If you take half a month to head east from the village where Ren lives, you'll reach one of the few urban areas around here.
The name of that city was Klausel.
The town is built along a terrain that rises toward the center.
The roads leading up to the top are spiral-shaped, creating a three-dimensional appearance when viewed from the outside. The magnificent sight created by the houses made of red bricks was well received by the people of the faraway imperial capital.
—- In the center of the city, a mansion, which could be called a small castle, stands tall. The house is the residence of Baron Klausel, the ruler of the area.
Baron Klausel's mansion stands out not only because of its size but also because of its ivory-colored exterior.
If you go to the gate, you can take a peek at the garden that is Baron Klausel's pride and joy.
If you're lucky, you may even see the Baroness ,,,,.
It is said that the opposite sex is always charmed when she smiles at them and some even believe they have seen an angel or a fairy.
But —-
"... Huh."
The young lady was now standing boredly in a corner of the garden.
She is a young girl with long hair that looks like amethyst crystal melted into polished sterling silver and eyes reminiscent of azure sapphires. Her exquisitely shaped face is still young, but she has the beauty of a lean castle, and her porcelain-white skin is as dazzling as the morning sun that pours down on it.
She is such a dignified young lady whose behavior exudes a nobility that cannot be hidden.
—– Her name is Lithia Klausel
"Young miss."
A man calls out to her.
The man was a mature knight in armor and a soft-spoken man with the appearance of a butler.
"What's the matter? You're ruining your pretty face."
"I've just been training with the sword."
"I see that my men are no longer a match for you."
"I told you, I wish you were my partner."
"I'm sorry, but I have some business to attend to with the Master —- and I have to leave the mansion for a while starting today."
Then Lithia blinked repeatedly, surprised.
The expression on her face has changed from the previous one, and she looks dainty for her age, in contrast to her good looks.
"How can you, when you're the Knight Commander?"
"I have to go around the territory by order of the Master. I don't know how to explain this, so please ask the Master for details."
After saying this, the man begins to walk toward the gate of the mansion. Of course, after bowing to Lithia.
Outside the gate, some men were waiting for him on horseback.
"Is everyone ready?"
"Ha... !"
Hearing the voices of some of his men, the man mounted the horse his men had prepared.
"Let's go!" He gave the signal to start, pulled on the reins, and let the horse walk.
A few minutes passed since they started to walk along the cobblestones.
"This is a problem."
The man said, looking puzzled.
"What's the matter?"
"Oh, it's about the young miss.... I think she's getting a little too proud of herself these days. Perhaps it is because there's no one of her age who can compete with her."
"I'm sorry. It's because we're not up to par."
"Even if it is. Good grief….. I can still deal with her, but seriously…"
I wondered if there was a boy or girl somewhere who was equal to or better than Lithia.
I sighed deeply because I didn't think it would be easy to find one.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
The day after his skill level was raised, Ren was allowed to go outside the garden.
Mireille had no objection to this.
"You were in the woods by the time you were seven, weren't you?"
She agreed with Roy's suggestion.
In Ren's case, it was probably easier to get permission, especially since he had a skill.
Ren was so pleased that he had a new routine.
Every day before breakfast, he takes a walk along the farm road.
"Wow….."
Today, too, I walked while rubbing my slightly heavy eyelids.
While I was still not fully awake, only the muscle aches that I felt in every knot in my body clearly asserted their presence. As soon as I became aware of the sensation, I recalled the time when my skill level increased.
I'll never forget the feeling of being suddenly strong at that time.
But despite the joyous feeling, Ren's expression was dull.
"I was happy that my skill level went up… but…"
The reason for this was the level of proficiency required for the next skill level.
"I still don't know how much more I can do."
Ren looked at the crystal of the bracelet he had summoned and said with a sigh.
The details of the "Magic Sword Summoning Technique" floating in the crystal are as follows.
Magic Sword Summoning Technique (Level 2: 46/1000)
The reason for the sigh is this.
The level of proficiency required to reach the next level has increased tenfold all at once.
"It's always so far away… ..."
Ren said without effort and then looked at the skill descriptions.
Level 1: You can summon [one] magic sword.
Level 2: While summoning a magic sword, you gain the effect of [Physical Ability UP (Small)].
Level 3: Can summon [Two] magic swords.
Level 4: ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊.
This made him even more depressed. He could now see the effect of level 3. At this point, he realized the fact that only one magic sword can be summoned still.
By the way, the "Magic Sword Summoning Technique" is now at level 2, so it seems to be a mechanism that reveals one more level.
The problem is the level of proficiency required to reach the next level, which is ten times higher, but there is nothing he could do about that.
"Maybe it's just a matter of effort being the best shortcut….."
Ren muttered and erased the bracelet as if he had given up.
He noticed that his consciousness was becoming much more awake.
Even though it was early summer, a cool morning breeze still caressed his cheeks at this time of day. Taking a big breath of the fresh air, it was as if his whole body appeared.
"I'd like to try the natural magic of the wooden magic sword (small)."
As expected, I have not been able to try it in the garden of the mansion, so I have not been able to experiment with it yet.
When I was walking along the field path, thinking ... in the near future if possible.
"Oh, boy, you're up early again today."
"Bo-chan, good morning."
I was approached by villagers who were working in the fields early in the morning.
Ren had been taking a walk every day recently and the villagers often spoke to him in a casual manner.
As Ren was greeting them back, an old woman approached him from where he was walking.
"My goodness, you're up early again today, bo-chan."
The old woman is Grandma Rigg, the only midwife in the village.
She had been taking a walk at this time since she was young and saw Ren almost every day.
"Good morning, Grandma Rigg."
They exchanged a light greeting and began to walk side by side.
"Your father was bragging about you again. He said you're going to be a better knight than he is."
"Hmm… I wonder if I will…"
"I'm sure you will. Eventually, you might become a famous knight in the capital."
"No, I don't think so."
Immediately he said that, Grandma Rigg tilted her head.
"I mean, if I leave, there will be no one left to take over my father's work."
"It's fine."
"What?"
"You'll have a little brother or sister someday, you know."
Ren nodded in agreement.
But the first question is whether Ren has any intention of leaving the village.
Of course, he has no intention of leaving.
"If that were to happen, my brother or sister would just go to the capital."
As I was saying something like this, —- suddenly, Grandma Rigg stopped.
"Grandma Rigg? What's wrong?"
She looked at the edge of the small hill at the edge of the village and opened her mouth in surprise.
"Bo-chan, we have to hurry back to the house."
"Why all of a sudden ...? Those people on horses over there..."
Then Ren also looked at the edge of the hill and noticed it.
There were adults on horseback there, all dressed in armor.
Even Ren, who lives on the frontier, could tell. They were knights, no doubt.
"—-They are the baron's messengers."
Grandma Rigg further confirmed Ren's expectation.