Arc 1: A Man and a Dog
Chapter 1: Nitaan and Kiita
Dreams and purposes aren't the need; dreamless people live with a smile, but world changers will not emerge from dreamless people.
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“O’Flame, who lightens up the world, O’Flame, who cleanses the Evernight!”
“To the wisdom in the Page as vast as the sky!”
“To the words in the Inkdrop as deep as the sea!”
A resounding cry of reverence and devotion echoed throughout the area. The reverberating sound reached a small hut not far from the center of town. Inside, a figure curled under the covers began to move slightly.
Nitaan is slowly waking up amidst the prayer and hails that seep into his ears at 7 o’clock.
Annoying …. Fear God might not hear it, huh?
Nitaan grumbles while pulling his old blanket to cover himself. Trying to mask the sound carried by the wind
No matter how hard he tries, noises are still able to penetrate through his old blanket to annoy him. Noises still lingered for a while before it came to a stop.
Despite his efforts, the noises continued to penetrate the patchwork of Nitaan’s blanket. The noises continued for a moment before soon fading.
These brief moments of noise were one of the small benefits of the Grand Continent’s mainstream religion being the First Knowledge, the religion that worships wisdom and knowledge.
‘Only education and knowledge are equal to all. Proven knowledge is an unbendable fact. If puny humankind is unable to fight ferocious beasts with their body, then use wisdom to conquer it all.’
These are the doctrines of the current pope, which Nitaan used to hear whenever he passed around the temples.
Wisdom and Knowledge are paragons of First Knowledge. of course they will not allow all their followers to cause a ruckus by making loud noises in the morning for too long. A peaceful environment is one of the key factors for good education after all.
“If it’s that hard to conduct, why not just cancel it?” Nitaan grumbles.
The hails were even shorter. Those who praised the kingdom and the queen were the town soldiers and members of the army, simply following military protocol before beginning their morning patrol.
These 2 sounds always rang at 7 o’clock sharp every morning, becoming an alarm clock for all the townsmen.
After all the sound dies down, Nitaan, who is still covered with a blanket, slowly drifts away to sleep once more. The warm, soft blanket, added with a cool, comfortable pillow, was about to carry his consciousness away. But the bliss was short-lived, as something was wriggling at the edge of the blanket, accompanied by sniffing sounds.
The black nose swayed back and forth as if searching for something, and when it reached Nitaan's waist, the little nose stopped, signaling that it had found what it was looking for!
Little Nose suddenly rushes in to attack Nitaan’s face with its big, pink, slippery tongue. Slosh left and right, licking away all his drowsiness.
“Enough, Kiita, enough!! It tickles!”
Nitaan quickly gets up from the bed and reaches out his hand to hug the big black fluffy dog’s face, who is still licking his face.
"You're always so punctual, aren't you? Can't I have a little more sleep?"
"Woof!"
Wakey! Wakey! A deep, cheerful bark responded, its tail wagging happily.
Kiita was an orphaned dog that Nitaan had taken care of since it was a puppy. Nitaan wasn't a dog expert, so he didn't know many breeds, but Kiita was a very intelligent dog.
He was large, well-built, and agile, with fluffy black fur all over his body. He had a long face, a long mouth, and pure black eyes like longan seeds.
When Nitaan first adopted Kiita, he thought of the Golden Retriever breed he had read about in books. But the dogs in the books had floppy ears and long, sleek tails, unlike Kiita, which had erect ears and a long tail, but the fur on its tail was fluffy and well-shaped like a cat's tail. Also, Kiita's whole body is black.
Nitaan is looking at his big black fluffy dog in front of him. He looked closely and saw that some parts of his fur were entwined with each other, some even dirty with dust and dirt.
"I guess I'll have to give you a bath tonight."
Nitaan gently pushed the large, six-year-old dog away from his face before getting up to clean himself.
This year, Nitaan is 21 years old. His parents passed away long ago when he was just entering adolescence. He had lived on his own ever since. His parents weren't wealthy. But it was enough for a young man to finish his education without difficulty. When he turned 15, Nitaan found Kita, a young puppy, at the edge of the forest, along with the bodies of one large wolf and three or four smaller ones lying nearby.
