Then suddenly— [Cynth]:"Someone nearby is in danger." Aki's expression changed. He activated Spatial Awareness. His vision expanded. And he saw it. A little girl. Two men approaching her. Aki disappeared. Flash Step activated as he appeared and disappeared from building to building.But as he appeared on the building next to them... Someone appeared. Damien.
In an instant, the two men were defeated. They didn't even have time to react.
Damien crouched down and comforted the girl. Then he looked upward. Straight toward Aki. [Damien calmly]:"I know you're there." Aki froze. [Damien]:"I can sense that you're a good person. Please take these two to the Night Hall." He smiled. [Damien]:"I'll help her find her mother." Then he vanished. Aki stared. [Aki thinking]:"He knew I was there..." Moments later, Soe arrived.
[Soe]:"What happened?" Aki looked at him. [Aki]:"The hero just saved her from these guys." Soe looked shocked.
[Soe laughed]:"He has a habit of appearing whenever someone needs help." The two looked at the unconscious criminals. Then they tied them up. Their next destination was the Knight Hall.
The Knight Hall stood like a fortress carved from the heart of the kingdom.
Unlike the elegant beauty of the Guild Hall or the sacred atmosphere of the Justia Church, this place carried a different feeling. It was not built to inspire admiration.
It was built to contain danger.
Its massive stone walls stretched high into the sky, decorated with the symbols of Justia's law. Large iron gates guarded the entrance while dozens of knights patrolled the area, their eyes constantly scanning their surroundings.
Aki stared upward, his eyes widening slightly.This was easily the largest building he had seen since arriving in this world. [Aki thinking]:"This place looks less like a prison and more like a castle." Before he could observe any further, two guards approached them. Their silver armor reflected the sunlight, and their hands rested near their weapons. [Knight]:"Stop. Explain yourselves. Why are these two people tied up?"
Soe stepped forward calmly.
[Soe explained]:"We found them attempting to kidnap a child during the hero's parade. The hero himself knocked them unconscious, and we were instructed to bring them here."
The knights exchanged surprised looks. [Knight]:"The hero was involved?" Aki nodded. [Aki explained]:"He appeared before I could even act. He dealt with them instantly." The knight looked impressed. [Knight]:"As expected of the hero." The guards took the criminals away, dragging them through the entrance of the Night Hall. Aki watched them disappear inside before turning back toward Soe.
[Aki curious]:"So this place handles criminals?"
[Soe nodded]:"Not just criminals. Anything that threatens the kingdom. Dangerous criminals, enemy spies, people who use forbidden magic... anything that can harm civilians."
They began walking away from the Night Hall, returning to the lively streets of Justia. The sounds of the celebration were still echoing through the city. People were laughing, children were running around with small flags, and merchants were taking advantage of the excitement by selling food and souvenirs.
Aki looked around. For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt like he was seeing the kingdom as more than just a game environment. It was a real place. Real people lived here and real people feared losing everything.
[Soe]:"There are three types of knights in this kingdom." Aki looked at him. [Soe nodded]:"The first are Kingdom Knights." He pointed toward a group of soldiers patrolling the street. [Soe explained]:"They are the normal protectors of the kingdom. They handle everyday problems, protect villages, guard important locations, and keep order." Aki observed their armor. It was simple silver armor compared to the more decorated knights he had seen.
[Soe continued]:"Then there are Holy Knights." His expression became more serious. [Soe]:"They are responsible for dealing with threats connected to the Dark Territory. Monsters, corrupted beings, and anything related to the Evil Gods." Aki raised an eyebrow. Aki:"So they are the strongest knights?" [Soe shook his head]:"Not exactly. Strength is important, but becoming a Holy Knight requires more than power. You need to master the Holy Arts."
Aki:"How strong do you have to be?"
[Soe answered]:"At least level 110." Aki stopped walking. [Aki surprised]:"Level 110?" That number was far beyond anything he had personally encountered. [Soe nodded]:"The current Holy Knight Captain is level 124." Aki looked thoughtful. [Aki thought]:"This world really does have monsters walking around."
[Soe continued]:"Finally, there are the Royal Knights." [Aki]:"They protect the royal family?" [Soe smiled]:"Exactly. They are the ones trusted with the lives of the king, queen, and other members of royalty."
The two continued walking through the city. Eventually, they reached another familiar face.
Standing a short distance away was Mia, holding a shopping basket filled with different items. Her black hair was tied behind her head as usual, and her purple eyes looked surprised seeing the two of them together. She quickly walked over.
[Mia smiling]:"I didn't expect to see the two of you here today. I didn't know you were close." Aki glanced at Soe. Soe immediately raised his hands defensively. [Soe]:"We're not that close. I just met up with Aki and saw he wasn't familiar with our kingdom, so I offered to give him a tour."
[Aki nodding]:"Yeah... that pretty much sums it up."
Mia looked between the two of them before smiling. [Mia]:"Well, I'm glad I met you two." Her expression became more serious. She placed the shopping basket down and slightly bowed her head. [Mia]:"I wanted to thank you again for saving me and my brother yesterday. I'm truly grateful to both of you." Aki immediately became uncomfortable. He wasn't used to someone showing him that much gratitude. Back in his old life, people barely noticed him. Now someone was genuinely thanking him for saving them. His cheeks became slightly red. [Aki slightly embarrassed]:"It's... not that big of a deal. I'm just glad I was able to help." Soe crossed his arms and smiled. [Soe]:"Yeah, it's fine. Lift your head up. You don't have to thank us every time you see us."
Mia slowly raised her head, and after seeing Aki's awkward expression, she giggled. Aki looked away. [Soe laughing]:"You're really not used to compliments, huh?" [Aki]:"Can you blame me?" That made both Mia and Soe laugh. For a moment, the three of them simply stood there enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. Then Soe's expression changed. He looked at the two of them with a confident smile.