Chapter 7

2. Running Away (2)

Jaiden was stroking the swallow's head with a joyful expression when Aiden, who had just finished his training, approached with a bright smile.

"Brother! Congratulations. You finally found it."

"Yeah, it seems like I found it, even if it was by chance."

Thanks to Aiden, the new divine beast ability he learned unexpectedly blossomed, completely changing the world he had seen until now.

Aiden then smiled mysteriously, as if he understood what Jaiden was feeling.

He looked at Jaiden with an expression that said, "I'm the senior in this field!"

"Hmm... I'm still not used to it."

"Of course, you wouldn't be."

Aiden nodded in response, but Jaiden clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction and stood up.

"Let's practice."

"Hey! Since you've made a contract with the divine beast, you should learn some tips from me."

"Ugh~."

At Aiden's words, Jaiden groaned and slumped back into his seat. Aiden then explained the information he had heard from the white lion and the sensations he had felt, with a satisfied smile.

Whenever Jaiden asked a question, Aiden would explain in more detail, almost as if scolding him.

"It's harder than I thought."

"Isn't it? But because the white lion has lived for a long time, I didn't have much to do. Brother, it will be difficult for you. Since the swallow is still young and doesn't know anything, you'll have to guide it step by step."

"That's true."

"Still, I think Brother will do better than me. I have to find a suitable body for this guy."

Aiden had to find a suitable body for the white lion, the king who had lost his physical form over the long years. Since having a physical form makes a divine beast much stronger, he would eventually have to hunt a lion-type monster to house the white lion within it.

"But do we have to keep the swallow like this?"

"No. Once it grows a bit, it will enter the pocket dimension you created. Of course, Brother will also need to grow."

"Is there such a thing?"

"It's because it's too weak and has no space at all, so you can't feel it."

"You... "

"The white lion. Haha... Hahaha..."

Frowning at Aiden's words, Jaiden pondered for a moment about how to scold this guy, then sighed and called his brother closer.

"You know, when you reach a certain age, you'll have to go through the Lion's Path."

"Ah... I heard it's a very dangerous training..."

"Right, it's a training where you have to spend several days in a forest full of fierce beasts and monsters. You might even die, but this damn family doesn't care about that."

Aiden nodded seriously at Jaiden's words.

The Leonhardt family believed that if their children died, it was because they were weak.

On the other hand, those who completed all the training were treated well.

Survival of the fittest.

There was no place in the continent that fit this description better.

"For the next few days, I plan to practice with you as if it were a real battle. That way, you can prepare for the Lion's Path."

"Uh..."

Aiden tilted his head slightly, looking a bit confused.

Jaiden seemed to be talking as if it didn't matter to him. In this strange atmosphere, Jaiden continued.

"There's also something you need to keep in mind."

"Please tell me."

"Research the flora of the Fierce Beast Forest. Find out how many monsters are distributed where, how to distinguish edible plants from inedible ones, and study the weaknesses of each monster."

"Is it that much?"

"It's that dangerous."

There's a huge difference between entering a place knowing it's dangerous and entering a place knowing exactly how dangerous it is.

These crazy guys drop you randomly into the Fierce Beast Forest, so even if you prepare properly, it's still dangerous.

"Isn't Brother the most dangerous? You're going first, right?"

"I don't plan to go through the Lion's Path."

"Uh... How so?"

"I plan to leave the family."

At Jaiden's honest answer to Aiden's question, the boy's eyes wavered.

It was inevitable that he would be troubled, as Jaiden, his only support, was leaving the family.

Jaiden then grabbed the boy's arms and explained calmly.

"You asked before, why do I only practice basic sword techniques?"

"...Yes."

"Because it suits me. You have talent for the Lion Sword Style."

"That's... "

"The best place for you to become stronger is here. But it's not the same for me."

Aiden looked at Jaiden with a confused expression.

"Then where will Brother go?"

"The military. Specifically, the Northern Training Camp."

"Isn't that... a dangerous place?"

Those who join the Northern Training Camp are all scheduled to be deployed on the front lines.

Moreover, if they're unlucky, they'll be deployed to the northeast, one of the top three most dangerous places in the entire continent.

In other words, if you're lucky, you'll be on the northern front lines, and if you're unlucky, you'll be in the northeast.

"Brother..."

Jaiden stroked Aiden's head, who was looking at him worriedly.

"You've already laid a good foundation. If you follow the white lion's teachings, your skills will improve quickly. You'll surpass me in no time."

"I don't think so."

Pouting, Aiden spoke, and Jaiden smiled.

"Then let's practice like a real battle, shall we?"

At Jaiden's evil smile, Aiden shuddered slightly.

A short while later, Aiden tasted hell for the first time in his life.

