The streets were quiet on Sunday morning.

The usually bustling shopping district was closed except for a few restaurants in the holiday atmosphere.

The knights that Ian had left to their own devices were currently strolling down the quiet streets under the lazy sunlight.

A red-haired knight scurried up next to the knight at the very front of the group. He had a youthful face still on the border between boy and young man. He asked boldly, as spirited as his distinctive red hair.

“But Captain, is it really okay to be this relaxed? You drank too much yesterday, and today you’re listless like a sick chicken because of the hangover. I think instead of this, we should go back to the commercial district and…”

“This is why you can’t escape being the eternal youngest.”

An interrupting voice cut off his words. It was a voice that exuded annoyance in every single syllable.

“Passion alone can’t solve problems, Odyssey. People aren’t machines, they need rest to function. Enjoy it while Sir Cedric isn’t around.”

The man Odyssey called Captain, Elai, walked lazily with his back loosely bent and relaxed.

If Dion had been around, he would have at least pretended to search. But with even him gone, there was no one to stop the lazy knight.

“Besides, you’re supposed to forget about these things easily. Then they tend to show up on their own. You know, like in plays or old stories, the more foolish you are, the luckier you get.”

‘I think you’re forgetting a bit too easily though…’

Odyssey barely swallowed his true thoughts with the help of the social skills he had cultivated for 18 years. He widened his stride to keep up and continued the conversation.

“Then maybe Sakin, who ran away from home yesterday, will be the first to find him.”

“He didn’t run away, he just couldn’t come back. I’ve already bet 300 xants with Eden that that idiot will be the first to find our lord.”

“Already?”

Odyssey turned his upper body back while continuing to walk, his eyes wide.

“Then who did Eden bet on?”

“…”

The man with long silver hair neatly falling down looked at the questioner while adjusting his glasses that had slid down to the tip of his nose. A quiet gaze continued through the clean glass lenses.

He stared blankly at Odyssey, then dropped his head back to the book he was reading.

“…What’s that supposed to mean? Why do I feel uneasy?”

Odyssey scratched the back of his neck and made a tsk sound with his mouth. Elai patted his red mane-like hair as if to comfort him.

“Mmm, it doesn’t mean anything. Who could understand the thoughts of an eccentric who picks up books instead of swords? Don’t worry about it.”

“No, but just now he answered with his eyes… Oof.”

Odyssey, who had been walking along the edge of the road, bumped into a group that was coming out of an alley.

Having hit his nose straight on, his skin became as red as his hair from the friction. He rubbed his nose bridge and grumbled.

“Hey, watch where you’re going, will you? The street is so wide, how can you bump into someone?”

“That may be true for you, but we were in an alley.”

“Then you should have looked before coming out… Wait a minute.”

Odyssey took his hand off his reddened nose bridge and narrowed his eyes.

“Look at that, aren’t those the guys from before?”

“What guys?”

Elai asked back towards him, who was shooting obviously suspicious glances.

Odyssey answered enthusiastically, using hand gestures, foot gestures, and even head nods.

“You know, the ones that match the description of the guys Assistant Dion complained about extorting him! Bumping into us suddenly from an alley, plus the deeply pulled down robes, mountain-like builds, and fierce auras!”

Despite Odyssey’s accusation, Elai looked back casually, not taking it seriously.

“We have those on our side too.”

At that, one of the knights hid his huge build under his robe like a turtle retreating into its shell. He was a knight whose appearance exactly reproduced Odyssey’s description.

Deeply pulled down robe, mountain-like build, aura suppressed under static movements.

Though he clearly knew it was about him, he remained as silent as a heavy mountain.

Elai averted his gaze from him immediately, as if he hadn’t expected a response in the first place.

While this guy had a different reason, robed attire was actually common in this area. It was an outer garment worn by people of all ages and genders to protect their skin from the harsh sea winds.

However, there was no stopping Odyssey, who had already caught fire in his role as a passionate detective.

He grabbed the collar of the man who was about a span taller than him.

“You must have been excited then, finding a good sucker. But we’re different, you know? We won’t fall for it twice, so don’t think you’ll get away easily this time!”

Step, step, step.

In an instant, the group standing stiffly behind the man all took fighting stances.

In the end, Elai stepped forward first to stop Odyssey.

“Take it easy, Odyssey. Sir Cedric will cry if he hears about this.”

He removed Odyssey’s hand from the man’s neck and smiled good-naturedly.

“Oh my, this boy is still at that hot-blooded age, so he lacks maturity. I apologize for his rudeness, haha.”

“No, let me go! What did I… Oof!”

Elai pulled back while wrapping his arm around the neck of the still resisting youngest knight. The sword hilt at his waist made a clanking sound as it hit Odyssey’s foot.

The eyes of the robed man instantly fixed on that spot.

“Knights?”

Elai’s eyebrows rose at the well-articulated voice.

“Is there a problem?”

The next moment, he was finally able to face the man.

The man answered as he removed the robe covering his face.

“We are the same.”

The man who revealed his bare face was unexpectedly a middle-aged knight with gentle features. The scar crossing the end of his eyebrow was the only rough part that could be found on his face.

His brown hair, half covering his forehead, had grayish strands mixed in here and there, telling of the years he had lived.

Although the vivid passion of his younger days had faded, his eyes, filled with wisdom like a calm lake, sparkled for a moment.

“The coast is close, how about a duel? For high-ranking knights, it’s best to resolve bumped emotions with swords.”

Well, well.

Elai raised the corners of his mouth with an interested snort.

The two groups of knights only stopped when they reached a bay surrounded by wide rocks.

