"Welcome to Ashford City," said a knight I immediately recognized by the crest on his armor.
"Good to see you, Sir Tev," the knight said, giving me a brief assessing glance.
"Good to see you as well, Sir Caesar. I assume you're here to receive Lady Aelina?" Tev replied.
"Yes. She went on a monster hunt with the heir of the Willow family at his request, so I permitted it," Caesar said calmly.
Then his gaze returned to me.
"So this is the child you selected, Sir Tev… Interesting. I can sense it clearly—he's the same rank as Aelina. Two E+ ranks among thirty competitors. That's rare. I can already see the final battle."
Footsteps echoed behind us. I turned and saw Nen and Aelina approaching. The moment Aelina noticed the knight, her face lit up and she rushed forward, hugging him.
"Brother! I didn't expect you to come pick me up," she said sweetly.
"I had to," Caesar replied with a gentle smile. "Today marks the beginning of your journey as a knight. Oh—did you greet Sir Tev?"
"Yes, brother," she answered.
"Then, Sir Caesar, I'll take my leave," Nen said, stepping forward. "My father will be waiting. Aelina—win the knight competition, become the princess's attendant, and we'll meet again at the academy."
He took her hand and gently kissed it.
She waved him goodbye, and after exchanging farewells with Sir Tev and Sir Caesar, Nen departed for his carriage, completely ignoring me.
"We should be going as well," Caesar said to Tev. He and Aelina turned and left together.
Tev watched them disappear, still smiling—until they were out of sight. Then his smile vanished, replaced by anger.
"That idiot actually believes he can beat me," Tev scoffed, letting out a short laugh. "Hah."
It seemed like they were some kind of rivals.
We soon boarded another carriage. Tev read the newspaper while I stared out the window, watching Ashford City roll past.
So this is Ashford…
I'd heard about it from Sister Mariya, but seeing it with my own eyes was different. Shops lined the streets, mana lamps glowed faintly even in daylight, and the city felt alive—almost exactly like the manhwa I used to read in my old world.
I thought this was where my new life would begin, but...
A question surfaced in my mind.
"Sir… what happens to me once we enter the Duke's castle?" I asked.
Tev folded the newspaper.
"Good timing. I was just about to tell you—once we arrive, my role ends there. Your real training will begin, overseen by Commander Arthur himself. Normally, it would last a year, but the academy selection is approaching quickly.The competition will take place within the month. The winner will become the princess's attendant and enter the academy."
I hesitated, then asked the question that had always lingered in my mind.
"Sir… if I win, do you gain something from it too?"
For a brief moment, Tev froze.
Then he looked straight into my eyes.
Suddenly, an overwhelming pressure crushed down on me. My chest tightened. Breathing became difficult. My knees nearly buckled.
He realized it and withdrew it at once.
"I suppose it's better you learn now," he said calmly.
"What… what was that?" I asked, my voice trembling.
"Oh, that? It's called bloodlust. I won't explain how it works," he said with a smile.
I knew what bloodlust was.
Only someone who had slaughtered countless monsters—or people—could possess something so dense.
"Tyler, if you win—or even place third—it will benefit not only you, but me and my family as well. We're supporting you, so the Duke will support us in return. Our family will rise in rank," Sir Tev said.
So that was it.
They had sacrificed village children for their ambition. I had always sensed something wrong about him. I knew he despised my status as a commoner—he felt suffocated in my presence.
"You must win. I've made great sacrifices. And I know you will," he continued.
"Why do you say that?" I asked.
"Because I didn't just hear about your battles—I saw them. Your fight with the bear. The monkey. How you survived the tiger," he said.
I stiffened.
"You were there?"
"Oh, Tyler, I wasn't just there. I saw you kill Joren with your own hands. I watched the tiger slaughter those children," he said, smiling.
Terror gripped me.
"You let those children die. You could've stopped it! Are you even human?" I shouted.
"Now, Tyler… don't act like this. You're just like me. That's why I chose you over that girl," he said.
"I'm nothing like you! I killed Joren because he tried to kill me first. You're a psycho!" I said.
But he only laughed and said,
"Haha… even hearing your voice makes me want to crush your neck. Do what I say—or I don't know what might happen to the orphanage," he said casually.
My blood ran cold.
At the mention of the orphanage, I fell silent.
"Just obey me, Tyler. We'll both profit. Damn it… I'm starting to sound like my father," he muttered angrily.
I had seen his true face.
I wanted to punch him—to kill him—but I was powerless.
I felt that same sense of despair again—the same feeling I'd had when facing the bear and the tiger.
---
We arrived at the Duke's castle.
I followed Sir Tev in silence until he opened a large hall filled with beds. Many children were already there.
All eyes shifted toward us.
"This is where you'll live now, Tyler," he said.
He leaned close and whispered,
"Bring me results. And don't try anything funny—or a single letter will be enough to make my father visit the orphanage. I don't know what he'll do… he's far crazier than me. And you."
Then he left.
"I placed my luggage down and sat on an empty bed. I saw a boy in nice clothes approaching me."
"Hey, glasses boy! This is my spot. Move… Wait—those clothes? You're a commoner? Ha ha! Go sleep with them—where you belong," he laughed, pointing toward a small group of commoner boys.
The noble children burst into laughter.
I replied coldly, "Get lost. I'm not in the mood."
"Oh? Glasses boy, talking back? At least you're not like those who don't even have the guts to talk back to us," he mocked, glancing at the commoners.
"But that doesn't mean you can talk like that to a noble," he said. Then he swung a punch at me.
But.
It never reached.
The room froze. Everyone trembled in place, as if a heavy pressure had descended upon them. The boy who had been about to punch me collapsed to his knees, struggling to rise.
I slowly lifted my head.
"Dark Pressure."