ELBERT OF COSTRIDGE

That night, Rem's house:

Rem and Niko were sitting in his house as always. Rem was a bit sad, a little angry, because he'd lost his money.

"That damn girl! I didn't even think she would do something like that to me. I tried to help her and she stole from me!"

Rem punched the nearby desk with frustration.

"Leave her alone, Rem. Maybe she just needed a lot of money for some urgent purpose. She doesn't look like someone who would do anything bad. I think she's a nice girl."

Niko tried to tease Rem.

"So you're a feminist. Supporting women in each and everything."
"Being a feminist isn't like that."
"Anyway, she had that expensive diamond with her. Then why should she steal money from me?"
"You yourself said you only need enough money to live, isn't it?"
"Yeah, but money is money."
"If you're bothered about it this much, why don't you go and catch her yourself?"

Rem paused for a moment.

"I can't. I'm the one who told her the way to escape. She would have already left the town by now. I know very little about her, and I don't even know whether the name she gave me is real or fake. I can't catch her with these few details. Even if I try, it would cost much more money and time than that gold was worth."
"I see....."
"Niko, I've given up on helping people. Also, people are right — we can't trust women at all."

Niko just thought for a moment.

"So... did you ever give up on believing in your mother?"

Rem hadn't expected that question. He went quiet.

"We can't trust some women. We can't trust some men either. That doesn't mean all men and all women are bad. It's up to you to decide whether a person is trustworthy or not."
"...Oh, so now you're the one talking nonsense? And you're talking way too maturely for your age, and you know, I personally don't like that. You're only sixteen, okay? You're no one to give me advice. I'm the one who should be giving advice to you, even if sometimes it's stupid."

Niko just smiled after hearing that.

"Anyway, I'm going to sleep. I need to find a way to earn more money, or find the lost money. We'll figure that out tomorrow. Good night."
"Good night, Rem."

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Meanwhile, at the same time, Graywood Forest:

Graywood Forest was already engulfed in the darkness of night. Only the light from the torches in the hands of the eight workers was visible. They had successfully managed to track Sylvia down. She stood facing them, but this time there was no expression on her face at all.

"Impressive. So you managed to track me. Who told you I was here?"
"That brat Rem, who was with you."

One of the workers informed her.

"So he betrayed me after all. Or was I the one betraying him all along?"
"Girl, we don't want to hear any of your speeches. Just hand us the diamond and we'll leave you unharmed."
"Oh, so you're threatening me now?"

Sylvia took out the dark-blue gem her father had given her. With its power, she transformed back into her true form and began to rise into the sky. The workers quickly realized Sylvia wasn't human at all, and her true appearance sent them into a panic.

"Holy crap...."
"What the—"
"What is that thing? Who is she, really?"

Sylvia summoned a purple energy sphere and set off a small blast in the area.

"Aaaahhhhhh........"

The workers were thrown in every direction by the force of the blast.

"Here's your cheap gem....."

She flung the diamond into one worker's face, then slowly walked away.

(Thought)
"Originally, my plan was to steal that diamond, use the money from selling it to survive here until my mission was over, get close to Rem under that excuse, and learn about him. But I don't need the diamond anymore — I already got enough cash from Rem. And I've learned enough about him, so there's no need to keep pursuing him. Rem Worthswords, you are not a hero. You're a gray, cowardly, manipulative man. You're just like my father — someone who only approaches people for his own benefit. I mean, you're not a bad person, but... and I did like the time I spent with you, even though it was short, and... but there's no point chasing you any further. You can't be the main character....."

"Father........"

Sylvia spoke to her father through telepathy.

"Sylvia, did you find anything?"

The Dark King responded.

