Near the carriage, a grateful merchant rushed over.
"Thank you, young hero! Truly, we owe you our lives. May I know your name?"
"Lumberling," he replied simply.
"If you hadn't been here, I fear none of us would have made it," the merchant said. He then reached into his coat and produced a small token stamped with a silver insignia. "Please accept this token. It grants a five percent discount on purchases and three percent bonuses when selling to any of our branches."
Lumberling took the token and nodded. "Thanks, I'll take it."
"We'll rely on you if something happens again."
"No problem."
As Lumberling climbed into the carriage, he caught the intense gaze of the little girl from earlier. She stood on the cushioned bench, staring up at him with wide, sparkling eyes. Her small hands were clenched into fists at her sides, her posture straight and serious.
Then, to his surprise, she suddenly stepped forward and planted her feet apart in a firm stance. One hand went to her chest in a rigid salute while the other extended forward in an invisible sword thrust.
"I am Jen, protector of Grandpa and smasher of bad guys!" she declared with a high-pitched growl.
The pose wasn't perfect—her balance was a little off and her form was sloppy—but the fire in her eyes and the proud lift of her chin made Lumberling pause. For a moment, she looked like a tiny Knight standing at attention before her commander.
He let out a quiet breath of amusement inside his mask. 'She's got spirit.'
"Uncle," she said suddenly, breaking the pose and looking up at him. "Are you a real Knight?"
"Jen!" her grandfather said with a flustered shake of his head. "Don't be rude—"
But Lumberling raised a hand, gently cutting him off. He crouched slightly so he was at eye level with the girl.
"Yes," he said, his voice soft. "I'm a Knight. Why do you ask?"
Jen's eyes lit up like a festival lantern. "Because I want to be one too! I want to protect Grandpa when bad guys come!"
That simple, heartfelt answer struck a chord deep within him. Amid the blood and battle, the endless hunger for strength and survival, here was a dream that was pure.
Lumberling nodded slowly. "That's a good reason. A very good reason. How old are you?"
She started counting on her fingers, brows furrowed into a cute frown.
"I'm already ten, Uncle!"
"Then you're ready. I'll teach you the path of Knighthood, but I'm only gonna teach you until we reach the city."
"Really? You promise?" she asked, grabbing his hand.
"Ask your grandpa first," he said with a chuckle.
"Grandpa! Uncle said he'll teach me! You'll let me, right?"
The old man looked hesitant, then turned to Lumberling. Seeing his nod, the man sighed in gratitude.
"Thank you, young man. I have nothing to offer you… but please take care of Jen."
"Yahoo! Uncle's gonna teach me how to be a Knight!" the girl shouted, spinning in circles with joy.
Lumberling leaned back in his seat, smiling.
"You'd better sleep early. Training starts tomorrow."
"Okay, Uncle!"
As the carriage rocked gently on the road, Lumberling closed his eyes—and opened his status window.
Name: Lumberling
Race: Human
Age: 19
Level: 4
Essence Points: (3229 / 3500)
Power: 1232 (Skills: 857, Lvl: 375)
Knight Stage: Knight Page
Active Skills:
Beginner Sprint Lv0 (828 / 1000)
(Grants a burst of lightning-fast speed. Consumes a large amount of stamina.)
Beginner Hammer Shock Lv0 (1 / 1000)
(Using any blunt weapon, this skill channels physical strength into a thunderous strike that generates a localized shockwave. Deals heavy physical damage and stuns enemies within a short radius. Effectiveness increases with skill level and physical strength.
Passive Skills:
Essence Devour
(Automatically devours the essence of those you kill. Absorbs a portion of their special experiences and memories.)
Beginner Pikeman's Art Lv4 (137 / 1000)
Beginner Swordsmanship Lv2 (0 / 1000)
Beginner Bowmanship Lv0 (445 / 1000)
Beginner Shieldmanship Lv0 (259 / 1000)
Beginner Cudgel Fighting Lv0 (134 / 1000)
Beginner Concealment Lv1 (90 / 1000)
Beginner Dual-Wielding Axe Lv0 (1 / 1000)
'Based on my current power, I can match a mid-tier Knight Apprentice in terms of physique. Not bad. But I need to test how many times I can unleash Hammer Shock. And then there are all the other skills stuck at Level 0... so much to improve.'
Still, that's a task for tomorrow.
With that thought, Lumberling let his body relax and drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.
The next morning, the little girl sat beside him with an adorably serious expression. Her legs dangled over the carriage edge, face pinched in concentration.
"All right," Lumberling said with a chuckle, "To start your Knight training, let me tell you what Knighthood really is."
