"I'm very sure you'll be able to use them," Aldwin said firmly. "You have all five attributes, and with enough training, you might truly master them all. But listen carefully, Rowan. This must remain a secret. If the king were to find out, he would want you to serve the kingdom directly. You'd be tied down as a palace knight, forced to obey orders, your freedom stripped away. That path would waste your true potential."
He leaned back, his expression thoughtful. "But as an adventurer, you'll be free. You'll be able to grow at your own pace, choose your own battles, and carve your own destiny. That's why I believe it's the best path for you."
A faint shadow crossed his face as he added, "The last time I saw the king was eight years ago, and I can tell you this much. Serving him is no life for a man like you.
"But you said you also served him. You served the king once," Rowan said. "But I can tell you are happily married."
Aldwin chuckled softly. "Well, this is exactly why I said you don't think like a child your age." A smile tugged at his lips. "Your mother, to tell you the truth, she is the daughter of a duke. Her life was filled with luxury, but she fell in love with me. And I fell in love with her. I was not given wealth or titles as a noble, but the duke still entrusted me with his daughter, and I loved her deeply."
His tone softened as he continued. "As for the king, yes, I once served him as a knight. When I finally wanted to settle down, I told him I could no longer serve at his side. From then on, we rarely saw each other. But before that, we were close, friends even. It felt strange at first, going out with the king, sometimes even being invited to dinner by him. But when I told him I wanted to live far away, he said he would visit me someday."
Aldwin's gaze drifted, his voice lowering. "Around the time you were born, I heard he had a daughter as well."
"There aren't any people living in this place. It's amazing that you're an acquaintance of the king," Rowan said. "Is there a place where people usually stay? Because here, you barely see anyone, like we're living too far away."
"Oh yes," Aldwin replied. "There aren't many people here. If you want to know where most of them are, it's in the place I told you about—the capital. Around the time you turn ten, you'll go live there. By then, you can decide whether you want to stay on campus or live at home. It will be up to you."
"Okay, Dad," Rowan said.
As the two of them were talking, the door opened and Mira stepped inside. "Hey, I've been listening to what you've been saying. What are you telling our son? Don't talk to him about this—he's still very young. You're telling him he should choose the path of a knight? I don't want that. Don't talk about things like this. I'm sure he doesn't even understand."
"Sorry," Aldwin said gently, "but I believe our child is too smart for his age. I think he understood everything I said." He smiled softly.
Just then, the sound of a horse echoed from outside the house. Aldwin rose to his feet and walked toward the door.
"Hey, Mom, who do you think is at the door? We don't usually have visitors," Rowan asked.
"Well, I don't know. You can go check if you want to. Let me clean your room first—and stop throwing books around. When you finish reading, don't leave them on the ground. Put them back where they're supposed to be," Mira said.
"Okay, Mom. Understood," Rowan replied. He stepped out of his room and walked toward the front door. Peeking outside, his eyes widened at the sight of a luxurious carriage standing in front of the house.
"Wow, that's beautiful," Rowan thought. "In my previous world, I saw carriages too, some of them very fine, but this one… this one is even more luxurious than any I've seen."
The door of the carriage opened, and a man dressed in a perfectly neat and elegant attire stepped down. He was tall, handsome, and carried himself with nobility.
"How have you been? Long time no see," the man said warmly.
"Yes, I'm happy to see you, brother-in-law," Aldwin replied with a smile. The two men clasped hands, exchanging greetings with ease.
Then the man's eyes shifted, noticing Rowan peeking curiously from behind the door. "Hey, who's that little fellow?" he asked.
"That's my son, Rowan," Aldwin answered, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish smile.
"What? You already had a child—and you didn't bother to tell me? My sister give birth, and you didn't even invite us, didn't even hold a ceremony?" the man, Edric, said in disbelief.