"Father, Rem Worthswords — the man your device pointed to — can't be the chosen one. I tested him, and he was nothing like the heroes we've faced before."
"So? You spared him? Why didn't you kill him?"
"I mean... he simply isn't the chosen one."
"I don't know how accurate that device is. What if he becomes a threat to us later? Go and kill him!"
"........Father, I don't think he'll ever become a threat to you. He has no special combat skill or power to oppose you with. He isn't worth dying by your otherworldly power. Just spare him for now. Let's see what he becomes. I promise you — I will find and kill the real chosen one of this world."
"Fine. And if it turns out Rem really is the chosen one after all?"
"Then I'll kill him myself, with my own hands."
"Good. That's the answer I wanted. Now, let's move to the first step of our plan. I'm sending one of our monsters there to test the waters — to see if anyone in that world is capable of defeating it. You need to note how many powerful people exist there."
"Understood, Father. For the first step, I suggest choosing a smaller location. I already have a place in mind."
"Fine. Everything will go according to plan. Keep an eye on this Rem. Try to find the actual chosen one. And one more thing — don't get attached to anyone in that world, and most importantly, don't fall in love. They are our victims, not our allies. I made you a warlord, not a girl who learns about love."

The telepathic connection between them broke.

(Thought)
"What? What did he mean by that? Why would he say something like that to me? Falling in love? Me? There's no way."

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Costridge Village, a small village in Voymaria Kingdom:

It was a normal morning. Every worker in Costridge had already begun their day. Costridge was one of the smallest and most beautiful villages in Voymaria Kingdom, famous for its shipbuilding tradition. Most of its people were master shipwrights, building the finest ships in Voymaria.

"Lord Hailton says he needs five new ships for the naval army."

A worker said to another.

"What? Five ships is too much for us. We already have plenty of pending work, and now five more on top of that? We need to ask Lord Hailton to lend us some workers. We can't do this alone."

The other worker voiced his concern.

"Hey, this isn't a big deal. We don't need to worry when we have Elbert."

Meanwhile, Lopez, the oldest worker and master of the others, was working high on the mast of a nearly finished ship. Other workers called up to him, concerned.

"Hey, Master Lopez, you don't need to work at that height. You're getting old. Please be careful."
"Huh, who are you calling old? I'm still young. I've built thousands of ships. This is nothing for me....."

Suddenly, Lopez's foot slipped and he lost his balance.

"Oh, no....."

The others panicked as Lopez plunged toward the ground. A young man standing on the deck didn't waste a second. He grabbed the rigging, swung himself through the air, caught Lopez safely, and landed on the ground still holding him. Every worker cheered.

"Elbert, my boy, thank you very much. I'm sorry for troubling you."

Lopez apologized to the young man. Elbert simply smiled.

"This is nothing, Master. You know you're getting old and need rest. Just take it easy — we can handle the rest."

Elbert stood up. He was a well-built man of about twenty-one, strikingly handsome. No one looking at him would guess he was just a common village worker — he looked more like a noble in disguise.

Just then, a small group of people arrived.

"Hey, everyone, we need more hands to rebuild the houses damaged in the last storm. We don't have enough workers there. Can some of you help out for a bit?"

The workers glanced at one another. None of them wanted to go — they already had too much to do. Elbert turned to the others.

"You all can handle the rest here, can't you? Let me go help these guys."
"As you like, Elbert."

Elbert and a few others went to fix the damaged houses. While three or four workers repaired one house together, Elbert worked alone on the home of an elderly woman.

"Thank you so much, son. No one else was willing to fix my house because I don't have money to pay them. I have so little to give you. I don't know how I'll ever repay your kindness."

The elderly woman spoke with a trembling voice, tears in her eyes. Elbert gave her a warm, gentle smile.

"Grandma, I don't want anything in return. It's my pleasure to help you."

This was Elbert — soft-spoken, kind, always smiling. He was willing to help anyone in need, and considered it his duty to do so. Whenever someone in the village needed help, Elbert was the first to arrive. It had only been six months since he arrived in this small village, but in that short time he had become everyone's favorite — a strong, kind young man everyone could rely on. He was also hardworking, taking on multiple jobs to support his family.

That evening, at Elbert's house:

Elbert had just returned home from work.

"I'm home."

