At dawn, just as the sky began to lighten, Darko suddenly opened his eyes.
The young nobleman glanced lazily at the whitening sky outside, then yawned.
After gathering himself, he slowly rose from the goose-down bedding.
The servants waiting outside heard the movement and immediately knocked softly.
"Master Darko, are you awake?"
"Mm."
With the nasal tone unique to waking, Darko rubbed his bleary eyes.
"Come in."
"Yes, sir."
The door opened, and several well-trained servants pushed in ornately carved walnut carts one after another.
With their professional and attentive service, Darko quickly finished washing, dressing, and eating breakfast.
Once everything was ready, he walked out with an oak cane, surrounded by his personal servants.
After crossing the somewhat slippery gravel path, they arrived near the estate's stable yard.
Darko looked around and soon spotted a handsome young man.
He was standing before a black horse, holding a brush.
The morning light outlined his tall yet sturdy frame.
Though only seventeen or eighteen, the childishness had already faded from his brows and eyes. His nose was high, his jawline sharp, and his amber eyes looked exceptionally keen in the dim light.
His excess black hair was neatly tied behind his head, with a few loose strands falling over his forehead and making his skin appear even paler.
Though the chainmail was hidden beneath his underclothes, the small portion showing was enough to reveal its extraordinary quality. The silver-gray metal rings gleamed coldly in the morning light.
His dark-brown linen robe fluttered slightly in the breeze, revealing the iron sword hanging at his waist.
The scabbard was plain, but the leather around the hilt had been polished bright from use.
His boots were spattered with mud, and leather guards wrapped his wrists. His whole person exuded a capable, steady air.
"Scritch, scritch, scritch!"
The brush swept rhythmically across the black horse's back, tracing smooth arcs over its glossy coat.
As fine dust drifted down with each stroke, Roland knelt on one knee and carefully lifted the black horse's forehoof.
Hard, dried mud had gathered along the horseshoe's edge.
With crisp clicks from the iron hook, the brown clods peeled away and fell to the ground.
The final step was washing.
The wooden bucket tilted slightly, and a bright stream of water splashed across the horse's back, rinsing away every last bit of grass and dust.
The black horse suddenly shuddered, its mane flying.
At the instant countless crystalline droplets leaped into the air, a line of golden text slowly appeared in his vision.
[You successfully completed a horse-cleaning task and gained 1 experience point]
Roland merely glanced at it, without slowing his hands.
He took a dry cake mixed with hay and oats from the pack on the horse's back. Rubbing it gently between his broad palms, he crumbled it into bite-sized pieces.
Just as the black horse obediently lowered its head and enjoyed breakfast from his palm, another line of golden text appeared.
[You completed a horse-feeding task and gained 1 experience point]
"If I'm not mistaken..."
Roland stroked the black horse's mane, his fingers passing through the dense hair as his thoughts gradually drifted away.
"Maxing out Cleaning Horse, Feeding Horse, and Basic Riding Skill should trigger a profession like Stablehand."
"I just don't know what that profession's traits will be. If it resonates with other professions, what additional benefits will it bring?"
At that thought, Roland's mind stirred, and a translucent Profession Panel immediately appeared before him.
[Name: Roland] [Race: Human] [Age: 17] [Professions: Blacksmith Apprentice, Recruit, Scholar, Blacksmith, Hunter] [Strength: 7.8] [Agility: 4.7] [Spirit: 1.8] [Skills: Lv.2 Basic Forging Technique (6/200), Lv.MAX Basic Swordsmanship, Lv.MAX General Knowledge, Lv.MAX Mithril Body Tempering Method, Lv.MAX Basic Archery, Lv.MAX Basic Dagger Techniques, Lv.MAX Basic Spear Techniques, Lv.3 Lionheart Swordsmanship (18/300), Lv.1 Momentum Slash (12/100), Lv.1 Basic Riding Skill (18/100), Lv.1 Cleaning Horse (8/100), Lv.1 Feeding Horse (8/100)] [Traits: Humble Apprentice, Battle Readiness, Focus, Animal Companion, Heart of the Furnace] [Additional Benefits: Tempered Steel, Theory and Practice, Standardized Production, Ecological Scholar, Adaptive Training, Battlefield Maintenance]
His gaze swept over the densely packed "MAX" marks on the panel, and the corners of Roland's mouth lifted slightly.
"Half a month's results. Not bad."
Half a month of hard training had raised his Strength and Agility by 0.2 and 0.1 respectively.
As for Cleaning Horse, Feeding Horse, and Riding Skill, they had only been triggered because he specifically asked Darko to take him to the stable yard.
Seeing his enthusiasm, Darko had even generously gifted him this black horse.
Just as he had expected, basic combat skills such as Basic Dagger Techniques, Basic Spear Techniques, Basic Archery, and Basic Swordsmanship all capped at level two.
With the support of Battle Readiness, he quickly maxed them all out.
"Of the five max-level combat-related skills required to change into Warrior, only Lionheart Swordsmanship remains."
It wasn't that he didn't want to learn other combat skills. Most of the estate guards were skilled at battlefield fighting, however, and were better versed in swordsmanship and spear techniques.
If not for a veteran Darko had found who had once been a mercenary, Roland wouldn't even have learned Basic Dagger Techniques.
"But it doesn't matter. I'll be hunting monsters next, so with Theory and Practice, Lionheart Swordsmanship should reach max level soon."
Just as Roland was deep in thought, a call suddenly reached his ears.
"Roland!"
Following the voice, he saw Darko limping toward him with his familiar oak cane, surrounded by several servants.
"How is he?"
