Evan D. Sherden, Turning Fourteen (1)

There were high buildings all around with colorful boards, people filled the wide roads, merchants were selling goods, and explorers were going to and from the dungeon. Today, the dungeon city was going crazy again. Princess Anastasia L. Leonine of the Leonine Duchy admired the scenery of the dungeon city, which she could see outside the carriage window. Today was her first visit.

“I’ve been to the capital city once when I was young… I think this place is more colorful than there.”

“Really? I was born and raised here, so I don’t feel like it’s fancy. I feel like this place is a little more energetic than the capital city, though.”

The answer to Anastasia came from Shine, the tall boy sitting opposite her. At the young age of fourteen, he was already over 180 centimeters tall, and his skin was unusually pale. He was tall and strong, which combined with his handsome appearance to create an exotic charm like a fairy of darkness. His charm always made Anastasia’s heart pound violently. What would happen if she grew up here? Anastasia couldn’t help but be afraid of a rival that would appear every day while she was very excited to be with him.

“Oh, but maybe the building’s sophistication has increased as the master has joined the construction business. Sometimes I’m so surprised by him.”

However, while Shine said such words and looked out of the window with serious eyes at the city’s landscape, he didn’t know Anastasia’s mind. Anastasia sighed inwardly, but she adjusted to him.

“Yes. The capital city has an antique feel, but…not here. I feel like this is the fastest-changing place in the world.”

“That’s right. That’s the perfect expression for my master.”

As Shine had been serving Evan, who grew stronger every day, he nodded in agreement with her. Anastasia sighed again.

“Shine, you like Evan a lot. I’m a little jealous…”

“I’m just tired of his talent. It’s been two months, and I don’t know how strong he’ll become… it’s really hard to catch up with him.”

“Hmm, I’m sorry. I just let you serve me this entire time…”

Shine had left the Dungeon city to stay in Menaton because Anastasia had wanted it. Anastasia always felt sorry for causing trouble to Shine because of her selfishness, but she could never say, ‘You don’t have to come here in the future.’ Anastasia hated to bother Shine, but the idea of being unable to meet him… her anguish only grew as her affection for Shine increased.

“Oh, I’m fine. I’m taking some time to do my own training anyway, and training with the Duke’s knights is helpful for me.”

Shine soothed Anastasia, who had an indescribable look on her face. It wasn’t even a lie; the rest of his training could be done elsewhere outside the dungeon.

I’m a little sad that I can’t use the Brotherhood Bathhouse in the Duke’s territory, though…

But Shine had also achieved more than that. He could steal their entire training method by joining Anastasia and training with the Duke knights sent to Menaton. When he had been staying in the Duke’s territory, he was exploring the mysteries contained in the training methods of Duke Leonine’s knights and reinforced them with the training methods he already knew. It had finally paid off this time. It was a natural but ridiculous achievement that no one but Shine could dare to do.

‘Master will love it.’

The Duke Leonine was separated from the royal family, so their training method was different from that of the royal family. In other words, the new training method was becoming a skill that would be better than any physical training skill, at least within the Silk Line kingdom! Evan would be very happy to hear that report, as the training method to lay the foundations of the rookies had been completed perfectly.

“Hmm… okay, thanks for saying that.”

Anastasia imagined how happy she would be if Shine gently grabbed her hand and said, ‘Don’t say that. I’m happiest when I’m with you, Asha.’ Of course, that was just her delusion. Anastasia sighed at the thought, but she soon shook her head, thinking she shouldn’t expect so much already. Shine, who always thought Evan was number one, didn’t refuse to be sent to Menaton. She was very thankful to him.

“I can’t wait to see how the master will react to us. Will he be pleased?”

Anastasia changed her words outright. Shine replied to her, thinking that it was a relief that Anastasia didn’t seem upset.

“Of course. We’ve finally begun mining the mana metal. Evan has been excited to transform the weapons system.”

The procession of carriages from Menaton to the dungeon city was quite long. The lead carriage held Maybell, the representative of Brotherhood Corporation, followed by Anastasia and Shine’s wagon. Then, there were carts escorted by the mercenaries of the Brotherhood Corporation. What filled most of those carts were the mana metal officially traded with the Brother Corporation. After months of sincere support for Menaton, Anastasia could mine mana metals in its natural form and provide them exclusively to the Brotherhood Corporation.

“But will it be okay? It’s a metal that’s never been found, and we don’t know how to process it, if it’s not worth what Evan thought it was worth…”

“You don’t have to worry about that. Master Evan knew about it and did this.”

“…I respect you both.”

Anastasia indeed respected Evan, who had a prophecy that governed the nation’s fate, and Shine, who believed and followed Evan steadfastly. Shine noticed Anastasia’s strange gaze towards him and turned his eyes. He found something running over the wall out of the window.

“…Jin?”

Although he was very fast, it was not enough to fool Shine’s sight. The child running fast on the wall was one of the youngest members of the Dungeon Knights. Ah, but there was another person running with him. It was the Elf lloin.

“I heard that lloin trained Jin. Now, he is practicing very hard. Did he enter the dungeon? He’s really fast.”

“That child with the eyes of a dragon…? Is she the Hero Elf Iloin, whom I’ve heard of?”

“Yes, you’re right on both accounts. I told you they’re staying in this city, right?”

“I heard about it. I’ve heard it, but…”

However, listening about it and meeting them in person was different. Anastasia’s eyes were bright as she recalled the stories of the heroes who had saved the world decades ago.

“I can’t wait to meet her.”

“I’m so sorry. I wish they could meet your expectations…”

“Excuse me… and I asked you to call me Asha.”

