Telnos city

A handsome face having a pointed nose. He had fair skin, same blue eyes but silvery hair unlike others. His gaze seemed to see through anyone he saw. With those long legs which made him more than 1.8 meters tall, he could be considered perfect gentleman.

Aren was amazed that this fighter, Mr. Cowen, didn't have any of the fierceness that he expected him to have.

"I heard you wanted to learn martial arts." Mr. Cowen asked after welcoming them.

"Yes."

"I could take you as my apprentice since Tina and lupia both recommended you. But you would have to answer one question for me to tutor you. Tell me, why do you want to become a fighter?"

"Because I want to become stronger so that I can decide my own fate." said Aren confidently. Tina had already told him that Mr. Cowen would ask a question to those who wanted to learn under him. He was already prepared for whatever difficult question Mr. Cowen would ask but he hadn't expected it to be this easy.

"...Decide your own fate huh... I'm afraid it isn't that easy, child." mumbled Cowen under his breath which others didn't seem to hear.

Then, putting a solemn expression on his face, he said "Alright then, I, Cowen Sevester, take you as my apprentice."

"Master!" bowed Aren as per craftsman Martin's instruction.

"I should go then. I haven't finished making Shen's tables." Martin said as he left hurriedly. He was already about to leave but had stayed because of Mr. Cowen. After seeing Aren become Cowen's apprentice, he didn't hesitate to leave.

"Alright Aren, now that you have become my apprentice; you have to stay with me from now on. Today, I'm a little busy so I can only give you these books about basics. You will start practicing from tomorrow."

Cowen led Aren towards a small library he had set up in a room and picked two books from the lower shelf. After giving Aren those two books, he also told Aren that he could stay in any rooms that were not used yet.

"Tina, you can wait outside. I have to talk to Aren about something."

Cowen sent Tina who had been following along outside and turned to him. "Aren, I can only teach you for at most 2 years. After two years I have to leave the village. You see, I'm not a permanent resident of this village. So you'd have to learn everything I teach you in these two years. I also have another thing to tell you which might be useful for you but now is not the right time for it. Remember to remind me about it when I'll be leaving, I'll tell you then."

"I understand."

Outside the house, Tina was looking at the door with a bored look on her face. She was getting impatient about how long it was taking Aren to come out. Just as she was about to barge in, the door opened and out came Aren, holding two books. After seeing Tina, he asked her. "Sis Tina, is master not from this village?"

"No, he isn't. Didn't lady Lupia tell you? He is a moon elf. He came to our village three years ago. At that time, he was so gravely injured that even priestess's healing spells didn't work. So we had no choice but to buy several expensive potions from Telnos city." Tina replied following after him, who was going towards the fence.

'Oh I see. So that's why his hair was different from others. He also doesn't stay at home most of the time. Looks like my master is quite mysterious.'

As he was thinking about reading the two books immediately, Tina's excited voice rang out behind him.

"Aren, you haven't been to Telnos city, have you? Lets go. I will bring you for sightseeing!"

City? Hmm...I haven't gone there, yes. Now that I have become an apprentice, its only matter of effort and time and I can become a rank 1 fighter. I don't have any work today as well so going to a city doesn't seem like a bad idea. I can also use this as an opportunity to better understand this world.

"Lets go then."

Inside the living room, Cowen, who was looking at Aren and Tina chat from a corner of the window, retracted his gaze after both of them disappeared towards the gate.

"Hmmm....he has great aptitude. He should be 9 years old by judging the spritual interference even if he has violet ring aptitude. It would be great if I can train him as a mage as his teacher...." mumbled Cowen, looking at a mirror which was showing Aren's face.

"....It has been a decade since a mage has been born outside of the mages' families....."

Aren had no idea that his master, who was supposed to be a fighter was using magic to spy on him.

.....

Tina and Aren arrived outside the village riding a dark-brown horse. Aren was now wearing a different clothing from the ordinary ones he used to wear when he stayed at the village. He looked at the trail from which he came to this village. In another direction, there was a broader road which was leading north. According to Tina, they would have to gallop down this road through the forest if they wanted to reach Telnos.

