Chapter 88: Bodyguards
After discussing the matter of returning home with Riezel, Yuri finally left.
Though she mentioned wanting to go home, given her status, returning to her territory involved many arrangements in the royal capital that needed to be taken care of first. Otherwise, even if she wanted to leave, it wouldn't be possible.
At the very least, she needed to visit the royal palace and report the matter. Otherwise, as a chief court magician and a Strategic-Class Magician, leaving the royal capital without authorization might cause unnecessary trouble.
This made Riezel understand a bit more why she sarcastically referred to herself as a tool of war. She indeed gained status, privileges, fame, and popularity, but at the same time, she lost her freedom.
'Nobility, huh...'
Riezel sighed softly in the pavilion, and shortly afterward, he suddenly remembered something.
'Crap, I forgot to ask about the Holy Dragon Sword Style...'
It seemed that this matter would have to be temporarily set aside.
Yuri's current mood was not particularly pleasant, and Riezel was not eager to trouble his benefactor for his own concerns.
'Never mind, I'll ask next time.'
He was not in a hurry, so decided to resume his practice.
He picked up a wooden sword placed beside him and began swinging it again.
First, he would master the swordsmanship in the Holy Dragon Sword Style. That would never be a wrong choice.
Even if the crucial breathing style was missing, mastering the swordsmanship would still increase his strength. If he later had the opportunity to obtain the breathing style, he could seamlessly integrate it, skipping the familiarization process entirely.
This was a genuine practice of special swordsmanship that could transform one's body akin to a dragon.
As a result, Riezel practiced the swordsmanship over and over again until it was nearly dark.
===
The next day, he experienced what it meant to have sore muscles.
'Practicing the Holy Dragon Sword Style actually made my muscles sore?'
Riezel wasn't frustrated; instead, he felt happy.
If it could make his muscles sore, it meant that this swordsmanship indeed affected him.
This motivated him to decide that starting from today, he would practice the Holy Dragon Sword Style every day.
'Without the dungeon, there's no way to grow through defeating monsters. I can only persist in training like this.'
Self-training also served as a means to enhance status.
Falna acted as both an accelerator and a stimulus for the growth of abilities. With regular use of a particular ability, one could gain experience and results. When updating the status, excelia could be extracted from this factor to enhance it.
Persisting in daily training like this would allow his status to grow even without defeating monsters or enemies.
'If there's a way to acquire the Holy Dragon Sword Skill's breathing style and practice this special swordsmanship, even if not hunting monsters, my status could rapidly grow, and there might even be a chance to level up.'
After all, transforming oneself into a dragon through swordsmanship could be considered a great exploit, right?
Of course, it was hard to say.
In the world of Danmachi, Riezel had never heard of anyone achieving an exploit through self-training and leveling up as a result. The original work also never mentioned anyone leveling up by means other than defeating powerful monsters or undertaking formidable adventures.
But in a situation without the dungeon and monsters to hunt, Riezel could only persist in training this way.
This kind of training continued for a full three days.
During these three days, aside from eating, drinking, bathing, sleeping, and taking care of personal needs, Riezel spent most of the time practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard pavilion.
Many people in the mansion noticed this scene, and through word of mouth, for some reason, news of him switching to swordsmanship spread.
With Yuri intentionally spreading the news, many people already knew that Riezel's 'Gate' was damaged and could no longer use magic, rendering him unable to be a magician in the future.
Considering this, his shift to swordsmanship did not seem too abrupt.
Moreover, as time passed, people began to treat it as a scenic view of the Frenzel residence. Many servants and even bodyguards secretly watched Riezel practice swordsmanship, gossiping about it and creating quite a bit of discussion.
However, with the spread of this news, some troublesome individuals, in the end, still came knocking at the door.
===
On this day, after finishing his usual swordsmanship practice, Riezel was just about to go back for a good bath when he was informed of something by the servant.
"Someone is looking for me?"
Upon hearing the servant's words, Riezel was quite surprised.
"Yes." The servant stood in place meticulously, speaking respectfully to him. "The visitor claims to be a servant of your friend, stating that they have a letter they would like to deliver to you."
With that, the servant handed a letter to him.
