(Continuation…)
(Rei's POV)
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves.
I turned to Kavir, my trusty shadow, looking for some advice.
I thought he'd give me the usual "follow your lead, my Lord" kind of gesture with his face.
"What do we do with them?"(Rai)
Even so, I asked Kavir out, wanting to know his take on the situation.
"I advise you to kill them, my Lord."(Kavir)
Kavir spoke with a firm tone, making the bandits who heard him flinch in fear.
Damn, is this dude for real?
My Man Kavir–I mean, I knew he was loyal to me, but hearing him suggest killing the bandits so straightforwardly was jarring.
I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, though. I did expect something along those lines, but he just went ahead and said, "Kill them."
However, knowing full well about him, it's not the dude's fault either.
As I know that Kavir's unwavering obedience to me is not merely a product of loyalty, but a result of brainwashing and teachings to obey my every word without question from a young age.
For him, I was some sort of god he had to follow blindly.
So, of course, my commands were the be-all and end-all of goodness for him.
But that meant he couldn't see the bigger picture or even consider if there was another way to handle things.
I have my own concepts of right and wrong, but for Kavir, his entire moral compass is guided solely by my actions and words.
It's both a privilege and a burden to hold such power over another being.
Especially now with the memories of a civilised and modern society flooding my mind.
The old me wasn't that keen on this matter.
This was also once mentioned in the Novel. Back then, I didn't give it much thought, but now it's a different story…
Hell! Even without knowing about the Novel, it's pretty obvious. I was just too oblivious to notice it before.
Shaking my head in annoyance, I decided not to bother about the things that were out of my control.
Gathering my thoughts, I looked at the bandits, their heads bowed in defeat.
Shaking off Kavir's suggestion.
I had to make up my mind.
"Kavir–
–I said it softly but firmly.
"We're not killing them.
"We will hand them over to the local authorities at the next stop and let them decide their fate."(Rai)
I said, not really in the mood for any arguments.
"As your order, my Lord."(Kavir)
But, Yeah, what am I even thinking?
It's not like Kavir was the type to argue in the first place.
Kavir immediately tasked the Knights to carry out my order, and they promptly took the bandits away while he settled himself beside me, all diligent and stuff.
Though Kavir is not a royal or noble, being my shadow, he held a lot of authority over the Knights of Silverthorne House.
And don't let his short stature fool you, he's got this quiet strength that demands respect from everyone around him. Which is pretty impressive, actually.
.
.
(15 minutes later…)
Anyway, after 15 long minutes of going back and forth with the bandit situation in more detail, but after some time, he seemed to sense my fatigue and left me for the day.
"When will we reach our destination, Kavir?"(Rai)
"If we didn't face any inconvenience like to–
"Kavir cut to the chase already."(Rai)
I interrupted, sparing unnecessary small talk.
I think Kavir is not yet the straightforward guy he was in the Novel. Well, there is still a year, so it won't be a problem, I guess.
"By this evening, my Lord."(Kavir)
"Good. Leave me alone until then.
"And–Make sure Elza doesn't find out about any of this. Let her know I'll be joining her in the evening."(Rai)
"As you wish, my Lord.
-Kavir said with a respectful bow.
"Call me whatever you may require, my Lord."(Kavir)
Kavir offered once more.
"*nod."(Rai)
Yep, that's right, the loyalty is real.
Nodding in understanding to Kavir, I took in a last glance at my Sister's cabin and entered my cabin adjacent to it.
It's early morning, quarter to 5, and my Sister, the Princess of Kingdom, is currently resting in her cabin, the door closed to ensure her privacy with the attendant still taking good care of her, and I made a mental note to check on her later.
—thud!
The door of my cabin closed behind me as I stepped in it, walked to the couch near the bed, and settled in, trying to relax after everything that had happened.
It's already been 18 minutes since I ordered my Knights to hand over the bandits to the officials at the next station.
However, just now, coming to my cabin after seeing my little Sister sleeping peacefully, I couldn't help but doubt my decision.
Just for a moment, I entertained a "what if" scenario in my head.
What if the Knights couldn't catch those criminals?