Kiita was at death’s door, just a few steps away from the grasp of Tiran. He took Kiita in, cared for him, and they lived together ever since.
“All right, let’s get to work. It seems that today we do not have any patrolling shift like yesterday, just a short meeting, and we are done.”
Nitaan properly cleaned himself, dressed in his khaki uniform, with the emblem of the Firegan Kingdom on his right chest. His long hair was tied in a loose, low ponytail. He neatly locked the house and then set off.
“4 skewers of grilled pork and 1 sticky rice, and 1 more set of 5 more skewers of grilled pork with no seasoning, please.”
“I got some specially prepared for Kiita. No extra seasoning or marinade. Interested?”
“Ruff!”
Yes, YES!
“He said yes,” Nitaan replied with a smile.
the kind, large shop owner pointing to the skewers of grilled pork on the charcoal grill. His index finger glowed, releasing several flames. These small flames charred the outer surface of the grilled pork, while other parts remained golden.
“Fill up! Young should eat more and more!” The shop owner laughs loudly.
“Wuff!”
This market is located at the center of Silalai town. Silalai town is a border town between the Firegan kingdom and the Warped Ravine. As a small border town with a population only counted in the tens of thousands. This market, with its dozens of shops, was the largest gathering place in the town.
Numerous stalls were built as makeshift structures, lined up one after another. Many vendors sold their wares along the roadside. The fragrant aromas of coconut-based sweets, sweet and sour candied fruits, and the smells of grilled pork and chicken filled the air. The shop owners busily called out to their customers.
Nitaan returned all the kind gestures from other shopkeepers with a smile, greeting the uncles and aunties who had been selling at this market since he was a child.
“Nitaan! Today I’m selling Luk Chup!”
“Hey Nitaan! My son hunted down a three-tusked boar. I bet Kiita will love it!” As he finished speaking, the shop owner made a knife-like gesture with his hand, a small glowing light flicking across the cutting board. The three-tusked boar was then neatly sliced.
This lively atmosphere is one of the main reasons why Nitaan prefers to go to work by foot instead of using carriages pulled by red-maned horses. He enjoys this lively atmosphere.
At the headquarters of the patrol unit. The building looks rectangular from the outside. A trapezoid-shaped roof with a brick wall spread across the building. Large windows were scattered throughout to let in cool breezes against the stifling heat of the rainy season in the Firegan Kingdom.
A giant main gate for carriages is located at the middle of the structure; at the top of the gate is decorated with a huge sign.
Patrol Unit Headquarters
A female lion's head, with the word "Fire" carved in the center of its forehead, fiery eyes, and a roaring mouth, adorned the large front door of the building. This was the symbol of the Firegan royal family, the same symbol that was worn on Nitaan's right chest.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
Nitaan goes through the gate and shows his badge to staff at the door. Staff greets him with a nod.
“Early as always. Maybe the difference between genius and ordinary people is diligence and effort.” A middle-aged female employee greeted them with a smile.
“Former geniuses, actually, Auntie Phen,” Nithan replied with a smile, pressing his hands together at the chest.
“Don’t be silly. Only a few people have the chance to reach the level of an Enlightened.” Auntie Phen said cheerfully.
“That would be best. But today I just need to report in and attend a meeting, right?”
“Yes, dear. Besides that, it seems there’s a special guest from the capital coming to see you this afternoon.”
“Who is it?” Nitaan tilted his head slightly. This was the first time a ‘guest’ had come to see him in this border town.
“The documents only say they’re a representative from the Uthumpohn family. I don’t know many details. You’ll find out when you get there.”
“A big shot?” he muttered, becoming increasingly curious.
“Kiita, Did you bite someone?” Nitaan grumbled, swiping his gaze to Kiita.
Kiita tilted his head and then barked back.
“Woof?”
Huh?
“Maybe they heard about how great you are,” Auntie Phen teased.
