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Ricardt decided to stay for a day at the inn recommended by Sandy. He could hear the sounds of rats scurrying across the ceiling and walls, but it was no different from when he lived in Stormhertz, so he didn’t mind much.

He washed in cold water, did his laundry, and crawled into a fresh blanket, feeling the accumulated fatigue from walking and sleeping rough rush over him all at once.

He was at an age where he should run around a lot, eat a lot, sleep a lot, and grow a lot. Without tossing or turning, Ricardt fell asleep instantly.

But it felt like he had just blinked his eyes once when someone woke him, and he saw the dawn light streaming in through the window.

“Ricky, Ricky.”

When he raised himself and looked around, it was Sandy. She was already prepared.

“Do we have to leave already?”

“No. We have some time. You can take your time getting ready.”

“Just a moment.”

Ricardt rubbed his swollen eyes with his hand and got up from his spot in his underwear. Then he rummaged through his bag to take out some money. He had to pay for the guide service.

“You don’t have to give me money.”

“Why?”

“How could I take money from our cute little young master junior?”

“Still.”

“I had to go to the headquarters anyway, so let’s consider it as traveling together. How about it? Come on, raise your arms.”

Sandy took Ricardt’s clothes, which had been dried by the fire overnight, and tried to dress him. It was even ironed, making him wonder why she was going to such lengths.

“I had a younger brother about your age.”

As if reading Ricardt’s mind, Sandy explained why she was being so kind. But she didn’t elaborate much. That was all.

Ricardt looked up at Sandy as he put on his top, then smiled gently and said,

“Thank you, Sandy. Sandy, your heart is as beautiful as your face.”

At this, Sandy’s eyes widened a bit in surprise, then quickly returned to normal. A smile spread across her lips as well.

“You’re going to break a lot of hearts when you grow up.”

She even put on his shoes, which had also been thoroughly dried by the fire overnight, so they didn’t smell at all. When he slipped his feet in, he felt a warm and pleasant sensation.

“Check if you’ve lost anything. Let’s have breakfast and leave right away.”

“Okay.”

Ricardt slung his bag over his shoulder and packed his dagger. Inside the bag were his admission letter, travel food, spare underwear, and travel money.

When they left the room and went downstairs, they came upon a dark and deserted hall. It was dawn, so no one was around, and a large iron pot simmered with stew on the fireplace.

Unidentifiable chunks floated in the bright red broth. It was called the Eternal Stew.

It was a dish where random ingredients were constantly added, and water or alcohol was poured in from time to time, eating it as needed. So it never ran out and thus was called Eternal Stew.

Sandy ladled two bowls and brought them to the table. They had to drink it or eat with their hands, as there were no spoons.

Ricardt took a sip and found the taste indescribable – somewhat sour and vaguely unpleasant, yet still edible.

One thing was certain. Whether some magical powder was added or not, it had a curiously addictive taste.

Ricardt blew on the bowl and took a sip, then suddenly had a question.

“The henhouse, do women stay there too?”

“No. Women have their own place. There are about 80 of them. Why? Are you interested?”

“It’s not that. It’s just that wielding swords seems a bit much for women. They’re generally not as strong.”

“Oh, that? It’s fine because of the Mana Drive. Women can learn the Mana Drive too, and it practically eliminates the difference in physical strength.”

“Mana Drive?”

“It originates from something called the Codex. It’s a method used to enhance physical abilities or weapons through the mana in our bodies. It’s different from the magic that wizards use, it’s more physical. Sorry, I don’t really understand it well myself. They don’t explain it in detail to us either.”

“So you’ve learned it too, Sandy?”

“Yeah. But not just anyone can learn it. First, you have to be able to feel mana. Some people naturally start to feel it after struggling in the henhouse, others feel it quickly due to innate talent, and some can never feel it no matter how hard they try. And it doesn’t end with just feeling mana. Increasing the amount of mana and purifying it without impurities is another level.”

“I’ve never heard of this before. It sounds like some kind of magic.”

Ricardt couldn’t fully grasp what Sandy was talking about. Saying it was like a hundred years ago, yet he was doing something he had never tried, left him confused.

“If magic is something wizards learn through their heads, we learn it through physical training.”

“Then what do you mainly do in the henhouse to learn it?”

“Well, just things like improving flexibility, physical training, swordsmanship classes, hand-to-hand combat, and meditation. Oh, and you have to pay a donation for each class.”

“Donation?”

“You’re free to choose which classes to take. You don’t have to take any. But if you don’t, you won’t be able to compete. You also don’t have to pay the donation, but if you don’t, they make your life miserable. So the kids try to earn money in their spare time. Some get caught up in that, and some can’t take it and leave.”

In fact, donations were common not only in the Adventurer Training Academy but also in academies for academic studies.

There was no fixed tuition fee; you voluntarily paid the professors for their lectures.

There were no grade levels, and you only had tasks to complete as you accumulated years.

Listening closely to Sandy, Ricardt began to form a rough picture in his mind of how the academy worked.

