Preparation
"This will be the room where you... Sir Tiny will be staying from now on."
I ignored the servant's sour expression. Anyone could see it was a raggedly dressed kid who evoked the image of a massive club. Add in the black hair and black eyes that felt ominously unsettling, and even with the lord's orders, it must have been hard for the servant to greet him with a smile. So.
"I've prepared fresh clothes inside the room and water for washing. If you need anything else, just ring the bell."
His attitude was praiseworthy after recovering from that one slip-up and straightening himself out. But.
"What about food?"
"...Pardon?"
"How do I get meals?"
"Ah... I'll bring it to your room..."
"No need. There must be a place where they serve food to knights and soldiers, right? Just bring a ton. A huge ton."
"Ah..."
The servant's face twisted ever so slightly at the immediate demand.
'His face is so transparent. Thinks I'm just beggar trash, huh?'
A chuckle nearly escaped me, but mistaking my expression, the servant hurriedly bowed his head.
"S-sorry."
"No need to apologize."
I was nominally the lord's guest now, so speaking casually to servants was natural, but I had no intention of bullying them over it.
Maybe he sensed that, because the servant quickly smoothed his expression and continued.
"I'll guide you to the knights' dining hall. If you exit the manor to the right..."
I memorized his directions as I entered the room, letting out a sigh.
"One week..."
No matter how I thought about it, there were only two options.
First, abandon the original plan and run. Emma and the few others I'd felt grateful toward had already left Philes. No lingering attachments to these people anymore, so if I bolted for real, I was confident I could shake off any pursuit from the lord or knights.
But that came with massive repercussions.
'The lord would put out a warrant branding me a murderer of his subjects, and if word reached the duke's house...'
It would throw a massive wrench into meeting the duke. Even with Cloi's ring.
And that would derail the grand plan to smash the Demon King and legion commanders' thick skulls right from the start.
— ...I'll make proper use of that talent of yours.
'I don't know what the duke has prepared, but he's not one to spout empty words. There must be something that'll help me.'
So, I couldn't let anything jeopardize meeting the duke.
And most decisively of all.
"Tch..."
Running away.
"...Just thinking about it pisses me off."
Deception before battle was strategy. But fleeing first because of insufficient power didn't suit my temperament.
Even if power was lacking now, finding a way to win was my way.
And fortunately—or unfortunately—Tiny had a second option.
A bit... no, very dangerous, but equally certain.
'The "honored guest" visiting in a week. Is that visit official?'
It wouldn't be. If it were some high imperial noble making a baron quake in his boots, the manor wouldn't be this deserted just a week prior.
That meant an unofficial visit they couldn't openly welcome.
And considering the lord's state, the "honored guest" might not be someone who could walk around openly.
In that case.
'If chaos erupts in Philes before he arrives, drawing all eyes, the chances of his backer canceling the visit skyrocket.'
A concrete plan for that chaos had already formed in Tiny's mind.
And to make it happen.
"First, I need to boost my power."
With a resolute smile, he surveyed the spacious room and began loosening up.
Non-mage Mana Users were said to hit three major walls in their growth.
The first was crossing from stage 2 to 3.
From stage 2, where mana empowered weapons and gear for dramatic strength boosts, to stage 3, where one could infuse attributes.
High-level stage 3 knights earned epithets like "Flame Knight" or "Ice Knight," often called Experts.
That level meant average knight in a famous order or head knight in a minor noble house.
But most never crossed due to secret art limits or talent, like this remote territory's knight captain, Cran, stuck at stage 2 peak.
'Maybe that's why he fell to corruption.'
Not my concern. Time to focus on my growth.
Having walls meant other sections grew easier relatively.
Especially for Tiny, with his past life's experience intact.
So, for the plan ahead.
'Reach stage 2 in a week.'
His body cracked fiercely with the resolve, moving vigorously.
Others might scoff as impossible, but for him, it was feasible.
Hummm.
The pulsing mana in his body, the Mana Body / Nian Ti secret art, had matured stage 1 and held potential for the next.
Thanks to an unexpected boon found while refining basics.
