Prologue

Water drizzled from the metal cans that I carried on my shoulder with the help of a wooden pole. As I passed, the soil around the green vegetable patches was darkened.

The strong earthy scent told me that it was sufficiently watered.

The work would be faster if I had sneakers or boots. Instead, all I got was a sad-looking medieval leather shoe with hardened soles.

“Lans, you’re getting weak,” Marc taunted me from the well.

“Quiet you,” I chuckled breathlessly.

I helped with the family plot on my day off, but I got less and less time due to my teaching job.

The autumn wind blew past us; there was a subtle chill in the air. The sun was almost orange and perching close on the horizon.

“Lansius! I’m looking for Lansius!”

“Wow, a girl! I never thought this could happen to you, big bro.”

I splashed water at Marc for his sarcastic comment and jogged away. He tried to splash one at me to no avail.

“I’m Lansius," I said.

The girl had rested her hands on the wooden fence and I couldn’t help to notice her short brown hair. Other females in the village had long hair.

“I can tell from the hair," she said as I approached her. "Are you really a foreigner?”

Unlike other people’s brown hair, mine was almost charcoal dark. I disliked it as it made me unnecessarily stand out. “I think so, even now I still can’t talk fluently.”

“I understand you enough. I’m Stefi, a Squire. They send me to help you for the journey ahead.”

"Oh..." I'm not sure what to think of this. Nobody had told me about this.

“May I call you master Lansius?”

“Eh, no, I’m not someone important," I replied. "Just Lans is enough.”

Her eyes widened for a moment. There was something about her gaze. It was abnormally powerful and penetrating.

She stood straight and revealed her weathered gambeson. An exquisite-looking belt decorated her waist where a well-worn sword scabbard hung neatly on one side.

“Listen, Stefi. Before anything, you should know that I haven't made my decision.”

“Why? What are you afraid of, wars?”

“That is one concern, yes,” I admitted. Life was already hard without sanitation and antibiotics, adding war into the mix would be just crazy.

“Be at peace. At most you’re going to work as a scribe.”

“But I can’t even write that well," I confessed.

She smiled. “Lans, you should trust your ability more. I was there you know when you counted the troops.”

“Ah…” I mumbled.

Yesterday, the young lord had found me amongst the crowd. Somebody introduced me as a math teacher and the young lord asked me to entertain him by calculating the troops.

I did just that by multiplying the soldiers' formation width and depth. Somehow, it impressed them so much.

“The troops had barely assumed formation, the squires just started their counts when you finished counting. How did you do that?” Stefi asked with great interest.

"It’s just multiplication,” I answered softly, but I knew that mental math was uncommon in this era.

“You didn’t even use a tally or wax tablet. That’s amazing you know?!”

The way she said it made me rather proud.

“I’m just a farmer turned teacher.” I had no high aspiration other than to live in peace.

“Ahh, so you’re that kind of man,” she said warmly while looking far across the landscape.

“What do you mean?”

“Humble, many people got a speck of skill and become all pompous and haughty.”

I could only smile at her kind words.

“Is that your house?” She looked at a small hovel.

“Yup!” I had no intention to hide the truth that I lived in poverty.

“Looks cozy and well taken care of.”

“Wha- don’t you see the rotted thatched roof and wood panels?”

My answer surprised her and made her laugh.

“That’s why you need to accept the offer. Being a lord’s retainer brings wealth and status, what’s not to like?”

I started to get swayed by her.

“I don’t know about teacher’s pay, but I think it’s hard to pay for a better house," Stefi either advised or enticed me.

"I heard you guys aren’t related but don’t you want to help them out? I imagine tilling the land is hard on the body."

I exhaled deeply. Mother Arryn’s back was getting worse than last year, tittle Tanya's fingers were covered in blue dyes for her crafts, and Marc also didn’t want to work on the field if he had the option.

They had taken care of me, a complete stranger, and I wanted to help them. When I arrived two years ago in this world, I couldn’t even stand nor speak the language.

Mother Arryn and Marc had taught me to live and overcome sickness. Little Tanya helped me against severe depression.

Without them, I’m a goner…

Stefi tilted her head and surprised me.

“How about if I return tomorrow morning for your answer?” She seemed to notice my hesitation.

“Yeah, I’ll have the answer by tomorrow.”

“I hope you say yes, otherwise I’m stuck with half-pay.”

“Eh, why?”

“Well, because I don’t have any job right now,” she said without losing her mood.

“But you’re a squire?”

“A master-less one, my knight master, unfortunately, died on a hunt. Maybe I’ll tell you about her when we have the time.”

“I see… but why did no other knights employ you?”

She giggled as if holding back a joke. “Because I’m a female and most of the knights are males. If I fuck around and become pregnant then they’ll be the one who gets the blame.”

“That’s awful…”

“Haha, it's just a lame joke. But yeah, at any rate, you’re stuck with me. But don't worry. I’m more reliable than my looks.”

I smiled at Stefi's self-promotion. She leaned in at the fence and spoke. “So how about it, are you coming?”

“Are you sure about no fighting?”

“Of course! This is just defending against a small incursion. We’ll be mostly at the rear, far from any battle,” Stefi said confidently.

I finally made my decision.

The year was Elven Calendar 4422.

Little did we know that it was going to be known as the Arvena War. So many lost so much, and the entire province subsequently fell.

***