The next morning, when the first rays of sunlight filtered through the window, Roland slowly opened his eyes.
He let out a long breath, then rose from the wooden bed with a clean flip.
"This feeling..."
Feeling the unusual clarity in his mind and his abundant energy, Roland couldn't help recalling the exhausted weakness he had felt after fighting for his life in the forest yesterday.
He thoughtfully stretched his muscles and bones, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
"After the Mithril Body Tempering Method reached max level, compared to before, it seems that not only has my mind become clearer, but my stamina also recovers much faster. However..."
Feeling the fiery hunger in his stomach, Roland helplessly shook his head.
"My hunger is also much stronger than before."
With that thought, Roland put on his clothes, washed up briefly, and reached out to open the door.
The damp morning breeze blew straight into his face.
After his eyes had adjusted slightly to the somewhat dazzling sunlight, Roland discovered that two tall, thin servants were standing outside the door.
He keenly noticed tiny droplets of dew hanging from the ends of their hair, glimmering faintly beneath the rising sun. Their collars also bore traces of dampness.
Clearly, they had been standing outside for quite some time.
"Mister Roland, you're awake."
One of the servants respectfully bowed.
Before Roland could speak, he continued.
"Young Master Darko wanted to come personally, but his injuries are too severe, so he specially sent us to welcome you."
The other servant stepped forward at the right moment, carrying a tray filled with delicate dishes.
"You haven't had breakfast yet, I presume? Young Master Darko specifically instructed us to tell you not to hurry. It won't be too late to meet him after you finish your meal."
Mister Roland?
The sudden honorific made the corners of Roland's mouth lift slightly.
He stepped aside to clear the doorway and said calmly,
"That's fine. I'll have breakfast first, then go see him."
Seeing this, one of the servants immediately carried the tray into the room and neatly arranged the food on the wooden table.
"Would you like me to attend you while you dine?"
When Roland waved to indicate that it wasn't necessary, the servant bowed respectfully again.
"Then please enjoy your meal, Mister Roland."
With that, he left the room and stood silently outside with his companion, one on either side of the door, their heads lowered like two silent statues.
The meal was even more sumptuous than he had imagined.
Freshly baked bread, soft and white, gave off an enticing wheat fragrance. Beside it sat a plate of rich, golden-yellow butter.
A large piece of roasted venison had an enticing brown crust, and its juices slowly seeped out along the grain of the meat.
Two river fish had been fried to perfection, their skins crisp and decorated with several verdant herbs.
Most eye-catching of all was the steaming bowl of thick vegetable soup.
Tender seasonal vegetables appeared and disappeared in the milky-white broth, giving off an aroma that blended the richness of milk with the sweetness of vegetables.
The quality of this breakfast would not have been inferior even in his previous life.
It was utterly incomparable to the food in the academy or apprentice cafeteria, where meals existed solely to fill one's stomach.
As the knife and fork moved briskly across the plates, they were emptied in no time.
These long-missed delicacies made Roland savor every bite. He even wiped the last drop of thick soup clean with bread.
"Phew..."
Feeling the lingering fragrance in his mouth, Roland let out a long breath. He stood, rubbed his round belly, and nodded in satisfaction.
He then walked outside and said,
"Let's go. Take me to see Young Master Darko."
"Of course, Mister Roland. Please come this way."
As they followed the winding gravel path through the estate, Roland suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure.
"Captain John!"
Hearing the call, the old soldier slowly turned around, revealing a pair of bloodshot eyes.
He gave a long yawn and approached with heavy, weary steps.
"You're up so early? Are you going to..."
"I'm going to see Young Master Darko. And you are..."
Noticing the exhaustion that the other man could not conceal, Roland asked with concern,
"Didn't you rest well last night?"
"Rest?"
John gave a bitter smile and rubbed his sore, gritty eyes.
"Baron Foslin sent us to search that forest through the night. We just got back."
"Did you find anything?"
John curled his lips and jerked his chin to the side.
Several guards were laboriously carrying a wooden chest toward them.
The chest was piled with broken weapons, shattered pieces of armor, and a bloodstained white cloak.
Emblazoned upon it was the sun emblem of the Blazing Sun Church.
"Other than goblin corpses everywhere, we only found this junk."
John tugged mockingly at the corner of his mouth.
"Who knows what the people from the Blazing Sun Church were doing there? They couldn't have gone to preach to the goblins, could they? Ha!"
He waved his hand casually.
"Anyway, I still have things to do. I'll be going."
"Goodbye, Captain John."
Watching John leave, Roland couldn't help frowning.
The undisguised contempt in John's voice when he mentioned the Blazing Sun Church was exactly the same as Darko's.
"It seems the Blazing Sun Church isn't popular here."
After silently taking note of this discovery, Roland continued onward under the servant's guidance.
Before long, a cluster of tall buildings came into view.
This was Roland's first time truly entering the core of the noble estate.
Looking up, he saw an exquisite fountain glittering with water beneath the morning light.
A marble statue of the Water God held a pitcher, from which clear water traced an elegant arc.
Behind the fountain, a broad staircase led to the main residence. Ancient-looking stone lamp posts stood on either side, their shades carved with elaborate, ornate patterns.
The servant led Roland up the stairs, and the heavy oak doors silently swung inward.
