Lori (Please Keep Reading)

Havent turned toward the wooden platform across from him at the sound.

A group of finely dressed people sat on the platform. At the center was a potbellied man holding a silver goblet as he watched the fighting arena.

After the knight beside the nobleman finished calling out, the burly man standing beside Havent walked toward the arena. He selected a wooden spear from the weapon rack and jumped over the fence.

The one sparring against the wooden-spear mercenary was still the same knight from before. Seeing that the knight opposite him did not attack, the burly man paced once around the field, let out a roar, and charged at the knight with his spear.

The knight twisted aside, dodging the wooden spear thrust at his chest.

Unexpectedly, the burly man had merely feinted. When his wooden spear missed, the muscles in his right arm suddenly tensed, and the weapon instantly changed direction as it swept toward the knight.

The knight clearly looked surprised that the mercenary had another move up his sleeve, but his battle instincts still made him react. He quickly raised his knight's sword and blocked the mercenary's horizontal strike.

The force of the clash drove them apart. They each retreated several steps, and once the knight steadied himself, his expression finally changed slightly. He then charged at the mercenary.

This burly man was clearly far stronger than the mercenary before him. Their weapons clashed with repeated bangs, and more than a dozen exchanges passed in the blink of an eye.

"Good, stop. You pass."

The knight on the wooden platform stepped forward and shouted down at the two men. At his command, they stopped and each retreated to one side.

"What is your name?"

The knight standing on the platform looked down at the burly man holding the wooden spear.

"Andel."

"Good, Andel. Go wait over there. Next."

Hearing someone being called, Havent looked around and realized there was no one else nearby. That meant it had to be him. He turned, walked to the weapon rack, grabbed a wooden sword, and jumped into the arena.

"A child?"

The wooden-sword knight looked Havent over. Seeing that he only reached his neck, he frowned and asked.

"No, I'm already an adult."

Faced with the knight's doubts, Havent chose to lie through his teeth.

"Fine. I won't go easy on you because of it."

Seeing the disdain on the knight's face, Havent paid it no mind. He pressed his left hand to his face and looked through the gaps between his fingers at the sword-wielding knight.

"Sir Knight, underestimating your opponent comes at a price. Scuyumi!"

The knight ignored the boy who spoke so strangely. He held his sword in his right hand, its tip resting against the ground, and silently watched Havent.

Seeing how little the man thought of him, Havent shook his head slightly. He then reversed his wooden sword in his hand and leaned his body forward slightly.

"Sir Knight, you'd better be careful."

The instant his words fell, Havent vanished from where he stood. The knight across from him suddenly contracted his pupils.

Havent raised his wooden sword and smashed the pommel into the knight's back. The knight, who had already been bent over like a shrimp, arched forward again under the blow. After opening the distance between them, Havent drove a kick into the knight's lower back. Losing his balance, the knight sprawled face-first onto the ground.

Havent did not continue attacking. Instead, he waited for the verdict. However, the knight, humiliated after being toyed with, was clearly enraged. He climbed to his feet and raised his wooden sword, about to charge at Havent.

"Stop, Ant! Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough?"

"Young man, you performed very well. What is your name?"

The nobleman seated at the center of the platform stood up, walked to its edge, and studied Havent below.

Havent looked up to see the fat-faced nobleman smiling at him.

"Very good, Will. Excellent skill. Go wait over there as well. Hall, how many do we have now with this young man included?"

The knight standing behind the nobleman replied respectfully.

"My lord, including him, we currently have nine people. We are still one short of the number you requested."

The nobleman stood at the edge of the platform and thought for a moment, as if he had remembered something.

"Nine will do. Take them to the reception room. I have something to say to them."

When Havent arrived where the successful candidates were gathered, he saw everyone seated there sizing him up. Feeling a little embarrassed under their stares, he flashed his bright white teeth and greeted them.

"Hello, everyone. Have you eaten?"

When no one responded, Havent lost interest and found a seat for himself.

"Baron Suir wishes to see you. Follow me."

As Havent idly glanced around while sitting on the bench, he heard the call and quickly stood up to follow the crowd outside. Before long, led by the knight from the wooden platform, they arrived in a room.

"Please wait here. Baron Suir will be here shortly."

Just as Havent reached for the water pitcher on the table to pour himself a drink, the door creaked open, and the seated mercenaries sprang to their feet.

The baron who entered waved his hand, signaling everyone to sit down. Havent noticed that a young boy and an elderly man who looked like a butler were following behind him.

"Thank you all for your hard work. Let me introduce myself first. My name is Choink Suir."

"I believe you all know why I hired you. My son, Lori Suir, has awakened a talent for magic, and I intend to send him to the Royal Academy in the Imperial Capital to study."

As he spoke, he pushed the little boy behind him forward.

Havent studied the boy, who looked only eleven or twelve. Upon seeing so many people, the boy's expression became visibly flustered, and he instinctively hid behind Baron Suir's arm.

"For certain reasons, I cannot arrange for my own knights to escort him, so I can only entrust the task to you."

"This is Simoya, the butler who will accompany you to the Imperial Capital. Once you arrive successfully, he will issue proof for you at the Adventurer's Guild and settle the escort fee.

"I hope you will all do your utmost. Simoya will arrange accommodations for you shortly. You will depart first thing tomorrow morning."

After saying that, Baron Suir left the room with the little boy.

"Adventurers, we will set out at six tomorrow morning, as soon as it gets light. You may choose to stay in the castle, or if you wish to spend the night in Boli Town, you may gather here tomorrow morning instead. I will show everyone where to eat and rest."

After the baron left, the old butler stepped forward and spoke to the group.

After looking over the places for food and lodging, Havent thought about how he had already said goodbye to Uncle Wells. He decided to remain in the castle and wait for their departure the next morning.

Outside the gates of Suir Castle.

"Little Lori, study hard once you reach the Imperial Capital. If you need anything, write to me."

Baron Suir reached out and stroked his son, who was sitting in the carriage. He then turned to the butler beside him and spoke in a lowered voice.

"Be careful in everything. Travel quickly. Do not camp in the wilderness. You must stay in towns or cities."

The old butler nodded firmly, and the group set off beneath Baron Suir's watchful gaze.