"I heard the elders of my clan mention it before..."

Avril tapped one slender finger against her chin, thinking.

After a short pause, she added, uncertain, "That deep-sea monster... I think it's called a Kraken?"

Seeing the gravity on Roland's face, Avril rose onto tiptoe and patted his shoulder with her delicate hand.

"Don't worry! This thing usually hides in the deep sea and doesn't dare show itself. Since it has the nerve to surface now..."

She turned toward the harbor, her tone firm.

"Lord Gundar absolutely won't let it go."

Before her words had fully faded, the distant sea began to churn.

A mountain-like black shadow rose from the depths.

Seawater streamed over grooved purple-black skin. Its enormous single eye glowed with eerie green fluorescence in the dusk, like witchfire from the abyss.

Countless tentacles writhed around its mouth. Each breath sprayed thick fog that reeked of rot.

Before Roland could get a closer look, a black shadow shot into the sky from the direction of the harbor.

The figure moved with the speed of lightning, drawing a fierce arc through the dusk.

The longsword in his hand reflected a piercing cold gleam beneath the setting sun, and visible currents of air coiled around the blade.

Just as the Kraken released a deafening roar,

"Shing!"

Sword light fell like a meteor.

The cold gleam split straight into the Kraken's single eye, piercing from the top of its head all the way down to its lower jaw.

Dark green blood gushed out like a waterfall, staining the nearby seawater into a filthy mass.

The thick tentacles spasmed wildly, raising waves dozens of yards high. Soon after, they went limp like puppets with their strings cut and crashed back into the sea.

The ocean calmed again. Only the floating remains of severed tentacles proved that an earth-shaking battle had just taken place.

Meanwhile, the black shadow landed lightly on a broken mast, cloak snapping in the salty sea wind.

"Lord Gundar's strength really is becoming more astonishing every time!"

Avril looked at the distant figure sheathing his sword and sighed in admiration.

Then she turned back to Roland and tilted her head playfully.

"All right, the battle's over. Shall we go back to Sea Pearl Hall? Of course..."

She leaned closer and winked with her left eye.

"Don't forget our little secret."

...

...

When the two returned to Sea Pearl Hall, the scene before Roland left him dazed for a moment.

The hall had been completely restored. Not the slightest sign of the earlier chaos remained.

The guards who had died from mental attacks were gone. Even the bloodstains had been cleaned away.

If the piece of glass he had shattered had not remained unrepaired, Roland might have believed everything he had experienced was only a nightmare.

"My deepest apologies, Mr. Roland!"

Colin stepped forward quickly and bowed with solemn respect.

Roland gave him a helpless smile.

"It's all right, Mr. Colin. Thanks to..."

From the corner of his eye, he caught the Elf girl beside him blinking frantically. His mouth twitched.

"Thanks to Miss Avril's timely assistance, I didn't encounter any real danger."

Avril immediately straightened her back and pretended to whistle with calm composure, her wandering gaze drifting toward the ceiling.

Unfortunately for her, the tips of her pointed ears trembled and reddened, exposing her panic completely.

Colin examined Roland with care. After confirming there were no obvious injuries, he released a long breath and apologized again.

"I am truly sorry for frightening you."

Then he turned to Avril and gave an approving nod.

"Avril, you performed well this time. I will record a merit for you."

"Thank you so much, Lord Colin!"

Avril raised both hands in delight, her pointed ears quivering with excitement.

"Then does that mean I've officially passed Shadow Veil's assessment now?"

"Wait until you become a formal Ranger first."

Colin rubbed his temples, clearly troubled by this overly lively Elf girl.

After a few brief instructions, he sent her away.

Once Avril had left, Colin turned back with a serious expression.

"Mr. Roland, regarding the armor His Majesty Morne awarded you..."

"The armor can wait. Compared to that..."

Roland waved goodbye in the direction Avril had gone, then looked around with caution. After confirming no one was paying attention, he leaned in and lowered his voice.

"I would rather ask what preparations are needed to enter the Knight Academy of the River Kingdoms."

"You have decided?"

Delight crossed Colin's eyes. He coughed twice to hide it, then turned sideways and gestured.

"Mr. Roland, please come this way. We can discuss it in detail."

Before long, the two entered an elegant, spacious reception room.

