Who?
The group's journey toward the empire was swift, accompanied by the Orc tribe's grand farewell. Wolrang raced across the plains like the wind itself, four times faster than any ordinary mount. To most people, the wolf would appear as little more than a blur streaking by, yet astonishingly, Jenas and Luna kept pace effortlessly on their plain horses.
As expected...
Tiny had seen Jenas maintain mana sprint for over half a day before, but Luna matched him flawlessly. Still, even so.
"Tiny! The horses can't take it anymore. We need to rest!"
Indeed, ordinary horses without special bloodlines struggled to sustain such speeds, no matter how skilled the rider. It had only been three hours since they started galloping.
Regular horses top out at about three times normal speed.
Wolrang had once outpaced three mounted knights—three times the speed of standard cavalry—and Jenas had followed without issue for half a day. That seemed to be the limit for mana sprints on normal steeds. Drawing that conclusion, Tiny ended their dawn charge.
Meanwhile, those driven by a thirst for information—unable to ride in his past life and now without need for it—suffered the backlash, forced into absolute rest for half a day or more.
"Here."
Thud.
He dropped a wild boar he'd hunted for breakfast, only to meet startled gazes from the side.
"Didn't you say breakfast, Tiny?"
"Yeah, but I need to eat a lot."
"Ah..."
Jenas's face paled as old memories resurfaced, but Tiny paid it no mind. With his realm advanced, he was eager to max out his mass and mana again. Having decided to curb his haste, this was a chance to regroup.
Once we're back in the empire, I'll have some breathing room. Might as well bulk up again while I'm at it.
No immediate battles loomed, so he could prioritize physical growth over mana.
I'm in my growth spurt—can't stay the same size for months.
As Tiny gutted the boar and removed the innards with thoughts that would baffle anyone else, Luna butted in with a sullen pout.
"Shadow Law, mana circuit arts—poor versatility. Plus, that guy has wind attribute. I'm not inferior to him."
"Hm?"
Luna glared at Jenas with puffed cheeks.
"Ah..."
She must have taken the long rest as proof her horse lagged because of her mana control. Jenas gave a wry smile, and Tiny chuckled.
"I know, sis."
The "sis" came naturally now. He still couldn't fully grasp being true Morse blood, but there was no changing it. If anything, blood ties to the Reaper he'd kept distant in his past life weren't so bad.
But Luna stayed grumpy despite his reassurance. And then.
Crunch munch. Slurp. Gulp crunch.
"Bro, you okay... huh?"
"Oh, this secret art of mine gets stronger the more I eat."
After watching him devour two-thirds of the boar alone—feeling his body thicken in real time and his mana swell—her expression grew even stranger.
"Incredible..."
Or rather, it ignited a fierce spark of rivalry.
"Our family's secret art is no slouch. World's top assassination and combat technique. I'll show you its true worth."
Her burning resolve led to an unexpected conclusion.
"Leave my horse here."
"Hm?"
By mid-afternoon, as they prepared to depart at a leisurely pace, Luna dropped the odd request.
"Your technique's impressive. But I'll make you want to learn our family ultimate."
She glanced warily at Jenas nearby.
"He's a comrade. Someone we can trust."
With Tiny's words firming her resolve, she melted into a shadowy silhouette and slipped into Wolrang's shadow.
"Hup!?"
Even the composed Jenas gaped at the surreal sight.
"Woof!?"
Wolrang growled in surprise, but Tiny just shook his head with a smile.
"...Don't chase her off. She's an ally."
- You don't even flinch?
"No reason to. I've seen it plenty."
- Oh, right. Tch.
Luna's voice, transmitted directly to his ear via shadow, dripped disappointment, but Tiny only smirked.
"Wh-what about that young lady?"
"She'll follow from the shadows."
"Whoa...?"
Leaving Jenas dumbfounded, Tiny urged Wolrang forward slowly. Mindful of Jenas's horse, he'd match full gallop speed until camp that night.
And Luna trailed in Wolrang's shadow just like that.
Pat-pat-pat-pat.
Wolrang dashed along, occasionally twisting to peer curiously at his own shadow. Jenas followed behind, stealing glances too, but her concealment was flawless—no hint of her presence. Even Tiny's mana sense barely detected her unless he focused.
As expected...
