"When I heard Laconia had fallen, it sent a chill down my spine."
"That's right. Kyle was all flustered."
"Huh? Favela was crying too!"
"I wasn't crying!"
A week and a bit had passed since Laconia's fall. William Livius, known as Al, had returned to the royal capital of Arcus. After the order to retreat was given, Al and the soldiers of Laconia returned to their respective places to regroup and rearm. Of course, they would likely return soon.
"Anyway, cough, you have quite the bad luck. But you'll be recognized for your efforts soon enough," Kyle remarked.
"Bad luck? You're joking. I'm so lucky it's almost scary."
"Lucky? You got caught up in a losing battle, didn't you?"
"Yeah, it was quite the struggle. And thanks to that, the guys who resented me are dead. We lost a considerable number of troops, and seats have opened up. Not that they're significant seats... but you can't sit if they're not vacant," Al said, spreading his hands.
"There's no promotion in a lost battle. But it's much better than the crappy draws we've been stacking up. Do you know why, Kyle? Favela?"
Both shook their heads easily, seemingly uninterested in thinking too hard about it.
"It's because, after an attack, a counterattack follows. It's a matter of face. Once the balance is disturbed, the struggle for Laconia, Arcadia will seriously attempt to take it back," Al explained.
Kyle clapped his hands in realization.
"I see, we have the advantage in this battle then."
Al wagged his finger at Kyle's hasty conclusion.
"It's not that we have the advantage. Didn't I say? It's a matter of face. The enemy will also be preparing forces to win. After Laconia is taken, the traditional battle, the struggle for Laconia between Arcadia and Ostberg will begin."
What the lower classes like Kyle didn't know was that the real game for Laconia began once it was taken. Historically, whoever took it would control Laconia for nearly a decade. A cycle of taking and being taken, a contest of face among the seven kingdoms.
"It's an uncompromising battle. It'll be a big one. If it's a lost battle, everything's wasted. But if we win... great achievements will come rolling in. It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance."
To stand out here would be significant. Even if defeated in a great war, surviving meant a chance to fill the vacant seats would grow. There's no need to compare it to winning, but if you don't die, the chance isn't zero.
"There's no point in hunting down weaklings. It's the head that matters. Take a big one. And rise to the top!"
"I don't really understand the battlefield. Just, be careful."
As Al's excitement rose, Kyle cautioned him.
"It's that big of a battle. There might be someone stronger than me. No, there certainly will be. Don't fight such a person."
"As if I can tell them apart," Al's excitement waned at the warning.
Kyle chuckled, "Right... don't fight someone who gives you this kind of chill—"
Al's skin bristled. The same sensation as that time—
"Don't fight. You'll be able to tell them apart. And someday you'll be able to win. But not the you right now."
It wasn't rational. It wasn't logical. But Al understood. The difference between the man before him and himself. That man was saying it. It needed to be kept in mind. Above all, Al's own intuition, in the face of this chill, held the conviction that he couldn't win.
"Got it. I won't fight."
Al raised his hands in surrender. Kyle smiled at that.
"By the way, where will you stay, Al? You don't have a home."
Al's original home, along with the "burnt death" of Al the freed slave, had lost its rights. By now, someone else was living there. Al had no intention of returning. Doing so would reveal that the man named Al he had killed was still alive.
"If you have nowhere to stay, I'll lend you my place. I'm alone, so there's no need to be considerate."
'No, that would be considerate in many ways.'
Al and Kyle harmonized in their minds. The three were close friends, but they were becoming adults. There are various things between men and women.
"Three can stay. It's not spacious, but..."
It implied that both parents had died, but neither Al nor Kyle were that considerate. To Favela, her parents were not beloved. Nor had she ever been loved. They raised Favela only to prevent the extinction of their clan, and Favela never asked for more. All of that was fulfilled by Al and Kyle.
"I feel bad for being considerate. But I do have a place in mind."
Favela's shoulders slumped in disappointment. It was impressive that she didn't change her expression even then.
"A place?"
"I'll stay at an acquaintance's house. They insisted, even though I tried to refuse."
