Daylan spent most of his time training with Medora. He gave her a glimpse of what his ability was, and based on that, their combat training gradually became more intense.
Though he wasn't as strong as Medora, he could hold his own. His reflexes, strikes, vision, and flexibility all improved steadily, sharpening with each session.
Daylan had gone to the prison with Zira to check on their mother, but the guards refused to let him in. He pleaded and even tried to negotiate with them, but they insisted they had direct orders from Enzo not to allow him inside.
It was early in the morning, the sun slowly rising from the East. Daylan was already prepared to leave when there was a knock on the door. Having already said his goodbyes to Zira and Medora, he knew it was the Chivalries.
As soon as he opened the door, a guard silently motioned for him to enter the carriage.
His grip tightened on his suitcase as he walked to the carriage and hopped in. The moment he entered, there he was—Lieutenant Bruce.
He smirked. "Long time no see, huh?"
The carriage began rolling.
"You don't seem that excited about becoming a Chivalry," Lieutenant Bruce said, eyeing him. "The kids I know would be yapping about their achievements to me by now."
Daylan stayed silent, his eyes fixed on Lieutenant Bruce's sarcastic expression, choosing not to rise to the bait.
He reached for a suitcase. "This will be your uniform from now on." He pulled out an elegant white suit, accented with a blue stripe along the left side, and handed it to Daylan.
"From now on, the Honor Monastery will be your home. You'll need permission to leave or visit your family. You'll be going on quests, but only as a trainee—for now, your job is to watch, learn, and adapt. You'll only be considered a true Chivalry once your ability reaches the advance level."
Daylan began dressing.
"I know you're eager to hear about your salary," he said. "You'll receive 200,000 silver coins a month. Gold coins are reserved for full Chivalries only. The rest of your instructions will come from your captain."
Daylan finally put on his uniform, carefully brushing it clean as he adjusted to the feel of the fabric.
This didn't seem like a good deal—200,000 silver coins for a trainee, and a single gold coin for a full Chivalry. That's an 800,000 silver coin difference… They really just want to use me, he thought.
Before long, they arrived at the monastery.
Before him was a medieval European monastery, featuring Romanesque-Gothic architecture with red-tiled roofs, fortified walls, towers, and organized buildings.
It was surrounded by fields, trees, and nearby houses, reflecting a self-sufficient, structured religious community.
"Don't tell me there's a church in there,"
Daylan muttered to himself, eyeing the looming structure ahead with a mix of dread and disbelief.
Lieutenant Bruce motioned for them to move. They made their way down the corridor, and Daylan's eyes darted around, scanning every detail of his surroundings with quiet curiosity.
Daylan was led into a vast hall, where Chivalries moved about—some engaged in quiet conversation, others seated and resting. As soon as they entered, Lieutenant Bruce called out for Enyo. Spotting Daylan standing idly by, Enyo strode forward confidently, a smirk playing on his lips.
Lieutenant Bruce gestured at Enyo. "Enyo will be—
A young woman suddenly stepped forward, her silver hair flickering as it brushed across her face. She looked far too young to be a Chivalry. Her large brown eyes locked onto Lieutenant Bruce's, and she spoke with a firm, unwavering voice. "I would like to take Daylan under my wing, Lieutenant Bruce." Her expression was cold and unreadable.
Their expressions darkened. "But Lady Astara… he's a novice. Training him would be only a burden for you," Lieutenant Bruce said, his face marked with concern.
"I think that's supposed to be my concern," Astara replied firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Enyo stood by, his fists clenched, his face contorted with frustration as emotions flickered across his expression.
Lieutenant Bruce shook his head, smirking. "If you say so, Lady Astara."
Daylan stood motionless, his hands resting in his pocket, confused.
"Daylan, Lady Astara here will be your captain until you officially become a Chivalry. Failure to obey her commands will result in fatal punishment…" Lieutenant Bruce said sternly. Then he turned to her. "Now, Lady Astara, you may do with him as you please."
Lieutenant Bruce turned and walked away, and so did Enyo, frustrated.
Astara walked past Daylan, making her way to the corridor. Without a word, Daylan followed suit. She walked on without saying a word, her pace quickening with each step, leaving Daylan to follow in silence.
What's going on? She has authority, though. What does she want to do with me?
After a few steps, Astara twisted a door open. The door led to an arcane library with a towering, circular design. It was a multi-leveled structure featuring curved bookshelves reaching up to a domed ceiling, filled with ancient books.
The black-and-white checkered floor and the quiet, sacred atmosphere evoke a sense of mystery, intellect, and hidden knowledge.
Wow… this feels like home. He smirked.
Just as his eyes wandered, taking in the beauty around him, Astara snapped her fingers, pulling him out of his thoughts. She then motioned for him to close the door.
As soon as the door was closed, Astara let out a sigh. "You should help me out a little, you know I hate the royal life."
Okay? How did Daylan get to know a royal, though?—he thought, staring at her with a confused expression.
"Why do you look so confused? Have you forgotten about me already?"
Daylan nodded nervously.
"What? It's only been two months!" She reached for her forehead.
Daylan knew better than to fumble an alliance with a royal. He folded his arms across his chest, his fingers brushing his chin as he pretended to be deep in thought.
"Forgive me, Lady Astara. I lost most of my memories a while ago. I'm sorry for not having a proper reunion with you." Daylan bowed his head.
"What? Day? Bowing to me?" She burst into laughter, her voice echoing through the towering walls.
Daylan smirked.
"If that's the case, then let me introduce myself properly. I'm Astara Quincy. We met a year or two ago when I saved you from being beaten to a pulp by Mr. Enzo's guards. We've been somewhat close since then, though I wouldn't exactly call us friends—we only ever crossed paths when you were in trouble."
That information was enough for Daylan—he didn't feel the need to press for more details. At that moment, all he wanted was to rest his mind and figure out a better way to balance his daily tasks while still finding a way to earn twenty-two gold coins.
He strolled along the shelves, hands tucked behind his back, searching for a book to read—something to ease his mind and offer a brief escape.
"You want a book to read? I thought you never had any studies."
"I began taking a few lessons a while ago." His expression was masked with an awkward smile.
Astara climbed a ladder, reached for a reddish book, and tossed it to him. "It's a book for intermediates," she said plainly.
This girl doesn't respect me. Does she know how many books I've read?
Daylan didn't want to seem rude, so he took the book, sat on a nearby seat, and began reading it.
As soon as he stared into the book, something stirred in his mind. His eyes widened in confusion as he stared at the letters.
If Daylan doesn't know how to read or write, then how did he write the letter? And why did he tell everyone he was killing himself?
How Daylan died and what exactly pushed him to the point of taking his own life remained a mystery to him. The fact that he couldn't read or write complicated things was puzzling. Was it truly suicide, or was there something more to it? And why had he been reincarnated as Daylan in the first place? The questions lingered, unanswered, gnawing at his mind.
Daylan stared at the book, his eyes flickering and his mind deep in thoughts.
Since his arrival, Daylan had unconsciously started viewing everything from a writer's perspective—analyzing situations as if he were the one writing them. This helped him distance himself emotionally, preventing him from taking things too personally, especially the love from his mother, and his sister. But now, as he realized there might be more to Daylan's death and his reincarnation, a sense of fear crept over him. What if this wasn't just a simple story? What if he wasn't the one in control?
Just as he sat there, trembling and lost in his thoughts, Astara shook him, snapping him out of his daze.
"What's wrong, Daylan?"
His mind went blank, his vacant eyes locked directly onto Astara's—he couldn't fully comprehend what was happening.