Nascent Soul Rebirth: Starting as a Wizard

A hand pressed on his shoulder, not with much force, but it made it difficult for him to break free.

"What's the rush?" Solo's smile faded, but his tone softened.

"Since you said you want to become stronger, I naturally have ways to help you. Let's go. First, let's fill our stomachs and eat something good."

"Eat?" El asked blankly.

Solo stopped explaining and gestured for him to follow.

The two left the cold training ground, crossed the courtyard covered with a thin layer of snow, and arrived at the barracks mess hall on the side of the castle, which was used by guards and reservists.

The lunch rush had passed, and the cafeteria was not crowded, filled with the aroma of stew and dark bread.

Al habitually walked to the end of the line for regular meals; it was his daily routine.

"This way." Solo walked straight to a separate counter on the other side of the cafeteria.

The food served there is "special food," which usually includes a large amount of half-monster meat, and the nutrition and energy of the monsters far surpass that of ordinary meals.

It was very expensive and was usually only available to formal knights, meritorious individuals, or Francanis who were willing to spend the money.

Solo walked up to the counter and showed a metal nameplate to a burly cook wearing an apron behind him.

The cook glanced at it, nodded, and soon brought out a large wooden platter from behind.

Inside, there were chops piled high, roasted to a crisp and glistening with oil.

The rich aroma of meat immediately spread; it was the "Rockhorn Sheep" steak, a half-monster level meat.

Solo easily took the wooden basin with one hand, and with the other hand he took two servings of bread and a soup bowl, gesturing with his chin toward an empty table in the corner.

El followed in a daze, his eyes almost unable to leave the mountain of meat chops, his throat bobbing involuntarily.

He had only tasted a tiny bit of this level of food when he first joined the Fran family, during the initial collective commendation ceremony.

He hadn't started his knight training yet, and he hadn't eaten much, but he never forgot how delicious it was.

Solo placed the wooden basin in the center of the table, picked up a piece of steak, and started poking at it with his fork.

She ate slowly and deliberately, while looking at the somewhat bewildered El with her smiling eyes.

Just as El was hesitating about whether to take action and what this really meant...

"Hey! Master Solo! Look what good stuff I've gotten my hands on!"

Before the people arrive, the sound comes first.

The newcomer had a loud, booming voice, carrying the boldness characteristic of military life.

He walked to the table, where a necklace of wolf teeth, each one sharp and large, exuding a primitive and wild aura, strung together with rough leather cords, swayed in front of Solo as he bent down.

El recognized the other party instantly—the emblem of a formal knight of the Fran family was engraved on the armor on his chest, his face was rugged, and his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's; it was Aurora Knight!

A true, official knight who has experienced life-and-death battles and possesses great military achievements and strength!

For a newly promoted Franl like El, he was a figure who was beyond his reach.

Solo put down his fork, a genuine smile spreading across his face:

"Knight Aurora, not bad! How many is this now?"

"The forty-ninth one! Just got back from the northern outpost, and casually killed a dire wolf that was trying to poach livestock. Its teeth were in excellent condition!"

Knight Aurora proudly swung her necklace, then unceremoniously sat down on the bench next to Solo.

He casually patted Solo on the shoulder and began to chat warmly.

They chatted about their experiences at the northern outpost, the habits of certain magical beasts, and how Instructor Barton had recently been pricked in the butt by a hedgehog-like monster.

His tone was familiar, as if he were a close friend.

Knight Aurora even complained a few minor logistical issues without any airs.

Solo was also able to join the conversation and offer one or two potentially feasible suggestions.

Al sat stiffly the entire time, his hands on his knees, barely daring to breathe.

To be in close proximity to such a high-ranking official knight, and to feel the faint but powerful aura and bloodlust emanating from him.

It made his heart race, his mind go blank, he couldn't get a word in edgewise, and he even forgot to eat.

He was like a dwarf who had stumbled into a giant's feast, reserved and fearful.

It felt like a long time had passed, but it was only five or six minutes.

The Knight of Aurora finally brought the topic to a close, and her gaze seemed to fall formally on El for the first time, with a hint of scrutiny.

When El met that gaze, he shuddered and instinctively straightened his back.

He forced a stiff smile and waved awkwardly as a greeting.

"What is this?" Knight Aurora looked at Solo.

"My darling, El," Solo replied naturally, his tone as casual as if he were describing the weather.

"Fan?" Aurora Knight raised a thick, dark eyebrow, then a wider smile spread across his face, revealing understanding and a certain satisfaction.

"Haha! Well, buddy, you're finally starting to gather your own people? I thought you weren't interested in this kind of thing at all!"

As he spoke, he turned to Al and extended his large, calloused hand covered in scars.

El was flattered and quickly extended his right hand to shake it.

Knight Aurora grabbed his right hand with great force, and then grabbed his left hand with her left hand.

He clasped his hands together and shook them vigorously, his sharp eyes fixed on El at close range, his voice booming:

"Good lad! There's a spark in his eyes! Work hard for Young Master Solo; he's a truly capable man with a bright future ahead of him!"

This sudden recognition and affectionate gesture left El's mind buzzing, and he could only nod repeatedly, mumbling a response:

"Yes, yes, Knight Aurora, thank you..."

"Alright, you guys take your time eating. I still have a guard duty to perform, so I need to go to the armory to check in first."

Knight Aurora released her grip, stood up, and called out to the cook at the special dining counter who had been smiling and watching them:

"Auntie Mam! This way, get this young man an extra special meal, put it on my tab!"

"Alright! Knight Aurora, please wait a moment!" the cook replied readily.

Knight Aurora nodded to Solo again, patted him on the shoulder, and then strode away from the dining hall.

A short while later, another cook brought out a plate of equally large roasted pork ribs and side dishes and placed it in front of El.

Looking at the suddenly appearing, fragrant, and expensive food in front of him, El did not immediately take a bite.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his agitated emotions, and looked at Solo across from him as he ate his own portion.

The question that had been lingering in my mind for so long was finally asked:

"You... how come you're so close to Knight Aurora? He's a full-fledged knight..."

In Al's mind, Solo was an "unloved bastard."

He should be in a marginal position, just like him.

Solo picked up a sausage from his plate with his fork, put it in his mouth, chewed and swallowed it before answering, his tone casual:

"There's nothing special about it. As long as you're willing to work hard and gain Instructor Patton's approval, you can take on guard and patrol duties on the perimeter and run around outside more often."

I had more opportunities to meet these senior knights. Most of them were straightforward, appreciated strength and hard work, and were easy to get along with.

He spoke casually, but behind those few words lay an unimaginable amount of initiative and dedication from El.