Chapter 8

Gibran Kino would go to Par Mountain to hunt whenever the two brothers were hard-pressed for money, usually staying away for two days and two nights at a time.

He would return punctually on the morning of the third day.

However, Toby Kino had gotten up early today and sat waiting by the door, yet even when the sun rose to its highest point, Gibran Kino had not returned.

Behind Toby Kino stood a row of crude, dilapidated rammed-earth houses, unevenly built in a corner at the very edge of the city, crowded and shabby.

This was the poorest residential area in Visas, and also its most neglected, chaotic, lawless district. It was not only filthy and disorderly, but even the knights patrolling the city were unwilling to come here.

The door next door opened.

Seeing Toby Kino's tiny figure still curled up against the wall waiting, Aunt Tana could not help walking over. Somewhat forcefully, she took his little hand and pressed a piece of dark bread into it.

"Poor little thing, eat something first and fill your stomach. Your brother is clever. He'll come back, and the Creator God will bless him and keep him safe."

In truth, she was worried about Gibran Kino's safety as well.

There were wild beasts on Par Mountain. If he encountered one... oh, little Toby certainly would not be able to bear such a blow.

The people originally living on the outskirts of Visas had formed a hunting party to go up the mountain, and Gibran Kino had been among them.

But later, a fierce dispute broke out over the uneven distribution of prey. When some people even came to blows over it, the party disbanded.

Gibran Kino had learned quite a few hunting techniques. In order to earn more money, he had gone to Par Mountain alone ever since.

"Really? Aunt Tana, Brother will definitely come back, right?"

Toby Kino raised his head hopefully. He clutched the dry dark bread in his hand, but had no appetite for it, desperately trying to get a reassuring answer.

Of course, of course.

Aunt Tana wanted to answer that way, but someone beside them spoke first.

"Looks to me like your brother isn't coming back."

Old drunk Jeff sprawled across a chair and said, "Since he dared to go to Par Mountain alone, he should have been prepared to face all kinds of accidents."

"Like slipping and falling off a cliff, running into a large beast, or having the bad luck to encounter bandits. You should know the Creator God won't favor your brother with luck every single time."

Old drunk Jeff was jealous that Gibran Kino could bring back one or two prey animals every time he went up the mountain. He was especially resentful after being mocked and ridiculed when he wanted to follow Gibran Kino to Par Mountain.

Tears immediately welled up in Toby Kino's eyes, but he held them back and did not cry. "You're lying!"

"Shut up already, Jeff!" Aunt Tana said. "This has nothing to do with you!"

Old drunk Jeff gave a derisive snort. Just as he was about to say something more, he heard someone shout that Gibran Kino had returned.

He turned to look.

Gibran Kino's figure had indeed appeared before them, but a tall knight was unexpectedly following beside him.

Tears rolled from Toby Kino's eyes. He cried out excitedly, "Brother!" then sprinted over and threw himself into Gibran Kino's arms.

The knight was clearly out of place here.

He stood where he was. No one around him dared speak loudly, and for a moment, only the quiet conversation between the Kino brothers could be heard.

Aunt Tana was afraid that Gibran Kino had gotten himself into trouble. Otherwise, why would a knight have followed him here?

She quietly pulled him aside and asked.

"Aunt Tana, don't worry. I didn't cause any trouble, but I'm leaving this place," Gibran Kino said.

"Leaving... where?" Aunt Tana still felt uneasy.

"The Count has taken me in as a manservant."

Aunt Tana's eyes widened in shock.

Old drunk Jeff, who had heard from nearby, could not believe it either.

But the knight was standing not far away, so it was probably... true.

Gibran Kino carried Toby Kino inside to pack their things.

Old drunk Jeff muttered under his breath, "...What damn good luck."

There was not really anything to pack.

After all, the house was completely bare.

Gibran Kino bundled up their clothes, took their usual tools, and after coming outside with Toby Kino again, handed all the remaining food in the house to Aunt Tana.

"Thank you for taking care of my brother."

Aunt Tana accepted it. This was the payment he gave her each time she helped look after Toby.

After the Kino brothers left with the knight.

Aunt Tana sighed to herself, then said to old drunk Jeff, "See? The Creator God still favors him with luck."

Old drunk Jeff got up resentfully and returned indoors.

They drew closer and closer to the castle.

Toby Kino said uneasily in a small voice, "Brother, if I don't serve the Count well, will he get angry?"

Will he hit me?

Gibran thought of the little noble's fair, soft, adorable appearance and shook his head. "You'll know once we get to the castle."

Toby entered the castle with a mixture of nervousness and curiosity.

Everything inside the castle was completely different from the place where he had grown up. It was clean and tidy, portraits hung on the walls, soft carpets covered the floors, and the furnishings around him were things he did not dare reach out and touch.

He felt as though his eyes were not enough.

A maid led them to a door and knocked. After it opened, she exchanged a few words with Judith, who had appeared inside, then motioned for them to enter.

Toby followed behind, led by Gibran.

He swallowed nervously, his heart pounding in his chest. Then, he saw the little Count sitting by the window.

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Toby Kino looked similar to Gibran Kino. He had the same brown hair and brown eyes, delicate features, and was about five years old. He was thin and wore patched but clean clothes.

