The awkward silence between Ivan and Alicia had stretched into miles. The only sound was the rhythmic clatter of the wheels. Ivan stared resolutely out the window, while Alicia examined her gloves as if they were the most fascinating things in the world.
"It's foolish, you know," Alicia finally said, not looking at him. "Refusing good coin. A commoner like you could live off that for a season."
Ivan bristled but kept his gaze fixed on the passing trees. "Not everything is for sale."
"That's a sentiment for people who already have everything," she retorted, a practiced noble's disdain in her voice. Yet, there was a lack of conviction behind it, as if she were reciting lines she'd heard all her life.
"Maybe it's a sentiment for people who have self-respect," Ivan countered, surprising himself with his boldness. He didn't understand why her attitude grated on him so much. It was more than just brattiness; it was a wall, separating her from everyone else.
Before Alicia could fire back a retort, the train let out a sudden, violent shudder and a piercing screech of metal-on-metal. Ivan was thrown forward, barely catching himself on the seat in front. Luggage tumbled from the overhead racks. Screams echoed through the carriages as the train ground to a violent, lurching halt.
"What was that?!" a passenger yelled.
Another face was pressed against a window, pale with terror. "Bandits! Forest bandits! They've surrounded the train!"
Ivan's heart leaped into his throat. He looked out his own window to see rough-looking men and women emerging from the treeline, brandishing swords and axes. Dozens of them. Their auras flared to life—a chaotic mix of faint, sputtering glows (F-Rank) and steadier, but still weak, bronze halos (E-Rank). It was a small army.
Alica's face lost all its color. Her two bodyguards were on their feet in an instant, their own E-Rank bronze auras flaring as they formed a protective wall in front of her. "Stay behind us, my lady," one of them growled, his voice tight with fear. Failure here would mean more than death; it would mean the wrath of Marquess Luthor.
Down the carriage, Kaelen and Eli were already standing. Eli's voice boomed, calm but authoritative. "Everyone, stay down and stay calm! Do not leave the train!"
Kaelen's eyes scanned the scene outside, his fighter's mind assessing the numbers. His gaze then fell on Ivan. The boy was trembling, his knuckles white as he gripped the seatback, but he was on his feet, his jaw set with a determined stubbornness.
"Kid, get down and hide under a seat," Kaelen ordered. "This isn't a storybook. These men will kill you."
Ivan shook his head, a fierce light in his eyes. "I can't… I can't just hide forever. I have to help!"
Eli and Kaelen exchanged a look. It was a fool's bravery, but it was bravery nonetheless. Kaelen let out a short, sharp breath. "Fine. But you stay behind me. Not a step ahead. Understood?" Ivan gave a sharp, nervous nod.
The carriage door was wrenched open with a crash. The bandits poured in from both ends, their crude weapons held high. But they parted as a larger man stepped through the rear entrance. He was tall, with a greasy mustache and a cruel smirk. A visible, silvery aura—D-Rank, potent and threatening—rippled around him, causing the very air to hum.
"Well, now," the bandit leader, Godrich, drawled, his voice oily and confident. "What a fortunate stop. Let's make this simple. Hand over the Luthor girl, and the rest of you can go on your merry way. No one else needs to get hurt."
Eli and Kaelen's faces tightened. The pieces clicked into place. This was no random ambush. They were here for the noble.
"Why?" The word burst from Ivan's lips before he could stop himself, stepping out from behind Kaelen. "Why do you need her?"
Godrich's ugly grin widened. "Why, boy? For the same reasons anyone does anything! A mountain of gold from her dear papa, of course. And having a marquess's daughter as a… guest… opens many doors. Now, be a good lad and fetch her."
A hot, pure rage flooded Ivan's veins. This wasn't about adventure anymore. It was about a person being treated like property. His fists clenched at his sides. "Go to hell," he spat, his voice shaking but clear.
Godrich blinked, then let out a booming laugh. "The audacity of the powerless! Fine then. We'll take her the fun way." He gestured with his head. "Kill the guards. Bring me the girl."
The bandits roared and charged.
Chaos erupted. Eli met the first wave with a shield of hardened bronze mana, shattering a poorly swung axe. Kaelen, his F-Rank aura flaring pathetically, fought with sheer desperation and street brawler's技巧, ducking and weaving, using the cramped space to his advantage.
Ivan stood frozen for a second, the reality of the violence overwhelming. He saw a bandit (E-Rank) break off from the main group and lunge toward Alicia. Instinct took over. Ivan raised his hands, thinking of the stories, of the legends. He willed his own latent, unawakened mana to the surface. A faint, pathetic wisp of light, barely visible, flickered around his palms. It was nothing. Less than nothing.
But it was enough to make the bandit hesitate for a split second. That was all one of Alicia's bodyguards needed. He parried the blow meant for Ivan, grunting with the effort. "Stay back, boy!" the guard shouted, but Ivan saw the acknowledgment in his eyes. The clumsy attempt had helped.
The fight was a desperate stalemate. Eli and Kaelen, backed by the two bodyguards, were skilled enough to hold the narrow passage, but they were outnumbered ten to one. And all the while, Godrich watched from the doorway, his silver aura glowing, waiting for his moment to step in and end it all.
***