He shared everything—what Uncle Drake had taught him, his time at the dojo, insights from manuals, and his own raw experiences. He spoke of the three conditions needed to walk the path of Knighthood. It wasn't just a lecture for a curious child. Her grandfather listened too, eyes thoughtful, and Lumberling made sure to mention the herbs, tonics, and materials that could help a person grow stronger. Expensive things, yes—but perhaps someday, the girl might reach for them.
Afterward, he transitioned to skills—how they worked, how they grew, and the idea of finding one's natural fit.
"Wait here," he told her, standing. "We'll do some training later. I just need to prepare something."
He entered the forest and spent the next half hour carving. With a knife and care, he shaped a child-sized training set: a wooden sword, spear, shield, dagger, and bow—each light enough for tiny arms.
When he returned, the little girl's eyes widened at the lineup of weapons.
"Pick one," he said. "Try it out. If it doesn't suit you, try another."
"Okay, Uncle!" she chirped.
She went for the tiny dagger first, but after a few awkward swings, it slipped from her fingers.
"I don't like this," she pouted. "It's too tiny."
"Says the girl who's way bigger than me," Lumberling teased.
"Uncle!" she cried, cheeks puffed. He smiled, letting her try again.
Next, she took up the spear. It was nearly as tall as she was, and she struggled to hold it steady.
"Spear's actually my specialty," he said, kneeling. "Let me show you."
He demonstrated the basic stance, walking her through the grip, footwork, and balance. Slowly, patiently, he corrected her form until she managed a decent thrust.
"This is hard... It's too long and heavy," she admitted.
"That's okay. Try the sword next. Maybe that'll feel better."
She picked up the wooden sword with her right hand, then paused, eyeing the nearby shield. After a moment of contemplation, she reached for it as well. The weight and bulk made it difficult for her to handle both at once, but she tried anyway, determined.
Lumberling didn't say a word. Instead, he quietly stepped in and began teaching her the basics. He demonstrated the proper stance and movements, then corrected her posture patiently, guiding her through the motions again and again. Step by step, she mimicked his form, gradually improving.
An hour passed. The girl was drenched in sweat and panting heavily, but her face was lit with a beaming smile.
"I like this sword and shield. It's perfect for me!" she declared.
"How about the bow? Don't want to try it?" Lumberling asked.
She shook her head without hesitation and continued swinging her sword with enthusiasm.
Watching her, Lumberling couldn't help but smile. Her grip and form were still clumsy—barely passable by any real standard—but for a child who had just started, it was more than enough. More impressively, she'd taken to the sword and shield combination with natural ease, showing faster improvement than with any other weapon.
"Train here for a bit. I'll go get us some food," he said.
"Okay, Uncle! I want those rabbits again!" she giggled.
Lumberling disappeared into the forest, hunting whatever game he could find. Before long, he returned with a successful catch and set about preparing a meal. The smell of roasted rabbit soon filled the air.
"Jen! Stop training and call your grandpa. It's time to eat!"
"Yahoo! Rabbit meat again!" she cheered, running off to fetch her grandfather. The three of them sat together and began to feast on the freshly cooked meal.
"Rabbit meat is my favorite now," she declared between bites.
"Eat slowly," Lumberling chuckled. "There's still plenty left."
As they ate, Lumberling pulled off his mask, revealing his face for the first time to the old man and the girl.
"You really are quite a young man," the old man remarked.
"Wow… Uncle, you're so handsome! I should call you Brother from now on." the girl said with wide eyes.
Lumberling smiled at their reactions and continued eating.
Later, as the fire died down, the little girl dozed off peacefully on her grandfather's lap.
"She's sleeping so soundly," Lumberling said softly.
"She is," the old man agreed, gently stroking her hair. "I hope she can keep sleeping peacefully in the years to come."
"Old man, you speak like you're about to die. Don't say things like that—it'll just make me worry about the kid."
"Haha, don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. Just an old man's habit, I suppose."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead. This old man will answer whatever he can."
"It's nothing serious. I'm just curious about the little one's parents."
The old man's expression darkened as sorrow clouded his face.
"You don't have to talk about it if you'd rather not," Lumberling offered.
"No, it's fine," the old man said with a sigh. "Her parents were both aspiring Knights too. Her father—my son—served as a soldier and was close to becoming a Knight Page. Her mother came from a noble house that had fallen from grace. Everything was going well until enemies of her mother's family caught up with them. They wiped out her entire bloodline, even the children. We only survived because of my son's connections… but in the end, they found and killed him too."
His voice faltered.
"We fled far to escape. That's how we met you."
"I'm sorry for your loss, old man," Lumberling said, quietly.
The rest of their journey that day was passed in silence.