== Transport Guild, Podgrad / Fitting Room (Afternoon) ==

The door slowly creaked open, revealing Servias. Her head peeked into the room, scanning the area before locking eyes with the children. She let out a sigh of relief before fully opening the door and stepping inside. In her hands was a stack of variously sized papers. As she walked in, she slowed, eyeing the marks carved into the floor before looking back at the children.

"Let's go to another room, children," she said, her voice calm yet firm. She turned to motion for them to follow. The children, led by Eric, obediently filed out. As Servias turned, she cast a lingering look at the markings on the floor, her face briefly contorting into a mix of pity and anger before resuming her kind smile. She guided the children out of the room, closing the door behind them with a thud.

"Follow me," Servias instructed as she led them back up the corridor from whence they came. They stopped four doors up on the left, and she entered a modest room. Inside was a single desk, a table at the back, a set of chairs stacked against the wall, a bookshelf, and another table.

"Grab those chairs and put them in front of the desk," Servias directed. The children did as they were told, arranging the chairs neatly in front of her desk before taking their seats.

== Transport Guild, Podgrad / Appraisal Room #5 (Afternoon) ==

Servias quickly moved to the desk at the back, putting down the papers and taking a seat. The children sat quietly, waiting for her to speak. After a few minutes, she stood and walked over to Geer.

"Lift up your shirt," she instructed, inspecting his stomach before moving on to the other children. When she finished with James, she looked bewildered.

"What did that gentleman do in that room?" she asked. The children exchanged glances before Eric spoke up, cutting off James before he could respond.

"He had us hold a piece of paper, then a crystal, and then a wand," Eric explained, watching Servias's reaction closely.

"Nothing else?" she asked, her tone questioning. The children shook their heads. Servias looked down for a moment, then returned to her seat.

She rummaged through the papers on her desk and held one up. "Did it look like this?" she asked, shaking the paper in front of her.

"Yes," James said, vividly recalling the white void where he had stared at the paper.

"It is exactly that," Eric confirmed.

Servias's expression darkened for a moment as she stared at the children. "Are you sure?" she pressed, putting the paper down. "If you are lying..."

"He is telling the truth," Saria interjected. Servias's gaze shifted to Saria, her face softening back to its calm demeanor. She hesitated before speaking again.

"Do you know what this is?" she asked, her eyes filled with sadness, her voice almost trembling.

"No," the children replied in unison, looking worried.

Servias looked at them for a moment before putting the paper down. She hesitated before pulling out five more sheets of paper from the stack. "I need you to sign this. Each of you, pick one and sign your name on it," she said, pushing the papers toward them. The children looked at each other uneasily before James spoke up.

"We don't know how," he admitted slowly, almost afraid of the reaction.

Servias froze, looking up at them. "You don't know how to do what?" she asked, her face showing she hoped for a different answer.

"To write our names," Ire said, looking down in disappointment. The others did the same.

Servias stood for a moment, holding up a piece of paper. "What does this say?" she asked James, the only one looking up at her.

"I... I... I don't know," James stuttered, fear evident in his voice.

Servias stood in stunned silence, her eyes filled with sadness. "I'm sorry," she said softly before collecting herself. "It's never too late to learn." She gave a half-smile. Moving to the door, she stepped outside and yelled something before re-entering and closing the door behind her.

Servias returned to her chair behind the desk. Several minutes later, the door opened, and several large Ursidae beastmen entered, bringing in desks just big enough for the students. Another set of beastmen put up a large stone on the wall before waving to the children and Servias and leaving the room. The children moved their chairs to each of the desks as Servias directed.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

"Everyone ready?" Servias asked, looking at the children seated before her.

"Yes," they replied.

Servias smiled and tapped the desk. "From now on, you will reply with 'Yes, Miss Victoria'," she instructed with an authoritative smile.

"Yes, Miss Victoria," the children responded in unison.

Servias nodded and began a lesson that the children never knew they needed.

== Transport Guild, Podgrad / Appraisal Room #5 (Twilight) ==

"Okay, take this, James," Servias said, handing him a folded piece of paper sealed with wax. "Make sure you show up at the Reception Hall at dawn." She smiled as she stood and walked to the door. The children, each holding a meat-stuffed bun, lined up behind her. Saria paused to smile at Servias before following the others out.

Servias watched the children leave, her face darkening as she looked down. She walked back to the desk with a sigh, seeing the various words and letters the children had attempted. The door creaked open behind her, and a small elderly Leporidae entered. His long, slender ears and body no taller than three feet.

"Sir," Servias greeted, falling to one knee as the man approached.

"Why did you request me?" the elderly Leporidae asked.

Servias held out the piece of paper. "Why do you hold a Slave Contract in front of me?" he asked, his brow furrowing.

