53 – 53. Initiation Period (3)
“Gasp, gasp…!”
Yet another day starting with training.
As we entered the fourth day, there was no way my feeble body could keep up.
As usual, I was falling behind.
But.
“Bruce, are you going to let them catch up like this?”
“What…! How did they get here so fast!”
“hahahaha! Run faster before you lose.”
“Nonsense. I was just jogging slowly!”
Lv. 7 (SP Held: 0.15)
▶Strength 2.68
▶Agility 3.50
▶Endurance 4.11
▶Stamina 2.10
▶Immunity 1.05
▶??? 0.20
The diligently increased stats allowed me to closely follow the slowest trainee knight’s tail, whom I had never been able to catch up with before.
Of course, it was only for a brief moment.
I was still gasping for breath.
The panting breaths refused to acclimate, and their training intensity was grueling.
Nevertheless, there was a sense of becoming healthier, so it seemed necessary to maintain this phenomenon. Moreover, the stats would come in handy.
“Still too early. I may have obtained the key, but it’s not time to use it yet…”
Although I had seen the key while running, in the game, even if I were to obtain it at this moment, I couldn’t use it.
I had never thought about the reason why, but carefully training with them made me feel like I knew.
It shouldn’t be used.
For now, waiting patiently was the right decision a hundred times over.
“…Tsk!”
A knight surged ahead.
No, a group surged ahead.
Surely, the clicking of their tongues must be disapproval directed at me.
Some of those who purposely brushed past me as they surged ahead must have touched me.
– Ting!
“Oh no. This isn’t good.”
As we collided, a choice appeared.
The contents were obvious.
From starting a fight to asking for an insincere apology.
Ignoring and moving on would be the wisest choice.
Even if it means seeing things like this.
[5. (Approaching Arina) Sister, did you see that guy bump into me and walk away?]
“I would never say something like that unless I’ve lost my mind.”
Isabella came on the third day, and Arina arrived on the fourth.
Thanks to the watchful eyes, the knights’ actions couldn’t get any bolder.
And so, after the morning formation ended.
When the choice window disappeared, Arina walked over.
Ignoring her, I pretended not to see Arina and hurried towards the waterway.
As my steps quickened, the sound of pursuing footsteps hastened as well.
The choice window kept popping up as if urging Arina to turn around, but she continued without choosing anything.
Then Arina straightforwardly grabbed my shoulder and asked, “The training intensity seems too high. Why are you running around like that? Foolishly.”
– Ding!
The existing window disappeared, and other choices appeared.
[1. (Brushing off her hand) I smell like sweat right now.]
[2. (Nonchalantly) What’s the problem?]
[3. I’m currently a trainee in the First Knight Division.]
When I turned my head, Arina seemed unimpressed by my actions.
But, I felt the same way.
These choices are unimpressive.
Number 1 is openly caring about Arina, which I don’t understand.
Number 2, although it might make her feel bad, doesn’t seem enough to repay the suspicion I’ve caused. In the end, it’s all about making her feel bad.
Number 3 is the best option…
‘I don’t want to say it outright. Should I just go along with what she wants?’
Since this is a development based on increasing intimacy, there are no dead flags.
I turned back and stood at attention.
“Would you like to give me an order?”
“What?”
“You came to see me for a reason, right?”
“An order? You…?”
Arina raised her eyebrows.
She knows very well.
The position from which I am treating her right now.
“I am currently a trainee undergoing the admission period in the First Knight Division.”
Then I changed from the attention position to the salute position.
Very overtly.
Arina immediately grabbed my shoulders and ruined the posture.
“A trainee? What trainee? You’re my little brother.”
“Even in the training grounds, one must follow the rules of the training grounds.”
“Karsein.”
Seemingly displeased, Arina’s grip tightened.
“Don’t joke around. I’m not trying to stop you from going through the trainee process in the training grounds, but don’t use the knights’ etiquette in this manner.”
Arina once again emphasized that she was here to meet not Trainee Karsein but Karsein Vagrand.
I wanted to draw a line, but it seems I can’t do that right now.
‘Let’s leave it at this.’
If I get really angry, there’s a possibility, as in the game when the intimacy level is low, that I might order the knights to take me away as a troublemaker.
A few more words might lower the intimacy level further.
“So, why did you come?”
I responded indifferently as I washed my sweaty face at the waterway.
I already knew, so there was no need to ask, but among the choices, this seemed like the best one.
“…Just came to check if you’re doing well in your training.”
“Not here to monitor in case I cause trouble?”
Arina’s brow furrowed for a moment.
It was because of that incident of etiquette.
“It’s not like that. I came to observe because there are some bad customs among the knights.”
“I see.”
“Here.”
After washing away all the sweat, she filled the basin with water from the tap.
Then Arina handed me something. It was a towel.
“It’s mine.”
“Knights’ towels are rough. They can irritate your skin. So, use this one to wipe.”
-Ding!
[(Taking the towel) I’ll use it well.]
Before all the options like [ ] could even be seen, I ignored them and passed by Arina.
I took out a towel from my pouch and wiped my face, and seeing me like that, Arina let out a faint sigh.
“I mentioned earlier that the intensity of the training is too much. Tell Mark to ease up a bit.”
“No need.”
-Ding!
Before the alert sound, my response came first.
“If you think of me, come find me in the future. It’s the same with that.”
“…”
Since Arina appeared in her training attire, she had something with her.
From that towel onwards, they must be items to help me cope with the training life in the training ground.
But I don’t want any more help.
From either side.
