'Let's go on a date!'

Although such a declaration was made, Ark thought he had missheard.

In no world did he ever think that he would get a date with a duke's daughter and the kingdom's rising star. It was the dream of all men his age.

"I'm sorry. Did I make you wait long?"

And it was reality.

Dressed in a fashionable white cardigan on top of a frilly ice-blue dress, Silvia's signature silver hair was well accentuated. The beauty Silvia was in casual clothes could make most man drool.

"No, I just got here."

(Yeah, I waited long. What the hell are you doing not coming on time? And you call yourself a noble? Tsk.)

But the beautiful sight couldn't erase the pettiness and spitefullness of our protaginst's heart. For the record, he'd only waited for 5 minutes.

"Your clothes suits you very well, Silvia."

"Is that so? Thanks."

(Oi, are you just receiving compliments without giving back? Did you grow up in a cave?!)

Incidently, Ark was only dresses in plain clothes not worth mentioning. To want a compliment of such boorish outfit is way too unjust.

At least he knew not to press the issue.

Although it was Ark's first date, he has some knowledge thanks to his mother teaching him the basics. She'd never thought the knowledge she taught her son would be used in such bad manners.

"Shall we go then?"

"Ah, let's go."

The two started walking around the capital.

Ark had little time to recover before the date. Abruptly suggested, he prefered to refuse as the current him wanted little to do with Silvia who, he blames, made the duke wish for his head.

If it wasn't for Elizabeth ordering him to go, he would have avoided this dream date that he only viewed as troublesome.

"It really surprised me when you suddenly suggested a date." Ark had known Silvia for only a short time.

In fact, if you exclude the time he dressed as Aria, it is correct to say Ark and Silvia barely met twice. They don'g really know each other.

But it was for that reason Silvia had suggested it. "Yes, I really want to know Ark better. I heard that dates help with that. O-of course, there is no other meaning...!"

"Heard?"

"Yes..."

"I see. I also wants to know Silvia better."

(If I ever catches the idiot that planted that idea...)

As they walked around and chatted, Ark had noticed that no one approached them. Silvia is very famous and pretty so he thought someone would have at least recognize her.

It seems she was wearing an item that blocks facial recognition. Unless talked to, there shouldn't be any trouble.

The sun positioned at the center of the sky when the two stopped to eat lunch.

"I can't believe you defeated a gluttony demon." As the topic came up, Silvia expressed her marvel and admiration.

Ark shruggs. "It was a team effort. I couldn't have done so alone."

(If they had listened to me, we'd not have entered that situation. Of course this great me is so amazing!)

"The Solitary Wolves, huh? I was surprised to discover the mystery behind that place."

"Yeah, it really is surprising. Nevertheless, I don't regret being there. The others are real strong. I may have gone there because of the sage, but it's the members of the Solitary Wolves that makes it such a wonderful place."

(Actually, take me out of there. It's filled with psychoes and stupid people, and they are all strong enough to kill me! That damned commander...!)

They are all nice people, and all are far smarted than this idiot. Especially the commander who had shown her grace by protecting Ark and taking him under her wings.

Seeing Ark happily talking about his comrades (shamlessly cursing them silently) made Silvia feel a tingle of envy. However, unaware of the identity of this feeling, she hurriedly suppresses it.

The date with Ark was suggested to know him better. 'Know thy enemy' was what she was told. Although it felt wrong to spy on the enemy in the eyes of the upright Silvia, she decided to go with it. Or more like, she was pushed to go.

But since she is already here, she might as well do something.

"Hey Ark, would you like to go adventuring with me?"

"Eh? Sure?"

(What's that? Well, I am injured so you do most of the work. Don't forget to split the money fairly, ahh!)

Sigh, such an upright and decent person is wasted on the trashy Ark.

Finishing their meal, the two now headed to the adventurer guild. Both were registered as members before becoming knights, and even after they are still considered members and could take on quests.

"How come Ark is only B rank? Surely your abilities are enough to get A or even S rank if you wanted."

Talking about their ranks, it was discovered that while Ark is only B rank, Silvia is A rank.

Ark is talentless, that much isn't worth mentioning, but adventuring is the perfect ground to utilize his cheating skills. He can prepare for as long as he wants and go over the limit to hunt any monster. These factors were the main reason Ark reached B rank which makes him an upper-class adventurer.

And surprisingly, Ark really could reach S rank had he tried hard enough. There was a reason he decided to stay with his current rank.

