18 Knights

Streaks of golden light started to skim through the sky, showing that it was already morning.

Mathias open his eyes and saw Melissa and Slade are already sitting beside the bonfire they made roasting some meats, the three of them decided to stay for the night due to him disappearing for more than half an hour.

When he got back, the two didn't say anything and just told him to get some sleep.

Although he had expected them to at least ask where he go to be gone for more than half an hour, it seems they don't really care about him, 'Of course, they're not. I'm just a random stranger that they decided to help. If I run off, it's probably better for them'

Rubbing his eyes a couple of times, he sat up before being given a stick with roasted meat on it.

Feeling his stomach rumbling for not eating anything ever since he went berserk, Mathias graciously accept the roasted meat before he started eating it in silence. Now he's only checking the rewards he gained from finishing the quest.

Due to last night's incident, he now has 3,600 points in his pocket.

While Mathias is busy looking at the system's shop where he could spend the 3,600 points inside his pocket, Melissa and Slade steal a glance at him. Contrary to what Mathias is thinking, their interest in him climbs higher due to last night.

Both of them didn't ask where he was from because they saw what he did.

Mathias terrified the Bugbear and even kills it by choking it to death, that level of strength should be unheard of for someone like him that is not either a Mage or a Knight. Yet they saw him doing it with their own two eyes.

Even if they didn't want to believe it, they can't. It would be a denial if they did.

One conclusive conclusion that both of them reaches is the fact that Mathias probably has an innate gift of strength that puts his strength above the ordinary. Not only that, but they also know that Mathias probably lived a dreadful life.

Melissa and Slade try to follow him after killing the Bugbear, but his senses are quite sharp.

Not wanting to probe into his personal space lest he would run away and they would lose a candidate for the upcoming Knight recruitment that the Black Arden Mage is holding in a couple of days, the two of them decided to let him be and waited patiently for his return.

From the looks of it, he wouldn't run from them, he probably just need space.

With what happened to him and the small town that they find him in the day before yesterday, they find it plausible for him to mourn as he probably lost someone important in the small town. But unknown to them, they are right and wrong at the same time.

"Okay, we'll continue on our way. We can rest when we arrive at the city", Slade said and stands up.

Upon hearing this Melissa also stands up alerting Mathias that is still eating and skimming through the system's shop, he then nodded his head before the three of them get back onto the wagon and Slade whipped the horses signaling to go.

Along the rest of the way, Mathias can't wipe the smile off of his face.

In his hand is a ball of furs that seems to belong to the Bugbear, he decided to bring it with him as a memorial of his first kill. With this he's no longer the same person, he's stronger! Just like what his sister would've wanted.

Just as he thought of that, he remembered that he had a new sister.

Springing up from his laying position, he went to the front and poke Melissa through the front window covered with curtains. Feeling the touch, Melissa opens the curtains with raised eyebrows, "Do you need something? We're about to arrive in an hour"

"I- I need to get to the Avorean Kingdom, can you take me there?", Mathias asked.

Upon hearing this, Melissa looks at Slade for a brief moment before she replied. "I'm afraid that we can't take you there", seeing Mathias's expression dimmed, she quickly added, "It's not that we don't want to, but there's been a problem between our Kingdom and the Avorean Kingdom. Nobody is allowed to go there, even merchants"

Mathias's eyes widened for a second before he slowly looks down, it seems he can't go home now.

If the incident when he went berserk didn't happen then today Alvin would've taken him to Khosa City and taken a wagon to the Avorean Kingdom, but it seems they are bound to fail to know this information from Melissa.

Feeling a heavy heart seeing Mathias's expression, Melissa then asked curiously.

"If you don't mind me asking, why do you need to go to the Avorean Kingdom?"

"My sister is there, I got separated"

Not wanting to elaborate on the fact that he needed money to keep his sister alive and decided to sell his body for a ritual by the Black Ardent Mages which they are a part of, Mathias decided to say that as it's shorter and believable.

Without even glancing back and keeping his eyes on the road, Slade open his mouth and added.

"It's not possible to go to the Avorean Kingdom right now as you are, but there's a way to get there. The only question is do you want to do it? If you want to then you'll meet your sister in a month or so"

"Really? How do I do that?", Mathias asked enthusiastically.

Although he's stronger than he used to be since he killed the Bugbear and also becomes a Werewolf, he still wanted his sister's company just like back when he still have Bealey by his side. But unlike back then, he wanted to be the one protecting instead of being the one protected.

From the moment when Faran protects him from Luke and his friends, something inside him turned.

Mathias doesn't want to hide behind someone's back again. At the very least, he must be able to protect himself in order to survive effectively in this world, he had already taken the weak route, and now he's going to try and take the strong route.

But he must admit that he feels this way due to the fact that he's a Werewolf, and he can't die.

