Kayden had learned horse riding just the day before.
Well, not really horse riding, but enough to stay on the saddle without falling off.
He recalled the conversation he had with Oliver the previous day.
"Young master, I can arrange the best rider in the entire western continent to teach you--"
"Oliver, I just need someone who knows how to ride a horse. I'm not going on a journey or anything. As a noble, I feel like it's time for me to learn basic stuff like this."
"Bravo, young master, bravo. I'll surely arrange the best rider in the entire western continent for you."
"..."
Oliver, being Oliver, didn't hear Kayden's commands and, like a happy puppy, rushed away to make arrangements to meet this supposed horse-riding master.
That, of course, would take some days. The guy was last seen in Storm Reach, and to reach here, it would take at least a week or so.
Since he didn't have that much time, he contacted the Knight Commander of the duchy.
The Knight Commander was understandably flabbergasted.
"Excuse me, young master? Can you please repeat what you just said to me?"
The bald man with a Van Dyke-style beard had his mouth open. He even put a finger in his ear, as if to clear any obstruction and ensure he'd heard correctly.
'Tsk, tsk. What's with the disbelief?'
"I said I want you to teach me horse riding. Right. Now."
Not just the commander, but his entire legion of soldiers and young knights were all staring at Kayden in utter astonishment.
How could they not?
The one uttering words like "horse riding" and "proper noble" was none other than the least noble person in the entire duchy.
No, scratch that, in the entire world.
"..."
"..."
In the end, the Commander taught him how to ride—or rather, how to hold onto a horse without falling off.
After a hundred attempts, he finally managed to stay on the horse, clinging to it like a child holding onto a toy.
'This is demeaning.'
'I'm a noble, dammit.'
But, well, Kayden did learn how to stay on the saddle.
And he had chosen a stunted mare for her diminutive size, which made it easier for him to climb onto her without much effort, and even if he fell, he wouldn't hurt himself badly.
Not to mention, he felt a twinge of pity towards the mare.
Out of all the horses in the stable, this one was the most neglected.
Though they hadn't put her down, perhaps out of pity, she was still ignored unlike the other horses.
So when Kayden was selecting a horse and the stable worker and the commander were showing him the behemoth stallions and horses, his eyes were drawn to a small shed that was built a little away from the stables.
The open shed was used for storage and, of course, for the neglected horses.
Among them was this stunted mare.
It was lying on the ground, one front leg crossed over the other, its small head resting on top, watching the larger horses and stallions play around in the grassy fields.
It reminded Kayden of Kael Ryuu, a little shit trying to survive in a world infested with much bigger shits.
In his world, there could have been serums to make her grow into a full adult horse.
'There were all types of shits in my world, ones you can imagine and ones you couldn't even fathom in a million years.'
The Commander and the stable workers tried their hardest to persuade him to change his mind about taking the small and seemingly useless horse, but his decision was final.
"Hey, you."
He said, squatting on the ground in front of the horse.
"Do you... want to see the world?"
If someone had asked him that at least two days before, he would've happily jumped up and down, hugged their legs tightly, and said yes repeatedly.
But right now, Kayden had a sour face, and the mare had an even bigger sour face than him. It didn't even lift its head to look at him.
'Ah, the eyes that have lost all hope.'
Eldric's eyes were losing hope; he still had some light in them, but this mare's eyes had lost all light.
'Tsk, tsk.'
'I've seen those eyes.'
Those eyes were not unfamiliar in Rusty Ridge.
Even when he saw his own reflection in the metal and glossy surfaces, he'd see the same eyes—lost, hopeless, devoid of life, and filled with despair.
'They're just like mine.'
"Look, you can either come with me and enjoy a tiny bit of the outside world or stay here and rot away."
'It's not like I care but...'
'It's just a stupid mare.'
'Nothing more, nothing less.'
But there was a part of him that wanted this mare to be at least active.
Horses, stunted or not, are supposed to be free creatures.
They shouldn't be tied down and confined in a shed.
Kayden Ryuu didn't hate animals. He liked dogs and cats, but a horse? He had never seen any horse in his entire life at all.
'It is said that Prometheus had a black cat named Nano-Byte.'
That was just a belief from another world.
After some minutes of silently watching Kayden, the mare raised her head and leaned forward, sniffing the air with its snout.
Kayden didn't offer his hand as all the others did in the story; he just stayed still.
He was giving the mare an opportunity to see the world, not forcing it to come with him.
Finally, after some time, the mare moved forward and put her head on his lap.
A small smile formed on Kayden's lips, which made both the Commander and the stable workers gasp loudly.
Kayden thought it was because he had chosen this little, almost useless mare without thoroughly considering the matter at all.
"What's her name?"
Kayden asked, stroking the mare's mane gently.
"She didn't had any previous riders, young master."
Horses were given names by their chosen riders, and since this little thing was never chosen by anyone, she never got a name.
"I don't have a name for you right now."
Kayden grabbed the small head in his hands and locked eyes with her black eyes.
"But I'll certainly name you one day, alright?"
'That's a promise.'
Kayden had a sad smile as he caressed the horse.
The Commander and stable workers just gawked at the young master's soft side.
...
So a day later, after hours of practice, Kayden finally rode the mare outside.
At first, the mare was too excited and was running around wildly, making Kayden hold on for dear life.
'Dammit. I'm going to get my first power to survive in this world and I'm already dying here.'
He had thought at that time.
But after the initial excitement and sensing the discomfort of her rider, the mare calmed down.
"..."
Kayden didn't talk to the horse because he had no idea what to talk about with a horse.
'Tsk tsk, I don't even have friends.'
He had a brother though, but that doesn't count as he was not actively involved in his life.
He comes one or two times a month, says some words about family and love, then disappears for the next month.
That was his supposed older brother.
...
"Is it already over?"
Kayden could see black smoke in the distance spiraling into the sky like a tornado.
The battle was supposed to happen in a village in the neighboring duchy called Thornhills, and the village was just a few hundred meters away from the borders of the Ashbourne duchy.
He had chosen a different route than the main one to Thornhill duchy, wanting to ensure nobody saw him.
Now, he was at the forest's edge, overlooking a stone structure. Beyond this structure lay the village.
"Stay here. I'll be back soon."
The mare just snorted and happily began to hop around, sniffing everything in its path—trees, grasses, plants, weeds, stones.
'Well, at least someone is happy.'
Struggling, Kayden climbed the rocks. It was challenging, especially for Kayden—though for Kael Ryuu, it should have been simple.
'Ah, this body is too weak for this kind of activity.'
'Tsk, tsk. Alcohol consumption from all these years must've taken its toll on the body, dammit.'
Lamenting himself as he climbed, his expensive outfit became torn and dirty, with a few scratches appearing on his hands and face, and traces of blood here and there.
Finally, after numerous difficulties and complaints, he reached the top.
He lay down on his belly and peeked through the stone structure.
And sure enough, there it was: the battle that was going to change the entire fate of the world.