At the word "acquaintance," Kyle's face lit up, and Favela twisted hers in disgust. It was rare for the usually expressionless Favela to show such a change.
"A friend?"
Kyle's eyes sparkled. Hearing that, Al and Favela simultaneously spat out, "Pfft!"
"Don't joke. You guys are my only friends. That person is an outsider. But they're a colleague, so I don't want to offend them by refusing. I don't want to needlessly sour the mood, especially since I was failing in Laconia."
In the end, Al used the man who was Al's superior in Laconia. as a shield and killed him, but the irritation still hadn't subsided. Al still had a long way to go.
"Right, right. Make sure you stay there. Get along and come back."
Kyle pushed Al's back with a grin. Favela silently kicked Kyle's back.
"Hey, there's still time!"
"Just go early, will you?"
Kyle ignored her. Favela kept kicking.
"Alright, alright! Let's meet one more time before I leave. See ya!"
Kyle overpowered Al and left. Favela was left panting.
"That hurts, Favela."
"It's Kyle's fault."
"It's a good thing for him, though."
Kyle smiled. Annoyed by that smile, Favela kicked him again.
"Ouch?! Don't kick my chin!"
"Shut up, Kyle, you idiot!"
Favela left those words behind and disappeared somewhere.
Left alone, Kyle sighed.
"Dependent on each other, huh... I can't really talk, can I?"
He muttered to himself and ruffled his hair.
༺༻
"Ah, William!"
'Why's he already here?'
There was still time before the gathering, yet he was already waiting. And more importantly—
"You're early!"
"Ah, yeah. Well, I had some free time."
The fact that he had come early weighed heavily on him. It was troublesome to be seen as if he was looking forward to it. Troublesome indeed.
"Then, let's walk a bit. Follow me!"
"Understood."
William surveyed his surroundings.
'Arcus is basically divided into four districts: the slums, the trade district, the citizens' district, and the nobility's district. Then there are the finer distinctions based on status and income.'
The place they were in was a relatively affluent part of the citizens' district. As expected, Carl seemed to be well-off.
'Probably a first-class citizen. There wouldn't be second-class citizens in this place.'
First-class citizens are those among the citizens who can afford to pay high taxes. They are few in number and have rights close to those of the nobility. Of course, there's still a significant gap between them and the nobility—
"And so, when I told my father about you, William, he said he'd like to meet—"
Carl continued to talk energetically, but William remained silent.
'I haven't approached this district much. People this wealthy usually send their slaves or servants to shop for them.'
The surrounding streets began to exude a sense of luxury. From relatively affluent to lands where only the considerably wealthy could live.
'Wait a minute. This guy... is he ridiculously rich!?'
William looked at Carl, who appeared puzzled.
"You're quite wealthy, aren't you?"
"Hmm, but the people around here are even more impressive, so it's not really a big deal."
'Is he stretching his means to live around here? But just being able to live here means he's quite rich. This is... becoming interesting.'
William drooled inwardly. He had already started to calculate how he could use Carl, who turned out to be far wealthier than he had imagined.
"Are we almost there?"
"Just a little more."
William looked puzzled. Beyond this point lived the wealthiest citizens. And beyond that, it was practically heaven—
"Just past that gate. Wait here for a moment."
"Past the gate?! Wait, hold on!"
William's expression twisted greatly at this point. Sweat poured from his back. His breathing became ragged. His heart pounded like a rapid drumbeat.
"What's wrong, William?"
Carl's face was innocent, but now it seemed terrifying.
"Well, beyond that gate is supposed to be the district where the nobility live."
"Oh, you're well-informed. Impressive for a foreigner!"
Carl was excited, but such things didn't matter to William. What was important wasn't there. The most crucial thing was—
"Carl... are you a noble?"
"Yeah. Well, I'm from a baronial family of the fifth rank, the lowest rank of nobility. It's not a big deal. I don't have a title myself."
The shocking truth was casually revealed.
At that moment, William paled and prostrated himself. He slammed his head onto the floor, showing complete submission.
"William, what's wrong?!"