Approximately two hours later, outside the city wall of the city where the guards were checking passes. Tina and Aren were chatting about at the end of the queue.

"So you don't remember anything?" Tina asked.

"Apart from my name and surname, I don't remember anything. Not even my parents." he answered, having an expression of confusion and regret across his face.

"Not even your birthday?"

"Nope."

'But if you are asking about the true me, then I know everything.' he added inwardly.

Soon their turn also came. After showing the pass, he and Tina got off of the horse's back and entered the city.

"Sister Tina, why can't we ride the horse inside the city?"

"We can't. Only the city lord and military officials are allowed to ride a horse in a city."

"Then why are those people riding?"

"Those people... They are nobles. They are privileged wherever they go. Also, don't point fingers at them. Sigh, thank god they didn't see us." Tina heaved a sigh of relief.

'Oh! So there are nobles as well. This world is really backward in civilization. Then there must be slaves and pirates as well.'

Only when he entered the city did he realize the difference between a city and a village in this world. There were lots of people going in and out of the city. 3-4 storey buildings could be easily found here. There were merchants and vendors haggling with each other over the price of different goods in their own shops. Adventurers going on quests and travellers searching for an inn could also be seen.

"I often come to this city so I know this place inside out. Come, lets go to Adventurers' guild first." Tina said enthusiastically.

"The adventurers' guild is one of the oldest organisation that has stood on this continent even before the great war. Its network is very vast and there hasn't been any quest that was not completed. It has a strict ranking system from rank F being the lowest and rank SSS being the highest. The higher the rank, the longer and more dangerous the quest. There are even quests that go as long as 50 years." Tina explained the general system of the Adventurers guild on the way.

She also spilled some information about this great war which was said to be a war between humans, elves and dwarves against vampires, demons, devils and undead.

When they turned towards left, a humongous cathedral appeared on their view. There were also many believers who were praying piously even outside of it. Two clergymen clad in white robes could be seen outside, receiving the donations of some rich believers.

"Ah! The Holy Light cathedral. This is the cathedral of the God of Light which many humans believe in." said Tina looking towards where the cathedral was.

'Holy? God of Light? What a cliché name!'

"The God of Light was one of the great gods who participated in the great war. His deeds and doctrine are widel-"

"Umm big sis Tina what's that place?" As Tina was about to tell him the history of this ''God of Light'', he quickly stopped her.

"Hmm.. That's the Merchants Guild. Its the richest organisat- no second richest organisation on the continent. Even the rich nobles can't compare to them."

'Huh? THE merchants are not the richest?'

"So then which one is the richest, big sister?"

"Of course its the Holy Light Cathedral." said Tina as if she was stating the fact.

Ugh!... He suddenly had an urge to puke.

"We have arrived. This is the Avdenturers guild of Telnos city. Lets go inside."

Tina led him inside a huge four-storey building after tying the horse in a stable. There was big signboard which wrote 'The Adventurers' Guild' in letters which he didn't recognise but strangely understood.

'It must have been lupia's spell', he thought.

Inside the building was a big hall which consisted of a reception, a quest board and several messy tables in which adventurers were chatting and drinking their drinks. Their entrance didn't make much of a difference here as everyone was busy in this place. Tina led him straight to the reception after entering and said to a girl sitting on a chair.

"Hi Lisana, I have completed the quest. I'm here to submit it."

After saying that, she fished out a yellow paper like that of in the quest board and a small gem. The girl called Lisana turned to them and took the gem and paper from her and went backdoor. A few minutes later, she came back and said to Tina.

"Your quest is completed successfully within time duration. As an E-ranked this quest's reward was 20 silvers 41 coppers. Do you wish to take all or store on your account?"

"I want 10 silvers. Store the rest."

"Lets go Aren, to our next stop."

holding his hand, Tina dashed out of the guild building and went towards a food shop nearby.