[ Tower's champion ]
A fantasy novel that follows the journey of a young, righteous noble who sets out to discover the world, making friends along the way and gaining the favour of various constellations.
'If only it was as cliché as it sounds.'
Kal's expression grew grim as he recalled the plotline of the novel.
A world where peace and harmony between humans and demons reigned for thousands of years only to be shattered by the emergence of races who took control of the sky, the lands, and the sea.
The war affected all, but it soon came to an end when a truce was reached, allowing the new races to live in the lands granted to them by both the human and demon emperors, who merely wished for peace to reign once more.
Unfortunately, the world had never experienced peace quite as much as it did before. Furthermore, twenty years later, the tower made its appearance, which sparked conflict between some of the races as opposed to the races that had remained neutral.
Eventually, some races became corrupt and disobeyed the laws established by constellations, who ruled over the world, which led to unpleasant events that forced the protagonist and his companions to take drastic action in response.
'I wonder if my existence in this world is due to the constellations. As the primary cause of SB's existence, this may be something within their power.' Kal thought as he took a bite of the clearly not so poisonous snack.
✧ Shiny short explanation brought to you by our favourite fourth wall breaker, Allyn.
To put it simply, SB, as shown in the system stats, is the blessing that is bestowed upon all beings in this world by the constellations. No matter who they are, once they are brought in to this world, they are to be blessed, but it is up to them if they are able to wield the blessing.
✧ Now back to Kallous before he notices Allyn's disappearance.
Kal pondered for a moment before dismissing the thought; it wasn't the time or place to be thinking about such things.
As the carriage came to a halt, he glanced out the window and was taken aback by the scene outside.
Knights in regal attire could be seen everywhere. Their chest armour and shields were both adorned with their insignia, a four-pointed star with two swords crossing it on both sides. They appeared to be approaching the residents, possibly questioning them.
'That's odd; I did not expect to see so many knights gather in one area, let alone in a town like Vita.' Kal leaned back on his seat, hoping that his stay in Vita would be pleasant for once.
The town was crowded with people: merchants shouting for goods from around their stands, affluent people conversing as they strolled while carrying pricy bags, and children playing games as they ran through the streets, filling the air with their laughter.
On this continent, knights held a unique social status. They are the land's protectors, appointed by the emperor and the four archdukes; therefore, they should not be taken lightly. The majority of them take an oath to maintain the law and are granted tremendous ability to carry out their commands.
Those knights, known as the Knights of Elpis, are the police of this era in a sense. As such, they are responsible for the internal security and protection of the empire and its people, while the other knights, referred to as the Knights of Astria, are tasked with protecting the royals and any of nobility.
Rumour has it that there is a hidden knight faction that is secretly working in the shadows. Although the rumours could not be verified, they nonetheless provide for an interesting topic of conversation among the citizens.
Currently, it looks like something has sparked the interest of the Elpis knights. Which means, if his guess was right, it won't be long until this place is flipped upside down.
"Stay here; I'll be back after a quick chat with the knights outside." Cian said, as he opened the carriage door and stepped outside. He smiled and then shut the door, leaving Kal alone in the carriage with the promise of a snack if he remained obedient.
"..."
✿ 'Kallous, at this point you should really start refusing food from strangers.' Allyn looked sympathetically at her tiny master. Ever since she first met Kal, she vowed to protect and guide him on his journey, though she often questioned how dense he gets when it comes to food.
Ignoring her remark, Kal gave the matter some thought before asking Allyn if there had been any update regarding the mission.
A few seconds passed before a bright golden screen appeared in front of him, displaying the mission's assignment.
[ SURVIVE FOR A YEAR ]
To live in this world you must develop your body and mind first. Through basic training, your stamina and Physique will be conditioned until you are able to stand on your own.
➢ Tasks ( 10/10 )
➢ Time left: 2 hours.
➢ Rewards ( locked )
'It's good that I finished the side tasks first. It was truly an... enlightening experience to say the least,' he thought as a flash of memories sent shivers down his spine.
'Never again,' he vowed.
✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺
There was a short period of silence before the door to the carriage creaked open.
The promised treats arrived upon Cian's return, and despite Allyn's suspicions, Kal took the peace offering without hesitation, causing Cian to chuckle at his childish behaviour.
The road to the orphanage was quiet; Kal had noticed Cian's strange actions ever since his return to the carriage. He was silent, unlike his usual self. Kal took a mental note to look into it later.
The carriage stopped directly in front of a refined building that Kal could only assume was the orphanage. With a smile on his face, Cian took off his jacket and handed it to Kal.
"Put this on; it's pretty cold outside."
Despite wearing a jacket twice his size, Kal somehow managed to walk—or waddle, which may be a more accurate description of his movements in this tiny body. He stepped out of the carriage, stumbling for a brief moment before he catching and composing himself. Then he slowly followed behind Cian, maintaining a safe distance between them.
As they made their way inside the building, they were greeted by the staff, some of whom he identified as demons.
Both races coexist peacefully in this world. Thus, unlike many other fantasy novels, the presence of demons was freely acknowledged here.
The demons were distinct from humans in their looks, possessing different characteristics compared to them. Depending on their rank, they may have a horn or more connected to their head.
However, this is not the case for high-ranking demons or those descended from the royal bloodline. They possess jewel-like eyes, and unlike the other races, they appear more human.
He smiled as he took in the peaceful scene in front of him. The fact that Kal was able to live in the world he had only seen in his dreams made him immensely grateful to whoever brought him here.
Though this peace will not last long.
If his plans were to fail, that is.
With the future in mind, he made yet another mental note to prepare before 'they' make an appearance.
✿ '...al-'
✿ 'Kal!'
Startled by Allyn's shout, he quickly came to his senses and responded.
─'What's the matter, Allyn? You really surprised me for a sec—'
✿ 'Hmph! I just saved you from dumping into that unshiny human! What if you fell, breaking your fragile little body in the process?! ︵ヽ('Д')ﾉ︵'
─'Ah..'
Noticing how close he had gotten to Cian, Kal took a few steps back and maintained a safe distance between them. He let out a sigh of relief and thanked Allyn by flashing her the smile she adores.
Not wanting to miss out on this golden opportunity, she secretly took photos of Kal's adorable appearance and stored them in an album she created especially for occasions like these.
Kal's smile abruptly vanished when Cian informed him that they had reached the office, causing Allyn to glare daggers at him. This Cian fellow was getting on her nerves.
She was not happy about that.
"After you," Cian spoke as he opened the office door. Kal paused for a moment before slowly stepping inside the room.
As they both entered the office, Cian closed the door before him. Kal casted a quick glance at the glass door, which was locked, and instructed Allyn to keep an eye out in case of anything suspicious happens.
Kal turned to look around and saw a woman of middle age sitting at her desk. She had slim features, beautiful black eyes, and a lovely smile that had a hint of malice in it. She had light brown hair and appeared to be in her forties, though she looked much younger. Her dark horn stood out, leading Kal to believe she was of the demon race.
His suspicions were confirmed when he saw her stats, which Allyn provided, but as soon as he noticed her name, a grin formed on his lips, growing wider by the second.
'Things are certainly getting interesting.'