After two days of recovery, I'm finally back to full strength. There are only three days left until my duel with Mark. I can't just sit around, anyway—I'm definitely not as lazy as Envi.
"Hey, I heard that! What do you think the system does inside you, huh? Of course, it's loafing around! HAHAHA," Envi protested, defending himself.
"Quit reading my thoughts whenever you want! Ever heard of privacy?" I snapped back, annoyed.
"Privacy? Is that so kind of food?" Envi replied, feigning ignorance.
"Ugh... Why do I even bother taking this idiot system seriously?" I muttered, realizing arguing with Envi was pointless.
Feeling restless, I decided to get moving. Instead of sword training, I'd go for a jog from the Blackmore estate all the way to the Braveheart Kingdom's capital. Maybe I'd clear my head and see so new sights.
Dressed in light clothes, I started jogging from the Blackmore mansion grounds. The estate was quiet this morning, with only a few of the staff—Rosan, Elan, Vivin, and Mai—busy tidying the garden.
Pacing myself, I kept my jog steady. I didn't want to tire myself out. The Blackmore estate was a considerable distance from the capital, set at the northernmost edge of Braveheart, close to the Great Arcanis Mountain—a boundary between the Eldaris and Celestian continents and even Doomspire. Legends say the mountain dates back to the age of the gods, with many secrets still hidden within. I wondered why the Blackmore family, out of all the kingdom's hero families, was so far out here. Were they pushed to the border intentionally?
One thing I'd learned recently was that the northern forest, where I encountered the Berserker Troll King, lies near the Great Arcanis Mountain. No wonder the monsters there were so strange. I was curious as to why Lyra, Freya, and their friends ended up in such a dangerous place. If I get the chance to see them again, I'll ask—and reintroduce myself properly.
...
An hour and fifteen kiloters later, I finally reached Braveheart. The city's grandeur amazed : so elegant, clean, and luxurious, with architecture reminiscent of dieval Europe.
I walked slowly, taking in the sights. People of all ages crowded the streets, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of peace. It made shiver to think of this place ravaged by war against the Demon King. Shaking the thought away, I continued, appreciating the city's beauty. As I strolled, I spotted two familiar figures in front of a blacksmith shop, deep in conversation.
"Hey, isn't that Lyra and Freya?" Envi piped up in my head.
"Yeah, that dark blue-haired girl and the one with red hair—it's definitely them," I confird. "I'll go say hi."
"Hold on, Nao! It's my turn. You promised a chance, rember?" Envi chid in eagerly.
"Fine, fine, just this once..."
In an instant, my consciousness was pulled back, allowing Envi to take control. As usual, he adopted a cool, aloof expression and sauntered over to the two girls.
"Hello, ladies. Is there anything a dashing gentleman like can assist you with?" Envi asked with a smirk, tapping them on the shoulder.
I nearly died of embarrassnt. I could already feel my positive image crumbling before them.
"Naoki-sama?! You've recovered?" Lyra exclaid in surprise.
"Ah, Naoki-dono! How lucky to et you again," Freya responded with a slight smile, perhaps already suspecting Envi's mischief.
"Yeah, I'm back to a hundred percent! Check out these muscles," Envi flexed his arm with pride.
"Haha! I didn't know Naoki-sama could be so funny!" Lyra laughed at Envi's antics.
"No need to worry about . I'm more concerned about you two. How have you been, my little angels?" Envi said, grinning in his usual flirty way.
"Oh, Naoki-dono, you're full of surprises!" Freya chuckled at his cringey comnt.
"Well... we're okay... even though it's been hard to forget..." Lyra's voice grew somber.
"No matter what, we've lost our friends. It's not sothing you get over easily... but you don't need to worry about us; we'll be fine." Freya's hands trembled slightly as she spoke, though she quickly masked it with a smile.
I couldn't help but feel for them. They must be traumatized. Who wouldn't be after seeing their friends brutally slaughtered right before their eyes?
"Co on, now—don't let yourselves get weighed down by sadness," Envi said with uncharacteristic sincerity. "Your friends would want you to keep going, wouldn't they?"
"You're right..." Lyra and Freya replied, looking a little more hopeful.
"By the way, what brings you here? Looking to get your weapons and armor fixed?" Envi asked, sounding surprisingly attentive.
"Yes, exactly. We're searching for a blacksmith who can repair our armor and also Freya's enchanted sword," Lyra explained.
"That's right, Naoki-dono," Freya added. "My sword cracked in the last battle. I need a skilled swordsmith who can handle enchanted weapons—those are hard to co by."
"Ah, I see... Enchanted swords are rare indeed. Hmm, I know a blacksmith who might be able to help. Follow !" Envi replied cheerfully.
