It was a memory of a conversation with his older brother, Sopps, about Baron Kels.
"I’m going to work hard to become a Junior Knight’s Squire and get selected for Lord Baron Kels’s Elite Guard Team. If I’m lucky, I hope I can become as powerful as Baron Kels and be a true Knight."
As he said this, Sopps’s eyes were filled with heartfelt admiration and reverence.
"What is a true Knight?"
The Vili of back then had asked.
"True Knights represent great power. They possess a strength that ordinary people cannot control."
Sopps had spoken with immense gravity.
Because his previous self hadn’t been interested, the topic had come to an abrupt end.
As Vili recalled it now, he had a faint feeling that the power Sopps had mentioned—one that ordinary people couldn’t control—was perhaps some kind of Extraordinary Ability.
This was only a guess. For commoners, the world of the nobility was incomprehensible and unimaginable, and Vili had no way of learning more about it.
’Regardless of whether the mysterious power Sopps mentioned exists, given my current situation, raising my Constitution attribute points is the most sensible choice.’
Vili shifted his attention back to the Title Attribute Panel.
He controlled the Title Attribute Panel with his thoughts and began to allocate the remaining attribute points.
[Vili Ferren—Constitution: 1.0; Intelligence: 1.2; Remaining Attribute Points: 0]
In just an instant, all 0.2 of the remaining attribute points were added to Vili’s Constitution.
The moment the allocation was complete, Vili suddenly felt his body fill with power. He had the distinct sensation that his bones had grown sturdier, his muscles denser, and his vision more precise.
It was a refreshing pleasure that was hard to put into words.
Vili clenched his fists and threw a few punches in the darkness.
’That wasn’t an illusion. On top of that, my agility and strength have both improved.’
Vili was only thirteen, but he already possessed the physique of a sixteen-year-old.
Vili moved around the room a little more before forcing himself to calm down.
This was just the beginning. In the future, he would become even stronger through the Title Attribute Panel.
...
「Early morning.」
The poultry in the yard had already begun their morning calls.
Vili opened his drowsy eyes. He glanced out the window; the sky was just beginning to lighten.
He gently shook his still-groggy head, folded the old, thin quilt, and slowly walked out of the house.
"Hm?"
Just as he opened the door, Vili saw his father, Lake, and his mother, Shaven, standing at the courtyard gate, talking with a young man who was not yet twenty.
Vili recognized the young man. His name was Kuer, a childhood friend of his older brother, Sopps.
When his older brother was chosen to be one of Baron Kels’s guards and began working in town, Kuer had also gone to town to become a shop apprentice. The two had remained good friends.
Since Sopps’s job restrictions prevented him from coming home often, Kuer delivered his salary and any messages he had for the family. Kuer’s presence now likely meant that Sopps had once again asked him to deliver a message.
What Vili found strange, however, was that his parents weren’t smiling as they usually did when hearing news about his older brother. On the contrary, their faces were etched with worry, and they looked exceptionally grim.
Their exchange was brief, and after a moment, Kuer left.
Lake and Shaven were silent, seemingly lost in thought.
"Good morning, Father, Mother."
Vili was the first to speak.
Lake glanced at Vili and forced a smile. He gave a simple nod before heading into the house.
Shaven replied, her own smile strained, "Good morning, Vili."
"Mother, what news did Kuer bring about my brother?"
With Lake already inside, Vili asked Shaven directly.
Shaven hesitated for a moment before sighing softly. "Baron Kels is planning to hold a special assessment for Junior Knight’s Squires next month. Sopps wants to give it a try."
Vili frowned. "Isn’t that a good thing?"
Once Sopps passed the assessment for Junior Knight’s Squire, not only would his status improve, but his income would also increase significantly. It was a good thing for his brother, Sopps, and an even better thing for the entire family.
"That’s true..."
Shaven’s face was filled with worry. "But it’s not that easy to pass the assessment. Sopps says his experience and skills are sufficient to handle the tests, but his physical fitness isn’t up to standard yet. He needs to rely on some herbs and supplies to improve it."
Sopps was an incredibly responsible older brother. After becoming a member of Baron Kels’s Guard Team, he continued to train diligently while sending most of his income back home, meaning he rarely spent any resources on himself. This had led to his current predicament: an opportunity had arrived, but he was unable to seize it.
"But the herbs and supplies... they’re just too expensive..."
Shaven revealed the root of the problem.
Vili understood. ’So, it’s about money.’
"How much does he need, approximately?"
Vili inquired further.
"At least five Gold Rums."
Shaven heaved a long sigh, as if she held out no hope.
Five Gold Rums was the equivalent of fifty thousand Copper Rums. To save that much money while covering a family’s living expenses would take at least six or seven years.
The family simply couldn’t come up with five Gold Rums right now.
"What’s the most the family can give him right now?"
Vili wondered if he could use his Basic-level Gathering ability to relieve some of the pressure.
"The family can only provide two Gold Rums. That’s all we have."
Mrs. Shaven seemed unwilling to continue the topic. "Your father and I will figure something out. We’ll borrow money if we have to. You don’t need to worry. Go wake Vilia up. We’ll all have breakfast together in a bit."
Vili watched Mrs. Shaven walk back into the house, falling into deep thought.
This predicament was not entirely without a solution, but the risks involved were great.
The knowledge granted by his Basic-level Gatherer title included methods for finding and harvesting valuable plants. If he could just find some, selling them for five Gold Rums wouldn’t be impossible.
However, unlike Sweet Fruits, these valuable plants didn’t grow on the forest’s edge. They were usually found in its deepest reaches, a place teeming with wild beasts, venomous insects, and poisonous plants.
If he went in recklessly, it could very well cost him his life.