ACT II

ACT II

“…We are doomed.”

The usually calm and composed Paladin now had twirling eyes, a dark shadow practically hanging over his head.

“Sweety, what is wrong?” his wife asked with concern.

“Come here,” Sir Aldis said, quickly taking her hand and pulling her behind the kitchen door.

Muffled voices could be heard from the other side.

Eldric and his sister looked at each other in confusion.

The quiet murmuring slowly turned into a heated argument.
A moment later—

CLANG!

The sound of flying kitchenware echoed through the room.

Suddenly, the door swung open.

Lady Merilda stepped out and cleared her throat.

“Ehem… Eldric, you need to, um… leave the house.”

She wore a rather forced, polite smile.

Behind her, Sir Aldis could be seen lying face-down on the floor. It seemed that no swordsmanship technique in the world could defend against a furious wife.

“Ehem… it seems His Majesty has a reward for you,” she continued.

Sir Aldis suddenly popped up beside her with a swollen cheek.

“The King has three rules for you to follow,” he said quickly.

“First, you must go to a barren land of his choosing and make it flourish within three hundred days.”

“Second, we will not be able to help you financially or with our political influence.”

“Finally, the King will loan you three hundred gold, and you must return ten times that amount within those three hundred days.”

While this explanation was taking place, Lady Merilda had already begun packing Eldric’s bag with everything she could think of.

Cecilia, not fully understanding what was happening, happily helped her mother pack—occasionally slipping a few of her toys into the bag.

Eldric remained standing there with a blank expression while his mother placed the bag on his shoulders and a shovel in his hands.

Sir Aldis buried his face in his palms.

“I thought I was asking for a favor!” he groaned.

“Not gambling our entire family’s future!”

Lady Merilda promptly pushed Eldric toward a royal wagon that had already arrived outside the estate.

“Cecilia, let’s wish Eldric good luck,” she said while dabbing her teary eyes with a handkerchief.

“You can do it, Big Brother!” Cecilia shouted, giving him a big thumbs up.

Not fully understanding what was happening, she was simply happy to help her beloved brother.

In a blink of an eye. He is standing on a cross road in the middle of nowhere. Still with the same expression it is like he is transported by magic from the kitchen to this unknowned place.

The wind rustled through the surrounding forest.

A shovel was still in his hand.

For a few seconds… there was only silence.

Then—

Eldric finally snapped out of it.

“NANIIIIIIIIIIII?!”

His scream echoed throughout the forest, startling a flock of birds into the sky.

Whatever the case…

our journey begins.

Eldric looked around and spotted the highest hill in the area.

From afar, he could be seen struggling as he climbed the slope.

By the time he reached the summit, he was visibly tired and out of breath.

“Hah… hah… I can’t believe it took me thirty minutes just to climb this hill.”

The son of the strongest Paladin in the kingdom… barely surviving a simple hill climb.

He sat down on the grass.

A strong gust of wind swept across the hill, brushing through his hair. The breeze carried with it the fresh scent of wild grass and damp soil.

From the top, the horizon opened before him.

A clear river flowed peacefully below, its surface sparkling under the sunlight. Every so often, a fish leapt from the water, sending small ripples across the current.

Birds chirped cheerfully from the trees along the riverbank, their songs echoing softly through the open land. Somewhere deeper in the forest, leaves rustled as small animals moved through the undergrowth.

In the tall grass nearby, a pair of rabbit ears suddenly popped up. The small creature froze for a moment, twitching its nose as it looked around before quickly disappearing back into the greenery.

The land stretched far into the distance—rolling fields, patches of forest, and the winding river cutting through it like a silver ribbon.

For a moment, the world felt quiet.

Peaceful.

Seeing such untouched nature made Eldric’s worries slowly fade away.

Eldric smiled softly and closed his eyes, letting the rushing wind wash over him.

For the first time since leaving home, he allowed himself to simply sit there and breathe.

Eldric stretched his arms toward the sky.

Then his eyes suddenly sharpened with focus.

“Okay… let’s do this!”

He sat upright and clenched his fist.

“Hmmm…”

He placed a hand on his chin, deep in thought.

Suddenly, hundreds of books flashed through his mind like a spinning roulette. Page after page flickered past, memories of everything he had read since childhood.

The spinning slowed.

Then it stopped.

Three books remained.

In his mind, the pages opened clearly, as if he were holding them in his hands.

The first book appeared.

“Survival for Dummies.”

Eldric pulled out his journal—a leather-bound notebook dyed dark blue. The cover was worn from years of use, but it was still in good condition.

He flipped it open and began writing.

Food.
Water.
Shelter.

Beneath those words, he wrote another line.

The Rules of Three

You can survive:

three minutes without oxygen three days without water three weeks without food

Eldric nodded to himself.

Then the second book opened in his mind.

“Bushcraft 101.”

He continued writing in the journal.

Lean-to shelter — A slanted roof made with branches and leaves.

Debris hut — A small dome shelter covered with leaves, moss, and branches to trap heat.

Natural shelters — Using fallen trees, rock overhangs, or thick bushes for protection.

Then, the third book appeared.

Remembering this one made him grin slightly.

The scratching sound of his pen continued across the page as he wrote a mysterious paragraph, its contents hidden from view.

After a moment, he closed the journal.

Eldric stood up and grabbed his shovel.

“Let’s get to work.”

Meanwhile, back in the royal throne room, moments after Sir Aldis had left…

“Sire, don’t you think stripping him of his title would be a severe loss for the kingdom?” asked a nobleman standing beside the king.

He was Chancellor Valter Hemon, the most trusted advisor of His Majesty.

“After all, he is a member of the Order of the Golden Fleece,” Valter continued.

The order consisted of only twelve members. It was the highest knightly order within the Sylidian Kingdom—those closest to serving as the king’s personal protectors.

Their emblem alone carried immense authority. A knight of the order could command an army without question.

They were feared by enemies and revered by the people.

To insult one of them was nearly the same as insulting the kingdom itself.

King Ælfric leaned back slightly on his throne.

“You think I would not do it?” he said calmly.

“I always keep my word, Chancellor Valter.”

Then a faint smile appeared on the king’s face.

“Besides… did you see how confident Sir Aldis was in that boy?”

He chuckled lightly.

“I am certain it will turn out just fine.”

Flashback: Sir Aldis with twirling eyes shouting—

“WE ARE DOOMED!”

The king stroked his beard thoughtfully.

“…Still,” Chancellor Valter said carefully, “I would suggest checking on the boy’s progress from time to time.”

King Ælfric pondered the idea for a moment.

Then he nodded.

“Very well.”

“Send someone from the palace to observe him every few months.”

His eyes narrowed slightly with curiosity.

“…I wish to see what the son of Aldis Alderman can truly accomplish.”

“A barren land, they say…”

The king smiled faintly.

“…People often fail to see value where it is not obvious.”

Hello Readers, this is Sir Shuusaku. Thank you for reading this chapter. I am excited to bring you into this world and hope that you enjoy the many adventure to comes.

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