'Just eat well, and Mana Body grows.'
The perfectly fused mana and flesh grew with every nutrient influx—a bizarre phenomenon.
Unknown if it'd last post-growth spurt, but at his prime age, it was revolutionary.
Explosive mana growth without legendary elixirs or noble secret drugs.
'Of course, I'd need vastly more food than normal.'
A worthwhile investment.
Once at stage 2...
'I can crush the lord or Cran easily.'
Unthinkable normally. Even same stage had levels; fresh stage 2 beating peak was near impossible.
But with refined Mana Body, he transcended normal Mana Users.
Pre-refinement, top-class; now, immeasurable—even to its creator.
'You'll see.'
A feral smile on his lips, thick sweat poured like rain with his movements.
That evening, people gathered at the dining hall adjoining the knights' training grounds deep in Philes' inner castle.
End of most soldiers' and knights' duties. Normally quiet, now packed with horrified stares at one boy.
A boy piling food as high as himself, devouring it.
The mountain shrank at unbelievable speed with noisy crunches.
Chomp chomp.
Crunch crunch.
Ignoring food splatters on fine laundered clothes, his combative feast drew sighs from watching servants.
"...Demon possessed?"
"That body eating that much? Impossible."
"Dwarf mix? Heard they eat like orcs."
"Nah, even that's too much."
"Is he even human...?"
Rude murmurs, but understandable at the bizarre sight.
The boy just inhaled food mindlessly.
'First noble meal with this body. Weirdly delicious.'
Growing age helped; everything went down easy.
Fun growth process? No reason to hate it.
Plus.
Hummm.
Shhh.
Invisible to others: chewed food breaking down live into energy and mana. Felt vividly, smile inevitable.
Until the interrupting voice.
"You're the brat who ate manners for breakfast, huh."
"Hm?"
Interrupted mid-joy, Tiny frowned, turning.
A hulking figure approached. Half-plate mail marked him no mere soldier; faint mana scent too.
'Knight...'
Early stage 2 aura. Freshly qualified.
No past life memory, total stranger picking a fight—why be polite?
"...What?"
"What? Ha, kid. See an adult, you greet with respect first, no? Even illiterate beggar food-obsessed trash?"
Sudden provocation, but Tiny smirked calmly.
"Idiot picking on a kid lectures manners?"
Unexpected retort?
"...What'd you say?"
Knight blinked, delayed response.
Tiny seized it, escalating.
"Amuse me or pick fight? Pick one, lump."
"You... beggar scum got guts!!"
His roar echoed; pale servants scattered, fearing fallout.
Beyond them, Cran glanced from afar.
Obvious ploy. Tiny couldn't help sneering.
"Lead."
"Ha, impudent whelp lacks manners—!"
"Wanna test my skill, right?"
The boy's black eyes met blue-haired giant's brown steadily; provoker faltered.
Realizing his slip, face hardened like stone.
"...Arrogance better match skill, rookie."
Late bravado, scoffing as he turned. Assumed Tiny inferior.
But Tiny's gaze fixed on the middle-aged knight feigning ignorance afar.
'Watch closely.'
Actually, target wasn't him either.
Obviously, the red-haired middle-aged man monitoring from manor depths, likely orchestrating.
Hiding killing intent toward lord, Tiny quietly followed.
Blue-haired knight led to adjacent training grounds.
Vast yard in inner castle, pitted floors. Blunt iron swords, wooden ones on racks.
Knight and kid faced center.
Amid blatant or covert stares, blue-hair crooked finger at Tiny.
"Said show skill? Come at me. Grant will teach you your place."
Seeing smug ease, Tiny smirked.
"...No sword?"
"Puhaha, beat street thugs so underestimate knights? Bare hands enough for you."
"You'll regret."
"You'll regret. No fitting armor for pea-body, fine—but grab a sword? Ah, never learned? Just rush? I'll go easy."
Long-tongued knight smirked arrogantly, beckoning. Sigh escaped.
Fine, if he insists.
"Then..."
Snap.
"Gladly."
Crack!
Before words faded, lightning-fast leg smashed giant knight's ankle mercilessly.