On the way home, Leo purchased a box of sweets. When he returned and opened the door, he was greeted by the sight of his mother and Rosie waiting eagerly for him. He raised the box with a grin.

"I'm going to be a paladin."

Lisa and Rosie rushed toward him, wrapping him in a tight embrace.

"Congratulations, sweetie. No one deserves this more than you," his mother said, her voice thick with emotion as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Thank you," Leo replied softly, his heart full.

His smile wasn't just for the achievement itself but for the journey it had taken—a long road filled with countless interviews and challenges. After a small but joyous celebration with his family, he had dinner and headed to his room.

Later, lying on his bed, Leo stared up at the ceiling, his thoughts swirling.

'Who was she? What is her rank? And what does she want from me? Why me? Does she know I've been reincarnated here? If even the Captain can't do anything, how am I supposed to? I need to get stronger—fast.'

Eventually, he drifted off to sleep, his mind still occupied by the questions that haunted him. The next morning, after getting up and preparing for the day, he made his way to the kitchen, where his mother was waiting.

"Good morning, Mom."

"Good morning, sweetie," his mother replied with a warm smile.

She handed him a plate with two slightly overcooked eggs and some vegetables.

"Today, I’m officially becoming a Paladin. When that happens, they'll change my job and increase my salary, so things will get easier for us."

"Leo, could you stop worrying about us? We already have enough money," his mother said gently.

"Sorry..." Leo muttered, his voice soft.

Lisa’s lips curved into a small smile. "Just do your best. But don’t push yourself too hard, okay?"

Leo returned her smile. "OK, Mom. Thanks for the food. See you later."

"See you later, sweetie."

Leo rose and walked out. While on the move, he couldn't help but think of the magic shop as he glanced at his active bracelets.

"Maybe I should get rid of these."

After a month of wearing them, Leo began to keep them active most of the time. Upon arriving at the association, he noticed Edmond engaged in conversation with a distinguished gentleman.

“Captain, good morning,” Leo greeted.

“Ah, Leo, good morning. Allow me to introduce Mr. Aldarth Foreward,” Edmond replied.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir,” Leo said, extending his hand.

Aldarth greeted him with a warm smile. “So you’re the young man making waves; Edmond speaks very highly of you, calling you a prodigy.”

“I appreciate your kindness, but I'm simply striving to do my best.”

Aldarth’s eyes twinkled with wisdom. “And therein lies your brilliance. Not many your age possess such dedication. But heed this: let not arrogance taint your spirit.”

With a respectful bow, Leo acknowledged the counsel. “I’m grateful for your words, sir. I’ll bear them in mind.”

Aldarth gave an approving nod.

“Very well, stow your belongings and join us in my office in fifteen minutes.” Said Edmond

Leo nodded and went to the storage room; Peter was not there. He returned after putting his cane and bracelets in his closet. He approached Edmond's office and knocked on the door. He was so stressed that, without waiting for Edmond's response, he opened the door and went in.

Edmond was at his desk, with Aldarth in front of him. There was a large book on the desk.

"Come and sit here" Aldarth suggested.

He waited for Leo to sit before continuing.

"First, I need to ask you a few questions, after which you will sign your name in this book. If you sign your name and betray the god of light, you will face punishment, even burning to death.

Aldrath placed another book on the table.

"Place your hand on this book. If you lie, the book will reveal it to me," Aldrath instructed.

Leo swallowed nervously, then gingerly set his hand on the book, his pulse quickening.

"Alright, let's begin. First question: which deity do you believe in?"

Leo took a deep breath before answering.

"I believe in the god of light. It's the faith my family follows, but I want to learn more so my belief can become truly my own."

Aldrath glanced at the book and gave a nod of approval. "Good answer."

Leo kept silent about his true thoughts—if he ever found out this god wasn’t a true deity, he would seek another.

"Next question: do you truly want to be a Paladin?"

"Yes, I do," Leo said firmly.

"And why? What is your purpose?"

Leo hesitated for a few moments, thinking carefully. "I believe this world is magnificent, and I want to protect it. Being a Paladin seems like the best way to do that."

He paused, then added with a sheepish smile, "I also need money."

Aldrath burst out laughing. "No need to be embarrassed—everyone needs money."

Leo chose not to elaborate on the fact that money was only a small part of his much larger ambitions.

Aldrath switched the book on the table with the big book on Edmond’s desk.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

"Ok, you passed the questions; now write your name here."

