24 Hearts

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Serenia: City of Adventurers.

Kaseun had had a busy morning after the news of the Arche couple’s murder reached his ears. He had hastened to the temple immediately upon receiving the grim report. After hearing Seron’s explanation of events, Kaseun asked the aged paladin for advice.

Seron’s advice was simple: The best way to ensure the safety and the future of the child was for Kaseun himself to become Judah’s guardian. In order to do so, Kaseun had to attain the blessing of the Lord of Serenia, as Judah was of a noble lineage and not a mere orphaned urchin of the streets.

That procedure had thankfully not been overly complicated, as the offices of the Lord had swiftly granted both permission and the necessary paperwork. After having concluded this officiation of his guardianship, Kaseun had visited the mercenary guild to discuss the tragedy that had occurred. The guild was unusually cooperative, for they would normally protect their agents with tooth and nail even upon their demise.

They had handed over the effects of the mercenaries and unveiled their identities, in the way of an ‘apology.’ The fact that Kaseun had achieved this spoke volumes of the political clout and general influence that he possessed.

While he was retired, he had once been a Mercenary King, one of few who possessed a platinum disk as a -Spirit Sword Wielder-. So great had his renown been that he had even been appointed as an honorary noble of Baekje.

Among mercenaries, Kaseun Sabrak was a living legend. He had also demanded compensation for the murder of Judah’s parents, yet here the guild had drawn a line in the sand, stating that they could not afford to grant it. It was only upon completing these necessary errands that he had made his way to the temple to meet Judah. He had been beset by an old sorrow when he once more gazed upon the statue of Queen Jopiel, yet had not shed a single tear.

He had met with the child, introduced himself, and left the temple in short order.

***

As we left the temple, I studied Kaseun, who held a strangely satisfied expression on his face. I was curious about what the exact favor was that Judah’s father had done for the old man. What act could earn the eternal gratitude of a -Spirit Sword Wielder-, a legend among men?

I knew from his written back-story that Judah’s father had helped Kaseun ‘gain a foothold in Serenia,’ yet this was all that I had written, so the exact details remained shrouded in mystery. I knew that now was probably not the opportune moment to ask such things, so I held my tongue and reminded myself that patience was one of the things I needed to have to escape this universe.

“The street is so busy,” was all that I said as we made our way through the bustling thoroughfares, carts trundling by as hawkers loudly advertised their wares.

Serenia was known as the city of adventurers. Many ages ago, the Magic Empire had called this land their own, and the ruins of that realm were scattered all across the region. Magic relics were to be found in these ruins, and such artifacts fetched quite hefty sums at the markets. This promise of wealth had lured many adventurers to the region. The days of the Magic Empire were long gone, and the countryside had become inhabited by frightful monsters rather than intelligent races of hardworking people.

This fact did not stem the tide of adventurers, though, and so many had come here two centuries ago and got the bright idea of founding a settlement. This man was named Peerchen, and his title was recorded as -Wielder of the Sword-.

He had called to his cause many mercenaries, merchants, and adventurers, who had aided him in erecting a fortress on the only pass that existed in the bulwark that was two mountain ranges. His entire fortune had been poured into the project, and those that had traveled with him worked hard to make their vision a reality. Through the support of -Knight’s Land: Philora- and -Nation of Entertainment: Urun- as well as his myriad personal connections, Serenia Castle remained well provisioned, prospering for a full two-hundred-years.

The aid from other nations had come out of practical necessity, for as long as Serenia Castle stood firm upon its foundations, the monsters could not invade the kingdoms beneath the mountains in their brutish hordes. The mutually beneficial strategic nature of the fortress, and the fact that the brave and mighty flocked to it in their quest for Magic relics, had resulted in Serenia becoming an important Bastion. By mutual acclaim, it was decreed that Serenia would be a neutral city, unbound by the laws of any other political entity.

This decree suited Seongju Peerchen just fine, for the support of other regents meant that the laws of Serenia applied to all who entered its walls. Peerchen had been granted sole jurisdiction over his domain, and even the higher nobles from visiting realms had to abide by his law or face his judgment.

Serenia had stood for fifty years when Pernen had scattered the fragments of his heart across the world by way of the twenty-four meteors. After this historical event, even more adventurers, mercenaries, and nobles had flocked to Serenia in search of fortune, glory, and power.

This new influx of men and women had caused a considerable spike in Serenia’s population and a further bolstering of its fortunes. The city itself had expanded over a greater area, so much that, in its modern form, it was surrounded by three mighty walls that stretched high and wide.

To this very day, the descendants of Seongju Peerchen hold the honorable title of -Wielder of the Sword-

I knew for a fact that Serenia’s population would only continue to increase, despite how crowded the city already was. The reason for this was simple: While most fragments cast down by Pernen had already been claimed, the one believed to have fallen near Serenia was yet to be discovered. The region was vast and mountainous, with no one even having a general idea as to where the meteor had fallen. Moreover, any expedition that was launched had to consider the extreme danger posed by the horrible monstrosities that roamed these lands.

The absolute power offered by the fragment continued to lure seekers here, giving them a reason to venture further into the region.

Few ever returned.

Nevertheless, despite the near absolute risk of the quest, new adventurers continued to flock to Serenia, for the one who claimed the fragment would be showered in glory. They would be able to ask boons from royalty, whether in the form of coin, lands, titles, and even marriages. Considering such potential earthly rewards, it was no wonder that so many came to seek their fortune in the region.

