After burying his father, JD immediately faced the immense crisis of his family.

  Though the Starkett family held noble status—their lands personally granted by King Kater, the ruler of Dela, the most powerful kingdom on the Gegal Continent—they had long since lost their former glory. Years of poor harvests had depleted tax revenues, and the duke's failed antique business had left the family deeply in debt. Nearly all the granted lands had been sold off to settle debts, and most of the household servants had been dismissed. All that remained now was this century-old mansion and JD himself, along with his personal butler, Buck.

  Buck was the heir to the Lavett family, a line of servants who had served the Starkett family for generations. Buck's father, the previous butler, passed away three years ago, before Buck had even come of age, so Buck had inherited the position early. Buck was three years younger than JD. Though they were master and servant, they grew up together.Buck was more like a brother to JD.

  JD donned his usual lightweight armor and put the Starkett family heirloom bow, Regis, into the quiver strapped to his back. This weapon had been passed down through generations of Starkett heirs, though JD carried it only symbolically—the tall, sturdy young man had never been adept with archery requiring such delicate technique. Instead, JD excelled with weapons demanding brute strength, like the greatsword. After carrying Regis, he sheathed his usual greatsword in the tightly secured scabbard on his back. Though carrying two weapons simultaneously should have been burdensome, it was effortless for a burly man like JD.

  "JD, are you sure you don't need me to come with you?" Buck asked again while preparing provisions for JD's journey.

  "I'll be fine alone. Besides, someone needs to keep guard over this manor."

  "As a bounty mercenary, you might get some dangerous assignments. Once you reach Valens, remember to seek out companions at the Bounty Mercenary Guild, okay?"

  "Got it!" JD patted his chest and promised Buck with a bright smile. Yet, knowing JD as he did, Buck suspected he might well take on a difficult commission alone for a hefty bounty. After all, JD was the type to act first and think later.

  "JD, you're now the Duke of Starkett. You must come back alive—only then can this family be restored." Buck emphasized these words, hoping JD would grasp the risks ahead.

  "Don't worry, I'll return with a fortune." JD pledged confidently once more. He casually slapped Buck on the shoulder and said, "I'm leaving this household in your hands for now. Wait for my return!"

  Though still uneasy, Buck knew he had no choice but to let him go. After all, in the current situation, there was no other way to resolve the family's predicament.

  "...I'll take good care of this household."

  "Well then, I'm off!" JD waved cheerfully at Buck as he took his leave. He always maintained this optimistic demeanor no matter the situation—and it was precisely this trait that made Buck worry about him the most.

  JD departed the Starkett Manor and set out on foot for Valens, a city in the northeastern part of the Kingdom of Dela. This city was one of the largest in the northeastern part of the kingdom, and the destination of his journey—a branch of the Bounty Mercenary Guild—was situated within its walls.

  Across the vast lands of the Gegal Continent, diverse monsters of all shapes and sizes roamed, some even actively attacking humans. Royal courts and local lords across the nations were unwilling to deploy their armies for such trivial matters, thus giving rise to the profession of bounty mercenaries. Nobles and wealthy merchants offered bounties, entrusting perilous missions to civilians across the Gegal Continent who craved generous rewards. This way, even if a mission failed, it wouldn't deplete regular military forces. The tasks nobles entrust to mercenaries have also gradually become increasingly diverse; nowadays, anything nobles refused to handle personally was delegated to mercenaries.

  The Bounty Mercenary Guild operates independently of any nation, serving as the central institution for this profession. Establishing bases in various cities across different countries, the guild centralizes commissions by posting them on bulletin boards, acting as the bridge between clients and mercenaries.

  Having sold the family's horses—their only means of transportation—to settle debts, JD had no choice but to walk to Valens. The journey on foot from the Starkett manor to Valens took roughly a day and a half.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  Early autumn brought pleasant weather to the northeastern region of Dela. Warm breezes caressed JD's cheeks, bringing him comfort. Though he bore an important responsibility on this journey to Valens, JD also looked forward to revisiting the great city. After all, it had been years since his last visit, back when he was still a boy. For a boy like JD, raised in the countryside, everything about Valens held a sense of wonder. After all these years, he wondered if the city had transformed in unexpected ways. At the very least, JD himself had undergone a profound change—evolving from a naive boy into an independent man, now the duke inheriting the name of the Starkett family.

  The journey on foot was long, but excitement kept JD from feeling the slightest bit tired. After walking for quite some time, the sun was about to set. JD sat down beneath a large tree to rest, when suddenly he heard a peculiar sound coming from behind the tree.