Leo was hesitant to write his name, but he didn't have another option, so he tried not to show it in his movements. He took up the pen and wrote his name within the book. The text briefly shone before returning to normal. Aldrath nodded.

"Ok, we are done here; congratulations, Paladin Leo."

Leo smiled.

"Thank you, sir."

Aldrath stood up and gazed at Edmond.

"I leave the rest in your hands."

Edmond and Leo watched Aldrath go; after he did, Edmond looked at Leo.

"Congratulation"

"Thank you, captain."

"Your new badge will be ready soon; go talk to Peter; he will tell you what you need to know."

Leo nodded and was about to leave when something came to mind. He turned back.

"Captain, do you remember our conversation yesterday about the magic store?"

"Magic store?" Edmond frowned in confusion.

Leo's brow furrowed. "This is the third time I’ve told you about it. Yesterday, you even said that if you forgot again, I should remind you that you have a chance to reach rank A soon."

Edmond’s eyes widened in surprise. "Only a few people know that."

"You said the exact same thing yesterday."

Suddenly alert, Edmond stood up and quickly grabbed an old box from a small closet. He opened it and took out a blank sheet of white paper.

"We need to see Bishop Oryu—immediately."

He hurried out of the room, leaving Leo scrambling to keep up.

"Lara, I'm heading to see Bishop Oryu."

"Captain, you have a meeting in—"

"It's an emergency," Edmond interrupted, his tone brooking no argument.

Lara, taken aback by the captain’s urgency, could only nod. "Okay, Captain."

Edmond and Leo exited through the main door and made their way to the church. They approached a hidden passage behind a large statue at the end of the hall. The corridor led them to a guarded entrance, where a man stood watch

"Captain Edmond, why are you here?" the man asked.

"Connect me to the portal for Bishop Oryu's chamber," Edmond commanded, his voice sharp and serious.

The guard hesitated, but something in Edmond's tone stopped him from questioning further. He opened the door, revealing a room with a glowing circle at its center. The two stepped into the circle, and the guard began casting a spell. After about a minute, they vanished, reappearing in a different location.

Edmond wasted no time, immediately walking out of the new chamber and down another corridor. A large door stood at the end. Without knocking, Edmond pushed it open. Inside, Bishop Oryu looked up from his work.

"Edmond, what’s the emergency?"

When someone activated the teleport circle near Oryu's chamber, it also alerted Oryu, so he was already aware that Edmond was approaching. Edmond gazed at Leo.

"Tell him everything you told me."

Leo told him the entire tale. Oryu was sitting there with his hand under his chin. He got up, grabbed his staff, and cast a spell.

"What is this?" asked Leo.

"It is a powerful protection spell, and we also need to go to the god's statue to get his blessing."

"What do you think this is, Oryu?" Edmond said.

Oryu took a deep breath.

"Wiping the memory of a B+ rank while under the church’s protection—only an angel or higher being could achieve such a feat. Edmond and I might forget this soon, and there will be nothing you can do to prevent it. However, obtaining God's blessing will shield you from the gaze of any god-level being."

He then got a cross-shaped object out of his drawer.

"If there is really a creature like that targeting you, this will tell them that you are under the protection of God."

Also, Leo did not trust this so-called deity of light; he felt it would be better to be under the gaze of a god about whom he understood a little.

Following Oryu back to the circle, they were soon transported to another area, arriving in yet another hall. The darkness enveloped the place, illuminated only by a scattering of torches on each side, casting flickering golden flames. after walking a little distance through the corridor, they reached another statue within this hall; it was a man with three pairs of wings on each side of his back, and unlike the statue at the entrance of the church, this one had a star between his two hands. The star was in front of the man's chest, floating in mid-air.

Oryu walked up to the statue and lowered himself onto his knees. Edmond and Leo joined him, kneeling on the cool stone floor. Oryu’s voice came out in a near whisper, and Leo had to lean forward slightly, straining to catch the words. Minutes passed, the silence broken only by the quiet murmur of Oryu’s speech. After around fifteen minutes, he raised the amulet in his hand and carefully set it down in front of the statue. A moment later, the amulet emitted a soft glow that bathed the area in light. As he stood, the glow faded, and the amulet returned to its original state. He picked it up and extended it toward Leo, holding it firmly in front of him.

"Take this and wear it at all times."