“Aren’t you hungry? I sure am,” Kaseun suddenly asked, interrupting the train of my thoughts. I hadn’t had a bite to eat after the soup and bread that had been my breakfast. Exploring the temple all morning had bolstered my appetite.

“Yes, a little.”

“Then let’s find a place with good food.”

The establishment Kaseun had settled upon was a bakery that specialized in making sandwiches. I was quite surprised when we entered through the door, for the bakery was cleaner than I would have thought possible, considering the level of technology that these people possessed.

There was also a cool breeze that flowed through the room, quite at odds with the scorching heat of the street that we had just left behind.

I had known that magic was common in my world, but to see it used in so normal and pedestrian a manner came as a great surprise, for it was through arcane means that the bakery was kept clean and cool. Kaseun had noticed my expression.

“You look surprised. Surely you’ve been here before?”

“No, no… I’ve never been in here. It is so amazing! Outside, it’s very hot but in here it’s cool, almost all the time.”

“Ah, an excellent example of the powers of magic and money.”

There was far more to this world than I had at first thought possible.

While they did not have anything like computers or satellites, they had the ability to replicate normal things like fridges, air conditioning, light-bulbs, and even floor buffers. I knew that such luxuries were dependent on possessing a certain material, though, and this material was money.

A life of leisure was possible here, if only you had cash… I glanced at Kaseun.

He was a former Mercenary King, possessing a platinum disk. Surely, until I reached adulthood, I would have no shortage of money.

“Go ahead, Judah. Choose something, pick whatever you want,” Kaseun instructed me.

I nodded and then proceeded to pick six full sandwiches that were being kept cool in their display case. He didn’t ask if I could eat all of them, no, he rather stated that I could order more if they proved to be too few.

Kaseun paid for our order, and we took our meal to a nearby table.

Wow…

The sandwiches looked so delicious. Resting between the soft slices of bread was of layers and layers of sweet jams, crispy cabbage, many species of fruit, and cuts of meat. I gulped one down in record time, reaching for the next.

“Slow down, boy. Drink some milk.”

I acceded to this suggestion and washed the sandwich down with a gulp of milk from a wooden tankard, then continued to wolf the next one down. As I reached the fourth sandwich, Kaseun joked that at least he would not have to worry about me not eating enough. Upon reaching number five, I started to chew more slowly.

“Your parents will be buried tomorrow. Will you come with me?”

“…Yeah,” I said after swallowing my food.

“Good. You know that I have been named your guardian. Do you know what that means?”

I nodded. “You will take care of me until I become a man.”

Kaseun laughed as he also nodded. “Yes, that’s basically it.”

I might have been in the body of a child, but having the soul of a twenty-four-year-old meant that I could easily understand things that most children would find confusing.

“How do you feel about living under my roof from now on? I don’t live that far from where you had stayed with your parents. You can go visit your old home at any time.”

“Well… I would like to keep staying in my old home,” I told him, trying to sound like a child. I appreciated his offer, yet I was not sure whether I wanted to live with him.

“Ah, and are you going to take care of yourself? On your own?”

“Yes, I think I can take care of myself,” I stated plainly.

On Earth, I had only lived on my own for two years, but it really wasn’t so hard. I knew how to cook, well, using modern technology, but how hard could it be? Kaseun gave a hesitant nod at my statement, clearly not wishing to press the matter so soon after Judah’s loss.

“That’s all right, we won’t worry about it now,” he said in a kind and warm tone.

I stopped eating my last sandwich and looked directly into his eyes.

“I’m not stubborn. I just figure that I will have to learn how to live alone, so I might as well do so sooner than later.”

He held his silence after I said this. I wondered what he was thinking, for what I had just said was not something that a seven-year-old was expected to say. Suspicions as to what his conclusion would be troubled me.

“I… You are quite mature for one so young, Judah.”

Of course, I was mature, though there was no way that I could explain this to him. The fact of the matter was, the sooner I figured out how to survive in this world on my own, the better. Kaseun seemed disappointed at my attitude, for he had clearly hoped that I would live with him.

“It’s all right, Judah. You will live alone for now. If you feel you can’t manage it, or if you need anything else, you will always be welcome under my roof.”

“Thank you, grandfather.”

“I will take care of you to the best of my ability. Whenever you need help, freely ask me,” he said, once more smiling kindly and lovingly at me before focusing his attention on his half-eaten sandwich.

I was wracked by doubts, however. A boy as young as I, living on his own?

What had I been thinking? Well, I had to prepare myself for a tough childhood.

* * *

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Hint: Sampling a great variety of meals is one of the greatest pleasures of life. However, despite the common presence of magic, delicious food still comes at reasonable, if not hefty, prices.

Eating food can grant many positive (and negative) statuses to your character, so try out as great a variety of meals as possible. You won’t regret it!

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Q: Judah is going to have a very hard time collecting all 24 fragments. Their current owners aren’t going to give them up so easily, are they?

A: While that is true, he is still the creator of the game. He knows exactly what is going to happen next, so he has an inherent advantage. On top of that, there are three other things you have to consider:

Pernen, the creator of the fragments, is still alive.Judah has very strong abilities.Even if he dies, he will only reset to his last save point.