The Peasant's path to Vengeance

Path of a swordsman. That is the lane he will take if things go south.

Einar had already made up his mind. His eyes are filled with determination to get strong no matter what it takes. That was his goal, but not for fame but for vengeance.

Chris was stunned with Einar's statement; he never thought that he would hear these words from him. He felt an overwhelming pressure, but in a good way. The feeling was akin to being struck by a gentle and soothing breeze.

Chris was lost in his thoughts; he remembered they both used to play wooden swords along with the kids in the village. They act as knights and battle with each other, a children's play that was quite common everywhere. It's only natural for a kid to admire a knight.

But that admiration changed. One day a mage from the city of Grandel visited the village to recruit children who had talents in magic to become students of the Grandel Academy. The mage showcases his magic skills that amazed the villagers, and Einar was one of them.

But knights and mages are in a different league from swordsmen. Mages rely on their magic spells and vast mana pool, while knights use swords accompanied by their magic. However, swordsmen only rely on their sword skills and physical abilities.

Is he capable? Is Einar capable of learning how to wield a sword? He is eight years past his due date. It goes without saying that children half his age begin to train and deal with swords.

He can't get these questions out of his head. However, he didn't want to undermine his friend's objective by saying anything that went against it. He simply spoke in a positive tone after giving a small nod.

"Just go for it."

Einar smirked at Chris' remarks, knowing that Chris respects his decision.

As their convoy travels down the road for hours. The huge woodland that resembles an ocean horizon becomes visible. They were now getting close to the forest known as "Mirkwood," and this would be their final destination before they arrived in the city.

They say this forest holds mysterious events. Rumors circulated that the woodland was the dwelling place of the gods, while some asserted that it was the home of magic beasts. If you just look closely, these are all nothing but ruins, a relic from ancient civilization.

Debris and ruined structures are all over the place. Arboreta begin to sprout over time and eventually grow into these enormous trees, Transforming these ruins into the expansive woodland they are now.

"Halt...!" 

The squeaking sound of the wheels and the clopping sound of horses' footsteps cease. Their party stops at the side of the forest entrance where they can take a rest under these giant trees.

Mr. Silas disembarks from the wagon and checks on the horses. The road was blazing hot today. Walking on the open road with no trees to block the heat, the horse was obviously worn out.

Mr. Silas reaches for his pocket watch to check the time; it was 11:15 in the morning. Then he puts it back in his pocket and gathers them around after.

"Let's take a stop here; the horses need some rest; they are exhausted from the heat. We will resume our trip at 1:00 pm; before the sun sets, we are already out in the forest," Mr. Silas conveyed.

As soon as Bob heard this, he went ahead and unfixed the wagon and took the horses to a nearby wellspring so they could quench their thirst. Einar tagged along with an empty bucket and five empty wineskins to fill.

Just fifty meters from their resting point, Bob and Einar reached the set destination. The spring was not that hard to find; you just needed to follow the sound of the birds humming and the sound of monkeys that were hanging on the trees. They made a colony right at the wellspring.

Bob and Einar emerge from the bush that serves as the area's perimeter, accompanied by horses. Giant trees and boulders encircled the spring, creating a basin. A sublime scene unfolded right before them.

When Bob first saw this, he was stunned by its beauty, but Einar didn't get any reaction with the scenery; it's not that he dislikes it, but he has seen it so many times that it has become so natural for him. Bob frowned at Einar's nonchalant demeanor.

He thought. 'Is this really his first time seeing this place?"

Bob slowly opened his lips.

"You are hard to impress. You didn't even have a stunned expression on your face when I first saw this place; I was mesmerized by its beauty; I can't help but drop my jaw," Bob remarked.

"I am," Einar replied.

"....hmmm! If you say so." Bob muttered.

Bob assumes the bucket from Einar's grasp and fetches some water for the horses to quench their thirst.

Einar's eyes slowly gaze at Bob, remembering him as a man with a good heart.

Unlike Einar, who had freedom from the day he was born, Bob was the opposite; he was born a slave, and after Mr. Silas committed suicide. Einar became his new master and followed him around like a loyal dog.

Einar hated this fact; he despised the act of slavery, which was quite vast in the country. He freed Bob from this and let him live as a free man. But he never leaves Einar and just sticks around, helping manage the farmlands that Einar had inherited from Mr. Silas.

On the day of the genocide ordered by the prince, Bob was the last man that was killed in the village. He tried to protect the village and the farmland, but in the end he died in vain, just like the other villagers.

The sadness in Einar's was clearly visible while gazing at Bob; he never thanked him enough for the bravery he did that day.

Einar speaks in a warm voice.

"Aside from being a slave and working on the farm all day, is there anything else you would like to do? Is there a dream you'd like to live?"

Bob was caught speechless by Einar's words. It was the first time that someone asked such a question, though it was not the first time; somehow Mr. Silas had asked him once. But that was a long time. This time, the dream he had once slowly emerged in his mind.

Bob made eye contact with Einar and spoke with sincerity.

"Remember when we used to play as knights when we were kids? It was the only time I escaped from reality. I really wanted to become one of them, but since I am a slave, dreaming is not suited to a person like me. I'm shackled with the word slave till the day I die."

Einar turned his gaze to the spring in front of him.

"I will not be going back to the village after the market trading at Grandel City. I will be going on an adventure; you may come with me. I can't promise you to become a knight, but you can become as strong as them." Einar conveyed.

Bob's heart was filled with an overpowering sensation of joy. He could even hear the pounding in his chest getting louder. Even if he doesn't become a knight, going on an adventure is likely a knight thing too.

Bob turned and took his leave first with the horses, but in the midst of it he spoke. 

"I think about it, and by the way, you talk like an old man."

Einar just played his nonchalant expression.

Now that Bob has left the area. Einar proceeds with his real intention. He removes his clothes and takes a swim. His target is at the bottom of this spring; at the center of it, there was treasure buried at bottom.

Einar takes a deep breath and plunges into the middle of the spring. There was a small hidden compartment at the bottom of it where a small box was placed. Einar groped the surrounding stone scriptures, looking for the switch to open the compartment. 

After a few seconds of groping the stone scriptures, Einar located the switch and pressed it. Bobbles came out as the small door compartment opened; Einar immediately grabbed the box and quickly ascended to grasp some air.

Huff! Huff!

Einar slowly swam towards where his clothes were placed. At last, he got the treasure. He opened the box right away, and within was a ring—an artifact, to be precise.

One of the five rings that were created in ancient times is the "Ring of Life."

Einar found this ring when the war broke out; he used to deliver the farm products to support soldiers on the frontlines. He used to swim the spring every time he passed this forest, and by luck he was able to locate this ring.

But he never kept it; instead, he sold it to the empire's military division. At that time the empire was looking for and collecting artifacts with great abilities to be used in the war, and the ring was one of them. Anna was the one who had the opportunity to use the ring, which has the ability to regenerate and heal its wearer.

Einar smirked as he slowly scanned the ring. It will be an excellent item to have at his disposal. He only found the value of this ring when Anna and he met.

"Jackpot!" He muttered.