The boy, dressed in tattered clothes, turned to taunt the middle-aged man chasing him who was falling farther behind.
As he turned, he caught a glimpse of a dark shadow out of the corner of his eye.
Thud!
Caught off guard, Jack collided with it.
"Who's there?!"
He looked up angrily, but his anger froze instantly.
A massive shadow loomed over him, and a pair of blood-red eyes slowly drew closer.
A sharp, icy blade was mere inches from his head.
A knight clad in black armor on horseback gazed down at him with deep, penetrating eyes.
With just one look, Jack trembled uncontrollably, too nervous to breathe.
A knight!
What was a knight doing in their rundown village?
"Jack?"
And a thief, no less.
Ryan frowned, feeling like the name sounded somewhat familiar.
"Honorable Sir Knight, please forgive my offense!"
Jack scrambled to his feet and bowed respectfully, his face full of awe.
Bumping into a knight was a serious crime.
"Your name is Jack, isn't it?" Ryan asked slowly.
"Yes, my lord!"
Hearing his name spoken so directly, Jack's dirty face showed a mix of nervousness and flattery.
"Do you know where Earl Austin's castle is?"
At the question, Jack's expression turned confident.
As a subject of the Kingdom of Austin, how could he not know the location of the castle?
His eyes darted, and a bold idea formed in his mind.
"Noble Sir Knight, the terrain of the Kingdom of Austin is quite complex. Perhaps you could use a professional guide to lead the way."
This was a knight!
For an ordinary commoner like him, encountering such a great figure might happen only a few times in his life.
If he could gain the knight's favor, his life might change forever.
So, he decided to take a gamble.
If he was lucky enough to become the knight's squire, he could escape his current life of poverty and hardship.
He had noticed that the knight didn't have a squire.
He bet he wouldn't be rejected.
"How interesting."
Seeing Jack's polite, almost gentlemanly demeanor, Ryan's lips curved into a slight smile. He saw right through the young man's scheme.
However, he didn't mind this kind of opportunistic cleverness.
For ordinary people at the bottom of society, opportunities to change their lives were few and far between.
Those who could seize such opportunities weren't necessarily highly capable, but they were at least clever.
Any sensible person would know which to choose: an ambitious and clever squire versus a simple-minded servant without ambition.
Loyalty?
He had never believed in such a thing.
Whether it was 1% or 99%, it made no difference to him.
After all, he had never fully trusted anyone but himself.
As long as he possessed overwhelming power, who would dare to betray him?
"I like clever people."
Ryan spoke slowly, and Jack, who had been waiting anxiously, lit up instantly with joy.
The moment the knight spoke, Jack knew his gamble had paid off.
If the knight hadn't wanted to take him on as a squire, he wouldn't have spoken so politely.
"I do need a follower."
Ryan tugged on the reins, his tone almost condescending.
If he was going to present himself as a knight, how could he not have attendants?
In this world, a knight wasn't merely defined by a suit of armor and a warhorse.
Such a knight would be considered the lowest of the low among the knightly class—a fallen noble with a title, but none of the privileges or status that came with it.
At best, they could bully powerless commoners.
Even ordinary knights would look down on such a fallen knight with few or no attendants.
After all, knights were considered the lowest tier of nobility because they enjoyed all the privileges reserved for nobles: estates, squires, territories, and serfs.
These were the foundations of nobility.
Without the corresponding treatment and background, could anyone really enter this circle solely through martial prowess?
That was wishful thinking.
Under normal circumstances, a wealthy knight would have another horse to carry his lance, longsword, helmet, armor, and other supplies in addition to his mount.
He would also need an armor-bearer and several other attendants, including guards and bodyguards.
In essence, a knight was a small entourage.
Wars between nobles often involved only dozens or hundreds of knights, but the actual number of soldiers and attendants could reach into the hundreds or even thousands.
Therefore, if he wanted to present himself as a noble knight, he needed followers.
"I can give you a chance to become my servant, but whether you pass the test depends on your luck."
Ryan's gaze was meaningful.
Becoming his squire required more than just a little cleverness.
Whether Jack could pass the upcoming selection process depended entirely on his luck.
"Sir, thank you for your generosity!"
