Chapter 30: The Knight Condemns

Susan wore a robe and carried a bag. She took a look at her room with a bitter face. Touching her table, and then looking at her bed for a while. She went out of the room only to see her parents. Melva and Ehren Cher have waited for their daughter. With their faces crumpled up, they hug her with a ball of tears at the side of their eyes. Susan felt the warmth of her parents as she gets embraced by them. The warm feeling is something she will miss the moment she leaves.

“Please stay alive my daughter.”

Ehren Cher said, holding out a dagger to her.

“This is.”

“Mithril dagger, we have saved it up for you.”

Melva told Susan,

“Thank you father, mother, I am going to miss you both.”

“As will I. You are our only daughter. And we can’t stop you from reaching your aspirations. That is why even though it is painful and heartbreaking for us. We will support you with all our heart. That is why you are tired and weary; remember that you will have a home to return to...Even you Arden.”

Ehren spoke behind Susan’s back. Susan turned around and saw Arden wearing a robe. Under his buttoned robe was a black leather body armor and as he walks towards them the tailcoat of his robe flapped. Arden took a long look at the Cher duo before bowing his head to the two.

“Thank you so much for taking care of me in these past few years. You took this lonely orphan me and cared for me until this day. With all my heart, I thank you too.”

“Raise your head, Arden. No need to be formal, we are family.”

Ehren pats Arden’s shoulder and told him to raise his head. He looked at Arden with a cold deadly eye, a look that any warrior who knew to pick their opponents would shiver at. Arden felt his hair stand but even so he stood tall without flinching.

“Arden please stay alive at all times.”

“I will.”

“Good. Do not make us worry.”

Ehren tap Arden’s chest as he then nodded at him. Arden responded back and then the two met their fist together. Susan and Melva Cher glance at the two before smiling at each other. The four then hugged each other, basking in one’s warmth before departing.

After that, the Cher duo escorted the two out of the Inn. Holding arms together, Melva Cher tearfully said goodbye to the two while trying not to bawl like a child. Ehren Cher was a strong man but he could not help but tear up seeing his lovely daughter leave. From a little girl to a competent healer that has astounded the Academy. Ehren and Melva Cher can only feel pride in their daughter. They then look at Arden who stood with their daughter as he leaves. Looking at Arden, they can only pray that the broken child will stay alive enough to wake up from his deluded dream.

...

Susan walked silently with Arden while looking around the streets. With spring here the snow started melting. They drip like water on the clay tiled roofs of each building. She has seen this kind of thing for years now. And now she may never see it for a long time or will never be.

“Time came fast huh.”

“Yeah, I can’t believe it is to go.”

Arden replied while looking straight at the road. His hands on his robes pocket, he could not help but frown with his eyes in seeing it for the last time. It was not like he was given the death sentence, but going outside the overworld will take him to a cruel world. He understood that and he will miss the peace even though he was not enamored with it.

The two continue walking until they arrive in the plaza where most of the caravans are placed. Looking at the war band that has been formed in this huge area made for quite a scene. Armor, sword, shields, robes, and staffs could be seen being equipped by the people in the area. Horses wearing armors could be seen and carriages that belong to nobles are present. They lined up neatly facing the huge gate that leads to the outside world.

“This is it.”

Arden said. The wind fluttered his tail coat. He felt chilly.

“Yes, this it, time to say goodbye”

Susan said painfully. She looked at the carriages, scanning the area until she found the noble sigil of the house of Saclea. Their banner with a sigil of a sword shining under the moon was flapping proudly in one of the carriages. She sees the noble lady too. Wearing her gilded armor proudly, emitting a strong presence and aura.

“Looks like I will be leaving. Good luck Arden.”

“You as well Sis, I wish you luck too.”

The two shared a hug. Susan smiled Arden for a while before taking a stride towards the lady of the noble house of Saclea. As she walks towards the band, she felt her heart ache. Ah, what did she felt when they part? Susan could not understand why she was tearing inside. But she braves through the pain in order to realize her dreams. She has her own dreams and goals. So even though it will be painful and even though she might regret it, Susan stretched her legs towards the one riding the armored horse.

“Susan Cher, reporting for duty, I am at your care now milady.”

Sena Saclea who wore full armor raises the mask of her helmet and glanced at her. Susan felt her being thoroughly scoured as if she was naked. The eyes of the noble were quite strong. And it made Susan feel the spirit imprint in her that most people do not have. It was quite strong that it made Susan wanted to back off. But she steeled her heart, straighten herself out and stood stall because she knows she was worthy for the job. A fire lit in her eyes and seeing this kind of eyes, the noble lady of the Saclea smiled.

“Welcome...I have been expecting you. Come, take your horse, you and Bruno will be my new hands within our journey.”

“I am Bruno...It is a pleasure seeing the best healer the Academy has created.”

