Kayla rapped on Kael's door just as the horizon blushed. He was oiling his war-hammer; he pulled the latch."Your humble hostess greets Sir Kael on this glorious morn.""That speech is odd. And you're a bit old to call yourself a 'girl.'""I'm twenty, thank-you-very-much—peak of maidenhood." She pouted. "Anyway, the tiny dwarf's here. Absolute darling.""He's probably ten years older than you.""Really?"
Downstairs, Leon sat on one of the few chairs that had survived last night's purge, scanning the repaired room. Kael strode over."Leon.""Ah—Sir Kael! Good that you found an inn, but… what happened to all the furniture?""Nothing serious."Leon blinked but produced a wad of yellowish paper. "Time for letters. We'll start with consonants and vowels—then simple texts."Kael nodded. Kayla, curious, drifted closer."You're learning to read?""Yes.""Strange. Aren't knights taught that as children?""Would I be a Dread Sentinel if I'd had a normal upbringing?""…Point taken."Leon asked, "Kayla—can you read?""I can jot figures for the ledger.""Study with us. Groups are livelier."Eyes shining, she agreed. Leon began:"Imperial script has twenty-two consonants, seven vowels…"
Kael listened with rare delight. Study felt almost pleasant—something he had missed since Dunhollow. He absorbed rules, pressed Leon with sharp questions, and recalled each answer instantly. The dwarf beamed.
"Honestly, Sir Kael, you learn twice as fast as I did! At this pace, you'll finish primers in days.""Good teacher," Kael answered.Leon scratched his beard, embarrassed. Kayla, meanwhile, scowled at her shaky letters."Don't coddle me, dwarf. I'm slow.""You're normal," Leon insisted. "Sir Kael's simply quick."Kael glanced up. "Illiteracy causes trouble. Better to fix the weakness than live around it."Both nodded. "Wisdom," Leon said. "Learning's never wasted."
By nightfall, Leon trudged home. Kael kept whisper-reciting symbols even after lying down; sleepless half-life gave him hours humans lacked. Eventually, an image surfaced—Grandfather, stroking a much younger Kael's hair: "A man must master letters. Books make him better."
Kael's smile faded. I killed again yesterday—six men—felt nothing. Grandfather, does that mean I'm no longer human? But memory could not answer; the holder manan kept that kind, distant smile.
At sunrise, Kael marched to the Mercenary Guild. Strength required coin and contracts—he needed both. The hall already buzzed. Clients waved scrolls; steel-scarred adventurers haggled for pay. Kael's black armor parted the crowd like an axe. Whispers flared:
"Dread Sentinel—the one who walked into the Cathedral!""Why's he here instead of the front?""He gutted Mile's crew alone, sold their kit for gold.""If he'll join a squad, that's profit—""You trust an apostate?"
Fear, curiosity, grudging admiration. Kael ignored them and stepped to the reception counter. The same clerk from before greeted him with a trembling smile.
"G-good morning, Sir Kael.""Jobs that suit me?""Any… particular field? Guard work, hunting, escort, salvage—""Anything I can finish."She rifled through ledgers, then bit her lip."I-I'm sorry. No client will sign for— for an apost— for a Sentinel yet.""So nothing at all."Her shoulders hunched. "Not yet, sir."
Kael scratched his helm. Penalty for wearing dusk-forged plate, he mused. This is why players avoided the class. The clerk saw the silent gesture, assumed fury, and her eyes brimmed.
A shout from the stairs rescued her."Sir Kael! Perfect timing!"Branch-master Garland waved, jogged upward, and beckoned. Kael followed. The girl sagged to the floor in relief.
Garland poured two cups of steaming black tea."Do you drink?""I can." Kael drained his in a gulp. Garland blinked, then laid out folders.
"Strange movements south of here," he began. "After your mission, we dispatched scouts to that Mawbear village. They found the beast's carcass—half again normal mass, yet slain and abandoned.""Something stronger drove it off.""Exactly. At the same time, one-eyed prowlers—the pack you culled—had also migrated. Their territories overlapped."Kael's eyes narrowed. "Both fled the same predator.""Our thought. We sent a bronze-plate team to confirm. Two days—no signal, no return."Garland fixed him with a measured gaze. "Sir Kael, will you investigate? Track the missing scouts, identify whatever's out there, end the threat if you can."
Kael leaned back. Dangerous, certainly. Profitable in souls and coin, equally sure.
"I accept," he said.
Garland exhaled, relief and anticipation mingling. "Then may the contracts favor you. I'll prepare the warrant and hazard bonus."
Kael rose. "I depart tonight.""Travel fast, but not alone." Garland tossed him an iron-bound charter. "Take whoever trusts you enough to sign that. And Sir Kael—come back alive. The guild could use a legend."
Kael nodded once, turned, and left the office, accounting how many runes of Umbral Draw this unseen monster's heart might yield.