeding, and the places struck by its forepaws throbbed as if the muscles had been torn.
Amid all that, countless demonic beasts reflected in the moonlight.
All the boy could do was look at Lucas with pitiful eyes.

“Chew and eat it slowly.”

Tok.

Lucas handed Serpens a single golden bead.
No matter how he looked at it, it seemed more like an ornament than food.
Its appearance made one doubt whether it was all right to chew it.

Shhk.

Lucas’s hand moved toward the massive greatsword.

Keogeogeong! Kyao!

In the meantime, the pack of Horn Wolves surrounding them numbered at least forty.
It was a scale more than enough to turn the village Serpens had lived in into ruins.

“Lucas……? Are you all right?”

Serpens suddenly felt guilt.
If he had not insisted on following him around, this man would not have been placed in danger.
It had truly been a long time since he had felt worried about someone else, or sorry toward someone else.

Meanwhile, Lucas, who had picked up his sword, slowly took his stance.
There was no answer to the boy’s question.
He only stared at the demonic beasts baring their teeth.

A brief moment passed, and the pack of demonic beasts rushed at the two of them.
At the same time, strength entered Lucas’s right hand.

Whoosh!

A standard stance without a single unnecessary movement.
The blade started from the right and stopped on the left.
It was a basic horizontal slash that required neither difficult technique nor overwhelming strength.
If there was anything special about it, it was only that its speed could not be followed by the eye.

Kwagagagagaga!

In an instant, the gust of pressure from his swing washed over the pack of beasts.
The demonic beasts were cut in half without being able to let out even a single scream.
By the time Lucas put the greatsword back on his back, even the clouds in the sky had been split in half.

“Ha…… haha!”

An astonishing sight he could not even comprehend.
Serpens let out a hollow laugh.

His body trembled.
It was not because of pain, nor because of fear.

Shhk.

Lucas held out his hand toward the boy.

“……You succeeded in proving yourself. So I will keep my promise.”

What made the boy tremble,
was awe.