"I don't really care about ranks. I just wanted to train by fighting monsters and pack up experience. I don't need more."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

(No way I will get called to do shit for the guild. I live only for myself, not for useless bunch!)

Rather than humbleness, it was the great aversion from getting an 'Emergency Quest'. Those at A+ ranks could get to do dangerous quests without the choice to refuse. Ark wanted no one to control him, so he avoided ranking up.

Luckily for him, one must take a specific test to rank up, so he can do as many quests as he pleased without worrying about it.

By the way, as a duke's daughter, the guild had no authority to issue these quests for her. It made Ark internally click his tongue in spite.

"I see."

"Oh, we are here. Let me grab a quest for us and leave." Reaching the building that smelled of alcohol and looked like a tavern, Ark made a very thoughtful, gentlemanly...

(I just know she would choose something annoying. Money is the most important!)

No, just trying to flex his lowlife mindset.

"Nonsense, I was the one to suggest it. I will take us a suitable quest under my name." With indomitable persistance, Silvia enters the guild, leaving Ark outside.

"I-I am injured, you know!" However, his voice reached no one.

Too bad. The healing powers of Solitary Wolves who possess both a sage and a blood magic user is extraordinary. The damages from the ill compatibility synchronization were horrendous, so he is alive, but has yet to recover fully.

More specifically, Ark cannot use magic at full efficiency and his sword spirit's output is quartered. It was a huge burden for him, who is weak to begin with.

Accepting a quest in this condition is going to be risky. That is Ark's fault for trying to get Silvia do all the work for money.

"Why isn't she back yet?" Wondering of the situation as a few minutes have passed, Ark felt something with every cell in his body.

(I am about to get dragged into something absolutely troublesome and unnecessary.)

It was a premonition that soon came true.

"Ark! This girl needs our help!"

Curses swarmed Ark's mind like a flood. He scruitinized the girl brought by Silvia with a cold gaze.

She was young and small, perhaps no older than ten. Dressed in ruggs and a dirty torn robe, it was clear the girl was a slum resident with little to no money.

It could easily be a trap. Even if the girl really is what her clothes says, it could be she is desperate for money and working with criminals. Yes, one must maintain caution as it cannot be told...

(Why are you goddamn innocent!? Be a criminal, please! I don't wanna help you!)

But the intent-sensitive Ark could read her through and through. The girl is clear, and Ark is stuck with a troublesome, nonprofitable task.

"Hey there, little girl." Ark crouched down to meet the girl in the eye. "What's your name?"

"...It's Phia," The girl, Phia, said hesitantly. "Is mister adventurer going to help? I don't have money... but my sister..." She was distraught.

Ark smiled. "Of course we would help. I, no, we won't turn a blind eye. We are knights, after all."

"You don't need to fear, Phia." Silvia came in. "We will help you as much as we can. A knight's promise."

"A knight's promise....?"

"A promise made by a knight is unbreakable. We will honor our words with our pride as knight on the line." Ironically, such is said by Ark.

(It is, in actuality, a convenient tool to make your opponents think you'd do something foolish like fight fair just because you said so.)

Truly, a man without honor. He had full intentions of using sacred promises to deceive his enemies. What a schemer.

The words of Ark had planted admiration for knights in Phia's young heart. In her mind, the image of the greatest knights are the two people in front of her.

Regrettably, only one fit such image.

"So, you see..."

Phia told them of her situation.

Her older sister, Alma, is an adventurer. However, as she is of low rank, she makes too little money for the both of them. Now, it was still fine if it was just that, but the big sister recently injured her leg and is incapable of working. Unable to afford treatment, Phia desparately came looking for an adventurer with healing magic to heal her sister.

"I'm so sorry to have my sister trouble you." Reaching the sisters' house and discussing with the Alma, she apologized for the trouble.

Her leg was in a bad condition. The tendons were slightly damaged, causing Alma's expression to grimace with evey step she took. It wasn't in a condition to leave unattended, or she could lose her leg for life.

The two sincerely (fake from Ark) insisted to help saying they want to help. They manage to persuade her and started discusiing options.

"I can't use healing magic. What about Ark?"

"Depends on the severity, but I can't guarantee anything in my condition. It might be wrong to let me handle a delicate spell like healing magic."

(Aren't you rich? Just pay for the treatment and get it over with!)

Phia showed disappointment. "Can't you help my sister?"

"It's not like there aren't other alternatives. We could pay for your sister's treatment or..." However, Ark no longer listened.

The words of Silvia alarmed him. 'We', as if to say they will both shoulder the fee.

