Chapter 13

　　Hermel City.

　　Located adjacent to the capital, Drakium, it was a tourist hub packed with so many sights and indulgences that it had earned the moniker “City of Pleasure.” Having arrived in such a place, the ideal plan would have been to take in the sights, shake off the fatigue of travel, and leisurely gather information about the temple. However…

　　“Captain, are you sure you’re okay?”

　　Cadel had been sick in bed for two whole days since arriving in Hermel. It was nothing more than simple muscle aches, but too embarrassed to admit the truth, he had brushed it off to Van as “side effects of excessive mana use.” He offered a sheepish smile to Van, who was studying his condition with a face full of worry.

　　“I told you, I’m all better. I’ve rested enough, so I’m fine.”

　　“What if you collapse again? Should I carry you?”

　　“I said I’m fine.”

　　Van’s concern didn’t fade easily, likely remembering how Cadel had failed to endure the agonizing journey and ultimately collapsed, his legs trembling like a newborn fawn. To reassure him, Cadel struggled to throw an arm over Van’s towering shoulders and spoke cheerfully.

　　“Enough worrying. Let’s hurry up and look around the city. It was so noisy outside the whole time I was resting that I got curious.”

　　“Was it too loud? That needs to be dealt with.”

　　Oblivious to Van’s gloomy muttering, Cadel stepped out of the inn.

　　As soon as he opened the door, a vibrant street revealed itself, incomparable to Vils Village. Stalls lining the edges of the road sold various foods, spices, and all sorts of trinkets. Behind them, pristine buildings stood in orderly rows, while the joyful chatter of tourists and residents filled the air.

　　As he browsed the market, Cadel marveled at the fact that instead of a stench, the street smelled of sweet fragrances. His eyes naturally widened when he spotted strange fruits he remembered as in-game items, or mysteriously colored gems he had never seen before.

　　I’d love to buy one of everything… but I have priorities right now.

　　It was a shame, but it couldn’t be helped. While progressing through his first quest, he had keenly felt the importance of nurturing his knights. If he recklessly bought useless junk, he might actually lose his precious knight this time around. Barely tearing his lingering gaze away, Cadel grabbed Van, who was looking around with an indifferent face, and pulled him along.

　　“Let’s go there first.”

　　Cadel headed straight for a blacksmith’s forge. The place was filled with suffocating heat and the dull, ringing clatter of iron striking iron.

　　As Cadel and Van entered, the blacksmith wiped the sweat from his forehead and stood up.

　　“I’d like to look at some weapons.”

　　“What kind are you looking for? Swords, axes, spears, we have them all. Just say the word.”

　　“I’m looking for a greatsword.”

　　“A greatsword! Must be for this customer here, eh?”

　　Cadel gave a light nod. Van, however, stepped back in a fluster, as if this was entirely unexpected.

　　“I-I’m fine, Captain. The one I’m using now is perfectly fine…”

　　Of course it was fine. Its durability was fine, after all.

　　But Van’s current weapon was D-Class—the lowest-tier weapon given by default to a starting member. To draw out his abilities to the fullest, he needed a better weapon capable of handling his strength.

　　Ignoring Van’s protests, Cadel meticulously scanned the weapons and picked out one of the most expensive and stylish greatswords. It was a silver blade with a handsome wolf’s head carved into the pommel. When Cadel handed it over, Van hesitated before accepting it.

　　“Captain…”

　　“Anyone would think I coated the blade in poison. Why the long face?”

　　“I haven’t done anything for you, Captain… I feel terrible just taking from you like this.”

　　At the sight of Van drooping like a puppy with its tail tucked between its legs, Cadel wore a dumbfounded expression. Hasn’t done anything for me? Is he being serious?

　　Van had sacrificed himself, even inflicting a near-fatal wound on his own body to save Cadel. He had ridden a horse for three whole days carrying a sickly Cadel, and after arriving in the city, he had cared for him devotedly, even spoon-feeding him.

　　But if Cadel comforted him by stating those facts, Van’s affinity would likely shoot up to an absurd degree again, so Cadel pretended not to hear and went to pick out armor. Van looked like he was about to cry at any moment, but the blacksmith stood him up to take his measurements, then dashed over to the display racks, claiming he had a perfectly fitting suit of armor left.

　　“Rather than something for me, it would be better to buy a grimoire or an artifact for you, Captain—”

　　“If I bought something like that, we’d be beggars right now. No more talk, just take it. When you get stronger, our mercenary group’s power grows, too.”

　　“…Thank you, Captain.”

　　Only after purchasing Van’s new armor did the two leave the forge. Walking with light steps, Cadel checked the grades of the equipment he had bought. Fortunately, the weapon was A-Class and the armor was B-Class. That information hadn’t popped up before the payment.

