Leon made his way toward the inn without a care for the knight and noblewoman trailing behind him.
He had no interest in entertaining their curiosity and saw no reason to acknowledge them. The village was already bustling with activity, and he preferred to keep his focus on his own matters.
When he arrived at the inn, he saw Elena arranging the tableware left behind by customers. She moved with practiced efficiency, but Leon could tell she was tired.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward and began helping her.
"Leon, you don't have to—" Elena started, but Leon cut her off with a small smirk.
"It's fine. I have nothing else to do for any way," he said, stacking plates and wiping down the wooden tables.
Elena sighed but didn't refuse his help. As they worked, Leon took out the things he had bought earlier—the ink, parchment, and small accessories. He handed them to her.
"These are for you and Mira. I figured you could use them," he said.
Elena hesitated. "Leon, this is too much. I can't just accept all this—"
"Take it," Leon interrupted firmly, his voice leaving no room for argument. "Consider it thanks for the food and shelter."
Elena pursed her lips, but eventually, she gave in. "Fine… but don't make a habit of this," she said, though her eyes betrayed her gratitude.
After everything was cleaned and put away, Leon sat down at one of the tables, lost in thought.
'What should I do next?' He had already planned to get a new sword, but with the blacksmith's condition uncertain, he needed alternatives. He also had to find ways to strengthen his body. The Sutra Iron Body technique helped, but he was still far from his past strength.
Just as he was about to close his eyes for a moment of quiet reflection, the door suddenly swung open.
Leon looked up and saw two familiar figures stepping inside.
Lira, the knight, and Lilianne, the noblewoman.
Despite being left behind, they had still managed to track him down.
As they entered, their eyes scanned the interior. At first, they had thought it was just a simple village inn, but upon stepping inside, they saw how well-maintained it was. The wooden floors were spotless, the furniture polished, and the air carried the faint scent of freshly baked bread. Everything was arranged neatly, showing the care of its owner.
The two exchanged glances before walking toward Leon's table. Without hesitation, they sat down opposite him, their gazes fixed on him in silence.
Leon arched an eyebrow at their directness but said nothing.
A moment passed. Then another.
Their silent staring made Leon slightly uncomfortable. He had been through countless battles, survived life-and-death situations, and fought against warriors who could shake the heavens.
Yet, for some reason, being watched so intently by these two women annoyed him.
He was about to stand up and leave when Lira finally spoke.
"You… where are you from?"
Her voice was calm, but her sharp eyes studied him closely, looking for any sign of hesitation.
Leon leaned back slightly, resting his elbow on the table as he tilted his head.
'Where am I from?'
Murim? The Lancaster household? Or was he just a wandering soul thrown into a body that didn't belong to him?
Even now, he still wasn't sure how to define himself. This body was weak, a disgrace even in its own family. He had once been a warrior feared across Murim, but now…?
After a brief pause, he smirked playfully. "I don't know."
Lira's brow twitched.
She had been chasing this man, intrigued by his skill, yet all he could say was 'I don't know?'
Her frustration grew. She was already irritated by the way he had toyed with them earlier.
Before Lira could respond, Lilianne suddenly leaned forward, studying Leon's face carefully.
"Wait… Have I seen you before?" she muttered, eyes narrowing in thought.
Leon's smirk faded slightly as he observed her reaction.
'She recognizes me?'
It was possible. The previous owner of this body–before Leon's soul took over–must have had some connections. But where exactly had Lilianne seen him before?
Leon shrugged. "I wouldn't know. Have you?"
Lilianne furrowed her brows. "I can't quite place it… but your face feels familiar. Like I've seen you somewhere before, though I can't remember where or when."
Leon remained silent, watching her carefully.
Lira, still annoyed, crossed her arms. "Enough with the games. You're not from this village, that much is obvious. And your swordplay last night–it's not something any ordinary swordsman would have."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You seem quite interested in me, Knight Lira."
Lira clicked her tongue. "I'm interested in what you are."
Leon chuckled. "And what do you think I am?"
"I don't know, how would I know?," Lira stated without hesitation. "From the way you carry your sword, you look like a swordsman and, the way you moved last night... what do you call that? It's strange and I haven't seen anything like that before.
Leon just stared at her without answering, and after a moment Lilianne asked.
Lilianne rested her chin on her hand, eyes gleaming with curiosity. "So, Leon, what's your story? Why are you here in this village?"
Leon tapped his fingers on the wooden table. "Just passing through."
Lira sighed. "You really like giving vague answers, don't you?"
Leon smiled. "Would it be fun if I just told you everything?"
Lira narrowed her eyes, but before she could say anything else, Elena approached with a tray.
"Would you two ladies like something to eat or drink?" Elena asked politely.
Lilianne glanced at Lira before nodding. "Some tea would be nice."
Lira, still staring at Leon, muttered, "Same for me."
