"Jor, at your service, my lord," the elderly man spoke in a deep voice laced with respect. Despite his advanced age, his body remained firm, his back straight, and his skin smooth and unwrinkled. His silver hair was the only testament to the passage of time, reflecting his meticulous self-care. He bowed slightly, his demeanor reminiscent of Suleiman's composed nature.
"What an honor it is to have you join our village, to become part of Jor's world."
Jor smiled gently and responded in a calm voice filled with genuine gratitude, "It is all thanks to your generosity, my lord, for welcoming me and my disciples into your village."
He then gestured towards a man in his thirties, who appeared reserved, as if he rarely left his laboratory.
"M-my name is Mike, my lord..." the man stammered, struggling to piece his words together.
Suleiman then shifted his gaze to Jor's second disciple—a young woman of eighteen, possessing a slender figure, smooth skin, and long black hair that swayed with her every movement. Her dazzling eyes radiated boundless curiosity. When their eyes met, she showed no hint of shyness. Instead, she held his gaze with astonishing confidence.
"Hello, my lord! My name is Miki, and I am one of Jor's disciples. Mike is my brother, and I absolutely love eating fruits—I don't follow any diet. As for my type of man, well..."
Before she could finish, Jor moved swiftly, covering her mouth with his hand to silence her.
Suleiman's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise and awkwardness flashing across his face.
Jor let out a nervous chuckle and spoke in an apologetic tone, "Haha, please don't mind her, my lord… She's a bit too outspoken for her own good. But she's a genius—truly talented, especially in research related to plants, forests, and innovation." He let out a tired sigh, glaring at her with a mix of frustration and helplessness.
"No need to worry. She's just a young girl, after all," Suleiman replied with a gentle smile.
Miki shrugged nonchalantly and quipped with a playful grin, "Oh? You talk as if you're an old man—when you actually look about my age!"
Jor let out a weak laugh before turning to Suleiman and respectfully inquiring, "My lord, how may I be of service?"
"We need a list of things that can help the village. Take a tour around the village and prepare a prioritized list of necessities."
"As you command, my lord."
Jor bowed deeply before departing, dragging Miki along as she grumbled in protest, while Mike trailed behind them in silence, as if reluctantly dragging himself forward.
Before they could get far, a soldier rushed toward them, panting heavily as he struggled to catch his breath.
"My lord! We've discovered a village belonging to the Jackal Tribe, four kilometers east of the quarry!"
Suleiman raised an eyebrow in curiosity and asked in a calm yet serious tone, "Oh? How did you find it?"
Taking a moment to steady his breath, the soldier, Frank, explained with excitement, "After securing the loot from the Yellow Goblins, we began scouting the area around the quarry. While in hiding, we encountered a few reconnaissance soldiers from the Jackal Tribe. When our men engaged them, they managed to flee, but they could not escape our scouts. In their panic, they failed to take proper concealment measures, which led us straight to their village."
"Do you have detailed information about the village?"
"Not yet, my lord. I rushed back to report, while the rest of the scouts remained to monitor the area."
"Well done."
Suleiman regarded Frank with clear appreciation, convinced that he was a sharp-witted soldier deserving of further training.
"You will take 40 Spartan warriors and 30 Teba archers to the quarry, along with two new scouts to secure the area against any counterattack from the Jackal Tribe."
Frank straightened his posture and responded firmly, "As you command, my lord!" before swiftly departing to prepare the troops.
Suleiman then turned to Harry and ordered him to take some soldiers to explore the uncharted lands surrounding the village.
"Any other orders, my lord?"
Suleiman looked at him seriously and said, "You are not to leave just yet."
Harry bowed in acknowledgment before withdrawing silently.
At that moment, Suleiman felt a gaze fixed upon him. Turning his head, he found Athena standing nearby, patiently observing him since he had left his residence.
She raised an eyebrow and spoke in a warm tone, "Why don't I join you in training and skill refinement?"
A slight smile graced Suleiman's lips as he responded with confidence, "I am fortunate to have your company in my training."
And so, he immersed himself in rigorous exercises, practicing the skills he had gained from the Book of the Dead and Horemheb, while Athena watched him in silence.
Not far away, three figures observed him intently—Luna, accompanied by Martha and Lena.
Luna's cheeks turned a deeper shade of red as she touched her face shyly, murmuring, "What a strong and handsome man… I feel an inexplicable attraction to him!"
Martha and Lena exchanged uneasy glances. It was rare to see Luna, known for her composed nature, express such interest in a man—especially when even the young nobles from the Three Cities of Twilight Forest had failed to catch her eye.
As the sun began to set, Suleiman concluded his training, his body glistening with sweat. Removing his upper robe, he turned to Athena with a grateful nod.
"Thank you for training with me."
Athena smiled faintly, her eyes carrying a hint of playful sarcasm. "No need for thanks. It's good to move my body every now and then."
However, her gaze subtly shifted behind him, prompting Suleiman to turn as well—only to find Luna staring at him as if contemplating devouring him.
Suleiman narrowed his eyes slightly and asked, "What are you doing here?"
Luna blinked rapidly before speaking with a mix of embarrassment and stubbornness, "Nothing… I just came to tell you that dinner is ready, but when I didn't find you, I started searching."
Nodding slowly, Suleiman glanced at the sky, where the sun was vanishing beyond the horizon. "It's late. Let's return."
He began walking away, while Luna continued to fix her long, strange gaze upon him. Meanwhile, Lena remained frozen in place, and Martha seemed entirely lost in thought.
Athena, on the other hand, watched them all with an amused expression, as if witnessing an unfolding drama. For the first time, she felt a sense of freedom—having dedicated her entire life to Suleiman, not just as a commander, but as someone with unwavering loyalty to him.
---
~ Personal Panel ~
Name: Suleiman Al-Nimri
Age: 19
Level: Level 3
Reputation: Unknown (30 / 500)
Rank: Knight
Bloodline: Legendary ✩ (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)
Profession: Lord
Skills:
Pharaoh's Spear (Level 1)
Pharaoh's Sword (Level 1)
Pharaoh's Arrow (Level 1)
Seal of Ra (Level 3)
King's Thunderbolt (Level 1)
Majestic Gaze (MAX)
Suleiman glanced at his personal panel—no new updates. But he felt no disappointment. After all, Rome wasn't built in a day.
He hadn't walked far when he spotted a soldier standing nearby.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I am Lady Luna's escort, my lord."
"Hmm. She is with me now. Go and find Jor and his disciples, and have them join me for dinner."
"As you command, my lord." The soldier bowed before swiftly departing.