As I turned to head back inside the house, I noticed Charlie standing near the wooden wall, supporting himself lightly with one hand. He had come outside quietly at some point and was watching me from there.
For a moment, I wondered how long he had been standing there.
I walked toward him.
"Charlie, when did you come out?" I asked.
"Only a few minutes ago, young master," he replied calmly.
His gaze remained on me for a moment, thoughtful and observant, before he spoke again.
"Your ability is truly unique, young master."
Hearing that made me feel slightly awkward. I rubbed the back of my neck and let out a small, embarrassed laugh.
"Haha… let us go inside. All that practice made me hungry," I said, trying to shift the conversation.
Charlie gave a small nod, a faint smile appearing on his face.
Together, we walked back inside the house, leaving the quiet pond and morning practice behind.
---
A few days passed after that, and life gradually returned to its usual rhythm.
Charlie's leg healed steadily, and before long, he was able to walk properly again without needing support. The slight stiffness remained at first, but even that slowly disappeared with time. As he recovered, our normal routine resumed.
Every morning began with cultivation beneath the great tree, followed by training and practice near the pond. The quiet area had become the best place for me to test my ability without unnecessary distractions.
On one such day, Charlie and I were practicing there together again.
He stood a short distance away from me, focusing on his own training while facing me. Small controlled fire shots formed from his hands one after another, each one precise and steady as he attacked to test both his control and mine. In response, I repeatedly formed energy shields to block them, using the attacks to strengthen my reaction speed and shield stability. At the same time, I also practiced shaping different types of energy weapons, forming swords, spears, and other simple weapons to launch my own attacks toward him during our training.
As I continued practicing, I noticed someone standing some distance away near the entrance, quietly watching us.
I stopped and lowered my hand, letting the energy shield in front of me dissolve into faint fragments. My attention shifted fully toward the unfamiliar figure.
The person did not move. He simply stood there calmly, watching our practice with what looked like quiet enjoyment, as if he was interested in observing rather than interrupting.
I glanced briefly toward Charlie. He had noticed him as well and was already watching carefully.
Without saying anything, I began walking in that direction. Charlie followed a step behind me, his expression calm but alert.
As we got closer, I was finally able to observe the person more clearly.
He looked around the same age as me and was dressed like most of the barbarians in the village, with only his lower body covered in leather. Unlike many of the warriors who were heavily built, his body was lean and wiry, carrying more speed than brute strength. A few dark tattoos ran across his arms and stretched over part of his chest, giving him a slightly sharper appearance.
There was nothing openly hostile in his expression. In fact, he seemed strangely relaxed, almost friendly.
When Charlie and I stopped in front of him, I spoke first.
"Can I help you with something?" I asked politely.
He looked at me carefully for a moment, as if confirming something, before asking, "Skra-Arthur?"
I gave a small nod. "Yes, I am Arthur."
The man lowered his head slightly in a small respectful bow.
"Leader wants you meet," he said.
I frowned slightly, confused by the sudden message.
"Leader? Who leader?" I asked instinctively.
Then the meaning clicked in my mind.
I looked at him again and asked more carefully, "You mean the village leader?"
He nodded once in confirmation.
I glanced briefly toward Charlie before turning back to him.
"Why would he want to see me?" I asked, unable to hide my confusion.
The man gave a small smile, as if he had expected that question.
"Skra-knows when you go," he replied calmly.
I looked at him quietly, studying his expression for a moment.
Why is he speaking so nicely to me?
Other than a few people like Vaela, Sham, and Rokar, most of the barbarians either ignored me or made their dislike obvious because I was an outsider. This kind of respectful tone was unusual, especially from someone I had never met before.
For a moment, I wondered if something had happened in the village without me knowing.
Still, there was no reason to refuse. If the village leader had called for me, avoiding it would only create more problems.
I gave a small nod. "Alright," I said calmly. "Lead the way."
With that, the man turned and began leading the way through the village, and Charlie and I followed behind him toward the leader's house.
As we walked, I noticed him occasionally taking small side glances at me. It was subtle, almost as if he was trying not to make it obvious, but noticeable enough for me to catch.
Each time I noticed it, he would simply continue walking as if nothing had happened.
What is with him? Why is he looking at me like that?
The thought crossed my mind more than once, but I chose not to ask. For now, I simply continued walking beside Charlie, observing him quietly.
After a few moments of silence, the man suddenly spoke without turning around.
"Skra-name Sylva," he said.
I looked at him briefly, slightly surprised by the sudden introduction, then gave a small nod.
"I am Arthur," I replied, even though he clearly already knew that.
Sylva gave a faint smile and continued walking ahead, while I remained slightly confused by how friendly he was being.
As we continued walking through the village, something else gradually caught my attention.
People were looking at me.
That itself was not unusual. Ever since I arrived here as an outsider, people often stared. Most of the time, their expressions carried suspicion, dislike, or quiet judgment. I had grown used to the cold looks and the whispers that followed whenever I passed by.
But this time, something felt different.
The villagers were still whispering among themselves, and many eyes followed me as I walked past, but there was no scoffing, no mocking expressions, and no obvious hostility like before.
Instead, many of them looked shocked… and impressed.
Some stared at me with wide eyes, while others whispered to the person beside them as if confirming whether what they had heard was true. A few even smiled when they looked at me, but it felt less like simple friendliness and more like disbelief mixed with respect.
That surprised me more than anything.
It was such a strange change that I found myself glancing around more than once, wondering if I was misunderstanding what I was seeing. The same people who usually treated me like I did not belong here were now looking at me as if I had suddenly become someone important.
What is wrong with everyone today?
The thought repeated in my mind as we continued walking through the village. The strange looks from the villagers, the whispers, and even the way Sylva was speaking to me made no sense.
I looked toward the man leading us.
"You said your name was Sylva, right?" I asked.
He turned slightly while walking and gave me a relaxed smile.
"Yes, Brother Arthur," he replied.
I nearly stopped walking.
Brother?
For a brief moment, I simply stared at him. I kept my expression calm, but inside, I was completely confused. No one here addressed me like that, except maybe Vaela and Rokar. Most people either ignored me or made it very clear that I was still an outsider.
And now this man was calling me brother?
I forced myself to stay composed and let out a quiet breath.
With a faint smile, I asked, "Can I ask you something?"
Sylva nodded lightly. "Yes," he replied calmly.
I glanced around briefly at the villagers again before turning my attention back to Sylva. Something had clearly changed, and I was no longer willing to keep guessing.
"Did something happen in the village?" I asked. "Why is everyone looking at me like that? They all look shocked."
Sylva answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Skra-all impressed."
I lost my composure for a moment. "Huh?!"
The word escaped before I could stop it. I quickly cleared my throat and forced myself to calm down.
Then, in a much slower voice, I asked again, "They are… impressed by me?"
Sylva nodded as if there was nothing strange about it.
I stared at him, completely confused.
"Why?"
He looked at me with slight surprise before asking, "Skra-not know what you did?"
I simply looked at him for a moment before slowly shaking my head in denial. When I glanced toward Charlie, even he looked just as confused as I was.
I simply looked at him for a moment before slowly shaking my head, as if saying I had no idea. When I glanced toward Charlie, even he looked just as confused as I was.