His younger siblings, Lui and Lily, rushed to the door at the sound of his voice.

"Oh, how was your day, big brother?"

Lily asked curiously.

"It was good. I had a lot of work today, but nothing too hard. How about you two?"
"Today's work wasn't that hard either, big brother."

Lui replied. Elbert paused for a moment, then looked at both of them.

"Lily, Lui... forgive me for letting you two work. I don't want either of you to have to. I just want you to be able to study and play like other normal kids. But... we don't have the money. We barely get by. I promise I'll find a high-paying job soon, so I can give you both a good life."

Lui realized his brother was troubled.

"No need to apologize, big brother. If anything, we're the ones who should be thanking you. The life we have now is so much better than the one we had before, as beggars. Do you know how much people used to mock us? Beat us? Humiliated us? People treated us like we weren't even alive."
"It was only after meeting you that our life changed. We finally have a brother — something we never had before. We have a house, someone we can rely on. That's all we need. We're ready to work for the rest of our lives if it helps you even a little."

Lily finished what her brother had started. A tear slipped from Elbert's eye. He wiped it away and forced a smile.

"You two are acting way too mature. Anyway, don't dwell on the past. You both have me, and I have both of you. Isn't that enough? It's enough for me. Come on, let's make something to eat."
"Yeah....."

The three of them headed toward the kitchen.

"Big brother, do you have a night shift today?"
"Yeah, guard duty at the ship chandlery."

That night, at the ship chandlery in Costridge:

Though small, the chandlery held some of the finest ship parts in Voymaria, along with a few other valuable goods. Elbert stood guard alone outside. He was already exhausted from the day's work, but he fought off sleep and stood watch, even though the job itself was mind-numbingly boring. Or perhaps it would have been boring for anyone else — Elbert had long since learned to live with loneliness and was determined to work hard regardless. Various thoughts drifted through his mind.

(Thought)
"I'll get three gold pieces for this — that's two hundred forty units in cash. That's so much more than the five bronze pieces, fifty units, I get from ship construction. Maybe I could turn this into a permanent job... but that's impossible, since everyone wants a shift here for the high pay. And I can't abandon my construction work either — the others would struggle without me. Maybe I shouldn't overthink it. Let's just let things flow......"

Meanwhile, in a nearby bush, a girl was hiding, watching Elbert.

(Thought)
"Oh no, there's a guard. He looks strong enough to knock me out cold. What should I do? How can I sneak in? Let me think of another way... what about through the ceiling?"

The girl crept out through the bushes and made her way to the back of the chandlery without Elbert noticing. There was a door in the back, but it was locked from the inside. She climbed up by gripping the window frame — difficult, but she was flexible, with the sharp instincts of an expert thief. A ceiling hatch above was secured with a lock. She pulled a thin steel pick from her pocket and popped it open with ease, then slipped inside through the hatch.

(Thought)
"I heard the king ordered the workers here to build ships for the army — which probably means they've received expensive spare parts. There should be plenty of valuable things in here. I need to grab it all fast, or I'll be in trouble. Ah, after this heist, I'm going to impress the whole guild!"

She began searching for valuables in a hurry, careful to stay quiet. Meanwhile, Elbert sensed something was off and stepped inside the chandlery.

"Oh! Looks like we have a thief here....."

Elbert said, dropping his voice as low as he could manage.
The girl froze, startled — she hadn't expected to be caught. She turned to face him, pale with fear, then forced an awkward smile and edged closer, hiding a steel rod behind her back. In an instant, she swung it at his head, but Elbert blocked the strike easily with his bare hand, surprising her.

"Huh?"

She didn't stop. She kept swinging wildly, desperate to escape by any means, even though she clearly wasn't much of a fighter — only quick reflexes and a thief's speed. Elbert stayed calm, dodging every attack.

"Really? You're trying to attack me? You're about as dangerous as a house cat — you can't hurt me at all. Just leave. You can't overpower me, and I don't raise a hand against women."
"...What? Okay, I'm leaving."

