As Albert's mind wandered, he couldn't help but be captivated by the alluring figure and silver hair of the person he was thinking about.
His thoughts grew heated as he imagined what he would do with that graceful body.
However, he quickly reminded himself that the event he was anticipating wouldn't take place until his second year at the Academy.
He still had plenty of time to prepare.
Lost in his thoughts, Albert was interrupted when Captain Gareth stepped forward, bowed, and greeted him.
The captain assured the young master that he would guarantee his safety throughout the journey.
Unaccustomed to such formal treatment, Albert simply expressed his gratitude for having someone of Gareth's strength by his side.
His father then introduced the next two members of the escort... two men in their mid-twenties named Lance and Luke.
Both had recently become Knights and were considered promising talents.
Lance had blonde hair and green eyes, while Luke had dark red hair and brown eyes.
Both stood around 180 cm tall.
Lance greeted Albert with a friendly smile and kind words, while Luke remained stoic and offered only a silent bow.
Looking at the two of them, Albert's expression turned strange.
because both men were extremely handsome.
He glanced at his father, and a terrifying thought suddenly crossed his mind.
'No way… is he swaying that way? Come to think of it, I still haven't seen my mother. Could it be…?'
If his father knew what kind of thoughts were running through his son's head, he might have died of anger on the spot.
Albert snapped out of his weird speculation and finally looked toward the last member of the group.
Noticing his son's gaze, his father introduced her.
"This is Gwen. She is an Apprentice Knight. Even though she may look like this, she is a very capable child."
His father let out a quiet sigh.
Count Spina wasn't particularly happy about sending Gwen along, but he couldn't afford to assign weak, purely decorative women to protect his son.
Gwen had long blonde hair tied in a ponytail and green eyes that resembled Lance's.
She appeared to be around nineteen years old and possessed a toned, fit physique expected of an Apprentice Knight.
While she lacked bulky muscles, her body clearly showed the results of consistent training.
She stood at approximately 170 cm.
"Hmm? What do you mean by that?" Albert asked, catching something odd in his father's words.
His father answered with a completely straight face, as if discussing something completely ordinary.
"You recently began showing symptoms of being a Gifter, correct? I'm sure it will be difficult to suppress that rising lust during a long journey. However, no matter what, I cannot send useless, weak pretty women to accompany you. You'll just have to make do with Gwen. Even though her looks aren't great… she is one of the most talented Apprentice Knights we have, and she is also willing to assist you in any way."
Albert's jaw dropped.
But then something suddenly clicked in his mind.
He remembered that the game's lore had briefly explained this.
One of the early signs that someone could become a Gifter was an unusually high sex drive after reaching a certain age, caused by significant changes in the body.
He had skipped over that part before and jumped straight to the more important details.
If it had only been that, he wouldn't have been so shocked.
What truly stunned him was the implication that Gwen would "assist" him… and that his father had called her not pretty.
'Are you blind or something?'
Gwen was easily one of the prettiest girls he had seen in either of his lives.
Blonde hair, a fitness-model body, and a naturally beautiful face... if this was what his father considered "not pretty," then Albert himself was probably a pig.
While Albert was still trying to process everything, Gwen knelt down and spoke.
"My brother and I have received the Count family's grace and kindness. I will repay that debt with everything I have. I hope the Young Master will not mind this unsightly one assisting you with your needs."
Albert's mind was currently in chaos as he tried to digest and organize all the new information.
One thing, however, was certain—
Somehow, this situation might actually work in his favor in this familiar yet unfamiliar world.