Claire didn't answer immediately.

She turned and bent over a white calla lily in the rear garden, brushing its petals with gentle fingers. Her graceful back faced Shadia.

"Shadia, do you know what a person needs to step into the transcendent?"

The head maid frowned and considered the question.

She was literate and read often, but her books concerned noble etiquette, introductory heraldry, and the daily management of an estate.

This subject lay far beyond her knowledge.

After a long silence, Shadia offered a hesitant answer.

"Talent?"

Claire smiled softly. "You named one."

"Four things are required to step into the transcendent: resolve, talent, perseverance, and opportunity."

"I had already seen resolve and perseverance in Raine. That was why I asked you to bring him to the rear garden."

"Just now, he confirmed the third. His talent is respectable."

Understanding dawned on Shadia.

"I see. But..."

"My lady, you've named three qualities that Raine possesses. Didn't you say he needs four?"

"You mean opportunity?" Claire's smile turned radiant. "I am his opportunity."

---

Inside a tavern in Goldflash Town, Bushy Brow sat in a secluded corner with a burly man.

"Drunk Jack, ten Silver Coins. Break the hand Raine uses to hold a sword. That's all."

Richard's face was dark.

Talent?

Let Raine try learning swordsmanship with a broken hand.

"Only ten Silver Coins? That won't even cover two days of drinking."

Drunk Jack still possessed a sturdy build. He had once been a mercenary, after all. But years spent haunting taverns and chasing prostitutes had worn away most of his former ability.

"Richard, make it fifteen Silver Coins, and I'll deal with the boy."

Jack rubbed his thumb against two fingers, greed plain in his eyes.

"Fine. Fifteen." Richard ground his teeth. "But this must never be traced back to me."

He didn't have enough money to hire a true expert.

Someone like Drunk Jack was the best he could afford.

That should still be enough to handle Raine.

Shouldn't it?

"He should be going home today. He'll spend one night there and return to the estate tomorrow evening. If you're going to act, do it quickly."

"Hic. Relax. He's only a little brat."

Drunk Jack belched and thumped his chest.

Before leaving, Richard paused to give him one final warning.

"The boy has some talent with a sword. Don't let him turn the tables on you."

"Tch. Don't forget, I used to be a mercenary. A mercenary."

Jack waved dismissively.

After Richard left, Drunk Jack decided to have another couple of drinks.

Then he looked up and spotted a familiar figure passing the tavern entrance.

*Isn't that Raine?*

Drunk Jack grinned.

*Easy money.*

He rose and followed.

---

Evening approached.

The sun was sinking while Raine hurried home.

His thoughts remained on Miss Claire.

What would she do next?

Recruit him directly?

Or...

Quick footsteps sounded behind him.

Wind brushed the back of his head.

The value of raising Agility to 7 revealed itself in that instant.

Raine lunged forward.

The blow aimed at the back of his skull missed its mark, though not entirely. The attack still struck his back with crushing force.

Smack!

Pain tore through him, but it was far better than taking the blow to his head.

The attacker hadn't expected his certain strike to miss and froze in surprise.

Raine seized the opening.

He spun, grabbed the wooden club, and yanked.

The man tightened his grip by instinct, but the sudden pull still dragged him off balance.

Then the attacker relaxed slightly.

This proved his target was only a boy, far weaker than a grown man.

Even with surprise on his side, Raine couldn't wrench the club away.

Too weak.

The thought had barely formed when Raine's leg snapped upward.

Smack!

His kick struck the man squarely in the crotch.

"Aaaah!"

The attacker's face turned dark red. He released the club, clutched himself with both hands, and doubled over.

Raine reversed the weapon and swung it at the man's temple.

Smack!

The attacker collapsed without making another sound.

Only then did Raine begin gasping for breath.

The fight had lasted less than ten seconds, but it was his first real ambush in this world, his first battle with genuine consequences.

Fortunately, his attributes and swordsmanship had improved dramatically. Otherwise, he wouldn't have reacted to that first strike from behind.

One blow would have ended the fight.

Raine scanned the area.

At this hour, most townspeople had returned home for dinner. The nearby street was almost empty, and no one appeared to have witnessed the attack.

His family's house stood near the end of the town's main road, where foot traffic was even lighter.

After a moment's thought, Raine dragged the unconscious attacker into the nearby woods.

He found a vine as thick as his thumb and wound it around the man several times, binding him tightly to the base of a large tree.

Only then did Raine tear away the black cloth covering the attacker's face.

*Isn't this Drunk Jack, the man who always hangs around the tavern?*

Goldflash Town wasn't large. Raine recognized him immediately.

Several suspects came to mind.

Bushy Brow?

Freckles?

One of the other merchant boys?

Bushy Brow and Freckles were the most likely.

Raine considered his next move, then woke Drunk Jack.

"Raine, you little bastard! Untie me at once!"

"Mmff!"

Raine pulled off one of Jack's filthy socks and stuffed it into his mouth.

The dense trees muffled sound well, but Raine wasn't taking chances.

The sock hadn't been washed in at least a month. The moment it entered Jack's mouth, his face turned red. Tears and mucus streamed down his face from the stench.

Raine wiped the hand that had touched it against the dirt in disgust.

"I ask, you answer. Nod if you understand."

Raine crouched before Jack, who had been trussed up like a festival roast.

Jack had reached the limit of what he could endure. He nodded frantically.

Raine pulled the sock from his mouth.

"Who sent you to attack me?"

Drunk Jack gulped air.

"Raine, if you don't want me causing trouble for your family, you'd better release me right now. Otherwise..."

"Mmff!"

The sock went back into his mouth.

Raine stared at him coldly.

"You still don't understand your situation. This is the forest. If I draw a little blood, the beasts won't take long to find you."

"You have no family in Goldflash Town, Drunk Jack. No one cares what happens to you. By the time anyone notices you're missing, ten days or half a month may have passed."

"Tell me. If I..."