The girl pretended to head for the exit. Elbert walked outside just as casually, as if he hadn't just caught a thief in the act. The girl gasped.

"Wait — you're really letting me go?"
She asked, bewildered.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because you just said you were leaving."
"What if I hadn't?"
"Then we'd have been stuck here all night — you attacking, me blocking."
"But what if you let m go and then I just steal from someone else's house instead?"
"Oh... I hadn't thought of that. So letting you go isn't such a good idea after all. What should I do, then?"

The girl stared at him, genuinely baffled.

(Thought)
"How can he be this dumb — and this open about it? I think he's dumber than he looks. Maybe I can trick him. Let's give it a try......"

Meanwhile, in an isolated wood near Costridge:

The wood was still and silent — no animals, nothing but darkness. Sylvia stood alone, her eyes glowing faint purple as she spoke with her father through telepathy.

"Sylvia, are the preparations ready?"
"Yes, Father."
"Then I'll send one of our monsters there. Let's see how the people react — whether anyone exists capable of fighting it."
"Understood."

A massive portal opened before her, glowing bright purple. Sylvia stared into it, wondering what kind of monster would emerge.

(Thought)
"Costridge Village. Our first target. So many people are going to die tonight. I don't want to witness it, but... what else can I do? I can't stop my father."

Meanwhile, inside the chandlery:

Elbert still had no idea what to do with the girl, while she kept trying to find some way to trick him.

"Still trying to figure out what to do with me?"

She asked first.

"Yeah."
"Why not just tie me up and hand me to the authorities in the morning?"

Elbert thought for a moment.

"Wouldn't they punish you if I did that?"
"Yeah, of course."
"Then never mind. I don't want you to get punished."
"Why? Fallen for me that fast?"

She winked at him.

"No. Never in my life....."
"You know, you don't look like a guard at all."
"You don't look much like a thief either....."
"Why would you be working as a guard? You look like a noble."
"Looks don't pay the bills. I need money to live."
"Then why not join me? My name's Sherlin — an expert thief. You're strong enough to protect me. We'd make a great team. The thieves' guild pays well."
"Wait, thieves have a guild? Anyway, I don't want to team up with you. I don't want to become a thief either. I have my own code."
"I see....."

Suddenly, Elbert tensed.

(Thought)
"What is that? I can sense something... something inhuman, closing in. Am I wrong? No — I can't be."

Without warning, he lunged at Sherlin and shoved her aside just as a wolf-like monster, as large as an elephant, smashed through the wall and tore straight through the chandlery.
Sherlin looked up at Elbert, who was now shielding her, both of them equally startled by the sudden closeness.

"I'm sorry. There was no other way."
"It's fine. But — what was that thing?"

Elbert rushed outside and saw the monster smashing through houses, villagers fleeing for their lives.

"Oh no... Lui! Lily!"

He turned to Sherlin.

"Get somewhere safe and stay there."

He sprinted toward his house, which wasn't far from the chandlery. Sherlin stood there watching for a moment, then glanced at the now-empty houses and smirked.

"That's a monster, all right."
"Everyone, run! Don't look back — just run!"
"We need to fight that thing! Come on—"

The villagers panicked. A few tried to confront the beast but stood no chance and fled with the rest.
Elbert reached his house.

"Lily! Lui! Are you two alright?"

He shouted, panic in his voice. The two were hiding under their bed, trembling with fear, and rushed out to hug him tightly the moment they heard him.

"You're both okay, right?"
"Yeah."

They answered, voices shaking.

"Don't be scared. I'm here. Nothing's going to hurt you two while I'm alive. Let's go."

He gathered his siblings and started moving them to safety, but then he spotted villagers trying to fight the beast and froze, unsure what to do. Lily and Lui understood immediately.

"Big brother, if you want to help them, go. We'll be fine — don't worry about us."
"Yeah. You're always the first to help when the village needs it. If you want to go, we won't stop you."

They said it with quiet confidence. Elbert looked at them, then at the villagers.

