Inside the castle, Duke Augustine sat with his wife, Gracia, in a quiet room. Just then, a knock echoed from the door, followed by a voice outside:
"Master, Miss Maria has returned safely."
Augustine stood abruptly, his voice sharp with urgency:
"Has she returned to the castle?"
He stepped out with Gracia, where Rokan, the butler, awaited them.
Rokan, despite being over a hundred years old, looked no older than a man in his forties, thanks to his cultivation as a Great Knight. His black hair was neatly combed, his iconic black suit pristine, and his pale skin gave him an almost regal air. He stood with a respectful, low posture.
He bowed and replied,
"No, Master. The informants report that she has just entered the city. Moreover..."
Gracia leaned forward, concern etched on her face.
"Moreover what, Rokan?"
Rokan took a deep breath.
"Moreover, Miss Maria has brought a man with her."
Augustine’s eyes narrowed, while Gracia gasped softly.
"Has my daughter finally reached that age?" she murmured, half in surprise, half in delight.
Meanwhile, Aaron was sweating as he studied the map. Even the ordinary guards patrolling the streets were Level 2, which stunned him. The captains were even stronger, some at Level 4, and a few reaching Level 7 or 8.
What unsettled him more were the green dots with question marks trailing behind them. He couldn’t see their level and that meant a great threat to him at least. But since they represented Green Dot so he let go of his worries.
Soon, they reached the castle gates. Maria rode in confidently, greeting guards and maids with ease. Aaron followed, his face flushed with embarrassment as several maids giggled and whispered, clearly amused by the unfamiliar young man trailing behind their lady.
In the grand hall, Duke Augustine and his wife, Gracia, stood waiting, their eyes fixed on the entrance.
Soon, they spotted a familiar figure, Maria, dressed in unfamiliar clothes. Augustine frowned at first, but his expression quickly softened. He stepped forward, opened his arms, and embraced her tightly.
"Maria, where have you run off to this time?" he asked, his voice a mix of relief and frustration.
"Why can’t my guards ever find you?"
Maria clung to him and began to sob.
"Father... this time I only wanted to play. But I was almost kidnapped by bandits."
Augustine froze, stunned. Then his face darkened, and his aura began to leak with fury. The pressure in the room shifted, but he took a deep breath and suppressed it.
His voice dropped into a dangerous calm.
"Who dares to kidnap my daughter?"
Maria wiped her tears and replied softly,
"I don’t know exactly. But someone mentioned the Spider Bandits. If not for Aaron, the wandering knight I met in the Dark Forest, I might have been taken."
Gracia turned toward the young man standing quietly nearby. She walked up to him, gently took his hand, and said with heartfelt sincerity,
"Aaron, thank you for saving my daughter. If not for you... I don’t know what we would’ve done."
Aaron quickly shook his head, modest and composed.
"It’s nothing. Anyone would’ve done the same."
Maria, standing beside her father, spoke up with quiet resolve,
"Father, I promised Knight Aaron that if he escorted me safely to Raven Shore, I would reward him generously."
Augustine’s eyes narrowed. He remained silent for a few seconds before finally saying,
"Rokan, bring 300 gold coins and give them to Aaron." Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs NovєlFіre.net
Without another word, he turned and left the room with Gracia and Maria.
Aaron, watching from the gate, felt a flicker of disappointment. So territory isn’t given so easily, he thought. Still, he waited patiently for the reward, his expression calm.
Meanwhile, as they walked down the corridor, Maria couldn’t help but speak again,
"Father... is my life worth only 300 gold coins?"
Augustine’s gaze darkened.
"Maria, what do you want to reward him with?"
She hesitated, then said,
"At least a title or a deed. He’s a wandering knight, it would mean more to him than gold."
Augustine shook his head.
"Maria, my dear, you must never grant land to outsiders, especially wandering knights. They are unpredictable and can become hidden threats under your rule."
Maria lowered her eyes and nodded.
"Okay, I understand, Father."
She turned to Gracia and said softly,
"Mom, I’m going to rest."
With that, she walked away. Gracia watched her go, then turned to Augustine with a sharp look.
"So my daughter’s life isn’t even worth a piece of land?"
Without waiting for a reply, she followed Maria.
Augustine stood in silence, unmoved. But then his eyes narrowed, and he muttered to himself,
"Spider Bandits... Hmph. I’ll send my troops to eradicate them."
Aaron looked at the pouch filled with gold coins, its weight heavy in his hands. He didn’t dare open it, the man before him radiated a dangerous aura that made his instincts scream caution.
So he simply bowed and said,
Without waiting another moment, he mounted his horse and rode away from the castle.
From the balcony above, Maria watched Aaron leave alone, his figure growing smaller with each passing second. She sighed softly.
Beside her, Gracia placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and said,
"Maria, you’re the daughter of a Duke. You know it’s impossible to marry someone of his status. Let go of that unrealistic thought."
Maria knew it deep down. She understood the divide between nobility and commoners. Yet, the feelings she had developed weren’t so easily dismissed.
She shook her head and replied in a calm, composed voice,
Aaron wandered through the city streets, letting his thoughts drift as he took in the sights. Without realizing it, he found himself standing in front of the Traveller’s Inn, a modest but well-kept establishment tucked between a bakery and a smithy.
Seeing it, he decided to book a room and rest for the day. His plans for the future could wait.
The cost was one silver coin per day, and it was surprisingly generous for the price. It included three meals, with fresh water, and even care for his horse, which was fed and sheltered in the stable.