"Jack will serve you loyally until death."
Jack knelt on one knee, filled with gratitude. His hand was over his heart as he pledged his loyalty.
Swish!
Ryan slowly drew his sword and lightly tapped Jack's shoulder three times.
It was his way of accepting the pledge.
"Remember the name of the one you serve: Ryan!"
"Rise!"
Ryan casually tossed a small pouch to Jack, who looked at it in confusion.
"From today onward, you are my squire."
"Use this money to settle your family affairs. From now on, your life belongs to no one—not even yourself or any lord. It belongs solely to me, and only I can take it."
Ryan looked down at Jack. His deep, dark, cold eyes made Jack's heart race uncontrollably.
This knight's presence was terrifying.
Rubbing the goosebumps on his arm, Jack felt a chill run down his spine.
It reminded him of when he encountered a brown bear in the forest and was chased by it—he had felt the same way then.
As if death were moments away.
Had he not been a fast runner since childhood, he would have died in the forest that day.
That memory was the most vivid of his life, and he had never come closer to death.
Now, he felt the same way again.
Only this time, it was even more bone-chilling.
"Settle your family matters. I'll be waiting at the inn ahead. If you try to run..."
Ryan smiled calmly.
His possessions weren't so easily taken.
As he watched Ryan leave, Jack carefully opened the pouch in his hand.
The instant he saw the dazzling glint of gold, he gasped.
Gold coins!
A whole pouch full of them! 💰
A flicker of greed flashed in his eyes, and his first thought was to take the pouch and run.
Why would he need to be a knight's squire with so much gold? This money would be enough for him to relocate, buy a large plot of land, and hire a few serfs. He could live comfortably as a landowner.
Wouldn't that be better than serving someone else?
If he was lucky, he might even secure a knighthood and change his family's fate forever.
But the next moment, he recalled those deep, penetrating eyes and the casual warning.
His restless thoughts gradually cooled.
If this knight could easily give him a pouch of gold coins, where could he go if he tried to escape?
Could he really escape?
Would the knight have given him the gold unless he was absolutely confident?
"What a terrifying guy."
Jack tucked the gold coins into his chest and muttered under his breath.
With this much gold, he could become a squire and buy his family's lives.
Surely following someone this generous wouldn't be a regret.
Riding to the inn, Ryan felt everyone's awe-filled gazes on him, but he was drawn to a notice posted on the wall.
"The king is gravely ill and requires a giant's heart to save his life. Whoever brings a giant's heart will be granted a territory and the title of baron."
"A giant's heart?"
Ryan stroked his chin. Giants were quite common in ancient times.
Back then, gods, humans, and various magical creatures coexisted.
The giant race was said to be the descendants of the Titans.
They created the world, providing a habitat for all living beings, and only then did the gods emerge.
The children of the Titans were the giants.
The original giants possessed terrifying power that rivaled that of the Titans. They even dared to challenge the authority of the gods.
However, the original giants were brutal and had enormous appetites.
A single meal could involve devouring hundreds or thousands of living beings. Eventually, the gods, unable to tolerate this behavior, sealed the giants away and banished them beyond the world.
But the descendants of the original giants remained in this world—the giant race.
They inherited the diluted bloodline of the original giants and possess powerful physiques and enormous size.
Like their ancestors, they were brutal and had massive appetites.
However, giants existed only in legends, and Ryan had never seen one.
He called the innkeeper over and asked, "Have there been any sightings of giants around here?"
Ryan was genuinely curious.
After all, he was quite interested in giants.
Giants are magical creatures renowned for their strength and physical prowess.
Their power was second only to dragons, the apex predators of the food chain.
If he could sacrifice a giant, he would undoubtedly receive a generous reward.
"Giants? Not around here."
The innkeeper glanced cautiously at Ryan and then added in a low voice, "But there's a legend in a nearby village about a floating island above the clouds. They say there's a massive castle on it where giants live."
"The castle is supposedly filled with endless treasures."
"But how could such a legend be true? The clouds are so high up—no one could possibly reach them."
The innkeeper shook his head, clearly disbelieving the legend.
"Even if clouds could support an island," he said, "who could climb up to them and return safely?"
