He had the same dream he always did when he closed his eyes.
Davi dreamed of the dragon. The great beast, with its red scales, set fire to everything in sight, followed by the endless blizzard that sent the Mordheim kingdom back to the ice age. Davi once again woke up in a cold sweat, staring up at a roof, just as he had done in the tavern.
This wasn't the tavern, though.
Davi groaned and sat up in bed. His body ached a bit, but he was used to pain. He quickly took stock of how he was doing, followed by the room. His shirt and pants were gone, leaving him in some cloth that covered his modesty. A blanket was draped over him, and his back had several bandages wrapped around the stab wound he received from the golem. The bed he was in was shockingly comfortable. He had spent the past few years sleeping in taverns or in the back of farming trucks, so it took him a few moments to get used to how soft the mattress was.
That was when he noticed the rest of the room. It was large and spacious, with stone walls. Unlike the tavern room, which had been nearly empty, this room had something everywhere he looked. A desk made of expensive wood was shoved near the back. A portrait of some blonde-haired man in expensive golden armor hung on the wall. A bookshelf filled with exotic novels and grimoires resided near the desk, and most shockingly, a chair was next to the bed, and Olivia slept soundly, her body half resting at the end of the bed he was on, while her other half was in the chair.
Davi looked down at her in confusion. How long had she been waiting here for him? How long had he been out?
There was a large flat-screen TV that hung up on the wall. It was showing off a trio of Arcane Knights who had battled a three-headed dog monster, but Davi didn't notice any date that would let him figure out when it was. He eyed the three Arcane Knights up for a moment in silence.
Just like with Gray, the three Knights seemed to have this aura of power around them. One that was obvious even through the screen. The TV was on mute, so Davi couldn't hear anything, but he watched as one of the Knights, a girl with raven hair who was wielding two large guns, raised them to the air and seemed to cheer.
Seeing them put a bitter taste in his mouth. One that had been present ever since he met Gray. He wasn't a Knight. It was obvious when he compared himself to the real Knights. He was sturdy and strong, but real Knights, people like Gray, seemed to have this air that surrounded them that drew people in. They were saviors and heroes. Everything that he wasn't. A Knight would have been able to save Susie, but all he could do was put her down the same bitter path that he walked.
Finally, Davi turned away from the TV, no longer wanting to see people that were better than him. "Olivia?" He asked softly.
Olivia's eyes fluttered open, and she slowly woke up. She glanced at him, still half asleep, and wiped some drool off her face. "Davi?" Then she fully woke up. "Davi! You're up!"
"Yeah." Davi nodded and took the blanket off of himself, standing up. "Where am I—"
"First, put on some clothes!" Olivia chucked a bag at him, and he caught it. The girl had turned her back to him and huffed. "As for where you are, we're in some castle that belongs to Gray."
"Gray?" The image of the Arcane Knight came back to him, and Davi felt another headache coming on. He opened the bag Olivia had tossed him. It wasn't his bag, nor was it Olivia's, being far too expensive for her. Inside of it, he found some new clothes, which he changed into. It was a white buttoned-up shirt and black dress pants. They were a little big on him, but he just tucked the shirt in and pulled a belt out of his vault and used it to support the pants.
There was also a pair of boots inside, but he opted to instead pull out a pair of backup shoes from his personal stash, pulling them out of the shadows and slipping them on so they'd fit. The shirt and pants were made out of a finer silk than his old clothes had been and practically smelled of money.
"How long was I out for?" Davi asked once he was fully dressed.
"Over a day," Olivia replied with a sigh and turned back to look at him. It was only then that he noticed she was also in a new outfit. She wore a white gown and had on a similar bag to the one she had thrown at him earlier, which was filled with her and his old clothes, as well as the dagger she had stolen from Garon. Her snow-white hair was also tied back, and she had a black jacket over the dress. "You got infected with some sort of venom or something from one of the golems. After you blacked out, Gray took us to his castle."
