Adventurer of Many Professions

In a separate holding cell across the compound where the three suspects Mike, Seth and Andre were temporarily held, Raymond lay on a hard cot, staring at the ceiling. 'Never thought I'd find myself here,' he mused. The morning light seeped in through a small, barred window, illuminating the stone walls around him. He knew that soon, the Knights would decide his fate. Either he'd be cleared, or he'd face punishment with the rest, but Freya's words echoed in his mind, providing a glimmer of reassurance.

"If you were telling the truth, Raymond," she'd said with surprising gentleness, "then you have nothing to worry about." Her confidence gave him a strange sense of calm.

In the quiet of the cell, Raymond took a deep breath and opened his awakening panel. A faint smile crossed his face as he read the stats, feeling a surge of pride.

Name: Raymond Kelton

Age: 15

Magic Value: 100/100

Occupation: Fighter

Skills: None

Skill Points: 0

Awakenable Professions:

- [Warrior] – Requirements: Defeat ten monsters using ordinary weapons.

- [Swordsman] – Requirements: Swing a sword weighing no less than eight kilograms one hundred thousand times in one day.

- [Hunter] – Requirements: Set and use traps to kill a monster; track prey for at least ten minutes without being discovered; use a bow to hit a ten-centimeter target from ten meters away.

- [Magician]…

He chuckled to himself. The journey to any of these professions would be challenging, but this was his chance to shape a new path. His fate no longer depended on the whims of people like Seth, or even Madame Weir. For once, he held the reins of his own future.

As Raymond scanned the list of possible awakened professions, his smile widened. 'So even as a fighter, I still have the chance to unlock other professions!' The idea thrilled him. This meant he could approach these paths at his own pace, growing stronger before tackling each challenge.

Yet, he knew that none of these awakenings would come easily. Take [Swordsman], for instance. At first glance, the requirement seemed straightforward; just swing a sword one hundred thousand times in a single day. But he quickly realized the difficulty. A day had only about 86,400 seconds, meaning even one swing per second wouldn't be enough. And to make it more daunting, the sword had to weigh no less than eight kilograms.

'No normal person could manage that,' he thought. Swinging a heavy blade even a hundred times would exhaust most people, let alone one hundred thousand. 'But now that I'm an awakened fighter, I'll build my strength over time.' He decided to be cautious, especially with requirements involving monster encounters, something far beyond his experience for now.

What intrigued him most, though, was the [Skills] section on his panel. Despite his newfound abilities, he didn't have any specific skills yet, nor did he understand how to acquire them.

Suddenly, a thought struck him. "Freya managed to sneak up on me last night without me even noticing… could that be a skill of hers?" He wondered if perhaps some skills allowed knights to move unseen or unheard, giving them an edge in battle.

"Raymond! Raymond!"

A voice from outside the cold iron window pulled him from his thoughts. It was unmistakably Freya's, full of urgency and excitement. Footsteps approached quickly, and with a loud 'clank,' the door swung open.

Raymond looked up just as Freya stepped into view. Now that daylight was streaming in, he could see her more clearly. Her dark, almost raven-black hair was cropped short in a way that seemed both deliberate and practical, framing her bright, mischievous eyes that held an unusual depth. Her knight's uniform was sleek and fitted, clearly customized for agility rather than bulk. She looked almost too young for the role; a small figure, youthful and full of energy, her innocent face contrasting with the dagger hanging at her side.

"Come on, Raymond, you're free to go!" She waved him over with a grin, revealing a small, playful fang.

"Huh?" Raymond blinked, stepping cautiously toward her. "Just like that? Everything's… cleared up?"

Freya laughed, a playful glint in her eye. "Of course! Why would I lie? You probably don't realize this, but before we even started interrogating those three, they were practically singing like birds! Confessed to everything."

She snickered, as if reliving some private joke.

"Really?" Raymond asked, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. He'd expected a long round of questioning, perhaps even days of waiting. But it seemed Seth and his gang had broken before things even began.

Freya's eyes twinkled as she explained, "Turns out, they were so rattled by being in the Knights Templar HQ, they thought we had special methods to uncover every lie. They confessed everything before we even had a chance to start."

Raymond laughed softly. 'Can't blame them,' he thought. Even he had felt intimidated in the presence of so many awakened knights.

Freya went on to explain that, in their attempt to frame him, Seth and his cronies had poured a sleep-inducing potion into his room, hoping to stage an incident that would get him in trouble.

Raymond shook his head, now feeling more amused than anything. He'd been prepared for the worst, but thanks to Freya and a bit of knightly intimidation, it looked like he was finally free to leave this place and start a new chapter of his life.

Freya chuckled, shaking her head. "You know what's even funnier?" she said, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Those three fools paid two whole gold coins for that drug at the pharmacy, thinking it would knock you out cold. Little did they know, they got scammed! They bought nothing more than a basic sleep aid. Doesn't work on awakened people at all. The magic in us cancels it out."

Raymond felt a chill run down his spine. 'If I hadn't gone out last night…' He shuddered at the thought. Things could've gone very differently.

"How will they be sentenced?" he asked, his face darkening. He couldn't shake the anger boiling inside him.

"Don't worry." Freya's voice took on a serious tone. "While they didn't manage to harm Arya directly, the fact that they plotted to frame you is a very serious offense. Framing an awakened individual is no small crime."

Raymond nodded, recalling the rumors he'd heard. "Is it true they'll be sent to the mines? To work in the most dangerous places?"

Freya shrugged casually, as if this punishment were obvious. "More or less. They'll be put to work in dangerous areas, places where plenty don't make it out each year. That's what they get for trying to trap an awakened one."

The Knights Templar were established to hold awakened people accountable, but Raymond could see that Freya felt no sympathy for ordinary people who'd try to bring down an awakened individual, especially by deception. Raymond felt his anger ease slightly. Knowing they'd face justice brought him some peace.

"Oh, by the way…" Freya's expression shifted to one of playful curiosity. "That girl you were so eager to protect? She's here waiting for you~"

Raymond's face heated up, but he forced himself to stay calm, avoiding Freya's teasing gaze. "Is Arya okay?" he asked, his concern cutting through his embarrassment.

Freya tilted her head, giving him a mischievous grin. "Why don't you see for yourself?"

—

When Raymond stepped outside the Knights' Office, he spotted a familiar figure standing quietly by the door.

It was Arya.

But she wasn't the confident, outgoing girl he was used to seeing. She was hunched over, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, her face hidden beneath her hair. Her eyes were swollen and red, as if she'd been crying for hours. In that moment, she looked fragile, like a small, vulnerable girl who needed protection.

Raymond felt his heart ache as he took in her state.

"Hurry up!" Freya nudged him with a smirk.

He didn't need any more encouragement. Without hesitation, he rushed forward, stopping right in front of Arya. She looked up, her eyes finding his, and suddenly all the emotions she'd been holding back broke free. She threw herself into his arms, her shoulders trembling as she sobbed.

"Raymond, I was so scared," she cried, her voice barely more than a whisper. "I didn't know what would happen. I was really, really scared…"

Raymond felt her tears soaking through his shirt, each one deepening the ache in his chest. He remembered that fear, that feeling of helplessness, he'd been there before. And Arya had always been there for him, shielding him, comforting him. But looking at her now, he was reminded that she was just a young girl herself, not yet fifteen.

Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, steadying her. In his embrace, he promised himself that he would be the one to shield her from now on.

"Don't worry, Arya," he whispered, his voice filled with newfound strength. "From now on… I'll be the one to protect you."