Leo took the amulet and hung it around his neck. A warm feeling surrounded him, and he noticed a cold glare on him for a few seconds before leaving.

Oryu stared at Edmond.

"You can go now and leave the rest to me."

Edmond nodded, pointing to Leo to follow. They returned to the teleport circle and used it to get back to the association. Edmond placed his hand on Leo's shoulder as they walked along the main hallway.

"We may forget about this, but nevertheless, do not talk about it to anyone; you don't need to tell me about it again either; knowing that I forgot again can be dangerous for you."

Leo grasped Edmond's implication: that persisting in this cycle would lead to insanity. With a solemn nod, he acknowledged his understanding.

"Now go to Peter, and never go back to that shop again."

Leo proceeded to the storage room, and Peter, as usual, was at his desk.

"Where were you, Leo? I assumed becoming a F rank would make you happier, and you'd come here as soon as possible."

"Oh, sorry, I was with the captain.”

"Whatever it was, forget it, Look what I've got for you."

Peter opened his drawer and pulled out a card.

"Congratulation! You're officially a Paladin now."

Leo accepted the card from Peter; it was nearly identical to the last one, with the exception of the world paladin above his name and a new line indicating his rank, F.

"Now let's talk about changes in your daily work."

Peter looked at his pocket watch.

"Let's go into the kitchen and find something to eat. I'll tell you everything in the process."

As Leo followed Peter into the bustling kitchen, he was greeted by the sight of Wina and Albert.

Albert beamed at him. “Well, if it isn’t our newest Paladin! Heartiest congratulations, Leo!”

Wina chimed in with a smile, “Congratulations, Leo.”

“Thanks, both of you,” Leo replied, his heart swelling with pride.

Peter, feeling a bit overlooked, cleared his throat. “And a ‘hello’ to you too.”

“Oh! Peter, you were so quiet I hardly noticed you,” Wina said with a chuckle.

“How could you miss me?” Peter grumbled, placing a hand on his forehead in mock exasperation.

“Let’s not dwell on that. I’ll whip up something for us to eat. You take a seat and relax,” Peter suggested, waving Leo towards the table.

Leo took a seat and began to converse with Albert and Wina.

“So, Leo, have you thought about what path you’ll take for E rank?” Albert asked curiously.

“With his impressive mana capacity and intellect, he’s destined to be a mage,” Wina interjected confidently.

Albert frowned slightly. “let’s not overlook his physical score of 85. It’s clear he has considerable talent in physical pursuits as well.”

Leo was startled when Albert didn't respond to the intellect part.

Peter brought two dishes with eggs and sausage to them. Albert gulped saliva as he stared at the plate.

"Did you make that for us too?"

"Make one for yourself."

"Hey…"

‘Is Peter upset about what happened earlier?’ Leo was wondering.

"Enough with you too; I have a lot of things that I need to tell Leo."

Albert smiled.

"Ok, ok, we are going."

While they were leaving, Peter began to speak.

"Ok, so now that you are a F rank, your daily life is going to change a lot. First, you'll still go to Faleria in the morning, but only for an hour and a half. After that, you have a class with Mr. Samuel, that will teach you everything you need to know to advance to the E rank. From 12 to 3, you are going to the library like always, and after that, you have to go patrol the city until 5.”

Leo was perplexed.

"Patrol?"

"Yes, as a F rank, you must patrol the city. For the first week, you will go with Frank and Gery to learn, and after, you will go with one or more police officers.”

"Ok, sounds simple."

"After you've learned what you need to know from Sam, depending on what you want to be, you'll be assigned to a new class with Wina, Albert, Sam, or me. If you perform a good job, you can achieve an E-rank in one month."

Leo's lips curved into a smile. 'E rank, I'll finally study magic'.

Peter looked at him for a few seconds before adding.

"And before I forget, your next-month salary will increase to 7 gold coins."

The smile on Leo’s face become even bigger.

…

Oryu stood amidst a sea of books, his gaze drifting over the sprawling city beyond the window.

‘A magic shop that even Edmond forgets about? That certainly warrants investigation,’ he thought, his mind churning with possibilities.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Oryu lifted a hand to his temple, ready to initiate telepathic communication. But just as the words formed in his mind, he hesitated, unsure.

A woman's voice echoed within his thoughts. "Sir, is there something amiss?"

"No, everything is fine," he responded, abruptly severing the telepathic link.

Oryu frowned, a deep crease forming on his forehead.

‘What was I about to do?’