Meeting

As the dinner party ended, Luckas and Byrth were guided to Jeffrey's study, Philips and Cyl were waiting there too.

-" Apologies for inconvenience, I called you two here to discuss the extra rewards, as this isn't a state affair there will be a lot fewer formalities involved. So, we will grant each of you a request, if there is something that you want, and of course, the value inst too outrageous we will do the best to grant it." As Jeffrey was explaining the matters of the extra rewards, Philips looked with worry towards Byrth.

Luckas and Byrth were caught off guard they didn't think they could choose their rewards. The two thought for a bit and nodded.

-" I would like to request help for my village.." Byrth was the first to speak.

The request made Jeffrey and Philips dumbfounded. They didn't think that he would request that.

-" You don't need to worry about that, we already have plans to resettle and look after all the involved villages." Philips quickly added, he didn't want to let this chance of recruiting Byrth.

-" Oh, so I would like to join the army." As Byrth said his new request everyone in the room fell silent.

Luckas was dumbfounded with Byrth. Couldn't you think about better rewards? Those are the nobles that rule your territory, if you at least asked for a better position when you join the army everyone would understand, but, just joining the army?

-" If it's just that —" As Jeffrey was about to ask Byrth to request another thing as this was trivial Philips raised his hand.

-" If you want to join the army, so be it, I will arrange you to be Jeffrey squire." Philips quickly accepted his request.

Philips couldn't let this chance escape, making Jeffrey and Byrth interact more would be good. As Jeffrey understood his uncle's intentions he nodded and turned towards Luckas.

Luckas clenched his fist when Jeffrey told that he would grant a request of the two already knew what he would ask. He talked a lot about cultivation those past few days with Byrth, he confirmed his suspicions that the cultivation systems in this world were likely similar to the ones in the novels.

-" I would like a cultivation technique." Luckas requests without hesitation.

-" We can give you a cultivation technique, but, if you join the army you will eventually get one anyway and this is a good moment to tell that I wanted to invite you two to join my army battalion."

Jeffrey thought that the presence of Luckas in the army was bound to attract more people to it. Luckas was a commoner that was rewarded the White Deer medal, this would surely cause more people to join the army in hopes of acquiring merits.

Luckas was caught in surprise, he didn't think that the noble would want him to join his group, he thought for a little and nodded. he felt like he could take some time before deciding if he would join the army or not.

-" Thank you for informing me, could you please give me a few days before making my decision regardings the use of my request and joining the army?" Luckas didn't like making decisions without thinking ahead.

As Luckas talked with Jeffrey, Byrth suddenly remembered the backstory that Luckas created, he thought that he was hesitant of entering the army without finding his companions first.

As Jeffrey was about to dismiss them, Byrth suddenly raised his hand. Seeing that Byrth wanted to talk he and Philips prepared themselves.

-" May I ask for something?" Luckas was firm as he spoke, he wanted to help Luckas find his companions, he felt like he and his villagers owed Luckas way too much.

-" Go ahead." The one who took the lead was Philips, he was curious about what the young man would ask.

-"Luckas was part of a merchant caravan that was attacked, its looks like they weren't with this group of villagers, may you help us find them?"

Jeffrey and Philips noded, they were a bit surprised, they thought that Luckas was part of the same village as Byrth. On the other side, Luckas was feeling horrible, he didn't think that his backstory would be brought up in front of them.

Luckas was especially afraid of his backstory being uncovered as a lie, this would put everything we gained at risk, he cursed at Byrth in his head and turned to Jeffrey.

-" Oh I didn't know that you were part of a merchant caravan. Give me the name of it and I will order Cyl to look for information." Jeffrey was quick to accept the request.

-" Thank you sir, the name of the caravan was the Leaflake group."

Luckas quickly made up a name and gave to him, he just wanted to go away and hide, he felt that the more time people focused on his backstory the likely it was of it being exposed.

As Luckas and Byrth were walking to the villagers resting place, Byrth looked at him and gave him a thumbs-up, Luckas sighed it looks like Byrth wasn't aware of the headache that he gave him.

-" Thank you for your help there, I was too shy to ask them for help." Even so, Luckas decided to thank him for it, he felt that if he acted up about this, his friendship with Byrth could become strained.

-" You don't need to thank me, I just thought I could help, after all, you saved us back there." Byrth felt awkward as Luckas thanked him, it showed that he didn't have many friends.

-" As I said before, you too don't need to thank me for that, I was saving myself too, and most of all, we are friends right? we should help each other." Luckas smiled as he said that, but, as he faced Byrth he noticed that his eyes were moist.

-" Uhhh, yes friends should help each other, and we are friends." Byrth sounded strange as he talked, the speed at which he walked suddenly picked.his pace.

Luckas smiled, the way Byrth was acting now, was so different from his usual serious attitude, this helped him relax his tense mood.