“What? You’re saying you want to recruit me?”
“Recruit you?” Edmond raised an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “I’m offering you a chance to join the ranks of the Paladins.”
Leo blinked, his mind racing. The words hung in the air, heavy with implications. His response came out as a hesitant murmur, barely above a whisper.
“There’s no need to decide this instant. To don the mantle of a Paladin, you’ll have to prove yourself through a trial. But for now, rest. You’ve been through a lot,” Edmond advised, his tone gentle yet firm. “If your heart calls you to our cause, meet us at the Paladins Association tomorrow at 9 a.m. Liamond will fill you in on the details.”
With a grateful nod, Leo watched Edmond depart. Moments later, Liamond arrived, and together they stepped into the carriage.
Liamond’s voice broke the silence. “Have you given any thought to joining our ranks?”
Leo’s reply was noncommittal, his mind still a whirlwind of doubt and possibility.
“The life of a Paladin is fraught with peril, true, but it’s also filled with adventure and fair compensation,” Liamond added, trying to paint a clearer picture of the path ahead.
Leo hesitated before extending the watch towards Liamond, intending to return it.
“No, keep it. Consider it a token of gratitude from the church for your service to the nation,” Liamond insisted, pushing the watch back into Leo’s hand.
A puzzled look crossed Leo’s face, prompting Liamond to explain further.
“I’ve removed all enchantments. The church has no intention of using it to monitor you,” he assured.
Leo’s embarrassment was evident, but Liamond chuckled softly. “There’s no shame in being vigilant. It’s a valuable trait. By the way, are you familiar with the location of the association?”
“No” Leo shook his head.
Liamond took a piece of paper and a pen from his pocket and began sketching a map. After he finished, he began to explain the path he had drawn to Leo.
"From Ashburn Street, go straight; you will reach the city main square; from there, go right on Bush Street; after about two hundred meters, you will reach a small alley called Light Alley and a large building at the end, The association is located in that structure."
The carriage eventually came to a halt.
"I hope to see you tomorrow, Leo."
Leo nodded and walked away. The carriage then drove away.
Leo entered his house; it was still dark, and his mother slept on the sofa. Rosie was asleep in her arms. He drew a blanket over them, went into his room and climbed into his bed.
He undressed and sat down on his bed.
'What a day! Let’s go over everything again. To begin with, there are numerous types of magic in this world. Liamond also stated that Edmond is a Paladin rank B, implying that there is a ranking system in place, and the speed which Edmond killed the assassin demonstrates the deference between each rank. Second, how did that assassin know who I was? He claimed to have murdered me and removed my stomach. Wait a second... ‘
A knot of anxiety suddenly tightened around his chest as he realized what had really happened.
’My stomach was burning when I awoke. Did he truly murder the previous Leo? Maybe whatever brought me here and put me in this body also fixed this body. I need more information and for that I need more power’
A sudden realization struck Leo, sending a shiver down his spine and causing his hair to stand on end.
‘If he recognized me, that implies he knows where I live. But the observer… it couldn’t have been him; his surprise was genuine. So who has been shadowing me, and what do they want?’
With his heart racing, Leo forced himself to take slow, deep breaths, attempting to quell the rising tide of panic within him.
Leo pulled out the watch, its hands pointing to 10:40. The late hour mirrored the lateness of his decision.
‘The offer to join the Paladins is tempting, and such chances are rare. But what if my arrival in this world was orchestrated? If someone has the power to bring me here, they could have arranged this too. Am I reading too much into it? Rejecting the offer might lead to other paths, yet the advantages of acceptance seem to outweigh any negatives. Even if some deity has laid this course before me, they could just as easily set another. But then again, the existence of such beings here is uncertain. With my current abilities, I feel powerless. It’s time to choose.’
With a sense of resolve, he whispered to himself, “Tomorrow, I’ll head to the Paladin’s Association.”
With that decision made, Leo allowed sleep to claim him, his thoughts settling with the night.
