On a scorching day in a village bordering the capital Velhola of the Ifrit Kingdom, farmers toiled in the rice fields, and among them was Noulan Kusan, a 20-year-old youth. His presence in the fields wasn't by choice but at the insistence of his foster father, Gustav Nihil, who arranged the work due to Noulan's unemployment.
Noulan, not a farmer or hired hand by profession, found himself contemplating past mistakes under the relentless sun. His mind lingered on the pivotal error of dropping out from Bulan Academy, where he could have pursued knighthood. Circumstances forced him out of the academy, altering the course of his destiny.
As Noulan toiled in the unforgiving heat, the weight of regret bore down on him. In a moment of exhaustion, he started to slack off.
One of the farmer noticed Noulan slacking off at the work. The farmer shouted, "Hey, work hard, asshole!"
Incensed by the man's language, Noulan turned sharply towards him, his fatigue momentarily eclipsed by indignation.
-How can this mother fucker call me an asshole?
he fumed.
In response, he defiantly raised his right hand, pointed his middle finger towards the farmer who called him an asshole, retorted, "Fuck off! you asshole!"
"Hey, motherfucker, how dare you swear at me?" The enraged farmer lunged toward Noulan, adding, "Don't forget, you're a criminal's son." His fist connected with Noulan's chest, the impact sending the young man reeling, coughing up blood.
Despite the intense pain and anger, Noulan refrained from retaliating. The assailant happened to be one of the bullies from Noulan's challenging childhood. The source of the constant torment was Noulan's status as the son of a criminal, compounded by his orphaned state.
As Noulan grappled with both physical pain and the weight of his troubled past, he chose restraint in the face of provocation, a silent testament to the internal struggles that defined his life.
"Don't ever forget why Harmin left you for the girl in the academy," the farmer taunted.
Noulan, already grappling with a dire situation, winced at the mention of his former friend Harmin Hamsnarg. The memory of being abandoned by his only friend for a girl during their time at the academy stirred a torrent of emotions within Noulan. Overwhelmed, he rose from his precarious state.
Driven by a surge of anger, Noulan sprinted toward the farmer, landing a powerful punch from behind. He shouted vehemently, "Don't ever mention that bastard's name!" The impact was forceful, causing the farmer to collapse, coughing up blood on the ground.
But for Noulan, the retribution was not complete. Fueled by a mixture of rage and hurt, he seized the fallen farmer, delivering another punch to his face. Through gritted teeth, Noulan reiterated, "Don't ever mention that bastard's name again." The intensity of his actions mirrored the unresolved pain and betrayal he carried from the past.
Staggering back to his feet, the farmer hastily retreated from the ground, fleeing the scene after Noulan's forceful reprisal. Noulan, left standing amidst the echoes of his turbulent emotions, watched as the farmer retreated, his departure a tangible testament to the raw intensity that lingered in the air.
"How dare he mention that bastard's name in front of me," Noulan seethed, his emotions in turmoil. In the tangled web of their shared past, Noulan and Harmin were once inseparable friends, having grown up together in Gustav's house. During Noulan's difficult childhood, marked by hatred and bullying, Harmin stood as his unwavering friend, never participating in the torment.
However, their unbreakable bond faced a rupture when they entered the academy and encountered a girl. The dynamics shifted, leading to a painful separation. The mere mention of Harmin's name reopened old wounds, reminding Noulan of the friend he lost to the complexities of emotions and relationships.
Once inseparable friends, now destined to be enemies for life. Noulan, grappling with unemployment, finds himself on a divergent path from Harmin, who has ascended to the prestigious position of Captain of the Velhola Knights Palace. This official group of knights holds sway over the affairs of Velhola, the capital.
Separated by divergent circumstances and choices, Noulan and Harmin, whose fates were once intertwined, now navigate disparate worlds. The bonds of friendship have been replaced by the harsh realities of their respective positions, setting the stage for a conflict that transcends mere personal differences.
Having completed his work, Noulan washed away the dirt and blood, preparing to depart. As he walked down the paddy road, each step bore a foreboding weight. A sense of impending doom lingered with every stride, leaving Noulan with an unsettling intuition that something ominous awaited him.