“No, the pleasure is mine.”

Susan held Sena’s hand and then turned to Bruno who she smiled at. Seeing Susan’s smile, Bruno took a step back and then took a step forward, coughing as he accepts her hand.

...

Arden searches for the banner of the noble he was going to serve. Only took him a while seeing the banner of the Asmara family. The banner flapped high and when he arrived there he saw gloomy heads lowered to the ground. He raises an eyebrow at the state of the band, feeling something was quite not right.

He sneakily walked to where the gloom is. There he saw a man wearing a badge on his right chest. The man with the badge was obviously a war leader that was assigned to this band bleed into the ground as if he was pleading for help. No one dared to help, seeing the plated armor lady of the Asmara boring a hole through the war leader’s shoulder.

Blood spurted out his mouth and seeing the lady pulls her lance back. The war leader spins his head in a plea for help. The look of help triggered someone. Without a moment’s notice, the lance that was about to pierce the war leader’s shoulder stopped in the right moment. As if it collided with steel, the people who expected blood only saw a black cloak fluttering as it clashes with the lance.

“Please stop this milady.”

“Who are you to block my punishment!?”

“I am Arden, your new follower. Please stop this madness milady.”

“So the foolish Magus has arrived. You are late and you even dare to block me in your first arrival. Tell me why I should not execute you?”

Arden didn’t hold back as he could still hear the cry of help behind him. It was foolish trying to shield the war leader behind him and risking detest. But if he pulls back then he would never truly live his principles.

“You have no right. We follow you milady but we are not your subordinates. What are you doing right now is merely incompetence. You dare to injure a war leader, a man sent to instruct you. How can I not stand back and let us all kill us?”

“Foolish! Do you think that I am incompetent?”

Anger, her words brim with rage.

“No, I have no right to judge you that. But clearly, you are inexperience. This man behind my back knows more of the world than you. You are making yourself look incompetent and inexperienced...just look around you milady.”

Arden made the lady of Asmara notice her surroundings. At first, she was clouded due to her anger at how bossy the war leader was but now she could see the worried glances of the men and woman that will follow her. The look on their eyes felt like needles to her skin. She could not bear it and she could even hear a chuckle from passing nobles. The look on their eyes tells that they were berating her.

“Milady, how about sparing this man, please give us your kindness.”

Arden emphasized on the word kindness. Hearing this, the lady of Asmara’s rage turned to Arden. She tried intimidating with her soul aura but she saw him standing like a steel shield. She looked into his eyes and found no fear on it. It was bottomless and abyss-like.

She can only click her tongue. She then stabs the other end of her lances on the ground and thought of something.

“Then are you willing to crest partly sealed?”

She smugly said. Hearing this, various people looked at the lady with shock. Partly sealing a magus’s crest is that of a death sentence. Even the war leader knew that once he agrees he would have his life condemned. The war leader could not bear it. It was enough for the young man to help him. So he tried to speak up only for Arden to speak up first.

“Will you let this man go then?”

“I will.”

The Magus said.

“I agree. Very well, then do it.”

The Lady of Asmara was quite shocked. She thought that her bluff would scare the magus but be seeing him fears none of her threats. She can only bid to her offer and then allowed the Magus to come near her.

“By my power, I Valera Asmara, seals your crest, as punishment.”

The power ruptured on the lady’s body. She is an ascended knight and though some things have twisted on her mind. She still was strong enough. So with the sealed wrapping on Arden’s left hand, he could feel burning pain as his magic veins destabilize and go awry.

He felt his upgraded crest turn back to what it was before having his origin sealed. He had two magic crests on him that bonded. But the seal that the lady gave him cut off the crest of his foster father. Without the crest of his foster father, Arden felt like he could never construct the items his father could create.

“And it is done.”

The lady smugly said. She could feel the mana of the Magus dispersed. How foolish, it was the only thing she could think as she seals the magus crest. Her thoughts had malice on it.

“Thank you for the kindness.”

Arden had no regret. He turned to the war leader who wore a bitter face. He stood up, bowed his head and told Arden.

“Thank you, but even with this, I won’t be going with that lunatic. I appreciate you risking your life. But as I am now, I will not be able to travel in the overworld. Goodbye.”

The war leader left, making everyone felt nervous. The lady with the lance merely made a ‘humph’ Sound and ordered everyone to prepare for the journey. As everyone leaves, they look at the foolish magus with pity. With his crests being partly sealed, his life in the overworld will be difficult. The lady who bore a punishment towards him might as well have condemned him to death. The overworld is a place filled with death and sorrow. The road is steep and dangerous and punishing.

Most of them can rely on their mana to survive or through their tools. But with how things are for them. Losing a war leader right off the bat, and having lost a magus who at least can fight made the members of the Asmara war band feel anxiety.