Would they have shown any mercy towards my Sister and me?
The answer was a resounding-No. This thought sent a shiver down my spine.
That realisation hit me like a tonne of bricks. It messed with my thoughts, and suddenly, I was filled with uncertainty and fear.
I started breathing heavily, reminded of the loneliness of my past life without any family members.
Now, with my past life memories surfacing just a couple of hours ago, my modern ethics are starting to take over my mindset, judgement, and thinking process.
It's like they were wrestling for control inside my head, making it hard to make the right call.
"Hhhhuuuuuuuffffuuuuuu..."(Rai)
I let out a heavy sigh, rubbing my temples, trying to calm my nerves.
This whole situation was way more complicated than I could've ever imagined. But I had to keep it together and do what was best to Survive in this World.
No matter what my past life told me, I needed to focus on the present and protect the ones I cared about.
But to do that, I needed power. I needed an edge to face the dangers ahead.
Even if it meant making a pact with a devil. I chuckled bitterly at myself, it seemed like I really was in a situation where I couldn't afford to be picky.
"...System."(Rai)
I murmured.
◤────────────────────────◥
[Does the Host Wish To Choose Skills?]
[YES / NO]
◣────────────────────────◢
So, now here I stand once again, facing the pop-up screen and the recurring question.
My eyes fixated on the glowing blue display before me. It was like staring into the unknown, a realm of possibilities waiting to be explored.
"Yes."(Rai)
I whispered, summoning the courage to proceed, even if it felt like a leap of faith.
As soon as the word left my lips, the display came alive, presenting a list of Skills I could choose from.
◤────────────────────────◥
[Processing The Host's Answer]
[Noted - Positive]
[⧗...Assessing The World Level…⧗]
[↺...Reevaluating the Skill Level…↻]
[Ding! Confirming The World As A Low Fantasy World Devoid Of Any Mana, Magic, Or Special Quirks.]
[↺...Generating Skills Based On The World Power System…↻]
[Ding! Here Are The Skills The Host Can Choose From]
[The Host Can Only Choose One Skill From Each Category {Long-Range Combat}, {Close-Range Combat}, {Semi-Combat}, and {Non-Combat}]
◆[System Note : The User Must Be Careful While Choosing The Skills. There Won't Be Any Change In Skills Once Confirmed.]
∆∇──────────────────∇∆
►[Long-Range Combat Skills]
➣[Archery]
➣[Firearms Proficiency]
➣[Crossbow Marksmanship]
➣[Boomerang Mastery]
➣[Sling Staff Proficiency]
∆∇──────────────────∇∆
►[Close-Range Combat Skills]
➣[Swordsmanship]
➣[Martial Arts]
➣[Dagger Fighting]
➣[Polearm Mastery]
➣[Shield Mastery]
∆∇──────────────────∇∆
►[Semi-Combat Skills]
➣[Tactician/Strategist]
➣[Stealth and Subterfuge]
➣[Navigation and Survival]
➣[Swimming and Aquatic Skills]
➣[Horsemanship]
∆∇──────────────────∇∆
►[Non-Combat Skills]
➣[Blacksmithing]
➣[Herbalism and Healing]
➣[Hunting and Tracking]
➣[Carpentry and Construction]
➣[Music and Performing Arts]
➣[Languages and Linguistics]
◣────────────────────────◢
Excitement and uncertainty were battling it out inside me.
"Oh, damn!"(Rai)
Was all that came out of my mouth.
"This is a lot to take in for a novice like me."(Rai)
I muttered to myself, running my hand through my hair in frustration.
The translucent blue display shimmered before me, presenting a myriad of options, each promising unique abilities that could potentially change my fate in this world.
I squinted at the screen and started reading through the options. Archery, firearms, dagger fighting, riding, carpentry...I mean, the list just went on and on.
It was like a smorgasbord of skills.
It was overwhelming, to say the least. The list of skills seemed never-ending, and I had to weigh the pros and cons of each.
.
(To be continued…)
★─────⇌•★•⇋─────★
Chapter words : 1434
Total worlds : 7.42K