Davi nodded, and he shuffled over to a window and looked out of it. From below, he saw the farmlands, as well as dozens of farmers and guards walking around the fields. The castle wasn't anywhere near a town or city; instead, it was placed in its own plot of land that Gray likely controlled as a baron or duke.
In other words, not only was he in the home of an Arcane Knight, he was in the home of a very, very rich Arcane Knight.
"Davi?" Olivia asked when she noticed he just remained in place, staring down at the field. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah. Hey, how much did you talk with Gray?" Davi asked.
Olivia shrugged. "Not a lot." She admitted. "After you collapsed, I mostly stayed next to you to make sure you were alright. A few of the castle's healers came in and got you fixed up. I'm not sure where Gray went. I assume he was busy with Arcane Knight work."
"So you didn't say anything about me being a Knight to him?"
"No? Should I have?"
Davi shook his head. "Listen, I know this will sound weird, but don't bring up the fact I'm an Arcane Knight to Gray. Just keep that between us."
"Why?" Olivia asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Just… Trust me. Okay?"
The girl stared at him, studying him for several moments, but finally she nodded. "Okay. I trust you. I won't mention it."
Davi let out the breath he had been holding. "Thanks."
As if on cue, the door to the room then opened. Davi wasn't too shocked to see Gray, but he did raise an eyebrow at the guards that followed the Knight in. Unlike Gray, the guards didn't appear to be Arcane Knights but were more or less the same kinds of low-level mages that had been in Daisy. They wore simple chain mail, and one held a spear, while the other kept his hand near his belt, where a wand rested.
Gray had changed out of his earlier clothes and now wore a much more casual suit, though the cape that held his guild symbol remained. He held a smile on his lips and extended his hand for Davi to take.
"Mr. Davi. It's good to see you're up and moving again."
"Yep. I feel fine." Davi shook the hand, but inside he was frowning. It was a little too convenient that Gray happened to show up the moment he woke up. "I guess I got taken by surprise by that golem. They don't normally attack with poison. That one was a first for me." He admitted. "Now that I am recovered, though, I'm afraid Olivia and I have to take our leave."
Olivia awkwardly glanced at Davi and then looked back at Gray. She nodded meekly, even though she really wanted to talk to another Arcane Knight for a bit longer. "Yep. We're heading to Rose, and we still have a bit of a ways to go."
Gray let out a chuckle. "I see. Well, before you two leave, you must be hungry, right? I know for a fact neither of you has eaten since I brought you here." The man stated, his eyes sparkling a bit as he looked at Davi. "You helped me fight all those golems off and even saved some of my farmers. It's the least I can do."
Davi shook his head. "No, thanks. I'm not hungry—"
His stomach let out a loud grumble. An awkward silence filled the room.
"You sure?" Gray questioned.
Davi felt his stomach growl again, and he punched it as hard as he could as punishment. That was a very bad idea, though, because that just caused him to collapse to his knees and groan in pain. "Ow. That was a stupid idea."
"I'll let the chef know you'll be staying for dinner." Gray smiled.
And so, that was how Davi found himself following after Gray and Olivia. The rest of the castle was just as he thought it would be, with an expensive red carpet that stretched across the floor and dozens of heavy-looking suits of armor lined up throughout the hallway. There were paintings hung up on the wall, each one showing a different person in armor. The final, and newest one, showed off Gray, the man wearing the same golden armor the first portrait had been in, with a heavy stone hammer flung over his shoulder.
Despite the castle proving that Gray was indeed a noble, there was a strange, homely feel to it all. Music bounced off the walls, and already the smell of good food rolled through the castle, causing Davi and Olivia's stomachs to growl repeatedly. Many guards patrolled around, all giving nods to the Knight as he led the two of them toward the kitchen.
"Taking in more strays?" A guard chuckled when he saw his master return with two new people.
"Does he do this often?" Olivia asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, Master Gray does this all the time." The guard nodded. "He always complains he can't finish all the food that's cooked and is constantly inviting other people to come eat with him. He's just kind like that."
