First Step (1.5)

I frown a little when I see two goblins coming out from the woods where I search for the herbs. Right now, I'm in the western forest near the city—the place where the quest says that the herbs are located.

When I arrived here, I could see a few adventurers like me gathering some herbs, but they decided to leave after getting a good amount.

Anyway, after I bought some baskets from the store, I immediately got here to collect the herbs, but as I was about to collect some herbs, these two goblins came from the woods. I took out Ascalon from its scabbard and said.

"While I prefer a peaceful life, I still need to defeat all the monsters I meet to prevent them from killing the innocent. Prepare yourself."

Instead of saying anything, the goblins scream at me and charge toward me. I take a stance and get ready for the goblins that are coming my way. When they appear, I take a step to the side and dodge the first spear that comes at me.

After dodging it, I swing down Ascalon and feel it cut through the goblin-like cutting butter with a hot knife. I know that Ascalon is sharp even without reversing its invulnerability effect, but I never thought it would be this sharp.

I snap from my thoughts when I feel something try to stab me. I look at my back and see the goblin try to stab me with its spear. I swing down my sword at the goblin and kill it.

"It is fortunate for me to have you, Ascalon. If not for you, I will get hurt or maybe dead."

Even when Ascalon is not at its peak, it still gives me a second skin that blocks an incoming attack. Sadly unlike when I became Saint George, this second skin has a limit. I don't know the second skin limit, and I don't want to find out.

Before I could continue gathering some herbs, I saw a small crystal-like ball on the ground, on the place where I killed the goblin.

I pick it up and put it inside my inventory. I decided to ask the guild after I gather the herbs.

~One hour later~

I arrive in front of the guild and walk inside the building with a basket filled with herbs. I place it on top of the desk and see one of the receptionists walk toward me.

"Good morning. I want to report a complete mission."

"Of course. Please hand your card to me."

I hand her my card and see her take it before doing something under the desk. She then takes the basket to the back, pours the herbs into a bigger basket in the back, and returns to me. After doing that, she placed my card in front of me and placed a plate with five silver coins on it.

"Congratulations, you gathered one kilo worth of herbs. Here are five silver coins for your trouble."

"Thank you."

"No problem!"

"Ah! Can I ask you something?"

"Of course!"

"Can I take two quests a the same time?"

"Of course. However, we recommend taking the quest that you can do at the same time. For example, you can go to gather herbs and woodcutting jobs at the same time because they are in the same area."

"Thank you. It was really helpful of you."

"No problem! It is my job, after all!"

I nod at her and walk toward the quest section once again.

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|Rachel POV|

My name is Rachel. One of the sisters that serve the church of Water. It has been a rough day for her and her fellow sister. The reason is that the money that comes to the church has been cut off.

While the church itself did not have much money to maintain, the children that stayed in the church needed it. Unlike other churches, the church of water also has other functions as an orphanage.

We will take the orphanage children who lose their parents. The children that their parents have abandoned. The children that their parents have abused.

We train them and educate them so when they reach the age of maturity, 15 years old, they will have enough education and training so they will have a future in society.

The main income of the church is through the donation and the monthly incoming from the city lord. However, lately, there is no incoming coming from the lord.

I did not know what was happening. I have met the city lord in the past. He is a benevolent lord who cares for his subjects. So, when the fund is stopped, there must be something terrible happening.

For now, My fellow sister and I need to be strong. We don't want the children to worry about us.

I snap from my thoughts when I arrive in the backyard of the church. The overgrown grass around in our backyard is gone. The trash that I need to throw away is also gone. My eyes look around the backyard and widen when I see a young man surrounded by the children.

The man came here to clean the grass, but I never thought that he would clean all the backyard. Our backyard is rather big, after all. Not only the grass but he also somehow cleaned all the moss on the church wall.

We did not let the children help cleaning the grass because of how durable the grass in the place near the dungeon. They have been absorbing the man released by the dungeon, and its root is too deep underground for us to dig out.

Because of this, we need to give them a knife and sickle to cut the grass. Sady, the oldest child in this orphanage, is seven years old. We don't want to give a child a sharp object after all. Maybe when they are older, we will, but we don't want to do it for now.

Anyway, the young man sitting on the ground, under the shade of the tree, and around him are the orphanage children listening to him telling them a story. The young man wears a white robe, a white shirt inside his robe, and black pants.

The young man has white hair that shines a little under the sunlight. He also has a handsomeness that can make anyone, be it, man or woman, fall for him. However, what makes me like him is his eyes. Those purple eyes shine in kindness. However, behind those kindnesses, I can see a power that is ready to be unleashed to the people that try to harm him and what his.

Sitting near him is a staff that I know cost him a fortune.

"..... as the magician says to the young boy. 'Anyone who takes out this sword will become the king of Britain! Anyone who takes this sword will become the one who leads Britain to greatness'. The magician then looked at the young boy before saying. 'Are you ready to bear the responsibility? Once you take this sword, you will become something more than human. You will become a king! A ruler! Are you ready?' The boy hesitated for a little bit before nodding his head. 'Then take it! Take the sword!' The boy walked toward the stone and put his hand on the sword, and with determination, he pulled out the sword from the stone. As the sword is pulled out, heaven shines upon him. Nature sings for him. The magician smiles before shouting. 'Long live the king!' The people that see the miracle also begin to chant. 'Long live the king! Long live the king!"

I couldn't help but gape at his story. The way he tells his story makes me think that I'm in front of the young boy who accepts his destiny to lead a kingdom into a golden age. I don't know the full story of it, and I want to know about it.

The young man looked at me and smiled gently before saying.

"Ah! Sorry about this. The children really want to hear some stories."

I can see the children nod their heads at his word even the one-year-old toddler on his lap nods her head. I couldn't help but smile at their expression. A young man with expensive-looking clothes telling a story to a dirty orphan child without caring about all the dirt sticking on his robe.

"It is okay. I have been ordered by the head sister to see if you are done cleaning all the grass."

"Ah! I already did that a long time ago. As you can see for yourself."

"I did, and I thank you for your hard work."

"It is my pleasure."

He smiles at me and gives the toddler who is grumbling, not wanting to be separated, and gives her to the oldest child.

"Then it looks like my job here is done. We will continue our story tomorrow morning, okay?"

"YAY!"

The children cheered and began to hug the young man who was laughing with them and hugging them one by one. He then takes his staff before saying.

"It is goodbye for now. Until we meet again."

"Bye-bye!"

He gave us one last smile before suddenly he turned into many pink flowers and disappeared. The children look at it in awe and begin to discuss the identity of the young man.

"Michael, huh."

I don't know who he is, but I know he is someone that will become a legend.