…
Leo awoke at six o'clock the next morning. He was concerned about the test, just as he had been with his previous job offers. the toilet was on the first floor; there was no pipeline, so he had to get water from the well outside, which was used by everyone in the neighborhood. There was no line because everyone was still sleeping. He returned home after fetching some water.
Leo lugged the water jug with a sigh, the weight of it reminding him of a life once lived in comfort. “At least I wasn't poor in my previous life ” he grumbled.
After splashing his face with water and scrubbing his hands clean, he stepped out to find his mother already awake.
“Morning, Mom. Did you manage to get some rest?” he asked, his voice still thick with sleep.
“Good morning, dear. What’s got you up and about so early?” she replied, her eyes crinkling with concern.
“I’ve got preparations to make. I’m heading to the Paladins Association today,” Leo explained, trying to keep his tone light.
Lisa’s brow furrowed with worry. “Why? What business do they have with you now?”
A smile broke across Leo’s face. “It’s good news, Mom. They’ve offered me a position. I might just become a paladin.”
Her mother’s mouth opened and closed, words failing her in her astonishment. Leo waited patiently, giving her time to process the revelation.
“You? A Paladin?” she finally managed to utter. “My son, a Paladin?”
“That’s the plan,” he confirmed with a nod.
Overcome with emotion, she let out a joyful cry and rushed to embrace him, her sudden movement waking Rosie from her sleep.
“What’s happening?” Rosie mumbled, rubbing her eyes.
“Rosie, your brother is going to be a Paladin”
Rosie’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Really?”
Leo couldn’t help but chuckle at their reactions. “Well, there’s still a test I need to pass.”
“I have no doubt you’ll succeed. Let me whip up some breakfast for you,” his mother said, already moving towards the kitchen, a tune escaping her lips.
Leo settled into a chair in the kitchen, catching Rosie’s gaze still fixed on him in awe.
“Are you really going to be a paladin?” she asked, a mix of excitement and curiosity in her voice.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“If I pass their test, yes,” he replied.
“Paladins are strong, right?”
“From what I’ve seen, very.”
“And they pay well?”
“I guess I’ll find out.”
Rosie opened her mouth to ask another question, but their mother interjected. “Enough questions for now. He needs to focus on today.”
She placed two plates on the table, each with a perfectly baked egg.
“Eggs for breakfast?” Rosie squealed with delight.
“You didn’t have to go to all this trouble,” Leo said, touched by the gesture.
“It’s no trouble at all,” his mother assured him, her voice warm.
“And what about you, Mom? Where’s your egg?” Rosie asked between bites.
With a smile, she presented her own plate, joining them in the simple feast.
Leo began to eat his egg. It was delicious. Her mother used every spice they could get, according to the fragment.
'I can no longer fail now.' Leo was thinking With a smile on his face.
His mother brought Leo his best cloth after breakfast, and when he was ready, she followed him to the door.
"Don't worry about anything; just focus on yourself and do your best, sweetie."
Leo knew that her mother wanted to tell him not to worry, even if he failed.
"Ok, mom, I will do my best."
He then began to walk. After about 5 minutes, he reached the first square, which were connected to Ashburn Street. He checked his watch; it was 8:15 p.m. He followed Liamond's advice and arrived at the main square after about 25 minutes. He was panting from walking a lot.
"Wow, Ashburn Street is longer than I thought.”
The Main Square was enormous, and even in his best clothes, it was clear that he was from downtown. The majority of the people here wore long coats and top hats, and some walked with canes. In the center of the square stood a statue of a knight on horseback holding a sword.
Leo walked straight down Bush Street. The streets were wider here, and there were plenty of carriages. Near each building, there were bronze-colored pipelines. This gave them a lovely appearance. Every 15 meters on each side of the street, there was a tree, making the view even more beautiful.
Leo arrived at the light alley after about two to three hundred steps. He could see the end of the alley ahead of him. A magnificent structure reminiscent of ancient Rome. A wide portico framed the entryway, with two towering pillars supporting the entablature above. The entrance itself was an impressive ten meters high and five meters wide, with people coming and going beneath the shelter of the portico.
