1 – 1. Found in Ruins
There’s romance in the word “knight.”
In the world of medieval fantasy, an indispensable presence alongside wizards.
But knights possessed something that wizards didn’t, and that was knighthood.
Respecting and aiding the weak.
Preserving honesty and loyalty and upholding honor.
And fighting for a just cause without turning their backs on the enemy.
There was a stirring power in knighthood.
In my youth, the storyteller who occasionally appeared on the streets would unravel such tales for a few coins.
Books bound with parchment were rare, and those who could read them were even rarer in those times.
For children thirsty for new stories, knighthood became an excellent moral textbook.
After a long life as a squire, I, finally knighted, could face the truth behind the curtain.
“Welcome! Do you need anything?”
“Do you live here?”
“Stolen.”
Witnessing two knights boldly tearing goods off the stalls in broad daylight, I was certain.
Without more or less, knights were the ruffians of this era.
*****
The beginning of the second life was as an orphan in the medieval fantasy world.
No family, no money, not even a status window.
So as a few years passed, like many children of this era without homes or families, he lived entrusted to the church.
If his age at the time was truly eleven, then it was about time for him to start feeling a sense of caution.
“…I can’t continue like this.”
“Why, Raven? Did you eat something bad?”
“I’m seriously contemplating something, so leave me alone… No, gathering opinions is important. So, what do you want to be when you grow up?”
“Me? When I grow up… um, I want to be a cat!”
“Heaven help us.”
The other children still seemed unaware, but the countdown to being cast adrift in society as an orphan had already begun.
Could the church really provide for them for a lifetime? The future of sucking on their fingers until they starved to death and then moving on to their third life flashed before his eyes.
If he had learned a specialized skill, he could use it to become an apprentice to another professional.
Knowing how to forge metal and having the ability to read and write would at least allow him to eke out a living.
But the moment magic rendered classical mechanics obsolete, the advanced physics knowledge of the 21st century became useless.
His career in graduate school disintegrated without a trace.
He had become a person with nothing, but he still wanted to succeed.
After living through a second life, he couldn’t bear to die as a mere peasant.
One of the paths to success in this era was to become a magician.
One of the romantic dreams of a medieval fantasy world. A versatile occupation that could heal and attack on the battlefield at the same time!
But there was one problem.
If I had created a magician character in a previous life and been sucked into the screen, maybe I would have enjoyed being possessed by a distant magician in a novel.
“Word has it that there’s a wizard here. I want to learn magic!”
“Of course, it’s possible! It’s never too late to start learning. The church is ready to embrace anyone with such determination. So, when did you graduate from college?”
“…I did graduate.”
“What was your major? Of course, theology would be the best, but electrical engineering is not entirely unrelated, you know.”
“…Is that heresy?”
Magic is indeed a serious discipline.
What makes it more significant is that, in this era, studying is something done by those who don’t have to worry about eating and sleeping.
And in this wild medieval world, those who find the bag strap a bit too long are all clergy who studied theology.
Hence, an intellectual is essentially an expression equivalent to a clergyman, added to a handful of nobility.
But in this life, there’s no home, no family, no skills, and no money. No connection with higher education.
It was the optimal starting point to set a new speed record in life, with nothing much to rely on except for this sturdy and healthy body.
What can one possibly do with such a foundation?
“-And so, the knight defeated the dragon and lived happily ever after!”
“Sister, didn’t the knight marry the rescued princess?”
“There’s a formidable wall of hierarchy; how could he dare?”
“Oh, I see…”
…No, really, is there none?
Children were fascinated by knights with splendid armor and honorable deeds. The innocence of children.
But with a cold judgment, I could see a different truth within that.
The armor symbolizes wealth and an honorable history, which in turn earns social respect!
In other words, it’s the departure path. This is it!
From that day on, I did my best to showcase my strong and healthy physique to the priest at the church, and soon enough, I seized the opportunity to assist a nameless freelance knight in his errands.
This life is a showcase prepared to survive as a mere farmer and not die.
Compared to my peers, I had a mature spirit, and I endured and trained my whole body, even twisting my tongue, for scholarships and employment. The children from the remote countryside were not even my competitors.
“Good, from now on, you’re my squire.”
“Thank you, Master!”