“Then I’m afraid they would have wasted their time.” Nitaan shrugged before walking into the room through the back, passing through a small hallway. At the end of the hallway was a staircase. Nitaan headed towards the third floor, where the building’s meeting room was located.
The meeting room’s decoration is very bland. Lots of paper posted on a board, a big wooden table at the middle, and 8 chairs covered by cloths. Large windows open wide to welcome fresh breezes.
Sitting at the head of the table is a bald man. Three large scars crossed the crown of his head, extending to his right ear. He appeared middle-aged, his body robust, exuding a faint aura of energy. His sharp eyes were sharp and seasoned.
The bald man turned towards the whiteboard, conversing with a thin man in neatly dressed clothes, buttoned all the way to his neck. He wore square-rimmed glasses, appeared orderly, and had a clean, neat appearance.
"Good morning, Chief, P' Phu." Nitaan greets
“Come sit down. I'm about to summarize the monthly report for you," the bald man turned to look at him and replied.
Chief Singh, currently 56 years old, may look older than his age, but he's still middle-aged. He is still in his prime, with a strong body and mind, and the scars on his body speak of his experience and ability as a patrol commander. Chief Sing is considered one of the strongest in the town.
The well-mannered man in front is Phu, currently 36 years old. He is a typical strict and orderly secretary who has served Chief Singh for 15 years and is now his right-hand man.
Nitaan takes his seat. Phu nods a little to greet him and then continues the presentation.
“According to the reports from each unit, there have been five robberies this month. 4 occurred 5 kilometers from our town walls, and the other was only 2 kilometers away. Although the robberies haven't increased significantly in frequency, the fact that the bandits dare to commit crimes within 2 kilometers of the town is something we should take more seriously, Chief Singh.”
“2 kilometers? That's very bold. Our manpower wasn't sufficient to cover areas beyond 5 kilometers from the town walls. But if they get that brazen, we'll have to increase our patrol range and issue orders to exterminate on sight," Chief Singh frowned.
“I will send down the order to all the unit’s leaders today.”
“Is it the same Bandits group? The one whose leader is a 2-word Learner?”
“According to the reports, 4 of those were with the same bandits group. The one incident near our town involved a new group,” Phu said while picking up a portrait that was drawn from a witness.
“How skilled are they?” Chief Singh Asking
“Quite poor, Apparently, their leader is only a 1-word Learner, but this is their first act, so we can't draw any conclusions yet.”
“Might just be a newbie group of bandits, but it's better to be cautious. Don’t forget to warn all the unit’s leaders to keep an eye open.”
“Noted,” Phu carefully jotted down on the paper in his hand.
“And what about devil beasts?”
“46 devil beasts eliminated, but sighting numbers in the 50s if we count all the other traces, totally around 64.”
“Around the same as last month, so there’s no need to deploy more forces to this side yet. Prioritize suppressing the bandits first.”
“Yes, Chief Singh.” Phu gives Nitaan a glance, giving him the signal that it's now his turn.
“From my side, while the number of monsters hasn’t increased, the traces Kiita found are somewhat different from last month.” Nitaan starts explaining while looking at Singh and Phu.
“Go on.”
“The proportion of stronger monsters has increased slightly, Normally, within a 3-kilometer radius of the town, there are mostly wild animals and about 3-4 Learner level devil beasts per month. But this month, there are about 5-6.”
“Not much different but worth mentioning, tell all unit leaders about this.” Chief Singh instructed
“Yes, Chief Singh.”
“Nitaan, be more vigilant during patrols. Devil beasts don't migrate much, and even if the increase isn't significant, it's better to be cautious. If you found a devil beast that both of you can handle, just take care of it. If not, run.”
“Yes, sir,” Nitaan replied while Kiita barked.
The meeting continues for around an hour. Chief Singh starts packing things while Phu collects all the documents.
“That’s it for today, Nitaan. You don’t have any shift today, right?”
“Yup, I plan to just meditate here to learn more about my Word of Power to kill time. Aunt Phen said that some important people from the capital will be coming here this afternoon. They specifically requested to see me.”