He entered the association; there were two pillars on the inside; there were doors on both sides of the building that were linked somewhere; the hall was long; and at the end of the hall, there was a statue of a man holding a star in his right hand. A woman sat at the table on the right side, near the entrance. A door stood behind her. Leo went to her.
"Excuse me, Ms., I am here for a job offer from Mr... Captain Edmond."
The woman raised her head and turned to face Leo.
"You have to be Leo Mantine, Please open the door behind me and Go inside."
She then lowered her head and resumed reading a paper. Leo moved behind her and opened the door. He went inside, and once inside, the door shut behind him. There was nothing but silence here. It was as if this door muffled all outside noises. Leo looked around; a straight, four-meter-wide corridor stretched ahead, so he started down it. At the end of the hall, he reached another entrance. He pushed it open and stepped into a large room.
A woman sat behind a desk, with a corridor full of doors stretching out to her left and a large window to her right, letting sunlight pour into the room. Between the window and the desk was another entrance. Leo walked up to the table, noting her black hair, dark eyes, bumpy nose, and small lips framed by thin glasses. From the subtle lines on her skin, he guessed she was in her thirties.
"Excuse me, Ms.…"
"Leo Mantine, born in 453, you’re here for the test, right?" The woman’s voice was calm yet stern, her eyes briefly flicking up from the paperwork on her desk.
"Yes, ma'am," Leo replied, caught off guard by her directness.
Without another word, she pulled out a form from a nearby stack and handed it to him. "Here, take this and fill it out over there."
Leo hesitated as he took the paper from her, glancing at the neatly arranged rows of questions. "Can I ask what this is?" he asked, curiosity mixing with a growing unease.
"It’s the test, of course," she said matter-of-factly, her tone offering no further explanation.
“What…” Leo trailed off as he looked at the form more closely. It was riddled with questions—some seemingly normal, others bizarre.
"This is just the first test. We need to confirm that you have basic reading and writing skills. Your score will determine the position we assign you to. After three months of work, you’ll be eligible to take the next test to advance to the level of Paladin."
"Okay, thank you for the explanation," Leo replied, nodding politely.
He moved off to the side, found a small sofa in the corner, and sat down with the form. As he skimmed over the first few questions, he raised an eyebrow in disbelief.
'Are you serious? This question is simple enough for a child to answer.'
The test started with basic math, reading comprehension, and writing exercises, with a few general science questions thrown in. The difficulty increased gradually as he worked through the four pages, but none of it posed much of a challenge. Leo breezed through the sections with ease, occasionally glancing around the room.
Once he had completed the test, he stood up and walked back to the secretary’s desk, handing her the papers. "Here you are, ma'am," he said.
The secretary looked at him, her expression unreadable, though there was a flicker of surprise in her eyes. It was as if she couldn't believe how quickly he had finished. She took the papers from him, her fingers lightly brushing over the sheets as she began to examine his answers more closely.
"Please sit here for a few minutes."
Leo sat down, took out his watch, and checked the time. It was 9:15 a.m. The secretary was finally finished after about ten minutes.
"Mr Mantine"
Leo stood up and walked there.
"Please get this paper and go to the door on my right."
Leo took the paper from her and walked to the door. The door unexpectedly opened as he approached.
"Come in," Edmond called out.
Leo stepped into the room. It was spacious, with a long wooden table to the left and a towering bookshelf at the far end, crammed with countless books. Sunlight streamed through a large window on the right, casting warm light across the room.
"Captain Edmond, hello," Leo greeted as he approached.
"Mantine, I see you decided to come," Edmond said, his voice steady, though his eyes flickered with approval. "And I heard you’ve already taken the test."
"Yes, sir," Leo replied.
"Come here, let me take a look." Edmond gestured toward the table in the middle of the room.
Leo walked over and handed him the completed test papers. Edmond’s brow furrowed slightly as he scanned the pages, his expression growing more focused with each passing moment. Suddenly, his eyebrows shot up, and he let out a short, surprised exclamation. "Highest score?!"