And as he listened to Sandy, the stew had cooled enough to eat, and Ricardt could finally start his meal.

By the time he had eaten about half, Sandy had already finished. She spoke again.

“I’m not sure. If I had to do it again, I probably couldn’t, but like Blatter said, it wasn’t a meaningless time.”

“I understand what you mean. Going through hardships and adversities together can make you feel closer than blood brothers.”

“…What kind of life have you lived?”

“Haha, it’s just something I heard.”

Ricardt thought of his fellow comrades dying in his previous life. He couldn’t remember each one, but bond between fellow comrades was definitely a special bond.

The belief that they would be willing to give their lives for you, and you for them. Moments of laughter as they promised not to thank each other for saving lives, and not to mourn if someone died.

Ricky had lost more of these comrades than anyone else. Each time one of them died, it felt like something inside him died too.

Ricardt felt melancholic as he recalled old memories, gulping down the stew without really chewing the contents, as if swallowing his tears.

“You’re really strange.”

“Huh?”

“You look like a young master who’s never had a hard day in his life, yet you took the head of the Vilton brothers. But now, you seem somewhat pitiful. You’ll really make a lot of girls cry.”

“Will you cry too, Sandy?”

At Ricardt’s joke, Sandy burst into laughter. Ricardt laughed along with her.

“You’re still young, you know? Maybe in about ten years, noona will think about it.”

“By then, you’ll have to stand in line.”

Sandy laughed even louder. He was indeed a peculiar young master. He had neither the arrogance typical of nobles nor the timidity typical of someone his age. He had a certain calmness about him.

“Are you done eating? Shall we go?”

“Yes.”

The two of them stood up. The outside world was painted in a deep, watery color. The dawn air was a bit chilly but felt refreshing.

Unlike the side roads they had used to reach Reinfurt, the path to Beringen was a main road. They occasionally passed travelers, migrants, and merchants.

Most were armed or hired armed guards, but the mere presence of many people suggested relative safety.

About three or four hours after leaving the city, the world, initially a shade of navy blue, began to find its colors. Green sprouts, pink flowers, blue sky, white clouds.

Unlike Arno, Sandy was very considerate. Even though it wasn’t necessary, she took frequent breaks for Ricardt.

She often tidied his hair, joked more and more, and the distance between them grew closer when they rested. Ricardt thought this kind of companionship wasn’t bad at all. No, he liked it.

He was curious about Sandy’s younger brother but didn’t ask. He didn’t want to spoil her mood.

They came to a fork in the road, and on the right path was a heavy knee-high stone marker. The marker had “Beringen” inscribed on it.

“From here, if we walk slowly, it will take three days to reach Beringen. If we walk quickly, we can make it in two days. There are four days left until the 14th, so what do you think?”

“Let’s go slowly.”

Sandy smiled pleasantly at the suggestion to go slowly. Thus, their steps were slow but light.

Eventually, the paved road ended. The regular dirt path stretched into the forest, and the two continued walking through the woods.

By midday, they arrived at a solitary hut with a waterwheel turning beside it.

“This is Waltz’s tavern. It’s been run by the same family for three generations. Most rookies can’t do anything here. Waltz has many connections and is good at fighting himself.”

“Shall we have a meal here then?”

“Sure.”

“I’ll pay. For the lady.”

“Don’t be silly. I told you not to do that.”

Ricardt demonstrated textbook noble etiquette. However, knowing Sandy disliked such gestures, he said it as a joke.

Sandy wasn’t fond of noble pretensions. She liked Ricardt because he was a noble who didn’t act like one.

The two entered Waltz’s tavern. Inside, there were a few customers already, lightly armed, giving off the vibe of adventurers.

However, being adventurers didn’t mean they knew each other. Even if they were from the same guild, different branches or clans made them strangers.

Moreover, if they were from different guilds, they might even try to kill each other outright, so encountering another adventurer wasn’t always pleasant.

Waltz’s tavern was special, serving as a sort of neutral ground.

Sandy walked straight to Waltz and ordered food. There wasn’t a specific menu; the food was made with whatever ingredients were available at the time.

Fortunately, it wasn’t something like Eternal Stew. It was just corn soup and smoked meat.

The two sat at a table, having a pleasant but trivial conversation. Sandy shared amusing and absurd memories from her time at the academy, and Ricardt chimed in with agreement.

Then, before their food arrived, someone else entered the tavern. It was two men, and after looking around, they spotted Sandy.

Sandy noticed them too, and she quickly turned her head and pulled up her hood, seemingly not wanting to be recognized. But it appeared to be too late.

The two men approached, and one of them grinned as he spoke.

“Look who it is! Isn’t it Sandy, the whore of Beringen? You see this too?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t know she was into kids now. How did you handle those old men?”

“…”

Sandy couldn’t say anything. Ricardt was also too stunned to speak as well.

“Let’s go.”

Sandy suddenly stood up and left the tavern without even touching the food they had ordered. Ricardt followed her.

Outside, Sandy walked quickly. Ricardt jogged a little to catch up with her, but Sandy continued to walk briskly, almost as if trying to shake him off.

