Early the next morning, when the first rays of sunlight pierced through the mist of dawn and fell upon the snow in the Courtyard of the duke’s mansion, Helos and Julius were already packed and ready to depart for the Adventurer’s Guild.
After a whole winter of tempering, the childishness on their faces had faded slightly, replaced by a touch of grit.
Helos still wore practical, form-fitting clothes. The potion belt at her waist was polished to a shine, and her long silver hair was tied neatly behind her head, making her look quite dashing.
Julius wore lightweight armor with a longsword at his hip. Standing tall, a glimmer of anticipation sparkled in his Black Eyes.
Gavi followed silently behind them. Her maid uniform was spotless, and the painted half of her face looked even softer in the morning light.
However, just as they were excitedly crossing the Courtyard, intending to sneak out through the side gate, a steady and majestic figure appeared without warning on the path ahead.
It was Duke Eisende.
He wore dark, everyday clothes, with his long golden hair tied meticulously behind him.
Standing quietly in the center of the Courtyard with his hands behind his back, his deep blue eyes — identical to Eleanor’s — watched them calmly.
Helos’s footsteps froze instantly.
Almost instinctively, she pulled her neck back and hid behind Julius, peeking out with only half her head to steal a glance at her Patriarch.
To be honest, even after passing Werner’s test, she was still somewhat afraid of this titular Patriarch.
The distance and coldness from her childhood had long since left an indelible mark on her heart, making it impossible for her to face him with a calm mind. Every time their eyes met, she would involuntarily feel nervous.
Julius’s heart also leaped into his throat.
He took a step forward, subtly shielding Helos more thoroughly while bowing respectfully to the Duke.
“Lord Duke.”
Eisende’s gaze swept over the two of them, finally landing on the half-silver head peeking out.
His eyes seemed to shift slightly, and his icy majesty appeared to soften a bit in the morning light, but his tone remained flat.
“Where are you going?”
His voice wasn’t loud, yet it sounded exceptionally clear in the silent Courtyard.
Helos’s heart skipped a beat. She knew she couldn’t hide any longer.
The young girl took a deep breath and stepped out from behind Julius. Although she still didn’t dare look her Patriarch in the eye, she answered honestly, “We… we want to go to the Adventurer’s Guild to see if there are any commissions for hunting magical beasts.”
She was prepared to be severely scolded.
After a duke’s daughter to become an adventurer — a life spent with danger and blood — would be seen as an outrageous, almost absurd act by any noble father who valued decorum.
However, to her surprise, Eisende did not get angry.
He only furrowed his brows slightly and remained silent for a moment. Something complex seemed to flicker in his deep eyes.
“An adventurer?” he repeated in a low voice, as if pondering something.
After a long time, he spoke again, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger.
“You may go.”
“Eh?”
Helos looked up in surprise, unable to believe her ears. She even wondered if she had misheard.
“But,” Eisende’s tone shifted, becoming serious, “you must promise me two conditions.”
“First, you must hide your identities. No one can know of your connection to the duke’s mansion, especially you, Helos.”
His gaze turned sharp. “Second, you can only take low-level commissions that are within a controllable range. If you encounter a danger you cannot handle, you must retreat immediately. You are not allowed to act brave.”
These words left Helos completely stunned.
She had expected a storm, but instead, she received a calm and rational set of instructions. This was a different person from the cold Patriarch in her memories.
“I… I promise!”
She nodded without hesitation, her voice even carrying a trace of imperceptible excitement.
Julius also breathed a sigh of relief and bowed respectfully once more.
“Very well.”
Eisende nodded.
Just as Helos and Julius thought they could leave and prepared to set off again, the Duke’s steady voice stopped them once more.
“Wait.”
The two stopped simultaneously and looked back in confusion. Eisende turned and walked toward the main house, leaving only a simple command.
“Wait here for a moment.”
Helos and Julius looked at each other, completely baffled by what he was up to. But they didn’t dare ask and could only wait obediently.
Not long after, Eisende reappeared in the Courtyard. Accompanying him were the Steward and several maids carrying trays.
The Duke walked up to them. His gaze swept over Helos’s simple clothes and cloak, then looked at Julius’s somewhat worn light armor, his brow furrowing imperceptibly again.
“If you’re going to be adventurers, that gear won’t do.”
He gestured to the maids and the Steward.
The maids took a step forward, presenting the trays. On them were two sets of brand-new equipment, specifically tailored for adventurers.
One set was for Helos.
It was a very plain traveler’s set, including a dark short coat with multiple pockets, dark trousers for easy movement, and a pair of knee-high boots that could steady one’s step on any rugged path.
In addition, there was a wide hooded cloak and a plain silver mask that could completely cover her face without any extra decoration.
The entire outfit looked unremarkable, yet the details revealed exquisite craftsmanship.
This equipment wouldn’t hinder her agility, and it would allow her to blend perfectly among ordinary adventurers, completely hiding her identity.
The other set was for Julius.
It was a brand-new set of mithril light armor, much lighter than the old iron armor he wore, but with much stronger defense. Protective runes were etched on the inner side of the breastplate.
Accompanying it was a kite shield, also made of hard mithril, with a layer of tempered steel around the edge and a magic crystal emitting a soft white light embedded in the center.
Most striking was the longsword placed beside the armor. The Scabbard was wrapped in black leather, and a pure magic crystal was also embedded in the hilt.
“This… this is?”
Julius’s voice trembled slightly with shock. He could feel the pure holy light power contained within the sword and shield; they were definitely not ordinary items.
“Your weapons are too old; it’s time for a change,” Eisende explained flatly.
“They are forged from holy light crystals and a mithril alloy. They will greatly amplify your holy light magic and serve as an aid for you to become a saint knight in the future.”
His gaze turned to Helos, and his voice paused, seemingly gaining a hint of imperceptible softness.
“As for you,” he pointed to the traveler’s set, “this set was a work by an elf ranger friend of mine from when I was young. It is stealthy and durable enough to keep you safe in the wilderness.”
Helos stared blankly at the equipment, for a moment not knowing how to react.
She never thought her Patriarch would prepare these things for her.
Of course, Helos and Julius did not know at this moment that the value of the two sets of equipment Eisende had casually given them far exceeded Martha’s workshop.
“Father…”
“Take it.” Eisende’s tone left no room for argument. “You’ve earned it.”
After speaking, he didn’t give them a chance to reply and turned to leave. His tall figure looked somewhat lonely in the morning light.
Helos stood there in a daze, holding the seemingly ordinary but well-crafted traveler’s set, her heart filled with a mixture of emotions.