Chapter 83: Fairy Tale—He Has a Little Gray Wolf (9)

Lyd shouldered a basket brimming with herbs as he emerged from the Black Forest.

His home was in Red Cap Town.

However...

Lyd lowered his gaze. Most of the men in Red Cap Town were Red Cap Knights, subsidized by gold coins. Unlike them, Lyd had to venture into the Black Forest every few days, gathering herbs to exchange for coins at the Knights’ shop.

He headed home first.

His house was built of bricks.

It was solid—a rather good residence by the standards of Red Cap Town. Over the past few years, the feud with the Wolf Tribe had destroyed much of the town, and houses as sturdy as Lyd’s were rare.

The house had been left to him by his deceased parents.

His parents had fallen in the war against the Wolf Tribe.

When Lyd returned, he happened to meet Mrs. Griffin, who had just come back from an outing.

She was his neighbor.

A kindly lady, one of the few people in town who treated Lyd with warmth.

"Lyd, did you go to the Black Forest again?"

Lyd gave a soft reply, opening the door and setting his basket down in the courtyard.

"Tonight, there’s a magic test at the entrance to the Knights’ Academy. You should give it a try—perhaps this year you’ll get in!"

Nearly every man in Red Cap Town could wield magic, and each year the Knights’ Academy recruited new students. Occasionally, a girl would be admitted as well.

Both of Lyd’s parents had been knights.

But Lyd had inherited none of their gifts.

He had no magic; worse still, he stammered.

That’s how others saw him.

Lyd lowered his head, speaking awkwardly, "N-no, I won’t go. I don’t have any."

Mrs. Griffin observed his discomfort and sighed, urging gently, "Lyd, don’t listen to their nonsense. You’re a good lad—I know it. Let them say what they want."

Lyd’s status in town was awkward, for there wasn’t another youth without any magic.

Not only did he lack magic, he’d repeatedly ventured into the Black Forest to rescue injured animals.

To the townsfolk, this was unforgivable. If not for his parents’ memory and the herbs he supplied to the Knights’ Academy, Lyd would likely have been cast out.

"I-I understand," he murmured.

"Alright, I won’t keep you. Hurry, deliver your herbs. Harris and his group went to the forest today—you shouldn’t run into them at the shop. Go on!"

Mrs. Griffin sighed again and retreated into her home.

At the mention of Harris, Lyd’s already pale face grew even paler.

A few threads of embarrassment flickered through his sapphire eyes.

He sighed softly and entered his house.

He changed into clean clothes.

In his wardrobe, the red cloak lay neatly folded.

It had belonged to his mother.

Only knights possessed red cloaks—they were tokens of rank.

Lyd reached out and saw a flame in his palm.

It was red, but not purely so; its tip was tinged with black.

Anyone versed in magic would recognize it at a glance.

It was dark magic.

An evil power.

A hint of grievance flickered in the boy’s sapphire eyes.

He went out, shouldering his basket, and made his way to the Knights’ shop.

Mrs. Griffin had said Harris and his group were in the forest.

Lyd felt relieved.

But unexpectedly, Harris returned sooner than he’d thought.

They met at the Knights’ shop.

"Harris! You really showed your courage today. With that arrow, that little wolf is likely crippled, if not dead—ha ha ha!"

"Hmph! Who do you think I am?" Harris raised his head, pride shining in his manner. "I’m not some cowardly, stammering boy, nor do I possess that wretched, overflowing sympathy."

"Just thinking about it makes me sick."