  It sounded a bit like... a cat's meow?

  JD stood up, attempting to locate the source of the sound. That cat-like meow echoed again, though this time it was much fainter than before. JD made his way toward the grass pile behind the large tree and discovered the source of the noise. A small, slender black cat had his left hind leg trapped in a mousetrap set on the ground. He let out a weak cry, clearly in pain.

  "How did this kitten end up stepping on a mousetrap?" JD wondered inwardly. Normally, cats shouldn't accidentally trigger such traps. Despite his confusion, JD knew the most urgent task now was to help the injured cat. He effortlessly pried open the mousetrap, freeing the trapped black cat. However, a faint trail of blood still stained his injured left hind leg, and he limped slightly as he moved.

  "...Meow." The black cat let out a faint cry. Seeing the injured creature in front of him, JD decided to pick him up and return to the large tree. He set the black cat down and spoke to him softly.

  "Kitten, wait here for me, okay?"

  JD rummaged through his large bag and pulled out the ointment Buck had given him. Scratching his head awkwardly, he stared at the black cat before him. The cat, looking slightly frightened, stared back at him, his body retreating slightly. JD didn't know if this stuff would work on cats, but he didn't have any other options right now.

  "Kitten, come here!" JD smeared ointment with his large hands, intending to apply it to the black cat's wound. The cat still stared at JD with a terrified expression.

  "Trust me," JD said, hoping the cat could understand his meaning.

  "Meow..." The black cat's deep pupils fixed on JD. He shifted slightly toward him, as if he understood his words. JD looked closely and noticed the cat's pupils were brown.

  What a beautiful cat. JD marveled inwardly.

  The black cat sat down in front of JD, gently extending his hind leg. JD applied the ointment to the injured leg.

  "Wow, his leg is so slender," JD murmured as he carefully applied the ointment. His hands were too large, and he feared he might accidentally hurt the cat.

  "Ah! I'm really terrible at this sort of thing," JD thought. He knew his movements were always clumsy—Buck often teased him about it. Yet the black cat didn't seem bothered by JD's rough touch. On the contrary, he seemed quite comfortable.

  "Meow!" Compared to his earlier faint meow, the cat now sounded much more spirited.

  After applying the ointment, JD wrapped the cat's wound with a piece of cloth.

  "Looks kinda messy, huh? Hahaha." JD stared at the haphazard knot, scratching his head and grinning like an idiot. He imagined that if Buck were here, he'd definitely whine about the mess, while fixing it properly himself.

  However, the black cat seemed completely unfazed by JD's rough bandaging. His footsteps were much steadier than before as he approached JD and began licking his fingers. JD felt a bit tickled by the cat's tongue, but seeing the cat regain his strength and appear so content filled him with satisfaction. He picked up the black cat and started observing his appearance. The cat was covered entirely in black fur, his brown eyes fixed intently on JD, his gaze utterly harmless.

  "Kitten, you're so adorable," JD murmured, voicing his thoughts aloud.

  The black cat wore no collar. JD wondered inwardly if he was a stray. Yet for some reason, this black cat before him seemed subtly different from any cat JD had ever seen before—a difference he couldn't quite put his finger on.

  The cat settled onto JD's lap, showing no intention of leaving.

  JD pulled out a piece of dry bread from his bag, tore off a small crumb, and held it to the cat's mouth.

  "Would you like this? It's all I have right now." Though cats shouldn't understand human words, JD felt this black cat could communicate with him. The cat licked the crumb off JD's finger before swallowing it.

  "Meow!" The cat let out a satisfied meow, seeming to want more. JD tore off the bulk of the bread and crumbled it for the black cat to eat.

  JD stroked the tip of the black cat's ear. The feel of the cat's fur under his fingers was incredibly soothing. Watching the cat devour the meal before him, JD popped the remaining bread into his own mouth and swallowed. Though this meager food couldn't possibly satisfy his hunger, seeing the adorable cat so content made him inexplicably feel less hungry.

  After finishing the bread, JD finally felt a wave of sleepiness wash over him. He lay down on the ground, murmuring to himself, "Ah, I'm so sleepy."

  The black cat climbed onto JD's broad, sturdy chest and lay down.

  "Meow."

  JD stroked the cat's silky fur and closed his eyes.

  For some reason, stroking the cat nestled against his chest brought JD a deep sense of relaxation, quickly lulling him into a peaceful slumber.