“Ah, mama’s back. And Kira bro too.”

Tim greeted Jessica and Kira who had just returned.

“Greta, thanks for looking after Tim,” Jessica said.

“No need for that. It’s not as if we’re strangers. I’ll be going now. Bye. You too, kiddo.”

“Yeah,” Viers said.

The woman named Greta was the aunt that served Viers’ food before. He thought she was an employee of the tavern but she and Jessica seemed close.

“Mama, I want to go to Hugh’s house to play.”

“Tim, you want to play knights again? Mama told you she doesn't like it,” Jessica frowned.

“Pleeeease?” Tim used puppy-dog eyes.

“...Fine,” Jessica sighed. “But come back before sundown, okay?”

“Yesss!” The kid then turned to Viers.

“Big bro Kira, it’s still long until I have to go. Teach me how to swing a sword.”

“Oh? Why do you ask?” Viers asked back.

“I want to be a knight! So when the monster comes like before, I can kill them!” Tim replied proudly with hands on his waist. “It’s better to be taught by a real knight but there’s no one who wants to teach me. You’re strong. I want to be strong like you.”

“Hoh? Mama isn't strong?”

“Hm? Why mama? Mama can't fight,” Tim replied after showing confusion about Viers’ question. “So, will you?”

Tim used his puppy-dog eyes on Viers this time. Jessica who was behind Tim silently gestured to Viers to refuse by shaking her head.

“...All right. I’ll give you a taste of what it means to be a knight.”

“YESSS! Woohoo!” Tim ran around in excitement.

“Kira…” Jessica gave him a look of slight irritation.

“Don't worry. It’s not what you think. It will be perfectly safe. Kid, stop running around and let’s begin immediately. To the lawn!” Viers pointed at the door.

“To the lawn!” Tim mirrored Viers’ pointing. “Knight Tim is coming~!”

At the lawn, the cool morning air failed to calm down the child’s enthusiasm.

“I’m not a knight but I know that a knight must be strong,” Viers crossed his arms as he spoke to Tim.

“That’s right!”

“A strong body is essential.”

“Right!”

“Let's begin the training. Do what I do. Huph.”

Viers opened his legs slightly apart and lowered his hips to a crouch before rising back up.

“...Eh?”

“What’s wrong? Come on!” Viers said strongly.

“R-right.”

“Wrong, the knees must be lower. The correct posture is important. Like this!”

Viers repeated the squat one more time.

“Like this?”

“Better. Let's keep going.”

Jessica watched Viers and Tim doing the squats from a hidden spot. After a few times, Tim started to go out of breath.

“T-this is getting harder.”

“Don't I know it.”

Tim’s pace started to slow down. Viers’ did not.

“Haah, haah… How… many… times… more?”

“Cause this is the beginner’s course. We’ll start easy, just one hundred.”

Tim twitched.

“I-is this lame training useful?”

“Of course. This is SOLDIER 1st class training. Keep doing this and you'll be swingin’ a whopping big buster sword in no time!”

“Khhhh!” Tim no longer had the luxury to talk.

“You’ve reached thirty. Take a break.”

“Bwuahh… haaaah… fuuuh…” Tim heaved his breath as sweat started to form. “You… make it look easy.”

“Fruits of training.” Viers kept doing the squats. “Had enough yet? You can quit anytime you want.”

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“Don't underestimate me!”

Tim pushed through until seventy squats before he quit. His excuse was because he had to go later. Still, Viers thought he would quit much sooner. He raised the kid’s evaluation in his mind.

Viers kept training. After the Zack Fair style squat, Viers did push-ups, sit-ups, and the like.

“Kira, my gratitude for humoring Tim,” Jessica appeared while Viers was taking a break. It was about time to open the tavern and she had been doing the prep work.

“It’s nothing. This is just regular training for me.”

Viers sweated a lot because he didn't use any Victa. The greater his base stat, how developed his muscles were, the better it would be when the Victa strengthening was in effect so physical training was not useless.

“You’re quite fit, able to do all that.”

“Even if I look like this, I’m an experienced traveler after all. The ability to run fast from strong monsters you can't beat is a must if you want to have long lives.”

“It’s better to not have to fight at all,” Jessica muttered in a small voice.

“...You seem to be hiding your fighting prowess from your son?”

“More or less.”

“He should have known better. Mommies are tough,” Viers praised.

Jessica sighed. “That kid wants to be a knight, but I don't want him to become a Pathseeker. I want him to live without ever having to wield a weapon or kill anyone.”

“Understable sentiment for a mother to have but that might be difficult in this day and age. He might not have a choice.”

“That is why I walk the Path of Power, to protect him. I’ll walk this thorny road to spare him from it.”

Viers saw her resolve in her eyes and spoke no further. There was a period of silence between them as the conversation topic died, until a person that stayed at the inn beside the tavern sought out Jessica. Viers excused himself to his room.