Dim sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows and fell across the dark brown solid wood tea table.

Colin invited Roland to sit. Once Roland had taken his seat, Colin personally lifted a silver teapot.

Amber liquid flowed from the spout, swirling into the bone china teacup and raising wisps of white mist. The fragrance of black tea spread through the room.

Colin pushed the teacup toward Roland. Through the misty vapor, the admiration in his eyes showed plainly.

Compared to an ancient kingdom with deep roots like the Golden Valley Kingdom, the River Kingdoms were slightly superior in resources and geography, but inferior in almost every other aspect.

Because of that, the River Kingdoms were especially hungry for talent.

Someone like Roland, a young man with outstanding strength at his age, was exactly the kind of person the militarily weaker River Kingdoms would do everything possible to recruit.

"It is like this..."

Colin sat down and considered his words before speaking in a low voice.

"The River Kingdoms are quite far from Far Harbor. Originally, I could have arranged for you to travel there by ship, but as you should have seen..."

Awkwardness appeared on his round face.

"Due to the sea monster attack, nearly all the ships in the harbor have been destroyed..."

As he said this, heartache crossed the merchant's eyes, but he quickly forced out a reassuring smile.

"However, you need not worry. There is still nearly half a year before the Knight Academy of the River Kingdoms opens. If you are not in a hurry, you only need to wait three months. I have already arranged for new ships to come to Far Harbor. When they arrive, you can take one to the River Kingdoms."

He patted his chest and made a solemn guarantee.

"As for food, lodging, and other daily expenses, I will arrange everything properly. You need not concern yourself with any of it. In addition..."

Listening to Colin's careful arrangements, Roland nodded in satisfaction.

Compared to Gundar's invitation, Colin had clearly shown greater sincerity.

To put it simply, Roland only needed to travel light to the River Kingdoms. Colin would handle everything else.

Since the offer was so generous, Roland naturally had to ask what price he would pay.

"Then, Mr. Colin..."

Roland lifted the teacup and took a light sip of black tea.

"What do I need to do in return?"

Seeing that Roland had not been dazzled by the favorable terms, Colin frowned faintly and studied the lingering youthfulness on his face with surprise.

"Is this young man... truly not yet twenty?"

He kept that thought to himself.

Recalling the information he had obtained from Darco, Colin straightened his expression and spoke solemnly.

"The condition is very simple, Mr. Roland. I only hope that you will give up your status as a freeman of the Golden Valley Kingdom, join the River Kingdoms, and after graduating from Knight Academy and obtaining a knight breathing method, serve the River Kingdoms."

"Of course, regarding this..."

Perhaps worried Roland would misunderstand, Colin quickly added, "We will never force you to do anything against your personal will."

"That's all?"

"That's all."

Roland traced the rim of the teacup with his fingertip and lowered his head in thought.

A moment later, he looked up.

"Mr. Colin, I have no objection to the conditions you've proposed. But regarding advanced study at Knight Academy..."

He set down the teacup and met Colin's eyes.

"Forgive me for speaking frankly, but with my current level of strength, can I really still obtain substantial improvement at Knight Academy? You should understand that I do not want to waste time for nothing."

"On that point, you may rest assured."

Colin seemed prepared for this question and answered with confidence.

"At the Knight Academy of the River Kingdoms, aside from the regular courses, there are other ways to graduate. As for the specific requirements..."

He paused meaningfully.

"You will need to discuss them in detail with the mentor assigned to you when the time comes."

"I understand."

Roland's brow lifted. Then he rose and extended his right hand.

"Then... a pleasure doing business, Mr. Colin."

With the matter settled, Colin's face opened into a satisfied smile. He extended his hand as well.

"The pleasure is mine, Mr. Roland."

Just then, a crisp knock broke the quiet inside the room.

"Mr. Colin, are you there?"

"One moment, please."

Colin gestured for Roland to sit, straightened his clothes calmly, and answered.

"Come in."

The door opened. A familiar figure appeared in Roland's sight.

"Mr. Colin, the trial has already begun. His Majesty Morne sent me to notify you..."

Halfway through, the newcomer spotted Roland, and surprise appeared on his face.

"Roland?"

Darco hurried forward, checked Roland's complexion, and patted his shoulder in relief.