Taking it, Riezel furrowed his brows slightly, but still opened the letter and began reading its contents.
After a while, his tightly furrowed brows remained unchanged.
This letter was indeed from his so-called 'friend', more accurately, it should be said to be from the friend of the original Riezel.
He was well-regarded by many due to his naturally abundant magical energy, which attracted the attention of numerous noble children to his side.
And this letter was sent precisely by one of these noble children.
His name was Archie Rhein, the second son of the Rhein family, a count family in Jinas.
Among the group of noble children gathered around the original Riezel, most were from viscount and baron families, with only two being from the count family. These two, being of major noble status, held higher positions and identities than the rest, thus leading the group.
Archie Rhein was one of these leaders, and he was particularly fond of taking charge.
Initially, when the original Riezel first entered Spriller Academy and gained some reputation, Archie approached him, showing concern and care, and soon after, brought him into this small group of noble children.
Whenever the original Riezel went out fooling around, it was Archie who took the lead, almost always the one to invite him.
In other words, the decline and loss of motivation of the original Riezel could be attributed to Archie, accounting for at least half of the reasons.
Archie was the typical 'bad influence'.
If parents knew about him, they would certainly advise their children with solemn warnings not to be friends with such a bad influence.
Now, somehow, he got wind of Riezel's relationship with the Frenzel family and sent him a letter through his servant.
While the letter contained a lot of irrelevant pleasantries and greetings, the main purpose seemed to be just one.
That was, he wanted Riezel to hang out and meet with everyone.
The so-called 'everyone' undoubtedly referred to those noble children who used to fool around with the original Riezel.
"So be it..."
After recalling memories of those noble children, Riezel let go of the letter in his hand.
"Let's go meet them."
With a calm tone, he let the letter fall, blown away by the wind. Only then did he turn and leave, returning to the mansion.
===
Frenzel Mansion, Top-Floor Office.
"You want to go out?"
Yuri, who was busy with some paperwork and sat at her desk was surprised to hear Riezel's request.
"Yeah..." Riezel nodded. "An old friend invited me out for a meeting."
"Is that okay?" Yuri expressed hesitancy. "Don't forget, you're likely still being watched by the Heretic Assassin."
"But as I said before, I can't hide forever. I have to move on." Riezel smiled slightly. "Regardless, I can't just stand still and need to do something, no?"
Although he accepted her proposition and temporarily stayed on her side, it didn't mean he wanted to rely solely on her protection. He also wanted to turn from being passive to taking the initiative, wanting to know how strong the enemies he faced really were.
Facing a terrorist organization at the national level, he might indeed be in over his head. But avoiding them for the rest of his life was not his intent.
This was also an opportunity for him.
He wanted to go out, explore, and test the reactions of various parties. Whether it was the original Riezel's acquaintances or the assassin who attacked him, without probing and understanding, how could he plan for the future?
If he were to be attacked again, Riezel could use it as a chance to verify his power in this world. Now that he had reached Level 5, he wanted to see where he stood.
Yuri was unaware of his train of thought, but she could somewhat guess that he wanted to test the reactions of those who were secretly observing him. She didn't know his current power, and her perspective naturally leaned toward considering it dangerous.
However, Riezel's approach couldn't be entirely dismissed. Going out like this could at least test whether the Heretic Assassin had abandoned pursuit due to the news of damage to his 'Gate'.
After pondering, Yuri had an idea.
"How about this..." Yuri stared at his eyes. "I'll assign two bodyguards to you. How does that sound?"
"Bodyguards?" Riezel frowned.
"You can't go out alone, can you?" Yuri replied irritably. "What if you run into danger? Without someone to protect you, do you think you can survive?"
'I believe I can.' Riezel replied inwardly and couldn't voice it aloud.
He hadn't figured out how to explain to her that he was different now, no longer defenseless and powerless. Therefore, even though he understood her stance and reason, he was still quite conflicted.
On the other hand, Yuri was extremely decisive at this moment.
"That's decided then." Yuri turned to Marilyn. "Marilyn, bring Ain and Ian over."
Marilyn nodded and quickly left the office. It didn't take long for her to return, bringing two people with her.
They were two knights.
