A day off at last.
　Ewin and his son, Wilfred, are walking through the streets of Teirakainen.

　Yuin Blythe is a knight in the service of the Marquis of Edfelt. He is a knight for life. In layman's terms, he is a professional soldier.
　Uin's specialty is not weapons, but magic. He has mastered up to level 3 fire elemental magic and biomagic, which includes non-holy magic recovery spells and general enhancements (buffs). Well, in other words, he's an ordinary mage soldier.
　He has no ambition to become a lord in war, no ambition to improve his skills and become a great magician. His life was to work diligently, earn his wages, cook a little elaborate food, drink a little wine, and enjoy watching his only son grow up.

　So when he heard that his son's home, Wesara, had been destroyed by an army of undead, he felt as if he had never lived.
　Wilfred, who will turn eleven this year, is more interested in swordplay than magic, unlike Yuyin. He had been sent to live with his grandfather (not Yuin, but his wife's father, i.e. Yuin's father-in-law) in order to attend a famous swordsmanship school in Wesara, but after Wesara was attacked by the Rose Princess of Hell and destroyed, he fled to Teirakainen where Yuin was staying.

　When Yuyin saw Wilfred safe and sound, he was so happy that he threw himself into the air.
　Many people had been killed, and his father-in-law, who had escaped with Wilfred, had fallen ill and died as a result of the forced march. Still, he couldn't help but feel glad that his son was safe.

　However, there was one thing that was bothering Yoo-in.
　Wilfred never talked about the sword.
　Wilfred, who had been an idiot who spent all his time swinging his sword, was now staring at the sky and thinking about something.

　After what he's been through. I'm worried about the change in my son.
　Yuyin had been keeping a watchful eye on him, but on this day, he finally took the plunge.

"Will ......, don't you need to buy another sword for training?

　I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it.

　I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea. Of course, he didn't have his favorite sword with him.
　But so far, he hadn't asked Yin for a new sword.

That's not ......, well, ......, not right now.
"Hmm ...... are you going to buy another one?
Maybe .......

　Wilfred said, looking down at his feet.

I thought I was pretty good at ...... sword fighting. I could beat the adults in the dojo.
　But when I ...... was attacked by Wesara, I couldn't fight at all.
　I thought I could kill one or two of them, but when I saw them I didn't think I could beat them, so I threw away my ...... sword and ran away. ......
　I thought I could beat them, but when I saw them, I didn't think I could beat them.
　All of them were incredibly strong, and I thought that I would never be able to match them.
　Both friend and foe were so strong that ...... I realized that this is what fighting is all about. ......
　I'm sure that no matter how many swords I use, I'll never be able to get into that scary world. ...... What's the point of all this?

　Oh, I see, Yoo Yin thought.
　No matter how seriously you take it, training and the battlefield are different. Only a crazy person can be calm in the first battle. Those who see a real battlefield for the first time, whether they are farmers, knights, adventurers, or mercenaries, will be shocked beyond description.

　That's what Wilfred had experienced at his age.
　Moreover, Wilfred's mastery of the sword made him realize his own weakness. Uin doesn't know what he saw in Wesara, but it would be a double shock to see a monster with a far greater strength than his own, and a top adventurer fighting it.

　It would be a double whammy to see a world that is so merciless.
　This was something that Yuyin also remembered.
　He had been forced to stay in the mountains with his master during his training. A stray ogre attacked them hungry, and his master defeated it single-handedly. The young Yooin could do nothing but tremble and watch. ......
　In the end, Yuyin could not become as good a sorcerer as his master. But even so, here he is, working as a knight, eating food, and surviving several battles.

You were right to run. You're no match for an undead monster anyway. It's important to run from someone you can't beat.
"What?　I can't run?

　Wilfred was so surprised that he almost took down his pack.

Wilfred was so surprised that he almost took off his pack. "Because if people who fight run away, we can't protect those who can't fight!
"No. No. It's a waste of time to die in a battle you can't win. You have to run to win the next one.

　In reality, soldiers are often forced to die in vain for the sake of someone else's prestige, or are used as pawns to buy time.

In the event that you've got a problem, you'll be able to contact your doctor or doctor's office and ask for help. To do that, you need to be alive.
　You don't have to win against all of them. You don't need to be stupidly strong to go into battle. You don't have to be stupidly strong to go into battle. If it wasn't for ......, I wouldn't even be a knight.

　I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one.

You know what I always say?　I've always said that my dad has killed a worm before.
　With the help of twenty of my friends from the Order, that is!

　Wilfred chuckled.

　The worm is a minor dragon with the appearance of a giant worm.
　Its only means of attack are bodily harm and biting, but its massive size makes it a threat in terms of power and toughness. An ordinary party of adventurers would be no match for it.

　A worm once appeared in the territory, wondering where it had wandered in. There were no adventurers who could take care of the worm, so Yuin and his knights were sent out to kill it.
　The worm dove like a plow and attacked us from the ground. It was a chaotic battle, but Yooin thinks the "fireball" he threw into the worm's mouth was the best blow of his life.



"So there's nothing to be afraid of. If you're really scared, you can stop using the sword.
　You'll be fine as long as you have friends who can help you in a time of need.
　Wherever you're going to fight, you'll have friends. I know you can do it!　So don't worry, you'll be fine!
"Hey, drop it!

　Yin slapped him on the back, and Wilfred stumbled back.
　The two of them laughed at the mere thought of it.