With Challenger-grade space dominance enhancing Shadow Law, she could hide in an enemy's shadow and match their every move. True, Challenger space control was mere fragments compared to an Aura Exceeder's authority of space. Yet Luna wielded it like grand magic, interfering with space itself—without wasting much mana, no less.
Always an amazing technique.
This was why the Reaper was indispensable in the Great War against demons. Among Marquis-grade beasts under 1st Legion Commander Glutterni were monsters too fast to handle. The damage from that bastard alone was...
Ah, no. If I recover my past life's realm now, maybe it'd be different?
A competitive itch stirred, but that was for later. For now, the Reaper was an absolute necessity as an ally.
- I can hide like this for days if no weird habits poke the shadow. Unless it's got odd traits like your spirit...
Her cute sulk after bragging caught him off guard, but it beat the grim Reaper of his past life.
Sis...
The word still evoked one person first. But Cloi, Luna—
They're all good people.
His life diverging from his past was sinking in. His gaze drifted to Jenas trailing behind.
- It's fine, Tiny. You've done plenty well.
- What you've worked for isn't wasted. Chin up. Be proud.
Those words eased his mind. In both lives, tunnel-visioned on the path ahead, they'd broadened his view. Just shifting perspective made him feel bigger.
- Look straight at the sky, head high without shame. Right, Tin?
Maybe that's what Erina wanted—not worldly success, but this growth of spirit.
...Yeah. I'll give my all to what I can do now. And become someone greater. Keep watching, sis.
Vowing mental growth unlike his past physical focus, Tiny adjusted speed with newfound calm.
A week later, that calm shattered spectacularly.
"Ah, knights, are you? This way."
The ID badge, etched with a glowing blue eagle emblem infused with registered mana, marked it for nobles only. The guards at border city First One ushered them straight to their captain without delay.
But.
"Blue eagle... Knights of Valentia Duchy! So, you knew?"
Tiny's unease stirred as the captain spoke strangely.
"Knew what...?"
"Well, are you here for his party at the castle?"
His? Party? As the cryptic words piled up, Tiny glanced back. Tales from past-life comrades surfaced—invitations stacking up in every city they named, yet none for him.
Why not me? he'd asked.
- They skip you 'cause you're scary and unpredictable.
A awkward answer.
Of course, this life's different...
They hadn't even used Tiny's badge—it was Light Knight Tiny's, but no.
- Word of what happened in orc lands has spread to the empire by now.
- Without cover, it'd take months to reach Asrian.
- Ignoring noble invites isn't wise long-term.
- Better go incognito.
Jenas's plan. They used an old fake: apprentice knight Toren. They'd unsummoned Wolrang before the gates and borrowed Jenas's horse.
Yet here they were.
Do they invite every knight from famous houses to parties willy-nilly?
Hooded Jenas shook her head. Even without it being about him, their group's makeup was suspect. Luna was obscure, fine—but Jenas couldn't openly roam other territories, so she hid her face behind. Tiny concealed his hair under a hood to avoid fuss.
A party invite? Odd, but he shook his head.
"No. We'll rest in town and head out soon."
"Oh, pity. Won't you regret missing it?"
"Huh?"
"The realm's hottest hero! Light Knight Sir Tiny is in our city. He's hosting the party."
He doubted his ears.
"...Who did you say?"
"The lord's throwing a grand feast for his visit! You'll see the majestic 'wolf spirit' too."
"Spirit...?"
"Haha, I was shocked at first. Bigger than any real wolf."
"N-no, really the Light Knight?"
"Yep. Black hair, valiant wolf spirit—who needs verification? He came straight from the orc battlefield; we should let him rest easy..."
The captain's words warped their faces into grotesque masks.
What the hell...?
- Grrr.
Unsummoned to avoid eyes, Wolrang snarled from the soul realm. Don't let it slide.
Yeah, no way.
Tiny snorted, cracking his knuckles. Jenas shook her head behind, but his mind was set.
"Noble ladies are flocking already, hoping to catch his eye. Haha, if you're interested, sir knight, add your name to the guest list. Valentia—surely ties to the Light Knight?"
Oh ho, women too?
"No matter how rushed, I can't let some bastard shit on my name and walk."
Crack.
His heavy step cratered the stone path, murderous aura seeping from his frame.