[Ariel's POV]
A bright day, cool air, and a tranquil atmosphere—for some reason, I find myself preferring this rural environment over the bustle of city life. Currently, I am in Nourin Village to help heal several sick residents.
"There, all finished. Your back shouldn't hurt anymore, Grandma."
"Ah, thank you, Sister Ariel. Thanks to you, I won't be constantly waking up from this aching lumbago."
"Don't worry about it. It's my duty to heal those in pain," I said, offering her a smile.
After treating several villagers and teaching the children to read and write, my work here for the day was done. I packed my belongings and headed toward the pickup point.
A month has passed since the disappearance of the villagers and the extermination of the Vampires who kidnapped them. After those horrifying events, the residents of the villages within the Margraviate Cataluna can finally live in peace again, returning to their work with cheerful faces.
On my way to the pickup point, I saw the group of children I had been teaching playing in a field.
"Hompimpah alaium gambreng! Ibu Icah pakai baju rombeng!"
"Ah, now it's Dio and Sena's turn to seek!" the children shouted, pointing at a young boy and girl.
They were playing hide-and-seek. To choose the seeker, they used Hompimpa, where everyone shows either the palm or the back of their hand. The one who shows a hand different from the majority becomes the Seeker.
"Ugh... me again? I'm the seeker again?" Dio said, pouting.
"Don't slow me down, Dio!" Sena added, looking competitive.
"Ah, it's Sister Ariel!" one of the children suddenly shouted, noticing me.
They all came running, swarming around me.
"Sister Ariel! Do you want to play with us?"
"I want to be found by Sister! It would be so much fun!"
They tugged at my sleeves and cloak, begging me to join. These children are always so energetic whenever I'm around.
"I'm sorry, I can't right now," I replied. "I have to head back to the city. Maybe another time, okay?"
Their faces fell into pouts. I wanted to comfort them, but I couldn't stay any longer as evening was approaching.
"Sister Ariel, are you heading back to the city?"
An elderly man approached me. He was the village head, known by the residents as Old Man Hughes.
"That's right, Mr. Hughes. I'll be back in this village in four days," I told him.
"Thank you for your help today, Sister Ariel. We look forward to your next visit," the Village Head said.
"Hmm... is that a newspaper in your hand, Mr. Hughes?" I asked.
"Indeed. There was some very interesting news from our neighbor—the Duchy of Grenaut—a few days ago," he replied, handing the paper to me.
I scanned the information. The headline read: 'The Hero Has Been Chosen.'
It stated that a man named Brian successfully defeated a Dragon attacking Grenaut City by summoning the Holy Sword Excalibur.
Brian... I had a feeling he had the qualities of a hero. He truly is remarkable. It's been over a month since I last saw him. I wonder how he's doing? How is he handling being the chosen Hero? I would love to talk to him.
However, because of the promise he made with Raul, we cannot speak to one another.
I... cannot let myself fall behind Brian. We promised to be the best in our respective fields. With his status as a Hero, Brian will undoubtedly become the finest Knight in the Empire.
I don't want to lose either... but only a Saint holds a status equal to or higher than a Hero. And I... am not even among the candidates to be chosen as a Saint.
Thinking about this made my heart feel heavy.
***
[Brian's POV]
I... don't know what will happen from here on out.
A day after we defeated the dragon, a man claiming to be a representative of the Temple Authority approached me. He said the Temple and the Empire would soon take me to begin official Hero training. Once finished, they would inaugurate me and introduce me to the world as the new Hero of this century.
Currently, I'm heading to Alcantara Fortress, where I'm staying temporarily after helping the citizens clear the rubble left by the dragon's rampage. Upon entering the main gate, I noticed the Inquisitors and Aques in the courtyard suddenly stop what they were doing to watch me walk by. It made me a bit nervous.
"Hey, isn't he a bit too young?"
"True, but many of our comrades saw him take down that dragon with the holy sword."
"I didn't want to believe it, but facts are facts. He is the chosen Hero."
As usual, they were whispering about the rumors. To be honest, I wanted to tell them that the one who played the biggest role was the masked man who actually summoned Excalibur. However, the Inquisitors told me never to speak of him—to act as if he was never there. They didn't want the public to know the city was saved by a Heretic.
Entering the main lobby, I headed toward my room to change, but a voice called out to me. Turning around, I saw a knight in black armor approaching.
"You're that Brian everyone's talking about, aren't you?" the man asked.
"Black armor with a Dragon emblem on the chest... You are one of the nine Holy Knights—Remilio de Banderra?" I muttered.
"You recognize me, haha!" he laughed.
"Of course! You're the Holy Knight known as the 'Metal Knight,' Remilio!"
He is one of the two Holy Knights from the Aragon Empire. Holy Knights are the elite Senior Inquisitors chosen from various lands. If I recall correctly, Remilio is only in his late 20s, making him one of the youngest Holy Knights alongside Princess Lunaria Angevin.