Any piece of iron would be crushed in the fall.
It was simply impossible.
"You may go."
Ryan nodded thoughtfully and tossed a silver coin to the innkeeper.
The innkeeper happily took the coin and left.
A floating island in the sky... giants...
This was the story of the magic beanstalk.
Ryan stroked his chin as the general plot
forming in his mind.
Jack was a boy who lived in extreme poverty and struggled to make ends meet.
His mother sent him to the market to sell the family cow in exchange for food.
On his way there, he encountered an old man who offered to trade five magic beans for the cow.
Though hesitant, Jack eventually agreed, believing the beans might bring good fortune.
When he returned home and gave the beans to his mother, she was furious and threw them out the window.
That night, the beans sprouted and grew into a massive beanstalk reaching high into the clouds.
The next day, Jack climbed the beanstalk to see what was at the top.
When he reached the top, he found a castle inhabited by a giant.
Inside, he found a hen that laid golden eggs and a harp that played beautiful music on its own.
While the giant slept, Jack stole the hen and harp and quickly climbed back down the beanstalk.
When the giant woke up and realized the hen and harp were missing, he began chasing Jack down the beanstalk.
Jack swiftly chopped down the beanstalk, causing the giant to fall to his death.
Jack returned home with the hen and harp, and he and his mother lived happily ever after.
At first glance, it seems like a heartwarming fairy tale. However, when viewed through an adult lens, the story takes on a darker tone:
A foolish protagonist trades his family's livelihood for five magic beans.
An innocent giant who did nothing wrong has his treasures stolen by a human thief.
Ultimately, the giant falls to his death.
The thief lives a prosperous life while the victim meets a tragic end.
This moral framework exemplifies typical Western bandit logic.
"So, the giant should be in the sky?"
Ryan looked up at the sky, where thick clouds drifted lazily, no different from anywhere else.
But, since this is a fairy tale world, a castle in the sky must exist.
Over time, he had discerned some patterns in this world.
Though fairy tales and reality differed greatly, the core of the story remained unchanged—at most, the characters became more realistic and rational.
For example, Grandma Wolf wasn't eaten by a wolf; she transformed into a werewolf.
Without his intervention, she might have been killed by the hunter, who was played by the village chief.
The essence of the story remained the same, though: Little Red Riding Hood, Grandma Wolf, and the hunter.
Little Red Riding Hood is saved, and Grandma Wolf is killed.
But if there were no giant or castle in the sky, how could this fairy tale exist?
The only question now was how to find a way into the castle in the sky.
As Ryan pondered this, footsteps suddenly approached.
"Honorable Sir Knight, I have five magic beans that I would like to sell to you."
A hoarse voice spoke nearby, and Ryan frowned.
He turned to look at the inn's entrance.
An elderly woman with white hair, dressed in robes and leaning on a cane, walked toward him, hunched over.
In an instant, Ryan sensed a powerful wave of magical energy emanating from her.
Strong!
Ryan's expression grew serious. The pressure she exerted was even greater than that of the evil spirit in the basement.
"Interesting!"
Ryan smirked, his eyes playful as he watched the elderly witch.
"How much gold do you want for these beans?"
"I don't want gold. I want the armor you're wearing."
The witch slowly raised her head, her dark eyes meeting Ryan's.
In that moment, Ryan felt a powerful mental force invade his mind and attempt to take control of his body.
"Fine."
Ryan stood up dazed and began walking toward the witch.
The witch's eyes gleamed with excitement as she stared at Ryan's armor. Though she didn't know its origins, she could sense the intense magical energy radiating from it and knew it was a rare magical artifact.
"I never expected such an unexpected windfall."
She had originally planned to find someone to climb the sky castle and lure the giant down.
Then, she would set a trap to kill the giant, take its heart, and claim the king's reward.
She had initially chosen Jack, a boy with great agility, for this task.
But then this knight practically fell into her lap.
"What incredible luck!"
The witch couldn't help but marvel.
"Yes, what incredible luck."
A voice echoed her thoughts. Ryan, who had seemed dazed just moments ago, suddenly lifted his head.
His dark pupils shimmered.
"I was just wondering how to climb up there, and you delivered yourself to me."
—