Carl was surprised to see William's prostration. The once resolute figure was now trembling.
"I apologize for any disrespect I may have shown, knowingly or not!"
The murmurs of the crowd were just noise. For William, this place was a matter of life and death. One wrong move, one wrong word, and death awaited.
"What's wrong, William?! We're friends, right? And you're the person who saved me! You have no reason to bow your head!"
Carl spoke to his back.
"No, the fact that a third-class citizen like me spoke out of turn to a noble's offspring is true! I’ll do anything you ask! I’ll accept any punishment! So please, spare my life!"
He couldn't let his life end here. Carl's sweet words were no longer trustworthy. William could lose his life on the whim of Carl, whom he had thought insignificant, just like his sister—
"That's why you're my lifesaver—"
"I was going to abandon you!"
Indeed, William would have seen it as an opportunity if not for one stain. However, there was one mistake he had made. If he had known Carl was a noble's offspring, he would never have made that mistake. The stain of having thought to abandon him, even for a moment. And Carl, whose eyes met his, must have understood that too.
"It was a chaotic battle, so it can't be helped. Besides, you saved me, didn't you? Without knowing I was a noble's offspring... And that made me really, really happy. So please, raise your head. Be as dignified as you were before."
William was terrified to raise his face. If he did and saw a dark smile, he would die. Midway through life, due to an encounter that came out of nowhere like an accident—
'I won't die here. Not me, not in a place like this!'
He raised his face. What he saw was Carl's relieved smile. Yet William did not relax his tension. He knew people who could smile with murderous intent. He knew them all too well. Who could say Carl wasn't one of them?
"Come on, stand up."
William slowly grasped the hand extended by Carl. He wouldn't let his guard down. He wouldn't relax his vigilance. But for now, he had no choice but to cling to this hand.
"Haha. Even you care about status, huh?"
"Of course. There's a chance I could be killed if I offend you."
"Ah, there's no way I would kill you, William! And nobles can't just kill people easily."
'That's rich. They killed my sister like she was trash.'
Despite his turbulent inner thoughts, William didn't let it show on his face.
"And stop with the formal language!"
"That's... impossible."
As for this, no matter how much Carl chided him, he couldn't change it. There were eyes all around. If he was seen as lacking respect for the nobility, he never knew where he might be picked on.
"Hmm, well, we can discuss that gradually. Anyway, we have to go to my house."
William and Carl began to walk, with William seemingly falling behind.
"Understood, Lord Carl."
"No 'Lord'!"
"But it wouldn't be appropriate if 'Lord' wasn't added either."
"Just stop it!"
William looked troubled. An angry Carl was frightening, but ahead lay countless nobles. For the fragile William, it wasn't enough to just tap the stone bridge before crossing.
They stood before the gatekeeper.
"I am Carl von Taylor."
"The son of Lord Taylor, I see. Please, go ahead."
The gatekeeper glared at William.
"He's my friend."
Carl stated firmly. With that said, the gatekeeper had no right to argue. Such is the nature of nobility. Born into disparity, if the nobility says white is black, then black becomes white.
"Please, go ahead."
The skeptical look didn't leave the gatekeeper's eyes. How could it?
To put it bluntly, William stood out. He was overwhelmed by the city, by mere buildings.
"This way. It's not much of a house, and I'm embarrassed, but this is my home."
William felt numb. Until just before passing through that gate, he would have been overwhelmed by this house. But after passing through the gate and touching the air of this "world" for just a moment, it felt somewhat lacking.
'No, am I an idiot? Of course, it's normal. The master of this house is a baron, the lowest rank of the fifth class.'
The people who live here are from another dimension. This world is complete. Comparing it to the lower world is utterly nonsensical. Carl's slight embarrassment is understandable. In this world, indeed, this house is lacking.
But what must not be forgotten is—
'I... I don't even have the right to stand here.'
The whole world rejects William, who was once a slave named Al.
'But I will devour you all.'
It was just bravado for now. He lacked strength, wisdom, experience—everything.
Yet, Al moved forward. It was the only path he knew, the life he had chosen.