That night, the wind blew colder than usual. The atmosphere around the campsite had suddenly grown quiet, broken only by the crackling of firewood in the middle of the grassland.
After the deadly encounter with the Demonic Beast that afternoon, the aspiring Knights’ cheerful spirits and confidence had been shattered to pieces. They had come to realize one terrifying truth: the path to knighthood was not merely a beautiful tale of honor, but a very real abyss of death.
Inside the main tent, Kael slowly regained consciousness. The moment his eyelids opened, the young man jolted upright, gasping for breath as his body trembled from a brief panic attack. However, Evan’s presence beside him, gently patting his shoulder with a reassuring calmness, gradually helped Kael regain control of his emotions.
"Get some rest. Your physical injuries will recover soon," Evan said gently, offering him a cup of warm water. "There’s nothing you need to worry about tonight."
Kael held the cup with trembling hands and lowered his head deeply. "Instructor... please forgive us. We... we nearly destroyed the entire team."
"We’ll talk about that tomorrow," Evan replied calmly. "Tonight, just give your mind some rest."
The following morning, just as the rising sun began to wash the dew from the grassland, Evan gathered the seven village youths in front of the main tent.
Kael was already able to stand, though his face was still somewhat pale. Meanwhile, Marco stood at the very back of the line. His sturdy face was now covered in bruises from the previous day’s beating, his eyes were swollen, and his gaze remained fixed on the ground. Shame and guilt seemed to choke him whenever he looked at Kael.
Evan stepped forward and stood before them with his arms crossed. His gaze was stern, carrying no anger but exerting a profound pressure.
"Yesterday’s incident was clear proof that you’re not ready yet," Evan began, his voice cutting through the morning silence. "On a battlefield, the enemy won’t give you a second chance. One wrong move by a single person can cost an entire squad its life."
The village youths bowed their heads in unison. Not a single one dared to argue.
"I gathered you here today not to punish you," Evan continued. "I want to give you a choice."
"Becoming a Knight is a bloody path. You could die at any moment, and your families could lose you forever," Evan stated firmly. "That’s why I’m offering you a safer alternative. If any of you feel that this path is too difficult or frightening, you’re free to withdraw today."
Evan pointed toward a stack of document scrolls on the table.
"I’m building a business network and an administrative system for our territory under the mansion’s authority. For those who choose to stop training as aspiring Knights, I’m offering positions as ordinary territorial guards or village logistics supervisors. These jobs are much safer, have regular working hours, and, most importantly... pay extremely well. The wages will be enough to give your families a comfortable life in this village without having to risk your lives fighting monsters."
The atmosphere immediately grew noisy with whispers. The offer was incredibly tempting to commoners who had spent their lives struggling with poverty.
"The choice is yours. Go ahead and make your decision," Evan concluded flatly.
One by one, they began to think carefully.
Two of the older youths, both in their twenties and responsible for supporting either wives or sick parents, exchanged glances. The terror of the previous day’s wild boar incident still lingered vividly in their minds. To them, the dream of becoming honorable Knights was no longer worth pursuing if the price was their lives, which could be lost at any moment.
The oldest among them stepped forward and bowed deeply before Evan.
"Instructor... please forgive us," he said in a trembling voice. "We... we admit that we’re afraid after seeing that monster yesterday. We have families who depend on us. If we die, there’ll be no one left to take care of them. We’ve decided... to accept your offer and become territorial guards."
Another young man in his twenties stepped forward and declared the same decision. They chose a safer and more secure path for the sake of their families’ well-being.
"Your decision is both wise and perfectly reasonable," Evan replied sincerely. "Working hard to protect your families is also a form of courage. Your duties will begin tomorrow under the village administrator’s supervision."
The three young men breathed sighs of relief and bowed deeply in gratitude before stepping back.
Now, only four young men remained among the aspiring Knights: Marco, Kael, Wren, and a shy, blond-haired young man named Leo.
Evan looked at the four remaining youths.
"What about the four of you? Why haven’t you taken those safer jobs?"
Wren, the young man with bangs who had helped Marco the previous day, stepped forward. His eyes burned with determination as he looked at Evan.
"Instructor! If all I wanted was to live safely and eat well, I would’ve never signed up for this training in the first place!" Wren shouted loudly. "Yesterday’s incident was terrifying, but it only fueled my determination! I want to become a true Knight who can protect my friends, not a coward who runs away at the sight of blood!"
Kael, though his body was still somewhat weak, nodded firmly beside Wren.
"I’m staying too, Instructor," Kael muttered, pushing aside the lingering trauma in his heart. "Yesterday... I nearly died because of my own weakness. I don’t want to be a burden anymore. I want to become strong so that one day, I can stand at the front and protect others."
Leo, the shy blond-haired youth, also slowly clenched his fist and nodded in agreement without hesitation.