Darko patted the horse's neck, his voice carrying a hint of pride.
"Black Wind is pretty good, right?"
Black Wind was the name Darko had given the black horse.
Though somewhat clichéd, Roland didn't mind and simply followed his lead.
"He's a good boy."
Roland smiled faintly and stroked down the horse's back.
As his fingers felt the smoothness of satin, approval showed in his eyes, but he sighed inwardly.
It wasn't that he was dissatisfied with the horse. Rather, when he used Animal Companion to communicate with Black Wind, the effect was far weaker than expected.
If Qiao, the Red Squirrel in the forest, had the intelligence of a teenager, Black Wind was at most like a three- to five-year-old child.
He could understand simple commands, but struggled with more complicated communication.
That was why his efficiency while practicing riding had not been as high as he had imagined.
"When are you planning to leave?"
As he asked, Darko untied an exquisitely decorated dagger from his waist.
The silver scabbard gleamed with a warm luster beneath the setting sun, while the hilt bore finely carved heraldic designs.
"Take this. If you run into trouble, show it to the constable in Pine Wood Town. He'll recognize it as one of my personal belongings."
Roland frowned slightly, his fingertips gently rubbing the scabbard.
The luxurious feel instinctively made him want to refuse, but when he looked up, he met Darko's sincere gaze.
"Then I won't stand on ceremony."
"That's more like it!"
Seeing that Roland had not thanked him this time, Darko laughed and brought his broad palm heavily down on Roland's shoulder.
Then he suddenly leaned closer and lowered his voice.
"When you come back, you have to tell me all about what being an adventurer feels like."
The young nobleman furtively glanced at the servants nearby and complained.
"I've been cooped up indoors for half a month. My bones are practically rusting! Who knows when my father will let me go hunting again?"
"Hahaha!"
Roland was amused by his gloomy expression.
"Won't you have to wait until your leg heals?"
"I doubt it."
Darko pursed his lips and shook his head with feigned misery.
Amid their laughter, Roland swung smoothly onto the horse.
Under Darko's watchful gaze, man and horse gradually disappeared down the woodland path east of the estate.
The journey was unexpectedly peaceful. Only the changing scenery reminded him that they were making progress.
The initially broad road gradually narrowed, while the pines on either side grew taller and denser.
As the sky darkened, the mottled walls of Pine Wood Town finally appeared at the end of the road.
The gate guard stared intently at Roland's handsome face, brow furrowed as he spoke gruffly.
"Whether you're a mercenary or some so-called adventurer..."
He paused, visibly irritated.
"Remember, don't cause trouble in town. Understood?"
From his impatient expression and harsh tone, it was clear that the guard had been thoroughly worn down by the mercenaries and adventurers coming and going through town.
Roland nodded with a smile, then dismounted and led his horse through the walls into Pine Wood Town.
The streets were far more crowded than he had expected.
Roland led the horse forward at a slow pace. His boots crushed a muddy road mixed with horse dung, while the air carried the mingled scents of ale, sweat, and rust.
The crooked wooden houses leaned against one another as though they might collapse at any moment.
Beneath leather armor hanging from windowsills, several unsheathed short blades dripped water.
The horse suddenly snorted uneasily.
Roland followed its gaze.
In the shadows of an alley, a thin man in leather armor was wiping a bloodstained longsword. A sack beside his feet moved strangely.
Just as the two locked eyes, three drunken mercenaries suddenly shoved open the tavern's wooden door and staggered outside.
Roland moved aside to avoid the flying beer foam and instinctively glanced inside.
A blindfolded barmaid was tearing open a bandage with her teeth to dress a customer's wound, while her right hand remained pressed against the sharp dagger at her waist.
"Bang!"
With a muffled boom, wood splinters rained down from above.
A sudden fight on the tavern's second floor made everyone look up.
The moment a figure crashed through a wooden window and fell, the street vendor selling roasted meat expertly pulled an oilcloth over his grill.
Roland noticed keenly that the vendor's motion included an obvious blocking maneuver, and beneath his greasy apron, half of a metal bracer was faintly visible.
"Good grief. This isn't a town at all. It's clearly a small military camp."
"New here?"
As Roland marveled inwardly, the old man smoking a pipe in front of the Blacksmith shop suddenly spoke.
The firelight faintly revealed an old arrow scar on his neck.
Before Roland could answer, the old man pointed with his pipe toward the stone building in the center of town.
A crossed sword-and-axe emblem hung beneath its entrance.
"That's the Adventurer's Guild."
"Uh, thanks."
After giving a slight nod of thanks, Roland led his horse toward the hitching post outside the Adventurer's Guild.
Just as he was about to tie Black Wind up, an intense argument suddenly erupted from inside the guild.
"Go outside and look at yourself in horse piss! What makes you think you're worthy of competing with me for a commission?"
Before the words had even ended, the guild's heavy wooden doors were kicked open from within.
A tall man immediately rolled out in a sorry state, tumbling down the steps and into the muddy street.
A burly man nearly two meters tall then strode over the threshold, cursing. His gleaming bald head was covered in dark blue-black tattoos that shone viciously in the dim sunlight.
He marched down the steps and viciously kicked the man on the ground several more times. Only after his victim curled up and stopped moving did he spit in satisfaction and straighten.
When the bald brute raised his head, his gaze happened to sweep over Roland. A trace of disdain flashed in his eyes.
However, when his gaze fell on Black Wind beside Roland, his fierce eyes suddenly lit up and slowly filled with greed.
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P.S. More than twenty chapters have passed again, so I'm showing all my godfathers the changes to the panel. I'm not padding the word count, honest.
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