"Dad. You should buy a sword for practice.
"You're going to play with a sword again?
"Yes. But I'm going to do my best not to stop at 'half strength'. I'll become so strong that I won't have to run away from any opponent!
　I'm going to become a great samurai!
"Aren't you a ...... knight?
And if I don't make it, someone will help me, right?
Yeah, yeah!

　It's like watering a wilting flower.
　Wilfred, who had always looked distressed, looked more lively than he had in a long time.

"Okay, I'm going to start again today!
　I have to make up for not swinging my sword for a while!
I'll have to find a teacher in this town. If you ask around, I'm sure someone will know. ......
f*ck you!　I'm never coming back to this place!

　A crackling voice interrupted their conversation.

"d*mn it!　What the hell is wrong with you, you old bastard!　You just rubbed a woman's ass and now you're all red in the face. Oh, shit, I should've broken his arm, too.
"I got my front teeth, that's enough. Dahhhhhhhh!

　Three men jumped out from a tavern ahead.
　They look like bandits, but they're no rogues, and they're wearing chest armor and greaves with the emblem of the sun painted on them. The swords hanging from their waists are also very impressive.

　--A Noachurian soldier.

　The Noahcurio reinforcements that had come to Wesara now had nearly half of their force assigned to Teiracaines. Since the day they arrived, they have been stationed in a camp just outside the city walls.
　However, they have not been holed up in their positions all the time. The soldiers came to the city one by one to buy small things and take their minds off things.

　It was a great business opportunity for the merchants, but there was also trouble. There are noblemen with prestigious families, but there are also soldiers in every army who are proud of their skills and have a lot of blood in their veins. It's obvious what would happen if such a large number of soldiers arrived.

　--But thanks to them, the city is protected,......, and Will's life is protected,.......

　The Marquis of Edfelt's knights alone are not enough to fight the Rose Princess of Hell. But now, the Noahcurio army is in this city.
　Aside from Wesara, the temporary home of the Noachurians, Teirakainen is probably the safest place in the country.

　Anyway, it's best not to get involved with these people.
　Yuyin dodged to the side of the road and passed the Noah's Curio soldiers with a slight bow.

　Or, more precisely, as he was about to pass them.

"Hey. Hey, that kid just stared at me.

　Noacurio Soldier A stopped and turned his red eyes to Yuyin and the others.
　Yuyin felt as if an icy hand had grabbed his heart.

What?　What? ......
I said, "You stared at me!
Whoa!

　A grabbed Wilfred.
　The package Wilfred was holding fell off and a potato rolled on the cobblestones.

　Yoo-ying hurriedly tried to intervene.

Wait!　I'm sorry if I upset you about my son. He's just got a bad eye. I wasn't looking at him in a bad way. ......
Don't you dare make excuses!
"What?

　A clenched fist suddenly flew at Yoo Yin's face.

　Before I could feel any pain, my vision flickered in black and white, and the smell of iron spread in my nose.
　The world is spinning around me. But I felt as if someone had grabbed me by the chest. His breath, reeking of alcohol, splashed onto Yoo-in's face.

"Oh, .......
"Ah!　Who do you think is protecting this country?　We walked through the snow to get to this countryside!
　You guys!　Respect!　It's not enough!


"Gwah!　Gah!

　Rock-like fists were shaking in succession.
　A bell was ringing in my head.

"Hey, hey, hey, leave it there. You're gonna die.　You're gonna die. Ha-ha-ha!
"That's good. Let's bet how many blows it takes to kill you. Da-ha-ha-ha!

　B and C, who were with A, didn't stop him, but just watched him laughing.
　Encouraged by their jokes, A punched Yoon with more and more force.

"What?

　But... But then his hand suddenly stopped.
　Wilfred's punch into A's groin.

......!
Get your father off me!
"Shut up!
"Aaah!

　A immediately kicked Wilfred.
　A kicked Wilfred in the stomach, sending him spitting back his lunch and rolling on the cobblestones.

He rolled on the cobblestones, spitting his lunch back out. "V......keh, keh, keh ...... ee......
"Will!

　Will!" Wilfred folded his body and held his stomach.
　A pulled out his ...... sword, holding his crotch with a pale face.

"You little shit!　You're a lick!

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing.
　Even the few swords that are issued to ordinary soldiers are of good quality in Noah Curio's army. It's not the best, but it's standardized and of sufficient quality.
　I'm not thinking straight. I mean, I mean...
　It's enough to kill Wilfred.

Who the hell do you think keeps you breathing?　Don't you dare bite your master in dog land!
　A dog should just wag its tail like a dog!　Know what you're doing!

　Barking like an animal, Soldier A leapt at Wilfred.

　Time seemed to stand still for a moment. Wilfred lay motionless. A sword raised in the air. The two soldiers watching, smirking.

　Yoo Yin combined the fingers of his hands and made a sign.

"Fireball!

　The red flames hit Soldier A in the head.
　It was enough to kill a defenseless man, though the use of magic without a wand greatly reduced the power.
　After the flames exploded, all that was left was a charred, smoking, burned face.
　His body lost its strength and he fell to his knees, prostrate with a dough.

　Soldier BC had a look of confusion on his face, as if he didn't know what had happened.

"This ...... guy is a sorcerer!
"Oh no, run!

　Leaving the fallen soldier A behind, BC ran away at full speed (or so they thought, but in reality it was more appropriate to say staggered speed).
　All that was left behind was a mute corpse of a soldier. A fallen Wilfred. Shopping strewn about. A beaten Yuyin.

Oh, Dad. ......
You okay, Will?

　Still feeling light-headed, Yuyin crawled over to Wilfred.

　--d*mn, d*mn, d*mn!　How did this happen? ......!