Davi tensed up when one of the guards grabbed his arm. He didn't have his weapon or armor on, so he felt a lot more exposed than usual, but he calmed down a bit when the guard simply held onto his arm and began to lead him and Olivia down the halls and into what looked like a large dining room.
It was a wide room, with a massive table in the center and more pictures hung up. A few banners had the symbol that was on Gray's cape, and several servants placed dozens of different glass plates onto the table. Davi's eye twitched as the guard pulled a chair back for him and made sure he was comfortable. Another did the same for Olivia, while Gray took his seat at the head of the table.
"Well," Gray began, waving his arms out. "Dig in! It's good, I promise! All of it is made here, using ingredients we personally grow!" The food in question consisted of grilled meat, jars of milk, steamed veggies, and fruits. There was enough to feed a small army, and Davi felt his stomach flop a bit more and his mouth water. Despite that, though, he held strong.
"Why are you doing this?" Davi asked a bit suspiciously.
"Why shouldn't I?" Gray raised an eyebrow. "I'm an Arcane Knight. My job is to help people. The two of you are hungry, and I have the extra food. It doesn't do me any harm to feed you. It's only natural that you help someone out when they require help, right?" Gray asked sheepishly.
"Wow, he's just like you!" Olivia said, stunned. "You're always doing that as well, aren't you, Davi?"
Davi shot Olivia a look, and her smile faded. Gray chuckled and glanced at the shadow-haired man. "You help people often, Mr. Davi? Are you perhaps a town guard or a mercenary for hire? It would explain your power and your skill, as well as the intensity and feel of your mana."
"In a way…" Davi muttered. Arcane Knights weren't hired for every job. Some people couldn't afford the Knights or preferred to do things in a shady manner and so would employ mercenaries. Guys like Olis were hired mages working full- or part-time to guard cargo or slay monsters. Not all powerful mages sought to become Knights, and so it wasn't rare to see a mercenary or sellsword. That in and of itself wasn't illegal, and in a way, he actually was one since he'd slay monsters and get paid for it, and so long as the mercenary turned in any magical beast they slew, it was considered fine with the guild. What was illegal, though, was claiming to be a Knight, selling magical beasts, and entering dungeons. All things he had done, since at the time he didn't know any better.
Gray and Olivia were already digging in, and hesitantly, Davi placed some grilled pork onto his plate and cut into it before bringing it to his lips. The tastes exploded on his tongue, and he nearly gasped. He had been eating nothing but rations for months. The last good meal he had was some oranges and stale bread, which Olis had given him and Olivia. By comparison, this meal was divine.
"So, you're heading to the capital?" Gray spoke up once more, attempting small talk. "Any reason?"
Olivia looked up at Davi, and he gave her a hesitant nod. "I'm heading to the capital to take the Knight's entrance exam," Olivia said slowly. "I'd like to become a Knight like you one day."
"Oh! So I may be looking at a future recruit." Gray let out a merry laugh. "That's wonderful. We need all the Knights we can get, especially with what's been going on all over the world. And what of you, Mr. Davi? Are you also looking to become a Knight?"
"I'm not taking the exam," Davi said, picking his words carefully.
Gray's smile faded for a moment, but the man nodded. "I see. That's a shame. A strong guy like you, I'm sure you'd get far. You might have even reached the same level as me if you joined the Knights."
Davi picked at his food. He was suddenly not as hungry. "If I want to get stronger, I'll just train some more."
"That will help, but there's only so much traditional training will get you." Gray speared a piece of meat on his fork and brought it up to his lips. "After all, we Knights are special. We're blessed with remnants of Haru's magic. There's a reason we're the ones tasked with protecting the kingdom and not any other random mercenary group out there. We have the backing of the king himself."
"I'm hoping I can become a Knight this year." Olivia fiddled with a glass of apple juice, staring at her reflection in the liquid. "There's someone I want to meet once I do become one…"
"I'm sure you'll be able to do it." Gray smiled softly. "The world needs more people willing to try."
