The Young Knight

As for Han Dong's claim that he had taught himself.

Barton Forges was only half-convinced.

Han Dong had now passed through Destiny Space and allocated relevant points to Mysticism, making it impossible to determine whether he truly had taught himself.

They would have to wait for the other investigator to gather intelligence and compile the findings.

That was right.

This was a regulation established by the council in the Holy City.

The Knight Order was humanity's hope.

Any Knight-Errant who entered the Royal Knights Academy for further study and training had to have not only their talents and abilities recognized, but also their background and experiences verified.

This prevented any possibility that might threaten the foundations of the Holy City.

Barton Forges had been assigned by his superiors as Valen Nicholas's "supervisor," tasked with investigating his background during the three days before enrollment and uncovering every potential danger this Returner might pose.

Barton was simply carrying out his duties.

"Hmm... if that is truly the case, then your frail body became an important opportunity for you to delve into Mysticism. Very good. I look forward to your future performance."

"Knight Barton, I have a few questions."

Han Dong seized this rare chance to be alone with the lofty knight and asked some in-depth questions.

He still had many doubts about Destiny Space and career choices.

At the same time, he could use the questions to steer the conversation away, preventing Barton from probing too deeply into certain "details."

"Ask."

"The Destiny System says that I need to allocate at least five Destiny Points to a primary profession in order to develop it and unlock the Talent Tree... Is it possible to study other professions as well?"

"It is, but I would not recommend it... Once you unlock the Talent Tree, you will naturally understand.

You will find that there are simply never enough points, and obtaining them becomes increasingly difficult later on. You will not be able to gain them merely through trials in Destiny Space; you must also meet certain necessary conditions. There simply will not be spare points for pursuing other professions.

Besides, the Talent Tree has many branches, more than enough to satisfy your pursuit of different kinds of power.

Take Mysticism, the profession you chose. It has distinctions such as the body, the soul, or long-range spellcasting."

"I understand."

Destiny Space had also advised Han Dong to choose one primary profession and not spread himself too thin.

Now, it seemed that advice was indeed correct.

Once the Talent Tree was unlocked, it would require a massive investment of points, while Destiny Points would become increasingly difficult to obtain.

Han Dong continued asking:

"I only learned a little about Mysticism from some discarded books... Although I have allocated Destiny Points to Mysticism, I still do not know how to use the related abilities. Can I learn through external books at the academy?"

"That is right. Allocating Destiny Points merely allows us to step onto the corresponding path.

How you continue down that path will still depend on your own efforts... The academy will recommend the most suitable skills based on your primary profession and areas of expertise.

There will also be knight mentors to guide you.

I hear the knight mentors in the Mysticism Department are all rather strange. You should prepare yourself mentally."

"Mm! Thank you, sir."

After draining his large mug of malt beer, Barton said seriously:

"In any case, prepare yourself well! The next Destiny Event will have you entering alongside Knight-Errants of the same rank, and the difficulty will rise sharply... I need not explain the relevant information. Someone at the academy will naturally go over it in detail.

I hope you develop a Knight's Heart and join our ranks, fighting for those fallen pioneers, fighting for humanity, fighting for freedom."

What followed was some casual conversation about the Slums.

After eating and drinking his fill, Barton led out the Black Horse and prepared to leave, as the Knight Order had further arrangements for him.

Perhaps because he and Han Dong both came from the Slums, or perhaps because he had drunk too much, the normally taciturn man spoke noticeably more than usual today.

Before mounting up, he placed a hand on Han Dong's shoulder.

"Remember... no matter what you specialize in, the body is extremely important. A body like yours will struggle to endure some of the academy's physical training. Figure out a solution yourself."

With that reminder delivered.

Steam burst from beneath the horse's hooves as it galloped away.

Huff...

Han Dong took a deep breath. That was close... Luckily, I prepared in advance. Otherwise, the matter of the Faceless Head could very well have been exposed.

Only after Barton Forges had completely disappeared from sight did Han Dong relax slightly.

Throughout their conversation in the tavern, Han Dong had been extremely careful with every word... He knew perfectly well that Barton had come to probe his background.

"Humanity in this world struggles on the brink of life and death.

One careless step could lead to 'extinction.'

For a vital Knight Order like this, one that concerns the nation's foundations and whether humanity can continue to exist, the origins of every newly recruited knight must be thoroughly understood.

Yesterday's interview merely verified whether I possessed 'potential,' whether I was worth cultivating, then gave me proof of admission and three days of rest... Naturally, people would lower their guard during the rest period.

They used these three relaxed days to investigate my background. If they found any problem at all, I might be secretly dealt with.

This country is even more cautious than I imagined.

After all, this is not a peaceful era, but the end of the world... I need to be careful."

Inside a certain knight hall.

Barton Forges recounted the detailed intelligence gathered during his contact with Han Dong and offered his own assessment.

"...That is the overall situation. Personally, I remain neutral regarding Valen Nicholas."

Afterward, another investigator submitted a document detailing the findings from his secret infiltration of Han Dong's residence.

A large number of worn books on Mysticism corroborated Han Dong's account... Han Dong possessed a unique talent for Mysticism and had taught himself.

A group of elderly men in the hall discussed the information they had gathered.

They reached a conclusion and stamped a document labeled "Knight-Errant."

"Hmm... then there is no problem!

Valen Nicholas is a naturally gifted Mysticism Apprentice. He will certainly attain considerable achievements in Mysticism in the future and should be able to serve the Knight Order. Let him officially enroll.

As long as we can confirm that he is kind by nature, we will provide him with the best possible environment for growth!

After all, Mysterious Scholars have the highest mortality rate among the five major professions. We are in urgent need of talent in Mysticism.

During the last expedition beyond the city, the investigation team suffered serious casualties and failed to explore deeply because no Mysterious Scholar had been assigned. This further proves the necessity of Mysterious Scholars."

Only then did Han Dong truly become a Knight-Errant.

"Let's go home."

The Hammer and Fire Tavern stood near the border between two districts.

Han Dong decided to walk back to the Samael District.

As he approached the boundary area, he first passed a cemetery.

Then, not far from the cemetery, he found a large crowd gathered around a two-story Victorian-style villa, along with many grim-faced security officers.

The security squad had separated the crowd, ensuring that civilians remained at least five meters away from the building.

Out of curiosity, Han Dong blended into the crowd.

The sight he saw through a gap in the people made him uncomfortable.

A woman's body, damaged to a certain degree, hung before the building's entrance.

Yet for some reason, even the security officers did not dare approach carelessly. They seemed to be waiting for special investigators to arrive.

Just then.

A blond young man in white light armor squeezed out of the crowd. He appeared to be in his early twenties.

He held a Knight-Errant card identical to Han Dong's.

The security officers immediately made way for him.

After examining the extent of the damage to the woman's body at the entrance, his expression turned ugly... He turned toward the crowd and shouted:

"Excuse me, are there any other Knight-Errants here? If anyone is willing to help me resolve this Ghoul Case, I am willing to give up at least thirty percent of the reward."

It was really uncomfortable without chapter comments????