From the moment I was chosen by the holy relic

That day, in the royal palace.

Eric took a deep breath and stood atop the golden hall, which was covered with a red carpet. The high dome, as dazzling as stars, was studded with sparkling gems, and the murals on the walls depicted ancient battles. Golden candlelight flickered on the walls, casting shadows of the empire's former glory.

He stood upright at the foot of the marble steps, facing the high throne where the ruler of this land sat, Eldric III, a king in a purple robe with a head of gray hair. His face was etched with the marks of time, but his eyes remained as sharp as an eagle's, seemingly able to see through every corner of a person's heart.

Eric knelt on one knee and presented the strange sword with both hands, the sword that had shone with a fierce light in the Battle of the Ruins.

He then recounted how he tracked the tomb raiders into the ruins and how he fended off Kadir, who came to steal the pendant.

The king nodded slightly, his gaze lingering on the sword with a hint of interest. Beside him, his prime minister, Walter, a thin man with a sinister face, frowned slightly.

"Intruders?" Walter spoke slowly, his voice tinged with a cold suspicion. "Why didn't the border garrison report this?"

Eric paused for a moment, then replied, "I can't explain it. Their movements are extremely secretive; perhaps they have a way to evade patrols..."

"Perhaps?" The Prime Minister chuckled, his gaze sharp as he fixed on Eric. "Young knight, your story sounds rather bizarre."

Eric pursed his lips and didn't reply; he knew that arguing at this moment would be pointless.

The king's gaze swept over Eric, then fell upon the sword. He pondered for a moment before slowly speaking, "You say this sword possesses some kind of strange power?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Eric nodded. "It shone brightly at the time, as if awakened by some ancient power."

"Then, can you demonstrate your power once again?" the Prime Minister asked with a cold smile, a hint of sarcasm in his eyes.

Eric nodded slightly, reached out and grasped the hilt of the sword, silently replaying every detail in his mind. He recalled the indescribable tremor within the ruins, the intense heat emanating from the blade. He was certain it was not made of ordinary iron, but some ancient relic, carrying a legend unknown to the world.

however--

The sword did not react.

Eric frowned, adjusted his breathing, and tried again. His fingers gripped the hilt tightly, even trembling slightly. He tried to recall the scene, to feel the fluctuations of that power again, but no matter how hard he tried, how focused he was, the sword remained like an ordinary piece of metal, without any unusual phenomena.

The king's expression gradually turned cold, and his initially interested gaze became indifferent, while a barely perceptible smile appeared on the prime minister's lips.

"It seems our young knight is perhaps too excited, to the point of seeing some non-existent miracles in his hallucinations," Walter said casually, his tone laced with undisguised sarcasm.

Eric's back stiffened, and his heart began to sink.

"Or—" the Prime Minister paused, his gaze fixed on Eric like a venomous snake, "you're simply lying?"

Eric looked up abruptly, anger surging in his chest, his fists clenching slightly: "I didn't lie! Everything I said is true!"

The Prime Minister scoffed, "Is that so? Too bad, there's no evidence."

The king did not immediately make a judgment, but looked at Eric, a hint of hesitation still lingering in his eyes. But Walter pressed on, continuing, "Besides, you also said you received help from an elven mage?"

"Yes," Eric nodded.

"Why is she unwilling to come and meet His Majesty?" the Prime Minister asked, narrowing his eyes. "And why didn't she bring that book with her?"

Eric said in a deep voice, "Eileen once helped tomb raiders, so she is unwilling to appear before His Majesty. As for the book, only a mage can decipher the text inside, so she wants to present it to His Majesty after it has been deciphered."

"Interesting." The Prime Minister chuckled, the sarcasm in his eyes growing more pronounced. "An elf employed by tomb raiders, deciding to turn around and help a complete stranger like you?"

"Long-eared elves are never trustworthy," the Prime Minister said calmly. "They are cunning, deceitful, and unlike us humans." Hearing this, Eileen smiled softly, a hint of disdain flashing in her eyes.

"Why would she help you decipher it?" Walter pressed.

Eric answered without hesitation, "Because she is my friend."

A hint of mockery flashed in Walter's eyes: "Friends? What a naive reason, my lord. I admit the story is quite well-crafted; I suppose you're after the reward?"

Eric was about to speak in his defense when the king finally spoke, his voice deep and authoritative: "Enough!"

