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When Efrain became aware of the world around him, the Takka Principality had already ceased to exist.

Having lost his parents in the Takka Principality invasion war by the Maltgartz Empire, Efrain, since his time attending the temple school, had been living in the “Juvenile Dormitory” provided by the empire, along with children who shared similar circumstances.

The children of the Juvenile Dormitory, upon graduating from the temple school, could proceed to an applied school with the empire’s support covering everything from basic necessities to tuition. There were few who refused this opportunity. For children without families, the only means to establish themselves was through education.

Unlike the temple school established by the temple, the applied school was set up by the rulers… in this case, by the empire.

Knowledge of social systems, various arts, sciences and alchemy, as well as the history of the empire and its righteousness, were learned.

As Efrain learned and grew, his perspective widened, and eventually, he began to understand how he could rise in status.

By sharpening his own strength through learning and then connecting with those who already held positions and had connections.

Fortunately, there were plenty of opportunities.

“Hey, Efrain! You still seem as lively as ever!”

A senior from the same Juvenile Dormitory who had graduated from university and became a bureaucrat visited the dormitory that day.

Efrain, who had just returned from the applied school, rushed to the entrance upon seeing his senior.

“Senior, did you bring souvenirs today!?”
“Hey, come on! There’s a limit to my salary. Don’t think I can bring Imperial City sweets every single time!”

Wearing splendid clothes, the senior, as if recalling an old memory, ruffled Efrain’s hair and tickled his side.

“But, you know, I’ve got some good news that’s like a souvenir.”

The usually friendly expression of the senior became serious and tense.

Following behind the senior into the dormitory was a refined young man wearing a cloak-like coat filled with dignity.

The students, nearing graduation from the applied school at the ages of 15 and 16, were gathered in the discussion room.

Surprisingly, the one who came with the senior was none other than a new noble, a baron.

Maltgartz was a country expanding its territory through conquest. There were quite a few families that recently gained noble titles as a result of being enfeoffed in conquered lands. He was one such emerging noble.

“We would like to invite you to our ‘Divine Blessing Oratory’.”

The baron brought it up with an unexpectedly gentle tone.

“Well, it’s not complicated. It’s a study group where we discuss social issues and the ideal form of the country. We have debates in our oratory meetings. This gathering is supported by the university. Many of the nearly 100 members are university students, but graduates like me are also involved, and… promising students from applied schools like yourselves are also members.”

It was understood by everyone that it wasn’t just an invitation to a debating club, without the need for it to be explicitly stated.

The opportunity to meet university students was an incredible stroke of luck. It meant forging connections with the children of the upper class and those who would carry the future of the country as bureaucrats.

While there were those among them aspiring to attend university themselves, this opportunity could also serve as assistance for their own plans. Above all, if they could endear themselves to influential graduates, there might be cases where they could receive recommendations. This, in turn, would enable them to receive support from the country during their university education. Even if not, for boys and girls in the juvenile dormitory without reliable family support, having trustworthy friends at the same university would be a great source of strength in times of trouble.

And now, this opportunity is being offered.

Through the connections of the senior present here—the “big brother” to all who lived in the same juvenile dormitory.

“If you’re okay with it…”
“I want to participate!”

Efrain was the first to raise his hand, eagerly and with determination. He had decided that when an opportunity to rise came, he would seize it with everything he had. Especially for someone like him, a boy with no place to rely on, clinging to the mercy of the country.

After raising his voice, Efrain worried that he might come off as too eager and create a negative impression. However, the baron, displaying a noble composure, chuckled subtly and then took out a parchment with the country’s emblem engraved on it.

“Very well. Then swear the blood oath here.”
“Blood oath?”
“Yes. Cut your thumb with the knife and press the blood seal here. It’s an ancient and venerable etiquette passed down since the time Maltgartz was a kingdom. It symbolizes the same determination as shedding blood on the battlefield. A ritual to prove seriousness.”

A knife with a golden handle was handed to Efrain.