The middle-aged knight, who had found a relatively flat spot, suggested first.

“This seems good. What do you think?”

“Anywhere is fine.”

“Then I’ll see you shortly.”

The two groups split in half. The knights who had each gone about ten steps faced each other, using the space created between them as their dueling ground.

“Do your best, Captain!”

Odyssey shouted from behind Elai, who was cracking his neck this way and that, waving his arms.

Instead of responding to the enthusiastic cheer, Elai jerked his chin forward.

“Stop talking nonsense and go quickly.”

“Wh-What? Me?”

“Then should I, who feels like my head is about to split from a hangover and is like a sick chicken, go instead of leaving a young, healthy, hot-blooded guy?”

“Seeing you speak without even breathing, you seem fine to me.”

“Should I make your head split too?”

“No sir!”

Odyssey, who shouted vigorously with abdominal breathing, walked forward with big steps. However, after taking a few steps, he stopped and looked back.

“But it seems like they’re being considerate of the younger one rather than respecting the elder on their side.”

The one who came out as the representative from the opposing side was that middle-aged knight from earlier.

Elai tapped Odyssey’s crown with his scabbard and jerked his chin again as if to say go on.

“Don’t you know that you have to untie the knot you tied yourself?”

“Yes! I’ll keep that in mind!”

After one more roar-like answer, finally, the two knights stood face to face.

After a brief formal greeting, the sound of swords being drawn was heard from both sides.

While slowly circling without lowering his guard, the middle-aged knight asked.

“Where are you from?”

“Um… I’m currently working for a merchant guild.”

“A mercenary?”

“You could say that…”

Clang!

The clashing sword blades burst with a sharp metallic sound.

Odyssey blocked the sword that attacked with a sudden movement. The middle-aged knight spoke to him with a somewhat surprised tone.

“An ordinary knight from a merchant guild is quite skilled.”

“We’re people who have our own things to protect too.”

Odyssey, who then launched the next attack, quickly dug into the middle-aged knight’s side.

“The more desperate the person, the better the sword listens, right?”

The middle-aged knight laughed briefly at the answer filled with suppressed spirit. Dozens of exchanges followed after that.

The sound of blades filled the quiet coast without a break. As the fight dragged on longer than expected, the concentration of both groups gradually increased.

And when a faint smile appeared on Elai’s lips who was watching.

Clang clang clang!

Odyssey, who had rubbed the clashing sword blades all the way to the inside, strongly hit the opponent’s abdomen with the sword handle part.

The middle-aged knight took a step back while letting out a dry cough. As he regained his grip on the sword, blue veins bulged on his rolled-up forearm.

Dozens more exchanges followed. The evenly matched situation in the beginning gradually began to tilt towards Odyssey.

Odyssey pushed the middle-aged knight, making full use of his nimble speed. There’s no fighting against age, and the middle-aged knight’s heels gradually retreated.

Finally, what was expected to be the last blow was dealt. Odyssey sensed victory.

-Clang!

The next moment, a sword that had lost its owner rolled on the rock. Odyssey blinked slowly while deflating his chest that had swollen with rapid breathing.

‘No way.’

The sword that had fallen to the ground was his own.

The middle-aged knight, who took a rough breath, signaled the end as he sheathed his sword.

“It’s been a while since I’ve had this much fun.”

Odyssey, who couldn’t understand the situation that had been overturned in the blink of an eye, gaped blankly.

Elai, who had been observing from behind all along, was inwardly impressed by the middle-aged knight’s movements.

It wasn’t an extraordinary technique. It was just a movement that caught one off guard.

In a duel where the weight difference wasn’t overwhelming, if you mistakenly release your strength, you could end up being overpowered instead.

But he momentarily slipped his strength and immediately countered. That series of flows was flexible yet firm. At the same time, it was dense enough to leave no room for escape.

‘What an interesting movement. It’s like… how should I put it…’

Rather than fighting, it seemed like a technique for survival.

Not trying to break through the barrier, but a way of life trying to climb over it.

He greeted the middle-aged knight with respect, then grabbed the nape of the still dumbfounded youngest knight and dragged him away.

“Let’s go. We’re busy if we have to find the one who didn’t come back last night too.”

Fortunately, Odyssey recovered quickly, being at an age where even broken bones heal in a few days. He grumbled while rubbing his tired neck with his sleeve.

“You say that, but you’re always slacking off. If Sir Cedric sees-”

“That’s why we’re moving on our own. What, don’t you like it?”

“No. I was going to suggest we keep doing this.”

Elai messed up Odyssey’s red hair that was wet with sweat and then put his arm around his shoulder.

Then he casually dropped one word.

“You did well.”

Only then did a broad smile spread across Odyssey’s face.

“I’ll do even better next time.”

The two were followed by one knight who had been silent all along and another knight wearing glasses.

Meanwhile, the middle-aged knight sat down heavily on the rock and looked out at the distant horizon. A group gathered around him too. A light touch fell on his shoulder, where sweat had cooled in the sea breeze.

“If it weren’t for you, my lord, you would have lost.”

“I know. As I get older, I’m not like I used to be.”

“You’re still more energetic than me.”

“Flattery won’t get you anything.”

“I’m being sincere.”

The young knight sat down next to him, bending his knees in the same mountain shape, and smiled slightly.

The middle-aged knight laughed along unpretentiously. Then his gaze fixed on a distant fluttering sail. It was a red color that resembled someone exactly.

Perhaps because of the hair color, there was someone who had come to mind since he clashed swords with the young knight earlier.

It was also the person from whom he had borrowed his technique.

The living ghost of Evergail.

That was how Walter Argyle thought of Helena.