In the central part of the continent.
Following the Emperor's command, the nation with the Empire's greatest forces, 'Region,' was assembled.
I arrived at the Strange family villa located there.
"I'll stay here until I find a place at the Adventurer's Hall."
The butler 'Divery,' an old friend of my father's and the owner of the villa, responded.
"You are always welcome here, Young Master! You can stay as long as you wish."
He poured tea into my cup.
"Thank you for saying so. As I mentioned earlier, I won't be staying long, so there's no need to worry."
"Understood. However, might I ask why you are planning to stay at the Adventurer's Hall? There are many uncivilized people there, and it would be better to stay here."
Divery didn't know why I had come to the capital.
He might have guessed that I was here to rest for a few days or to move on to the Academy, considering my age.
"I want to gain experience."
"Experience?"
"Yes, during my stay here. I want to see how apprentice knights live and grow. Someday, I will meet them on the battlefield."
Divery was quite surprised by Verdin's answer. An eight-year-old boy wanting to enter the Adventurer's Hall for such a reason was unusual.
Most children from noble families avoided rowdy and uncivilized lower-class accommodations.
"I understand your intentions. I will prepare the mansion for your stay."
"And one more thing."
"Please, Young Master."
"Could you check the VIP auction house in Region?"
"The auction house?"
"I have a few things I want to buy."
"What are they?"
I handed him a list I had written on a piece of paper.
"This should be enough."
"Mana Control Necklace... Random Luck Dice... Octagonal Pendulum... Hmm? A Beast Giant's corpse?"
Divery tilted his head in confusion.
"Young Master, may I ask why you need a Beast Giant's corpse?"
I patted Roks, who was standing next to me, on the shoulder and replied.
"My friend needs it."
"A Beast Giant's corpse?"
"Yes, I need as many as possible."
"I'm sorry, but Beast Giants are larger than trees. It would be difficult to get many of them."
"Try to get as many as you can."
"..."
"Even if it's not within the castle, most of the mountains near Region belong to my father, so there's plenty of land."
Divery looked out the window. The densely packed mountains called the Blade Mountains belonged to the Strange family.
"Understood. I will acquire them as soon as they appear in the auction."
"I will be taking the Beast Giant's corpses a month from now. Make sure an alchemist is assigned to prevent the bodies from decaying."
* * *
I walked with Roks to the center of Region, the Peace Square.
It was as bustling as ever. Adventurers from all over the continent gathered there.
Each had their own reasons for coming, but their destination was the same.
The enormous gray tower that guarded the center of the continent. I took a deep breath as I stood before it.
Inhale! Exhale-
'I have returned.'
Oh, owner of the tower.
The tower that pierces through the clouds and whose summit is unseen.
How hard I had worked to reach that place. Seeing it again brought back many memories.
Not only me, but also Siegfried and Brunhilde seemed to have resolved expressions on their faces.
"Is this the tower?"
Roks, who had come with me, scratched his head and asked.
"Yes."
"I can't see the end of it."
"You can't see the summit of the tower from the outside."
"Why?"
"Because it's blocked by divine protection."
"You mean there are more clouds above the clouds we're seeing?"
I had thought the same in the past. I had even climbed the highest mountain on the continent to see it, but the summit of the tower remained hidden.
"No, there are layers of clouds above the clouds we see."
"Clouds above clouds?"
"Yes."
"What do you mean by that?"
"The clouds we see have layers of clouds above them. No matter how far you look, you can't see the end."
Roks shrugged his shoulders.
"That doesn't make sense. I'll check it out later."
"Do as you wish."
I walked with him through the bustling square.
Confirming that the tower was the same as before, I now needed to find a way inside.
And I knew how.
Entry into the tower wasn't granted to just anyone, so to meet the requirements as an adventurer, there was only one obvious choice.
"Who is the strongest knight on the continent? Welcome to the Region Arena!"
A young woman with pink pigtails shouted energetically as we entered the arena.
Her lively gestures and greetings welcomed the adventurers visiting the arena. She was doing her best at her job.
"...Why is she acting like that?"
"What do you mean?"
"Isn't it strange? She could just say 'hello' and be done with it, but she's making a big fuss."
"Don't mind it. It's all part of their business strategy."
"Business strategy?"
"Arena profits come from battles. The more contestants they have, the more money they make."
