The Offer

That night when my dad came back home. We had a family debate about the right decision to take. We all knew that I shouldn't delay this any longer. Any more will strain our relationship with the City Lord.

My dad told me that serving the City under Baron Balek would be the best scenario for me right now. Although I will leave the town for more than ten years, ultimately, I will return to the place I ought to serve as a Knight. (I'll be back home again)

Considering my father's reputation, I will also be respected and looked upon in this city.

His words seemed reasonable, but I was still salty about not being able to explore the world and travel. Still, deep down inside, I knew that this was a decent life anyone would die for in this world.

There was also an element in our decision; it was that I had no choice but to accept the offer of Baron Balek. I didn't want to be 'silenced' or, worse, to be sold away and kept involuntarily.

Just imagining these scenarios sends shivers down my spine and prevents me from sleeping at night. And considering the nature of this world, it was very accurate and likely to happen to me if I remained independent.

This scenario could've been different if I was strong and everyone feared me, but I am but a child. I cannot scare anyone with my cuteness.

And by the next week, the Knights came again to listen to our decision. (This arrogant Knight is here again!) We agreed on the terms set by the City Lord to enter his banner upon graduation.

I was to be sent to the Royal Knight's Academy of Ethos, the most prestigious Academy in the entire Ethunesian Kingdom. Ethos was the capital of the Ethunesian Kingdom; it was about two thousand kilometers away from my hometown.

In this world, where there was no air transport, this distance seemed like going into another world. Especially for the commoners, who didn't have any teleportation runes that the Nobles used. (Is that why people usually refrain from traveling far distances?)

Going that far on a beast-drawn carriage was long and tiring to bear. One had to restock multiple times on the road, and the threat of dangerous beasts and muggers along the route also made the journey nerve-wracking.

My security was to be handled by Baron Balek, whose Knights generously offered me a whole party of Knights for my entourage's security.

I have never traveled on the road here, so I didn't know common sense, but my father was suspicious about his arrangement (What happened?) But he didn't voice it out in front of the Knights.

My entrance exam to the Academy was registered for the next term, and I needed to attend the Academy for five years. Then for another five years, I will go for advanced classes and do the part-time Squire's job. (It sounds like an internship) The Knight cadets are required to serve on active duty while they are going through advanced training.

For now, my father and I have to go to Ishara for my school supplies. Ishara is a merchant city located about 183 kilometers west of our town; the town connects its roads to almost all the major cities of the Ethunesian Kingdom, making it one of the largest and busiest towns inside it.

The town is also known as the 'Merchant's Town' due to the sheer number of traders and merchants passing through and selling goods there. The goods are unbelievably cheap compared to other places because of the competition inside the market. Making the town famous for its supplies and businesses.

It made me a little sad that this short trip was supposed to be my last outing with my family. It's safe to say that I won't be able to see them for a long time.

This was unbelievably cruel. If I didn't have my previous life memories and a consciousness of a 28-year-old, any normal kid would've forgotten his parents. After all, not many kids remember their life before five. The bonds I've created would have been erased, and I wouldn't even be aware of it. (This would have happened to many kids here who were brainwashed by these Nobles)

(We don't even know what we forgot)

The Nobles had a way of peacefully snatching kids from their parents from a young age and making them the way they wanted them to be. Fortunately, this only happened to talented individuals, who could be considered a threat to society.

— — —

While Jake's life was dancing in the palm of the nobles, on the other side, the dark faction was planning their next step to remove this new variable from going into the City Lord's hands.

Barnes was a little distressed when he got the news that the target accepted to be the noble's obedient dog. Now bagging him away would take a direct confrontation which the dark faction was famed for avoiding.

(I bet that Baron is laughing his ass out right now, that he has cut our plans off) Barnes was pissed over Baron Balek, who moved too fast from his prediction to get that child.

(Shit, I can't lose this opportunity, I have to get the boy one way or another) the leader of the Dark Faction of Balek town was pressured by both sides. One was his desire to rise up on the Underworld's rankings, and the other was the Light Faction, who always got in his way.

He wanted to create this Balek Town as a hub for his main business, Slave Trading. But time and time again, Baron Robert Balek came in between his plans which either led them unfulfilled or the plans he made didn't produce the intended results.

(Fuck it! I will change the whole board in one move!) A sinister grin formed on Barnes' face when he cooked up a plan that was never heard of in the Dark Faction.

(But for this, I want the help of other groups, too, I need to convince them)

Naturally, there were other types of groups in the Dark Faction that handled different kinds of businesses. Some dealt with smuggling, and others with assassination. It was impossible for a single group to control all these things.

So naturally, there was a correlation between these factions inside the Underworld. And about the particular plan that Barnes had in his mind, only time will tell how this 'never been seen or heard of' plan changes this world.