"Looks like your injuries have recovered well?"

"More or less..."

Roland returned a faint smile, then noticed something off in Darco's expression.

"The trial you mentioned just now is..."

Darco's face dimmed. His Adam's apple moved once before he answered with difficulty.

"It's Uncle Gavin... Baron Gavin..."

...

...

"So..."

Roland looked at Darco with a strange expression.

"Not long after you arrived at the harbor, Mr. Colin notified you to evacuate?"

"That's right."

Darco stole a glance at Colin walking ahead and scratched his head awkwardly.

"At the time, I was wondering why Mr. Colin was in such a hurry to have us leave. Only later did I learn that the Church of Truth had planned a conspiracy to attack His Majesty Morne..."

"Then the civilians at the celebration..."

"I'm not too clear on the details..."

Darco lowered his voice.

"But I imagine Mr. Colin must have arranged in advance for them to avoid the dangerous areas..."

Would telling the civilians to leave not alert the Church of Truth?

Roland had doubts, but Darco looked just as bewildered. He did not press the point.

"Ha..."

Roland sighed.

So in this entire attack, he was the only one who had suffered a disaster out of nowhere.

He shook his head and continued, "What about Baron Gavin?"

"He..."

At the mention of the uncle who had always cared for him, Darco's brow tightened and his expression sank.

After a long silence, he spoke with effort.

"Baron Gavin... was a spy the Church of Truth planted beside His Majesty Morne..."

This answer did not surprise Roland.

On the journey to Far Harbor, he had already noticed the Church of Truth was unusually active in Dawnlight Territory.

What puzzled him was something else.

Baron Gavin might only be a baron, but in the Golden Valley Kingdom, a nation that valued bloodline, his status was already far beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Judging from the old gentleman's words and bearing, he did not seem ambitious. His aged body could hardly support any grand undertaking either.

Why had he colluded with the Church of Truth?

Carrying that question, Roland followed the two into a magnificent hall.

King Morne sat high above them, nothing like his usual frivolous self.

His brow was furrowed, and his sharp gaze swept across the hall.

The nobles stood in two rows on either side, maintaining solemn silence.

In the center of the hall, white-haired Baron Gavin knelt on the floor with his head lowered. His expression was unexpectedly calm.

Even with his conspiracy with the Church of Truth exposed, not the slightest panic appeared on his face.

"Gavin..."

Morne stared at Gavin's wrinkled face. Complicated emotion passed over him.

His slender fingers tapped the armrest in measured beats, the crisp sound echoing through the hall.

"I remember... you once led my horse?"

The old king's voice was low.

"Your Majesty has a fine memory..."

Gavin raised his head, a faint smile at the corners of his mouth.

"That was more than thirty years ago."

"Then..."

Morne stopped tapping. His tall body leaned forward, like a lion ready to spring.

"Why did you betray me? Did I treat you unfairly?"

"Of course you treated me unfairly."

Gavin's calm answer made Morne freeze.

Before the king could respond, Gavin stood.

His trembling fingers unfastened the front of his formal coat. Beneath the glaring light, vicious scars came into view, shocking to behold.

"I followed you through decades of war, and what did I get in the end? A barren territory?"

Gavin's hoarse voice carried resentment suppressed for years.

He looked around, his gaze sweeping over the nobles present one by one.

"You, you, and all of you!"

His shout scraped through the hall.

"Your fathers and grandfathers shed blood and gave their lives for the kingdom. What did they receive in return?"

"Development? Heh!"

Gavin released a shrill sneer.

"What a fine, high-sounding excuse!"

His voice echoed through the hall. Every word struck the nobles like a blade.

The room fell into heavy silence. Their gazes drifted, met, and quickly turned away.

The flicker in their eyes exposed the turmoil they tried to hide.

"Of course."

Gavin fastened his formal coat again, his voice returning to calm.

"I can understand that you made that decision to balance the interests of the old and new nobles. But why..."

He raised his head, bloodshot eyes fixed on the tall figure above.

"Why did you kill my wife after the Blood Moon Rebellion?"

His voice rose.

"What crime did she commit? Just because she had some distant, barely related connection to a commoner Knight, you executed her without asking right or wrong!"