The entrance hall was covered by a dark-red Persian carpet so soft that it nearly muffled their footsteps.
Portraits of successive family members hung on the walls.
Each was set in a gilded frame. The figures in the paintings stood or sat with the reserved expressions characteristic of nobles.
Beyond the entrance hall was a long corridor.
Sunlight streamed through stained-glass windows, scattering colorful light across the carpet.
All kinds of trophies were displayed along both sides of the corridor.
Jeweled swords, finely crafted armor, and even the preserved head of a gigantic magical beast.
Its glass eyes gleamed with an eerie light under the sunlight.
"Please wait a moment."
The servant stopped before a carved wooden door and gently knocked.
"Baron, Mister Roland has arrived."
A deep response came from inside.
The servant pushed open the door and gestured for Roland to enter.
Sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the reception room, illuminating the dark solid-wood furniture.
A huge family banner hung on the wall above the fireplace. Several antique objects that appeared to be centuries old stood on either side, their surfaces gleaming mysteriously in the sunlight.
Baron Foslin sat upright behind a broad mahogany desk, maintaining the calm smile characteristic of a noble.
Behind him, Darko stood leaning on an oak cane, his face slightly pale.
"Hello, Mister Roland."
The Baron's voice was gentle and resonant.
"You flatter me, Baron."
Roland stepped forward and bowed slightly.
"Just call me Roland."
When Roland raised his head, revealing his handsome, refined features, Baron Foslin raised his eyebrows almost imperceptibly.
Unlike the awe and evasiveness mixed into the gazes of ordinary commoners, this young man's eyes were clear and calm. He was neither servile nor arrogant, and carried an air of indifference.
The composure revealed in that gaze made it seem as though the person standing before him was not a lofty noble, but a peer of equal status.
Such a rare attitude still left the well-traveled Baron secretly astonished.
"Darko told me yesterday that you saved his life, but he wasn't able to explain exactly what happened, so..."
Baron Foslin picked up the porcelain cup beside him and took a small sip of black tea.
"Could you recount it for me?"
"Of course, Baron."
Roland nodded lightly, then slowly recounted what he had witnessed in the forest the previous day.
This included the entire battle between the Blazing Sun Church and the goblins.
Roland saw no need to conceal anything about this matter.
First, John had certainly already reported his discoveries in the dense forest to Baron Foslin.
Second, given Darko's personality, his relationship with Roland, and Roland's current identity as a Blacksmith Apprentice, he and Baron Foslin were actually on the same side.
If hearing this could make Baron Foslin more vigilant and prompt him to take precautions or thoroughly investigate the matter, then it would not be a bad thing for Roland, who currently had limited information.
Of course, Roland still concealed the fact that the Blood Goblin could use fire magic.
He merely said that the goblins were powerful, and that the Blazing Sun Church's warriors had fought them to a standstill.
"The Blazing Sun Church... The goblins..."
Baron Foslin tapped his slender fingers rhythmically against the oak tabletop, producing a crisp tapping sound.
"You mean they were fighting over something—the remains of a gigantic creature?"
"Regarding that..."
Roland furrowed his brow slightly as he recalled the scene from the previous day. After pausing briefly, he answered cautiously,
"Baron, they were too far away at the time. I could only barely make out what seemed to be a skeleton."
"I see."
Baron Foslin slowly nodded, his brows gradually knitting together.
He lowered his head and fell into deep thought. The reception room instantly fell silent, leaving only the faint breathing of several people echoing through the spacious hall.
After a long while, Baron Foslin, having reached no conclusion despite his intense thought, finally raised his head. A gentle smile had returned to his face.
"In any case, Roland, you saved Darko's life."
"As for the other reward, I believe Darko won't be stingy. And regarding the promise he made to you..."
As he spoke, Baron Foslin opened a drawer in his desk and took out a slightly yellowed Parchment Scroll.
"This is a copy of the war technique Momentum Slash, passed down through our family for hundreds of years."
"I'll give you one month to study it. After one month, I hope you can return it intact. Of course..."
"I don't want anyone other than you to read this copy. Is that acceptable?"
After he finished speaking, Roland keenly noticed Darko's brows twitch almost imperceptibly.
Although he felt somewhat puzzled, Roland still stepped forward and respectfully accepted the heavy Parchment Scroll with both hands.
Although he had only heard a little about war techniques before, the rumors alone were enough for Roland to understand how precious such skills were.
He had saved Darko in the forest mainly for the sake of self-preservation. Obtaining a war technique was purely an unexpected bonus.
With his current status and position, he normally would have had no chance of coming into contact with a legacy of this level.
Therefore, let alone one month—even ten days of study would have been an immense blessing to him.
"I will obey your instructions, Baron."
Seeing only pure delight in Roland's eyes, with no trace of greed, Baron Foslin nodded in satisfaction.
"That's enough, Roland. If anything else comes up in the future, you can go directly to Darko."
"I understand, Baron."
Although he still wanted to ask Darko about the Adventurer's Guild, Roland sensed the dismissal in the Baron's words. He tactfully stepped back and bowed respectfully.
"Then please allow me to take my leave."
After receiving the Baron's permission, Roland left the reception room under the servant's guidance.
After he left, a heated argument broke out in the reception room.
Before you continue