There, away from prying eyes, Viers was ingesting the gains that he got from the previous day. He was improving his Arte and fighting technique in the Grid in his mind and occasionally munching monster jerky.

It took time but all were necessary steps to properly get stronger.

Hm… I want to let my monster form eat too but I can't morph at this place. Too many people around.

With that in mind, in the early evening, Viers went out. With a glance, he saw Jessica busy tending the tavern. There were only three staff members including her. One was Greta and the other was the cook, Faulkner.

Viers wondered why Jessica bothered opening the tavern at all. The profit couldn't be that great and it took so much of her time. For a Level 3 Pathseeker, the earnings wouldn't be able to keep up with her needs.

Must be for a sentimental reason she did it then.

Wearing a hood, Viers blended with all the city folk on the streets. His destination was not far away.

“Sir, I would like to buy this house,” Viers said to Ferdinand.

“You’re the one with Jessica earlier.”

“Yep, but this transaction is my personal dealings.”

The reason Viers bought the house was that like back at Regidana, he wanted to have a base. However, he’d learned his lesson about not getting too attached to a place outside of his main base that boasted Level 5 repelling security, Dia’s Biome.

Still, the price was cheap and Viers was rich so he took the deal.

It went off without a hitch. Rather than profit, Ferdinand was more concerned about leaving this city.

House, get! The man seems nice, just an unlucky dude. As thanks for the house’s killer bargain, I’ll give him a present.

That night, when he was sleeping, Ferdinand got visited by his last son’s soul. He was but one among many that Viers gathered during the orcs and goblins attack a few days ago. Good thing he hadn't eaten that soul.

Viers couldn't reunite him with all of his family because he only had the soul of the last son.

The father and son had a moment that was more precious than anything in the world.

When Ferdinand woke up, he wondered if it was a dream and he imagined it.

But his eyes were no longer of a man’s giving up on life.

Ferdinand left the city the next day, leaving the house empty for the new owner.

But Viers didn't stay in his new establishment. He kept staying at Tifa look-alike’s house. He didn't tell her he bought a house either.

In the house’s compound, one of Dia’s Gate Plant was germinating. When it grew, it would become a fast travel point for Viers. He protected it with a barrier technique that he learned to protect his precious plants. The barrier sealed the plant’s aura from seeping out and protected it from harm if someone stumbled upon it anyway.

The barrier wasn't perfect but since the strongest person in this place was weaker than him, it was close to impregnable.

Things go smoothly when I’m the strongest guy around. Ahhh, what joy… I can get used to this.

When Viers returned after buying Ferdinand’s house, he was not hungry at all because of all the monster meat he’d eaten.

“Kira, welcome back. Want some dinner?” Jessica asked.

“No thanks. I’m not-”

Viers spied two people in the tavern. Mayor Anderson and Knight Leader Charles.

“-hungry but I’ll be having some drink.”

“Okay. Spirits? Beer?”

“Something cold and non alcoholic.”

“Got you,” Jessica went to the kitchen.

“What’s the matter young’n? Can't hold your liquor?” One of the tavern dwellers teased him. By how red his face was, he was drunk.

Viers ignored him and took a seat not too far from the pair. He didn’t care what some small fry thought about him. He sat and sharpened his ears.

“-ow much longer do I have to wait, Ander?”

“It’s difficult,” Anderson sighed. “Got word war is stirring at their border so the Blue Swords Knightly Order went back to their kingdom.”

“Tch… Damn civil war. Every royal spawn wants to sit on the fancy chair, and the small folks suffer,” Charles lifted his mug and drank from it. “The Gray Hawks don't have enough men to go to Carfax.”

“I understand your insistence. We need to ascertain the source of the attack. Those kinds of armies didn't just sprout from the ground, but the city’s in bad shape. I’ve got my hands full.”

“My condolences to the Mayor,” Charles grinned.

“Stop it,” Anderson took the jest in the spirit it was given. “I’ll put the word out. Bands of mercenaries might bolster our ranks.”

“Sellswords… Guess I’ll just have to bear with it. If it’s up to me, I’d launch the expedition yesterday,” Charles grumbled.

“Sawyer would have agreed,” Anderson let out a sad laugh.

The two looked at the seat on the table. It was as if it was reserved for someone.

“I should have been there,” Charles muttered.

“Don't. It wasn't anyone’s fault… He’s a good man but he left us too early, left his wife and son.”

“From Heavenly Blessing to Heaven Is Cruel… Who can blame Jessica for changing the name?” Anderson looked to the ceiling wistfully.

“Then it’s up to us to protect the city.”

“If not us, who?”

“Heh, that’s his favorite line.”

Anderson and Charles clanked their mugs together but they saw there was barely any drink left.

“Jessica, more beer!”

Jessica’s voice came from the kitchen. “Charles! Haven't you had enough? You drink more than a horse! Good grief…”