Gavin trembled all over. Every word seemed to bleed.

"Foolish king! Tyrant!"

Morne lowered his eyes and answered with silence.

That wordless response extinguished the fire in Gavin's gaze, replacing it with deep disappointment.

It was like all his strength had been drained from him. He waved a hand weakly.

"Your Majesty, now I have only my son left. Mason, he..."

Gavin's lips trembled, but he could not continue. In the end, the words became a long sigh.

"The Church of Truth promised they could cure my son's illness."

The old man stepped back twice and knelt again.

"That is the reason I betrayed you. Now..."

He straightened his stooped back.

"Please punish me, Your Majesty. I accept my sentence willingly."

The air in the hall seemed to freeze. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the king's judgment.

"Take him away..."

Morne's voice was dry, like sandpaper scraping together.

He waved wearily.

"Arrange for him to be escorted back to the Royal Capital and handed over to the tribunal for sentencing."

"As you command."

Gundar, who had been standing silently all along, stepped forward and bowed. Then he directed the guards into action.

After Gavin was taken from the hall, silence still blanketed the entire space.

The nobles stole cautious glances at the monarch seated above. No one dared be the first to speak.

After a long while, Morne lifted his head. His exhausted gaze swept over everyone present.

"So..."

His voice carried a weariness Roland had never heard before.

"Do all of you resent me in your hearts, just as Gavin does?"

The nobles looked at one another. At last, an elderly noble stepped forward, trembling.

"Your Majesty, we have never..."

Before he could finish, Morne waved a hand.

"Forget it. You must all be tired. That will be all for today. Go back and rest."

The nobles bowed one after another and withdrew, almost like they had been granted pardon.

Seeing this, Roland tugged lightly at Darco's sleeve in the corner and lowered his voice.

"Darco, we should leave too."

"Oh... right..."

Darco answered like someone waking from a dream.

After briefly saying goodbye to Colin, the two walked out of the hall.

The moment he left that oppressive space, Roland felt his breathing become much smoother.

He turned to his friend, who still had his head lowered.

"Darco, I remember you mentioning Mason before. He is..."

"He is Baron Gavin's youngest son... and also... my former best friend."

Darco's gaze drifted into the distance as he sank into memory.

"Mason was an especially kind person... He couldn't even bear to step on ants in the garden, and on rainy days, he would always carry lost fledglings back to their nests..."

A nostalgic, bitter smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"Unfortunately, he was weak and sickly from childhood. As he grew older, his body only got worse."

"But Mason was surprisingly stubborn deep down. He always insisted on training, hoping to improve his constitution..."

Darco paused.

"Unfortunately, none of those efforts changed anything in the end."

"Later, because Baron Gavin worried about his health, he forbade him from going out again, and our contact broke off over time."

"Only when I occasionally attended Baron Gavin's banquets with my father could we meet briefly."

His brow tightened. His Adam's apple moved several times, but in the end, he only shook his head heavily, turning the words he could not say into a sigh.

Seeing the sadness on Darco's face, Roland patted his shoulder and kept silent.

Only after the two walked out of Sea Pearl Hall into the hazy night did Roland ask softly, "Regarding your father, have you spoken with His Majesty Morne?"

"Mm."

Darco nodded.

"His Majesty Morne specially had Mr. Colin invite the most renowned physician in Far Harbor to diagnose the reason for my father's coma. Perhaps..."

His voice paused, and he forced out a faint smile.

"By the time we return to Blackwater Territory, Father will already have awakened."

"Then... can we prepare to return now?"

"Of course."

Darco nodded.

"I've already requested permission from His Majesty Morne. We can set out and leave tomorrow morning."

"Good. Then I'll go back and pack my luggage. See you tomorrow morning."

"No problem!"

Watching Darco leave, Roland frowned.

The conversation between Gavin and Morne echoed in his mind, pulling him into thought.

"Looks like the Golden Valley Kingdom's situation is even more complicated than I expected. Choosing to go to the River Kingdoms really was the wise decision."

Just then, steady footsteps sounded behind him.

Roland turned and saw Colin striding toward him.

A friendly smile hung on the merchant's face.

"Excellent, Mr. Roland. Fortunately, you have not left yet. There are some matters I would like to discuss with you."