“I’m a knight who receives favoritism from the duke’s eldest son alone. No one will acknowledge that. I believe you understood when I mentioned this.”
I reiterated that I am a trainee following the rules of the training ground, not the Duke of Vagrand, to make it clear.
Arina couldn’t bear it and her brow furrowed again as she did back then.
As expected.
“Karcein, do you really not remember why I was upset?”
She baited the hook and I bit it perfectly.
Second option.
[3. No need.]
When I thought about it, this option really appealed to me.
“I clearly stated it back then too. I don’t like my integrity being trampled like this. I may have been wrong to doubt you, but this is different.”
Arina’s gaze changed imperceptibly.
Facing such Arina, I must use this third option.
▶Arina is upset and angry. How will you respond?
▶Warning! This is an unavoidable choice!◀
[1. Do you know what I said? I told you to swallow your pride. You should feel bad just like I did. That’s fair, right?]
[2. On the contrary, you seem unaware that it’s more disruptive from my perspective?]
[3. Geez. Remember that? Have you no conscience?]
[4. That’s favoritism. You deliberately tried to disrupt, didn’t you?]
On the fourth day, an additional choice emerged from the meeting with Arina, where intimacy had been built up.
Here, I said, “Ha. We’re back to this again.”
“What?”
“On the contrary, it’s even tougher for me because of you. Have you already forgotten?”
I deliberately chose the worst option.
***
Arina had put considerable effort into planning this, focusing quite a bit on Karcein’s nerves.
Starting from the suspicion that arose abruptly after seeing the torn certificate, she hadn’t been feeling quite at ease.
So, she tried to do better.
Remembering that he used to enjoy going to the training ground, she tried to support and help him with what he needed here to lighten the mood.
“Ha. We’re back to this again.”
However, when you hear such words.
“On the contrary, from my perspective, it’s even harder because of you. Have you already forgotten?”
If the words that I tried to help make it even harder start ringing in my ears.
Anger surged within me.
“You, you are…!”
Ariana cut herself off there.
“Yeah. I was stupid. I didn’t need to consider someone who wanted to undergo rigorous training on their own.”
-Flutter.
The towel slipped from Ariana’s hand to the floor as if it had a mind of its own.
“I know how tough the knights’ training is because I’ve been through it. So, I’m curious about how much you can endure. Come back properly after a good scolding.”
Just a while ago, she had intended to take care of her younger sibling, but she ended up making biting remarks instead, causing her to abruptly turn her back.
Her red ponytail was swaying significantly due to the unexpected heavy footsteps.
Karcein, who was left behind, was looking at Ariana through the status window, but.
“Wow. Look at this? This guy gets all this support from the eldest lady?”
But that was short-lived. The unwelcome guest arrived promptly.
‘Here it is.’
Karcein quickly confirmed the appearance of the man in front of him.
The spiky orange bangs that stuck out like a needle.
Freckles densely covering both sides of his face.
The fidgety movements of his body and his extremely thuggish behavior.
Listing the prominent features seen in the game, he could guess who he was.
‘Was this guy Bruce?’
Among the apprentice knights, he was the most lazy and idle, joining the Bagrand Duke’s Order of Knights just for the money.
That character was Bruce as seen in the game.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Hey. Do you know how many ranks separate you and me?”
The words coming out of his mouth were as cheap as his fidgety movements.
Such people were everywhere.
Why, if it was a crowded place, wouldn’t you see them often?
‘If Ariana were here, she wouldn’t even make a peep and would just leave.’
As a result, he was forced to choose a bad option to send her back.
Well, there was nothing to be afraid of.
These people tend to boast a lot and pick on only those weaker than themselves, so it was obvious.
Karcein responded confidently without being intimidated by the shoddy mind games.
“What’s the matter?”
“What’s the matter? This punk. Don’t you show respect to your seniors?”
Bruce pushed Karcein’s shoulders forcefully.
“You’re the one enjoying this kind of favoritism. During the recruitment period, you’re supposed to undergo a fair test, but if you borrow external power like this, what will happen? This is an illegal recruitment. It’s a prohibited act in the Order of Knights. Right?”
Once, twice, and then thrice, Bruce pushed Karcein, pointing out the situation.
“Other people must be feeling so unjustly treated, right? Some easily get recruited behind the scenes, while others compete fiercely from the recruitment tests. It’s damn unfair, don’t you agree?”
Then Bruce picked up the fallen towel and neatly folded it.
“So, is this a confiscation? I’ll turn a blind eye to your misconduct.”
Although his words seemed to be pointing out misconduct, his actions were too obvious.
It was just that those expensive-looking items were tempting, right?
Suddenly, an old memory came to mind.
Back in school, the eldest sibling had unexpectedly shown up one day and handed over stationery.
-At least keep your stationery neat. What’s the big deal with that?
And then, they left behind everything necessary for school.
I don’t know where they heard such things.
But, just because they received all that on that day, they started a fuss.
‘Ha. There was a guy who had a keen eye for bribes. The situation seems similar, doesn’t it?’
Once again, the blood cools chillingly.
From Noble mtl dot com
In a situation where unpleasant memories and an eerie level of coincidence were displayed, Carsein couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
“Kuk, kuk kuk.”
Laughter that erupted out of nowhere.
His laughter gradually grew louder.
His voice reached Bruce’s ears, who was enjoying himself with a luxurious, expensive towel of fine material, and in the meantime, Carsein changed his plan.
“Well then. It’s time to set things straight.”
Whether it was a greedy punk or a family kid who needed a wake-up call from greed, they both were just asking for trouble.
It would be easy to deceive or take advantage of both.