At that moment, his mouth hung slightly open as he stared blankly up at Shazoi.

Only after Gibran Kino gently tugged him did he hurriedly call out in a quiet voice, "Count."

"A room has already been prepared in the castle. You may live there with your brother," Shazoi said.

"Before that, I want to ask you a question."

"How did you know that the distance from Par Mountain to Visas was roughly more than three thousand one hundred feet?"

The round-trip time of two hourglasses could be explained by saying that he had noticed it after visiting Par Mountain a few times.

But there were currently no tools on the Western Continent capable of measuring mountain paths.

How had Gibran Kino arrived at such a specific approximate number?

Gibran clearly did not understand why the little noble was asking such a question.

After thinking about it, he answered honestly, "More precisely, the distance from the cave to Visas is a little over three thousand one hundred feet. From the foot of Par Mountain to Visas, it's a little over two thousand eight hundred feet. I measured it with my steps before."

"Can you explain in detail?"

"First, measure the distance between your own steps, then count how many steps it takes to get from Par Mountain to Visas... I estimated all of it myself, so it isn't very accurate," Gibran said.

He sounded a little embarrassed by the end.

Normal people probably would not count their steps and calculate distances when they had nothing better to do.

But Gibran found it very interesting.

He liked the changes between numbers.

"How did you learn arithmetic?" Xia Zuoyi asked.

Mathematics in this era developed slowly under the restrictions of theology.

However, basic arithmetic and geometry had already appeared. The upper and lower classes here were clearly divided, and the hierarchy was strict, so commoners rarely had the qualifications or conditions to learn knowledge.

"My father taught me, Count, but he died when I was ten. After that, I worked odd jobs for people everywhere and learned a little more by myself," Gibran said.

Xia Zuoyi stroked his little chin thoughtfully. "Would you be willing to become an apprentice under the financial steward?"

Gibran doubted his own ears. "You... you said..."

He knew the difference in importance between a manservant and an apprentice. Precisely because of that, he could not believe that an even greater stroke of luck had fallen upon him.

"If your performance as an apprentice is unsatisfactory, you will remain a manservant. I will not give you a second chance," Shazoi said.

Gibran immediately came to his senses. "No, the one chance you have given me is already a blessing. I won't disappoint you!"

Xia Zuoyi nodded.

He then looked at Toby Kino, who appeared somewhat dazed. "As for your brother, he will stay by my side for now."

"Thank you, Count!" Gibran secretly poked Toby in the lower back.

Toby's face reddened. "Th-thank you, Count."

The matter of Count Desinia encountering bandits on Par Mountain and being injured eventually reached the King's ears.

After hearing that hardly any of the accompanying knights remained, and that Shazoi Desinia had been so frightened that he rolled down a slope and could not even lift his arm afterward.

Old King Duke Patch sent twelve knights who guarded the royal capital to Visas, giving them to Shazoi.

Clearly, the old King considered this a comforting "gift."

Naturally, the knights of Visas could not compare with those guarding the royal capital.

Furthermore, for some reason, one of the knights headed to Visas was a knight captain—Walker William. His father was Harry William, a marquis who currently held an important position in the royal capital.

The old King's move caused Bass Riches to temporarily rein in some of his schemes.

But the failure of his plan made him furious, and he immediately wrote a letter fiercely rebuking Bevis Elliot.

Besides calling Bevis Elliot incompetent and useless, the letter warned him to clean up his trail and not let anyone discover it.

Not to mention how Bevis Elliot was angered until his chest felt tight and his liver ached.

A twelve-man team of knights was currently on the road to Visas.

"Sigh, I heard Visas is poor and rundown. Since it's near the sea, the environment is humid too. I wonder whether we'll be able to eat white bread and meat in the future... Why was I unlucky enough to be chosen?" said a knight named Bana Larry.

"Stop complaining. You lost the match too," another knight, Taylor Kennedy, said.

A remote little place like Visas naturally could not compare to the royal capital. Therefore, not many of the selected knights had been willing to come.

Under such circumstances, they would put up some money to tempt other knights into wagers and contests.

Regardless of who won or lost, the money would go to the knights who came to participate in the contest.

But as the stake, the losing knight had to voluntarily go to Visas in place of the selected knight. If he won, of course, he only needed to take the money.

Bana Larry had not only lost his money, but also the contest.

"I can only complain a little. Unlike you, you were chosen but came willingly. After all, you can follow Lord William here..." he said.

"Shut up!"

Taylor Kennedy glared at him, glanced at the knight captain at the front, and said quietly, "I would rather Lord William had remained in the royal capital."

"Don't you know Lord William was sent to Visas because of his older brother, Keith William... Keith William is a petty man!"

"He was jealous of Lord William, so he used such vile, despicable means..."

Bana Larry truly had not known there was such an inside story.

He looked ahead in confusion, scratched his head, and said, "But... why does Lord William seem quite happy to me? Listen, isn't he humming a song right now?"

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Taylor Kennedy fell silent for a moment, then said, "In any case, a backward rural place like Visas does not deserve Lord William."

Especially when the Count of Visas was only six years old.

Whether it was the place or its lord, both would become obstacles on Lord Walker William's path to achievement.

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