“How could I dare to call you that?”

Anastasia glared at Shine for his stubborn answer, but Shine only smiled perplexedly. There had been dozens of such conversations between them every day. Anastasia, who sometimes secretly and sometimes boldly implied her feelings to Shine, and Shine, who couldn’t respond to her as he knew the difference between their status! Anastasia’s cheeks puffed up as she looked at Shine, for whom she allowed her mind.

“What’s wrong with you, Shine?”

“I’m proud of myself, apart from my status, but I can’t compare it to the one and only princess of the Duke’s family in the Silk Line.”

“It’s okay because you are the vice-commander of the world’s most powerful knights. Rather, you are stronger than me.”

“Hahaha.”

Shine shut his mouth in response to Anastasia’s words. If he denied it, it would lower the value of the dungeon knights led by Evan. He was agonizing over how to refute it, but soon he took a slight turn.

“But, but the dungeon knights have yet to be formally created. They don’t even have a name.”

“Then I’ll wait. I can wait that long.”

“What, wait for what?”

“… For the day Shine, who will become the vice-commander of the dungeon knights, calls me Asha.”

It was like she was putting a shackle on his neck! Anastasia didn’t see Shine’s fearful face. She mumbled to herself, ‘The next four years…’ with a delighted smile. The count had already begun!

“Princess Anastasia, I can’t guarantee my status even if the dungeon Knights are established!”

“We arrived, Shine.”

But the moment Shine was rushing to make an excuse, Anastasia said so with her eyes glistening. It was true. At a truly amazing time, the wagon stopped in front of the Marquis Sherden’s Villa.

“Oh, **…”

“Shine, escort me.”

“Okay, but I have something to tell you later, so don’t run away.”

“I won’t run away from you, Shine…I can’t do such a stupid thing.”

Seeing Anastasia, whose cheeks were red as she clearly said what she wanted to say, Shine was completely speechless. Shine couldn’t tell Anastasia that she made his heart pound. It was good that the deal with Anastasia had gone according to plan, but…the crisis seemed to be escalating.

Arriving at the villa, Anastasia greeted the Marquis Sorain first. As she had made a deal with the Brotherhood Corporation, she had little to do with the Marquis, but he was also the city’s highest figure and Evan’s father. Thus, Anastasia had been courteous. After that, she headed straight to the headquarters of the dungeon knights, where Evan was staying. The other members of the dungeon Knights were training hard today, but Evan and Belois were waiting for them in front of the building.

“Massssster Evan!”

“Wow.”

Even before Shine and Anastasia got off their wagon, Maybell, the first to jump off, threw herself at Evan without hesitation. In Shine’s eyes, as he escorted Anastasia down from the carriage, it seemed likely that Evan would throw Maybell away, but he opened his arms and held her.

“Hu-ah-ah-ah-ah, Master. I love you.”

Being held in Evan’s arms, Maybell mumbled in a languid drooping voice, rubbing her face against his solid chest, as if to recover from the fatigue accumulated for nearly two months. Evan sighed loudly.

“Maybell… Do you know you’ll be an adult soon? You will be eighteen. Eighteen. Besides, you are an aristocrat.”

“Yes, master. I’ll be an adult soon, and I’m an aristocrat! I’m ready to start a family with the master anytime, argh.”

“Huh.”

Evan naturally pushed Maybell out of his way. Belois, who was waiting behind Maybell’s back, held her down. Their movements were so natural it was as if they had been promised in advance.

“Belois, you traitor!”

“We’ve never been on the same side.”

“Belois, hold her tight…welcome, Princess Anastasia. Shine, it appears you’ve had a hard time too.”

Evan neatly ignored Maybell and Belois’ joking to greet Anastasia and Shine with a welcome smile. Shine thought Evan’s poker face had been improved in the meantime.

“Master Evan… It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you in person. You’ve grown up again.”

“It’s time I did; I’ll probably grow more. Not as much as you, though.”

It was March, and Evan was about to be fourteen years old. Fourteen years old meant he was almost full-grown, and he was growing up to be a decent young man, a little shorter than Shine, but still nearly 180 centimeters tall and strong. There was no way to describe the charm of his more mature features. Even Anastasia, who had fallen in love with Shine, was stunned for a moment.

‘Shine was 182 centimeters tall, and Evan might be as tall as Shine in Yoma Great War 3. Now that we’ve trained physical condition at an early age with the rookie training method, we might be taller.’

Evan was nodding to himself, recalling their CG characters in the game. However, Anastasia, who saw Evan, already felt a bit dazed when she heard that Shine and Evan, who were above the average height of men in the Silk Line, would grow up more.

“I’m sorry, Princess, but can I check the items right away? It’s important.”

“Ah, ah. Yes.”

Shine and Evan’s future growth… Anastasia, imagining when Shine would be fully grown, managed to regain her sanity at Evan’s prompting. A porter immediately lifted the tent of the cart. It was filled with stone blocks of unknown metal uniquely glistening pale violet, and there were five whole carriages filled with those metals.

“How… how is it?”

“I think it matches what you told me, master… Is this right?”

The most important thing in Anastasia and Evan’s deal was this mana metal! Anastasia became tense while looking at Evan. Maybell, who was being held down by Belois, had regained her seriousness.

“…Good.”

After Evan pondered over the condition of the metal, he smiled before declaring so calmly.

“The first phase of the deal has been successful. Good work, Princess…this is the first step you’ve taken to becoming Duke.”

“Well, then step two is…?”

“Of course, I was preparing it.”

Evan said this with a refreshing smile.

“It’s your level-up time that I’ve been waiting for.”