chapter 4

As I took a step into the forest, I noticed something unsettling—silence. No animal noises, no rustling from hidden creatures, just the sound of Silviya's footsteps and the wind whispering through the leaves.

"Man, and here I thought forests would be full of birds chirping. Guess it's nighttime, so maybe most of the birds here are daytime birds," I muttered, wondering why it was so eerily quiet.

Silviya—the name I had given her a while ago—suddenly stopped walking. Without even turning around, she raised her spear and pointed it behind her.

Then, a notification appeared before me:

{Silviya killed a goblin. +10 EXP. EXP will now be equally distributed: Silviya +7 EXP, Axel +5 EXP.}

Wait… she killed it without even looking?

Was this the passive ability Battlefield Awareness of the Spearman class in action? In the game, it just made dodging impossible for enemies, making it one of the strongest PvP classes. But in reality… it was something far more terrifying.

I quickly pulled up her stats.

Silviya

Class: Spearman | Level: 1

race: high elf

Abilities:

- Battlefield Awareness

- Master of the Spear

- Vortex Rain

- Lifesteal

-nature magic (high elf skill)

"My Lord, do you wish for me to eliminate all threats?" she asked, her voice cold and unwavering.

The goblin's body dripped down from her spear, lifeless, as she simply stood there, waiting for my order.

God, she's so cool.

Using my third-person POV ability, I zoomed out to take in the scene. Surrounded by goblins, with one still impaled on her spear, she looked like a war goddess.

"Make sure to get every last one of them," I commanded.

No confirmation. No nod. No hesitation.

She moved instantly.

In a single motion, she swung her spear, hurling the impaled goblin at its comrades. Then, she threw her spear at the goblin in front of her. Another one lunged at her from the left—she caught it mid-air, stole its knife, and stabbed it with its own weapon. Without missing a beat, she flung the knife at the goblin behind her, piercing its throat.

Another goblin rushed forward.

Crack!

She punched its skull with enough force to crush it instantly.

I had completely forgotten—Spearmen had monstrous strength. No wonder she threw her weapon away. She didn't even need it for these goblins.

What followed was a massacre.

In just a minute, twenty goblins lay dead. The only bloodstains on her were on her iron gloves and spear.

{Silviya leveled up to Level 2. Stats improved. No new skill unlocked.}

{Axel leveled up to Level 2. Stats improved. No new skill unlocked.}

She walked forward, ignoring the corpses she left behind. Normally, in fantasy worlds, it'd be best to collect the bodies and sell them—but applying game logic to the real world could be a mistake.

I needed to gather more information before deciding whether to loot them or not.

Besides, if we ever needed the money, Silviya could always take care of it later.

With that, we continued deeper into the forest, heading toward the town.

'By the way, Silviya, from now on, let's use Mental Hub to communicate. That way, no one will be aware of me,' I suggested through our link. Last time, she spoke out loud when asking for permission—and I'd rather avoid that.

'I understand, my Lord. But why do you wish for that?' she asked, curious.

'Because it gives me a strategic advantage. And, honestly, I'd rather not have to explain everything to every passerby,' I replied, confused as to why she even needed to ask. The answer should have been obvious.

'I see... but is that necessary?' she responded, her tone cool and detached. 'I can simply cut all our enemies down. Would having a strategic advantage or not really make a difference?'

I immediately understood—this was the Pride trait I had chosen earlier. Silviya had become very prideful in her abilities and status in this world.

But she wasn't done.

'And as for explaining to passersby... is that even necessary? After all, with an ally like me, there won't be a need for another,' she added, placing a hand on her chest. She was being serious.

I needed to handle this carefully.

If I outright shut her down, it might hurt her pride. But if I agreed with her, she'd develop a dangerous mindset—strength alone isn't everything. Strategy and teamwork are just as important. Even if she's powerful, and may one day become the strongest, that doesn't mean she should ignore tactics.

Alright. I have an idea.

I smirked. 'Then prove it.'

She paused. 'Prove?'

'Prove what you just said. Show me your ability. Show me your worth. If you can do that, I'll trust what you just claimed.'

Silence.

Then, without another word, she continued walking through the forest, silently accepting the challenge.

POV Shift: Reinhardt Manor

In the dining hall of Reinhardt Manor, five people sat at the long table. The room was filled with a heavy silence, and all eyes turned to the head of the household—Gregor von Reinhardt.

The atmosphere shifted as the youngest son had just been sent away. It was clear: something important was about to be discussed.

Gregor's decision to exclude the boy meant one of two things:

The discussion involved Axel himself or The matter was too delicate to entrust to a child.

He closed his eyes briefly, then let out a breath before speaking.

"There is news from the royal family that has not been made public, but it is something you all need to know. This cannot leave this room," he said, his tone stern and unwavering.

He glanced at his two eldest sons, Eric and Leo, before continuing.

"I asked Axel to leave because I do not trust a child to keep a secret at his age. I hope I am not making a mistake by allowing you two to stay."

Leo immediately straightened his posture. "Don't worry, Father. I will not speak of this moment until you allow it."

Eric, feeling the pressure, hurriedly added, "Y-Yeah, me too! I'll take this secret to my grave if I have to!"

At those words, Cordelia, his mother, frowned, her voice filled with concern.

"Don't say that, my son. If it comes to your life, don't keep the secret," she said, her worry evident.

Gregor nodded at her concern but quickly reassured her.

"I am sure he only meant that metaphorically," he said. "For now, let's move on."

Meanwhile, Elara von Reinhardt, Leo's mother, sat at the table, watching in silence. She was a keen observer, letting the conversation unfold as she took in the implications.

Finally, Gregor continued.

"The news I am about to relay is this: the next crown has already been chosen by the king. And no politics will change that."

The table fell into stunned silence.