Part 2
If he just asked Samuel, Samuel would agree. Why does the Hero have to use deception to achieve his goals?!
But Samuel was already moved by Lance’s words, almost feeling that this incredible Savior would be the one to guide him on his path.
He had let down his guard towards the Hero, and now he was willing to answer the Hero’s questions and cooperate with whatever the Hero wanted to do.
So Lance, with a smile, asked Samuel his first question.
“Samuel,” Lance said gently, “How old are you?”
This question was ordinary; Samuel answered seriously without much thought, “Twenty-five.”
“So young,” Lance nodded in satisfaction. “To become a knight captain at such a young age, and with such good swordsmanship, that’s impressive.”
Samuel coughed awkwardly and whispered, “My father and brother are knights; I’ve been training since I was a child.”
Lance keenly caught the keywords in this sentence.
Lance: “Your father and brother? Are they still in the knight’s order?”
“My father is no longer a knight,” Samuel answered without hesitation, “He’s too old and has many old injuries. As for my brother… he’s in the Royal Knights.”
“The Royal Knights?” Lance asked with a smile, “Is he a knight captain like you?”
Samuel, with admiration and respect for his brother, said seriously, “He’s the Knight Commander.”
Lance: “…”
Misa felt Lance’s eyes light up.
It looked like seeing his ordinary ticket suddenly become high-end and high-class, a glittering golden ticket.
The smile on his lips deepened, and his gaze towards Samuel changed subtly. But he still didn’t directly invite Samuel to join, instead continuing to beat around the bush, asking about irrelevant things.
“Samuel,” Lance asked with a gentle smile, “What are your thoughts on the savior stories mentioned in the divine prophecy?”
Samuel was clearly taken aback, not understanding why Lance was asking.
“Thoughts?” Samuel scratched his head, “I don’t really have any…”
Lance seemed dissatisfied, but he continued, “What about the companions of the saviors mentioned in these stories?”
Samuel felt even more confused, but now he liked Lance quite a bit. Since Lance asked, he still answered seriously, “They are all great rebels, assistants to the savior. Although they didn’t gain widespread fame like the saviors, they are still heroes who shaped history.”
Lance stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Misa had no idea what Lance was doing.
He stood aside, listening to Lance ask Samuel a bunch of inexplicable questions, but he never got to the point of inviting Samuel to join them.
He felt that if this went on, Lance might start discussing the meaning of God’s existence with Samuel. He couldn’t stand it anymore; he wanted to interrupt Lance and Samuel’s conversation, but Arlo grabbed his arm.
“Wait,” Arlo said with a complicated expression, “Misa, doesn’t this scene seem familiar?”
Misa: “…”
Strange memories resurfaced in Misa’s mind.
Age, family background, identity.
Prospects for the future, views on work, expectations for the position.
Wasn’t this the same as the questions Arlisa had asked him before he started his job three years ago?!
Back then, he had just finished his Demon Lord training and had an interview with Arlisa before his on-the-job assessment.
Although the specific content was different from the Hero’s questions, the core ideas were somewhat similar.
What is this Hero trying to do? Is this an on-the-job assessment for new recruits?!
Lance had already asked Samuel another question.
Lance: “Have you ever thought of becoming a savior?”
Samuel was baffled but still shook his head seriously and said, “No.”
Lance curiously asked, “Why?”
“Um… I’m just an ordinary person; I don’t have any special abilities, and I don’t think that much,” Samuel struggled to find the right words, “As long as I can protect Sky City, I’m already very happy.”
But Lance pressed on, “Not even when you were a child?”
This time, Samuel didn’t answer Lance’s question directly.
He scratched his head, seeming embarrassed, and didn’t know how to speak. He looked at Misa and Arlo, and the temple knights, his voice getting lower and lower, murmuring, “No.”
His reaction was unusual; Lance felt he might have discovered something interesting, quickly changing his attitude to that of a kindly elder, using a gentle tone to patiently guide him.
“I understand,” Lance said, “When people are young, they often have unrealistic dreams. I had those strange thoughts too.”
Samuel: “…”
Lance asked, “What was your childhood dream?”
Samuel: “…”
Samuel thought he shouldn’t have spoken.