"What does having many contestants have to do with her making a fuss?"
"Acting like that makes novice adventurers sign up for the arena without thinking. After a tiring journey, any man would be happy to have a pretty woman enthusiastically talk to him."
"Is that so."
"For us, they probably think we are rich kids here for some entertainment, not to actually fight."
"Entertainment...?"
"No one our age would come here to risk their lives in the arena."
"Oh!"
I approached the arena staff with Roks. The pigtailed female staff member waved her hands enthusiastically to welcome us.
"Welcome! What brings our two charming young gentlemen to the Region Arena?"
"A contract."
"A contract? I'm sorry, but only prepared adventurers can register here. Please come back when you're older."
Clink.
I took two silver coins from my pocket and handed them to her.
"A contract."
She swallowed hard as she looked at the two silver coins. She wouldn't have reacted this way to other currencies, but she was clearly taken aback by the Strange family's cross emblem on the coins.
"Here is the contract."
She pulled the coins with her fingers and handed me the contract with her other hand.
I gave her a short nod with a bright smile.
"When is the next match?"
"In which class are you planning to register?"
"Gold."
"…Sir, I'm sorry, but we don't accept applicants directly into the Gold class."
"Why not?"
"Only those who have proven themselves in the Bronze and Silver classes can advance to the Gold class."
Bang!
Someone burst through the door.
Everyone on the first floor of the arena turned to look at the entrance. I also couldn't help but turn my head.
Thud, thud, thud.
Five figures wrapped in black cloaks walked in with a threatening aura.
It seemed they were quite powerful in the arena.
Rustle!
One of them removed their mask.
Their green spiky hair and three long scars running across their face from their left eye stood out.
"Lily."
The pink-haired staff member I had been talking to immediately ran over.
"Yes, Mr. Pereira!"
"I've arrived, and you didn't come to greet me immediately. What were you doing?"
"I'm sorry... I was just attending to some customers."
"Customers?"
Pereira slowly turned his gaze toward me.
He glanced me up and down, then snorted and spoke to the staff member.
"Customers, huh? Don't get distracted. Straighten your face."
"That's not it."
"Shut up!"
Smack!
He slapped her without mercy. The force was so strong that her head turned and she collapsed to the ground.
Thud.
Pereira didn't stop there and spat on her head.
Spit.
"I'll let it go this time because I'm in a good mood, but next time I'll cut your throat."
Holding her reddened cheek, the staff member replied.
"I'm sorry..."
"Are the goods ready?"
"The porters haven't arrived yet, so-"
"Make sure everything is in my room by this afternoon. If I return and the goods are missing, everyone here will die."
"I understand."
Their conversation ended.
Pereira put his mask back on and headed inside the arena with his comrades.
"That bastard..."
Roks clenched his fists. The clown spirit floating above his head danced furiously, eager for a fight.
I blocked his path and shook my head.
"No."
"Why not?"
"Not now."
"Didn't you see what he did to that woman?"
"I saw it."
"And you're just going to let it go?"
It was unfortunate that she had suffered at the hands of that black-cloaked man, but she wasn't related to us.
Helping her wouldn't bring us any benefit, and I wasn't altruistic enough to fight for someone without a reason.
"Don't waste your emotions on unnecessary things."
"…Hey, Verdin."
"Speak."
"In situations like this, you should help."
"Why?"
"A defenseless woman is being harassed by a villain."
"That woman isn't defenseless. And that man might not be a villain."
"What?"
"Helping without knowing the full story can complicate things."
"What do you mean?"
I helped the staff member to her feet as I continued.
"If I had stood up to that Pereira guy to help you…"
She was startled and exclaimed.
"No, you mustn't! Those men must not be provoked."
"Why?"
"They're knights of the Bourbon. If you had interfered, not only you but also I would have been in serious trouble!"
I see.
I had suspected they weren't ordinary folks, and it turned out they were indeed affiliated with Bourbon.
This confirmed that those men were knights of Pierre de Bourbon, the wealthiest man on the continent.
'Interesting.'
"You heard that, Roks?"
Roks thought for a moment before looking at the staff member's swollen cheek and replying.
"I understand."
"Good, then let's stick to our plan and not get distracted."
"Got it."
I filled out the contract again and placed a few silver coins beneath it before handing it to the staff member.
"Book me for the fastest matches leading to the Gold class."