Enter the Story, IV

After cleaning up, Tian made his way to the reception area with Lahn in tow.

"Forgive me, Young Master, but..." Lahn mumbled. "I'm not sure why I have to tag along."

"Huh? But Radeus was the one who recommended you to be my escort knight in the first place. Personally, might I add. Don't you wanna... I don't know. Say hi, at the very least?"

"You're right. He is the one who recommended me, but we're not close enough to be exchanging greetings."

Of course, that was a lie. Having traveled with Radeus for the year leading up to the battle against the Archdemon, it was a given that Lahn had grown used to him.

The reason why Lahn didn't want to see Radeus is that he suffered a lot while under his tutelage. Even now, his back ached just thinking about all the hellish training assessments he was put through.

"Well, whatever," Tian said. "You're staying with me. That's an order."

"...Fine."

"Fine? Did you just say fine to the person you pledged your life to?!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Young Master."

"And suddenly, he's back to being an obnoxious asshole..."

When they made it to the reception room, Tian pushed the door open.

Sitting on the couch where Erina once sat was a young man just slightly older than Lahn. His pure white hair was like a blanket of snow upon winter's first touch.

"And who do we have here?" Tian grinned.

Radeus turned with a smile only the hero of a story could wear.

"Hello, Tian," he said with a voice that only the hero of a story could have.

Lahn lifted his head with a raised brow, those words repeating in his head. In that moment, he recalled them being overused in the prologue of "A Sword Through The Heart." It was part of the reason why he cringed so much and decided to drop it.

Now that he was thinking about it, he wondered if Radeus was supposed to be the main character of that story.

"I hope you haven't been causing too much trouble for your father," Radeus said.

"Huh?! I would never!" Tian clapped back. "I'll have you know, I've been working diligently so that he may hand over the title of count with some peace of mind."

"Hmm... I'm not sure if I believe you. Your track record hasn't necessarily been flawless lately."

"What?! Who's spreading lies about me?!"—he quickly snapped to Lahn—"Hey, Lahn! Tell him! I've been good, haven't I?"

Radeus, too, glanced over. Those striking blue eyes were exactly as Lahn remembered them. Gentle yet confident at the same time, but ultimately... scary. Very scary.

"You need not worry, Sir Radeus," he said with a bow. "Young Master Tian has his family's best interest in mind. As such, I've found him doing things I couldn't help but find admirable."

"Oh? Things like?"

"He would often skip meals to study, even going late into the hour of dusk to get more paperwork done. Rest assured, he truly is working as diligently as he says."

Tian took that opportunity to point at Lahn, shouting, "See?!"

"Haha, alright, alright," Radeus laughed. "Lahn was never one to exaggerate, so everything you said must be true. In any case, it is good to see you are working so hard. However, do take it easy every now and then. The fact that you skip meals is mildly... alarming."

"Not to worry! I can handle it."

"If you say so." 

"Anyway, what's the reason behind your visit, Radeus? I can't imagine someone as busy as you coming by just to say hello."

"Heh. Caught me red-handed. I actually have business with your father. But before that..."—he eyeballed Lahn—"If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to borrow Lahn for a moment."

A cold shiver crept up Lahn's back.

"Huh? For what?" Tian asked.

"It's been a while since he and I have had a sparring match. I would like to personally check if he's been slacking off."

There it was. One of the few things that made Lahn more nervous, second only to facing the Archdemon. A sparring match with the hero himself.

"Well, Lahn?" Radeus smirked. "How about it?"

He couldn't refuse even if he wanted to, for Radeus would surely drag him by the collar. And that was exactly what had happened.

Lahn found himself standing in the training ground that was emptied at Radeus's request. Now, it was just them. The hero, and the commoner who would've been crowned a hero alongside him but chose not to be.

"Alright," Radeus said. "As always, I will let you make the first move."

Still, Lahn hesitated. Never once had he won a sparring match against Radeus. He wasn't confident he could break that streak today. Unlike the sparring match against Tian, this one would prove to be infinitely more difficult. 

With a deep breath, he charged, performing a horizontal slash.

"Too shallow," Radeus said, dodging it completely. "Reach further."

He went for a stab, only to be blocked.

"Too slow. Remember what I taught you. The sword is an extension of your arms. Be quicker."

He then tried a diagonal strike, but Radeus blocked it with a slight repositioning.

"Far too predictable. You would've been dead already."

The match ended with Lahn on the ground, gasping for air, while Radeus hovered his sword at his neck.

"Not bad at all," Radeus said. "I can see you've improved."

"There's no need to make me feel better," Lahn muttered. "I know I'm still lacking."

"That may be, but compared to most knights in the empire, you are far above the rest. I mean, let's be real. Who else can confidently say that they landed the killing blow on the Archdemon?"

Lahn hesitated.

Contrary to public belief, Radeus was not the one who killed the Archdemon. Due to sustaining a heavy injury while protecting the saintess, it was up to Lahn to complete the mission. With Melanie's help, he was able to land the final blow.

Thinking back on it, that one decision might've been the reason why he got that system message, warning of a story deviation.

"That doesn't matter," Lahn said. "For all the people know, it was you who killed the Archdemon. Let's keep it that way."

"Hmph. You know, I really can't understand you," Radeus sighed. "I didn't before, I surely don't now. You could've had so much more had you made yourself known. Fame, glory, a land to call your own, and treasures beyond your wildest dreams. And yet, you gave it all up. Lahn... Just what is your true goal?"

His goal... Right now, there's only one thing that can satisfy him. Unfortunately, no one in the world, not even the hero himself, can grant it to him.

"What about you?" he replied. "Why are you so keen on dragging me into the spotlight with you?"

"Because, unlike most nobles, I like to give credit where credit is due. You deserve so much more than to be a simple escort knight."

"Maybe so. However, this is the path I've chosen, Radeus. You asked me what my goal is. Regrettably, I cannot answer that, but I can assure you that I am not choosing to give up a luxurious life on a whim. There is something for me out there. I just need to find it."

This wasn't the first time Radeus had posed such a question, and every time, he was met with the same answer. He wasn't satisfied. He never is. But he was smart enough to know that pressing Lahn for more was a feat akin to defeating the Archdemon. Perhaps even more rigorous.

"Does that mean you're intending to leave the Reginar County?" Radeus asked.

"...Eventually, yes."

"The count won't like that."

"There are a lot of things my lord doesn't like. I'm just hoping that the absence of a mere escort knight won't be one of them."

"A mere escort knight. You mean the one who not only killed the Archdemon, but in doing so, became a—"

"Enough. I get it, so quit using it against me like it's a crutch that defines my life."

Radeus crossed his arms and raised a brow.

"I mean..."

"Radeus."

"Haha, I'm joking. Very well. I don't like it, but I will capitulate for now."

"Thank you."

"On a side note, do pay a visit to Kah'Rin and Melanie sometime soon. They miss you dearly."

Melanie and Kah'Rin were the two other members of the hero's party. Lahn remembered how adamant they were about not wanting him to join them on their grand quest. It was never out of malice. They simply didn't want a boy to experience such hardship.

"I'll try," Lahn said.