Noulan, his curiosity piqued, slowly walked towards his house. Upon arrival, a sight both unusual and unsettling greeted him – knights from the Velhola Knights Palace standing outside his home. Their presence in the village was already an anomaly, and the fact that they congregated in front of Noulan's house added an extra layer of mystery.
Approaching them, Noulan couldn't contain his curiosity and asked one of the knights, "Sir, what are you doing outside of my house?"
The knight turned his gaze toward Noulan, maintaining a stoic demeanor, and replied, "What? Is it your house, really?"
A flicker of irritation crossed Noulan's face, and he retorted, "Well, sir, I have proper papers for the house."
In his characteristic stoic manner, the knight responded, "I didn't know it's your house, mister."
Noulan, now increasingly unsettled and irritated, mulled over the unusual circumstances. The air was thick with tension as he contemplated the implications of knights showing up at his doorstep in this quiet village, his thoughts racing to decipher the cryptic situation unfolding before him.
"Then what do you think, whose house is it?" Noulan shouted, his face reflecting the frustration of a man who had toiled all day and now faced an unexpected hurdle in returning home.
The knight, maintaining composure, responded, "Sorry for the trouble we caused you. We received a report that it's Captain Harmin's foster father Gustav's house."
Noulan's mind raced with questions. The mention of Harmin heightened his unease, and he couldn't fathom why the knights were involved.
"Why are you all here?" Noulan inquired, seeking clarity amid the mounting confusion.
"Our vice-captain has some business with Mr. Gustav," the knight explained.
Noulan, already simmering with anger, retorted, "Then can I enter my own house?"
"No," the knight replied. He clarified that due to the kingdom's tradition, no one could enter a room or house while a high-ranking knight conducted a meeting inside.
"Damn hell! It's killing me," Noulan shouted in frustration.
Sensing Noulan's anger, the knight reassured him, saying, "Wait, mister, let me get the permission for you to enter."
"Then why are you wasting my time? Get the damn permission soon," Noulan snapped, his impatience evident as he grappled with the vexing situation unfolding outside his own home.
The knight, acknowledging Noulan's impatience, stood up and entered the house to seek permission for him. Outside, Noulan paced anxiously, his frustration palpable as he awaited the resolution of this unexpected intrusion into his own home.
"Darn it, why is he taking so much time!" Noulan shouted, his frustration reaching a boiling point as the minutes dragged on, intensifying the uncertainty surrounding the situation.
Noulan's frustration boiled, evident in every tense line of his body and furrowed expression. The lingering uncertainty only fueled the intensity of his emotional unrest.
The knight emerged from the house, approached Noulan with an air of formality, and stated, "Our vice-captain said you can enter."
Noulan, still caught in the grip of frustration, tersely replied, "Yeah, thanks."
He made his way towards the open door, using his right hand to push it open, and stepped inside the house. The air of uncertainty hung around him as he crossed the threshold, eager to uncover the reason behind this unexpected visit.
As Noulan stepped into the living room, disbelief etched across his face at the unexpected tableau before him. Gustav, his foster father, occupied the couch, his features revealing a gravity that Noulan couldn't decipher. On the table lay a document, its significance lingering in the air like an unspoken secret.
Seated across from Gustav was Hanna Gourman, a woman of Noulan's age. Her captivating eyes mirrored the deep blue of the sea's heart, and her silver hair framed her face in a bobbed elegance. She possessed a beauty that transcended the ordinary, an allure Noulan couldn't deny.
The revelation struck him like a tidal wave – Hanna was the vice-captain of the Velhola Knights Palace, and more significantly, she was the very person who had been a catalyst in the rift between Noulan and Harmin. The same girl for whom their friendship crumbled, leaving a void that time failed to fill.
Noulan's thoughts swirled in a maelstrom of emotions. The pain of lost friendship resurfaced, coupled with the irony that the cause of his past anguish was now seated in his own home. As he grappled with this unexpected reunion, a sense of foreboding settled over Noulan, realizing that the currents of fate were steering him into uncharted waters.