"Don't worry, you two. The Paladin Order today is very different from what it was in the past.
Our numbers are greater, our technology has advanced significantly, and our magic has evolved beyond what it was 1,700 years ago.
And if all else fails, we still have the Champions—and above all, Lord File himself, the leader of the Archive Knights.
I've seen him fight once, and if he's on our side, I'm confident we won't lose," Michael Anderson reassured them.
Seren and Launcent saluted Michael Anderson before leaving the room.
Weeks passed.
Seren and Launcent, now stationed to guard the Katya Port region, spent their days in relative peace.
Seren taught classes and led the 15 captains under her command.
Launcent, despite being a captain himself, remained under Seren's leadership. During work hours, he treated her as a superior Martyr, though he occasionally stole moments to be playful.
One afternoon, while performing her duties, Seren admired the beauty of the Aria coastline.
The calm, rhythmic waves mesmerized her as she decided to take a walk along the shore.
She became lost in the tranquility of the scene, failing to notice a young boy practicing with bamboo spears nearby.
One of the boy's spears slipped and splashed into the water, startling Seren.
Realizing what had happened, the boy ran over to her.
"Oh no, I'm so sorry, Lady Paladin!" the boy apologized, bowing deeply.
"Hahaha, it's alright," Seren replied with a warm smile, sitting on a nearby rock.
"What are you practicing?" Seren asked.
"I'm practicing spear-throwing. My dad's a whale hunter, and he told me to train hard so I can join him on hunts," the boy explained.
"Hmm… a whale hunter? With a spear?" Seren asked, puzzled.
Whale hunting with spears was an outdated practice, long abandoned due to advances in technology and magic.
These days, most fishermen used high-tech equipment combined with magic for their hunting efforts.
"Yes… actually, he hunts whales like everyone else, but in his free time, he prefers to hunt with a spear. He says it's a technique passed down through our family for 500 years," the boy explained.
"Wow, I never would have guessed.
I've heard my sister talk about the history of the Wave Conqueror Tribe. They were a famous tribe known for living on the open sea and hunting with nothing but their spears," Seren replied.
"Wave Conqueror? Lady Paladin, can you tell me more about them?" The boy's eyes sparkled with curiosity, clearly captivated by the story.
"Alright, come sit here," Seren said, patting a spot nearby.
"A long time ago, before the Unification March, the continent of Ivovnia had an extremely harsh marine climate.
Its waters were frequently struck by extraordinary storms that could last anywhere from a week to a month.
Because of this, not many races or tribes dared venture into the oceans.
However, one tribe became famous—not only because they wanted to avoid conflicts between other tribes and races, but also because it was their way of life.
They chose to live in the middle of the sea on their boats.
No matter how fierce the storms or how gigantic the monsters and fish in the sea were, they managed to conquer the oceans—at least metaphorically.
There was no danger in the seas they couldn't overcome.
Their physical abilities and spear-throwing skills were so extraordinary that their strength was said to surpass even that of giants.
They were used to swimming in the deep ocean without any equipment.
Even without magic, they could hold their breath for up to 30 minutes.
It's said their spear-throwing skills were honed from the age of 4, practicing by throwing their spears to break waves.
Because of this, they earned the title Wave Conquerors," Seren explained to the young boy.
The boy's curiosity and amazement grew.
"So, what happened to them after the Unification?" the boy asked, his face lit up with excitement and a smile.
"After the Unification, they established peaceful relations with many nations.
Since they had no territorial ambitions on the continent of Ivovnia, many countries had no problem trading with them.
However, in the early 900s, many of them stopped living on the seas due to the rise of technologies and magic that made fishing easier.
Most of them eventually decided to leave their oceanic lifestyle and became fishermen in various countries and kingdoms.
The last recorded Wave Conqueror Tribe existed around 600 years ago.
Even so, their wave-breaking techniques were passed down through generations—either within families, like yours, or as written records," Seren explained.
"Does that mean I'm a descendant of the Wave Conquerors?" the boy asked.
"Perhaps. You might even become a Wave Conqueror yourself one day," Seren said with a smile as she held one of the boy's bamboo spears.
"Yeah… but I hope I can become a Paladin too… though I'm not sure I can," the boy said shyly.
Seren smiled and patted the boy's head.
"Of course you can, as long as you work hard and train diligently."
"By the way, what's your name?" Seren asked.
"Sulyvan… Sulyvan Stains," the boy replied.
"You're not from here, are you?" Seren asked, surprised by the boy's name.
"That's right. My father and I are from Whiteford, from Loch City. That's where I usually train my swimming.
But since it's my eighth birthday, my father let me come to Katya Port to help him—or at least, that was the plan," Sulyvan explained.
"And what happened?" Seren asked.
"There was a storm at sea. My father said it was too dangerous for me, so I'm staying here at Katya Port for now," the boy replied.
"Alright, then. While you're waiting, why don't you show me your spear-throwing skills?" Seren suggested as she handed the bamboo spear back to Sulyvan.
Seren created a shield of light around her as Sulyvan prepared his spear.
With a firm stance, Sulyvan aimed and thrust his spear toward Seren.
The spear shattered upon contact with Seren's shield.
This surprised Seren, but with just that one strike, she was able to understand Sulyvan's spear technique.
"That's incredible… I never thought a spear could be used like that. But it's still remarkable—of course, it's due to the unique structure of your bamboo spear.
The spear consists of two layers: the inner layer is connected to the spearhead, while the outer layer is connected to the inner layer but not directly to the spearhead.
You're using wind magic to generate kinetic energy on the outer layer, and after it builds up, you release the spear along with the throw.
But this technique carries risks," Seren analyzed.
"Risks?" Sulyvan asked, looking at his hands.
"Yes. At your level, you've probably already injured your palms many times.
Using magic directly without a catalyst can harm you, especially when applied to solid objects.
Additionally, the kinetic energy might hurt your palms because of the flow it generates while moving through the outer part of your spear.
And if the impact doesn't penetrate your opponent's defenses, your spear will shatter because the outer layer isn't made of strong enough material," Seren explained.
Sulyvan glanced at his bandaged hands.
"Here, hold this knife," Seren said, handing Sulyvan a small blade.
"This knife is the standard issue for Paladin Knight Captains. It's not a legendary weapon or anything, but the material is suitable for your technique while you search for a spear that suits you," Seren said.
"Is it really okay, Lady Paladin?" Sulyvan asked, admiring the beautiful knife Seren handed him.
"Of course," Seren replied with a warm smile.
Shortly after, a bell rang, marking 4 p.m.
"Alright, I need to go. It seems my students are looking for me," Seren said as she began to walk away.
"Wait, Lady! What's your name?" Sulyvan called out.
With a warm smile, Seren turned and replied, "Seren… Seren Eleison."