The next morning, the entire village was buzzing with excitement. Everyone in Kenji's house had woken up early, changing into clean, proper, and even their fanciest clothes.
Today was the Division Knight Tournament.
People from the mainland were heading to the island where the village was located to host the event. The island was called the Outskirts. There were no nobles here—only a single town near the port closest to the mainland.
The tournament was to be held at the center of the island. Kenji's family, along with most of the village, traveled there in cattle-drawn carts.
Ray, the village guardian, and Anna, the village chief, still took the fourth cart. The entire family fit comfortably, all dressed prim and proper—except Ro.
Ro wore a white dobok and was clearly unhappy.
He sat directly behind the driver on the left side, glaring at his parents across from him. Anna, Selena, and Ray sat on the right, while the kids were on his side.
"Oi, old man," Ro said irritably. "Why am I wearing this? I told you I wanted my normal clothes."
"This is more effective. Trust me," Ray replied with his usual calm smile.
"I feel naked."
"So you feel free?"
"I didn't say that."
"So you feel liberated?"
"Wanna go, old man?"
Ray turned to Anna. "You see, honey? A bad influence—teaching the kids to challenge me."
"I see," Anna said smoothly. "It must be that ridiculous mohawk."
"You see it too? I thought I was going senile."
"Oh, shall we ask Selena just in case?" Anna added with a thoughtful look.
"Yes, yes. A third opinion is important."
"I'M RIGHT HERE, YOU KNOW!!" Ro shouted.
The cart erupted in laughter.
The journey passed mostly with Ray and Ro squabbling. Every so often, Ro glanced at Kenji, who sat quietly beside Takahiro, his expression blank and eyes distant.
Ro remembered when he had returned home and dropped Kenji off. Kenji had already been awake. He had smiled and said he heard everything—and that it was just as he expected.
It was a resigned smile.
Ro had frozen, unable to respond, shame and helplessness rooting him in place. Kenji simply went back to sleep.
Ro spent the entire night thinking.
He decided he would work as hard as Kenji—no, harder—so he could live up to Kenji's expectations. This was his way of atoning for his ignorance, for rubbing salt into a wound his brother was already trying to heal.
Ro reached out and ruffled Kenji's hair with a smile.
The cart went silent.
Takahiro stopped mid-conversation with Yume. Everyone looked at Ro. Even Kenji turned to him with an expression that clearly asked:
Are you dumb?
From across him, a gentle voice spoke—warm, deceptive. A smile that did not reach the eyes. A strong, dark aura radiated in waves.
"Brother," Selena said softly, "that hair took me time to make neat. Do you care to explain why you messed it up?"
Ro froze, sweating, his hand still resting on Kenji's head.
Kenji looked up at him, remembering how painfully Selena had pulled his hair earlier.
"It was an honor knowing you, big bro."
Ro looked peaceful. "Ah, yes, Kenji. The pleasure was mine. Name your firstborn after me, would you?"
Kenji replied flatly, "Of course. I'll name my first chicken after you."
"Yes, do—" Ro nodded, then paused. "…Wait."
"Bastard, what did—"
Before he could finish, Selena grabbed him by the collar.
This marked Ro's second beating since returning home—and everyone was beginning to remember how frequent this used to be before his training.
Two hours later, they arrived.
The carts stopped before a massive arena, overwhelming in scale. To the children, it looked the size of a mountain.
It wasn't—but it might as well have been.
Ro leapt off the cart first.
"TOURNAMENT, HERE I COME! WATCH ME RAISE LOSERS!!!"