Chapter 8 - thoughts

Luther remained silent after learning why Viktor was here and did not continue speaking with him. Once, Luther had trusted Viktor, but in return for that trust, he had lost the woman he loved.

After that incident, Luther no longer trusted anyone. Outwardly, he appeared friendly and approachable, but inside, his heart had turned to stone.

If the lesson he had learned from the bandits who killed his family was that "the strong survive," then the lesson he had taken from Viktor's betrayal was that "trust breeds betrayal."

"Even though it's a small region, the food is quite good."

Thus, throughout the entire feast, Luther remained silent, taking small bites from his plate and ignoring Viktor's attempts to engage him in conversation.

As the feast neared its end, Baron Shield approached the table where Luther and Viktor were seated and asked if they were satisfied with the banquet arranged in their honor.

"Thank you for your arrangements, Baron Shield. I am very pleased with your hospitality, and if there is anything I can do, I would be happy to help."

Even though Luther did not particularly like Baron Shield at first sight, he still maintained a positive outward demeanor. He had learned the hard way that "the greatest power is the control of one's emotions."

Satisfied with Luther's response, Baron Shield announced the end of the feast with a pleased expression and escorted them to the door.

Luther boarded a waiting carriage without even glancing at Viktor and left the scene, heading toward his residence within Shield Castle.

Upon entering his home, he realized that no one was there and that Elenor had left. After all, as a married woman, Elenor lived with her husband and could not warm his bed.

When Luther first arrived at the castle and entered his assigned residence, he had already realized that even having seen Elenor there was a gesture arranged by Baron Shield.

Despite being a Master Knight, Luther held no position in the administration or military hierarchy of Shield Barony. He was here merely under the pretense of retirement.

Thus, there was no difference between Luther and any other craftsman, commander, or person assisting in the administration of the region.

Although a knight was considered a noble and ranked at the lowest level of nobility, it was unrealistic to expect respect or servants in a land where he was a stranger.

Besides, not every knight was considered nobility or even part of the noble hierarchy.

After all, there was a vast power gap between Apprentice Knights, Senior Knights, and Master Knights. While Apprentice and Senior Knights were seen as initiates in knighthood, Master Knights had fully attained the status of a true knight.

"Anyway, for now, I'm happy just to have a place to stay in Shield Castle."

Luther had been informed by Baron Shield that the house he was given would remain his for as long as he stayed in Shield Castle. He thought this privilege was quite generous for a "freeloader" like himself.

During the feast, Luther had stated that he was willing to fulfill Baron Shield's reasonable requests, but beyond that, he was entirely free and no different from a commoner.

Hiding behind the guise of retirement, Luther—despite being young for a Master Knight—had to act accordingly and avoid drawing too much attention.

Otherwise, rumors about his presence in Shield Barony could spread, and speculation about his true purpose could arise.

Seeing Viktor at the feast today made Luther realize that he had already attracted the attention of some people. These individuals could be Marquess Ironwall or Baron Shield. After all, a Master Knight as young as him seeking retirement and choosing to settle in a strategically unstable buffer zone could easily be interpreted as having ulterior motives.

"I must be careful and patient."

Climbing into bed, Luther rested one arm behind his head and stared at the ceiling, lost in deep thought.

As numerous thoughts swirled in his mind, his eyelids grew heavy, and his breathing became slow and rhythmic.

Thus, drifting off to sleep, Luther ended his first day in Shield Barony.

...

The next morning, Luther woke up to the sunlight streaming through his window. He stretched his arms back and yawned comfortably.

After washing his face, Luther decided against heating water for a bath. Instead, he strapped his sword to his waist and stepped outside. Walking to the small grassy area in front of his house, he took a deep breath of fresh air and sat cross-legged with a faint smile.

A knight had two ways to control the Mana present in nature.

The first method was through meditation—absorbing the Mana in nature and incorporating it into his internal cycle. This method required patience and time but allowed the body to adapt to Mana more effectively in the long run.

The second method was more aggressive and risky: in a battle or life-threatening situation, one could forcefully draw Mana into the body in an instant. This provided a short burst of immense power, but it also placed great strain on the body.

As he meditated, Luther focused on emptying his mind and attuning his body to Mana.

"No matter how careful I am, I still cannot escape the watchful eyes of certain people."

Luther took a deep breath, ended his meditation, and stood up. He reminded himself that he had to appear as an ordinary knight. For now, he needed to act like a retired knight, avoid drawing attention, and wait for the right opportunity.

Just then, the sound of a horn echoed from a nearby watchtower. Luther furrowed his brows. It seemed that Baron Shield's forces had gone on alert.

"So soon?" he murmured to himself.

He quickly returned home, changed into light armor, and strapped on his sword. When he stepped outside, he saw several soldiers rushing toward the castle.

He stopped a young soldier passing by. "What's happening?"

The soldier hastily saluted and answered, "A message just arrived from the border watchpoint. There's significant movement in the forest. It could be bandits or something else—we're not sure yet!"

Luther nodded and let the soldier continue on his way.

"If this really is a bandit attack, Shield Barony will have to go on the defensive."

Luther considered the timing of Viktor's arrival. Maybe it was just a coincidence, or maybe it wasn't. The only thing he knew for sure was that things would not be peaceful from the very first day of his arrival.

Dismissing the soldier, Luther shrugged as if none of it concerned him and returned to his home, hoping there was something in the kitchen for breakfast.

As he had just decided, he needed to avoid drawing attention and live like a retired knight. He hadn't come here to play hero or to fight bandits.

As for taking revenge on the bandits who had killed his family, Luther had already realized that those bandits were merely pawns and that his true enemies were much more powerful individuals.

At that moment, a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. He left the kitchen empty-handed and opened the door to find a soldier standing there.

"Knight Luther, Baron Shield requests your presence at his manor."

Having anticipated this, Luther did not make things difficult for the soldier and accepted the summons.

Upon arriving at the manor, he saw Baron Shield and his family waiting for him.

"Knight Luther, while I am in the field dealing with the bandit attack, I would like to entrust my family's safety to you," Baron Shield said, standing beside his wife Elizabeth and his daughter-in-law Jennifer.

The stout baron had an anxious expression on his face.

"I accept," Luther replied. If Baron Shield had asked him to join the battle, he would have refused. This humble request was much more acceptable to him.

As he had said before, Luther had not come here to play the hero. Drawing attention to himself would only invite unwanted scrutiny.

Seeing Elenor standing behind the two women, Luther silently acknowledged that his role in Shield Barony had just begun.