The unlikely group—Ivan and Kent walking side-by-side, followed by a thoughtful Alicia and a watchful Sofia with their guards—moved through the bustling marketplace. The initial awkwardness had melted away, replaced by a tentative, easy camaraderie.
Suddenly, the cheerful market noise was broken by harsh shouts. Near a potion stall, a group of rough-looking men had cornered a small elf child, whose pointed ears were drooping with fear.
Thug his fists glowing with a faint, unstable E-Rank bronze aura
"You little pest! That was a valuable jar! You pay its weight in silver, or we'll drag you to the slavers' auction to work it off!"
The child trembled, clutching a cracked bottle of blue liquid.
"I-I'm sorry! It was an accident!"
Kent froze. This scene was sickeningly familiar—the strong preying on the weak. His fists clenched, but a wave of doubt washed over him. He was still injured from the duel with Leo. His own mana was pitiful. What could he really do?
He didn't have to wonder for long.
Ivan stepping forward without a moment's hesitation, a defiant grin on his face
"Hey, ugly! Pick on someone your own size! Or are you too scared?"
Thug turning, his face twisting in anger)
"What?! Who do you think you are, you little—"
Kent's heart hammered in his chest. Ivan was utterly insane! He had no power, no training, just raw, stupid courage. But that courage was like a spark to tinder. A fire ignited in Kent's chest, burning away the fear. He stepped forward, drawing the wooden practice sword he always carried.
Kent his voice low but firm, surprising even himself
"...If you want to fight, you'll have to go through both of us."
One of Sofia's guards moved to intervene, but she raised a subtle hand, stopping him. Her eyes, usually so soft, were now sharp and observant. She needed to see this.
The thug snarled and lunged at Ivan, who yelped and ducked under the swing, tripping clumsily over a nearby barrel and landing in a heap. The thug laughed, but his triumph was short-lived. Kent moved in, his wooden blade whistling through the air. It wasn't a powerful strike, but it was precise, smacking against the thug's wrist and deflecting a follow-up punch. The wood splintered, but the thug grunted in pain.
Ivan scrambling back to his feet
"Nice one, Kent! My turn!"
Ivan focused, his face scrunched in concentration. A wisp of blue mana, wild and untamed, flickered around his fist. He threw a wild, looping punch. It barely grazed the thug's shoulder, but the surprise of the magical attack made the man flinch. It was the opening Kent needed. He put all his weight into a final, solid strike to the man's jaw.
*Thwack!*
The thug stumbled back, eyes rolling up as he collapsed into a groaning heap. His companions, seeing their leader downed, lost their nerve and scattered into the crowd.
The elf child bowed rapidly, tears of gratitude in their eyes, before darting away to safety.
Ivan panting, his face split by an ecstatic grin)
" we actually did it!! Our first victory together!" He laughed, a sound of pure, unbridled joy.
Kent looked from the fallen thug to Ivan's beaming face. He felt a strange sensation in his chest—a lightness. A real, genuine laugh bubbled up from within him.
Kent smiling, breathless"...Yeah. We did."
When it was time to part ways, the two boys shook hands firmly, a promise passing silently between them. They would meet again soon, at the Alethea Academy. As they walked away, both glanced back, sharing one last smile. For Kent, it felt like he had found something he never knew he was missing: a friend.
Lady Sofia watched her son, her heart swelling. She hadn't seen him smile like that in years.
**Back in the Duke's Mansion…****
That evening, Lady Sofia stood before her husband in his private study. The Duke sat in his high-backed chair, a silhouette against the dying fire.Sofia a soft, hopeful smile on her face",
"There was a boy in the market today. A commoner, from the southern villages. But he… he saw Kent. Not as my son, or as a weakling, but as an equal. He fought beside him."
Duke Edgar, who had been listening impassively, slowly leaned forward. His sharp, wintery eyes narrowed.
Duke Edgar: "A commoner, you say…?"
From the shadows near the doorway, Commander Celina spoke, her arms crossed.
"My Lord, it may be the same boy from the train incident. The one who looked at me with stars in his eyes when he learned I served you."
Edgar leaned back, stroking his chin thoughtfully. The ghost of a smile touched his lips, a rare sight indeed.Duke Edgar his voice a low rumble
"Interesting. A boy who holds the legends in reverence, yet has the audacity to befriend a Duke's son without a hint of sycophancy. It seems fate still weaves its threads in this empire."
He gazed out the window into the deepening night, his mind drifting back through decades to a time of campfires and adventure with his own companions.
Duke Edgar (muttering to himself, a faint frown creasing his brow): "Ivan… that name. It feels… familiar. Where have I heard it before…?"
***