"Where did you find this name?" Luther's voice trembled as he spoke, his expression unreadable.

Franz Malachai Pendragon.

That was the name that had shaken him so deeply.

"I can't tell you," I said firmly, keeping my voice steady. "I'm under oath."

A flicker of understanding passed through Luther's eyes. He seemed to grasp the weight of my words, but that only made him look more unsettled.

"This name..." He exhaled sharply, lowering himself onto a chair as if his legs could no longer hold him. "This name shouldn't exist. It should have been erased from this world."

I remained silent, waiting for him to continue. His hands gripped the armrests tightly, knuckles white.

"Franz was my closest friend," he finally admitted, his voice laced with pain. "We worked together at the Royal Palace over a decade ago. He was a brilliant wizard. One of the finest of our time. His future was limitless."

He paused, taking a deep breath as if steeling himself for what came next.

"Then one day... he vanished. Completely. Without a trace. It was as if he had never existed. His records, his belongings… everything was wiped out. No one would speak of him. Not even our colleagues. It was as if some unseen force had silenced them all. And after months of digging, I discovered the truth."

Luther's gaze darkened.

"The Royal Palace and the Novortus Church were behind it."

There was something bothering me about his story, but I didn't comment on it. A heavy silence settled between us. I watched as his body trembled, his fingers tightening even further on the chair's arms.

"And when they discovered that I was investigating Franz's disappearance..." He let out a bitter laugh, void of any mirth. "They were furious. I was branded a traitor and sentenced to death."

His voice was hollow now, as if he was reliving the moment in his mind.

I hesitated before asking, "Then... how did you survive?"

Luther's face twisted in grief. He looked away, unable to meet my eyes.

"That's the part that haunts me the most."

I braced myself as he continued.

"My wife... she begged for my life. Every day, she went to the palace, pleading with them to spare me. And in the end... they granted her wish."

He took another slow, deep breath, as if trying to hold himself together.

"But in return, they executed her. And our child."

The words hit me like a dagger to the chest.

"Instead of death, I was exiled to the Eastern District. My title was stripped away, my Paladin skills erased. And I was given a huge debt to prevent me from leaving the Eastern District."

Luther reached into his chest and pulled the faded emblem, holding it up for me to see.

"This... this is all I have left." His voice was hoarse. "A gift from my wife when I became a Grand Paladin. The only thing I managed to hide from the palace."

I swallowed hard, struggling to process the weight of his words.

But Luther wasn't done.

"And it didn't end there."

My breath caught in my throat.

"Franz's wife was pregnant when he disappeared. And I knew. I knew that the palace would try to erase every trace of him. So before they could find her..." His fingers curled into a fist. "I smuggled her out. I gave her a new identity. I swore to protect her and her child, no matter what."

A sinking feeling formed in my gut.

"Wait..." My voice came out barely above a whisper. "Are you saying that Sam is…"

Luther nodded, his expression unreadable.

"His full name is Samus Xavier Pendragon. The son of Franz Malachai Pendragon. My best friend."

It all made sense now.

All this time, I had assumed that Luther was Sam's father, or at the very least, a relative, because of how desperately he had tried to save him from the Pit.

But I never imagined that the truth was something far darker.

***

Back in the present, Sam and I were waiting at the small house I had rented for him. We spent the evening chatting, passing the time as we waited for Luther to return from work.

The sun had already set by the time he finally walked through the door.

"Hey, Luther. How was your day?" I asked casually.

He let out a tired sigh as he set down his things. "Not bad. I must've chopped up a hundred chickens today. My wrists are killing me."

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

I smirked. "Sounds like good training for your sword arm."

Luther let out a dry chuckle but didn't argue.

I took a deep breath, then handed him a stack of documents I had prepared earlier. "I spoke with Sam, and he agreed."

Sam beamed. "Yes, Sir Luther! I'd be really happy if you became my guardian."

Luther froze for a moment, staring at the boy. His usual tough demeanor cracked as his eyes turned glassy. Without another word, he pulled Sam into a tight embrace.

"Come here, you little rascal," he muttered, his voice thick with emotion. "I've thought of you as my son since the day you were born."

Sam hugged him back without hesitation. "I know. You've always looked out for me and Mom. And I know you used to slip her extra stones when she needed them."

Luther let out a short laugh, ruffling Sam's hair.

Sam scrunched up his nose. "And besides, you don't smell like alcohol anymore. Though... now you just smell like chicken."

I burst out laughing as Luther groaned. "You smarty pants."

Sam giggled, and for the first time in a long while, I saw genuine happiness on both their faces.

And just like that, the night ended with a newfound warmth in the air. Soon, Luther would officially become Sam's guardian.

It wasn't much. But it was something.