He grabbed Lyra and Freya's hands, leading them to the blacksmith's shop without hesitation. The two girls looked taken aback, blushing slightly at his boldness.
"Curse you, Envi! Acting all touchy-feely like that—those girls are going to think you're so kind of perv! I worked so hard to build a good image!" I fud inwardly.
"Pipe down, will you? Just sit back and enjoy the show," Envi replied, unfazed.
...
They arrived at the blacksmith shop of Edwin the Miracle Hand. It was no surprise Envi chose him—Edwin was a master craftsman with unmatched skills in forging weapons and armor. He was like a hidden gem of the smithing world!
Envi explained to Edwin about Lyra and Freya's equipnt, describing the damaged armor and Freya's cracked sword.
"HOHO! A magic sword, eh? It's been so long since I've seen one!" Edwin exclaid, clearly thrilled by the rare item.
"Do you think you can fix it, Edwin-dono?" Freya asked, eyes brimming with hope.
"Of course! Leave it to , Edwin the Miracle Hand! I'll have it done by tomorrow," Edwin declared confidently.
"Wow, that's amazing! Thank you, Edwin-dono," Freya said, visibly relieved.
"Thank goodness, Freya." Lyra smiled, squeezing Freya's hand.
"Alright then, Edwin. We'll leave it to you. See you later," Envi said casually, patting the old dwarf on the shoulder. The cheeky system had no manners whatsoever.
"Aye, just leave it to , Lord Naoki! See you again soon!" Edwin replied, strangely pleased. The dwarf's mind was probably filled with nothing but swords and armor.
...
After leaving Edwin's, Envi invited Lyra and Freya to lunch at a small restaurant. They ordered their als and began eating, Envi digging in heartily without a care for appearances.
Once they finished, they took a mont to properly introduce themselves.
"Forgive us for not introducing ourselves properly before, Naoki-sama. I'm Lyra von Waterfall, a second-year student at Braveheart Knight Academy. Pleased to et you..." Lyra's dark-blue hair and eyes gave her a gentle, shy look, and she seed a bit clumsy at tis.
"And I'm Freya von Flastone, also a second-year at Braveheart Knight Academy. Pleased to et you, Naoki-dono," Freya said, bowing slightly. With her red ponytail, bright red eyes, and confident posture, she had a more tomboyish air but spoke with utmost respect.
"Good to et you both. I'm Naoki von Blackmore of the Blackmore family. And thank you for bringing back to the mansion when I was unconscious," Envi said with an unexpected touch of politeness, surprising .
"I actually have a few questions. What were you doing in the forest? And how did you manage to carry all the way back? What happened after that?" Envi pressed on, curious.
Freya nodded and began, "We were there on a mission to rank up from Knight Rank C to Rank B. But we didn't expect such a powerful monster to appear... We were really unlucky. But eting you was a stroke of luck too."
"When we were carrying you, we ran into so traveling rchants from the east. They offered to help us get you back ho," Lyra explained, adding more details.
"And when we finally arrived, the maids rushed to take you to your room to treat your injuries," Freya continued, her voice trembling slightly. "They offered us rest too, but we declined... we had to report to the royal knight guild and arrange to recover our fallen comrades' remains." She paused, a shadow of sadness and guilt in her expression.
"I see... Thank you both for helping . But be proud—we defeated that monster boss and avenged your friends. You both did great!" Envi said, sohow managing to sound encouraging for once.
Hearing that, Lyra and Freya smiled warmly, looking a little more at ease.
"Naoki-dono, is there anything we can do to repay you for saving our lives?" Freya asked, smiling.
"Yes, Naoki-sama, we'd like to show our gratitude," Lyra added.
"Wait, what? Is this real?! In that case, I'd like a ki—"
NO WAY! I forced myself back into control, yanking Envi's consciousness away. That perverted system almost asked them for a kiss!
I could practically hear Envi whining and sulking in the back of my mind. "I-I an, as long as you're both safe and well, that's all the thanks I need," I said awkwardly.
"Oh, really? If that's what Naoki-sama wants..." Lyra blushed.
"Naoki-dono is so unpredictable. Sotis you're funny and impulsive... and other tis, you're just so... warm," Freya added, also turning slightly pink.
Their reactions made blush as well. After our goodbyes, I watched them walk away with smiles.
"Oh, and Naoki-sama, we'll definitely et again soon. See you later!" Lyra said with a wave and a smile.
"Just wait, Naoki-dono—you'll be in for a surprise," Freya added, grinning as she waved.
Smiling to myself, I began my walk back to the Blackmore mansion.
...
...
---Continued to the next Chapter---
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