He kept alternating between jogging and walking to keep up. Then Sandy abruptly stopped and, without looking back, spoke with her hood still on.

“It’s true.”

“What is?”

“What they said is true. I wasn’t skilled enough to become a senior. It wasn’t all good memories.”

Ricardt stared at her back and then spoke.

“So what?”

“Huh?”

“Did you think I’d find you dirty?”

“…”

“You don’t know. You have no idea what real filth is.”

Sandy turned to look at Ricardt. Her eyes were filled with tears of shame and humiliation.

“Let’s go. I’ll share what my sister-in-law made. It’s delicious.”

This time, Ricardt started walking first. Sandy stood there, seemingly lost in thought, before following the boy.

The forest was shaded by trees, but it was still midday, so it wasn’t dark. They walked along the path, with sunlight filtering through the branches.

After walking silently for a while, they saw someone leaning against a tree up ahead. It was the man who had called Sandy a whore. Somehow, he had gotten ahead of them and was waiting.

Looking back, they saw his companion standing behind them.

“What are you doing?”

Sandy asked, showing hostility. The man grinned as he replied.

“We’re from the same academy. How about some service?”

“You’re crazy.”

“The old men are fine, but not someone young like me? And yet, you like kids?”

“It’s not like that. He’s an academy entrant.”

“Oh, really? Are you trying to seduce him and take him to that henhouse? Do you get a reward for recruiting clueless kids?”

“It’s not like that. Move. Our clan won’t stay quiet about this.”

“What’s a bunch of weaklings going to do about it?”

It seemed this wasn’t just a prank. Sandy pulled out her sword and whip, which were tied to her waist. She spoke quietly to Ricardt.

“Run. No matter what, get to that tavern and contact our people in Reinfurt.”

“…”

“I’ll protect you no matter what. Don’t worry. Just run, no matter what.”

At that moment, the two adventurers approached from the front and back, drawing their weapons.

“What’s she babbling about? Do you think we’ll let him run away?”

The man in front approached slowly, then swung the sword in his hand sideways. The bush was cleanly cut in a straight line.

At the same time, he closed the distance at a speed that was hard for the average person to follow, moving like the wind.

Sandy quickly swung her whip, but he ducked and dodged in that brief moment, approaching even faster.

Sandy swung the sword in her other hand, and surprisingly, the opponent easily retreated.

The reason he retreated was to divert attention. The real threat came from behind, where another man reached out to Ricardt.

They seemed to intend to take him hostage to threaten Sandy. Their goal was never to injure her.

The man behind reached out to grab Ricardt, but Ricardt twisted his body to dodge. At the same time, the assailant felt a sharp pain in his wrist, and blood started pouring out.

“Ugh! Fuck!”

He stepped back in shock, and Ricardt was already holding a dagger.

The man approaching Sandy was also surprised, and this time he swung his sword at Ricardt like lightning.

Sandy, sensing the skill difference, stepped back a little and was shocked at the sight.

“No!”

Her scream echoed through the forest. However, the situation that unfolded was entirely different from the tragedy she anticipated.

Ricardt held his dagger in a reverse grip and brought it down on the sword being swung at him.

Clang!

The sound of metal clashing rang out, and the opponent’s sword broke. Losing the balance from the broken sword, the man staggered.

As the broken sword grazed Ricardt’s hair and flew into the air, Ricardt used that brief moment to put his full weight into a kick aimed at the man’s calf.

With a crack, the man’s knee buckled sideways, and he fell completely to the ground.

Despite his trained body, his left leg was numbed, and his mind went blank as he reflexively tried to get up.

But he couldn’t, because a sharp dagger was pointed at his throat.

“Don’t move.”

The cold warning fell on his face. He looked up at Ricardt, lifting his upper body slightly. Ricardt’s expression was chillingly blank.

His companion, bleeding from his wrist, stood frozen, unable to do anything, shocked by what was happening.

In the heavy silence, Ricardt spoke again, coldly.

“Isn’t this what you wanted?”

“W-what?”

“You just didn’t expect to get beaten. This is the situation you wanted, right? Isn’t it?”

He was saying that they had started the fight and attacked with weapons, causing this situation themselves.

“…W-what are you…”

“Let me tell you something since you’re trying to imitate me. If you don’t understand the point of force, no matter how fast you are, it’s useless. Mana or whatever means nothing. Got it?”

“…”

“And from now on, whether you want to or not, you’ll be careful with your words.”

Then Ricardt pierced the skin under his chin, stabbing through the tongue before pulling it back out.

“Aaagh! Gurgle! Gack! Hack!”

The man tried to scream, but blood poured into his throat, causing him to choke and sputter.

Ricardt wiped his dagger on the man’s clothes, stood up, and sheathed it again.

“Let’s go.”

Sandy was too shocked to move, frozen in place, and Ricardt grabbed her wrist and led her away from the scene.

The sun was briefly obscured by clouds, making the forest shade a bit darker.

Chapter 3 – Shadow of a Hundred Years Ago. End.