"Stay right here, stay safe. Don't go anywhere else. I'll try to keep the beast away, so don't move until I come back."

He rushed off to help the others while Lily and Lui prayed for his safety.

"Aaahhh."

An old man lay on the ground, forgotten in the chaos as everyone fled. Elbert reached him in time, lifted him up, and carried him along with the fleeing crowd.

"Everyone, don't run in the open — cut through the houses and side paths! The beast will catch you easily on a straight road, but weaving through buildings will slow it down. Head for the woods — that should be safer. Stay together!"

The villagers followed his instructions. As they moved out of the village, Elbert doubled back to make sure no one had been left behind.
Meanwhile, Lui and Lily — ignoring Elbert's instructions to stay put — were helping guide the remaining villagers out through another path. At the same time, Sherlin moved through the abandoned houses, looting freely now that everyone was gone.

"This is the biggest heist of my life. Now I just need to slip away before that thing notices me."

The monster, meanwhile, was in a rampage, tearing apart everything in its path. Sherlin tried to make her escape.

(Thought)
"It's busy wrecking houses right now — I can slip out easily."

But the beast caught her scent and turned, charging toward her at full speed.

"Aaaahhhhhh......."

She screamed and shut her eyes tight, certain this was the end. But a second passed — no pain, no impact. She opened her eyes. Elbert stood in front of her, gripping the monster's jaws with his bare hands, straining to hold them shut.

"M-move... aside."

He said through gritted teeth. Sherlin scrambled away and hid behind a house.

"Big brother!"

Lily and Lui screamed in terror at the sight. By now, nearly the whole village had been evacuated — only Elbert, Lui, Lily, Sherlin, and the beast remained. Sylvia watched everything unfold from a distance.

(Thought)
"A man willing to risk his life to save others? Interesting....."

Elbert leapt back, facing the beast head-on.

(Thought)
"This village is all I have left. I won't let this thing destroy it."

The beast charged. Elbert dodged and grabbed hold of its jaw, punching its head again and again until it collapsed to the ground.

"What?"

Sherlin stared in disbelief.

"I knew big brother was strong, but strong enough to fight a beast?"

Lui murmured to Lily, equally stunned.

The monster rose again, and so did Elbert.

(Thought)
"If I had a sword... I could end this in seconds. No — what am I thinking? I swore I'd never pick up a sword again. I'm a different person now. I'll have to beat this thing another way."

Elbert ran, drawing the beast into a chase, snatched up a length of chain from the ground, and wrapped it around the monster's snout before climbing onto its back and hauling the chain tight, trying to choke it. The beast thrashed and threw him off.

"Lily, we need to find something — anything — to help big brother fight."

Lui said to his sister.
Elbert didn't know what else to do as the beast charged again. Sherlin watched, frozen with fear.

(Thought)
"No! He's not going to make it!"

"Big brother — catch!"

Lui hurled a shovel toward him. Elbert caught it midair, stood, grabbed the chain still wrapped around the beast's mouth, and climbed onto its back once more. He drove the shovel into its eye. The beast howled and thrashed in agony. Elbert, though it clearly pained him to do it, stabbed again and again until the creature finally went still and collapsed. Sherlin and the siblings shut their eyes, unable to watch.
Elbert collapsed beside the beast's body, breathing hard, drenched in sweat.

"Big brother....."

Lily and Lui rushed to him and helped him to his feet. He was completely spent. The others who had gathered nearby stared in stunned silence.

"I didn't expect him to do something like that....."

Sherlin murmured to herself.

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The next day, the villagers returned to find their homes in ruins — and the body of the dead beast lying among the wreckage. No one knew who had killed it. Elbert and his siblings stayed quiet, as if they knew nothing either.
From a distance, Sylvia kept her eyes fixed on Elbert.

"Elbert, huh? Someone selfless enough to risk his life for others. Strong enough to kill a dark beast alone. Could he be the chosen one?"

She asked herself.

To be continued...........