As Elena left to prepare their drinks, Leon stood up.
"Well, as much as I enjoy being interrogated, I have things to do," he said, stretching his arms.
Lira immediately stood up as well. "Hold on. We're not done."
Leon smirked. "Oh? I think we are."
With that, he casually walked past them toward the door.
Lilianne sighed, watching him go. "That guy is going to be a pain to deal with, isn't he?"
Lira clenched her jaw, watching Leon's back as he left.
She had been the one chasing him, but he had been in control the entire time.
That fact alone irritated her.
After Leon left, Lilianne and Lira remained at the inn, finishing their tea in silence. The noblewoman gently swirled the liquid in her cup, her thoughts drifting back to their strange encounter.
Lira, on the other hand, was still fuming. She hated vague answers, and Leon had given her nothing but that.
"He's hiding something," Lira muttered, setting down her empty cup with a little more force than necessary.
Lilianne sighed. "Of course he is. But the question is–what is he hiding?"
Lira stood up and stretched her arms. "Well, there's one way to find out. Let's check the recruitment records. If he joined the temporary enlistment, there should be at least some information about him."
Lilianne nodded. "That's right. Let's go."
The two women left the inn and made their way toward the camp. The military outpost on the outskirts of the village wasn't large, but it was well-organized. Tents were arranged in neat rows, and soldiers moved efficiently, preparing supplies and training recruits.
The recruitment was still ongoing, but they knew someone who could provide them with the information they needed.
As they approached the officer's tent, the two women exchanged a glance.
"Let's hope Velen isn't in a bad mood," Lilianne said.
Lira scoffed. "That man is always in a bad mood."
With that, they pushed aside the tent flap and entered.
Inside, they found Velen, the officer in charge of recruitment, sitting at a wooden table. Papers were scattered before him, and he was currently organizing them with a tired expression. The lantern beside him flickered, casting shadows across the tent's canvas walls.
He looked up as they entered and sighed. "What do you two want?"
Lira crossed her arms. "We need to check the recruitment records."
Velen raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"We're looking into someone," Lilianne explained. "We sent out a temporary recruitment message, and we're hoping he participated."
Velen let out a breath. " Looking for somone huh?" He shook his head but didn't argue. "Fine. But don't expect much. We've only managed to recruit a handful of people. The others are currently being equipped with armor and weapons."
He gestured toward the stacks of parchment. "Take a look for yourselves."
Lira and Lilianne didn't waste time. They stepped forward and began scanning the documents, flipping through the pages of names, ranks, and weapon preferences.
Minutes passed in silence.
Then—
"I found him," Lira murmured, pulling out a single sheet.
Lilianne leaned over to read it.
But as soon as she saw the details, her brows furrowed.
Name: Leon
Age: 21
Main Weapon: Sword
That was it.
No background, no past affiliations, no detailed skill assessment.
Nothing.
Lilianne glanced at Lira, who was also frowning. "This is it?"
Lira's grip on the parchment tightened. "This is impossible. Every recruit is required to provide at least some personal history. Where they're from, any combat experience, or at least some proof of identity."
Lilianne nodded. "Even mercenaries and wandering swordsmen have more recorded information than this. But this… it's as if he doesn't exist."
Velen, who had been watching their reaction, leaned back in his chair. "Something wrong?"
Lilianne handed him the paper. "This is all we could find on Leon."
Velen took the parchment, his eyes scanning the brief information. His brows twitched slightly before he set it down. "That's strange. We usually get more details than this."
Lira crossed her arms. "Who processed his recruitment?"
Velen thought for a moment before answering, "That would be Cal. He was in charge of reviewing the recruits' backgrounds and ensuring they met the minimum requirements."
"Where is he now?" Lilianne asked.
"He's out on duty," Velen replied. "He took some men to patrol the eastern road. He should be back by sundown."
Lira exhaled sharply through her nose. "We need to talk to him as soon as he returns."
Velen gave her an amused look. "Is there something wrong with this guy? Leon?"
Lira didn't answer, but her expression made it clear that she wasn't letting this go.
Lilianne, however, smiled slightly. "Lira's interested in him." she said while giving a slight laugh as if taunting Lira.
Velen chuckled. "Well, I'd be careful if I were you. Someone who hides their past usually has a reason for it. And most of the time, it's not a good one."
Lilianne tapped her fingers on the table, deep in thought. "That may be true… but something tells me Leon's story is different."
Lira scoffed. "Either way, we're going to find out who he is."
With that, they turned and exited the tent, the parchment still in Lira's grasp.
Leon didn't bother filling in his background information because, in truth, he didn't know what to write.
Was he supposed to say he came from Murim? That he was once a proud martial artist, a warrior feared and respected? Or should he acknowledge the identity of the body he now inhabited–the son of House Lancaster, a disgraced noble expelled by his own family?
Neither felt right.Neither felt like him.