“From the Uthumpohn family, right? I’ve heard about them. They post a mission in the Adventurers Guild that they need bodyguards for forest expeditions.”
“Bodyguards for a forest expedition? Why would such a large family need a bodyguard? They should have brought their own from the capital.” Nitaan rolls his eyes.
“How would I know?” Singh answers annoyingly.
Knock knock. A soft knocking sound came from the door.
“Come in.”
Aunt Phen pushed the door open. "Chief, the Uthumpohn family has arrived."
"Didn't they say they'd arrive in the afternoon? It's not even 10 now." Chief Singh glanced at the clock on the wall.
"I thought the big families would be arrogant and always late. They actually arrive early." Nitaan smiled.
Singh shot a glance towards Nitaan. It's not smart to talk behind their back, especially when they are from a big family.
Nitaan gives an apologetic smile while waving his hands.
“Take them to the reception room. Tell them we will be there in a minute.”
“Yes, Chief.”
“They are from the Chao Phraya titled family. Do not be rude!” Chief Singh scolds
“Kiita, understand?”
“Ruff!”
What!
After finishing all the documents, Nitaan and Chief Singh walked down to the second floor before turning into the room at the end of the hallway.
“Kiita, you wait here.” Nitaan softly tapped on Kiita's head twice to signal him to wait.
After two knocks, Aunt Phen opened the door, letting them into the room. The room had large windows offering a clear view of the city of Silalai. Two large leather sofas faced each other, with a carved wooden table and a vase of flowers in the center.
Elderly man with completely white hair, standing behind the sofa in the middle of the room. His calm gaze swept over the two as if carefully assessing them. He wore a pure white shirt embroidered with the Uthumpohn flower pattern on the chest, his hands clasped behind his back, maintaining a dignified posture like a temple guardian.
Sitting in front of him on the sofa is a handsome young man with black hair and light purple eyes. His face was sharp and refined, his hair cut short and styled. A gentle smile adorned his face. An Uthumpohn flower emblem was embroidered on his shirt, and he wore various luxurious pieces of jewelry.
Rich… Nitaan thought to himself.
“Greetings. I’m Singh, the head of the Silalai City patrol unit. This is Nitaan, the head of the special patrol unit.” Both greet with a hand gesture at their chest.
The elder still gives them just a glance and remains motionless. It was the young man who quickly rose, glancing briefly at Nitaan before returning the polite greeting.
"Good afternoon as well. My name is Injan Uthumpohn. Elder Grai takes my security very seriously. Please pay him no mind.” Injan smiles while waving at The elder behind him
Injan gestured for them to sit.
“I apologize for arriving early. The road and weather are really clear, so we sped up a bit.”
“No problem at all. As per request, you want to meet Nitaan, correct?”
“Yes, I have heard of the number one genius of Silalai town for a long time, so today I hope to meet him in person and ask for his assistance.”
hmph
Hearing the word "genius," Elder Grai, standing behind them, snorted as if he had heard some ridiculous nonsense.
Nitaan didn’t respond, feigning indifference, and continued his conversation with Injan.
“You praise me too much. I am happy if I will be able to assist,” Nitaan replied humbly.
“I’ve been given a mission by my family to enter the border region and eliminate 10 devil beasts and 3 Learner level devil beasts with a team I have to assemble myself.”
“I previously posted a mission at the Adventurers’ Guild and found four people I’m satisfied with. I was hoping you, Mr. Nitaan, would join in the final position,” Injan explained.
“Devil beast extermination?” Nitaan raised an eyebrow.
“It is my family rule. The one with the right to inherit the title of Chao Phraya will have to pass this test. My two older brothers have both passed the test before. Now it’s my turn.”
Quite a hassle, so being kids of a big and rich family must be quite tiring.
“Young Master Injan is one of the most prominent heirs of this generation, possessing impeccable intelligence and appearance. Most importantly, his potential is still fully intact.” Elder Grai speaks with his hoarse voice, and Elder Grai gives a disdainful look to Nitaan while emphasizing 'still fully intact.’