　　So I can only check an item’s grade after it’s equipped. I’ll need to develop an eye for this if I don’t want to get scammed.

　　After all, he couldn’t exactly go back and demand a refund right after paying. Feeling overwhelmed by the homework that seemed to pile up with each passing day, Cadel rubbed his flat stomach.

　　“Shall we go get some food now? What is Hermel City famous for?”

　　“Hmm, I’ve heard its desserts are famous. Since it’s a popular tourist city, wouldn’t there be plenty of good restaurants if we head toward the downtown area?”

　　“Alright, let’s head downtown, then.”

　　Having been unable to eat properly while he was sick, his stomach felt like it was glued to his spine. Just as Cadel, feeling his appetite surge, was about to step out toward the downtown area…

　　[A recruitable knight exists nearby.]

　　[Number of individuals: 1]

　　Huh? A recruitable knight?

　　Cadel’s head snapped around at the system window that had popped up out of nowhere. However, with so many people on the street, he couldn’t figure out who the knight was.

　　“What’s wrong, Captain?” Van asked, puzzled by Cadel suddenly looking around.

　　Instead of answering, Cadel grabbed his arm and began to scrutinize every single person passing by with glaring eyes.

　　The knights in ‘Hero of Knights’ had extraordinary appearances, regardless of their grade. Just looking at Van proved that. Such a striking young man would naturally stand out in a crowd, and Cadel was confident he could guess the knight’s name at a single glance.

　　It didn’t take long for Cadel to spot a tall man standing a full head taller than the rest of the massive crowd.

　　Even with a hood pulled over his head, he can’t hide that handsome silhouette. That guy is the new knight.

　　Curling the corners of his mouth into a sly smile, Cadel looked up at Van, who had stopped in confusion.

　　“I think I found a good spot. Let’s go.”

　　It would have been troublesome if the new knight candidate had entered an inn or headed down some back alley, but fortunately, he headed into a tavern named “Emily’s Hood.” Whether the food was good or not, it was obvious that most of the patrons filling the place were knights or mercenaries. Unless he was just a regular here, it seemed the new knight candidate also wanted to gather information about Hermel City.

　　Cadel deliberately claimed a seat close to him, pretending to be an ordinary customer, and smiled at Van. Van, however, did not look pleased.

　　“Since when did you become a drunkard, Captain? How long has it been since you recovered, and you’re already at a tavern? At times like this, you should eat something hearty and healthy.”

　　“It’s fine, it’s fine. You normally disinfect wounds with alcohol, right? The alcohol entering my body is the same. It’ll disinfect me.”

　　“That sounds exactly like a drunkard’s logic.”

　　Even Cadel thought it was a stretch, so he quickly shut his mouth. He handed the menu to Van, telling him to choose first, and leaned back against his chair. From there, he could see the face of the knight candidate sitting at the next table.

　　Crazy. His face is literally glowing.

　　The man was still wearing the hood, so his full features couldn’t be confirmed, but his handsomeness seemed to pierce right through the hood’s shadow. Cadel stealthily stole glances at him while running calculations in his head.

　　Right now, my knight order’s maximum cost limit is 10. Since Van is B-Class, the remaining cost should be 7. Until I raise my reputation and increase the cost limit, I’ll have to recruit while keeping the knights’ awakenings in mind…

　　The early-game cost limit was 10. The cost of a D-Class card was 1, C-Class was 2, B-Class was 3, A-Class was 4, and S-Class was 5. They were all measured by their current grade, meaning if he filled the 10-cost limit entirely with unawakened knights, not a single one would be able to awaken. Awakening would raise their grade, naturally increasing their cost as well.

　　For that reason, players usually started with one mid-tier knight, one high-tier knight, and one low-tier knight.

　　A base A-Class or D-Class would be appropriate. An S-Class would be great, but that’s too greedy, and if he’s C-Class, I’ll have to think about it.

　　Just in case, he tried to use [View Stats], but it failed. It seemed to be because the knight wasn’t affiliated with him, or because Cadel didn’t even know his name yet.

　　To check what kind of knight he is, I’ll have to get him to take off that annoying hood first.

　　Cadel’s eyes narrowed. He snatched the menu Van handed out after choosing what to order, and subtly leaned toward the next table.

　　“Excuse me.”

　　The man didn’t reply, but Cadel could feel the gaze hidden beneath the hood shift toward him. Offering the brightest, most harmless smile he could muster at the man’s handsome lower face, Cadel spoke.

　　“This is our first time at this tavern. Do you have any menu recommendations?”