"May I see your sword, Brian?" he asked.
I nodded and handed Excalibur to him. He examined the golden blade, tracing the Runes etched into the metal.
"Every knight dreams of holding this, you know. Including me when I was younger," he said, looking awestruck. "You are very lucky to be chosen by this sword, Brian," he added, handing it back.
I felt a pang of guilt. I wasn't the one who summoned it; the masked man was.
"The Temple Authority is still deciding which of the nine Holy Knights will be your mentor," Remilio said. "I hope we can work together if I am chosen, Brian."
The Holy Knight offered a handshake, and I gladly accepted. It's rare for a Squire like me to have the chance to meet such a legendary figure.
"Want to train with me after this?" Remilio asked.
"Absolutely! I'd love to learn from someone like you!"
At my enthusiastic response, the Holy Knight smiled and led the way to the training grounds. I followed closely, already wondering what kind of techniques he would show me.
***
[Raul's POV]
Three days have passed since the battle in Grenaut City.
To make a long story short, many Inquisitors wanted to arrest me immediately after the dragon was defeated. However, Brian stopped them because we had performed the Blood Pact. If they violated the deal, the city's new hero would die instantly. As a result, I was able to leave the city without a single Inquisitor following me.
The next issue is the Vampires. It's certain they are still lurking in this country; they were the ones who resurrected Syrax to chaos. It seems their goal was to confirm Brian's identity for a future assassination plot. But with Grenaut's security tightened, I doubt they'll move for a few days.
I tried talking to Emilia about planning for another vampire attack, but she said her father considered the case closed a month ago. Without solid evidence, the Marquis won't act.
"Here is your drink, Captain Raul."
A woman with maroon hair handed me my order. This was Melissa, the daughter of the tavern owner. I always come here after my patrol shifts. Honestly, I shouldn't come here so often, but she reminds me of Liana—my ex-girlfriend from my previous world. Melissa's smile and mannerisms are almost identical to Liana's.
"Huh? Is something wrong, Captain Raul? Why are you staring?" Melissa smiled.
"It's nothing. I just noticed you look a bit tired," I replied. "The tavern opened late today, too. Have you been busy with something else lately?"
"Just logistics. It's been hard to get ingredients for some of our menu items recently," Melissa answered. "I heard the Duchy of Grenaut was attacked by a monster? Trade routes to this area have been disrupted, haven't they?"
"That's right, a dragon went on a rampage there," I answered casually. "But don't worry, the soldiers handled it. Life will return to normal once the recovery is complete."
"I see. Will soldiers from other areas be moved there to help with security?" she asked.
I looked into her eyes. A tavern maid with an interest in national security? I wanted to laugh, but I stayed professional.
"Several battalions from other regions were indeed deployed to help stabilize Grenaut," I told her.
"Is that so? Do you know which battalions were sent?" she pressed.
Sipping my drink, I answered, "One battalion from the Duchy of Hernant, one from Wisperia County, and two from the Capital."
"I see..." Melissa muttered, seemingly deep in thought.
I finished my drink and paid her twenty Kufer coins.
"Ah, leaving so early tonight? Do you have other work?" she asked curiously.
"Yeah... I just realized something," I replied before stepping out.
I headed to the outskirts of Cataluna Fortress to meet an agent sent by Karl Johnson. He was tasked with delivering intelligence reports from the Republic of Venetia.
"Good evening, Boss," the man greeted me at the designated building.
"Karl sent you, Black?" I replied. "What's the word on our intelligence activities in the Republic?"
Black handed me a file. It contained reports from our agents who had successfully infiltrated the military and key departments of the Republic of Venetia. Even if they didn't hold high ranks, it was enough to dig up their recent activities.
"You were right about the thieves in the capital months ago, Boss. They were from the Republic," Black revealed.
Of course. Only they would be so interested in developing firearms in a world of magic. Over 95% of the Republic's population are Non-Sorcerers. The real problem is how they found the technology. Someone must be behind their success.
"We also heard that the Chief of Intelligence for the Republic was killed during that theft. They've replaced him with a new Chief for operations within the Empire," Black said, handing me a slip of paper with a woman's information.
"Siena di Reginossa..."
If I recall correctly, this name didn't exist in the Path of Destiny game. The report identified her as the daughter of the current President of the Republic, Luciano di Reginossa. She had taken over as the Chief of Intelligence for Imperial operations.
"Good work, Black. Are you staying in this fortress for a while?"
"Yes. If you need anything, you can find me here."
"I have a task for you." I leaned in and whispered into his ear. "Understand? Follow her movements, but don't take any risks that might expose the investigation."
"Understood, Boss."
After the meeting, I returned to my room in the barracks to study Black's report. It seems the Republic has begun active intelligence gathering in preparation for the inevitable war.