Moreover, they were two beautiful female knights with striking and classy appearances.
"Let me introduce them."
Yuri smiled slightly, introducing the two female knights.
"These two are my attendants, Ain and Ian, bound by a contract with me."
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Chapter 89: First Friend
Contract.
It was a power that only magicians could wield.
Because magicians often required chants and time to prepare when casting magic, contracts were born out of necessity.
Initially, the purpose of contracts was to allow magicians to enlist bodyguards under certain conditions, ensuring protection during the preparation of magic and defending against enemies.
However, as time passed and history unfolded, contracts evolved into various forms, used in different aspects of life such as restraints, agreements, or even enslavement of others.
Rules established through contracts had to be executed once activated, or else they triggered a punishment mechanism.
For instance, slaves deprived of their human rights were usually bound by a slavery contract facilitated by a magician. Once the contract was successful, the slave had to unquestionably obey the master's commands or face consequences ranging from torture to loss of life.
The original Riezel's grandfather was a slave to a rural merchant, obedient to his master's every command. Upon discovering the original Riezel's innate and powerful magical energy, the grandfather didn't hesitate to offer his own grandchild to his master.
Fortunately, the original Riezel managed to escape. Otherwise, the ignorant rural merchant would have exploited his talents, potentially subjecting him to a slavery contract, a lifetime of enslavement.
In comparison to the rights-depriving slavery contract, the attendant contract was much more fair.
When a magician needed a bodyguard for protection, they often proposed the establishment of an attendant contract.
Unlike the domineering and rights-ignoring nature of the slavery contract, the attendant contract emphasized equality. The magician proposing the contract had to agree to fulfill the wish of the prospective attendant for the contract to be in effect.
Under this contract, the magician had to wholeheartedly strive to fulfill the attendant's wish; otherwise, the contract became void. On the other hand, if the magician successfully fulfilled the attendant's wish, the contract became effective, and the attendant had to protect their master with all their might, or face the consequences outlined in the contract.
Hence, the attendant contract was the most commonly used means for magicians to enlist bodyguards.
Many influential magicians, especially nobles who lacked neither wealth nor status, often possessed the ability to fulfill numerous wishes, attracting a multitude of attendants to ensure their safety.
As a marquis, a chief court magician, and a Strategic-Class Magician, Yuri naturally commands numerous attendants, each possessing considerable power.
Marilyn was Yuri's first attendant, having served her for a long time and earning her trust. The two female knights brought by Marilyn were also attendants who had formed contracts with Yuri.
Riezel glanced at the two newcomers for a moment.
Whether it was Ain or Ian, both seemed to be in their early twenties and considered to be in the prime of their youth.
Among them, Ain appeared slightly older, with a mature appearance and sharp, resolute eyes. She sported a side ponytail of purple hair cascading over her shoulders, and at her waist hung a longsword, giving off a reliable aura.
Ian looked younger than Ain but older than Riezel, Yuri, and Marilyn. Although not as mature as Ain, her figure was graceful. Wearing a serious expression, her deep blue hair was braided into a twist hanging in front, giving off an equally reliable vibe.
The two wielded different weapons.
Ain wielded a longsword resembling a greatsword but not as large, while Ian brandished a slender sword resembling a rapier—both classy and appealing. At first glance, they exuded a sense of reliability.
""My Lady.""
The two female knights, wearing less armor, bow their heads respectfully to Yuri, showing great respect.
"Ain, Ian." Yuri nods to the two attendants. "I have a task for you."
The two female knights step forward simultaneously.
"Please command." Ain lowers her head, awaiting orders.
"As long as my Lady wishes." Ian speaks earnestly.
"Do you recognize this person?" Yuri points at Riezel. "I need you to protect him outside and safely bring him back."
Upon hearing this, Ain and Ian both turned their gaze to Riezel.
Riezel nodded in response.
The two female knights exchanged glances and then turned their attention back to Yuri.
""Yes!""
Without asking for reasons or expressing objections, the two women readily accept the task.
Yuri looked back at Riezel.
"Ain and Ian became my attendants a long time ago. Their strength is outstanding, ranking among the top five of all my attendants. With them protecting you, your journey should be much safer."
