Dinner at the new inn was noticeably different.
Kyle sat at the head of the table, calmly observing his surroundings while eating at his own pace.
The servants were more attentive than before, carefully refilling his drink the moment it dropped below half, ensuring his plate was never empty, and even stepping lightly to avoid disturbing him.
Their expressions held a mix of respect and wariness, as if they feared offending him.
Kyle sighed internally.
'So, this is the result of my actions? It feels different from the kind of power I had in the past.'
After crushing the underground mafia and dragging a Frozen Armoured Bear through the village, it was no surprise that his reputation had shifted drastically.
Now, instead of treating him like some useless noble, people watched him with cautious admiration.
It wasn't something Kyle had intended, but he wouldn't reject it either.
Having authority and a bit of loyalty from the common folk would be useful in the long run.
As a future ruler, maintaining this balance of fear and respect was crucial.
Bruce, who was happily digging into his meal, suddenly grinned and leaned back.
"This is great, Young Master! I'm glad you've changed!"
Kyle paused mid-bite and raised an eyebrow.
He didn't feel like he had changed at all. He was simply moving according to his plans, yet Bruce was looking at him as if he had become a different person.
Kyle ignored the comment, but the same could not be said for Queen and Melissa.
Melissa narrowed her eyes dangerously, while Queen let out a sharp chirp and suddenly flapped its wings aggressively.
Before Bruce could react—
Queen landed directly on Bruce's head.
Bruce let out a startled yelp as his face fell straight into his bowl of hot soup.
The warmth wasn't enough to burn him, but it was definitely unpleasant.
He jerked back, coughing and wiping his face, glaring at the bird.
"WHAT THE HELL, YOU BLASTED BIRD?!"
Queen let out a satisfied chirp, clearly pleased with itself.
Melissa, meanwhile, crossed her arms and sneered.
"Bruce, don't speak when you're not needed."
There was no warmth in her voice.
Bruce, realizing the danger, quickly shut his mouth and focused on finishing his meal in silence.
Kyle, watching the exchange, simply continued eating, unbothered by the chaos around him.
Once dinner ended, Kyle wiped his hands with a cloth and stood up.
Melissa and Bruce followed his lead, waiting for further instructions.
Kyle turned to them, his expression neutral.
"Tomorrow, I'll be teaching you how to hunt Frozen Armoured Bears."
Bruce froze mid-step.
His face paled, and he blinked at Kyle as if he had misheard.
"Y-Young Master, you mean… you'll teach us how to hunt them, right? Like strategies and theory? Will be get special weapons?"
Kyle gave him a calm look.
"No. It will be nothing like that. I will teach you how to get your sword past their armor so that you can hunt them more efficiently. If you cannot take on a hoard, you will die."
Bruce felt his stomach drop.
Melissa, on the other hand, nodded with determination.
Bruce, meanwhile, was suddenly rethinking his life choices.
'I should've just stayed in the village. Why am I following this lunatic noble? I did lose that match, but losing a match is not worth my life. So far, all I've seen no significant results from mana training. Will following Kyle Armstrong truly be fine?'
But under Melissa's sharp glare and Queen's smug chirping, Bruce knew there was no escape.
If he tried to argue, he'd probably end up buried in a snowstorm.
With no other choice, Bruce sighed in defeat.
Kyle watched Bruce's internal struggle with mild amusement but didn't comment on it.
Instead, he simply gestured for them to go rest.
"Get some sleep. You'll need the energy."
Bruce and Melissa headed to their rooms, though Bruce looked more like a man walking toward his own execution.
Kyle, however, did not immediately rest.
Instead, he walked to the window, opened it, and looked at Queen, who perched nearby.
His voice was calm yet certain.
"Bruce is going to try something foolish tomorrow."
Queen tilted its head, as if asking for clarification.
Kyle let out a quiet sigh and smirked slightly.
"Make sure he doesn't die before we even get started. Once this hunt is over, his loyalty to me won't even be in question."
Queen let out a soft, approving chirp, before taking off into the night sky.
Kyle leaned against the window, watching the dark sky with thoughtful eyes.
"Tomorrow will be interesting."
Kyle woke before sunrise, his body naturally adjusting to his habit of early training.
As he sat up, Queen stirred, fluffing its feathers before letting out a soft chirp.
Kyle glanced out the window, his eyes sharp as he focused on the shifts in mana around him.
A familiar, nervous fluctuation caught his attention.
Kyle's lips curled slightly.
"Trying to run, huh?"
He turned to Queen and spoke in a calm, amused voice.
"It's time to hunt a mouse."
Queen chirped in agreement and hopped onto the windowsill before taking off into the dark sky.
Kyle, meanwhile, took his time, walking toward the inn's entrance at a leisurely pace.
He didn't need to rush.
Bruce wasn't going anywhere.
Bruce sneaked out of the inn, glancing around cautiously to make sure no one noticed him.
"If I just slip into the village for a bit, I can pretend I overslept. There's no way Young Master Kyle will make me fight those monsters after missing the first hunt, right?"
He took one step forward—
Out of nowhere, Queen dived straight for his face.
Bruce yelled in surprise and stumbled backward, instinctively trying to dodge.
His foot caught on a loose stone, and he lost his balance, flailing wildly before crashing straight into someone.
A familiar calm voice greeted him.
"Nice to see you so enthusiastic for training, Bruce."
Bruce's stomach dropped.
Slowly, he looked up—
Kyle stood there, smiling.
But that smile… it wasn't kind. It was the smile of someone who had expected this all along.
For a moment, he tried to think of an excuse—
But Kyle's expression told him there was no point.
Before Bruce could open his mouth to complain, Kyle clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"Come on, we wouldn't want to waste daylight."
Bruce groaned internally.
"I should have just stayed in bed."