He shouldn’t have mentioned these shameful, unspeakable memories to anyone, but for some reason, looking at Lance’s beautiful, clear blue eyes, he couldn’t help but recall those childhood memories and murmured, “I… I didn’t have such grand dreams…”
Lance replied softly, “Every dream is grand.”
Samuel: “…”
Samuel hung his head.
“My mother is very good at tailoring and embroidery,” Samuel said, “For a few years, I wanted to be a tailor.”
Lance thoughtfully said, “Hmm…”
Samuel closed his eyes in extreme embarrassment, “So… so I…”
Lance gently patted his shoulder to encourage him.
Samuel suddenly snapped back to reality, realizing what he had just said.
He didn’t understand why he told the Hero this, and was worried about what others would think of him. After all, he was a knight; he should serve the lord with his sword, not be interested in this… this embarrassing, shameful thing.
But no one gave him a strange look, nor did anyone laugh at him. The Hero didn’t even question his strange hobby; he quickly moved on to the next question.
Lance asked, “Didn’t you try it?”
“My father is a knight; he hated me doing this…” Samuel paused slightly, somewhat dejected, “And I’m really not suited for this kind of thing.”
Lance: “Not very suited?”
Samuel: “I’m too strong…”
He hung his head dejectedly, as if remembering his past failures.
“I gave up,” Samuel said dejectedly, “After breaking the 151st needle, I gave up.”
Lance: “…”
Misa: “…”
“I’m sorry,” Samuel apologized to Lance again, “I’m really a person with no perseverance.”
Misa: “…”
That’s very persevering!
Most people would give up after breaking a few needles!
No, most people would give up even if they couldn’t break a needle!
Lance took a deep breath and instinctively asked, “Can you cook?”
The question jumped too fast; Samuel was stunned for a moment before recovering. He nodded and said, “I can.”
Lance: “Is it delicious?”
Samuel: “Uh… I don’t know…”
He looked confusedly at the temple knights standing nearby. They had remained silent since Samuel started speaking, as if afraid that their words would embarrass the captain further. If possible, they even wanted to pretend they hadn’t heard what Samuel had just said.
But it was different now.
The captain was asking them.
The captain needed their encouragement!
Temple Knight A sincerely praised Samuel’s culinary skills.
“Captain Samuel’s cooking is amazing!” Temple Knight A exclaimed, “I could eat it for a lifetime!”
Temple Knight B was not to be outdone.
“Since joining the knights, I’ve gained ten pounds!” He patted his stomach, showing that he was slightly larger than an ordinary knight, “It’s all thanks to the captain!”
Temple Knight C was even more direct; he took out a small bag from his waist and took out packaged cookies and pastries, trying to distribute them to everyone.
Temple Knight C widened his eyes eagerly, “Want to try some?”
Lance: “…”
Misa: “…”
No, this knight captain is too virtuous!
But Lance was already showing a very satisfied expression.
“Very good,” Lance nodded, “Samuel, do you want to pick up your dream again?”
Samuel: “Ah? What?”
Misa also widened his eyes in shock.
Is the Hero inviting Samuel to join them?
But picking up his dream again? Samuel’s dream… wasn’t it to be a tailor and embroiderer?
They need Knight Samuel, not Tailor Samuel!
“Being a knight and liking tailoring are not mutually exclusive,” Lance extended his hand to Samuel, “Do you want to join our team?”
Misa was stunned.
He did hope Lance would invite Samuel, but not with such a strange invitation!
But the next moment, Samuel turned helplessly to Misa and Arlo, seeming at a loss, looking to them for help. He didn’t know whether he should accept the Hero’s invitation; he even felt that he didn’t deserve the Hero’s enthusiastic invitation.
Misa had no choice.
He tugged on Arlo’s sleeve, asking Arlo to cooperate with Lance’s actions, so both of them gave Samuel encouraging smiles, their eyes full of praise for Samuel.
Samuel was greatly encouraged and quite moved.
“I’m willing, Lord Lance,” Samuel could barely contain his excitement, “Of course, I’m willing to join.”
Although the process was strange, thankfully, they had finally achieved their goal.
Samuel couldn’t contain his excitement and couldn’t wait to join the Hero’s ranks. Before that, he felt that he should first deal with his relationship with the two divine envoys, especially the divine envoy Arlo…
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