A deathly silence fell over the hall. Eric held his breath; he could feel the oppressive atmosphere in the air. The king slowly rose to his feet, looking intently at Eric. Finally, he made his decision.

"For the crime of deceiving the emperor, he shall be imprisoned and await further trial."

Eric stared wide-eyed at the king in shock, wanting to argue, but the guards around him had already stepped forward, grabbed his arms, and dragged him out of the hall.

During his days in prison, the only question in Eric's mind was: Why? Why wasn't the sword activated?

The rain continued to patter on the roof, and a cold wind blew in through the cracks in the door, carrying the scent of earth and dampness. Eric's voice gradually faded as he finally finished recounting his ordeal, while Eileen listened quietly, neither interrupting nor showing much expression. She simply hugged her knees, her eyes fixed on the darkness outside, as if some unsolved mystery lay hidden within.

After Eric finished speaking, his gaze fell on her, a hint of expectation in his eyes. Perhaps she could offer a reasonable explanation?

However, Eileen remained silent for a moment, sighed softly, and then shook her head: "I don't know either."

Eric lowered his head.

Eileen looked up at him, a thoughtful look in her eyes: "Perhaps it requires a specific environment? This sword is strange to begin with. Why does it glow? Why did it awaken in the ruins but remain unresponsive in the palace? These questions remain unanswered."

Eric fell silent, a hint of resentment in his heart, but he knew now was not the time to dwell on those things. They had already lost everything; the most important thing now was to survive.

Eileen stood up, stretched, and her voice returned to its usual casual tone: "Alright, Sir Knight, now that you've finished your story, we need to think about what to do next."

Eric looked up at her. "What are your plans?"

"My plan is simple," Eileen shrugged. "We came to this damn Orion to collect the bounty. But now you've not only failed to get the reward, you've become a fugitive, and neither of us can survive here."

Eric's expression was somewhat gloomy, and he said in a low voice, "I wanted to... I wanted to protect this country..."

"Yes," Eileen said with a sneer, "but unfortunately your king doesn't think so."

Her words were like a dull knife cutting into Eric's heart, leaving him speechless.

Eileen didn't continue to discourage him, but instead adopted a serious tone: "In any case, you can't stay in this country anymore. You either have to find a way to escape on your own, or..." She paused, a smile playing on her lips, "...come with me and do some legitimate business, hire adventurers."

Eric frowned. "Hiring someone to explore?"

“Yes, there are many people in this world who pay adventurers to search for ruins, transport valuables, or even escort important figures. I know some such teams, and they pay much more than your salary.” Eileen smiled. “If you’d like, I can get you into the business.”

Eric pondered for a moment, then said in a low voice, "I had no choice."

Eileen looked at him, her gaze deepening. "If you still want to pursue your heroic dreams, I won't stop you. But let's be realistic, Eric, you have nothing now. The king has abandoned you. Do you want to die on this land?"

Eric sighed and rubbed his temples; he had no other choice at the moment.

"Okay, I'll go with you."

Eileen nodded in satisfaction, then suddenly remembered something, "What about your parents? Should we bring them along?"

Eric shook his head, his tone heavy: "No need. While I was in prison, I sent a letter to my friend, asking him to take care of my parents. He's a reliable person."

Eileen raised an eyebrow. "You've thought of everything."

Eric forced a smile: "I just know they don't want to wander around with a wanted son."

Eileen didn't press further, instead adopting a more relaxed tone: "Now that you've decided to come with me, we need to find a way to earn some money. Let's find an expedition team first; I know some people who might be able to take us along." Eileen pondered, "But before that..."

Her gaze suddenly fell on Eric's collar.

"Where's the pendant?"

Eric paused, then his eyes widened, and he patted his chest as if he had just remembered it. He hurriedly pulled the ancient pendant from his inner pocket.

"It's still here." Eric breathed a sigh of relief. "I was locked in the cell before I could even take it out. Luckily, the guards who searched me thought it was just a cheap decoration."

Eileen carefully put the pendant away: "This can't be lost."

Eric didn't say anything more, he just raised his head and looked out into the darkness.

The rain has stopped, and a faint ray of dawn is visible in the distant sky.

Eileen stood up, stretched, and patted Eric on the shoulder: "Alright, pack up, we have to go."

Eric slowly stood up and took a deep breath.

Yesterday is gone, and the future is an unknown journey.

As dawn broke, the two embarked on their journey into the distance.