He turned to face Leo, an impressed yet curious look in his eyes. "Well done, Mantine. Some of these questions were hard to answer. How did you manage it?"
Leo shrugged modestly. "I like reading," he said simply, as if that explained everything. His casual tone seemed to amuse Edmond, who gave a nod of approval, clearly impressed by both the score and Leo's unassuming attitude. He then started to write something and eventually handed the paper to Leo.
"Here, get this and give it to Ms. Lara outside."
Leo took the paper from Edmond’s hands, a sense of quiet accomplishment settling in. He nodded respectfully and turned to walk toward the door. The room felt lighter now, the tension of the test behind him. His hand grasped the door handle, and just as he was about to step out, Edmond’s voice cut through the silence.
"Mantine," Edmond called out, his tone carrying a rare warmth. Leo paused, glancing over his shoulder.
"Welcome to the association."
"Thank you, sir," Leo said, offering a quick nod before turning and leaving the room.
After closing the door behind him, he made his way to Ms. Lara.
"Ms. Lara, Captain Edmond said to give you this," Leo said as he handed her the paper.
Lara took the form, examining it briefly before stamping it with a practiced motion. She handed it back to him with a curt nod. "The corridor to my left; go straight to the door at the end. Mister Goodwin is waiting for you."
Leo accepted the paper and turned down the indicated corridor. It was lined with doors on both sides, each one bearing a small brass plaque. As he walked, the first door on his right suddenly swung open. Liamond appeared, looking surprised.
"Leo?!"
"Liamond, hello," Leo greeted.
"Hey, so you decided to come after all! And I can see you’ve already taken the test," Liamond said with a smile.
"Um, yes," Leo replied, somewhat awkwardly.
"So? What was the outcome? Did you make it?" Liamond asked eagerly.
"Yes," Leo nodded, "I’m heading to Mr. Goodwin now."
"Nice! Well, I won’t hold you up. See you around, Leo."
"See you," Leo replied, nodding before continuing down the corridor.
It wasn’t a long walk, and soon he found himself at the last door. He knocked softly, his hand slightly hesitant against the wood.
"It's open," came a gruff voice from the other side.
Leo took a deep breath and pushed the door open, stepping inside to meet Mr. Goodwin. This room felt like a storage room; there were numerous closets with a large old table in the center. A man, likely Mr. Goodwin, stood behind the desk, focused on a device in his hands. His skin was a deep, rich brown, his large nose and full lips giving his face a distinct, commanding presence. He was bald, with sharp brown eyes that seemed to take in everything around him.
"Hello, Mr. Goodwin? Ms. Lara instructed me to bring this paper here."
"Hi, please call me Peter," he replied with a friendly smile, looking up from his work.
“Okay, what about Mr. Peter?” Leo asked.
“That’s good too,” Peter chuckled, glancing down at the paper Leo handed him.
Leo watched as Peter began reading it, his brow furrowing slightly in concentration. The atmosphere in the room felt relaxed, yet Leo could sense the underlying seriousness of the task at hand.
"Wow, top score, and you're still so young. Okay Leo, there are a lot of things we need to get done. You will work in the library for the time being; you will also need to read a lot of books if you want to become a paladin; your salary is six gold coins per month for the time being, of which you will take half of it right now because this is your first month; and you will also receive four gold coins for what you did yesterday. I recommend that you spend them on new clothes. A paladin should dress properly because we are the church's public face."
“There’s no reason for embarrassment. At fourteen, you’re on the path to becoming a Paladin. That’s an achievement to hold high,” Peter encouraged, his voice firm and reassuring.
Leo’s internal monologue betrayed his newfound self-consciousness. ‘'I wasn't embarrassed before, but I am now. And wait, I’m fourteen? I need to keep track of the dates here,’ he pondered, a frown creasing his brow.
“Thank you, Mr. Peter. I appreciate it,” Leo responded.
Peter’s response came with a supportive clap on the back. “You’re welcome. first you need to take a shower.”