Departure

Allen had become a retainer of House Granvelle. Evening was fast approaching, but he was told he wouldn’t have to serve dinner that night. He was also told that the party would leave the village around noon the next day, and that Allen would go with them to Granvelle, the domain capital.

After returning home, Rodan told Theresia that he had become a retainer. She said, "That’s wonderful," but she sounded sad.

The next morning, Allen went outside, saying, "I’ll go fetch the water today." He hadn’t been able to sleep much.

The serfs who had come to fetch water looked at him kindly. He’d seen them time and time again over the past eight years.

As part of the lord’s reward, the twenty serfs who had continued hunting boars, along with their wives and children, would be elevated to commoner status. The news had spread through the village overnight. Several serfs had already decided to become commoners.

"Oh! Allen. I hear you’re going to work for a noble’s household. Good for you!"

"Thank you."

The serfs fetching water congratulated him.

Back home, as he filled the jar, his younger brother Mash was still sulking. He said he’d be lonely without Allen. Allen would have liked to be there for Mash’s Appraisal Ceremony next year, too, if he could.

After breakfast, Allen finished packing and slid his well-worn wooden sword into his belt.

"Here. Take this."

"I told you last night, but you don’t have to."

Allen turned down the small hemp pouch Rodan held out to him. It contained more than three hundred silver coins he’d earned from defeating Alba Herons. Allen said he expected to receive a salary from House Granvelle, and wanted his father to keep the money in case something came up.

"Just take it!"

"All right."

When Rodan’s tone grew harsh, Allen gave in and took only a hundred coins, setting them aside in a small pouch.

He didn’t have much to take with him, so he finished packing in no time. Everything fit into a small hemp pouch.

"Oh! There you are!"

Just as Allen was about to leave, Gerda arrived. Michilda, Krena, and Lily were with him. They had planned to stop by on their way to the residential district, but it seemed they had come all the way to see him off.

Krena looked very sad.

"Are you really leaving?"

"Yeah. Take care, Krena."

"..."

Krena had already heard from Gerda that Allen was leaving the village. At his words, she lowered her head and couldn’t reply. As always, she held a wooden sword in her hand.

"All right, let’s play knights."

"Huh? Play knights?"

"Yeah."

"Okay!"

(Good, I want her to see me off with a smile.)

Hearing him suggest they play knights, Krena perked right up. But they couldn’t use the yard because twenty Alba Herons were being butchered there, so they would have to play outside in front of the house. The two families watched them.

Clutching his wooden sword, Allen heard the familiar declaration he’d been listening to for over five years.

"I am Knight Krena! Come, let us fight fair and square!"

Hearing it again, he felt a surge of emotion.

"I am Allen, retainer of House Granvelle. Sword Saint Krena, come forth!"

Krena looked at him as if to say, "Huh?" His introduction was different from usual. And instead of calling her a knight, he had called her the Sword Saint.

For thirteen years, Rodan had risked his life hunting boars. Thanks to the reward for that, Allen would now serve a noble’s household. Allen took on the weighty title his father had won at the risk of his life.

"What’s wrong? Aren’t you coming?" Allen asked. "I’m coming!" Krena replied.

The knights’ game began. Their parents had watched Allen and Krena play like this time and again. Their wooden swords flashed through the air at incredible speed—far too fast for eight-year-old children.

"A knights’ game for your farewell, huh?"

"Yeah. It’s a good way to say goodbye."

In response to Rodan’s murmur, Gerda replied as if to say this was just like Allen and Krena.

But the families watching soon noticed something was off. They had only ever seen Allen being pushed back by Krena. Krena was supposed to be far stronger at their knights’ game. Yet today, Allen was the one overwhelming her.

"Huh?"

"What’s wrong, Sword Saint Krena? Is that all you’ve got?"

Provoked, Krena put more strength into her attacks. But Allen dodged them and pushed her back with his strikes. Krena was entirely on the defensive.

When Allen heard yesterday that he would be leaving everyone, he decided they would say goodbye with a knights’ game.

And he decided he would win this time.

"Wha—? Why?"

Krena was bewildered. Allen, who had never beaten her before, was pressing her back. These weren’t his usual movements. He was faster than she’d ever seen him in the past five years. Allen and Krena’s parents watched in astonishment.

Allen had increased his collection of Bird E cards—a bird-type card he’d never used before—to twenty. As a result, his speed had increased explosively.