"The children told me they were told to hold this," Servias explained. "They stood in a binding circle of acceptance and were told to touch the parchment."

The elderly man grew enraged. "What?" he exclaimed. "Wasn't that person requested by Bishop Kur?"

"Yes, Master Ohrye," Servias replied, keeping her head bowed.

Master Ohrye examined the paper. "Do they know what they touched?" he asked, stroking his beard.

"No," Servias replied quickly.

"Good. And what are their statuses?" Master Ohrye asked, walking past Servias.

"Eric is a Magiaesse. His power is great, but his mana pool is almost nothing. He has the title of Servant of the Hero, and his stats are impressive for an orphan with no training. He has a skill: Channel," Servias reported.

"What does that do?" Master Ohrye asked, jumping onto the desk and motioning for Servias to stand.

"It gives him the ability to channel energy," Servias explained, standing up.

"Is that all it does?" Master Ohrye asked, glancing sideways.

"I don't think so. I tried to appraise the skill further but couldn't," Servias admitted, disappointment in her voice.

Master Ohrye paused, looking astonished. "You couldn't?" he repeated.

"No," she confirmed.

Master Ohrye stood silently for a moment before looking down at the papers on the desk. "Next," he said, moving the papers with his legs.

"Geer is a Brawler. His potential is limitless, and his stats are exceptional. He has no skills but the same title as Eric," Servias continued. "Saria is an Elementumest with grand potential, the same title as Eric, and no skills. Ire is a Naturaesse with grand potential, the same title as Eric, and no skills."

"What about James?" Master Ohrye asked.

Servias looked at him before speaking. "He has Appraisal."

Master Ohrye stopped, blinking in disbelief. "Come again? He has Appraisal?"

"Yes. His potential is beyond imagination. His title is Hero, and his blessing is the Blessing of War. He has two skills: Warrior's Honor and Valhalla," Servias said.

Master Ohrye stood there, stunned. "Does he know he has Appraisal?" he asked.

"No, I don't think he does. He didn't know what he touched or what he stood on. He didn't know what the piece of paper I held said. I don't think he has ever used it before," Servias sighed.

Master Ohrye stood in silence before jumping off the desk. "They are coming back tomorrow, correct?" he asked.

"Yes," Servias replied.

"Keep me posted. I want updates at the end of each day. Let's make sure the Hero stays a Hero," Master Ohrye said solemnly, walking to the door.

"Yes, Master Ohrye. It shall be done," Servias said, bowing deeply. Master Ohrye nodded before exiting, disappearing into the darkened corridor.

== Church of Aerikesh, Podgrad / Dormitory (Dusk) ==

The children were let in by the clergy and rushed to the dormitory. Each child picked a bed in the long rectangular room, the priest setting a candle in the holder and lighting it. "Good night," the priest said, bowing deeply before leaving and closing the door. A sole candle illuminated the room, combined with the moonlight peering in from the east window.

"I can't believe I got to write my name," Ire said, her head buried in her pillow.

"It's only because your name is short," Eric laughed.

"I also wrote my name," Geer

protested.

"Yours is just as short," Eric quipped. Saria, James, and Ire burst into laughter as Eric and Geer quarreled. The children talked excitedly about the day and what tomorrow would bring.

"I can't believe we're getting the chance to read," James said, staring up at the ceiling. "I thought only nobility or merchants were allowed to learn to read."

"Aren't you nobility?" Geer asked.

"Of course he is. How else is he the Hero?" Saria said, getting comfortable in her bed.

"It's all thanks to James," Ire said, doing the same.

Eric stood, looking at James, then across the room at everyone. "Maybe we're dreaming. It sounds like a fairy tale we were told by the Original Director," he mused.

"You mean the one about the Demon Lord?" Saria asked.

"Yeah, where a Hero and his friends rose up to defeat the Demon Lord and his five Demon Generals," Eric recalled, his mind swirling with images of knights and mages battling endless armies.

"How did the story go again?" Ire asked. "Can you tell us the story, Eric?" Geer added.

Eric mumbled and stumbled before looking at James. "No, but James can."

James began the tale. "Two hundred years ago, the Heroes of the Elements, after a long battle with the Demon Lord's army, finally slew the last Demon General. The Demon Lord, enraged by his generals' defeat, lashed out across the land, meeting the Heroes in battle. After five days and six nights, the Demon Lord fell, the Hero of Fire sending him back to the Abyss with Hellfire, leaving nothing behind." James paused, closing his eyes. "I don't remember it all," he admitted.

But Ire, Geer, and Saria were already asleep, snoring lightly across the room. Eric turned to look at James for a moment before gazing at the ceiling and drifting into the slumber his body craved.