Knowledge Slot Filled to the Brim

Seeing Lance turn around, Damian broke into an exceptionally happy smile.

He quickly climbed the steps, then stopped two paces away from Lance and gave him a deep bow.

"Senior!"

The youth straightened up, unable to conceal the excitement in his voice.

"I took your advice and joined an established party to learn. The captain valued my foundation in swordsmanship and made me the team's secondary attacker."

"Thank you for scolding me awake back then. It was only after traveling with the team these past few days that I realized how much someone needed to know to become a qualified adventurer."

At this point, Damian scratched his head somewhat sheepishly.

"The captain even taught me how to track Goblins based on how wet or dry their droppings are..."

Though he was somewhat embarrassed, his eyes sparkled as he shared his experiences from this time.

From coordinating with his teammates to surround lone Goblins, to narrowly escaping death during a Jackalmen ambush, to setting traps to deal with a rampaging demonized wild boar.

Lance did not interrupt him.

The hand that had instinctively rested on his sword hilt quietly relaxed as well.

He could tell that the so-called captain was genuinely treating the kid as a teammate rather than cannon fodder sent ahead to scout, since he was willing to teach him life-saving skills like identifying tracks.

A team willing to nurture younger adventurers like this was considered a quality party among adventurers.

It meant they had long-term plans and goals.

Only after Damian finished speaking did he look at Lance expectantly, like a puppy hoping to be praised.

"Since that captain is willing to teach you, it means you met good people."

Lance spoke gently.

"Learn well. These are all things that can save your life at critical moments."

As he spoke, he reached out and gently patted Damian's shoulder, which was not broad but had grown much sturdier.

That simple gesture seemed to give Damian tremendous courage.

The youth took a deep breath, as though he had made up his mind about something.

"Um... I still don't know what to call you, Senior."

"If it weren't for what you said back then, I might have foolishly rushed into Copper Creek Forest and gotten myself killed long ago."

Lance fell silent for a moment.

The shadow beneath his hood concealed his expression, making it impossible to see clearly.

"Just call me Raven."

"Raven..."

Damian silently repeated the name twice, firmly committing the codename to memory.

Then, fumbling about, he pulled something from the somewhat worn little pouch at his waist.

It was an ornament woven from thick blue hemp cord. The weaving was truly not very skillful, even somewhat crooked and painfully ugly to look at.

At the end of the knot was a smoothly polished white pebble, marked with a rune-like pattern drawn in clumsy strokes.

"Senior Raven, this is for you."

"Thank you for teaching me how an adventurer should live."

"The way you scolded me back then... really reminded me of my older brother."

When he mentioned his deceased relative, Damian's face was no longer filled with grief and pain as it had been last time. Instead, there was a little more relief.

The child was slowly emerging from the loss of his family member, learning to carry that memory forward.

"This is a homecoming knot from the customs of my hometown. It represents safety. Every time I went out, my brother used to weave one for me."

Damian flashed a brilliant smile.

"I made this a long time ago. I looked for you at the Adventurers' Guild for several days but never ran into you. Luckily, I met you before setting out today."

"Otherwise, I would have left with the vanguard."

He held the amulet-like object out before Lance.

"I hope that whenever you go on a mission, you can return safely too."

Lance froze for a moment.

Through the gap in his hood, he looked at the ugly knot, then at the hopeful eyes of the youth.

He did not refuse.

Lance reached out, took the knot, and hung it from the clasp of the leather pouch at his waist.

The vivid blue cord clashed sharply with his old brownish-gray leather armor, yet it was unexpectedly conspicuous.

"Your craftsmanship really isn't much."

Lance commented, though there was a smile in his voice.

"But the thought counts."

"Stay alive."

"Don't force yourself in the forest. You only have one life."

Damian nodded vigorously and shouted, "Yes, Senior Raven!"

Just then, a shout came from the distance.

"Damian! What are you dawdling for? We're leaving!"

Lance looked toward the voice and saw a well-equipped adventurer party forming up not far away, several seasoned warriors waving in this direction.

"Okay! I'm coming!"

Damian called back, then turned around to say goodbye to Lance.

"Senior Raven, I'm heading back!"

"Wait."

Lance suddenly called out to him.

Under the youth's puzzled gaze, Lance took an unmarked little clay jar from his waist pouch and casually tossed it over.

"Catch."

Damian caught the jar in a fluster, his face full of confusion.

"This is Hemostatic Ointment I made myself. It's probably about as effective as the Troll's Blood sold on the market."

Lance explained.

"You can use it on external wounds. Use it sparingly."

Damian tightly gripped the jar of ointment, a huge smile spreading across his face as he vigorously waved an arm.

"Thank you! I'll live like a cockroach!"

Watching the youth's cheerful figure run away, Lance lowered his head and touched the blue knot swaying at his waist.

Like a cockroach?

This kid really learned fast.

In this unfamiliar world, besides exchanges of interest, there seemed to be other bonds beginning to form.

A sense of belonging probably grew slowly through these seemingly insignificant connections between people.

Only half an hour after the mighty vanguard departed did Lance set off with his pack on his back.

With the vanguard clearing the way ahead and dealing with the wandering monsters along the route, his journey would be much easier.

As he walked toward Copper Creek Forest, he summoned the system panel.

[Knowledge Experience: 30]

This was the nest egg he had accumulated through diligently taking gathering quests during this period.

He could use this trip into the mountains to put in all the points he needed to add.

Lance's gaze swept across the panel.

The once lonely knowledge section had now become dazzlingly full.

[Knowledge: Botany LV1, Monster Anatomy LV1, Monster Ecology LV1, Pharmacology LV1, Wilderness Survival LV1, Mineralogy LV1]

These were the riches brought to him by those three expensive books.

Without the slightest hesitation, Lance willed all thirty precious points of Knowledge Experience into [Wilderness Survival].