【Name】 Allen

【Age】 8

【Job】 Summoner

【Level】 7

【Health】 152 (190)

【Magic】 208 (260) +200

【Attack】 75 (94)

【Endurance】 75 (94)

【Agility】 144 (181) +200

【Intelligence】 216 (270) +200

【Luck】 144 (181) +200

【Skills】 Summon〈4〉, Create〈4〉, Synthesis〈4〉, Enhancement〈4〉, Expansion〈3〉, Storage, Deletion, Swordsmanship〈3〉, Throwing〈3〉

【Experience】 0/7,000

・Skill Levels

【Summon】 4

【Create】 4

【Synthesis】 4

【Enhancement】 4

・Skill Experience

【Create】 47,946/1,000,000

【Synthesis】 47,900/1,000,000

【Enhancement】 47,640/1,000,000

・Available Summons

【Insect】 EFGH

【Beast】 EFGH

【Bird】 EFG

【Plant】 EF

【Stone】 E

・Holder

【Insect】

【Beast】

【Bird】 E, 20 cards

【Plant】 E, 20 cards

【Stone】

A Summoner’s Agility growth rate was A. His Agility had naturally increased quickly as he leveled up. Now that he was level six and had twenty Bird E cards, his Agility had surpassed 300.

Krena, who hadn’t leveled up yet, couldn’t keep up. Allen closed in at once, stopping his wooden sword at her throat.

"I lost."

"Hmm. Sword Saint Krena, we’ll call it a draw."

(Good. I’ve used almost all my magic stones, but it was worth it.)

"Huh?"

Krena knew she’d been soundly defeated. Allen and Krena’s parents also saw it as Allen’s victory.

"There’s no question this was a draw."

"A draw?"

She tilted her head, looking as if she couldn’t understand what he meant by a draw.

"Yeah, a draw, Sword Saint Krena. We’ll leave the result undecided until our next match."

"Huh?"

"We haven’t settled who won. So we’ll leave it undecided until we meet again, Krena."

He called her Krena again. It was a promise that they would meet again when they were older.

"Okay! Next time we meet, I’ll win, Allen!"

Holding her wooden sword in both hands, Krena answered with a smile. That was the face he wanted to see.

Allen knew that when Krena turned twelve, she would go to the kingdom’s academy city, and afterward, she would serve the royal family. They would be in different places and of different status. They might never meet again. In fact, the odds were that they wouldn’t. Even so, he wanted to end their knights’ game without deciding the winner. He had used almost all the magic stones he’d saved up to make that happen.

The knights’ game ended, and Allen said he was leaving. He said goodbye to everyone. Theresia hugged him and told him to take care. He felt tears welling up, but he couldn’t cry.

He went over to Mash, who was sobbing.

"Mash, get strong and protect Myura!"

"O-Okay."

With that, Allen hugged his brother tightly and said goodbye. He couldn’t cry—not in front of his little brother.

He headed for the village gate with Rodan. They didn’t speak, but Allen thought that was fine.

When they reached the residential district, a familiar boy was waiting in the square: Dogora, with his potato-shaped face. Peromus was beside him. Dogora ran over to Allen, carrying something.

"Hey, Allen."

A long time ago, Dogora had stopped calling him "black hair" and started calling him Allen instead.

"Here. Take this."

He thrust out something shaped like a stick, his manner gruff as ever.

"Hm? Wait, are you sure?"

Dogora, the weapons shop owner’s son, handed Allen a dagger. It looked familiar.

(This is the dagger I checked the price of two years ago. It cost fifty silver coins. I never did manage to buy it.)

Allen had decided to spend the money he earned from Alba Herons on his family. He’d wanted this dagger, but never bought it. Dogora must have remembered what he’d heard from his father all this time.

"Thanks. I’ll treasure it."

"I gave it to you, all right? See ya!"

After saying that, Dogora dashed off, perhaps embarrassed. They’d known each other for about two years, but he was unquestionably Allen’s friend. Allen slid the dagger into his belt beside his wooden sword and continued on.

The villagers called out to him, wishing him well. The news that he was leaving the village to serve House Granvelle had apparently spread through the residential district, too. His eyes began to sting.

"This is the village where you were born."

"Yeah, Dad."

Rodan, who had been quiet the whole time, spoke to Allen when they were close enough to see the gate.

"You won’t remain a retainer forever. Do your duty well. You don’t need to contact us until then."

He was telling Allen not to go out of his way to contact them, and not to squander the opportunity a former serf like him had been given to serve a baron’s household.

"Yeah. I’ll do my best."

With that, Allen said goodbye to Rodan at the gate.

They were about to depart. Allen was told to board the carriage, and he climbed inside. From the carriage window, he watched the village where he had been born and raised for eight years. As the carriage rolled forward, the scenery grew smaller and smaller. Rodan was no longer in sight. The village receded into the distance.

The tears he’d been holding back spilled over.

And so Allen left Krena Village and began living in Granvelle, the domain capital.

After spending the first eight years of his life as a serf, his status had become that of a commoner, and he had become a retainer of House Granvelle.