"Alright, I will bring them along." Riezel could only accept her arrangement.
"That's good." Yuri first smiled, then became serious. "Be careful with everything. If you encounter any difficult dangers, immediately retreat, and don't act recklessly. Understand?"
Her advice may sound a bit excessive but conveyed a clear sense of concern.
"Don't worry." Riezel lightly smiled. "I know my limits."
After saying that, he left Yuri's office.
"Go." Yuri urged Ain and Ian with a nod, and the two of them bowed their heads before following Riezel.
Once the footsteps of the three gradually faded away, Marilyn finally spoke up.
"Is this really okay, my Lady?" Marilyn asked in a low voice.
"With Ain and Ian on his side, his safety should be guaranteed." Yuri didn't look at Marilyn, still gazing in the direction of the door. "He's right... We can't keep him locked up here forever."
"He's truly a fearless man..." Marilyn's tone sounded very impolite; it could even be said she spoke harshly. "I heard he used to be ignorant and incompetent, spending his time in drinking and pleasure, a country boy who was easily swayed by a group of young nobles. But looking at his current actions, it's hard to imagine he was someone like that before."
"At first, I was also surprised, you know..." Yuri smirked. "I thought he was feigning calm, deliberately putting on an act or something... Now it seems that might be his true character..."
Yuri couldn't help but recall the scene when she first met Riezel.
Back then, he was already lying in a pool of blood, barely alive. When she arrived and scared off the attackers, she saw a strong sense of vigilance and hostility in his eyes.
Thinking about that look in his eyes, Yuri had to admit that the initial reason their relationship had developed to its current state was because of that particular moment.
In those eyes, she seemed to see a wild beast imprisoned, a fierce tiger robbed of its freedom, venting anger to everything around it.
It was at that moment that she felt a connection.
As a result, she brought him back.
As a result, she became interested in him, personally checking on his condition and gradually considering him an important friend.
"Friend, huh...?" Yuri mumbled, and a hint of coldness flickered in her eyes. "He's my first friend... I can't let the rats in the gutter harm him..."
===
At the same time, outside the gate of the mansion.
"Thank you." Riezel looked at Ain and Ian, who walked behind him and expressed his gratitude to them.
"No need." Ain said calmly without changing her expression. "This is the lady's order, and we are just following her order."
"Yes." Ian also spoke with a rigid tone. "As long as it's the lady's command, we will do our best to fulfill it, no matter what it is."
"Even so, I still want to thank you..." Riezel said calmly. "This time going out, there may be some dangers coming our way. If we really encounter something unexpected, you don't need to worry about me."
Leaving those words behind, he did not give the two female knights a chance to respond and turned away.
"What does he mean?" Ian frowned.
"..." Ain remained silent, only watching his back with a meaningful gaze.
Though they each had their own thoughts, they didn't hesitate to follow in his footsteps. Even though they didn't understand the meaning behind his words, what they had to do would not change.
===
Jinas's royal capital was a grand city called 'Yeluvia'.
The city was bustling, with most buildings resembling large chalk-white buildings. At first glance, it appeared majestic, giving one a sense of entering a medieval magical kingdom.
The residents of Yeluvia were predominantly wealthy, giving the city a more glamorous appearance compared to other urban areas.
Being the capital of the kingdom, anyone residing here had to possess some capital of their own.
Naturally, the city overflowed with various nobles.
Due to the location of the royal palace, nobles frequently came and went. Some served the king as court nobles within the palace, while others owned territories outside the city.
Even honorary and local nobles could be found here, creating a diverse mix of people.
In this location, Riezel, who had left the Frenzel residence, found himself in a plaza of Yeluvia.
In front of a fountain in the plaza, a group of noble children had gathered.
"Riezel! Over here!"
Someone called out to Riezel.
Riezel, busy observing the surroundings, immediately lifted his gaze and looked in the direction of the voice.
He spotted the group of noble children from his memories. They were dressed in a refined manner, with carriages parked nearby and bodyguards standing by.
He had to admit, the grandeur of their meeting was quite impressive.
The one who called out to him was the leader of the group, Archie Rhein, who keenly noticed him and waved his hand.
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