The sound of clashing wooden swords echoed faintly in the background as Alex and Cairo sparred with each other.
Their spar was pure swordsmanship, so Alex didn’t wield a shield. He wanted to learn as much as he could from his master on how to wield the sword properly.
Perhaps Cairo knew his disciple’s intention, so he didn’t hold back and attacked seriously.
The Catkin Swordsman had seen the young man’s explosive growth, and frankly, he was feeling a little pressure himself.
He remembered how weak Alex had been when he’d volunteered to teach him the ways of the sword.
However, after visiting the Clawford Tribe and experiencing the Etherion Domain, the young man’s sudden growth spurt made Cairo think that maybe his disciple was actually a genius.
Of course, he wasn’t aware that Alex had leveled up several times during the monster stampede because the Clawford Tribe had actually "carried" him, allowing him to gain massive experience points.
"You’ve improved a lot," Cairo said as he reached out to offer his hand to the young man, who was seated on the ground and panting for breath. "Well done, Alex."
"Thank you, Master," Alex replied as he took his Master’s hand and pulled himself off the ground.
"Your posture while swinging the sword is getting better," Cairo noted. "This will add more power to your strikes. Although you have grown a lot stronger since we first met, make sure to continue training the basics. A solid foundation will not fail you."
"I understand, Master."
"Good." The Catkin smiled. "Have you said proper goodbye to your friends?"
"Yes," Alex answered. "Actually, Elaine, Efa, and I will have dinner at the house of one of the receptionists of the Adventurer’s Guild that took good care of me when I was just starting out. Her name is Dahlia."
"Don’t cause trouble for them, okay?" Cairo reminded him. "It’s fine if you end up drinking with them, but drink moderately."
"Yes, Sir." Alex gave his master a military salute, making the latter chuckle.
"I still have things to do, so I’ll see you tomorrow," Cairo said before glancing at Dim Dim, who was resting on the side. "Dim Dim, make sure Alex doesn’t get into trouble, okay?
"Dim Dim!" Dim Dim also imitated the young man and gave Cairo a salute. Alex saw this and found the little one’s actions quite amusing.
He then glanced at the sun and understood he still had a few hours before noon.
Because of this, he decided to visit the Library and also bid goodbye to the librarian, who had allowed him to borrow books from the library.
Dim Dim, who had also developed a close relationship with the librarian, decided to give her a parting gift, which was four bamboo steamers filled to the brim with different dumplings.
The library had been mostly untouched during the battle and hadn’t suffered any damage like the rest of the town.
The librarian herself was a Rank 3 Sorceress and had joined the ranks of the defenders during the previous battle.
Although she had been wounded, her injuries were only minor and had already been healed by the Priests of the Church of the High Priestess.
"I am quite a lenient lady, so I will turn a blind eye on the two of you eating in the library," the librarian said before biting a custard bun that Dim Dim had given her. "However, not all librarians are as kind as I am.
"Make sure not to do this in the capital city, as well as in Frieden Academy. If I hear any of my acquaintances complaining about your bad behavior in their library, I’ll make sure to give you an earful."
Alex nodded seriously because a glance was enough for him to tell that although the cute librarian looked harmless, she had a feisty side to her too.
After leaving the library, the young man decided to take a stroll around the town.
He only had very few acquaintances that he really cared about, so he had no one else to say goodbye to.
On the other hand, Dim Dim was, as usual, popular with the kids.
When Alex appeared, the kids who were six years old and younger gathered around him, asking Dim Dim to play with them.
"Go and have fun with them," Alex said with a smile. "Make sure that you also tell your friends goodbye properly, okay?"
"Dim!" Dim Dim nodded and joined the kids in playing tag.
Alex left and continued to stroll around the town until he arrived at the town’s plaza, where the Monument of Heroes stood.
The names of the individuals who had died protecting the city were written in clear letters, honoring their sacrifice and bravery.
Those who had decided to evacuate the town were returning one by one.
Many of them volunteered to help with the repairs of the town, allowing it to slowly recover.
Only two days were left before Alex, Dim Dim, and Cairo left the Town of Thaloria.
Alex didn’t know when he would be able to return to the town because he was certain that he would have a busy life in Frieden Academy if he ever passed the enrollment test.
"I wonder what Charles is doing right now?" Alex muttered as he looked in the southeast direction, where Briarwood Village was located.
Truth be told, the young man was feeling anxious about meeting the unique NPC that he had played for nearly a year.
Alex knew many things about Charles.
His stubbornness, as well as his desire to reunite with his sisters and find a cure for his little Eris.
"Don’t worry." Alex raised his fist, pointing it to the southeast as if he was fist bumping Charles over a great distance. "I’ll make you meet your sisters and help you cure Eris. This, I promise to you."
Suddenly, he heard a notification sound inside his head, and a blue window appeared in front of him.
< You have unlocked a Hidden Quest! >
< Quest Name: The Oathkeeper’s First Oath >
— You could have turned away. You could have forgotten. Yet in a fleeting moment, you chose to defy the world’s silence and bind yourself to a promise unseen by most.
— Deep beneath the weave of fate, something ancient stirs. It is watching, weighing, waiting for the conclusion of your Oath.
— Fulfill your first Oath, and step onto a path veiled in mist and shadow, where loyalty carves deeper than any blade, and broken promises echo forever.
— Know this: the Oath remembers. Even if you forget. So, Oathkeeper, don’t make promises you can’t keep.
< Quest Objective: Help Charles Lambert reach the Capital City of Harmonia through the Dungeon of Beginnings. >
< Failure Penalty: You will become an Oathbreaker >
< Hidden Consequence: ??? >
Alex’s expression became solemn after he read the information about his First Oath as an Oathkeeper.
He didn’t expect that some hidden law or power within the world would respond to his promise.
’Maybe this is the effect of the Oathkeeper Job Class,’ Alex thought.
Although he had no intention of backing away from this challenge, this experience allowed him to know a little more about his profession.
Because of this, Alex made a mental note to not easily make promises in the future because his profession would bind him to his promise, regardless of how big or small this promise was.