The meal soon came and went, as the three of them finished their food. A few more servants came in, took the plates away, and began to clean up the table. One of the guards also appeared, grabbed Olivia gently by the arm, and began to lead her back to the guest room—just her.
"Mr. Davi, I hope you don't mind, but I'd like to speak with you," Gray said. "Alone."
Davi's eyes narrowed. "Davi?" He glanced back at Olivia, who looked like she was about to fight the guard that was holding onto her.
"It's okay." He said after a moment. "I'll meet you when I'm done, and we can hit the road once more."
Olivia hesitantly nodded and allowed herself to be dragged out of the room. Gray made for a different door and shot a teasing look toward Davi. With a huff, Davi pushed his chair in and followed the man. The two of them walked through the halls of the castle, only this time it didn't seem as homely. Gray led him outside, through a pair of double doors, and eventually to a hedge maze.
The maze was large and twisting, spreading out across the ground, and had various rare flowers planted across the ground. All the guards and farmers were gone, leaving just the two of them. Gray stood and reached out, fiddling with a flower, and brought it up to his nose, smelling it slowly. Eventually, though, Gray sighed and turned around to face Davi. "Why didn't you just tell the truth?"
"Come again?" Davi asked, raising an eyebrow.
"All the times you lied." Gray met his eyes. "Why couldn't you just claim to be a mercenary for hire, or a wandering mage training themselves, or even just some psycho bastard who likes to fight monsters? All of that would have been fine. That's not what you did, though. Instead, you lied and claimed you were an Arcane Knight."
Davi's body tensed up. "What?"
"Don't play dumb." Gray leaned against the maze and folded his arms. "A Knight in dark armor showed up one day. They didn't speak to a lot of people, slew the monster, and then simply left. Do you know how often the guild has heard that same story?" Gray frowned softly. "Once or twice, we might have believed it was an accident. Even four or five times, we're willing to look the other way, but then it happens again, and again, and again. By the tenth time, we're worried. Then we start getting reports from annoyed citizens. People who claim one of our Knights was too rough, or mean, or creeped them out. Then we're told how they're not properly sealing dungeons when they clear them out and are instead just collapsing the spaces, causing all sorts of other issues. People got hurt, you know. You showed up and battled too hard in a street, swinging around a heavy sword and collapsing a house on someone, or you left a dungeon open, and a new monster crawled in and took it over, or you screwed a town's economy up by giving them way too much gold, making it hard to figure out how to tax them properly."
Davi felt his throat go dry, and a chill went up his spine. It wasn't just about helping people in the moment; doing something like that was easy. He wanted to help people in a way they wouldn't require further help, yet from the sounds of it, he failed. The look Gray was giving him was nasty now.
"You guys weren't there," Davi said after some time. "You weren't there to help those people. I was."
"And that's fine. If you want to play hero, do it. If you fail or screw up, it's your ass that's on the line then." Gray grunted out. "That's not what happened, though. Not only did you cause more issues, but you also made it so all the blame fell on us because we couldn't keep some Knight that didn't exist in check because you ran around claiming to be one of us. It's not just their lives you endangered, though. It's your own. We have these rules for a reason, you know. Do you know how many mages die every year because they get it in their heads that they can fight and kill a monster? And maybe some of them can, but the more they do it, the better they think they become, and it ultimately is only a matter of time before they run into a bigger fish."
"I'm strong, though. I've been doing it for a while." Davi admitted.
Gray closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I wanted to give you the chance to recover and get to know you before I did anything. Mr. Davi, you're under arrest."
Davi's hand grew tighter. "And if I say no?"
Gray opened his eyes, and they glowed as pure mana coursed through the man's body. "Didn't you wonder why those golems suddenly appeared?" Gray raised his arm up, his fingers rapidly motioning as he cast a spell. "Row Earth Mold!"
The ground cracked and twisted, and then a large hand shot out of it as a golem was formed—Gray's golem.