Life, the second round, eleven years old.
That way, I successfully landed a job as an aspiring knight without knowing a thing about the world.
*****
When you think of a knight, there are a few characteristics that come to mind.
And when you add the modifier of medieval fantasy in front of it, it’s easier to imagine.
There’s a certain expectation we have for knights in fantasy worlds.
They can be arrogant or stubborn, but they at least adhere to the minimum code of chivalry. Often used as a measure of combat prowess, they become formidable warriors who can even split the sea and face an army alone when they reach a high level of mastery.
Isn’t this common knowledge about knights in medieval fantasy?
“Master, how do you use a sword technique?”
“What is a sword technique?”
“It’s the power that makes the sword sharper.”
“Sharper? Then go to the blacksmith and grind it on a whetstone.”
And once again, I had to
In this world, there was no Swordmaster facing armies alone, pulling out their swords and challenging them one by one.
Naturally, the concept of wearing armor to protect the body from Ores was also nonexistent. Where did fantasy disappear to?
When I inquired about it, my master sent me a gaze implying, “I already have sturdy armor, what more do I need?”
It was only then that I realized how this world was divided based on the amount of money poured into weapons and equipment.
Even in reality, you have to spend money to survive. What a world.
And with that shock, in this fantasy world driven by such considerations, I broke a new prejudice.
What is a knight?
Honor and loyalty. The romance of the medieval era, combining martial prowess and cooperation. Above all, heroes who crush thieves and marauding armies threatening the empire on the frontline!
“Thank you, Sir Knight! We are truly grateful! Thanks to you, we could protect our home and property.”
“No need to thank me. So, where’s the compensation?”
“Uh…?”
– This was the story I heard as a child, edited for children, during my time in the church.
After knights defeated the thieves… more often than not, they would turn the tables and start plundering the people. This was the top military group of this era, it seemed.
“Oh, if you take everything, we won’t have anything to eat!”
“Because I protected this village, you can look forward to tomorrow. So, there should be proper payment. Hand it over!”
“aaargh!”
Therefore, being a knight meant lingering on the border between thieves and ruffians.
It was a world where preserving morals and ethics was difficult in many ways.
Especially for someone like me, a knight in my second life, navigating through this chaotic world.
And amidst this confusing world, I somehow managed to finish a settled life and was already looking at my 3rd year as a knight.
There were many words and disguises, but I was able to establish myself in this world as a knight.
“Living in this world is really tough…”
-hehehehe!
“Yeah, I know. After this job, let me rest.”
I was riding on a horse, heading north.
It was because of the news that the barbarians were not tired and were pushing down towards the empire.
My goal is still success.
However, I’ve abandoned the unrealistic delusion of giving moral education to delinquent knights, which I only had in my youthful days, and instead drew a more realistic roadmap.
Just one significant achievement on the battlefield and receiving land is enough.
It was the dream of every knight. To play and eat with the money earned by the peasants who work in my place. How could I resist the allure of passive income and real estate wealth?
As I traveled north, I suddenly caught a whiff of gunpowder that brushed against my nostrils. It wasn’t just the smell emanating from burning wood for cooking; it was the scent that suited the battlefield.
As I followed it, the scent grew stronger, and eventually, I discovered a village hidden in the rain, emitting smoke. It was obvious what had happened.
For knights like me, there was always plenty of work in this world.
Safety wasn’t something guaranteed; it had to be seized. Salvation, as preached in the church, was no longer an object of admiration but a desire.
So, although it was a bitter reality, such scenes were not uncommon.
Arriving in the ruined village a step too late, I walked among the burning and crumbling houses.
It was a small village with nothing left. There were traces of rebellion, but they seemed
As I approached, a girl was sitting in front of a collapsed house.
To avoid startling her, I made my footsteps audible before asking, “Can you hear me?”
…
A heavy silence settled over the rain sounds.
I had no experience consoling a child, so I didn’t know what to do in such moments. I couldn’t foolishly ask about her family or if she had a place to go.
Words eluded me, and after a while, the only thing I could manage to say was, “Shall I take you to the nearby city?”
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…
Only then did the girl turn to look at me.
After maintaining a brief silence, during which I wondered what she was thinking, she eventually nodded faintly.
That day, I found the girl amidst the ruins.