Chapter 29

Harold had accepted Cody’s invitation on the spot, but under normal circumstances, such a decision wasn't something a child could make unilaterally.

Perhaps concerned by this, Itsuki repeatedly pressed him on how he intended to persuade his parents even after they had parted ways with Cody. Harold, however, didn't expect much resistance.

His parents were the type to be obsessed with vanity and social standing, and joining the Order of the Holy King was considered the pinnacle of prestige. Unlike the regular national army, the Knight Order was an elite unit under the direct command of the King. His father, Hayden, had even aspired to join its ranks in his youth.

It was easy to predict how those doting parents would react to their beloved son being scouted by such an elite group; the answer was as clear as day.

Having secured Cody’s contact information, Harold left Delphit the following morning, acting as though he had no further business in the city. Without stopping at the Sumeragi Territory along the way, he completed the two-week journey back to the Stokes Mansion and immediately requested an audience with his parents.

"Why the sudden formality, Harold?" Hayden asked.

"There is something I wish to inform you and Mother. While I was in Delphit, I was scouted by a member of the Order of the Holy King."

"What?! Is that true?!"

"Yes. They told me I could join immediately if I wished. It would be the youngest enrollment in history."

"That’s wonderful, Harold!" Jessica cried.

"I wish to join. Do I have your permission?"

"Of course you do!"

The reaction was exactly as Harold had anticipated. Hayden's joy, in particular, was overwhelming. He likely felt as though his son was fulfilling the dream he had failed to achieve years ago.

Harold’s explanation was a carefully curated version of the truth: he claimed that while sightseeing in Delphit with Erika, he had encountered a rioting mob and was scouted after suppressing them. His parents didn't doubt a single word. On the contrary, Hayden immediately shouted for a banquet to be prepared. Harold knew there was no point in trying to stop them.

The Knight Order gets deployed to the front lines of every dangerous zone, though, Harold thought as he watched his parents’ excitement. What are they going to do if their heir actually dies?

Still, it would have been more of a problem if they had tried to stop him, given that joining the Order had been his plan from the start. Besides, as a military man himself, Hayden surely understood the risks involved.

With the matter settled, Harold wandered through the mansion with an air of indifference as the halls grew frantic with party preparations. He eventually summoned Norman, Jake, and—as an afterthought—Zen to his room.

"I’m heading to the Royal Capital to join the Order of the Holy King," Harold informed the three of them. "The Sumeragi are taking the lead on the LP Farming Method, but I want you to send me regular reports on the situation here, even if nothing is happening."

"The Capital is quite far, Lord Harold," Norman noted.

"It’s not a distance a swift horse can cover in a day. If we are to communicate regularly, we’ll have to rely on letters," Jake added.

"That will take some time, won't it?"

"I don't care," Harold snapped. "If you have news that absolutely cannot wait, coordinate with the Sumeragi. I’ll settle the details with them before I leave."

"Understood, my lord."

He established these communication protocols to ensure he could track any movements within House Stokes while he was away. If any signs of unrest appeared or the situation shifted, he needed to be able to respond as quickly as possible.

However, one of them couldn't stay silent.

"Wait, wait, wait! Just a second! Lord Harold, you’re joining the Knight Order?" Zen burst out.

"That’s what I said. Are your ears just for decoration?"

"No, but... Norman-san, Jake-san, you’re both acting so calm! This is a massive deal, isn't it?!"

Zen was practically vibrating with excitement. Grammatical correctness of his outburst aside, Harold understood the sentiment. However, he found it a hassle to explain further.

"We’re done. Get back to work."

"Yes, sir."

Norman and Jake bowed and departed, with Zen following reluctantly behind them.

Once alone, Harold let out a long breath—somewhere between a deep inhalation and a weary sigh. Whether it was the loneliness of leaving a familiar home or the relief of escaping his parents' watchful eyes, even Harold couldn't say for sure.

Three years. That was how long it had been since he had arrived in this world without explanation. He had spent the vast majority of that time in this mansion, in this very room. He couldn't claim to feel nothing about leaving it behind.

That said, joining the Knight Order was a mandatory step in following the original story's plot. The schedule had simply moved up a bit.

Cutting through his wavering emotions, Harold spent the grand banquet—held in honor of his enrollment—getting by with the formal tone and fake smiles he reserved only for his parents. Less than a month after being scouted, he departed the mansion.

---

After several hours of riding with now-practiced hands on the reins, Harold arrived at the designated checkpoint on the highway to meet Cody.

The checkpoint was less about taxes and more about security—checking for suspicious individuals or prohibited goods. Stone walls cut across the road, forcing travelers to pass through the facility to continue.

