I was born with a golden spoon in my mouth.
My mother and father always gave me everything I wanted.
Ever since I was a child, I never truly had to put effort into anything. If I desired something, it was already within my reach before I could even struggle for it.
My father is the most successful merchant in this town.
That doesn't mean he was lax with me. He had rules clear and unyielding.
First: never bully the locals, especially common folk and adventurers.
Second: never impose my will on others if they do not want it.
And lastly, never cause trouble in this town.
"As long as you remember these," my father once said, his sharp eyes fixed on me, "you can live freely."
As a dutiful son, I followed his words.
Until the day I saw my goddess.
I was strolling through the market, idly browsing stalls that sold swords, robes, and enchanted accessories. None of them truly interested me, I already owned better things.
Then I saw her.
Elegant. Graceful. Beautiful.
She looked like a goddess who had descended upon the mortal world, blessing everything around her with warmth and light. Even the noisy market seemed quieter near her presence.
My heart stopped.
No it skipped.
I followed her from a distance, careful not to draw attention. To my surprise, she entered the town's preschool.
A teacher…?
When I saw her surrounded by children, smiling gently as she guided their small hands and patiently answered their endless questions, my chest tightened.
So this was her world.
I tried speaking to her that very day.
"Good afternoon, Miss," I said, putting on my best smile.
She bowed politely, but her eyes were distant.
"I'm sorry, I'm quite busy," she replied before walking away.
From then on, I tried everything.
Flowers. Gifts. Polite greetings. Casual conversations.
Nothing worked.
Months passed, and rejection became routine.
Eventually, I grew accustomed to admiring her from afar.
Her name was Erica. I learned it accidentally when the children called out to her, their voices bright and full of trust.
"Miss Erica!"
Even her name sounded beautiful.
Still, no matter how much effort I poured in, her attitude toward me never changed.
One day, as I wandered the streets lost in thought, I noticed something unusual.
A strange-looking man was being dragged away by the town guards.
"I've never seen him before…" I muttered.
This was a small town. I might not know everyone's name, but I knew every face. New visitors were rare the surrounding lands were dangerous.
Yet here he was.
Adventurers sometimes passed through, but this man didn't look like one.
Then, days later, I saw him again behind the school.
He looked exhausted. Bruised. As if he had been beaten.
And the next day.
And the day after that.
Curiosity gnawed at me.
So I came earlier than usual.
That was when I saw him practicing Basic Elemental Magic.
My eyes widened.
I had learned Basic Elemental Magic at the age of ten. Thanks to my father's connections, I even hired a specialized magic tutor.
Now, I was an Advanced Water Elemental Mage, capable of silent casting.
Mages were the strongest profession but also the most expensive.
Even with my family's wealth, reaching the Advanced rank was rare. And yet, I had achieved it.
Talent played a role, but money paved the road.
And yet this man… he practiced alone.
Clumsy. Inefficient. But persistent.
What troubled me more was what happened next.
The longer he attended Miss Erica's class, the more I noticed her paying attention to him.
Smiling at him.
Encouraging him.
My chest burned.
I need to act.
I approached the school as class ended.
Inside, I saw Miss Erica struggling to gather books while asking him questions.
"Did you understand today's lesson?" she asked gently.
He scratched his head. "A little… I think."
She laughed softly.
That laugh pierced my heart.
I turned away.
Not here. Not in front of her.
"She's not mine," I told myself. "But she will be."
Persistence always worked. It had always worked for me.
I followed him afterward.
He registered at the Adventurers' Guild.
"So he plans to become an adventurer…"
He browsed a few stalls, then left town heading toward the river.
I followed.
He gathered herbs and fought monsters when they appeared.
His combat was terrible.
His movements were awkward, unnatural. He struggled with every fight but somehow, he survived.
Interesting.
I continued to observe.
More monsters appeared.
"This might be his end…"
Should I help him?
He was my rival, but he was also Miss Erica's student. If he died, she would surely grieve.
He ran toward the river.
"Is he using the terrain?"
Then, a presence.
A massive one.
An Earth Boar emerged.
Its thick hide was like stone. Normally, a C-rank monster, but this one was enormous. Nearly B-rank.
A single exhausted adventurer stood no chance.
"A party of C-rank adventurers could handle it… but alone?"
I clenched my fist.
"…Just this once."
I raised my hand.
Mana surged.
A massive sphere of water formed above my palm, dense and violent.
"Water Blast."
The sphere shot forward.
BOOOOM!
The water exploded upon impact, launching the Earth Boar through the air. It rolled violently before slamming into a massive tree.
Its tusk was shattered. Blood poured from its head.
I walked forward calmly.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
He looked at me with wide, shining eyes.
"…Are you my knight in shining armor?"