Yano's Instructor

Iron Boot Town.

Warm sunlight streamed through the dusty windows of the Old Oak Tavern, illuminating wooden tables and pewter mugs filled with ale.

In a corner of the tavern, the atmosphere was particularly lively.

"Cheers! To surviving death, and to getting rich!"

Kelvin raised his mug high, a smile of unprecedented sincerity on his face.

"Cheers!"

Bloom slammed his palm, as large as a fan, onto the table, laughing heartily with a flushed face.

"Hahaha! All thanks to little Ella's swing."

Ella's cheeks were rosy, a mix of excitement and slight embarrassment.

"Uncle Bloom, stop talking... I was just scared and swung wildly."

Kelvin drained his mug of ale and let out a satisfied sigh.

"Folks, being able to come back alive this time and get such a big haul, besides our good luck and teamwork, we have to thank one person."

He paused, his voice filled with genuine gratitude, "'Miracle' Yano! He's the one who guided us."

"Right! To 'Miracle' Yano!" Bloom raised his mug again.

"To Mr. Yano," Ella echoed softly.

And at the bar, a traveler holding a water cup paused slightly upon hearing the name "Miracle Yano."

This woman had long, light brown hair tied back simply, revealing a face with slightly stern but very heroic features.

Her posture was as straight as a javelin, and even her understated attire couldn't hide the ingrained military bearing and subtle noble grace.

Beside her, her companion, a sharp and capable-looking warrior, scanned their surroundings vigilantly.

Alice put down her cup, turned, and her calm gaze fell upon Kelvin's table.

"Excuse me for disturbing you all, I haven't been to Iron Boot Town in a long time. Hearing you mention 'Miracle' Yano... who is he?"

Kelvin, caught in the heat of the moment, saw someone approach. It was a woman who looked distinguished and heroic, so he responded enthusiastically:

"Oh? You've heard of the legendary figure of our Iron Boot Town too?"

"Did this Mr. Yano happen to be a Knight Squire before?"

Kelvin's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh.

"Yes, yes, yes! That's him! Yano Belmont! Do you know him?"

Alice shook her head slightly.

"No, I've only heard the name. Thank you for the information."

"I wish you good luck."

She stood up, gave a slight nod to Kelvin and the other two, and then, with her adjutant, walked directly to the tavern door and pushed it open.

The afternoon sun lazily bathed the area outside Iron Boot Town. In the distance, hills were terraced, dotted with golden waves of wheat and emerald orchards.

Closer by, a clear stream gurgled, the windmills of several mills turned slowly, and smoke curled from the chimneys of white-walled, red-tiled farmhouses, painting a scene of peaceful and idyllic rural life.

Alice and her adjutant stepped out of the town gate and stood by the roadside. She took a deep breath of the air, fragrant with earth and grass.

Adjutant Karen, following behind her, couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Officer, that Yano from the tavern just now... is he really the young man who was in the border garrison's reserve force back then?"

"It should be him."

"'Miracle' Yano... to survive in a place like that and find a way to make a fortune, it truly is a 'miracle.' It's just a shame..."

"A shame?" Karen asked, puzzled.

"Petrification Disease. That's why he had to withdraw from knight training."

"It's a slow and cruel noble curse. It requires expensive alchemical potions to slow its progression, and it cannot be cured. No amount of wealth can buy back a healthy body and... enough time."

"It's a pity. He could have become an excellent knight... May Kardos favor this unfortunate talent."

As they were talking, the town's constable, a middle-aged man wearing leather armor, ran over, panting.

"Officer Alice! You're here. Why did you go to the tavern?"

Alice turned around, her expression returning to professional calmness.

"Constable Viller, good afternoon. I was just passing through to observe the adventurous atmosphere of Iron Boot Town and get a feel for the local situation."

She changed the subject, her tone becoming serious, "Furthermore, I've received the latest report from the border garrison."

"Meteorological stations have observed signs of large-scale magic power surges in the Miasma Mountains area recently, which could likely trigger continuous heavy rainfall."

"Summer is approaching, and Iron Boot Town is located in a low-lying area downstream, close to the Swamp Forest. You'd best make preparations in advance."

Constable Viller's face stiffened, and sweat instantly broke out on his forehead. "Yes! Yes! Thank you for the reminder, Knight Alice! I'll go make arrangements right away!"

He didn't dare to delay, bowed hastily, and hurried back into town.

Watching the constable leave, Alice said to her adjutant Karen, "Let's go, we still have a mission."

Karen watched the sheriff's receding back, then couldn't help but gaze in the direction of the Swamp Forest.

"Officer, aren't we going to check out the swamp, and those Corrupted Lizardfolk suddenly wandering near the Reed Riverbank?"

"No, Corrupted creatures are extremely difficult to deal with and have tenacious vitality. Killing them takes a lot of time, and that swamp..."

She paused, as if recalling something.

"It's far more dangerous than it looks. Without a detailed map and sufficient anti-toxin potions, rashly venturing deep into the swamp and getting lost is tantamount to seeking your own death."

Deputy Karen heard this and showed clear astonishment on his face.

"Even you... aren't confident about passing through that swamp?"

In his mind, this Knight from the Border Garrison, powerful and steadfast in faith, was almost a symbol of omnipotence.

Alice glanced at Karen, her eyes calm and unruffled, showing neither annoyance at being questioned nor any hint of boasting, merely stating facts.

"My strength is sufficient to handle most external threats, but to delve into the core area, face unknown monsters and poisonous fog, and still find a way out, the success rate is very low."

"Even a powerful Legion Commander wouldn't do such a foolish thing."

She mounted her horse, her movements fluid and agile.

"The mission is urgent. Those cunning 'Rusty Keys' rats won't be waiting for us foolishly at the Outpost Ruins. Catching them won't be easy; we can't let this lead slip away."

She pulled the reins, her gaze calmly fixed on the distant Miasma Mountains, shrouded in mist, appearing gloomy and mysterious.

Only she knew that tracking the "Rusty Keys," a thieves' guild active in the border ruins, was not her only objective for this trip, nor even the main one.

The Outpost Ruins, this place name weighed heavily on her heart.

It was once a border fortress during the White Horse Kingdom's glorious era, but later became a dead land due to frequent outbreaks of uncontrolled magic surges and was abandoned by the Kingdom.

For over a decade, it had become a graveyard for adventurers and a hotbed for illegal activities.

She accepted this task of tracking thieves ostensibly for the duties of the Border Garrison.

But what drove her to this borderland deep down was her brother, who disappeared in Iron Boot Town over a decade ago, a Legion Knight who also believed in Kardos.

She had recently received some clues that the last place her brother was seen was actually at the Outpost Ruins.

Over ten years of no news, no sight of him alive, no body found.

This time, no matter what dangers and secrets the ruins hid, she had to go in.

Even if all she found in the end was a weathered skeleton, she had to give him, and her family, an explanation.

Alice clenched the silver longsword pendant on her chest.

Under Kardos's witness, courage and protection were her unwavering vows.