Lightly equipped, Harold cleared the brief inspection with ease. The area inside was bustling; merchants had set up small stalls near simple tents intended for weary travelers.

He spotted a group clad in white armor in one corner and dismounted, walking toward them. As he approached, Cody noticed him and waved. "Hey there!"

The shout drew the entire group's attention to Harold.

"Hello, hello, Harold-kun. That was a faster reunion than I expected."

"I didn't come here to see you," Harold spat. "Just make sure you don't go back on your word about getting me into the Order."

"It’ll be fine, I told you~"

Cody’s breezy response didn't inspire much confidence. To be honest, Harold still had his doubts about the scouting offer. Knowing Cody's flighty personality only made the skepticism harder to shake. Then again, while the man was a teaser, he wasn't an outright liar; the offer was likely legitimate.

"Hey, Captain, is this the kid you were talking about?"

A girl standing next to Cody, also dressed in the white armor of the Order, interrupted to size Harold up.

"Hmm? Yep, that’s him."

"You’re kidding. He’s just a kid."

The girl looked to be about seventeen or eighteen. In this country, sixteen was considered the age of adulthood, so her assessment was technically fair. However, from Harold’s perspective, she was still a child herself. Given that his mental age was well over twenty, he naturally felt like the only adult in the conversation.

"Hmph. Does that make you a pathetic weakling even lower than a child?"

The words slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them.

"W-What did you say?!"

Evidently not expecting such blatant vitriol, the girl flinched and stepped back, bumping into someone behind her. Realizing who it was, she quickly scurried behind the person, pushing them forward as a shield.

He’s huge, was Harold’s first thought.

The man had a face that could only be described as villainous. He possessed an intensity that made one want to surrender unconditionally just by standing in his line of sight.

Terrified to the point of almost making a high-pitched noise, Harold tried to gauge the mood of the giant, who looked like he had something to say.

"Do you have a complaint too? If so, I’ll beat some sense into that body of yours, along with that woman over there."

Internally, he was trembling, but outwardly, he remained as arrogant as ever.

The members of the Knight Order, excluding Cody, looked stunned. Did my foul mouth turn them off? Harold wondered. Then, the fierce-looking man spoke.

"A-Are you... not afraid of me?"

"I fail to see anything about you worth fearing. Besides, in a fight, I’d be the one to win."

Harold’s mouth flatly dismissed the man's question against his own will. I wasn't even talking about winning or losing! he screamed internally. This man was a member of the Order; he clearly had the skills to match his intimidating look. Harold desperately wanted to stop spitting venom at people who were about to become his colleagues.

Of course, Harold knew better than anyone that he couldn't expect any such cooperation from his own mouth.

"Alright, everyone, calm down," Cody interjected. "Harold-kun has been recruited, but he isn't an official member yet. Why don't you start with introductions?"

"M-My apologies. I am Robinson."

"...Aileen."

"I’m Sid! Welcome, Harold!"

The tall, intimidating man was Robinson. The abrasive girl was Aileen. And the one with orange hair like a lion’s mane was Sid.

As Harold heard their names, his body went rigid.

These guys are death characters too!

That was the reason for his shock.

In the game, Cody’s motive for leaving the Knight Order and founding the resistance group, Frieri, was the loss of his direct subordinates—Robinson and the others—in a specific battle.

The Cody of the original story was aloof on the surface but secretly blamed himself for his lack of power, constantly agonizing over whether his choice to abandon the Order had been a mistake. While players could help him resolve those conflicts late in the game, the premise was that Robinson and the others had to die for that character arc to exist.

The game never provided a detailed explanation of their deaths. They only appeared in fragments: Cody mentioning their names while looking at the moon, or brief mentions of his tragic past. They didn't even have character designs in the game; this was the first time Harold had ever seen their faces.

Even if he wanted to save them, he had almost no information to work with. He only knew roughly which battle they would die in.

And above all, if they survived, it would mean the further collapse of the original story. Saving them would likely prevent Cody from leaving the Order and founding Frieri. If that happened, players wouldn't be able to clear the events that required Frieri's help. In the worst-case scenario, the world would be doomed because the game became "unbeatable."

Harold was forced to make a choice.

Should he prioritize his own survival and let them die? Or should he risk the collapse of the original plot to save them from their fated deaths?

Because he knew the future, he knew exactly how his decisions would kill him or kill others. He knew, and yet he still had to choose.

Harold felt a poignant realization: this was the inescapable, curse-like destiny he had accepted the moment he decided to live as Harold Stokes.

---

Today, August 6th, is the anniversary of the release of "Ore-fura." To celebrate, I’ve posted this update. It’s a bit shorter than usual.