With the Blessing of the Lunar God, he also has some resistance to silver which is the thing that can kill Werewolves back in his home world, and probably still apply in this world since silver is still the universal mineral that can hurt Supernatural Creatures.

"Easy, you just need to become a Knight!", Slade replied with a huge smile on his face.

Upon hearing this Mathias can't help but frown, Knights are the lowest form of nobility but it's still nobility. Gaining that title would mean he needs to do an impressive feat, something that he's definitely incapable of.

Melissa smiled seeing the doubt on Mathias's face, "Don't worry, we'll train you"

Finding Melissa also going through with his decision, Slade turns to look at her in surprise. From the moment he tells Mathias to become a Knight, he decided that he would train Mathias, but he never thought that Melissa would also join in.

Coming from the harsh world, Mathias feels skeptical about the two of them.

Although there are still good people back in his home world, they are rare. People that he met always want something in return, and the two of them should also want something in return to make him a Knight.

"Do you plan to make me a Knight so that you can ask monthly taxes from me?", Mathias asked.

But upon hearing what he said, Melissa and Slade were silent for a moment before in the next second they both burst out laughing. "Why are you two laughing? If you helped me, then you must expect something in return for your help"

Slade rubs his chin, "Hmm... if you say that, maybe I want satisfaction or future help in return?"

"Either way, it's definitely not money", Melissa added.

Mathias is completely at a loss as the two of them don't follow the normal kind of logic, their reasoning for helping him is half-assed and weird. Just then he suddenly realized something, "Wait a minute, are the both of you knights?"

"Of course, so money is not our problem little kid", Slade replied while showing off his armor.

Realizing that Slade is wearing a full-plated armor underneath the black robe, Mathias was utterly surprised as the armor doesn't even make any sound that indicates that Slade is wearing armor, that is what caught him off guard.

It's impossible in his mind, at least it's impossible back in his home world.

"H-How come the armor doesn't make any sound...?", Mathias asked with marveling eyes.

Upon hearing this Slade laughs heartily before he pointed at something that is engraved on his black robe, it's very hard to see it due to the color merging with the black robe. But Mathias can see that there's somekind of drawing in the black robe.

"A rune, this black robe is engraved with a rune that can make one stealthy", Slade replied lightly.

Once again Mathias marveled at the rune as he was completely oblivious to this magical concept, 'These two probably know a lot, maybe I should stick with them and ask them about this world. Clearly, there's more to it than only magic'

With that, the three of them kept going on the road as Slade keeps showing off to Mathias.

About an hour later, the three of them saw a tall wall at the end of the roar.

Mathias can already see peasants farming the land and occasionally glances at the wagon passing them by, other spearmen in few-plated armor also gave Slade and Melissa a salute showing their respect.

It's not that they know Melissa and Slade are knights, they respect the Black Ardent Mage uniform.

Even if Melissa and Slade are not wearing the Black Ardent Mages' uniforms, the spearmen would still salute to them as nobody below a knight can have a wagon, full-plated armor, and also two horses to accompany their journey.

One of them would cost a fortune lest having all of those, it's simply a pipe dream for peasants.

While driving the wagon through the rough and uneven road, Mathias popped his head out of the window knowing that they have just arrived. "Crario City, this is our home and would also be your home in the next month or two", Slade said with a big smile on his face.

It seems he was quite proud of this city that he called home.

Mathias on the other hand can't keep his jaw closed as it's been a long time since he saw a standing city such as this, the Supernatural simply razed everything back in his home town and this is something that he really misses.

A moment later,

Feeling a bit surreal about everything that had happened, Mathias walked into his own room.

Slade and Melissa brought him to the manor they are currently living in, it's a very big compared to the houses they pass by near the main street as this one is located deeper and near the castle of the Lord.

Inside the manor, there's a training field with sand right in the middle with stacked weapons.

Beyond the training field which is definitely used often due to the stain and crack on the sand and cobblestones is the living quarter, there are many rooms addressed with butlers and maids. Mathias is given the room in the corner, it's said to be small but for Mathias, it's very big.

Without wasting any time, Mathias jumped onto the bed and feel the soft mattress sucking him in.

Upon seeing this the maid can only smile lightly before closing the door to let Mathias have his alone time, 'Can't believe that I can feel this kind of place again, this is like 100 times softer than sleeping on the ground!'

'If only sister can feel this too...', he thought solemnly.

Just as he was about to close his eyes a bit more to let himself dwell in comfort, the door to his bed chamber got pushed open as Slade walks in topless and held two swords in his hands. "Who said you can sleep now? If you want to become a Knight and meet your sister, then you need to train until you aren't able to move anymore!"

Slade said before revealing an evil grin, it's not even five minutes yet and he's already here.

"Get ready, I'm going to train you until your body begs to rest..."