This old sag…
“I apologize on behalf of Elder Grai. I am not that great.” Injan refused with a dry smile.
"Young Master, only 18 years old this year, almost discovered his first Word of Power. Within this year he would no doubt succeed. While most people who discover their first Word of Power at age 20 are considered geniuses, Young Master is incomparably superior to ordinary Newborns," Elder Grai added, while Injan shook his head and sighed.
"First word at 18 years old, truly worthy of the title ‘genius.” Chief Singh sighed with admiration.
“Splendid talent, may I presume to ask something?" Nitaan asked.
“Sure, actually, you can call me Nong In.”
“Eh...yes... Nong In… I understand about Family’s mission, but I’m wondering, am I really necessary for this mission? Even though the Learner level Devil beast sure is dangerous, considering the abilities of the four participants..."
Nitaan glanced at the elder.
“And with this master, it’s more than sufficient.”
"Elder Grai's only duty is to protect me. He will never intervene unless it's a life-threatening situation. Chao Phraya Uthumpohn said that testing one's ability to control subordinates is crucial for the future as a head. If Elder Grai were to participate, it wouldn't be a proper test at all." Injan answered with a smile.
"He has the foresight befitting the title of Chao Phraya Uthumphon," Nitaan nodded in agreement.
"I've heard a lot about your ability in tracking, sensing, and detecting devil beasts. That's why I wanted you to take on the role of surveying and patrolling for my devil beast exterminating team. Besides, you're familiar with the forest terrain. It's a clear advantage," Injan smiled.
“Of course, pay is not a problem; I will pay P’ Nitaan handsomely.”
P’ Nitaan… Nitaan's eye twitched slightly. But for him, this mission wasn't difficult at all. Earning some extra money wouldn't hurt.
After discussing the fee for a while and reaching a figure Nitaan was satisfied with, he finally agreed to join the devil beast extermination team.
“"Then I have no reason to refuse.” Nitaan finally accepts with a smile.
“Thank you very much! We will meet again at the city gate at 8 o'clock tomorrow. I'll introduce you to the other members of the group,” Injan replied enthusiastically.
After arranging the meeting, Injan excused himself to prepare for other matters, politely bidding farewell to Chief Singh and Nitaan before leaving the room.
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outside of the Patrol Unit headquarters, at a distance
“Young Master, that brat just now is demanding quite a high payment. I did not dare to question your judgement, but I respectfully ask young master to reconsider.”
“Why do you seem to dislike P’ Nitaan so much? According to our sources, he’s the number one genius in this town.”
“The number one genius of a small border town like this is not worthy. He cannot even compare to a student of the Library in the capital,” Elder Grai frowned.
“From what I’ve gathered, although he possesses some talent, that talent is worthless now. He was foolish enough to perform the Engraving Ceremony at the age of 20 to help a stupid dog.”
"Without any support, there's no need for discussion regarding the second Engraving ceremony. Whether he'll discover more Words of Power after exhausting most of the water in Spirit’s Root Great River remains questionable."
"We'll see tomorrow whether P’ Nitaan truly has the ability, or if it's as Elder Grai said," Inchan replied.
“As young master wishes.”
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Late at night, Nitaan cleaned himself up, put socks on Kiita to keep him warm, then jumped on a bed and snuggled in Kiita's fluffy fur. Not long after, the sound of soft, rhythmic breathing showed that Nitaan had fallen asleep.
More time passed, and Nitaan slowly stirred, hearing a familiar voice—a voice he missed dearly.
“Darling! Darling, our son is a genius! He found his first Word of Power!”
“Are you sure!? He’s only 8 years old!”
A handsome middle-aged man and a middle-aged woman with thick, dark hair were talking excitedly. In their arms was a small child.
The man had deep blue eyes, like the furthest reaches of the ocean where sunlight barely reaches, and brown hair. The woman beside him had a sweet face, a nose and mouth not striking but captivating, and thick black hair like Nitaan's.
They were holding a small child whose body seemed to fade as if it could disappear at any moment. All three smiled happily.
This damn nightmare again…