He fell and was hit countless times by Jaiden's relentless attacks, experiencing all sorts of unconventional sword strikes. But thanks to this, Aiden's skills improved rapidly.

Watching Aiden learn to counter unconventional attacks with the formal Lion Sword Style, Jaiden realized how terrifying the talent of a genius could be.

While Aiden had previously used only basic techniques, he now used unconventional sword paths that even knights used, and he showed an amazing talent for responding to some of them the moment he saw them.

"Monster."

"Brother, you shouldn't say that."

To Aiden, it was incredibly unfair to be beaten up like a dog and then be called a monster.

Seeing the boy's aggrieved expression, Jaiden chuckled and ruffled his hair.

"Don't go around getting beaten up."

"...I'll try my best."

Aiden, sensing that this was a farewell, said with a regretful expression.

"Will we see each other again?"

"Maybe in about 20 years?"

"Really?"

"Just kidding. I'll visit when I'm on leave."

Aiden nodded heavily at Jaiden's words.

Though he was upset that Jaiden was leaving him behind, Aiden was holding back his tears.

Jaiden, feeling proud of the boy, spent the day talking instead of training and returned to the mansion early.

He needed to prepare to leave.

That night, he made simple preparations and fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, he headed to his personal training ground.

"You're diligent."

"Brother."

Jaiden, who had come out early in the morning, was not wearing his usual training clothes.

"Are you leaving?"

"Yeah."

At Jaiden's answer, Aiden, who nodded with tears in his eyes, extended his hand for a farewell handshake.

Aiden held on to Jaiden's hand with both hands for a while.

"Come back safely."

"Sure, you take care too."

"...Yes."

Jaiden handed Aiden a letter.

"This is... "

"I left it in my room, but if you find it, tell them. It's a copy of my enlistment application."

Aiden, who had unfolded the letter, looked at it with a curious expression.

The enlistment application, filled with blood seals, legal clauses, and warnings, seemed to be warning him not to go.

"Strange, but it's true."

"Alright."

While looking at the strange enlistment application, Aiden nodded slightly and bid farewell again, urging Jaiden to come back safely.

Jaiden, who told the boy to take care again, turned and left.

Walking through the Leonhardt mansion for the first time in a long time, Jaiden felt a strange sentiment.

The grass was dewy, and the dimly lit mansion looked quite beautiful.

If he had taken a picture of such a scene in the real world, it would have been quite popular.

Leaving the beautiful scenery of the mansion behind, he walked straight to the main gate.

After spending most of his time training with the youngest in the personal training ground, this was the first time he was properly leaving the mansion.

"Who is it... Is it the eldest young master?"

"Yeah."

The knight, who had been on guard, bowed deeply upon seeing Jaiden, who was dressed differently from usual.

"Where are you going so early in the morning?"

"Just visiting a place... to see some weapons and look around."

"Is that so? Did you bring your identity badge?"

Jaiden showed the knight a small identity badge from his pocket, and the knight nodded slightly.

"Still, it's dangerous to go alone. You should have someone accompany you. Or you could go when it's brighter..."

"Blacksmiths are more focused in the morning, right?"

"That's... true. But it's still dangerous to go alone."

The knight called two soldiers.

"Let them escort you. They won't interfere with whatever you do."

Jaiden nodded lightly. Although they were called escorts, they were essentially monitors. Refusing them would only cause unnecessary misunderstandings.

Since the moment he entered the northern army enlistment office, it would be over, so it didn't matter if they followed him or not.

With Jaiden's permission, the gate opened, and they stepped out of the mansion.

"Tell me your destination, and I'll guide you there."

"Let's go to the street of artisans first."

"Yes, sir!"

The soldier answered firmly and walked slowly to match Jaiden's pace.

After arriving, Jaiden took a quick look around, then passed through the mercenary street and the merchant street, finally reaching his destination.

"We're here. You can go back now."

"Excuse me?"

Jaiden smiled broadly at the confused soldiers. They scratched their ears, wondering if they had heard correctly.

To confirm that their ears were not deceiving them, Jaiden repeated his words.

"I'm enlisting, so tell them that when you return. Thank you for escorting me this far."

"Uh... Young master?"

"Young master? If you go like this, what will we do...?"

Waving goodbye cheerfully, Jaiden entered the building alone, leaving the soldiers standing there, unsure of what to do.

They thought about whether this situation was real, why the eldest son of a duke was enlisting voluntarily, and why they were in this situation.

Eventually, they concluded that there was nothing they could do at the moment.

Deciding to report to their superiors as quickly as possible, they both hurried back to the mansion.

Watching their hurried departure from a window inside the building, Jaiden smiled and quickly took his place in the line of enlistment hopefuls.

The eldest son of a duke is running away to the military (7)