And sometimes, something was enough.

***

After settling things with Sam and Luther, I hurried to the Adventurer's Guild with a single goal in mind. Finding a decent side job.

I was desperate for extra income. Without it, I wouldn't be able to continue my build.

One by one, I scanned through the quest board, my eyes darting over the countless requests pinned up for adventurers. Unfortunately, most of them were either out of my reach or outright useless to me.

The only ones I qualified for were menial, low-paying tasks. Pet-sitting, fetching lost trinkets, basic errands that wouldn't even put a dent in my expenses.

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. Is this all there is?

Just as I was about to give up, my gaze landed on something unusual.

A unique quest.

The job itself was simple, guarding an unidentified person for a few days. The conditions, however, were oddly specific.

The adventurer had to be strong, but not intimidating. Capable, but not flashy. On top of that, there was an interview process and tests before acceptance.

But what truly caught my attention was the reward.

60,000 Mana Stones.

I blinked. That's... insane.

A job like this, paying that much? Either this was a golden opportunity, or it was trouble wrapped in a tempting package.

I hesitated only for a moment before grabbing the application form. Whatever the risks, I couldn't afford to pass this up.

I quickly filled out the necessary details, making sure everything was in order before approaching the front desk. The guild receptionist, a tired-looking man with a bored expression, barely spared me a glance as he took my paperwork.

"You can come for the interview tomorrow," he said flatly, stamping my application without enthusiasm.

"Got it. Thanks."

As I stepped away from the counter, my heart pounded with anticipation.

This could be the break I needed.

Or it could be the start of something far more dangerous.

Either way, I was about to find out.

***

I woke up at the crack of dawn, far earlier than usual. Today was the day of my interview for the mysterious bodyguard quest.

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I stepped out of my room. To my surprise, breakfast was already waiting for me on the table. Orin must have made it before leaving.

Thoughtful as always… A bitter smile curled on my lips.

But where was she? Even when I knocked on her door, there was no response.

Did she leave early?

I frowned, remembering how late she had returned last night. Something about her behavior felt off. I had a sneaking suspicion that this had something to do with Darwyn, but I decided not to dwell on it.

Shaking off the thoughts, I quickly finished my meal and set off toward my destination.

The building was hard to miss. A tall structure at the heart of the city, standing out with its sleek, majestic design. It had at least four or five floors, far grander than the surrounding establishments.

As I stepped into the lobby, a uniformed attendant approached me. "State your business."

"I'm here for the bodyguard interview," I replied, handing over my application.

The attendant barely glanced at it before nodding and leading me to the reception desk.

Unlike the bored, uninterested staff at the Adventurer's Guild, the receptionist here greeted me with a warm smile. She took a quick look at my documents, then gestured toward a hallway. "This way, please."

I followed her down the corridor and into a spacious waiting room. Rows of chairs lined the area, already half-filled with a diverse group of applicants: human warriors, elven archers, a few towering barbarians, and even a couple of dwarves.

One thing was clear. I was the only druid here.

A wave of unease crept up my spine. The high reward had drawn in some serious competition, and I couldn't help but feel a little out of place.

As I stepped inside, I immediately felt multiple pairs of eyes turn toward me. Some were curious, others judgmental. A few weren't even trying to hide their disdain.

I ignored the hushed whispers and muttered insults, keeping my expression neutral.

The receptionist handed me a small token with a number on it. "Please take a seat. You'll be called when it's your turn."

I nodded and found an empty chair.

Barely a second later, a stocky dwarf sitting next to me leaned over, eyeing me with amusement. "Hey, pal. You sure you signed up for the right job?" He chuckled, stroking his beard. "You look more like someone who got lost on their way to a tea party."

A few others snickered.

I didn't react.

The dwarf smirked, clearly not done. "C'mon, don't be shy." He reached out, attempting to grab one of the small horns protruding from my head.

I caught his wrist mid-air.

My grip tightened. Not enough to break anything, but enough to make a point.

"Don't touch me." My voice was calm but cold.

His smirk vanished, replaced by a look of surprise, and then, realization. Though he was physically larger than me, my strength was far beyond what he had expected.

"A-Alright, alright, my bad," he stammered, quickly retracting his hand as I let go.

After that, he didn't look my way again.

Time passed. One by one, applicants were called into the next room. Most interviews lasted around twenty to thirty minutes, but a few were noticeably shorter, like the hulking barbarian who walked in and immediately came out with a crestfallen expression.

How did he think he wasn't intimidating? I mused, shaking my head.

The morning dragged on, and just as the clock approached noon, my number was finally called.

Taking a deep breath, I stood and made my way toward the door at the far end of the room.

As I stepped inside, my eyes widened at the sight before me.

This…

This was not what I had expected.

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