Throughout history and across cultures, warriors and knights have engaged in rituals involving shedding blood or even drinking the blood of beasts as part of their oaths. Efrain vaguely remembered hearing such stories somewhere.

However, he never thought he would do something like this in his lifetime, so he hesitated when he saw the blade.

It’s not that he was scared of a little cut. What scared him was…

“It’s not scary at all.” The senior, who had been watching the situation unfold, spoke confidently. “I’ll be there for you as you move forward.”

Efrain’s hesitation was broken.

As he slid the blade of the knife over his thumb, the flowing blood swelled with a deep red. It was more itchy than painful.

When he pressed his throbbing fingertip onto the parchment, a red seal was engraved there.

“Congratulations. With this, you too shall fight for our homeland, shoulder to shoulder with me… as a knight.”

Like a close friend, the baron embraced Efrain’s shoulder.

Efrain felt an exhilaration as if his body were about to explode. He sensed that he had shown courage, overcome a trial, and been welcomed into a special world.

“What’s your name?”
“I-I’m Efrain!”
“I see. Now! Is there anyone else following Efrain!?”
“I will!”
“I will too!”

Hands went up one after another, and a line quickly formed, waiting for their turn.

Once the first person did it, those who followed were no longer afraid. As the blood oaths increased, the atmosphere became jovial, and the adventure into uncharted territory turned into a picnic.

However, there was still someone who didn’t move.

――■■■■■…?

The boy beside Efrain stared at the parchment with a bitter expression, as if confronting an exam question, and remained stiff.

“Hey, ■■■■■!”

After finishing dinner and leaving the cafeteria, Efrain chased after ■■■■■, catching up with him at a corner of the corridor and calling out.

For Efrain, ■■■■■ was not quite a friend. And for ■■■■■, Efrain was the same. However, ■■■■■ wasn’t very sociable. If asked who his closest friend was, he might either mention Efrain or say he had none.

So, Efrain always cared a bit about ■■■■■.

“Why didn’t you take the blood oath? If you get to know the emerging nobles, it might open up new opportunities for you.”

■■■■■ was a peculiar person. Efrain thought of him like a mirage, with a fleeting fragility that seemed like he might disappear if you looked away. Many of those gathered eagerly took the blood oath with joy. But ■■■■■ didn’t.

His choice seemed like taking a step toward death rather than life, and Efrain had felt a heavy feeling in his chest ever since.

“Because I didn’t trust it…”
“You don’t trust nobles? Because they are puppets of the empire that killed your family?”

Efrain retorted desperately to ■■■■■’s restrained words.

He knew that even in the juvenile dormitory, there were those with anti-imperial sentiments. Especially among the older generation who had witnessed their families die, Efrain understood that becoming emotional was inevitable.

However, weren’t they supposed to be liberated from such entanglements? Moreover, allowing such emotions to lead to a misguided judgment at a crucial point in life was unacceptable.

“■■■■■, think carefully! That was the quickest way to end the war, the minimum sacrifice to establish order! It’s unfortunate that our families happened to be the ones who died, but the empire…”
“I don’t have any special feelings about parents, siblings, or relatives who died before I even remembered their faces. If the empire takes responsibility and provides us with food and education, I’m even grateful.”
“Then why!”

Efrain felt no resistance from him, as if he was punching a pillow.

He felt frustration. He had spoken so far for ■■■■■’s sake, and now it seemed like it was all going to waste without him even thinking about it.

But…

“This feels like a scam. I hate… that kind of thing.”

■■■■■ said only that. ■■■■■, who rarely asserted himself, unusually used strong words.

Efrain couldn’t continue. He placed ■■■■■’s words on one side of the scale, and no matter how much he piled up his own words on the opposite side, he was convinced that they would never balance.

He couldn’t fathom why ■■■■■ felt that way. Why those words seemed so heavy. Efrain, thoroughly defeated, couldn’t even muster the will to explore.

After that, Efrain gradually grew distant from ■■■■■. After leaving the applied school and entering university, they lost contact, and Efrain had no idea where ■■■■■ was or what he was doing.

However, Efrain always remembered that day.