"Ahh, I forgot! I know some herbs with healing effects. If we combine a healing magic on top of it Alma should get better."

(Just leave my wallet alone! I will get serious so don't rob me of my money!)

Since he decided to get serious, Ark has ushered the girls to come with him to the Aracnum Forest to collect the herbs. It isn't a place to normally take an injured person and a small girl, but Silvia alone could protect the three of them without problems.

Even as a bunch of orcs stormed at them, Silvia swiftly fired her intermeidate wind magic to kill them all.

It was twice as fast and powerful from the first time they met, which clearly dictates her abnormal growth rate.

(Damn monster!)

Calling Silvia a monster, a great insult that would surely break the heart of the deceived girl, Ark felt his death nearing by the day.

"How come Ark isn't helping?" Phia curisouly asks with innocent eyes.

"I am slightly injured myself and can't use magic well, you see... Thunderbolt." An orc that hid behind was fried by Ark casting intermediate magic. "Pushing myself too much may cause permanent damage, though this much is fine."

"Wow! Big brother Ark is also amazing!"

"Instantly casting intermediate magic like that... you two aren't normal." Alma seems to understand the difficulty of this act.

Soon after waking up, Ark discovered that all the effort he put to control the fiery mana of Liliana caused him to grow in several aspects.

His mana control took a step further, allowing him to finally reach the stage of intermediate instantaneous cast. The magic veins expanded slightly, so now Ark can pour more magic at once, a concept he has yet to explore, which is a great bonus to him. Furthermore, even the magic power capacity took a step further. It isn't much considering he had already had 50~60 steps if you use this analogy, but it's something.

(If I were a masochist, I would have asked Liliana to do it again, but there must be alternatives.)

"Well then, we got all the herbs." Finishing the troublesome herb gathering, the group had settled near a river outside the forest.

The sun has started to set as the sky were tinted peaches and purple.

Ark concocted the ingredients into a potion, applied it to Alma's leg then started gathering water attribute mana from the lake.

Doing so for dozen minutes, Ark carefully purify the mana to further enhance the effectiveness of the spell. He didn't want to mess this up.

(Or else they would come to me for the compensation.)

Finally, Ark was ready. "Water heal."

Ushering the mana he collected to heal Alma's leg, he meticulously guide the mana to heal. Murmurs and sounds were heard but he ignored them skillfully. Ten minutes later, Alma's leg was in perfect condition.

"T-thank you very much! Both me and Phia are extremely grateful to you! Both of you!"

"I'm just glad we managed to help."

He wasn't.

He desperately wanted payment for his suffery.

Saying goodbye to the sisters, Ark and Silvia were left alone. Gentle breeze cooled down the heat of the day as night took over.

The two's date is nearly done.

◇◇◇◇

Walking to a luxurious mansion without the slightest discomfort, it was the culprit behind Ark and Silvia's date—the Sage Elizabeth.

Enjoying the situation between the two who had unclear relationship, she brazenly ushered to the troublesome date Ark is stuck at.

She is Ark's ride home, but she came earlier to finish some other business she had.

"Welcome, Lady Avalon." A blonde handsome nobleman greeted her. It was hard to believe he was a middle-age old man.

The nobleman had aura different from other nobles. His dignity was a cut above others and elegamce overflowed with his every step.

"Always a pleasure Duke Clarent."

Yes, it was Silvia's father and Arcadia's duke: Gabriel Clarent.

Normally, it'd be courtesy to have a small talk before heading to the main topic, but both Elizabeth and Gabriel had no patience for that.

"I had conducted a thorough background investigation on that brat Ark." Gabriel passes a small pile of documents. "15 years old. Had started as an adventurer in the capital four years ago. B rank. Has the qualifications for higher ranks but never took the test. He was involved in only few minor incidents but mostly stayed in the forest and hunt solo."

It was the record of a bizzare adventurer, but nothing spectacular. Climbing up the ranks so fast is impressive, though.

"What about before?"

None of the elaborated documents seemed to hold any informatiom from the time before Ark's coming to the capital.

"There is none."

"What?"

"Birth registration, imigration.... there is none. As if Ark suddenly came to exist in the capital." Gabriel' brows burrowed.

The information network of a duke had failed to gather data on a single individual; an impossible feat for normal people.

"This profile... you don't think?"

"It is a possibility." Gabriel's countenance was solemn.

Incidently, Ark's activities went unnoticed because of their lack of impact on human society. But now it's too late. The misunderstanding had already been planted.